C18 He Was Short of Money.

As they walked, a puzzled Zhang Yan turned to Hsiao Rann and asked, "Are you really a doctor?"

"Indeed, I am. I can heal all sorts of illnesses," Hsiao Rann replied cheerfully. The presence of a beautiful woman naturally lifted his spirits.

"I find that hard to believe. You look younger than me," Zhang Yan said, skeptical of Hsiao Rann's claim that he could treat any disease, given his youthful appearance.

Hsiao Rann touched his nose, thinking to himself, "I'm speaking the truth. With enough time to craft more pills, I'm confident I can cure any ailment."

Zhang Yan's disbelief didn't bother Hsiao Rann. Without his Pill Sovereign Lineage, he'd likely be job hunting. Yet, he was still hustling to make ends meet.

He knew he needed to focus on creating the Essence Fostering Pill, a crucial element for his progress.

To enhance his abilities, the Essence Fostering Pill was key. Only with it could he produce genuine pills. Thus, it was the cornerstone of all his endeavors.

"What's your name, Police Sister?" Hsiao Rann inquired.

Zhang Yan was taken aback, realizing she hadn't yet shared her name: "It's Zhang Yan. You're not going to ask for my phone number now, are you?"

Typically, men seized any opportunity to get Zhang Yan's contact details.

Hsiao Rann hadn't planned on asking for her number, suspecting their paths might not cross again.

But since she brought it up, he decided to ask for her contact information.

"Police Sister Zhang Yan, I'd be happy to take your phone number. Or you could give me your QQ or email address," Hsiao Rann suggested.

"Sure, since you're interested, I'll jot it down for you," Zhang Yan said, pulling out a pen and paper from her pocket and writing down her contact details.

"Just don't call me Police Sister anymore, as I may not be your senior," Zhang Yan added.

"If I'm not calling you 'Police Sister,' what should I call you?" Hsiao Rann speculated that Zhang Yan might even be younger than him. He had already graduated from college, so he wasn't exactly young. Even though he started school a year earlier than most, he was twenty-two. Zhang Yan, on the other hand, looked no more than eighteen or nineteen.

"Just call me Zhang Yan, or you can go with Zhang or Yan. At the station, the older officers call me Zhang, and those about my age call me Yan."

Hsiao Rann mused, "So, calling her Yan it is."

"It's no big deal. I'm not sure if our paths will cross again," Hsiao Rann admitted candidly.

"You have my contact info, right? Whenever I'm off duty, feel free to hit me up to hang out," Zhang Yan offered.

Hsiao Rann was taken aback by her forwardness. He hadn't expected Zhang Yan to be so forthcoming.

Realizing her faux pas, Zhang Yan quickly clarified, "Don't get the wrong idea. I just meant that if I'm free, I might say yes to hanging out with you."

Hsiao Rann was slightly taken aback. He wondered, "Since when did I become so irresistible?"

"Okay, Yan, no need to see me off. I'll leave this note with you. I can grab a cab from here; you should get back to work. We can hang out some other time when we're both free."

It wasn't that Hsiao Rann didn't want to spend more time with Zhang Yan; his mind was just preoccupied with the medicinal herbs. Crafting the Essence Fostering Pill was his top priority at the moment. There would be other chances to spend time with Zhang Yan, but refining the pill and boosting his own power was urgent.

Zhang Yan accepted his words.

Just then, a taxi came by, and Hsiao Rann flagged it down.

"Alright, Yan, I'm heading out. You should get to work. We'll keep in touch over the phone," Hsiao Rann told Zhang Yan.

She nodded in response.

"Where to, young man?" the taxi driver inquired as soon as Hsiao Rann settled into the seat.

"Hey, besides Benevolence Hall, do you know of any pharmacies with a good selection of medicinal herbs?" Hsiao Rann asked the driver.

"Looking for medicine, are you? What kind are you after? Chinese herbs?" The driver seemed puzzled.

"Yes, there are a few specific herbs I really need."

"That's odd. Shouldn't the herbs a doctor prescribes be available at their pharmacy? Why can't you find them?"

"Well, I was seeking out a veteran doctor. He's long retired, and only agreed to write me a prescription because an acquaintance introduced us. So now, I have to source the herbs myself," Hsiao Rann fibbed.

"I see. That old doctor must be quite skilled for you to go through all this trouble. You're fortunate. Let me know what herbs you're looking for; maybe I can help you figure out where to get them," offered the driver.

