Zhang Yang lightly nodded, picking at his food with chopsticks, saying nothing more.

Three million was a considerable sum, but it wasn't insurmountable for Su Zhantao; with a word to Su Shaohua, he could secure the funds.

For Su Shaohua, three million was practically nothing.

The pity was that Su Zhantao had boasted loudly that he would not rely on family help for his business; aside from the initial fifty thousand, he wouldn't ask Su Shaohua for another penny.

Su Zhantao was sharp, yet he possessed a strong sense of principle; having spoken those words, he was determined to abide by them.

This meant acquiring three million solely on his own presented a degree of difficulty.

A sharp light flickered constantly in Su Zhantao’s eyes, his expression shifting repeatedly. After a while, he gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, I'll put up three million. What about you?"

"I have no money, and I won't contribute any!"

Zhang Yang smiled and shook his head. He genuinely had no funds; even selling his small apartment would yield barely over a hundred thousand, and besides, he wouldn't sell it. With only the little over ten thousand yuan he possessed, this venture was better left undone.

Su Zhantao simply froze, staring blankly at Zhang Yang.

"Young Master Su, if you trust me, we'll do this business. You provide three million, and I will be responsible for directing and operating it. The resulting profit will be split three-seven, with you taking seven and me taking three!"

Zhang Yang added with a smile. Su Zhantao still stared with wide eyes, looking somewhat incredulous.

"Of course, if you feel you're being taken advantage of, you don't have to proceed with this business. I can find another partner. I can tell you clearly: I truly have no money right now!"

Zhang Yang picked up his chopsticks to take some vegetables. Hu Xin and the others had nearly finished their feast; every plate before them held ample delicacies. If he didn't act now, he might miss out entirely.

"Dr. Zhang, it's not that I don't trust you, but this arrangement feels strange. I’ve truly never tried this kind of partnership before!"

Su Zhantao offered a wry smile. He was genuinely hesitant. This wasn't a business of a few hundred thousand. For three million, he could probably scrape it together by mortgaging his car and house, borrowing from friends, and biting the bullet—but this meant staking everything he owned. For him to stake his entire fortune while the other party contributed nothing naturally felt uncomfortable to anyone.

"I understand. How about this: I guarantee this venture will earn at least double the investment. If the return is less than a hundred percent, all the profit is yours, and I take no share. If it doesn't make money, or if we lose, I will sell myself to you for one year as compensation. For one year, I will be your employee, doing whatever you command!"

Zhang Yang nodded gently. He could sympathize somewhat with Su Zhantao’s feelings. He could put himself in the other’s shoes; if someone proposed such a partnership to him, he too would feel uneasy and suspicious. Hence, he offered this compromise.

Su Zhantao’s expression shifted again.

Zhang Yang’s words were tantamount to a guarantee, suggesting he had absolute confidence in making a profit, otherwise, he wouldn't put himself on the line.

"Alright, I agree. As for the year of compensation, forget it. Dr. Zhang, I'll go crazy with you this once. If we lose, we’ll just rise again!"

After a moment, Su Zhantao spoke through clenched teeth. He was actually quite tempted by the offer of a year of Zhang Yang’s service. He was acutely aware of Zhang Yang’s value; his miraculous medical skills alone were priceless. If Zhang Yang truly did whatever he was told for a year, Su Zhantao was certain he could generate three million in profit just utilizing Zhang Yang’s medical expertise. For many wealthy men, health far outweighs money.

While he was staking everything he had, Zhang Yang was effectively wagering his future, a value not lower than three million. Since Zhang Yang dared to gamble, he saw no reason to back down. Moreover, Zhang Yang was the kind of person worth befriending at any cost, especially since Su Shaohua currently needed Zhang Yang’s medical help. Winning would not only secure a strong connection with Zhang Yang but also yield immense profit. Even if they lost, as Su Zhantao said, he could rebuild; he wasn't without the means to start over.

"Don't worry, we absolutely will not lose. Your business will experience a massive leap this time!"

Zhang Yang smiled, shaking his head, yet secretly approving. Su Zhantao was indeed a man of great mettle. Agreeing to cooperate under these circumstances was not easy; others might have changed the subject immediately. However, Zhang Yang was certain this venture wouldn't fail. History, apart from the disappearance of those around him, remained unchanged. The great drought in Yunnan was coming as scheduled, and the subsequent skyrocketing prices for Panax notoginseng and other Chinese medicinal herbs were imminent.

"I believe you. Dr. Zhang, you can tell me the specifics now, can't you!"

Su Zhantao nodded slightly, all previous hesitation gone. He was decisive; once a decision was made, no other distracting thoughts would surface. If he was going to do it, he would do it best. Still, he felt a little strange deep down. He had agreed to invest three million without even knowing the concrete details of the business plan—this was a first in his life. Of course, he never would have agreed if the person making the proposal hadn't been Zhang Yang.

"Raise the capital, focus on Panax notoginseng!"

