Chapter 291: 287. A Bunch of Ungrateful Wolves (Please subscribe, monthly tickets!)

The last sentence was not asked by Chang Meilan, but by Xia Zhangqing. He had already arrived home while Xiaoyuan was still crying and complaining, only he hadn't made a sound. At this moment, there was a slight hint of mockery in his tone.

"Uncle-in-law, you're back." Xiaoyuan hadn't yet detected the change in Xia Zhangqing's tone and said with an eager face.

The middle-aged man did catch it, and upon hearing this, he said, "Brother-in-law, do you know something about the situation? What is the reason for this? We really don't know. We don't believe we have ever offended them; why would they do this?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Xia Zhangqing was almost laughed to anger. You haven't offended anyone?

Xia Zhangqing placed his bag on the sofa and, without answering the middle-aged man's question, asked instead, "Do you know why the price of your medicinal herbs is higher than others?"

Before the middle-aged man could speak, Xiaoyuan said, "Uncle-in-law, I know, it's because our medicinal herbs are of good quality."

"Is that so? Then have you ever had them tested?" Xia Zhangqing asked indifferently.

"Uh..." Xiaoyuan was suddenly rendered speechless; this was something they had truly never gone to have tested.

Ever since he learned about this matter, the people in the village had instilled this concept in him, so he had always believed it to be a fact.

The middle-aged man said, "We haven't had them tested, but Yaotian Pharmaceutical must have tested them. It was they who told us that our medicinal herbs were of good quality."

This was indeed true. Back then, the people in the village also had some doubts, but that was what Yaotian Pharmaceutical told them, so for all these years, they had been enjoying this treatment with peace of mind.

Once, they even suspected that the price given by Yaotian Pharmaceutical was low, so they secretly took them elsewhere to sell, but the prices offered were not as good as Yaotian Pharmaceutical's.

At that time, they thought perhaps their medicinal herbs were the most suitable for Yaotian Pharmaceutical's products.

Xia Zhangqing sneered, "You believe whatever they say? Xiaoyuan, I heard you've started doing business yourself now?"

Xiaoyuan didn't understand why Xia Zhangqing asked this, but he still said, "Yes, but it's just some small business to exercise my abilities."

Xia Zhangqing said, "If the medicinal herbs from your village were placed together with other medicinal herbs right now, which ones would you choose?"

Seeing Xiaoyuan open his mouth to give an answer, Xia Zhangqing said indifferently, "You must remember, Dragon Tiger Ointment doesn't have any VIP products. That is to say, the Dragon Tiger Ointment produced from other people's herbs is sold at the same price, and the effects are the same."

Xiaoyuan suddenly stalled; he didn't know how to answer.

In his heart, he wanted to say he would choose the herbs from their village, but in reality, he certainly wouldn't choose his own village's herbs—not for any other reason, but simply because the price was expensive.

Before Xiaoyuan could give an answer, the middle-aged man said, "Brother-in-law, it might be because we have been cooperating with them for thirty years and are old customers. This is a discount they give us. After all, a customer like us who has cooperated for thirty years should be unique at their Yaotian Pharmaceutical!"

The middle-aged man was actually just trying to convince himself, but he didn't expect Xia Zhangqing to nod and say, "You are right about that; you are indeed their only thirty-year partner."

The middle-aged man thought he had guessed correctly and was just about to breathe a sigh of relief, when he heard Xia Zhangqing continue, "But haven't you thought about it carefully? The price for your village was higher than others from the very beginning."

Xia Zhangqing said this very softly, but it was very heavy!

This sentence struck the middle-aged man's heart like a heavy hammer, making him unable to help but take a few deep breaths.

"These thirty years, it is actually you who have been taking advantage of Yaotian Pharmaceutical. You could also say that they have been supporting you for thirty years!" Xia Zhangqing's tone now carried a trace of sorrow.

In fact, he had watched Tianjia Mountain Village rise step by step. He had also contributed effort, especially since he had married someone from Tianjia Mountain Village, which gave him an extra layer of affection for the village.

But when he discovered that this group of people had long since changed, changed to the point where he almost didn't recognize them.

Xia Zhangqing had been in officialdom for so many years, so of course he knew the principle that human hearts are easily changed. He hadn't expected the people of Tianjia Mountain Village to remain simple forever, but no matter how they changed, they shouldn't be ungrateful!

"Why?" This was asked by Xiaoyuan; he wanted to know why Yaotian Pharmaceutical would do this.

Xia Zhangqing said indifferently, "Since you have all selectively forgotten what happened back then, then I will give you a reminder, so you know why your prices were so high back then."

As he spoke, he revealed a look of recollection, "That was your first batch of medicinal herbs. At that time, the weather was not on your side; it happened to be raining, and the roads were not paved with cement like they are now, but were muddy, bumpy, and uneven paths."

"The delivery date was right before us, and the heavy rain showed no signs of stopping. At that time, Miao Lao and the others took all the able-bodied laborers in the village, carrying the medicinal herbs bundle by bundle through the heavy rain, treading on the muddy roads, and delivered the goods to the handover point on time."

"At that time, someone saw all of this. He said one sentence: 'People who keep their promises like this deserve a better price.'"

"From then on, as long as it was medicinal herbs produced by your village, no matter how much, they would take it all. Even if they had already received too much, they never refused, and your prices were always kept at the highest level."

"Sure enough, you have forgotten all of this! Heh." As he spoke, Xia Zhangqing couldn't help but laugh, a laugh full of mockery.

The middle-aged man seemed to be lost in memory, not speaking for a long time. Xiaoyuan didn't know about this matter at all and was still in a daze.

At this moment, Chang Meilan spoke up, "Not only did they help us find a way to survive, but they also supported us for thirty years, yet you all think this is all taken for granted, and even more so, you have forgotten the grace of saving your lives, and have even done such things. Heh, you really are my good family!"

Xiaoyuan didn't seem to understand what they were talking about yet, but the middle-aged man seemed to have understood something.

"Was all of this done by Zhang Ran? Was it him who had people refuse our goods?" This was the first sentence the middle-aged man said after coming to his senses, and it was also the sentence that made Xia Zhangqing and Chang Meilan completely make up their minds.

They actually heard a trace of resentment in the middle-aged man's tone!

Chang Meilan could no longer hold back and cursed directly, "A bunch of ungrateful wolves!"

She then left immediately; she felt that if she stayed here any longer, she would really be angered to the point of exploding.

Originally, she had thought about whether to plead with Zhang Ran, but now, she no longer had the face to plead.

Xia Zhangqing was also not lightly angered at this moment, but he was still able to endure it, "Alright, you all go. I won't keep you for a meal."