With the introduction complete, the crowd buzzed with excitement. Arabella leaned over to Marissa and whispered, “Sweetie, make sure we remember when the auction starts. We cannot afford to miss it. No matter what it costs, we need to win this ginseng. Connor will cover it.”
“Grandma, are you thinking of making ginseng soup?” Marissa asked with a smile. Arabella gave a secretive chuckle and replied, “Yes, and we’ll enjoy it just between us. Let’s not share any with Connor; he can simply foot the bill.”
Marissa found Arabella’s scheme delightful and grinned, whispering back, “Sounds like a plan.” After a pause, Arabella suggested, “Maybe we could share some with your mother too.”
“Thank you, Grandma!” Marissa exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with appreciation. Though Arabella’s real fondness was for Tiffany, and Marissa was just a stand-in, Marissa felt genuinely moved and warmed by the gesture
At that moment, Balthasar burst into a mocking laugh. All eyes turned from the Ginseng King to Balthasar, curious about his reaction. A friend asked, “Balthasar, from the look on your face, it seems you’re not too impressed with this Ginseng King?”
“Indeed,” Balthasar responded openly. “I possess a D Pill of MindEase Elixir, crafted by Dr. Riss. Compared to that, this mere wild ginseng doesn’t excite me. Don’t worry, I won’t be bidding on it during the auction, haha!”
As he spoke, Balthasar held a jade box that contained the MindEase Elixir, his pride evident. The news of Ayla becoming Dr. Riss’s apprentice had spread, stirring both envy and jealousy among the crowd, particularly other medical families in Blebert who longed to have someone as talented as Ayla in their ranks. Surrounded by the envious stares of these families, Ayla carried herself with arrogance, looking above the heads of those around her as if she were above mere mortals
“Sansa, you’ve raised a remarkable daughter. Could you share some parenting tips with us?” a wealthy woman said
Sansa replied with a laugh, glowing with pride, “I actually barely had to do anything: Ayla is naturally gifted. Actually, I spent more effort on Tiffany, but unfortunately, she…” Sansa deliberately brought up Tiffany, trailing off suggestively to encourage the crowd to mock Tiffany
As expected, the moment she stopped speaking, everyone’s gaze shifted to Marissa. “How can a failure dare to appear here?”
“And she insists on standing in the shadow of the radiant Ayla, content to simply play second fiddle to her. How disgraceful.”
While such public scorn would devastate many, Marissa remained composed, giving Sansa a meaningful look but choosing not to respond
Then someone asked, “Mr. Nash, is that the D Pill of MindEase Elixir in your hand? Could we take a look?”
“Of course.” With no hesitation, Balthasar was all too pleased to display his treasure and opened the jade box for all to see
As Balthasar lifted the lid of the box, a rich, medicinal aroma escaped, captivating everyone with the sight of the D Pill of MindEase Elixir inside. “Oh my goodness, is this truly the D Pill of MindEase Elixir crafted by Dr. Riss? It’s absolutely stunning and unique, and the scent is incredibly powerful.”
“I’ve heard that there are only four of these pills in existence, making them exceedingly rare. It’s said that only the most exceptional individuals can obtain a MindEase Elixir. Others, no matter their wealth, won’t even catch a whiff of it.”
“It’s a privilege to even see it today.”
“Mr. Nash, how did you come by this remarkable pill?” The area buzzed with envious looks and remarks, swelling Balthasar with a sense of pride. He smiled, feigning a look of profound wisdom, and chose not to respond just yet. The other members of the Nash family also enjoyed the limelight, reliving the glorious days when Brian was still around and reveling in the honor
Ayla, the catalyst of this spectacle, basked in immense pride. Sansa, barely able to contain her excitement, rushed to explain, “This D Pill of MindEase Elixir was secured by Ayla from Dr. Riss at a highly favorable price as a birthday gift for Balthasar.”
“Oh my, Mr. Nash, you truly are blessed to have such a remarkable granddaughter.”
“Ayla, once you become Dr. Riss’s personal disciple, you’re destined to make significant strides in medicine and pharmacology. We hope you’ll remember us lesser medical families in the future.”
Amid the shower of admiration, Ayla floated on cloud nine yet managed to remember to mock Tiffany. While receiving accolades, she glanced over at Marissa and humbly remarked, “Thank you all for the praises, but Tiffany is even more impressive. She presented our grandfather with an A Pill of MindEase Elixir for his birthday.”
