Interstellar Pharmacist - Chapter 65-Extra Chapter
Chapter 65: Side Story—Zhao Min
In the afternoon, several old men were sitting in a teahouse, drinking tea and chatting while savoring some pre-rain Longjing tea.
One of them laughed, “You really don’t know how to enjoy yourself. Don’t you have good tea at home? Why come out here to drink?”
An old man next to him immediately glared, “It’s not the same! Drinking tea alone at home has no flavor. Here, with a few people drinking tea and chatting, it’s so much more enjoyable.”
“By the way, I heard your son is doing well. He actually got hired by Tangmen. That’s Tangmen; how many people are crowding in line to compete? So many people are breaking their heads and lining up to compete for a position there. Not to mention, just the monthly benefit of two boxes of hemostatic ointment for each employee is enough to make people envious.You know, most of the time, people rush into the shop waving credits but often can’t get their hands on the medicine.”
“Well, the brat just got lucky. Who would’ve thought he’d actually get in?”
The old man said modestly, though he was inwardly pleased.
“If he hadn’t really accomplished something, I’d have given him a good beating. By the way, do you know why Tangmen’s products are so effective?”
Most of the people shook their heads.
One person laughed lightly, “Why else? Because Tangmen’s chief pharmacist is amazing. Who doesn’t know that their chief pharmacist can make gene purification agents? There’s no one else who can do that. Some have tried using several times the ingredients, but they still can’t make it.”
The old man slapped his thigh and laughed, “Yes, it’s all thanks to that chief pharmacist! My kid doesn’t have great skills, but he’s pretty clever. He knew that the old pharmacist in the shop loves to drink, so he bought a bottle to honor him. Unexpectedly, the old pharmacist got drunk and let it slip. It turns out that Tangmen’s owner, Zhao Min, got his success by latching onto this chief pharmacist!”
Someone didn’t believe it, “Don’t talk nonsense. Tangmen’s influence is huge; their medicine is sold across the galaxy, right? Just because Zhao Min latched onto one person? No matter how great that person is, he can’t make so much medicine in 24 hours a day. If you’re going to make things up, at least make it believable.”
The old man got anxious, “Running a pharmacy, of course, the medicine is the most important. Zhao Min latched onto a great pharmacist and relied on him to get many great formulas. Zhao Min then trained people, making them skilled enough to do the mechanical work.”
Someone sighed, “If that’s true, Zhao Min just casually latched onto someone and made a fortune beyond what ordinary people could imagine. He’s really lucky.”
“Who says he isn’t?” Others echoed.
Zhao Min closed his eyes contentedly, savoring the taste of the tea in his mouth, a slight bitterness followed by sweetness, lingering. Hearing a bunch of people talking about him, he couldn’t help but laugh.
“What do you think?” Someone beside him noticed his strange smile and asked for his opinion.
Zhao Min replied without hesitation, “I think what you’re saying is too reasonable; your analysis is too thorough. Zhao Min is just a guy who stepped in dog poop luck.”
That person, satisfied, turned away while muttering, “I think so too.”
Zhao Min didn’t argue or refute; he just smiled faintly.
Many people who knew his background envied his luck. But how many knew that many people tried to latch onto the miracle doctor, but he was the most successful one?
Others made it sound very simple, as if his success was just due to latching onto the miracle doctor, denying all his efforts. It seemed like if someone else had the same opportunity, they would surely succeed just like him.
Besides laughing it off, Zhao Min couldn’t think of what else to do. Seeing a good opportunity and grabbing it isn’t a given, is it? Without ability, the miracle doctor would just abandon him.
Most people are naive, always thinking that if they had the chance, they would definitely seize it.
Just like ten years ago on Huangsha Star, a house cost seventy or eighty thousand; very few people bought, thinking renting was more economical. Five years later, more people started buying houses, but some still firmly believed it wasn’t worth it and waited for prices to drop.
Now, house prices have been rising for over ten years, and everyone knows that buying a house back then would have made a fortune. So many people slap their thighs in regret, enviously saying that those who bought houses back then were just lucky.
Zhao Min thought, Aren’t those who misunderstand him the same? Analyzing issues after they have become facts, talking eloquently, but if you erased their memories and sent them back in time, how many would dare to buy a house?
All hindsight, not worth worrying about.
Therefore, Zhao Min never argued about it. Every time he listened seriously to others’ analyses, he always agreed, saying, “You make a lot of sense.”
Anyway, no matter how much was said, it didn’t affect him in the slightest.
With Ma Ruiming looking after the shop on Jupiter, Zhao Min took the opportunity to return to Huangsha Star.
Since the miracle doctor left the planet, he had been reluctant to go back. When the medicine was almost sold out, he would just call a reliable subordinate to fly back to Huangsha Star to restock.
