Chapter 193: Second Uncle, Please Pay

"Three courses? All like this?" Third Uncle was startled.

This pot, this smell, those medicinal liquids—just looking at them makes one feel nauseous.

He couldn't stand this smell; it was truly foul. Even though he had seen many disgusting things, few could compare to this pot of liquid before him.

Chen Chen himself couldn't accept it, if his daughter...

But for his daughter, no matter how foul, he had to soak in it—this was an indispensable process.

"Exactly, these medicinal liquids are all treasures; others aren't even qualified to soak in them."

"Just this pot of medicinal liquid consumed fifteen low-grade spirit herbs, one medium-grade spirit herb, and plenty of spirit spring water—it's not cheap."

Chen Chuyang rubbed his hands, looked at Second Uncle, then took out a small notebook and began recording expenses, noting down each item.

How much money, material costs, labor fees, and his treatment fees, etc., were all recorded in detail.

We won't cheat him, nor ask for more; we're all acquaintances, even relatives—this price is quite fair.

Finally, Chen Chen saw the bill before him, and his head throbbed.

Over two hundred spirit stones, and that's just the first course; every entry is detailed, no mistake—he saw it himself. This sum isn't much, but three courses would be six or even nearly seven hundred spirit stones. Looking closely, it's not a lot, far less than what he'd spent these days seeking others, yet still unpleasant.

"Second Uncle, should you pay now or later?"

"Six hundred plus spirit stones, right? I'll give it to you—Second Uncle will directly give you seven hundred, the extra as thanks."

"Thank you, Second Uncle; you're the most generous person I've ever seen."

"That's for sure."

Second Uncle Chen Chen still didn't grasp the seriousness; beside him, Chen Chusheng and Shang Yue, seeing this, all turned away, unable to hold back, their mouths twitching, wanting to laugh, but at the crucial moment they restrained themselves.

Chen Chusheng inwardly sighed: "Second Uncle is still too young."

Shang Yue felt much better, realizing he wasn't the special one—everyone had to pay.

Even uncles had to pay; it was just a matter of paying later or earlier.

Shang Hongxue wore a smile, feeling there was no problem at all; Chuyang gege is so poor, lacking spirit stones—if he doesn't recoup the cost, that simply won't do.

Liu Yuer and her daughter, seeing this, for the first time witnessed such a situation, and suddenly... their horizons broadened.

Especially Zhang Nongqian—those little eyes blinked, blinked, and blinked again.

The two mother and daughter stared for a long time before regaining composure, glanced at each other, then left in a hurry, fearing they'd be the next to be charged—since they hardly had any money, the clever pair quickly went to work to offset their debt.

Having received the money, Chen Chuyang took out another bill: "Second Uncle, look, this is the cost of the Detox Pill."

Second Uncle glanced at it—the Detox Pill's cost was not small: five hundred spirit stones. This price isn't high; if it's the price of a pill, specifically a Detox Pill, it's indeed not expensive, a bit cheaper than outside.

But where is the Detox Pill?

He hasn't seen it.

One Detox Pill costs this much; daughter... how many pills would she need?

"Second Uncle, rest assured, what I say is true; I won't deceive you. After you give the money, I'll immediately refine the Detox Pill—my credit is still good, I won't cheat you."

Who doesn't know that Chen Chuyang is honest to young and old?

He won't keep false accounts.

There must be a project; even if it's a scam, it's just to earn a little hardship fee.

We're all family; Second Uncle naturally won't quarrel with himself.

"……"

Second Uncle Chen Chen seemed to understand—this nephew was using a dull knife to slice flesh, bit by bit.

Bill after bill, each amount isn't much, but added together it becomes a lot.

For his daughter, Chen Chen could only pay.

"Pay."

Feeling the pinch, he handed over the spirit stones.

Detox Pill—he bought it.

Chen Chuyang praised: "Second Uncle, you're straightforward—much more so than Third Uncle; Third Uncle should learn from you on this point."

