This situation occurred quite frequently.
People with East Asian faces suddenly became sought after, often being asked, "Hey, do you know Su?"
"Can you help me get some penicillin?"
"Is penicillin really that effective for treating pneumonia?"
Penicillin, penicillin, penicillin.
If there were trending topics right now, they’d be dominated by these three characters. No other drug had ever caused such a sensation.
The main reason was its incredibly wide range of applications.
Beyond wound infections, it worked for sepsis, bacterial pneumonia, meningitis, and even... cough cough... syphilis.
How could people not go crazy over it?
Unfortunately, the answers from the "harassed" Chinese were almost always the same.
"Sorry, I don’t know them, and I can’t get it."
Ordinary Chinese could say that, but within the country, some people, due to various concerns and promised benefits, had no choice but to reluctantly agree.
…………
The Kung family.
Madame Kung looked at the newspaper, a hint of shock in her smile. "I knew Su Ning might have a backup plan, but... isn’t this overkill?"
It was a complete mismatch, really.
In comparison to penicillin, this minor storm—yes, a storm that Su Ning could weather with a humble apology and some concessions—was simply insignificant.
"We think it’s an overuse of resources, but from Su Ning’s perspective, her pride might only be worth this much."
Mr. Kung entered from outside, overhearing his wife’s words. Without even pausing for a sip of water, he spoke hastily.
"It could also just be a coincidence," Madame Kung nodded, glancing at him. "How did the meeting go?"
"What else? Those who were trying to target Su Ning got a thorough scolding. The loudest one had it worse—his position was demoted, and he lost a lot of face."
"Serves them right," Madame Kung said cheerfully. Did she not know about the gossip outside?
They said she refused to take action against Su Ning only out of fear for the oil business—cowardly, selfish, and short-sighted. Now, at least, she had proof that her choice was right. It was truly satisfying.
"But this time, the government bowed its head. They'll have to be more deferential toward Su Ning from now on."
"So what if they’re deferential? This is penicillin we’re talking about," Madame Kung snorted. "Do you know how many calls the warlords with armies have made to our brother-in-law? It never stopped, from dawn till dusk. I heard someone even threatened to storm Nanjing and bang on the table on the spot."
Unlike those still guessing whether it was real,
people like them had witnessed firsthand how powerful this stuff was.
So, of course, they flocked to it.
Even the upper echelons of the Nanjing government, skipping the stage of doubt, took it very seriously.
"Alright, this is also our opportunity," Mr. Kung smiled at her.
"If the government wants penicillin, they must bow their heads. To step down gracefully, besides you, my dear, who else can bear this heavy responsibility?"
Madame Kung smiled too.
The next day.
She made the first call—busy. The second, third—almost half an hour later, it finally connected. With a smile on her face and a gentle tone, she engaged in pleasantries.
The voice on the other end, though cold, didn’t hang up immediately.
Her heart steadied.
She began by apologizing: the advantage of settling matters privately was that she could say things that weren’t suitable for official occasions. Finally, she explained:
"The human heart is complicated. The servants below are reckless, often acting first and reporting later, concealing matters and doing as they please behind the superiors' backs. Once the Chairman learned of it, he immediately had these people dealt with."
She recounted the results of the punishments in full detail, holding nothing back.
"That many people?"
Su Ning chuckled softly on the other end of the line, the laughter dripping with clear sarcasm:
"As a law-abiding citizen, I used to trust the government wholeheartedly. I never imagined there would be so many people with no reason at all trying to come after me. It's chilling and frightening, really. There's a saying: when you find one cockroach, there are already thousands hiding. Perhaps even more who haven't been dealt with yet."
Madame Kung knew this matter wouldn't be easy.
But she hadn't expected the very beginning to be this difficult!
What did she mean by "no reason at all"? It was clearly... well, setting that aside for now, judging by Su Ning's tone and attitude, Madame Kung was afraid she might just throw up her hands and flee abroad.
Fertilizer, petroleum, and now the most critical item of all—penicillin.
Not one of them could afford to be lost.
Though she knew the odds of Su Ning bluffing as a threat were far greater than the odds of her actually running away, Madame Kung still mustered every ounce of patience she had. She made promises, coaxed and pleaded, and talked until her mouth was dry before Su Ning finally relented.
"Now that Miss Su has calmed down, about... that matter..."
"What matter? Oh—you mean the petroleum business."
