Chapter 48-Part 2

No amount of anger could hide the sadness in his heart at this moment.

Looking at the young man in front of him and then glancing back at his own so-called “second-best” heir, the difference was like night and day—there was simply no comparison.

Whether it was the truth or an excuse Zhao Min came up with to avoid the challenge, it was clear he was only willing to compete in three types of medicine.

Ma Tao questioned himself. After hearing about the miraculous properties of Tangmen’s medicine from others, he honestly didn’t have the confidence to win.

This was one reason he chose different medicines for the competition.

But what shocked him the most was that Zhao Min used the opportunity to explain himself and clear his name.

He claimed that the challenge was just a joke, merely for testing the medicine, and his sincere demeanor made it seem as though his previous arrogant statement, “The Ma family is nothing special,” was simply a misunderstanding.

Quite shameless. But then again, who in business isn’t shameless?

Ma Tao glanced at Ma Ruian, thinking that this guy hadn’t even learned the skill of being shameless.

If it were Ruiming, he might have been able to compete with Zhao Min.

Thinking of Ma Ruiming gave Ma Tao a headache.

After reprimanding Ruian, he sought out Ruiming.

In his mind, intelligence was largely innate and hard to improve. Since that was the case, he thought it better to let Ruiming manage the family, giving him a strong, loyal bodyguard from the Ma family.

However, Ma Ruiming calmly refused this proposal.

“I’m already a cripple. No one in the Ma family will listen to a cripple. The head of the family should find someone more capable.”

Ma Tao knew Ruiming held a grudge because he had abandoned Ruiming at a critical moment in favor of Ruian.

He patiently persuaded, “Precisely because your health is poor, you need to be the future head of the Ma family. With the family’s wealth and power, you can get better care. Have you thought about what will happen if someone else becomes the head and kicks you out?”

Before Ma Tao realized his mistake, the words had already slipped out.

He was a bit annoyed. If Ruiming understood that Ma Tao had foreseen Ruian potentially kicking him out and still chose Ruian, how would Ruiming feel?

As expected, Ruiming’s lips curled into a cold smile. “If that happens, it just means I’m unlucky. The Ma family raised me, and I’ve worked hard for them for years. We’re even.”

Without waiting for Ma Tao to say more, Ruiming went back to his room, clearly refusing further conversation.

One problem child after another, none of them giving him peace of mind.

Ma Tao felt a deep sorrow. If he had known Ruian was useless, he would never have treated Ruiming that way.

Now he had no one to rely on. Even for confronting another shop, he had to go personally as the head of the Ma family.

In the past, he would have confidently let Ruiming handle it.

With Ruian, though, he thought it better to personally go and risk embarrassment than let Ruian mess things up even more.

“The competition is over, and the Ma family has won. Is there anything else?” Zhao Min asked with a smile.

What kind of victory is this?

Competing with Tangmen’s strengths, the Ma family couldn’t win; with other medicines, Zhao Min directly conceded.

Caught in a dilemma, Ma Tao had no choice but to leave.

“Take care,” Zhao Min warmly called after him.

Ma Tao understood that, on the surface, the Ma family had won. But in reality?

Zhao Min had cleared his name, gained a good reputation, and suffered no losses.

Other medicines are not as good as the Ma family’s? It didn’t matter since Tangmen didn’t sell those anyway.

Even Zhao Min’s composure and courtesy after conceding were superior to the Ma family’s demeanor.

Comparing the two, Ma Tao felt an urge to strangle Ma Ruian again.

**

On Huangsha Planet, Tang Xin was watching a disk sent back by Zhao Min.

The spaceship transporting medicine also brought the disk, which Zhao Min had specifically instructed be given to her.

“Did he really go to cause trouble?” Tang Xin watched the video, slightly shocked.

“Wasn’t it your idea? You said it would make him famous quickly,” Yan Hao glanced at her indifferently.

Tang Xin touched her nose.

“I added a note suggesting it was just a recommendation.”

“When he first opened a shop, didn’t he gather a bunch of people to cause trouble at a Qi family branch? Relax; he’s experienced and knows the ropes,” Yan Hao said, not missing a chance to badmouth Zhao Min.

Tang Xin rolled her eyes. “That was different.”

Qi Xing was an enemy; of course, there was no need for courtesy.

But now, they had no enmity with the Ma family. Initiating trouble and disrupting business was ultimately not very nice.

“Business is like war, with only victory and defeat, no right or wrong. Who would reason with the loser?” Yan Hao remarked.

There were two videos on the disk. After watching the first one, they moved on to the second.

When they finished watching the Ma family cause trouble at Tangmen, Yan Hao smirked.

“Zhao Min is getting more cunning.”

Implying that Zhao Min needed to be watched closely.

Tang Xin didn’t catch his implication and instead agreed, “Zhao Min is quite capable, and judging by his demeanor, it’s unlikely he has ulterior motives. With him around, I’m much more at ease.”

Yan Hao got angry and said, “If it were me, I’d do a better job than him!”

Tang Xin wondered, “Why would I make you do such things?”

Though she had medicinal powder for protection, it was better to keep a loyal, capable guard like Yan Hao by her side for safety. One could never have too much protection.

She had plenty of people willing to run errands for her.

Yan Hao pouted, feeling very displeased with Zhao Min.

Tang Xin spoke earnestly: “A smart person just needs to choose reliable, capable people to give orders to. How they execute them is up to others. It’s better to stay behind the scenes and count the money than to step forward and show off.”

Upon hearing this, Yan Hao’s anger turned to joy.

An executor of orders? Simply put, wasn’t that just an errand boy?

He and his master were behind the scenes; there was no point in comparing himself to an errand boy.

Tang Xin watched her guard’s icy expression soften suddenly and sighed inwardly. She found it increasingly hard to understand his thoughts.

Then she thought, Who cares? Yan Hao was loyal and would never harm her. If he was moody, so be it.