Chapter 381 — Found It at Last

But when he stood up, the stench was still there!

Kang Jingming searched all around before he finally realized the smell was coming from the pill in his hand.

"What kind of smell is this for a pill?" Kang Jingming's stomach churned. This was far too foul. Had it smelled like this before?

Yet try as he might, Kang Jingming could not for the life of him remember whether the pill had stunk when he had stepped on it. He had been too excited at the time, too busy mocking Kang Xiaofeng—when would he have had the leisure to notice whether the pill was fragrant or foul?

"It must be this one!" Kang Jingming nodded in self-reassurance, for the color of this dog mess really was uncannily similar to that of the Life-Extending Toxin-Expelling Pill. He had only glanced at it once before crushing it underfoot, so he could not recall its exact shade.

Kang Jingming hastily cupped the dog mess carefully in his hand, checked that no one around was watching, and only then slipped cautiously back into the banquet hall.

The moment he stepped through the door, he met his grandfather Kang the Divine Doctor's questioning gaze. Kang Jingming hurriedly nodded at him, signaling that he had found the Life-Extending Toxin-Expelling Pill.

Kang the Divine Doctor breathed a sigh of relief. If it truly was a treasure, losing it would have been a sheer waste. That night he was determined to telephone Liu Tianyi and ask whether such a thing actually existed.

Liu Tianyi had wanted to invite Wei Zhao to ride in his car, but seeing that Wei Zhao had driven himself, he had no choice but to let it go.

Wei Zhao drove Tang Zhi, Kang Xiaofeng, Xiaofen, and Guan Xuewen back to Songshan City. He dropped Tang Zhi off at the hospital and Xiaofen at her home, then took Kang Xiaofeng with him, ready to go to Guan Xuewen's house to discuss business.

Kang Xiaofeng had wanted to keep Xiaofen company; he feared she would be in low spirits after seeing Kang Jingming today. But when Xiaofen heard that Wei Zhao had something important for Kang Xiaofeng, how could she let him waste his time?

She shook her head at Kang Xiaofeng and broke into a smile. "Xiaobo, Brother Wei Zhao has serious business with you. Hurry along—no need to keep me company. I'm fine! My mood's already much better now."

"You're really all right?" Kang Xiaofeng was still uneasy. After all, she had been hurt so deeply by Kang Jingming—how could she be fine just like that?

"Heh, I'm waiting for the day you help me get my revenge!" Xiaofen laughed. "I've memorized every word you said today!"

"All right, then wait for me. I'll definitely make it happen!" Kang Xiaofeng clenched his fists.

Wei Zhao smiled. He had given Kang Xiaofeng a stage to display himself, but only if Kang Xiaofeng himself was willing. If he lazed about, then even as Wei Zhao's spokesman he would be nothing but a freeloader who watched over others and waited to die. But if he was full of fighting spirit, that was another matter entirely.

As long as he had the will, he would throw his heart into it and strive—sooner or later he would succeed! As long as he had confidence and a dream, it would surely come true!

"Tang Zhi, I won't go up with you. Grandfather Guan has already put in a word about your father's surgery. As for the problem with his bones, there is nothing I can do—but once the operation is done, I have some medicine that can make his wounds heal with remarkable speed." As Tang Zhi was about to get out of the car, Wei Zhao said to her, "I'll bring it over on Monday when he has his surgery. I don't have it on me today."

"Mm... thank you." Tang Zhi nodded and did not refuse. She did not know when it had begun, but she had gradually grown used to it—used to Wei Zhao's concern for her and his care for her.

Once Tang Zhi had gotten out, Kang Xiaofeng could finally hold back no longer. "Boss, you mean the medicine is similar to the wound medicine my Second Grandfather makes?"

On the market, the only medicine that could make wounds heal with such speed was Kang the Divine Doctor's wound salve—no wonder Kang Xiaofeng was astonished! He had never imagined Wei Zhao had such a medicine in his possession too!

"Heh, it should be about the same. I've never seen his, nor his formula, so I wouldn't dare say for certain, but the effect should be similar." Wei Zhao nodded.

Kang Xiaofeng was dumbstruck! At this moment, he finally understood why Wei Zhao was so confident and so certain in supporting him and Kang Jingming in their break with his Second Grandfather's household!

Earlier, when Wei Zhao had said he could make Kang Xiaofeng an equal to his Second Grandfather, Kang Xiaofeng had not quite believed it. Yet at the time, for the sake of face, he had still spoken those bold words of ambition!

Kang Xiaofeng had been somewhat uneasy at first, unsure whether his grand declarations would end up a laughingstock. But now he knew—they would not!

If Wei Zhao also had a formula for something like the wound-salve, then he was fully entitled to stand on equal footing with Second Grandpa. Kang Shenyi Pharmaceutical Company—the only thing that actually made money was the wound-salve!

"Boss, you're amazing—where did you get the formula? My Second Grandpa guarded his formula like his life depended on it; even Grandpa didn't know about it!" Kang Xiaofeng sighed as he said this. "My grandpa was a fool too. He never even went to check where the formula was kept, and in the end my Second Grandpa stole it!"

"I made it myself," Wei Zhao said with a shrug. Kang Xiaofeng was about to become his spokesman, so there was no harm in letting him in on a few core secrets.

"Made it... yourself?" Kang Xiaofeng's eyes went wide with shock! Wei Zhao could concoct a formula like that on his own? Just how formidable was he?

"All right, so long as you know. Whatever you do, don't breathe a word of it." Wei Zhao patted Kang Xiaofeng on the shoulder. "I have personal reasons of my own for not wanting to step forward just yet, so as far as the outside world is concerned, this company belongs to you and Grandpa Guan."

"Don't worry, Boss! I won't say a thing!" Hearing that Wei Zhao trusted him like a spokesman, Kang Xiaofeng was instantly moved. He nodded and said, "Xiaofen and I won't say anything..."

"That part you can say..." Wei Zhao broke into a sweat. "Xiaofen's legs—sooner or later I'll have to deal with those too, so it's fine to tell her. Just keep it within a small circle of our own people."

"Boss, I've realized that the wisest decision of my entire life was that day when I got it into my head to go up to the rooftop with you and help you fight..." Kang Xiaofeng said with feeling. "If I hadn't had that moment of madness, you wouldn't be looking after me like this..."

Kang Xiaofeng had a degree of self-awareness. He knew he was of little use—in Wei Zhao's eyes, he was no help at all. If there was one thing that had made Wei Zhao regard him more highly, it was that one time...

Still, Kang Xiaofeng was quite right. It really was because of that one time, when Kang Xiaofeng had been able to step forward in a fit of hotheadedness, that Wei Zhao had counted him as a brother!

Just after transferring schools, on the very first day of class, few people would stand up for you out of a bit of loyalty. Kang Xiaofeng might have been driven partly by recklessness and a hot head, but Wei Zhao had still been deeply moved!