Chapter 174 The Master of the Medicine Garden
Chen Xuan strode over quickly.
"Who are you?" Wang Hua asked Chen Xuan with a frown.
A hint of anger flashed across Chen Xuan's face. He ignored Wang Hua and hurried over to help Old Bai up. "Sir, are you alright?"
"I... I... I'm fine," Old Bai shook his head, casting a fearful glance at Wang Hua. He said in a low voice, "Young man, you should leave quickly, or you'll be in big trouble."
Chen Xuan said lightly, "Just a bunch of dogs, nothing much."
"Kid, who are you calling dogs?" Wang Hua became furious.
"I've heard of people picking up money, but never of people picking up insults," Chen Xuan straightened his back and said with a smile, staring at Wang Hua.
Wang Hua's face instantly turned cold. However, a thought struck him. He scanned Chen Xuan a few times, suspiciously saying, "I don't seem to have seen you before. You must be the one stealing the herbs! Kneel down for me now, and I might consider not reporting you. Otherwise, I'll make you pay."
Of course, even if Chen Xuan knelt, he could still consider reporting him. wΑp.kanshu伍.net
The others' eyes lit up, thinking Chen Xuan was likely the thief.
After all, no one present recognized Chen Xuan.
There had been two incidents of herb theft in the medicine garden recently, and it seemed to be causing quite a stir. If they caught the thief, there would surely be a reward.
"Xiao Wang, this young man is a distant relative of mine. He's not a thief," Old Bai said with some effort.
Wang Hua cursed, "What the hell is an old geezer like you doing talking here? Believe it or not, I can have the manager fire you right now!"
Old Bai's expression turned a little unpleasant.
His son and daughter-in-law had died in a car accident. He and his wife were raising their grandson. If he lost his job, they wouldn't be able to afford their grandson's tuition next semester. He felt indignant but still lowered his head.
Wang Hua looked at Chen Xuan and sneered, "Kid, what have you decided?"
"Kneel down and apologize to this gentleman now, and I'll spare your life," Chen Xuan said coldly.
"You refuse a toast and insist on a beating. Don't blame me for being rude!"
Wang Hua snorted lightly and then shouted, "Someone, come! We've caught a herb thief!"
Before his voice faded, a stout, round-shouldered man in his thirties, shaking his large waist, "rolled" over like a ball.
He had a stern expression at first, but upon seeing it was Wang Hua, he immediately changed his tune and said busily, "Young Master Wang, what's going on?"
Hearing "Young Master Wang," Wang Hua showed a hint of smugness.
"Manager Li, this guy isn't from our medicine garden. He barged in without permission, he must be the one who stole the herbs a few days ago. You must arrest him," Wang Hua said sternly, pointing at Chen Xuan's nose.
"Young Master Wang, I understand what needs to be done."
Manager Li immediately nodded. This Young Master Wang had a good father. Although not from a great family, he was not someone an outsider like him could afford to offend.
Manager Li turned his head to look at Chen Xuan. As he clearly saw Chen Xuan's face, he was stunned: "Chen Xuan?"
"Li Shangqing?" Chen Xuan also frowned, their eyes meeting.
Li Shangqing was the most successful member of the Li family in the outside world. He had established himself in the provincial capital early on and was the most popular in the family during Chinese New Year. When he was about to marry Li Jiajia, Li Shangqing had humiliated him more than once.
He never expected Li Shangqing to be the manager of this medicine garden!
Old Bai showed a hint of joy. Since it was an acquaintance, Chen Xuan probably wouldn't be bullied by Wang Hua, and he wouldn't feel so guilty anymore, as the matter had started because of him.
"Manager Li, you know him?" Wang Hua couldn't help but ask.
"Heh heh, I'd recognize him even if he turned to ashes. This guy is called Chen Xuan, from Jiangzhou. He used to be our Li family's son-in-law, but he was kicked out by my sister. He was an expert at leeching off others. Later, he retaliated against our Li family and even caused our Li family to go bankrupt."
Li Shangqing glanced at Chen Xuan, sizing up Chen Xuan in his shabby clothes, and said with utter disdain, "Looking at his attire, he must have been dumped by that rich woman and has no choice but to steal to survive."
