I Know a Thing or Two About Traditional Chinese Medicine

Xu Shou glanced at Xu Ningbing and said indifferently, "Reason."

"Don’t blame me for being blunt, but Xu Mu and that bar owner are on good terms. I’m afraid he might spill everything with just a few words from them."

Xu Ningbing shot a look at Xu Mu.

Xu Mu shook his head slightly. This Xu Ningbing was really being overly cautious.

Perhaps the impression left by the former villainous Xu Mu was just too deep.

"Kid, Ningbing has a point. First, tell me—what do you need these things for?"

Xu Shou smiled as he looked at Xu Mu.

"I know a thing or two about traditional Chinese medicine. I want to check the ingredients and methods. Maybe I can come up with a few alternatives."

Xu Mu leaned back on the sofa as he spoke.

"What?"

Xu Ningbing was stunned.

Before this, Xu Mu had claimed to know "a thing or two" about the piano—only to end up with a master pianist begging to become his disciple.

Then, he said the same about combat.

Xu Ningbing, who had trained since childhood and could easily compete professionally, was effortlessly subdued by him.

Now, Xu Mu was saying he knew "a thing or two" about traditional Chinese medicine.

Could he actually be telling the truth?

But this was a huge leap.

"Hahaha! Interesting. Even I don’t believe you, kid, but I’m curious to see what you’ll come up with."

Xu Shou turned to Wang Weiliang. "Lao Wang, give him the details."

"Sure, I’ll organize them and send them to your phone."

Wang Weiliang nodded. He didn’t care about the consequences—after all, the company belonged to Xu Shou.

Even if there was a leak, it wasn’t his problem.

He took out his phone and started typing right away.

Meanwhile, Xu Shou instructed the chefs to start preparing dinner.

Seizing the moment, Xu Mu wandered around the massive living room—this was his first time here, after all.

"Kid, come with me."

Xu Shou patted Xu Mu’s shoulder and led him to the study.

Hands in his pockets, Xu Mu followed.

Inside the study, there was a large dark-red wooden desk with rows of bookshelves beside it.

Xu Mu’s eyes were immediately drawn to a group photo on one of the shelves, and memories slowly surfaced in his mind.

The photo showed four people—Xu Shou and his wife (Xu Mu’s mother) in their younger days.

Xu Mu felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

In his real life, he had forgotten his father’s face, but there were photos at home.

Xu Shou looked exactly like him. The beautiful woman with long hair beside him also bore a resemblance to his late mother.

In the photo, a little girl stood in front of Xu Shou, while a little boy was held in the woman’s arms.

Those two children were, of course, Xu Ningbing and Xu Mu.

"When you were little, I was at a critical point in my career. I failed to protect you all, and your mother... she didn’t make it."

Xu Shou sat in his chair and noticed Xu Mu staring at the photo. He spoke softly.

Xu Mu had no memory of this.

He’d only heard from Xu Shou that his mother had died, but the details were never mentioned.

"Why did you call me here?" Xu Mu asked with a smile.

"You’ve been acting strange lately. Logically speaking, Ningbing isn’t wrong. I’m not stupid—I’ve been thinking a lot."

Xu Shou leaned back in his chair, studying Xu Mu.

"Go on. Tell me your worst suspicion."

Xu Mu stepped closer to the desk.

"My worst fear is that you’re a pawn, being controlled by someone. For example, that recording you got—what if it was given to you by them?"

Xu Shou continued, "Their goal is to make us believe you’re not just a reckless playboy, that you’re actually sharp. Then, when you ask for the ingredient ratios and production methods, I, as your father, would naturally tell you."

Xu Mu nodded slightly. "I see. After that, I’d hand everything over to someone else."

"Exactly. That’s my worst-case scenario. The potential of this formula is immeasurable. They could easily set up this whole scheme."

Xu Shou looked straight at Xu Mu. "If you didn’t look exactly like him, I’d suspect you were an imposter."

Xu Mu gave a faint smile. It was only natural for his father to think this way.

Especially since he cared so much and knew Xu Mu so well.

If a father couldn’t tell his own son had been replaced, that would be ridiculous.

"If what you’re saying is true, what could they possibly offer me to go this far?"

Xu Mu sat on the edge of Xu Shou’s desk as he spoke.

"It’s definitely not money. All these years, whenever you asked for an allowance, as long as you told me what it was for, did I ever hold back?"

Xu Shou leaned back. "You might’ve made the same mistake as Qian Gang."

"Women?" Xu Mu asked.

"Exactly. Honestly, I know you’re not that into Ye Tong."

Xu Shou met Xu Mu’s gaze. "I don’t bother lecturing you because I know you won’t listen. When you mature a bit more, you’ll realize she’s far better than any woman you’ve met."

Xu Mu took a deep breath. He didn’t need to mature—he already knew.

"Old man, I have a way to ease your doubts."

"Go on. I’m listening." Xu Shou grinned.

"Once Wang Weiliang sends the details to your phone, I’ll read them directly from there. Then, I’ll make a few suggestions and let Wang Weiliang evaluate them."

Xu Mu smiled. "In your eyes, an idiot like me wouldn’t remember anything after just one look, right?"

"People who call themselves idiots usually aren’t. It’s the ones calling others idiots who might be."

Just as Xu Shou spoke, his phone buzzed.

He checked it and saw that Wang Weiliang had already sent over all the details.

Skimming through, he found the list of ingredients and production steps overwhelming.

Without taking photos, it’d be impossible to memorize—especially for someone outside the field.

Xu Shou handed the phone to Xu Mu. "Here, take a look."

Xu Mu nodded and began reviewing the document.

As he read the technical terms, his mind automatically processed their effects and applications.

"So that’s how it works."

After a quick scan, he walked to the door and called out, "Mr. Wang, come here for a second."

Wang Weiliang, who had been chatting with Ye Tong and Ye Yu, glanced over before approaching and entering the study.

"What’s up?"

Wang Weiliang looked curious.

"I wanted to suggest reducing the phenylpropylamine and fenfluramine content to a minimum—or even removing them entirely. After all, we’re marketing this as pure traditional Chinese medicine. Even though they’re harmless to the body..."

Xu Mu read from the phone as he spoke to Wang Weiliang. "We can replace them with herbal extracts. Some compounds are hard to isolate alone, but when extracted alongside other herbs, it’s actually simpler."

As he spoke, he forwarded a long list to Wang Weiliang using Xu Shou’s phone.

"These alternatives would work just as well, if not better," Xu Mu added.

Wang Weiliang had initially been skeptical, but as soon as he saw Xu Mu’s suggestions, his eyes widened in shock.

Some of the formulation and refinement methods recorded here were secrets he had verified through hundreds, even thousands, of trials. Yet Xu Mu just casually revealed them.

Not only that, but there were also techniques and combinations even he wasn’t aware of.

“This… this… Young Master Xu, where did you get this information?” Wang Weiliang swallowed hard, his voice trembling.

Xu Shou, seeing Wang Weiliang’s reaction, was utterly stunned.

What was going on?

Could it be that his foolish son actually knew a thing or two?