All the heavens begin with the love in the courtyard.

He Xiaoping had been running around taking care of things for me for a while, and I'm sure she had a hard time. Now that we have some time, it's time for us to enjoy some time alone as a couple.

The young couple goes to the market together every day to buy fresh vegetables, then cooks together, and finally snuggles on the sofa in the evening, watching TV series and discussing the secrets to marital happiness. They live a very comfortable life.

Liu Feng also enjoys this kind of life. He has no worries about the future, no financial difficulties, and his beautiful wife is his ideal type in terms of personality, figure, and appearance. Why rush into this kind of life? Enjoying every day and every moment is what he should do right now.

Liu Feng's favorite thing was when Xiao Ping nestled in his arms, the two of them in a private space, without having to worry about anyone or anything. He would teach Xiao Ping what happiness was, and she would listen to him like an obedient student. Every time she learned something new, the shy blush on Xiao Ping's face was as intoxicating as fine wine.

This is probably the life every man dreams of.

"I envy not the immortals, but only the loving couple; my beautiful wife moves on her own"—that's probably how I describe my life.

Two months passed in this way, the days were ordinary and real. With the Spring Festival of 1982 fast approaching, the couple discussed buying New Year's goods and preparing for a warm and happy New Year.

Early that morning, Liu Feng was woken up by Mao Chengcheng's uncle downstairs. When he went to the balcony and looked down, he saw a woman kneeling at the door holding a six or seven-year-old child. The mother and child were lying on the ground unconscious.

Upon seeing this, Liu Feng cursed his bad luck and quickly put on an autumn coat and went downstairs. Although Guangdong Province does not have winter, there are occasional cold winds and the temperature can reach several degrees Celsius at night. This mother and son downstairs had come twice before in this cold weather, but he did not expect them to suddenly faint downstairs today. As for the reason, Liu Feng knew very well what had happened.

In the past two months, Liu Feng has become a local celebrity. Everyone affectionately calls him Dr. Liu. This title comes not only from the plasters he sells, but also from the fact that his story of treating Mao Ermei has spread throughout the neighborhood.

After nearly three months of treatment, Mao Ermei's swelling has begun to subside, and she is recovering very well. Under Liu Feng's care, she is recovering even faster than expected. She now has the appearance of someone recovering from a serious illness and can occasionally take walks in the village, which has amazed the villagers of Maojia Village.

It's worth noting that Mao's second daughter's illness was quite well-known in the area. After all, Mao's parents had sought medical treatment for their daughter countless times over the years, visiting every hospital in the vicinity. However, each treatment only made her weaker, eventually confining her to bed.

The illness wasn't cured, and the family almost went bankrupt. Which of the relatives hadn't lent money to them?

Mao Ermei's illness had not been cured despite years of treatment, but Liu Feng's arrival enabled the girl to get out of bed and walk in just three months. For the villagers of Maojia Village who witnessed this, it was nothing short of a miracle.

Ordinary people love to gossip, and the rumors that Liu Feng was a military doctor spread like wildfire. Some rumors even claimed that Liu Feng's ancestors were imperial physicians in the palace, and that he was the 18th generation descendant of them. They said that he used to treat leaders in the army, and that he had a favor to do for the young man from the Mao family, which is why he traveled all the way to Mao's village to treat Mao's second sister.

Many people who came to Maojia Village to buy plasters heard this rumor. Seeing is believing, and the rumor gradually spread wider and wider, becoming more and more outrageous.

Mao Ermei's illness, coupled with the efficacy of Liu Feng's secret imperial plaster, led to the gradual spread of Liu Feng's medical skills in several nearby towns. Many villagers with terminal illnesses, desperate and with no other options, came to Liu Feng, pleading for help in curing their ailments.

But Liu Feng never even considered making a fortune through his medical skills, or becoming a miracle doctor in China? Ha!

Liu Feng had already turned down five or six groups of people during this period, but this mother and son had come for the third time, and each time they were more extreme than the last.

Liu Feng was also helpless!

After going downstairs, he briefly checked the woman's body and found she was fine. She woke up after a little treatment. However, the child in his arms was not in good condition. His face was flushed and his forehead was burning hot, indicating that he had a fever.

Fever is a minor issue. This child's illness is far more troublesome than Mao Ermei's. It's a special kind of disease, a terminal illness that often prevents children from living past adulthood. In Liu Feng's view, this kind of family is basically doomed.

