Led by Zhao Pu, the group went straight to his office, where they secured a very favorable phone number for Zhang Yang.

Zhang Yang was quite pleased with the number; getting an internal line saved him the activation fee, amounting to a nice little saving. After buying the phone, he was left with just over six thousand in cash.

While that number sounded decent, given Zhang Yang’s spending rate, it was hard to say how long it would last.

Time crept on, and three days had passed since Mi Xue was discharged from the hospital.

In those three days, Mi Xue had recovered well. Aside from the scar that still troubled her, everything else had returned to normal. The driver who caused the accident had never reappeared, but the ten thousand yuan compensation she received was more than enough, leaving a considerable surplus.

This money was perfect for Zhang Yang to purchase some rich tonics and nourish Mi Xue back to full health.

With better food available, a few extra freeloaders naturally showed up to mooch meals. Hu Xin and the others had been visiting almost daily these past few days. There was no helping it; the school cafeteria's fare was worlds apart from Zhang Yang’s cooking, and they had grown unaccustomed to it.

"Mi Xue, your leave is up. Should you head back to school tomorrow?"

Xiao Dai asked softly from his perch on the sofa, addressing Mi Xue. In truth, the teacher had asked her to inquire.

Mi Xue’s injury had required a significant amount of time off—ten days in total. May was already in its latter half; if she didn't return to class soon, summer vacation would be practically upon them.

"Zhang Yang, what about you? Should you go back to school too?" Instead of answering, Mi Xue turned to Zhang Yang, who was sitting across from her.

Truthfully, Mi Xue was reluctant to return to school. The secluded time she spent with Zhang Yang lately was wonderful; she had started to grow fond of this life.

The idea of only staying for a month and then moving out had vanished from her thoughts entirely.

"Ring ring ring!" Just as Zhang Yang was about to speak, the phone that Hu Xin and the others had been excitedly playing with suddenly rang. Zhang Yang’s new phone had driven Hu Xin and his group into a frenzy.

Hu Xin had swaggered around school showing off Zhang Yang's phone, basking in the envious glances of others—it had made him insufferably smug.

Every time they visited these past few days, they fought over Zhang Yang's phone, playing games on it. Even a simple game like Snake was played with great relish, with all of them competing to see who could get the highest score or last the longest.

"Okay, I understand. You arrange it first!"

Taking the phone from Hu Xin, Zhang Yang spoke briefly before hanging up.

He looked up at Mi Xue, a wry smile crossing his face. "Mi Xue, you should head back to school. I probably need to ask for more leave. Young Master Su called; he said his funds are ready, and he wants me to go with him to Jiaoyi!"

"Go to Jiaoyi?"

Mi Xue was momentarily stunned, as were Hu Xin and the others watching Zhang Yang.

Only Mi Xue knew about Zhang Yang’s collaboration with Duo Zhantao, as the others had been too busy feasting the day the two men discussed business to pay attention.

"He places immense importance on this venture and insists I accompany him. I’ll likely have to go with him for a trip!" Zhang Yang nodded; Su Zhantao truly valued this business deal.

He had mortgaged his house and car, borrowed over a million from old friends and classmates, and liquidated a batch of his existing inventory just to scrape together three million yuan.

This sum was his entire fortune.

Once the money was raised, a flicker of self-doubt returned, not about Zhang Yang, but about himself. This venture was crucial; losing it meant losing everything.

Of course, back home, he would still be a wealthy young master with a high-ranking father and an affluent uncle, but everything he had built himself would turn to dust—something he desperately did not want.

Worry clouds judgment. Since he was agitated, he needed someone steady by his side, and Zhang Yang was the perfect choice.

Just now on the phone, Su Zhantao had proposed they go to Jiaoyi together. Since the deal revolved around promoting Sanqi (a type of herb), and Jiaoyi was one of the country's largest traditional Chinese medicine markets, it held a significant stock of Sanqi.

"Do you really have to go?" Mi Xue asked softly, a trace of reluctance in her eyes.

Zhang Yang leaving meant they would be separated, and the current Mi Xue couldn't bear to be apart from him for even a day.

"I better go. This business is very important to me too!"

Zhang Yang nodded slightly. If this venture succeeded, he stood to gain considerable profit share, which would serve as startup capital.

He was aware of many lucrative opportunities in the future, but without money, those chances would slip away. Zhang Yang wasn't obsessively focused on wealth, but he understood that money was absolutely necessary.

This was his chance to earn his third fortune, unless he wanted to revert to his previous life, constantly traveling to treat the rich to earn money and sacrificing his free time.

"Alright then, I'll wait for you here. Come back soon!" Mi Xue murmured. Hu Xin and Xiao Bin turned away, struggling to suppress their smiles.

Zhang Yang and Mi Xue, at that moment, looked exactly like a pair of reluctant young lovers, making the onlookers feel a bit queasy.

"Don't worry, I’ll be back quickly. I’ll bring gifts for all of you then!" Zhang Yang smiled faintly, entirely missing the strange looks from Hu Xin and the others.

