Justin looked at her, only to see that the young woman, after answering him, had no intention of picking up her cell phone and showing him a photo at all.
“…”
For some reason, he felt a little embarrassed.
At the sight, Melissa, who was next to him, said, “Are you asking about Cherry? I have photos of her, too! I even took videos!”
She picked up her cell phone after she spoke. Just as she was about to show a photo to Justin, Nora subtly stopped her and said, “Aunt Melissa, things don’t seem to be going well for Uncle Simon over there.”
Sure enough, it successfully distracted Melissa. She turned to see that Simon and the other party were starting to argue in low voices.
She smiled apologetically at Justin and quickly walked over.
Justin, “…”
He couldn’t help but feel that she had done it on purpose just so he wouldn’t be able to see the photos.
Wasn’t it just her daughter? He had already shown her his son, so what was there for her to be so secretive about?
A hint of a chilly look came over his countenance.
When he saw Nora also giving him a nod and walking over to Simon, he suddenly instructed Sean, “Look up her daughter; surely she isn’t that ugly that she shouldn’t be seen in public, right?”
Since she refused to show him her daughter, then he would find out what she looked like, no matter what!
Justin was obviously upset after he said that. Had it been any other time, he would already have turned and left. This time, however, he actually followed them over.
Sean: “…”
By the time Nora came over, Simon already had an awful look on his face. The other party was a man about 40 or 50 years old, and he spoke in a hurtful manner.
“… Simon, it was only on account of the friendship between our families that I’ve been doing business with the Andersons out of kindness all these years.
“Times are moving on; the drugs produced by the Andersons cannot compare to the Myerses’ now. Surely you can’t always rely on friendships when doing business?”
Melissa clenched her fists. She turned to Nora and said with disgust, “He’s the Deputy Dean of the Traditional Medicine Hall. His last name is Lucas. All the formulas of Harmonia Pharmacy’s medicines have been improved by your mom, so they have always been very effective!”
“They used to beg us to sell them our products, and the business dealings between the two of us have always had arm’s length transactions. How did it even become them ‘doing business with the Andersons out of kindness’?”
Simon took a deep breath and said nicely, “I’m agreeable to your request to terminate our partnership because you’ve found another supplier. However, the batch of pills you custom-ordered have already been fully manufactured. After signing the contract, surely you have to follow the contractual terms, right?”
Deputy Dean Lucas replied with a smile, “Let’s do this instead—I know you’re in a bit of a pinch lately. We’ll buy the batch of pills at a 60% discount. How does that sound?”
Simon’s grip on his champagne glass tightened intensely as he tried his best to suppress his anger. “A 60% discount? We’ve always given you a low price. You’re clearly kicking us when we’re down!”
Deputy Dean Lucas patted Simon on the shoulder and said, “That’s exactly what I mean, Simon. If you’re agreeable to it, then we’ll help you out this one time and at least give you a bit of profit. However, what I’ve heard is that everyone else has returned their goods. Moreover, Harmonia Pharmacy has barely any clients and its reputation is already a goner now!”
There was sarcasm hidden in his words.
“You—!” Simon was outraged.
The man adopted a casual attitude as if it didn’t matter either way. “In any case, do think it over properly. Will you keep the pills with you and let them expire, or sell them at me at a low price…”
He had only just said that when a voice came from beside him. “A 60% discount is too high. How about a 20% discount instead?”
As soon as the person said that, the few of them turned and saw Sheena.
Her husband was a well-known internal medicine physician.
At the sight of her, both Simon and Melissa’s eyes reddened slightly and they felt a warm feeling welling up in their hearts. Simon called out, “Sheena.”
Sheena ignored him. Instead, she smiled at Deputy Dean Lucas and said, “A 60% discount is too much of a loss for us! But if it’s a 20% discount, the loss is within an acceptable range.”
Then, she leaned toward him and said, “When we close the deal, I’ll treat you to dinner, old friend!”
A lewd look had appeared in Deputy Dean Lucas’s eyes when he saw Sheena. He took her hand and fondled the back of her hand.
Sheena felt a wave of disgust, but she nevertheless tolerated it until Deputy Dean Lucas said, “You guys can forget about selling your medicines anymore. Mr. Myers has already put the word out that he won’t sell their medicines to anyone who buys from the Andersons. You must understand that he has a Carefree Pill in his possession; that’s something that can save someone’s life! Who would dare to go against him? I’m the only one who can still afford to buy your medicines at a 60% discount now.”
Sheena tried to withdraw her hand, but Deputy Dean Lucas took hold of it again. He said, “Nana, how about we go to the balcony over there and have a chat?”
Deputy Dean Lucas and Sheena were classmates in college and he had always been attracted to her.
However, Sheena found him too ugly and had rejected him several times before.
At this moment when she heard his suggestive words, she almost gagged. She said, “Let’s talk here instead.”
Deputy Dean Lucas stroked her palm and said, “There are too many people here, so let’s go there instead. I can give you a 30% discount… Don’t make a scene; the Andersons are already down and out. If you embarrass yourselves again in a conference like this, then you really won’t be able to hold your head up high in the future anymore…”
Sheena wanted to withdraw her hand, but Deputy Dean Lucas held it tightly and gave her a warning look.
Then, his hand started to stray toward Sheena’s butt…
Sheena was extremely angry and embarrassed.
When they were young, the Harmonia Pharmacy had been sought after by all. In school, so many outstanding young men had courted her, but she had ignored them all.
But ever since her elder sister’s departure, the Andersons fell into decline and she’d had to keep an obsequious smile on even when she didn’t want to, in order to keep the business going.
And now, even a mere Deputy Dean Lucas had the guts to paw her!
This reminded her of the time back when she was still in junior high…
A group of girls had been jealous of her because she was rich and good-looking. They had ganged up on her in the bathroom, but she didn’t dare to fight back. It was her elder sister who had suddenly rushed in, her small and skinny self with a broom in her hand, and started beating them indiscriminately.
Afterward, with her chin raised, she had lectured her. “What’s there to be scared of? You can only deal with wicked people like them by being even more ruthless than they are!”
… If Sis were still here, how could they possibly have ended up like this?!
Sheena clenched her fist tightly. She was about to push Deputy Dean Lucas away when she suddenly sensed him freezing up.
She turned to see that the young woman who bore a 70% resemblance to her sister was currently standing beside her coldly. Her delicate hand had pressed down on Deputy Dean Lucas’s wrist. She applied a little force, causing him to open his mouth, ready to shout.
Nora said coldly, “Don’t make a scene. If you embarrass yourself in a conference like this, you won’t be able to hold your head up high in the future anymore…”
She threw his words right back at him.
Deputy Dean Lucas let go of Sheena and took a step back in compromise. The pain made his forehead break out in cold sweat. He lowered his voice and snapped, “Can you let go of me now?!”
Nora let go of him.
Simon rushed over and stood in front of Sheena and Nora. “We’re not going through with this transaction anymore!”
At the sight, Deputy Dean Lucas lowered his voice and barked angrily, “Fine! Okay! Since you don’t want to sell the pills to me, I’m gonna see who, apart from the Traditional Medicine Hall, dares to buy your medicines!”
After he said that, a deep voice suddenly reached them: “Who says there’s no one who dares to buy them?”