This revelation initially shocked the crowd, who then turned their attention to Marissa, dressed simply and swiftly dismissed her. Everyone was aware that Tiffany was too impoverished to afford such luxuries. Where would she find the funds for an A Pill of MindEase Elixir? Even if she had the means, how could someone deemed a failure procure such a rare item?
They dismissed the notion that Connor might have assisted her. If he had such connections, he would surely have used them for Arabella, not giving the world’s sole A Pill of MindEase Elixir to Balthasar. It seemed clear to them that Tiffany had offered a counterfeit pill at the birthday celebration merely to maintain appearances
A stirrer in the crowd, eager to fan the flames, inquired, “Mr. Nash, do you really possess an A Pill of MindEase Elixir as well? Might we see it?”
Ayla chuckled. “I’m sorry to disappoint. At the birthday banquet, Tiffany angered my grandfather so terribly that he threw the pill away.”
“Threw the pill away?” The area erupted with laughter, their suspicions seemingly confirmed. Who would discard such a priceless pill? It seemed obvious to them that Balthasar realized it was counterfeit and disposed of it in anger. This incident only made Tiffany appear more ridiculous
The atmosphere thickened with tension. Although the crowd held back from outright mocking Marissa due to Arabella’s presence, their disdainful glances spoke volumes. Sansa and Ayla, basking in their anticipated victory, wore smug smiles, eager to see Marissa break down. Yet, they faced disappointment. Marissa shot them a disdainful look, as if they were mere jesters, and turned away, her composure unshaken
At that moment, Dr. Riss’s top assistant, Ferris, arrived. The crowd’s focus instantly shifted to him. They encircled him, peppering him with inquiries
“Dr. Frazier, is Dr. Riss here?”
Seeing Ferris, Balthasar quickly approached him with a smile and asked, “Dr. Frazier, is Dr. Riss here? I’d like to thank her personally.”
“What would you like to thank Dr. Riss for?” Ferris asked with amusement
“I have two reasons to be grateful. Firstly, for selling the D Pill of MindEase Elixir to my granddaughter at a discount. Secondly, for agreeing to take her on as an apprentice. The Nash family is truly honored by Dr. Riss’s support.”
Ferris glanced down at the MindEase Elixir in Balthasar’s hand, then raised an eyebrow and asked, “Is this the MindEase Elixir you’re talking about?”
Balthasar and the others were taken aback by Ferris’s question. As Dr. Riss’s assistant, Ferris would have been familiar with all four pills of MindEase Elixir. Yet, his puzzled expression suggested he did not recognize the pill in Balthasar’s hand
Sansa responded with an uneasy smile, “Dr. Frazier, this is indeed the D Pill of MindEase Elixir. Aren’t you familiar with it?”
Ayla gripped her purse strap, feeling nervous. She had acquired the pill from a dealer on the black market, not directly from Dr. Riss as she had claimed, but she was convinced it was the genuine D Pill of MindEase Elixir. She hadn’t corrected her family’s belief that the pill was bought from Dr. Riss, trusting that Riss would cover for her, considering the two hundred million dollars she had pledged. In any case, she was destined to outshine all other doctors in Blebert. She had always cherished this ambition. But why did Ferris appear so puzzled upon seeing the pill? Could it be that she had been deceived by the drug dealer on the black market?
Just as Ayla was wrestling with her doubts, Ferris said, “Mr. Nash, I’m sorry to say, but this is not the D Pill of MindEase Elixir made by Dr. Riss. It seems you have been cheated.”
“What? This isn’t the D Pill of MindEase Elixir?” The crowd was stunned
“That’s correct. This isn’t the MindEase Elixir,” Ferris reiterated firmly
Ayla felt dizzy and nearly passed out. As she feared, she had been duped by a black market dealer. Ten million dollars down the drain! Yet, this wasn’t the moment to fret over the money. She wondered why Ferris hadn’t just played along for the sake of the two hundred million she was offering. Of course, she only allowed these thoughts to swirl in her mind, never voicing them aloud
Sansa felt as if she had been physically struck. The smile on her face froze, and she grew anxious and uneasy. “Dr. Frazier, please examine it again. This pill was indeed sold to my daughter by Dr. Riss!”
“Mrs. Nash, are you suggesting that Dr. Riss sold a fake pill to your daughter?” Ferris inquired, clearly displeased
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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