The next morning, Su Zhantao drove his car to the neighborhood where Zhang Yang was renting.

The last time, he drove an imported BMW; this time, it was a standard Santana, borrowed from a friend. His car was already collateral.

The trip to Jiaoyi had been planned the day before, set for an early start today. The peak time for Sanqi price hikes was drawing closer, and Zhang Yang wanted to get there sooner to figure out the practical execution.

Manipulating the price of Sanqi wasn't as simple as knowing the price would rise and then buying it.

Sanqi was a medicinal herb with many classifications; the quality varied significantly. If managed well, buying the specific grades poised for the highest increase could yield greater profits. If not managed precisely, while they might still profit, the gains wouldn't be as substantial—merely sipping the broth.

Since they were undertaking this business, Zhang Yang intended to excel and earn substantially; they would eat the meat and let others have the broth.

"Zhang Yang, my entire livelihood now depends on you. If we truly lose money, I'll be eating at your place every day!"

Driving, Su Zhantao joked with Zhang Yang. Even if he lost this gamble, he still had the giant backing of Su Shaohua, so he didn't need to plead poverty to Zhang Yang.

"If we really lose, we’ll go out to eat together!"

Zhang Yang chuckled. This, too, was a joke; with his medical skills, he wasn't destined to end up begging.

Jiaoyi City was over six hundred kilometers from Changjing. Fortunately, the roads were clear with expressways. Leaving in the morning meant they arrived by the afternoon.

Jiaoyi, historically known as Bozhou, was the hometown of the divine physician Hua Tuo. It was also the nation’s renowned base for cultivating traditional Chinese medicinal materials and housed the largest TCM market in the country.

The place Zhang Yang and Su Zhantao were headed was the TCM market, where Su Zhantao had purchased his shop.

The market was located in the eastern part of the city, sprawling over nearly 400 acres with a construction area reaching 350,000 square meters. It featured over six thousand stalls and more than a thousand shopfronts.

Additionally, there was a large central building equipped with a big-screen quotation system. It was an extremely comprehensive and massive TCM market.

Su Zhantao drove the car directly to the market's edge, and soon, a man in his forties approached them.

"Manager Su, you’re back!"

The man bowed low upon seeing Su Zhantao and greeted him with a smile.

"En, this is Manager Zhang, my partner I told you about. We’re here to do a big deal together, and you must cooperate fully with him!"

Su Zhantao nodded slightly, his face holding a touch of authority.

"Hello, Manager Zhang. My name is Wu Sheng. If you have any instructions, feel free to give them anytime. I guarantee my full cooperation!"

The middle-aged man immediately bowed to Zhang Yang. This Wu Sheng was, in fact, an assistant Su Zhantao had hired.

He owned a shop in Jiaoyi, which meant he had business interests, but he couldn't be there constantly, leaving the management to others. Wu Sheng was the one handling things for Su Zhantao here.

Wu Sheng was somewhat older and only moderately capable, but he was intimately familiar with everything in the market. While he might not be suitable for expanding the business, having worked in this market for years managing several stalls, he was perfectly reliable.

"No need to be so formal. This is a joint venture; we'll work together!"

Zhang Yang smiled, speaking very courteously.

Having someone familiar with the market was beneficial. Their capital wasn't large enough to compete with the major speculators; they had to rely on their effort to earn more. At this moment, any piece of information was vital.

"Take us to the hotel first. We drove all day; we’re tired!"

Su Zhantao added, genuinely exhausted. Zhang Yang was also feeling fatigued after a full day in the car.

"I’ve already arranged the hotel. Give me the keys; I’ll drive you and Manager Zhang over!" Wu Sheng immediately agreed. This man had another virtue: perceptiveness. Su Zhantao had only informed him of their arrival, and he had managed all these arrangements, which greatly satisfied Su Zhantao.

The hotel wasn't far—a four-star establishment, the best in the area.

Wu Sheng hadn't expected Zhang Yang to arrive and had initially booked only one room. Upon arrival, he quickly booked another. Fortunately, this wasn't the market’s peak season, and rooms were available.

"Oh no, someone fainted!" Just as they received the room keys, a commotion erupted from the hotel entrance. Guests resting in the lobby rushed out to watch the spectacle.

Zhang Yang and the others peered out from the reception desk and saw a crowd gathered outside the entrance, people shouting continuously—it was chaotic.

After a moment’s hesitation, Zhang Yang started walking out. He had heard the frantic shouts; someone fainting meant a medical emergency. He was a doctor, both in his past and present life. He might no longer wish to treat the rich for money, but that didn't mean he could ignore someone in mortal danger.

In an emergency, one must act; saving a life surpasses building a seven-story pagoda. This wasn't just his grandfather's teaching but also the basic medical ethics constantly drilled into him by his mentor.

This is the second update of the day; two chapters are posted first, with more coming this afternoon.

Also, Xiao Yu sincerely asks friends for their guaranteed monthly votes. During a new book's launch period, the monthly ticket rankings are extremely important. Please rest assured, Xiao Yu's update speed after going on the shelves will certainly not disappoint everyone!