Act Twenty-One: The Blue Magic Pill

  In less than two days, the Xu's pharmacy on Haikou street quietly changed its signboard and hung up a new one with "Hui Chun Tang" written on it.

  Although the name is quite common, it's easy to remember. Whether it's a commoner or an official, as long as they hear these three words, they know it's definitely a medicine shop and not something else. Who has ever seen a fabric store called Hui Chun Tang? Moreover, every customer who has used the blue pills from this shop thinks that the name is quite fitting...

  However, there are also differences between these medicine shops. Generally, they all have their own main areas of focus. Some specialize in treating injuries from falls and fights, while others treat headaches and fever. This Rebirth Hall naturally has its own unique aspects as well.

  From the outside, Hui Chun Tang looks like a small shop, but despite its modest size, it is lavishly decorated and extremely luxurious. The entire shop only sells one type of blue pill, which is also packaged in an unusually luxurious way, unlike other pharmacies that simply wrap their products in yellow paper or put them in ceramic bottles.

  Others want to buy pills, ask what disease they are treating, and the shopkeeper only says that the name is called Viagra, one at a time, and then no longer speaks. If you buy it, he will tell you in detail how this pill is doing well, if you just ask about the pill, sorry, don't know. Most customers are confused, the most absurd thing is that this pill doesn't even say what disease it treats, but it's sold at a high price, 100 yuan per pill! It's almost as much as half a year's salary for the police chief of Shanghai.

  Just as the onlookers were puzzled and questioning whether the medicine was made of gold, many familiar figures entered the shop. Before long, they came out with a box of medicine, beaming with joy. The crowd erupted in shock: "This ridiculously expensive medicine actually has buyers!? Are they crazy or something!?"

  Take a closer look at those who bought the medicine, without exception, they are all servants of high-ranking officials and wealthy merchants. This has led to even more speculation among the onlookers. Is this medicine something that only people with special status can use? No wonder this shop exudes an air of luxury everywhere.

  After this speculation, those who didn't care about money but were curious about what the pill was all about also flocked to the store to buy one, just to figure out what it was and how it could attract those high-ranking officials and wealthy merchants who usually looked down on them. Once they knew, they could show off in front of others, saying that the pill they bought was so good that even the emperors of China used it!

  Originally, these people had made up their minds that even if the medicine was no good, they would still say it was good; otherwise, wouldn't they look like fools? Although they themselves were already prepared to take a beating. However, unexpectedly, after this purchase, many fellow travelers not only knew about the miraculous effect of this medicine but also couldn't put it down again. Even those who didn't quite believe in its effectiveness would usually buy some just in case...

  Can't help but say, Wei Ge is indeed very powerful, and in less than half a month's time, he has conquered the entire wealthy class of Haikou, to the point where Roger had to go back to modern times twice to avoid running out of stock.

  The bigger problem is that this stuff isn't cheap even in modern times, and if he keeps buying it like this without anything to bring back to modern times to sell, his savings will be depleted. Recently, Roger has been considering whether to get some raw materials and make it himself, why give all the money to foreigners? It's not like making Viagra is difficult, but since it's patented, making it would be considered counterfeit, and he's never done this before, so he's really afraid of being called in for a chat with the authorities, which would ruin everything he's worked hard for in Republican China. What a dilemma.

  ……

  "Brother Luo, are these people all stupid? This thing costs 100 yuan per grain, enough for our whole village to have three big meals, just for a small handful of soybeans. Isn't this like their brains were kicked by a donkey?"

  On this day, Zhang Wuzi, who had already become the proud owner of Hui Chun Tang, was lamenting to Roger. Originally, Roger wanted Xu Menglong to take over, which was his old line of work. However, Xu felt that selling **was too humiliating and refused to do it, so Zhang Wu had to take charge instead.

  In Zhang Wu's way of thinking, this blue little pill shouldn't exist in the market at all. He had also tried one (which was given to him by Roger so that he could have a feel for the product he was selling), and that night, he indeed experienced the magic of Viagra, but what Roger thought was even more magical was that Zhang Wu went to a brothel to spend money because of his heartache, and for an entire night, he relied on the help of a prostitute to solve his problem...

  Wu Guniang and Wei Ge, this combination really makes Roger feel a thousand emotions...

  "It's just for one night and it costs 100 yuan, I'd rather buy two more wives, it's not like you can only do it once." said Zhang Wu.

  Roger patted Zhang Wu's shoulder lightly and said seriously, "People like you who are casual about things can't understand the suffering of those who have only a few minutes to live. For them, what's 100 yuan? Not much! Is one night enough? No! But we let them get healing from body to soul! Is this selling tofu? No! This is a sacred profession! In their eyes, we are angels saving the masses! What? Don't know what an angel is? An angel is a god with chicken wings on the foreigner's side! So, we must sell medicine with a heart that cures and saves people! We use medicine to save customers, and customers use their money to save us... Letting people respect and love each other, saving each other, what a great and harmonious profession this is!"

  Zhang Wu nodded vaguely, feeling that he was indeed very foolish and couldn't connect the blue pill worth one hundred yuan with saving all living beings. He also couldn't imagine himself being treated as an angel, carved into a statue, having chicken wings attached to him, and placed in a temple like the Dragon King Temple...

  Looking at the crowded customers, Roger's mouth couldn't help but curl up. These magical blue pills were initially sold only a few grains a day, and now, considering his current savings are no longer abundant, Roger can only set a daily limit of 20 grains for sale. Even so, he has to pay nearly two thousand yuan every day, making him worry that he might not be able to afford a house after all.

  However, making money is fast in modern times, and the earnings on this side of the Republic are also fast. A daily income of 2,000 yuan has greatly alleviated his current financial difficulties.

  "One yuan RMB can only exchange for one dollar, this ratio seems a bit painful." Roger muttered to himself with a headache, secretly regretting why he had chosen such a way of making money before. "Forget it, forget it, when the pharmaceutical factory is built, we will do it ourselves and cannot give money to foreign companies again."

  ……

  With money, the construction work on the road can be said to be progressing by leaps and bounds. If there are not enough workers, they spend money to hire more; if materials are insufficient, they spend money to procure more. Spending more money is no problem; what's crucial is time. Roger, who controls the Time-Space Cavern, doesn't lack ways to make money; what he lacks is time!

  He didn't know if he could prepare himself before the disaster came, all he knew was that every minute he grasped tightly might save one more person in the future.