This disease is very troublesome. There is no effective treatment in the real world, and the incidence rate is low, making it a rare disease.

Back then, the Bai Group had a laboratory that conducted hundreds of experiments before finally extracting a special medicine from several herbs. After clinical trials, it was finally launched on the market as an injection.

Back then, one dose cost 100,000 US dollars, and to completely cure the disease, that was an astronomical figure, at least several million US dollars. Of course, the cost was only tens of thousands of RMB. It was a monopoly, so why would it sell at such a high price? How could the world's number one pharmaceutical company maintain its monopoly?

Back then, the Baike Group had more than twenty kinds of drugs for treating this special disease, and hundreds more were in the research and experimental stage. The price of each drug when it was launched was an astronomical figure for ordinary families. The rarer and more incurable the disease, the more expensive the treatment drugs are. This has almost become an unspoken rule among major pharmaceutical companies around the world.

Liu Feng's knowledge base now has the ability to partially change the world, but he has never thought of using this knowledge to change the world; he is just an ordinary person.

Liu Feng revived the woman, but was still prepared to politely decline further assistance, indicating that he was also powerless to help.

The woman looked utterly lifeless, and Liu Feng couldn't bear to look at her; he could see the will to die in her eyes.

Looking at the woman's desperate eyes, Liu Feng's heart wavered.

He had learned about the woman's background. She had fled to this place a few years ago due to famine and eventually married a local bachelor. However, her husband died unexpectedly when their child was one year old, leaving behind a widow and an orphan. After her husband's death, she had a son, and her parents-in-law were willing to accept her to stay.

But unexpectedly, the child suddenly contracted this rare disease, which cannot even be detected in China, let alone treated.

At first, various hospitals diagnosed all sorts of illnesses, and opinions varied, but like Mao Ermei, the more treatment she received, the worse she became.

At first, the grandparents spent a lot of money and energy to treat their grandson, but the doctor's advice was to give up. Faced with this choice, the grandparents finally chose to give up, but as the child's mother, she still chose to persevere until the moment she collapsed.

But what's the use of persisting? As a widow and orphan, she was eventually kicked out by her in-laws. She carried her son and struggled to survive until now.

She didn't know where she heard about the miracle doctor, so she carried her son and rushed over. As soon as she arrived, she discovered that the famous Mao Ermei in the neighborhood had actually recovered from her illness, which finally rekindled a glimmer of hope in her almost gloomy heart.

Liu Feng's repeated rejections left her with no other choice but to take a break. By the third time, she had made up her mind: kneeling downstairs, she would take her child and jump into the river if Liu Feng still refused to help. This was the only way she could go.

It was seeing the death in the woman's eyes that made Liu Feng waver.

Practicing medicine and saving lives was originally Bai Jingqi's family motto in the last world, but as his pharmaceutical group gradually grew larger, he had become somewhat numb to life and death after witnessing so many births and deaths.

He had already planned this world: first, use the plasters to make his first fortune, and then do whatever he wanted to become a billionaire, live happily ever after with He Xiaoping, have children, and live a blissful life.

However, as his medicated plaster became more effective and the healing of Mao Ermei had an impact, he gradually felt as if he were walking the same old path again. Was he destined to follow Bai Jingqi's path again in this lifetime?

This matter is really troubling Liu Feng!

Liu Feng's dilemma made He Xiaoping somewhat conflicted as well. She pulled Liu Feng into the room and looked at him with pleading eyes. Clearly, He Xiaoping's kindness had also been awakened.

Liu Feng felt quite helpless. Was he destined to follow the same path as the pharmaceutical giants in this world?

At this moment, he seemed to see the future in his mind: he was busy with company affairs every day, gradually drifting away from his family, his family ties began to fade, and he eventually ended up like Bai Jingqi. Just thinking about it made him feel sad.

Once he chooses that path, there's no turning back, because a force will naturally form behind him, pushing him forward. Once his company reaches a certain size and has the ability to change the world, the problems he will face will be endless, lasting until the day he dies.

With great power comes great responsibility; it's a two-way street. Money is merely a byproduct. For any great person, money is never something to consider.

But should I save the other person?

Oh well, let fate decide!

Anyway, I will not follow Bai Jingqi's old path again. In this peaceful society, isn't becoming a leisurely rich man and enjoying this peaceful time the best arrangement?

I saved this child, but now it's up to fate.