Wang Hua stared at Chen Xuan and laughed heartily, mockingly saying, "Kid, I didn't expect you'd be good at leeching too. Amazing, amazing! Manager Li, you absolutely must not let him off lightly." kanδん
"Young Master Wang, don't worry, I will handle this matter properly!"
Li Shangqing pointed at the dirt on the ground, mixed with animal feces, which still emitted a foul odor, and sneered, "You leech, our medicine garden suspects you of stealing our herbs. However, considering you were once the Li family's son-in-law, I'll give you a chance. As long as you eat this handful of dirt for me, I won't pursue the matter further."
"Manager Li, this young man's fingernails are clean. He's clearly not a herb thief. He might have just stumbled in. For the sake of my decades of work for the medicine garden, I hope you can let this young man go," Old Bai couldn't help but say.
"What does this old thing have to do with it? If you don't want to work anymore, scram!" Li Shangqing cursed.
Old Bai was about to say something else but was stopped by Chen Xuan. He looked at Li Shangqing and asked, "Where is your medicine garden's person in charge?"
Li Shangqing paused and snorted, "Still planning to complain? Let me tell you, our medicine garden's person in charge has gone to welcome our new owner and has no time to bother with you. Let me tell you, whether you stole or not today, you stole. I have the final say in this matter."
"You have the final say?" Chen Xuan said with a half-smile, glancing at a middle-aged man in a suit running desperately towards them not far away.
"That's right! Although I'm just a manager, I'm enough to decide your fate today. I'll ask you, will you eat this dirt or not!" Li Shangqing said arrogantly.
"Slap!"
Just then, a man walked over and kicked Li Shangqing's leg. Coincidentally, his legs went weak, and he knelt before Chen Xuan.
"Which bastard dared to kick me? Don't you want to live anymore?" Li Shangqing looked up and saw himself kneeling before Chen Xuan, his anger surging to the point of explosion. He immediately cursed and struggled to get up.
At this moment, upon seeing this man, everyone else bowed and said, "Greetings, Director Yuan!"
Li Shangqing's heart sank. He slowly turned his head, and upon clearly seeing the face of the middle-aged man behind him, his face turned pale with embarrassment. "Director... Director Yuan... why did you kick me?"
"Kick you? Do you think I want to kill you? This Mr. Chen Xuan is the new owner of our medicine garden." The middle-aged man looked at Chen Xuan and showed a respectful expression.
"He... he... is the new owner of the medicine garden?" Li Shangqing was speechless, almost biting off his tongue, his face filled with disbelief.
Wang Hua was also dumbfounded. The young men with Wang Hua were also stunned. As for Old Bai, he breathed a sigh of relief, though he was also somewhat surprised.
"Director Yuan, are you mistaken? He's dressed so shabbily, how can he be the new owner of the medicine garden?" Li Shangqing asked unwillingly.
The middle-aged man cursed, "Does the head of the Ji family, Ji Xiong, sending me photos mean I can be wrong? Do you think I'm blind?"
Li Shangqing felt as if his world had collapsed, and his heart cried out, "It's over!"
He never expected Chen Xuan to be the new owner of the medicine garden!
This guy was too good at leeching. This was a whole medicine garden! He was filled with jealousy.
"My name is Yuan Chunqiu. I am the General Manager of the medicine garden. I didn't see you at the entrance earlier. The doorman said you had come in, so I rushed over. My negligence in allowing these short-sighted people to disturb you," Yuan Chun said, his forehead sweating coldly, speaking tremblingly.
Chen Xuan said lightly, "Director Yuan, there's no need to blame yourself. Even the best organizations have a few dogs who look down on others."
Seeing that Chen Xuan was not holding a grudge, Yuan Chunqiu felt greatly relieved.
Chen Xuan pointed at Wang Hua and Li Shangqing: "Director Yuan, this Young Master Wang just said I stole something. And Manager Li Shangqing, what did you say just now? Ah, yes, you said you'd make me eat dirt, or else you'd make me pay. What do you think should be done?"