Siheyuan: A master brewer starts with a jar of bone-strengthening wine!

Uh……

Ok?

Oh my...

This is truly unbearable suffering!

Bitterness is to be expected! What Chinese medicine isn't bitter? If it were as sweet as sugar water, would it still be considered Chinese medicine?

To put it bluntly, this medicinal soup was made from the factory's most common No. 070 tonic formula, diluted nearly a hundred times—the medicinal effects? They've all evaporated with the water; leaving only the taste is already a generous gesture.

The only truly effective one is Liu Dong's homemade "Rejuvenating Wine".

He raised his hand and flipped it over, pulling out a small porcelain bottle from his pocket and pouring about thirty small sips into it.

The bright green wine immediately mixed with the water as soon as it entered the jar.

—A world-class "super tonic soup" is officially ready for shipment!

Viktor's old fibrotic injury in his lung is a stubborn, hidden ailment that needs to be slowly healed with the Rejuvenating Wine. One sip of the wine heals one part, and thirty to fifty sips should be enough to completely remove it.

But Liu Dong wouldn't let him recover so easily.

Why? Director Yang and Secretary Luo had already said, "We need to 'rip off' this foreigner."

How much are thirty or fifty sips of wine worth? I've got you a whole jar—a full hundred pounds!

The portion size is right there; you can't just pay by the "mouth," can you? You have to pay by the pound!

This was his real purpose in providing such a large jar.

Don't be fooled by its impressive size; the only thing that really works is those thirty small sips of wine!

After drinking it, it'll be enough to cure thirty hidden ailments. Wouldn't this guy feel so comfortable that he'd want to hum a little tune?

...Oh right, let's come up with a name.

Let's call it—【International Tonic Soup】. After all, it's specially made for foreign friends; they're particular about it!

At the entrance of the Intermediate People's Court.

Jia Dongxu kicked open the door with a "bang" and strode into the yard.

"Oh?" Yi Zhonghai, who was squatting and smoking, looked up and his eyebrows almost flew to the sky. "Dongxu? Dressed like that...going on a date?"

Absolutely! His hair was parted in the middle so neatly it could ice skate, and his black Zhongshan suit was so crisp it looked like he'd just stepped out of a tailor shop. His leather shoes were so shiny they reflected your image. Someone who usually couldn't even be bothered to iron his work pants, was actually dressed so smartly today?

"No! Master, I'll go pick up the foreign coins right now!" Jia Dongxu said, head held high.

The moment he appeared in the front yard, the third uncle slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Wow, he's dazzlingly handsome!"

Jia Dongxu was overjoyed, feeling like he was the most handsome young man in Beijing and the most handsome man in the universe!

As soon as he turned and walked away, Yan Bugui sneered and spat, "Idiot!"

An older woman next to him covered her mouth, laughing so hard she was hiccuping: "It's freezing cold outside, and he's strolling around in a Zhongshan suit? Why imitate Liu Dong? Doesn't he even look in the mirror? What does he look like himself?"

That's right. The same Zhongshan suit, when worn by Liu Dong, exudes an aura of authority, looking every bit the part, and walking with a swagger; but on Jia Dongxu? He looks exactly like a stage comedian—possessed by Song Xiaobao!

But they really weren't going on a blind date.

He squeezed onto a bus and endured a bumpy ride of more than half an hour, heading straight for his destination: the State Guesthouse.

That's right! He's here to "find a bargain".

I heard Liu Dong boast the other day: right in front of the state guesthouse, he casually bent down and picked up a foreign currency note—not only did it generate foreign exchange for the factory, but he also received a certificate of merit and foreign exchange certificates!

Foreign exchange certificates are valuable, but no coupons are needed to enter the Friendship Store! Sugar, tea, cigarettes, alcohol, watches, radios, imported chocolates… you name it, they have it! It's even more spacious than a department store!

Upon hearing the news, Jia Dongxu's mind went completely blank, as if struck by lightning.

I'm really looking forward to the weekend!

As soon as Sunday arrived, he rushed out the door!