Su Ning said with an air of leisurely composure.
The other party knew full well she was playing dumb, but with penicillin dangling as leverage, there was nothing they could do.
Petroleum was fine, too.
Petroleum was also a big deal.
At Yumen, barrel after barrel of gasoline, diesel, and kerosene—things the outside world begged for in vain—were piling up like mountains. Yet, aside from giving away some samples for free to build a reputation, they just sat there, wasting away.
The thought alone made one's heart ache.
Before, the government had still had some confidence. How many cars did all of China have? If they didn't sell to them, who else could they sell to? If pushed too far, they could always go back to buying imported fuel.
So while they were anxious, it wasn't urgent. The pressure was limited.
It was a game of who would lose their nerve first.
Now—
Madame Kung exchanged a glance with the others in the room. After quickly receiving instructions from the highest authority, she preliminarily finalized the contract with Su Ning over the phone.
How should she put it?
It wasn't quite the ceding of territory or payment of reparations, but it was close to an unequal treaty.
Of course, the one playing the bully in this case was Su Ning.
"Some matters are hard to discuss clearly over the phone. It's better to meet in person. As it happens, I was in such a hurry last time in Beiping that I missed many scenic spots. How about I come to Beiping tomorrow and meet with Miss Su?"
A face-to-face meeting might soften things.
It would also be a chance to probe into the real situation with penicillin.
Coming to Beiping now to sightsee?
Su Ning thought of the blinding sandstorms, the howling winds that sounded like ghosts wailing day and night, where if you opened your mouth, you'd be full of sand before even saying a word. She almost burst out laughing.
"That's terribly inconvenient. I'm actually about to leave Beiping and see some other places. I've been back in the country for so long, and I've been so busy that I haven't had a chance to appreciate the magnificent landscapes."
"How long will you be gone?"
"I'm not sure," Su Ning said nonchalantly. "I never make plans when I travel. The unknown scenery is what makes it fun."
She hung up the phone.
Then, calmly, she turned to the man dressed like a shopkeeper across from her and urged:
"You've been thinking it over for so long. Have you made up your mind?"
"Miss Su's terms are very generous," he replied.
The shopkeeper pondered for a moment, then shook his head. “It’s almost too good to be true—that’s what makes me uneasy.” He looked up at Su Ning.
The room was opulent, filled with priceless decorations, yet anyone who entered would have their eyes drawn to her first. It wasn’t her beauty that commanded attention, but the sheer force of her presence.
The shopkeeper was no exception.
When summoned unexpectedly, told that Su Ning wished to see him, he had been both frightened and curious.
Now, seeing her in person...
The vague image he had pieced together from rumors and her exploits had suddenly become flesh and blood—yes, this was truly Su Ning.
Overflowing with arrogance and sharpness.
It was precisely because of that demeanor that her offer to gift them a large shipment of weapons and scarce supplies like gasoline made him hesitate.
What was the saying... a weasel paying a New Year’s visit to a chicken—nothing good could come of it.
“Maybe I’m hedging my bets, spreading the risk. Or maybe I just have too much money to spend. Hmm, or perhaps I actually admire your ideals and have a patriotic heart after all,” Su Ning said, as if joking. Finally, she added an offhand reason:
“I only have one younger brother. He’s precious to me, and I nearly lost him. If only one man had died in the attempt... that wouldn’t be enough to quell my rage.”
After weighing the pros and cons, the shopkeeper eventually agreed to her terms. When he returned to his own quarters, he heard Xiao Zhao say that hedging bets was the more logical explanation. If she were just avenging her cousin, that cousin must have been extraordinarily precious to her. As for her talk of ideals or patriotism, that was likely just a jest.
“You’ve got it wrong,” the shopkeeper sighed. “It’s not about Su Chen being precious. It’s about her being precious to herself.”
He continued:
“There are plenty of people in the Su clan who could be called her younger brother—more than you can count on one hand. Some are closer to her by blood than Su Chen is. But she only acknowledges Su Chen.”
“Those she deems worthy stand out. They become invaluable, powerful, brilliant.”
“Those who don’t catch her eye? Worthless.”
“So, don’t you see? Everyone says she’s cold-blooded, ruthless, driven only by profit. But I think there’s just one word that truly fits her—Arrogance.”
The others fell silent at that. After a moment’s thought, they nodded in deep agreement.
