C19 Confidence

Seeing the bosses bow their heads in silence, Bao Fan grew impatient.

He had brought them together specifically to introduce Wang Xiaochuan, hoping to drum up more business for him.

Yet, the current atmosphere was a far cry from his initial plan. He hadn't anticipated their skepticism, especially after they had all personally tried Wang Xiaochuan's kidney-reinforcing drugs and attested to their effectiveness.

Out of frustration, Bao Fan tugged at the sleeve of a boss nearby.

"Lee, what's going on here? Don't you trust Xiaochuan's medicine? Weren't you singing its praises as a magic medicine just yesterday?"

Lee Rong looked up at Bao Fan sheepishly, then lowered his gaze again. "Bao, Fatty Ma has a point. Xiaochuan's kidney-reinforcing drugs are indeed excellent, but these three new medicines are a different story. Until their effectiveness is confirmed, who would dare to use them carelessly? Who would dare to take them without caution?"

"Hey, all of you! So it seems I had to be the guinea pig and prove the kidney-reinforcing drugs worked before you'd even consider them, right? After all my efforts to introduce Xiaochuan to you, you still don't trust him?"

Seething with anger, Bao Fan was about to become the first to try Wang Xiaochuan's new medicine in front of everyone as proof of Xiaochuan's capabilities when suddenly, a woman's voice cut through the tension.

"This is just too much!"

Lin Qianyi stood up, her face marked with displeasure as she addressed the crowd. She grabbed a bottle of Xiaochuan's antialcoholic drug, opened it, and declared, "How could Xiaochuan's medicine be problematic? You were asking who'd be brave enough to try it, right? Well, I will!"

Without waiting for anyone to dissuade her, Lin Qianyi downed the entire bottle of the antialcoholic drug. After finishing, she grimaced and said to Wang Xiaochuan, "Oh, Xiaochuan, this antialcoholic drug is quite bitter."

Wang Xiaochuan watched her, torn between amusement and concern. "You haven't even had a drop of alcohol. What's the point of taking the antialcoholic drug now?"

It was only then that Lin Qianyi realized she hadn't actually consumed any alcohol.

She smacked her forehead, lamenting, "Oh no, maybe I should just get myself drunk now and then have another bottle?"

"There's no need for that. The antialcoholic drug will work even if you take it beforehand. Go ahead and drink to your heart's content today, Qianyi. You won't have a repeat of last time's drunkenness," Wang Xiaochuan assured her with ease.

"Really?" Lin Qianyi paused, then turned and called out, "Waiter, bring me a bottle of liquor, the clear kind!"

Everyone watched as Lin Qianyi actually opened a bottle of clear liquor and prepared to down it in one go, their eyebrows arching in surprise.

"Take it easy, Lin Qianyi. That's strong stuff!"

"Exactly, Ms. Lin. If you end up drunk, we're not taking responsibility for getting you home."

But Lin Qianyi paid them no mind, tilting her head back and emptying the bottle.

As the last drop of liquor passed her lips, the onlookers, Bao Fan included, were left in shock.

Bao Fan nudged Wang Xiaochuan, concerned, "Xiaochuan, is Lin Qianyi going to be alright? She drank that so fast and furiously. It's easy to get tipsy."

Wang Xiaochuan appeared unconcerned. "She's fine. Just look at her. Does she seem drunk to you?"

Prompted by his comment, everyone turned to observe Lin Qianyi, only to find that she showed no signs of intoxication after finishing the bottle.

She wasn't flushed or unsteady; on the contrary, she appeared lively and alert.

One of the bosses, puzzled, ventured, "Ms. Lin, are you sure you're not drunk?"

"Drunk? What do you mean drunk? I feel perfectly clear-headed," she retorted.

Aside from Bao Fan and Wang Xiaochuan, no one believed Lin Qianyi's claim.

After all, that was a bottle of 53% Maotai, not mere mineral water. Even those with a high tolerance for alcohol couldn't possibly remain unaffected after chugging an entire bottle.

However...

Among the bosses present, many had dined and drunk with Lin Qianyi before. They knew her tolerance was not that high; it was unthinkable for her to show no reaction after consuming a whole bottle of Maotai.

Could it be that the antialcoholic drug actually worked?

While they were still half-convinced, Lin Qianyi had several bottles of white wine brought over. She opened one and was ready to down it in one go.

This time, however, Lin Qianyi, having experienced the effects of the antialcoholic drug, smiled mischievously.

"Bosses, are you really going to watch a frail woman drink by herself? Come on, each of you should join me for a drink," she challenged.

With that, Lin Qianyi picked up a wine cup and urged a nearby boss to toast with her.

Despite Lin Qianyi's bold approach, the bosses were not intimidated.

The attendees were all seasoned businesspeople, accustomed to the trials of alcohol, and each one a veteran of many a drinking battle. Lin Qianyi's challenge only served to stoke their competitive fire.

So, the bosses stood up one by one, taking turns to match drinks with her.

Bao Fan and Dong Yan watched Lin Qianyi drink cup after cup, growing increasingly concerned.

