“What are you talking about?”
The woman froze in shock.
She stared at Mei, her heart pounding wildly.
Mei was just a young woman, a very young woman.
Girls her age should have been living carefree lives, enjoying their youth without a single worry.
How did someone like her know about the Hidden Breath Pills?
The man who had given her those pills had warned her repeatedly.
No one must ever find out about them.
She had been told to be careful, to keep them hidden at all costs.
So how had this young woman discover the truth?
The woman continued staring at Mei, unable to hide the panic spreading across her face.
“Your husband took the Hidden Breath Pills,” Mei said calmly.
“They’re capable of concealing the pulse of whoever takes them.”
Mei had been there when those pills had become the source of countless rifts.
One of her master’s greatest rivals, a notorious poison doctor, had created them.
Her master had crossed paths with poison doctors countless times, so she knew exactly what those pills were capable of.
“They may look like ordinary pills, but they’re anything but ordinary. Once they enter the body, they begin drawing every ounce of moisture from it. They behave like a parasitic organism, feeding on the body’s fluids while thriving within the bloodstream. They’re far more dangerous than most people could ever imagine.”
Mei’s eyes landed on the unconscious man.
“These pills continuously drain bodily fluids. Judging from his condition, your husband consumed a large quantity. Look carefully. His pupils are already dilating.”
The woman’s expression changed instantly.
Why was she describing the pills as something so terrifying?
The man who had approached her had promised they were harmless.
He had assured her they had no side effects and had even encouraged her to use them to earn some money.
Had he deceived her?
She immediately turned towards her husband.
His eyelids twitched uncontrollably, his gaze had become unfocused, and cold sweat was beginning to soak his clothes.
Tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.
The surrounding spectators watched the drama unfold before them.
Quite a few had already taken out their phones, recording every second of the incident.
“In a few weeks, your husband’s organs will begin to fail,” Mei concluded.
The woman let out a sarcastic laugh.
“Yes, you found out I did this for money, but nothing is going to happen to my husband.”
Her voice, however, betrayed her confidence.
She hurriedly helped her husband to his feet, intending to leave immediately.
Fear had already rooted itself deep inside her heart.
“Where are you going? The police are on their way,” one of the bystanders called out after noticing the couple trying to slip away.
“No, please. Let’s just forget everything that happened.”
“Apologise to him first,” Mei said, pointing at the receptionist, “and apologise to everyone for the scene you caused.”
The woman gritted her teeth.
The last thing she wanted was to apologise.
But if she refused, she would be taken to the police station.
Worse still, Jade Spring Pharmacy could sue her for defamation.
She didn’t have the money to compensate them or fight a lawsuit.
Reluctantly, she lowered her head.
“I’m sorry…”
She apologised to the receptionist before turning to everyone else, bowing repeatedly with her hands folded before her.
“Everyone, she’s apologised. Let’s just put this matter behind us,” the receptionist said after a brief silence, secretly glancing at Mei with pleading eyes.
He didn’t want any more attention drawn to the pharmacy.
Otherwise, endless questions would follow.
The couple slowly left the pharmacy with their heads lowered in shame.
As soon as they disappeared, the crowd gradually dispersed, chatting excitedly about everything that had just happened.
“Thank you so much, Miss.”
The receptionist bowed repeatedly.
“If you hadn’t shown up today, I would’ve been in serious trouble. I can’t thank you enough.”
“My name’s Mei. There’s no need to call me Miss,” Mei replied with a sincere smile.
“Thank you so much,Miss Mei. If not for you, I would’ve landed in a great deal of trouble.”
He extended his hand with a warm smile.
“My name is Chen.”
As they shook hands, Chen explained that he had worked at Jade Spring Pharmacy for many years.
He had encountered customers with all sorts of strange personalities, but today’s incident had completely left him speechless.
He thanked Mei over and over again.
“But… how did you know he wasn’t dead?” he suddenly asked, looking at her expectantly.
The sudden question caught Mei slightly off guard.
“Basically… instincts, and a little clinical medicine,” she answered with a smile.
Chen looked even more puzzled.
“But the Hidden Breath Pills are practically a myth in traditional Chinese medicine. In fact, they’re believed to have gone extinct. How did you know about them? You seem so young.”
After a brief pause, he added, “Or… are you skilled in traditional Chinese medicine?”
A faint smirk appeared on Mei’s lips.
“Not that well.”
With that, she walked towards the herb collection hall, she intended to wait for another staff member to help her collect the medicinal herbs she needed.
She noticed that Chen was responsible for dispensing medicine and couldn’t leave his station for too long.
Only then did Chen realise he had spoken far more than he intended.
He scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
“It’s been over ten years since I’ve met someone who recognised symptoms of the Hidden Breath Pills.”
“It was quite common centuries ago,” Mei replied softly, looking elsewhere as though searching for something.
“But it should’ve become extinct long ago. If it’s resurfacing now, I doubt it’s for anything good.”
She quickly changed the subject.
“I need medicinal herbs.”
“What kind? We have all sorts of rare herbs.”
His enthusiasm immediately returned as he led her deeper into the herb hall.
The moment Mei stepped inside, she stopped in her tracks.
The enormous hall was breathtaking.
Towering wooden shelves stretched from floor to ceiling, lined with thousands of carefully preserved medicinal herbs arranged according to their properties, rarity and medicinal functions.
Crystal jars, polished wooden drawers and delicate porcelain containers filled every corner, each labelled with elegant calligraphy.
The air carried a rich fragrance unlike anything she had ever smelled in an ordinary pharmacy.
Earthy ginseng blended with the sweetness of dried chrysanthemums, fresh mint leaves, sandalwood, aged medicinal roots and countless rare flowers.
The scents intertwined perfectly, creating a refreshing aroma that calmed the mind and awakened every sense.
It felt less like a pharmacy and more like stepping into an ancient medicinal sanctuary.
Before long, Mei spotted the medicinal bathing herbs she had been searching for and her eyes immediately softened.
The delicate flowers rested quietly in their carved wooden tray, their vibrant colours and gentle fragrance captivating her completely.
“I’d like this one.”
She pointed towards the flowers.
“How much is it?”
“Don’t worry,” Chen smiled.
“It’s on the house.”
Mei smiled politely.
One thing she had always learned was never to accept anything for free.
“No, it’s alright. I can pay. How much does it cost?”
Chen shook his head firmly.
“Miss Mei, you helped Jade Spring Pharmacy today. If not for you, we would’ve suffered tremendous losses. We might even have been forced to pay that unscrupulous couple ten million yuan, perhaps even more. Please accept this as our token of gratitude.”
Mei was about to refuse again.
“If you reject it, I honestly won’t feel good about myself. Besides, if my boss finds out what you’ve done for us today, he’ll definitely want to thank you personally as well.”
Chen looked at her hopefully.
After a brief silence, Mei finally nodded.
“Thank you, Chen.”
A bright smile spread across Chen’s face.
“What else do you need, Miss Mei?” he asked excitedly.
Mei answered without hesitation.
“Tianshan Xuelian, Wild Millennium Ginseng, Snow Ganoderma Lucidum… and the rare Spiritual Lingzhi.”
Chen’s eyes widened in absolute shock.