The fat man said, "Why shouldn't you compensate me? Since I came all the way here to buy medicine from you, I naturally had expectations. If you sold fake medicine, wouldn't that be deceiving my innocent heart? Wouldn't it leave an indelible shadow on my path of growth? This is a problem that could harm me for life! Tell me, how could I not take it seriously? How could I not demand compensation for emotional damages?"
Zhang Xiaohua watched from afar and could not hear clearly. Otherwise, would he not have fallen headfirst from the tree?
Still, Zhang Xiaohua climbed down from the tree and slowly squeezed toward the crowd. He wanted to see what mischief that fat man was trying to stir up.
The medicine seller pulled a long face upon hearing this and said, "Spare me, sir. I only have a few coins of silver on me. My entire fortune is not worth even your thirty taels. How could I possibly compensate you?"
The fat man smiled. "Then it seems you really are selling fake medicine. If your medicine were genuine, why would you not dare accept my terms?"
The man glanced around at the crowd of spectators standing some distance away from them. Knowing he had run into trouble, he pleaded earnestly, "Sir, my medicinal plaster is genuine. One of my ancestors was a physician from a famous sect, and this formula was passed down from him. I have traveled north and south for many years, relying on this plaster to make a living. No one has ever smashed my stall before. Please rest assured."
The fat man's smile widened. "If your plaster is genuine, why don't you dare accept my terms? Since you don't dare accept my terms, your plaster must be fake!"
The man argued,