"Exactly." Old Master Su nodded in satisfaction. "Pharmaceuticals are the only industry our Su Family has a near monopoly on. That's our last trump card. If we can develop a groundbreaking product someday, we can turn things around completely."
"But..." Su Shengnan said hesitantly. "The Su Family would be sacrificing too much."
"That's still better than being struck off the list," Old Master Su said earnestly. "As long as the green hills remain, there'll be no shortage of firewood."
Su Shengnan pondered for a while, then gritted her teeth. "Don't worry, Grandpa. Even if it kills me, I won't let the Su Family fall."
"Thank you for taking this on." Old Master Su patted her shoulder, heartened.
A single day in heaven, a thousand years on earth. When someone became absorbed in something, they lost all sense of time. Clearly, that was what had happened to Su Shengnan and Old Master Su.
They had been talking inside for two hours, with no sign of finishing. Even Black and White Impermanence were growing impatient. After all, they still had official duties to attend to. They couldn't stay here keeping them company forever, could they?
So Li Yichen stopped worrying about whether they were finished. He quickly knocked on the door, poked his head inside, and asked, "It's been quite a while. Are you two done talking?"
Then he saw Su Shengnan turn toward him with a terrified expression. With a sorrowful cry of "Grandpa..." she threw herself into Old Master Su's arms and burst into tears.
"Uh..." Li Yichen was utterly exasperated. Why did he feel like Huang Shiren coming to snatch Xi'er away?
Old Master Su gave Li Yichen an apologetic look, then patted Su Shengnan's back. "My dear granddaughter, it's getting late. You should head back."
Then he led