The spike in Sanqi prices, coupled with the severe drought in Yunnan, sparked a sudden flash of inspiration in Zhang Yang’s mind.

He recalled how, in his previous life, a professor in charge of procurement had often lamented to him, wishing they had bought much more Sanqi when the price was low, as they could have made a fortune selling it later.

Zhang Yang also seemed to recall hearing stories of people who had genuinely struck it rich by speculating on Sanqi.

Making money—this was something Zhang Yang had wrestled with before, finding no clear path, only to have an opportunity present itself so quickly now.

Zhang Yang knew very well that in the field of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), capitalizing on one such opportunity could yield profits comparable to the later-day agricultural speculations like ‘Garlic is Fierce’ or ‘Beans are Fun’; managed correctly, it was guaranteed to yield a substantial haul.

“Either too much water or a terrible drought—what is happening with the heavens!”

Mi Xue sighed softly, shaking her head gently as she tossed the newspaper aside. She was a kind soul, always offering a small lament whenever she saw news like this.

“Mi Xue, natural disasters have existed since time immemorial. This time is manageable; with the nation serving as a great pillar, the drought will at most cause some losses, nothing catastrophic!”

Zhang Yang chuckled in response, his thoughts already revolving around the Sanqi situation.

It wasn’t just Sanqi; many types of TCM herbs had seen price hikes due to the Yunnan drought, but Sanqi’s increase was the steepest and had the widest impact. Hoarding a batch early on was a surefire path to massive profits later.

What Zhang Yang lacked most right now was money. As the saying goes, it’s easy to fall from luxury to frugality, but hard to climb the other way. If he hadn't suddenly assumed a new identity, he might not have adapted to his current lifestyle as smoothly.

Even so, Zhang Yang had developed a habit of spending freely. The twenty thousand bonus he recently received from the hospital had dwindled to just over ten thousand in a few days. At this spending rate in this era, Zhang Yang knew he had to find a way to support himself.

The solution was actually quite straightforward; Zhang Yang had numerous avenues to earn money. In his past life, he had maintained a luxurious existence by treating wealthy individuals and charging exorbitant consultation fees. However, this time, he had no intention of repeating that path.

While treating people brought in significant cash, it meant constantly being at the beck and call of others, flying around the world, and sacrificing his personal space. Zhang Yang had already lived that life once and didn't desire a repeat. In treating Su Shaohua this time, he hadn't even considered consultation fees; it was purely out of respect for Wu Youdao.

Furthermore, if he hadn't been flying around so recklessly in his previous life, perhaps he wouldn't have met the plane crash that sent him to this world.

“You’re right; we can only hope this drought ends quickly!”

Mi Xue nodded lightly. This was something she merely commented on; in truth, she understood it wasn't her place to worry about, and worrying was useless anyway.

“Shall we go eat? Young Master Su had something come up and couldn't make it, but he just paged me—he’s treating us to a big meal at Triumph Tower! Everyone’s invited!”

Zhang Yang grinned, then called out loudly, making Hu Xin and the others cheer excitedly.

Triumph Tower—Zhang Yang and his group had only been there once before and hadn't returned since. The expenses were too steep. Hu Xin had grumbled about the over two thousand they spent last time, calling it excessive extravagance.

This time was different; the big boss, Young Master Su, was footing the bill, so there would be no psychological burden on them.

Triumph Tower wasn't far from where they lived; it was the most luxurious hotel near the university. The group decided to walk instead of taking a taxi and soon arrived at the entrance of Triumph Tower.

They were spared the encounter with the annoying Zhou Yichen this time. From a distance, they spotted Su Zhantao’s BMW, which stood out conspicuously even among the cluster of other cars parked at the entrance.

“Doctor Zhang, I’m over here!”

As soon as they entered the lobby, Zhang Yang heard Su Zhantao’s voice. The young man was sitting on a sofa in the main hall, resting, and immediately stood up when he saw Zhang Yang and his group enter.

“Young Master Su, sorry to keep you waiting. Manager Liang, you’re here too!”

Zhang Yang turned, a smile immediately spreading across his face. Su Zhantao was walking towards them, accompanied by a familiar face—Manager Liang Yan, whom he had met during their last visit.

“Boss Zhang, so you were the one Boss Su was waiting for!”

Liang Yan looked genuinely surprised. Su Zhantao was a regular patron here, and she had known he was waiting for someone for a while, but she hadn’t expected it to be Zhang Yang.

She had a deep impression of Zhang Yang; after all, he had seemed ordinary during his last visit but ordered over two thousand yuan worth of food. Truly ordinary students wouldn't order like that.

“I’m just a student, don’t call me ‘Boss’!”

Zhang Yang smiled and shook his head, then glanced at Su Zhantao.

Su Zhantao’s face seemed to show a hint of reluctance. Before they could finish speaking, he hurried over and took Zhang Yang’s arm, leading the group upstairs.

He had already reserved a private room.

Hu Xin and the others followed along. As the saying goes, familiarity breeds comfort; on their second visit, the group managed themselves much better, lacking the ‘Grandma entering the Grand View Garden’ awkwardness of the first time.