Zhang Yang looked up and stated these eight characters simply, causing Su Zhantao’s eyes to light up sharply. Dealing in medicinal herbs, Su Zhantao naturally followed the market for many Chinese medicines, and he had indeed noticed Panax notoginseng. The market for it had been unstable recently, with frequent ups and downs. He had paid attention for a few days but hadn't discerned any clear pattern, so he let it go.

The trade of Chinese herbs was akin to futures trading, easily influenced by various factors like yield, environment, and production. These influences made the market highly susceptible to speculation. However, only major players had the capital to speculate; a small merchant like Su Zhantao normally wouldn't even qualify to sip the dregs, relying only on his own insight. Relying purely on intuition could easily lead to disaster; jumping in recklessly might leave him utterly ruined. Su Zhantao understood this, but what occupied his mind now was a different possibility.

"Dr. Zhang, I understand. I will have the funds ready within three days. But can you give me a hint—do you have some insider information?"

Su Zhantao chuckled slyly. What he suspected was that Zhang Yang knew some secret intelligence, which explained his absolute certainty. If he had inside information, the situation would be entirely different. With good luck, he could follow along and profit; even with slightly worse luck, he could at least secure a decent, lucrative outcome. In any case, profit was guaranteed. If there was genuine insider knowledge, Su Zhantao wouldn't be losing anything with this proposed partnership. He knew well the value of information in modern society; some pieces of data were incredibly valuable. Zhang Yang could sell such a foreknowledge for a substantial sum.

"Prepare the money, and then just follow my lead!"

Zhang Yang smiled faintly, neither confirming nor denying. He didn't possess any inside track; he was just an ordinary university student whose acquaintances were all peers like himself. In his current social circle, he didn't know any inside tips, let alone external ones. Of course, he wouldn't voice this. Though he lacked "insider knowledge," the life experience from his previous life was a trump card no less potent than any secret information—perhaps even more powerful than the rumored 'insiders.'

"Alright, rest assured. Only a fool would refuse money when offered. Dr. Zhang, whether my business can take off this time depends entirely on you!"

Su Zhantao immediately nodded, a hint of excitement coloring his tone. Most of his current business involved wholesaling herbs to hospitals, relying on his own client acquisition—he was just a small-scale dealer. However, he had heard tales of people who made fortunes speculating in herbs; there were several such cases in Jiao Yi. He had bought several storefronts precisely for the purpose of engaging in that kind of business in the future, but he knew the speculation pool was deep, with losers for every winner, and quite a few who had gone bankrupt and jumped from buildings. Thus, he had remained on the sidelines, having only been in business for a year and not yet accumulating sufficient experience.

"I'm full!"

Su Zhantao looked up and was startled to see Hu Xinzheng patting his stomach contentedly, traces of grease still around his mouth.

"I'm full too!"

Gu Cheng let out a loud burp. Though thin, he had consumed a massive amount today, as evidenced by the piles of leftover bones the waiter had cleared away earlier.

"Me too!"

Xiao Bin stretched, his back unable to straighten due to overeating. Xiao Dai and Nannan were slightly better off but were also holding their small stomachs.

Zhang Yang turned back, glancing at the few remaining dishes on the table, and couldn't help but shake his head again. This entire table of food, plus four bottles of wine, had been nearly wiped out by these few gluttons. In his previous life, even seven or eight men would have left half of this meal untouched.

Su Zhantao also noticed the state of the table but paid it little mind. His thoughts were entirely consumed by the business Zhang Yang had proposed. If Zhang Yang’s vision materialized, this was a huge opportunity, a chance to expand his business from the scale of hundreds of thousands to millions. According to his original plan, such growth would have taken at least two more years to achieve, meaning this venture would save him two years of effort.

…………

"Young Master Su, thank you for your generous hospitality today. Zhang Yang, we'll head off now. You two enjoy yourselves!"

At the entrance of Kai Xuan Tower, Hu Xinzheng waved toward the BMW. Following lunch, the excited Su Zhantao had immediately dragged Zhang Yang off, saying he needed to prepare some things. Zhang Yang couldn't argue and had no choice but to follow his lead.

It was less an argument and more a passive yielding. Su Zhantao was clever; he had first invited Mi Xue, and since she couldn't refuse, Zhang Yang naturally felt obligated to go along. However, Zhang Yang admitted that if Mi Xue hadn't been present, he probably wouldn't have gone out with Su Zhantao right then, as he wanted to spend more time with Mi Xue, who had just been discharged that day.

…………

Xiao Yu has no stored drafts. I was out during the day and only returned tonight to write. It is getting late, please forgive me!

Thanks to Da Pang Dai, Ye Qiao, Duan Jian Sheng, Qi Zhu Qi Shang Shan, and other friends for their tips. Special thanks to old friends Yan Hui Man and Mei Ren 12 for their 1888 Qidian Coin tips, and special thanks to Kan Shang Yin friend for the 5888 Qidian Coin tip. Xiao Yu sincerely appreciates all your support! C