Liu Feng helped the woman up and made a three-point agreement with her, explaining the rules to her first.

First, I'm not sure I can cure my child's illness myself; I can only try my luck. Whether he lives or dies is entirely up to fate.

Secondly, the child will live here, and she will take care of the child here. Thirdly, she is not allowed to reveal the details of her treatment of the child to anyone else. Whether the child can be cured or not, she cannot tell anyone about the child's condition.

When the woman heard Liu Feng agree to treat her, her eyes lit up as if she had grasped a lifeline. She clung to Liu Feng's leg and wouldn't let go. Liu Feng's expression gradually turned cold, and finally he lowered his head and said...

"This is the only time, and the last time. There will be no second precedent. I hope you understand!"

The woman could only nod frantically; she would listen to whatever Liu Feng said.

After Liu Feng finished speaking, he sighed silently to himself and turned to He Xiaoping.

"Xiaoping, I hope you can understand me if something like this happens again, okay?"

Seeing Liu Feng's helpless expression, He Xiaoping nodded guiltily.

Now that the decision had been made, Liu Feng didn't hesitate any longer. He immediately asked Mao Chengcheng to find a house for the woman in the village and settle her in first, as he needed to go to the medicinal herb market to buy medicine.

He certainly can't purify the herbs he extracts now, just like artemisinin. Thousands of years ago, traditional Chinese medicine used it to treat malaria, but the effect was inconsistent. Ancient Chinese medicine practitioners couldn't figure out what was going on, and it almost got lost.

In modern times, through various experiments, it was discovered that the reason why the treatment effect was sometimes good and sometimes bad was because traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes decoction, while artemisinin in artemisia annua cannot be decocted for a long time. It must be used raw to achieve the best effect. Artemisinin extracted from raw artemisia annua is the real best medicine for treating malaria. This is the change brought about by the progress of science and technology.

The herbs that Liu Feng is now looking for work on a similar principle. Three different herbs must be ground into juice, mixed in a certain proportion, and purified after a special reaction to become a special medicine. This is the result of hundreds of experiments in the laboratory. The money spent on each experiment is the foundation for the sky-high prices of future drugs.

Whether the juice made using this traditional method could save the other person was unknown to Liu Feng; he could only leave it to fate.

The child's illness cannot be rushed; it can only be treated slowly. In any case, Mao Ermei needs to be treated now, so Liu Feng doesn't find it too troublesome. However, he doesn't want to set a precedent. He won't follow Bai Jingqi's old path in this world, spending his whole life working hard to become a pharmaceutical tycoon.

Perhaps because he has experienced more of the world, his views on life and death are now far beyond those of ordinary people. He believes that it is better for the poor to quietly accept their fate and go with the flow than to go bankrupt from medical treatment.

Although mainstream values ​​hold that life is priceless, the reality is that the lives of the poor are always measured by a different standard of value. This is because mainstream values ​​are ultimately in the hands of the rich.

In the past two months, as the efficacy of the plasters and his reputation as a miracle doctor have gradually spread, his business has finally entered a period of explosive growth. Now he can sell three to five hundred plasters every day, covering several districts of Guangzhou.

This is the effect of word-of-mouth marketing. Compared to ordinary plasters on the market, this plaster is a game-changer. Once you've used it, you won't want to use cheaper plasters anymore. It's effective for general back pain caused by fatigue, and it can also treat some long-term, accumulated injuries.

Especially in the dead of winter, many elderly people suffer from rheumatic pain, and this plaster is effective as soon as it's applied, allowing them to get a good night's sleep. For many elderly people, this winter is all thanks to this plaster.

This miraculous plaster spread incredibly fast among the locals. In just over three months, sales went from ten plasters a day to a peak of over five hundred, which is nothing short of a miracle. However, in Liu Feng's view, this miracle is still just a small-scale operation, as sales only just broke the ten thousand yuan mark last month.

After deducting all costs and expenses, Liu Feng only received about five thousand yuan. The cost of medicinal materials was three thousand yuan, the labor cost was one thousand five hundred yuan, and other expenses were five hundred yuan. Mao Chengcheng's monthly salary plus commission was close to five hundred yuan, and the other workers each received close to two hundred yuan. In early 1982, this income was definitely high, and they were very satisfied.

But Liu Feng was not satisfied. This plaster is not something you can eat or drink. Relying solely on word-of-mouth in the region will eventually lead to a bottleneck in the number of people you can reach. The sales volume of 300 to 500 has been fluctuating for almost half a month now, which speaks volumes.