Counting on his fingers, it had been a year since he last went back.
Having gotten used to the green grass and towering trees on Jupiter, Zhao Min felt a bit uncomfortable when he got off the spaceship and saw the yellow sand flying everywhere.
He quickly covered his nose and mouth with his right hand to keep the sand out.
When the sandstorm subsided, he couldn’t help but sigh, “A year away, and nothing has changed here. The sand is just as plentiful.”
He strolled around slowly, wandering about. Suddenly, an excited shout came from behind, “Ah Min!”
Zhao Min turned around, raising his eyebrows. It was one of his brothers, “Ah Qing, long time no see.”
Ah Qing ran over, saying repeatedly, “Didn’t you say you left the planet to do business elsewhere? When I saw your back just now, I thought I was mistaken. How’s it going? Doing well?”
Communication with the outside world was difficult on Huangsha Star, so Ah Qing had no idea that Zhao Min was thriving elsewhere.
Zhao Min replied vaguely, “Not bad. Just doing some small business, making a living isn’t a problem.”
Ah Qing was both envious and jealous, “Out of all the brothers, except for Ah Liang, you’re the luckiest! Latching onto Tang Xin’s coattails, now you don’t have to worry about food and clothing, and you don’t have to answer to anyone. Those of us who stayed on Huangsha Star have it tough.”
“You’ve been away for a long time, so you probably don’t know. Father fell ill suddenly, and, before he died, he left most of the family property to that fool Ah Liang. The rest of us couldn’t even get a sip of the soup, let alone the meat. It’s the first time I’ve seen such blatant favoritism.”
“Father was lucky while he was alive, often turning bad luck into good. But Ah Liang is dumb, incompetent, and not lucky at all. A few of us brothers have been talking, and we plan to join forces against him. You’re always smart, do you want to join us? After we succeed, we’ll split the family property equally and go our separate ways.”
Ah Qing continued to prattle on, trying to persuade Zhao Min to join him.
Zhao Min smiled without speaking, feeling quite emotional. Given his current wealth, the combined assets of the entire Zhao family were probably just a fraction of his own.
He had no need to fight anyone for money anymore.
Zhao Min couldn’t help but think that if he hadn’t met Tang Xin, he would probably be just like Ah Qing. Dissatisfied with his father’s decisions, complaining, and focusing only on the piece of meat in front of him while ignoring the vast sky outside.
In fact, Zhao Min had begun to change his initial thoughts.
Leaving most of the property to one person was indeed hard for others to accept. But since the family business was built by their father, he naturally had the right to dispose of it. Who to give it to and how much to give should be his decision.
Zhao Min interrupted Ah Qing’s rambling, raising a polite smile but with a tone that brooked no argument, “I won’t get involved. Good luck to you all.”
With that, he waved goodbye to Ah Qing and headed to the shop, planning to take the stock and leave. Huangsha Star no longer had anything worth his attachment.
“Zhao Min?” A hesitant voice called out from the side.
Zhao Min was surprised. Someone else was calling him?
Looking in the direction of the voice, he rubbed his chin, a bit surprised, “Lan Yin? What a coincidence.”
“It really is you.”
Lan Yin carefully examined Zhao Min.
Although they had known each other since childhood, he suddenly felt like he didn’t recognize this person anymore.
Dressed casually, with a relaxed, confident, and gentle demeanor, he was completely different from the gloomy and sullen person he used to be.
“Gene level? Martial artist level?” Lan Yin continued to ask.
“A-level, level 6,” Zhao Min replied with a smile.
Lan Yin was impressed, “You’re doing really well.”
They used to have the same gene level, but Lan Yin was more diligent and ambitious, always a step ahead of Zhao Min in strength. Now, Zhao Min’s gene level was higher, and his martial artist level was the same.
Lan Yin had secretly investigated Zhao Min’s situation and learned that Tangmen’s business was booming, with their medicines always in short supply.
Lan Yin was a bit dazed, realizing that the gap between them seemed to have started widening from the moment Zhao Min decided to leave the Zhao family and firmly latch onto Tang Xin’s coattails, to the point where he could no longer catch up.
What use was there in diligently practicing martial arts? Zhao Min saw someone worthwhile and chose to follow them closely. As a result, he got the chance to drink the gene purification agent, easily achieving what Lan Yin struggled to accomplish.
And what about him? He had once had a great opportunity in front of him, but he hesitated and missed it.
Who could he blame? He didn’t dare to take risks and step out of his comfort zone, so he was destined to live a smooth but ordinary life.
Lan Yin looked at Zhao Min, genuinely impressed, “You deserve all of it. Congratulations, Zhao Min, I admire you.”
Zhao Min raised an eyebrow. Along the way, it was rare for someone to face his success calmly and sincerely offer congratulations.
He smiled from the heart, “Thank you.”