Su Zhantao had booked the same type of large private room they had before, and the food and drinks were already ordered. Although different from Zhang Yang’s previous selections, the quality was equally high, likely resulting in a total bill even steeper than the last one.

Once seated, Su Zhantao dismissed Liang Yan. Zhang Yang noticed that as the manager left, she seemed slightly disappointed, her eyes holding a trace of wistfulness.

Zhang Yang understood this well enough.

Su Zhantao was rich, handsome, and came from a good family—the epitome of a prince charming or a golden catch in the eyes of many young women. It was natural for Liang Yan to develop feelings for him, but it was clear Su Zhantao was uninterested.

“Everyone, we’ve met several times now; we’re practically old friends. Don’t hold back later!”

Su Zhantao exhibited no pretense; he started socializing before the food even arrived. While the others were initially a little reserved, as soon as the dishes came out, they reverted to their true natures, stunning Su Zhantao.

Hu Xin and the others simply couldn't shake off their habit of aggressively vying for the best bites.

“Young Master Su, my apologies; you’ve witnessed a spectacle!”

Zhang Yang, however, maintained a relatively normal composure this time. He kept an eye on Su Zhantao and spoke with a light chuckle.

Su Zhantao shook his head directly and looked at Hu Xin and the rest, saying quietly, “No, no. Actually, I envy them. I truly wish I had a group of friends like that, people I could freely grab and fight over food with, all enjoying each other’s company!”

As he spoke, a hint of longing involuntarily surfaced in his eyes.

His expression made Zhang Yang realize that what he said was genuine. Gain often comes with loss; Su Zhantao had grown up with a silver spoon, and while he had gained much, he had also lost a lot.

Zhang Yang sensed that despite Su Zhantao's outwardly carefree demeanor, he was, in reality, a lonely person. Perhaps he genuinely had very few true friends.

A thought flickered in his mind, and Zhang Yang suddenly asked, “Young Master Su, are you interested in making some money? I know of an opportunity right now; want to join me in earning a quick profit?”

Zhang Yang intended to leverage this Sanqi opportunity to earn enough to cover his living expenses for the next few years, freeing him from financial worries. He had already been thinking about finding a partner, and given that Su Zhantao was in the medicinal materials trade, he would be an excellent collaborator, saving Zhang Yang considerable effort.

“An opportunity? What opportunity?”

Su Zhantao blinked in surprise and asked urgently, sizing up Zhang Yang curiously. He knew Zhang Yang’s medical skills were miraculous; the two treatments had significantly improved his uncle’s condition, and Su Shaohua had praised Zhang Yang extensively to others in recent days.

That was precisely why he was making an effort to connect with Zhang Yang. Of course, his true objective wasn't to use Zhang Yang to sell his own medicines, but rather that befriending someone like Zhang Yang could only be beneficial. Su Zhantao was intelligent; he understood the immense value a miraculous doctor like Zhang Yang held.

To be blunt, his outreach was motivated by Zhang Yang’s value; he didn't truly consider Zhang Yang a friend yet. Zhang Yang’s earlier speculation had been correct—he was a lonely man.

“A very good opportunity. First, tell me if you’re interested in doing it!”

Zhang Yang smiled mysteriously, not immediately revealing the Sanqi situation. There was no need to go into detail until a partnership was confirmed.

“Of course, I’m interested! Only a fool would pass up guaranteed money. Doctor Zhang, what exactly is the opportunity?”

Su Zhantao readily agreed. While Zhang Yang was a divine physician, Su Zhantao had never heard of him engaging in business. Now that Zhang Yang claimed there was a sure-fire way to profit, he was extremely curious. The business world wasn't like it used to be; there were no longer any ventures with a 100% guarantee. Every business carried some risk initially; success depended on execution.

Zhang Yang smiled faintly and said quietly, “Your old line of work: medicinal materials. First, tell me, how much liquid capital do you have available?”

“Liquid capital? If I organize things, I should have a little over seven hundred thousand!”

Su Zhantao hesitated briefly before stating the amount of available funds. He felt no suspicion toward Zhang Yang. If Zhang Yang needed money, he only needed to ask his second uncle, and a million or two wouldn't be an issue. If Zhang Yang truly cured his uncle’s illness, the reward could potentially reach several million. Zhang Yang wouldn't be after his meager funds.

“Over seven hundred thousand? That’s not enough. This deal is extremely lucrative; you need to prepare at least two million!”

Zhang Yang shook his head with a slight smile. Seven hundred thousand was a considerable sum, but in Zhang Yang’s eyes, it was quite small. Moreover, this venture promised guaranteed profits of at least two or threefold returns; such an opportunity demanded more capital.

“Two million?”

Su Zhantao’s eyebrows jumped. They were speaking quietly, and while the others were preoccupied fighting over food, no one noticed them except for Mi Xue.

“Yes, two million. If you could manage three million, even better. I guarantee this venture will at least double our investment!”

Zhang Yang nodded gently. He suddenly felt like the Big Bad Wolf enticing a child, except this time, he was genuinely certain he could make money.

………… Chapter Two. It is rather late; please forgive me, friends! C