Another key point is that the price of 98 cents per plaster is still a bit expensive for many farmers, and many are reluctant to buy it, since Liu Feng's current sales target is mainly in rural areas.

Liu Feng has heard a lot of complaints from his employees over the past few months. Many of them want to bargain and are reluctant to pay. They are all from the same village, so it's difficult for them. Last time, one of their relatives came to buy something and, after consulting Liu Feng, got a discount of two cents. After other customers found out about this, more and more customers are bargaining, and it's gradually becoming a trend.

Expensive? Are you kidding me? This kind of unhealthy trend must be nipped in the bud. Do you think it's easy for them to earn this little bit of money?

In Liu Feng's view, selling this plaster for 98 cents was a pure profit for them. The plaster was genuinely effective in treating illnesses, and the medicinal ingredients inside were absolutely worth the price. It was not like those junk items sold on the market. Trying to lower the price was impossible; it would never be lowered in this lifetime.

If you're not going to lower the price, then raise it!

Of course, selling it for 98 cents and making that profit is enough, but if you want to further enhance the reputation of this plaster, you have to raise the price. It's just a trick that pharmaceutical companies in later generations have exhausted!

Let the dust settle; scarcity makes things valuable. Now it's time to implement the second step of the plan.

So, right after the wages were settled that day, Liu Feng announced to Mao Chengcheng and the others that starting tomorrow, they would stop producing plasters, and that they would officially go on holiday next week. They would resume work after the Lantern Festival, and the holiday would last for one month. During this month, there would be no production or sales!

During the holiday, wages will be paid according to the basic salary. Let's all have a good New Year and have a fresh start next year!

After hearing Liu Feng's words, everyone was a little confused. Wasn't a daily sales volume of three to five hundred yuan a good deal? Why give them a holiday?

Moreover, since everyone is in the village, there is not much difference between having a holiday and not having a holiday. Mao Chengcheng's base salary is 100 yuan, while the other workers only earn 50 yuan. With a holiday, they will earn several yuan less every day. How can everyone be happy?

However, there was no use in being unhappy. Liu Feng was the boss, and the secret formula was in his hands. Although Mao Chengcheng knew this, he was absolutely obedient to Liu Feng.

Thus, upon learning that there would be a holiday, many customers still chose to buy more during the last week. They didn't understand why Liu Feng wanted to take a holiday, but these plasters were indeed a treasure. Many elderly people couldn't live without them now, and it was good to have some at home just in case.

This resulted in record-breaking sales this week, with daily sales reaching around 800 to 1,000 yuan.

With the official start of the holiday, Liu Feng once again entered a period of leisure, spending his days brewing medicine, watching TV series, playing with Xiao Ping, and finally entering a state of sagehood.

They lived a blissful, leisurely, but uninteresting life.

The Spring Festival of 1982 was Liu Feng and He Xiaoping's first Spring Festival spent away from home, and it was ordinary yet real.

Originally, they planned to buy groceries and have a big feast on New Year's Eve, but Mao Chengcheng's whole family came to invite them over. His parents had specially prepared a lot of ingredients for the Spring Festival and insisted that Liu Fengfu and his wife spend the New Year at their home, expressing their sincere gratitude to Liu Fengfu.

What else could Liu Feng do but be the head chef this Spring Festival? In the end, he also invited the mother and son who had no one to rely on, and everyone had a reunion dinner together, which made it a meaningful Spring Festival.

During the Spring Festival, Liu Feng and He Xiaoping, a young couple, did not need to visit relatives and friends. They originally planned to stay at home for a few days, but people kept coming to visit them.

They were all locals, none of whom Liu Feng knew. Their purposes varied: some wanted to find a job, some wanted medical treatment, and some were relatives of Mao Chengcheng who wanted to curry favor. After several days, Liu Feng got annoyed and finally took He Xiaoping to visit several parks and scenic spots in Guangzhou. They went out early and returned late every day, finally managing to get through the Spring Festival.

Finally, the Lantern Festival has arrived! After the Lantern Festival, the sixteenth day of the Lunar New Year will be the official start of work!

On the first day of work, Liu Feng handed out a large red envelope to each worker, containing ten ten-yuan bills, which brought smiles to all the workers' faces.

But Liu Feng's second sentence made their smiles freeze instantly.

Chapter Nine: The Second Step