With a thunderous roar, the vermilion gates of the state guesthouse slowly opened.

An extra-long black "Seagull" slowly drove out, its body gleaming, even the wheels were sparkling. It was much more impressive than a Jeep, like a mobile auditorium.

As the car brushed past Jia Dongxu, his heart leaped into his throat: That was so cool!

"boom--"

Less than two minutes later, another one arrived!

Two sentries stood at the entrance, guns slung across their shoulders, bullets loaded, their eyes piercing like knives.

How could Jia Dongxu dare to get close? He quickly retreated to the side of the road under a utility pole, sat down with a thud, but kept his eyes glued to the foreigners coming in and out of the gate.

He kept repeating to himself:

Drop! Drop now!

As soon as the money hit the ground, I strode forward, grabbed it, and took off running!

You're unfamiliar with this place, no wonder you can't catch me!

If we're lucky, we can also generate foreign exchange, earn an advanced title, and exchange for more foreign exchange certificates!

Hehehe...

Waiting and waiting...

Waiting and waiting...

Three hours passed.

Foreigners came in waves, but instead of seeing a single banknote, they were met with two shiny black gun barrels, which were pointed at his shoulders.

"Don't move!"

Two soldiers in military uniforms pressed their gun barrels against his shoulders, making them go numb.

"Huh?!" Jia Dongxu's face turned pale, his teeth chattering. "What?! I'm a good person! An honest person! A steel mill worker!"

"An honest person?"

One of the soldiers smirked, "An honest guy, sulking around here watching foreigners for three hours straight?"

"Bang!"

He was kicked so hard that he knelt down and kowtowed, his face pressed against the cement floor.

"Tie them up!"

"He's either a spy or an agent; detain him first!"

"I'm innocent!"

"No, it really isn't!!"

"I didn't steal, rob, touch, or look..."

"I...I wet my pants..."

Enemy agent? A charge that could cost him his head! He was terrified!

In the courtyard house.

Liu Dong rode out the door on a modified tricycle.

With a canvas canopy added to the roof, it looks like a "human-powered taxi" soliciting passengers on the street, so it can carry both goods and people without any problem.

Chen Xueru sat in the back of the truck, cracking sunflower seeds, looking quite relaxed.

Passing by the Intermediate People's Court, I saw a group of people chatting under a locust tree—it's the weekend, who wouldn't be idle if they could?

"Is Liu Dong going for a stroll?" Yan Bugui, with his sharp eyes, immediately became drooling when he saw the tricycle, almost dripping onto the ground.

Liu Dong chuckled, "Of course! We just generated foreign exchange a couple of days ago and issued some foreign exchange certificates. I'm taking Xue Ru to the Friendship Store to see if there's anything interesting there!"

Hey! Shake head, back to the tenement building!

Just as he reached the office door, he heard a "pfft" sound and Yu Liansheng sprayed all the tea in his mouth onto the table. He slumped into his chair, trembling, his shoulders shaking.

"What's wrong? Are you possessed?" Liu Dong scratched the back of his head, looking completely bewildered.

Xu Damao quickly chimed in, "I was just telling Director Yu about how Jia Dongxu was beaten up yesterday for picking up foreign currency!"

Oh my!

Liu Dong rolled his eyes on the spot.

Good news goes unnoticed, but bad news spreads faster than a bicycle!

But the real uproar was inside the workshop.

"Dongxu...did you really find some US dollars?"

"That's a really wicked idea, pretty cool!"

"Foreigners throw money around like it's salt?"

"Who held you down?"

"Why do you say you're a spy?"

Jia Dongxu's face went blank: Holy crap... who spread this gossip? How come it's like a live radio broadcast?

……

"Liu Dong—" Ding Qiunan called out to him from the entrance of the publicity department.

She still had that aloof demeanor, her face like an ice sculpture, but her tone was much softer now, like lukewarm water.

Liu Dong looked up: "What's up?"

Ding Qiunan: "That foreign friend is here again, specifically looking for you. Hurry up and go!"