Chapter 1797 — The Situation Is Dire, Part Two
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
"And if Wei Zhao does not return? Even Fatty Lai says he cannot reach Wei Zhao now — who knows where he has run off to?" said Liu Tianli. "Father, Wei Zhao may be a cultivator and formidable with it, but our Liu family has no cultivators; we have always lived by trade. If we go bankrupt over this, then in the future..."
"Enough, Tianli, say no more!" Liu Zhenhu waved a hand. "That we have no cultivators now does not mean we shall never have any. I say Jingjing is a fine prospect. I hear Divine Physician Lin is also an alchemist — if he refines a Foundation Establishment Pill, and we obtain one for Jingjing, then once Jingjing becomes an expert, our Liu family will truly take its place in the Cultivators Association. That is the true foundation for standing firm in the years to come!"
"..." Liu Tianli wanted to say more, but hearing his father put it that way, he could only give it up.
"Tianli, you must remember one saying: coal in the snow warms a man for a lifetime, but flowers on brocade buy only a moment's goodwill..." Liu Tianyi said. "Divine Physician Lin has not returned. If we help Fatty Lai now, Divine Physician Lin will surely remember our kindness. But if we stand by and do nothing, then in the future... heh heh. The Yu family was once such a mighty presence; today its people are dead or crippled, with only the crippled Yu Kun and the outsider Yu Haitian left to take charge of the Yu family. Their holdings may keep them comfortable for life, but to become a great family again — that is likely impossible."
Liu Tianli's expression shifted, bright and dark by turns, but since his father had spoken so, he nodded all the same. "Very well. But our family does not have much money left now. If this goes on, I fear we cannot hold out much longer..."
Liu Zhenhu did not concern himself with the family finances, but hearing Liu Tianli say this, he knew how grave matters were, and could not help sighing softly. "Jingjing, what do you think?"
"Melt down the pots and sell the iron — stake everything on one throw," Liu Jinghan said after a moment's thought. "Our Liu family has no way back. Either we withdraw now, or we hold out to the end. Once Wei Zhao turns things around, he will not treat us shabbily."
"But... what if he cannot turn things around?" Liu Tianli asked.
"At worst we start over from the beginning," Liu Jinghan said with a shrug. "Dad, relax. If we truly lose it all, you and I will simply begin again, father and daughter!"
Liu Tianli nodded. Since his daughter had said so, he had no choice but to keep supporting Fatty Lai.
The original wholesale price had been high; now that the products had been discounted for promotion, even if the distributors did not return the goods, the Liu family would still have to make up a large sum in price difference to them. That money, Fatty Lai could not produce, for all the funds in his hands had gone into the new production line and the factory buildings. So it fell to the Liu family, as the general channel distributor, to put it up for the time being.
But as the returns kept mounting, it was not only the Liu family — even Fatty Lai was beginning to fret.
Dr. Guan Pharmaceutical had had its glory days, but its pedigree was still too shallow. How could it compare with an old established firm like Kang Divine Physician Pharmaceutical Company? The outcome of this market war was all but decided: Kang Divine Physician would be the victor.
Fatty Lai lived each day as though it were a year, yet he gritted his teeth and held on, for he believed that once Wei Zhao returned, all difficulties would dissolve of themselves.