Chapter 10: Your Sister is My Sister

Hearing Tang Rao's words, Zhou Boxiong's interest was immediately piqued.

"You know, my family comes from the Bo Mountain area, and my grandfather could be considered an elder from the mountains. By my father's generation, we opened a small pharmacy there to do a little business," Zhou Boxiong said with a grin.

Tang Rao didn't reply. As far as he knew, there were quite a few pharmacies around Bo Mountain that sold things like ginseng and Lingzhi.

However, most of them were deceiving—the sign said Wild Ginseng, but what they actually sold were goods imported from ginseng gardens and Ganoderma gardens on the mainland. Real high-quality products were scarce.

"Once my dad got drunk and let slip some news," Zhou Boxiong had already stood up by this point and, after glancing around, he closed the door.

"Let's hear it." Tang Rao was interested too. This Fat Bear was taking it so seriously—could it be that he really had something good?

"It was around the beginning of the reform era, my grandfather went up the mountain to dig for ginseng, hoping to gather a dowry for my father.

But unexpectedly, he saw a ginseng with nine leaves on a hilltop, and the leaves were light red.

My grandfather was a seasoned veteran, he had a clear understanding of the characteristics of ginseng. He had seen ginseng with five or six leaves, but this Nine-leaf Ginseng was indeed the first he encountered," Zhou Boxiong suddenly stopped speaking.

"Then what?" Tang Rao also found it peculiar. Nine-leaf Ginseng, even in the Seventy-two Domains of the Nine Realms, he had never heard of it.

If what Zhou Boxiong was saying was true, then it must be a variation of ginseng.

Variations can go either way; they could be extremely potent or completely useless. No one can really say.

Zhou Boxiong swallowed and took a deep breath, "At that time, my grandfather thought he had come across a rare opportunity and prepared to dig it out with tools.

Out of nowhere, a green-spotted giant python sprung out from beside the ginseng.

In the end, my grandfather narrowly escaped with his life, losing his right arm to the python's bite. Since then, he never went back to the mountain to dig for ginseng again." Zhou Boxiong did not describe the details of his grandfather's escape, but it must have been incredibly harrowing.

"Skinny Monkey, what's your take on this?" Tang Rao turned to look at Yan Wei.

"There are indeed legends of Nine-leaf Blood Ginseng among the people, and to my knowledge, there were especially many deaths on Bo Mountain from the end of the old era to the beginning of the reform era. Combining some information I have collected before, whether Nine-leaf Blood Ginseng exists is inconclusive, but the green-spotted giant python Fat Bear spoke of is quite likely to be real," Yan Wei said as he tapped the table.

"Fuck, Skinny Monkey, you've even researched this kind of stuff?" Zhou Boxiong was astonished.

Yan Wei did not explain. As a joke, what haven't I researched? Your pig brain wouldn't understand a thing.

Tang Rao nodded, mentally noting this information. Maybe he could take a look sometime.

If Nine-leaf Blood Ginseng really exists and proves to be incredibly effective, it would greatly aid in restoring his strength.

"Here, take this." Tang Rao took out a bank card from his pocket and threw it to Zhou Boxiong, "The password is six sixes."

Zhou Boxiong looked at the bank card in his hand, furrowing his brows slightly.

"Don't get me wrong. Since both your grandfather and father are old hands in dealing with Wild Ginseng, they definitely have a good grasp on it. There's about five million in the card, let's call it a deposit. Ask your father to help me acquire some authentic Wild Ginseng that is over two hundred years old. When the time comes, I'll buy them all at one and a half times the market price," Tang Rao started.

"Over two hundred years old!" Zhou Boxiong gaped at Tang Rao, thinking the man must have gone mad.

"I have important uses for them," Tang Rao said solemnly.

"Alright, since you, Mr. Tang, gave me a chance to become rich overnight, I can't refuse your kindness," Zhou Boxiong quickly broke into a smile, seeing this as a big deal.

Two hundred-year-old Wild Ginseng would be worth at least a million at market rate. If he could procure even two, he'd make a profit of a million straightaway.

"Also, let Skinny Monkey help you, and give him thirty percent of your earnings," Tang Rao added.

"Sure thing," Zhou Boxiong readily agreed without a second thought.

Even though he and Yan Wei were always bickering, Zhou Boxiong never doubted Yan Wei's abilities.

With Yan Wei's analytical and statistical abilities, they could procure at least two more stalks of two hundred-year-old Wild Ginseng.

"Thanks." Yan Wei looked towards Tang Rao, his face showing a rare smile.

"Thanks my ass, we're all brothers here. Plus, we can't let our sister's health slide. Your sister is my sister too, and who knows, maybe one day I'll be your brother-in-law," Tang Rao said with his legs crossed and a smug expression on his face, smacking his lips.

"Holy shit, Skinny Monkey better offer our sister to Mr. Tang, you're in with the big dogs now, you get it?! You're on your way to making it big, you get it?!" Zhou Boxiong yelled.

"Shut your mouth, Fatty."

"Slimy Monkey, you've got the guts, let's spar!"

…

While Tang Rao, Zhou Boxiong, and Yan Wei were discussing mutually beneficial affairs in the dormitory, Cui Sifang was not having such a comfortable time; lying in the infirmary, his face swollen and red.

Of course, the pain on his body was nothing compared to the agony in Cui Sifang's heart.

He had been tricked by a dumbass like Tang Rao, which, in Cui Sifang's view, was utterly humiliating.

However, Tang Rao's performance today really caught him off-guard.

Aside from suddenly becoming smarter, this guy's fighting skills had bizarrely improved leaps and bounds, to the point where even Jiang Langyue was knocked down.

Jiang Langyue's ferocity was nothing to scoff at, especially in actual combat. If she really got serious, it's likely that seven or eight strong men couldn't even get close.

Yet today, he witnessed Jiang Langyue being beaten down by Tang Rao.

"Tang Rao, just you wait! If I don't make you kneel and beg for mercy, then I'm not Cui Sifang!" Cui Sifang breathed heavily, clenching his fists so hard he wished he could dig his fingernails into his palms.

…

Tang Rao didn't attend class in the afternoon; it's not like he would understand anything if he did.

After several hours of cultivation in the dormitory, he went straight downstairs to head home.

"Ali, why do you keep staring at me?" In the car, Tang Rao noticed through the rearview mirror that Lei Li kept looking at him.

Lei Li blushed slightly and coughed softly.

"I... have a question for you," Lei Li finally couldn't hold back.

The image of Tang Rao defeating Jiang Langyue lingered in her mind.

According to her investigation, Tang Rao was a complete scumbag of a second-generation rich kid. Except for having wealthy and capable parents, he was utterly useless.

But today at the Taekwondo Department, not only did Tang Rao successfully scheme against Cui Sifang, but he also knocked down Jiang Langyue.

Particularly, Tang Rao's claw strike left her in awe.

"What is it?" Tang Rao asked nonchalantly, leaning back in his seat.

"Have you been hiding your skills all this time?" asked Lei Li, as that was the only explanation she could think of.

Tang Rao couldn't have suddenly become so powerful; the only explanation was that he deliberately acted useless before, to mislead others.

"Actually... you can know if you want." Tang Rao sat up straight and spoke with a serious face.

"I'll tell you if you let me touch you," Tang Rao's serious expression lasted only a second, then he stretched out his hands towards Lei Li's chest with a grin, resuming his mischievous demeanor.