"That's right, your Second Uncle isn't as stingy as your Third Uncle." Chen Chen felt happy, having received his nephew's approval, surpassing Old Third—these were the most comforting words he'd heard.

"Second Uncle is the best; even my father, in this regard, can't compare to you."

"Hahaha, Chuyang nephew, you really have good judgment."

Upon hearing this, Chen Chen burst out laughing, his laughter echoing across Longshe Shan—one could imagine how delighted he was.

Chen Chusheng watched Second Uncle's smile, inwardly shaking his head: "Second Uncle, you won't be able to laugh much longer."

Shang Yue rubbed his forehead; only after seeing it firsthand did he realize where he fell short compared to his second brother-in-law.

Such words, such thick skin—he doesn't have them.

No matter what, Shang Yue couldn't reach that step.

"My second brother-in-law is truly awesome—he's the thickest-skinned person I've ever seen, and also the biggest schemer."

"To make people willingly pay and still praise you—probably only my second brother-in-law could achieve that."

Shang Hongxue's smile grew richer, feeling no problem at all.

Money in hand, Chen Chuyang took out another bill.

"Chuyang nephew, what is this again?"

"Second Uncle, this is my hardship fee—you see, treating Little Qing'er sister requires payment, plus the pill-refining cost, and the mental loss fee I bear; this sum isn't much, I believe you can afford it, Second Uncle."

Second Uncle Chen Chen: "……"

His smile vanished; he could no longer laugh.

Taking the bill, after looking at it for a while he asked: "Chuyang nephew, isn't the treatment fee included in the previous charges?"

"No, no, it's different—this is the follow-up treatment fee; the earlier treatment fee was already paid, the later hasn't been given yet. This isn't because I see you're generous, so I settle everything at once to avoid damaging our uncle-nephew relationship later."

Don't worry, Second Uncle, this sum isn't large; I won't cheat you.

Chen Chen opened his mouth, wanting to speak, but in the end couldn't get a word out.

It's not much money, just over two hundred spirit stones.

But, isn't this excessive? You haven't even begun treatment and you're already charging.

All the future money has been taken, this also…

You can't refuse, this nephew has him completely under his thumb.

"I'll give."

Gritting his teeth, Chen Chen could only hand over the money.

Watching helplessly as his money dwindled, he had thought it wasn't much, but when you tally it up, damn, you're the most expensive.

If his daughter can recover, this sum of money is no problem; if it's gone, he can just earn more.

Wealth is an external possession; Chen Chen consoles himself thus.

But it still aches.

"All right? Chuyang, none left?"

"None left, Second Uncle, please rest assured; this is the last sum of money."

Second Uncle Chen Chen finally breathed a sigh of relief; at last it's the final sum of money, truly not easy.

One trip to Longshe Shan, and his storage bag is empty.

Chen Chuyang received the money, again praising his Second Uncle's generosity; this time, Second Uncle couldn't smile.

"Second Uncle, I have some medicinal pills here; would you like to buy two to try?"

"What kind of medicinal pill?"

Chen Chuyang produced a Hundred Herbs Pill, excitedly saying: "This is my specially made Hundred Herbs Pill; in the whole world, only I have it, solely this household, no other branch; the effect is superb, guaranteeing that after Second Uncle takes it, he'll be vigorous and lively, breakthrough will no longer be difficult, only needing ninety-nine spirit stones to take away one pill."

"Second Uncle, do you want it?"

Chen Chen: "……"

Beside him, Chen Chusheng opened his mouth, stunned.

Shang Hongxue blinked; that Hundred Herbs Pill so expensive? Such a rip‑off, charging Second Uncle ninety‑nine spirit stones—this is too…

Shang Yue was again dumbfounded, his eyes fixed on his brother‑in‑law, his heart shocked: "Turns out, you can still do business like this?"

As for him before, he was indeed a frog at the bottom of a well.