Tongtong's performance exceeded Han Lang's expectations. For a moment, Han Lang regarded Tongtong as a treasure, but Wang Fang beside him was somewhat confused.
"Little divine doctor, you're overpraising. He hasn't even finished reciting the third chapter! If I hadn't been busy these past few days, we both could have mastered the entire third chapter!"
"You both? You recited it too?"
Hearing this, Wang Fang's heart skipped a beat.
She mistook Han Lang's surprise for a reprimand for her learning the Herbal Scripture and was frightened, quickly explaining.
"I'm so sorry, little divine doctor! I didn't deliberately steal your knowledge. It's just that Tongtong isn't very literate yet, so I learned it as I read with him. I really didn't do it on purpose."
Han Lang felt a pang of imbalance upon hearing this.
They say comparing oneself to others can be maddening. Some things that people struggle to remember even with focused effort are learned effortlessly by others just by reading.
Though he thought this, he was still happy for Wang Fang and Tongtong.
"Don't misunderstand, Sister Wang Fang! I'm not blaming you at all. It's a good thing you can recite it; it will make managing the Tianyi Pavilion even more efficient in the future."
"Also, since Tongtong is learning so quickly, after the Zhongcaotang officially moves in, we should have Tongtong come more often to learn the identification of medicinal materials. We need to start training his sight and smell."
"Okay, thank you, little divine doctor!"
Hearing Han Lang say this, Wang Fang finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Just then, a middle-aged man with an elegant demeanor walked in with a smile. He greeted Wang Fang and Luo Jiaying enthusiastically upon seeing them.
"Manager Wang, Miss Luo."
"Oh, Boss Zheng is here! Welcome, welcome!"
Wang Fang greeted him warmly while introducing him to Han Lang.
"Little divine doctor, this is Boss Zheng Cong of Zhongcaotang. I invited him to guide us on the renovation of our pharmacy. Boss Zheng, this is the hidden boss of Tianyi Pavilion, Divine Doctor Han."
Upon seeing Han Lang, Zheng Cong stepped forward with a hearty laugh to shake his hand.
"Haha... Zheng is deeply impressed by Divine Doctor Han. If it weren't for Divine Doctor Han a while ago, my Zhongcaotang wouldn't have achieved daily sales of tens of millions. I've never had the chance to properly express my gratitude!"
Han Lang naturally remembered the bet with Wang Fei and replied politely.
"You're too kind! We're partners from now on, so there's no need to be formal. I'll trouble you to guide our pharmacy's decoration later, and then we'll have a few drinks to celebrate our cooperation, how about it?"
"Guiding is too much to say, but Zheng is not one to refuse. I respectfully accept your invitation for drinks! Haha…"
Han Lang hadn't expected Zheng Cong to be such a straightforward person, and the two immediately hit it off.
Hearing that they were going out to eat, Luo Jiaying, who was already familiar with Zheng Cong, directly suggested going to the Hunan restaurant called "Drifting Smoke" for their signature spicy steamed fish head.
"If the lady has a preference, how can Zheng dare to refuse?"
Zheng Cong immediately agreed to follow Luo Jiaying's arrangements.
Soon, led by Wang Fang, Zheng Cong toured the nearly completed pharmacy. He expressed his satisfaction with the pharmacy's environment and also suggested providing a rest area for the employees.
After some discussion, they concluded their work for the day and drove together to the "Drifting Smoke" Hunan restaurant.
As they approached the entrance, Han Lang and Luo Jiaying's attention was once again drawn to a confrontation at the end of the alley.
It was the same disheveled beggar named Ma Long. However, unlike last time, this time he had cornered four punks by himself in the alley.
"Brother Han Lang!"
Luo Jiaying called out nervously, but they were entertaining a guest today and couldn't spare the time.
"I understand! You and Sister Wang Fang go ahead and seat and order for Boss Zheng. I'll go take a look!"
Han Lang comforted Luo Jiaying while smilingly saying to Zheng Cong.
"Boss Zheng, you all go ahead and order. I'll handle something and be right back!"
Zheng Cong didn't press the issue.
"Then you'd better be quick! If you're late, you'll have to penalize yourself with three drinks!"
Han Lang laughed heartily, agreeing, and then walked towards the depths of the alley.
"Huang Mao, it's time we settled our score from last time!"
Ma Long lowered his head, facing the four punks from the side, his weight resting entirely on his right foot, his disabled left leg dangling powerlessly. He looked very much like a hidden master from a TV drama.
"Hey, beggar, why are you looking for trouble? Every time you talk about revenge, we beat you up. This area is under our protection. What are you, a beggar, doing trying to take over territory?"
Huang Mao frowned, looking impatient. Hearing this, Ma Long's anger flared up.
"What do you mean *your* protection! Where I, Ma Long, am, scum like you are not allowed to appear!"
"Enough talk, same old rules. If you win, I'll let you do as you please; if I win, you have to dye your hair back and be a proper person! Otherwise… I'll kill without mercy!"
Ma Long once again revealed his cold, murderous eyes. However, perhaps the four punks were used to it, as they didn't respond to Ma Long and instead charged at him together.
With a sweeping punch, Ma Long dodged by bending his body, simultaneously blocking the second person's punch with his left arm. At the same time, he clenched his right fist and aimed straight for Huang Mao's abdomen, but due to his left leg's inability to bear weight, a stumble caused his right fist to deviate. Huang Mao thus avoided the blow.
"Ha! What a shame!"
Han Lang, watching from the side, couldn't help but sigh in regret, while also being incredibly shocked.
Ma Long's attacks were quite methodical, unlike the chaotic brawling of the punks.
If it weren't for his lame leg limiting most of his abilities, Han Lang believed that the four punks would not have been able to withstand even one move from Ma Long.
"Thump!"
As he was thinking, Ma Long, due to his lame leg, was pinned to the ground by the four of them. Seeing that the situation was about to repeat itself from last time, Han Kang decisively intervened.
In a flash, the four punks were easily subdued.
"You again?"
Huang Mao was stunned to see Han Lang. Had their newly grown teeth from last time been threatened again?
"Big brother, we have no quarrel with you, why do you keep bothering us? We didn't intend to provoke this beggar; he's the one who provokes us every day. We beg you, please let us go!"
Han Lang didn't intend to make things difficult for the punks, but knowing Ma Long's intention, he wasn't going to let them off easily either, so he pretended to be fierce.
"Hey, this area is under my protection. Which gang are you guys from, daring to act so presumptuously on my turf! I let it slide last time, and you're getting more brazen? Tell me, who do you belong to?"
Han Lang's imposing aura completely intimidated the punks, who were merely common thugs. They quickly begged for mercy.
"We're sorry, big brother, we don't belong to anyone, just us. We really didn't know you were in charge of this area. We apologize for offending you!"
The punks trembled in fear. Seeing that the time was right, Han Lang quickly said.
"You call yourselves thugs without a leader? Let me tell you, hurry up and dye that hair of yours back, or I'll beat you every time I see you and knock out all your teeth!"
The punks were so scared they didn't dare to breathe, and they quickly replied.
"Yes, yes, yes, we'll dye it back immediately. Please, big brother, be magnanimous!"
Upon hearing this, Han Lang finally nodded in satisfaction.