"Xiaochuan, is your antialcoholic drug truly effective? Lin Qianyi has already had nearly three catties, hasn't she?"

"Don't worry about her," Wang Xiaochuan replied nonchalantly as he took a bite of his dish and raised his wine cup. "Here's to you, Bao Fan, and you too, sister-in-law. Let's have a drink."

"Sure, but let's take it easy," Bao Fan agreed, seeing that Xiaochuan wasn't concerned for Lin Qianyi. He relaxed and clinked cups with him.

After a while, they suddenly heard pleas for mercy from across the room. Turning to look, they saw Ma Shoucheng and his group, their faces red and swollen, slumped over the table, reeking of alcohol and on the verge of collapse.

In stark contrast, Lin Qianyi appeared unaffected, without even a hint of drunkenness on her face.

"Bosses, what's the matter? Aren't we continuing?" Lin Qianyi lifted another cup of white wine and drained it. She then showed the empty cup to everyone. "See, I've led the way. Surely someone must follow suit, right? Boss Ma, how about you join me for the next round?"

Hearing Lin Qianyi call him out, Ma Shoucheng's face went ashen. He waved his hands frantically, saying, "No, no, I'll be completely drunk if I have any more."

Lin Qianyi shifted her attention to the others, only to find they all shared the same reaction. Aside from shaking their heads, no one was willing to go another round with her.

The reason was clear from the five empty bottles of white wine sitting before Lin Qianyi.

She had polished off five bottles as if it were nothing. Who else would dare to challenge her to a drinking contest?

Yet, what baffled everyone was that Lin Qianyi's tolerance for alcohol hadn't always been this impressive. Could it really be due to the antialcoholic drug?

Noticing the pause in the festivities, Bao Fan stood up, concern etched on his face, and addressed Lin Qianyi, "Lin Qianyi, are you sure you're okay? If you're feeling drunk, please don't push yourself to continue."

"Bao Fan, I assure you, I'm completely fine," Lin Qianyi replied with a dismissive gesture. "Xiaochuan's medicine is truly miraculous. I've had so much to drink, yet I don't feel the slightest bit tipsy."

Bao Fan, visibly astonished, then turned to the other bosses and exclaimed, "This is quite the revelation! Have any of you ever seen an antialcoholic drug with such effects? This is Xiaochuan's expertise!"

"I'm sold, completely sold," Lee Rong declared with a hearty laugh. "Xiaochuan's antidote is like a cheat code for the drinking table. With this, I doubt anyone will dare to challenge me to a drink-off again. Xiaochuan, how many more bottles of your antidote do you have? I'll take them all!"

"Get out of here, Lee!" another boss interjected, shoving Lee Rong aside and appealing to Wang Xiaochuan, "Xiaochuan, I've always had a low tolerance for alcohol, and I dread these drinking parties. I absolutely need your antidote, and I'm willing to pay double the price!"

"Double? I'll triple it," another chimed in. "Wang Xiaochuan, sell all the medicine to me!"

"No, it's mine!"

"Mine!"

In that moment, Wang Xiaochuan found himself swamped by the crowd, each person clamoring to buy all his stock. Their enthusiasm was amusing to him, especially considering that just minutes earlier, they had been skeptical about his product. Now, they couldn't wait to get their hands on it.

All of this was because of Lin Qianyi.

Wang Xiaochuan turned to look at Lin Qianyi, who had settled back into her seat, engaging in lively conversation and laughter with Bao Fan and the others. Then, he raised his hands.

The room fell silent.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize. Although I still have nine portions of the antialcoholic drug, I can't sell them to you right now because I've specifically prepared these for Qianyi. If you're interested, you'll have to wait for another opportunity."

"I see."

Once Wang Xiaochuan finished speaking, the other bosses burst into laughter, exchanging knowing glances with each other as they looked at Wang Xiaochuan and Lin Qianyi.

Lin Qianyi, who had seemed like the life of the party just moments before, was now blushing under their gaze. Whether it was the alcohol or something else causing her embarrassment was unclear.

"Xiaochuan, since these pills were specially prepared for Lin Qianyi, we won't compete with her for them."

The antialcoholic drug was off the table, but Wang Xiaochuan still had diet pills and calleidic on hand.

Having witnessed the antialcoholic drug's miraculous effects, the bosses were no longer hesitant. They scrambled for the remaining stock as if it were being given away.

Eventually, Wang Xiaochuan reserved three bottles each of the diet pills and calleidic for Bao Fan and his wife, as well as for Lin Qianyi. The remaining stock was quickly snapped up by the other bosses.

Due to the limited supply, some bosses even drove the prices up to six thousand for a bottle of diet pills and eight thousand for a bottle of calleidic, which was forty to fifty times their original cost.

Furthermore, those who hadn't managed to secure the medicines gave Wang Xiaochuan their bank card details and transferred funds ranging from ten to a hundred thousand. This money served as a deposit, ensuring that Wang Xiaochuan would send them any new medicines as soon as they became available.

Seeing this, the bosses who had already made purchases followed suit, placing additional orders amounting to over a hundred thousand.

In just a short span of fifteen minutes, Wang Xiaochuan found himself a million richer.