"They're just common herbs, really. But they need to be from crops planted many years ago. Take ginseng, for instance—do you know where I might find some that's over a hundred years old?" Hsiao Rann queried.

"A hundred-year-old ginseng could fetch tens or even hundreds of thousands of yuan. Are you from a wealthy family?" The driver was clearly baffled. Hsiao Rann's attire didn't suggest affluence. Yet, the sight of him clutching a bag of Chinese herbs and inquiring about century-old ginseng raised the driver's suspicions.

"I'm looking for high-quality ginseng to give to the elders in my family, so of course, I want the best," Hsiao Rann spun another tale.

"Ah, I get it. You've got a good heart, young man. But you could opt for ginseng that's been growing for just five or ten years and save yourself a fortune. You're working hard out there, scrimping and saving—it's not wise to squander it. Plus, you've got a lovely girlfriend. You'll have plenty of expenses down the line," the driver advised warmly.

Hsiao Rann was somewhat perplexed. After a moment's thought, he realized the taxi driver had mistaken Zhang Yan for his girlfriend.

Hsiao Rann had no intention of correcting the misunderstanding, but he was determined to purchase some ginseng.

"Thanks, big brother. But I'd still like to check out the ginseng. If I find some of good quality and can afford it, I'll buy it. If not, then it's not meant to be."

"Alright. I actually know a place where you can get quality medicinal herbs. Jiang's Group holds a public medicinal herb auction every month. If you're lucky, you might come across some really good stuff. But be warned, the prices can be steep. Are you planning to attend the auction? Just so you know, it only takes place from the first to the third of each month."

The major shareholder of Jiang's Group was none other than the Jiang family! Hsiao Rann hadn't anticipated that he would end up at a Jiang's Group auction to procure his herbs.

"I guess I'll head home then. I'll check out the auction when it starts," Hsiao Rann told the driver.

With that, he made his way back home.

Naturally, he researched the auction on his phone and discovered that the herbs he needed were indeed available there. The challenge, however, was having enough money to purchase them.

'Do I need to set up a stall and earn money again? But the herbs for the Essence Fostering Pill alone will cost at least two million yuan!' Hsiao Rann pondered.

But we're talking about two million yuan, not a mere two hundred! 'Where can I possibly earn that much? Even if I set up a stall and treat people, it would take me over a month to make two million yuan! And how can I spend over a month treating people without drawing attention? That could lead to trouble,' he thought.

Money troubles plagued Hsiao Rann ever since he got home. He racked his brain for every possible way to make money, even considering mortgaging his house. But he was reluctant to go that far. After all, he still had his student loan to pay off, and aside from his house, he owned nothing.

An idea struck him – perhaps he could charge the Soong family a little extra. Yet charging two million yuan to treat a single patient seemed excessive.

Hsiao Rann was still the kind-hearted and good-natured young man everyone knew. While others might not see anything wrong with his actions, what Hsiao Rann didn't realize was that to Soong, his granddaughter's life was infinitely more valuable than any sum of money. Soong was ready to part with twenty million yuan if it meant saving her.

Despite racking his brain for solutions, Hsiao Rann came up empty. But he was determined, believing he could save up the money bit by bit. He was confident that, eventually, he would find a way.

After practicing his cultivation at home until ten in the evening, Hsiao Rann's quiet was interrupted by a call from Hu Chuan, inviting him out for some fun.

It wasn't out of character for Hu Chuan to be out late. Hsiao Rann had thought about declining, but restlessness got the better of him, and he decided to join Hu Chuan after all.

Hu Chuan, the quintessential rich kid with deep pockets, would surely lend Hsiao Rann the money if asked. But Hsiao Rann was reluctant to borrow from him. Even in times more challenging than these, he had never wanted to rely on Hu Chuan's wealth.

Hsiao Rann had his principles and his pride. Hu Chuan was a friend with whom he had no financial entanglements, perhaps even his closest friend. But borrowing money was out of the question.

Arriving at FX KTV as Hu Chuan had suggested, Hsiao Rann spotted him and a few others waiting outside. With a cigarette dangling from his lips, Hu Chuan cut a ruffian-like figure, much to Hsiao Rann's displeasure.

Without a word, Hsiao Rann strode over, plucked the cigarette from Hu Chuan's mouth, and tossed it into the nearest trash can.