Su Ning knew exactly what was going on.
Anyone who could get through to her at a time like this—and make sure she knew who they were—was certainly no obscure power. Their purpose was easy enough to guess:
Penicillin.
What a headache.
No one might believe it, but although she had already built up considerable momentum for penicillin, she still had not decided what to do next. She definitely had to sell it.
But how should she sell it? To whom? And in what quantities? Those were all questions worth considering.
Then there was the matter of where to build the factory.
Choosing a location within the country would inevitably leave her vulnerable to interference from other factions. Before she had even finished drawing up her plans, people would probably start resorting to every trick in the book. There would be no peace. The next few years might still be relatively safe, but war would break out later on.
Choosing a location overseas…
Heh. Going to someone else’s territory—was she simply asking to be robbed even faster?
There were just too many things to consider.
But in the end, it all came down to one thing: penicillin was simply too important. The more chaotic the times, the more desperately people needed this lifesaving medicine. No matter a person’s identity or status, everyone was equal in the face of death.
That was why everyone would crave penicillin.
So she could not afford to delay.
Su Ning understood that every beginning was difficult. Once she made it through the initial period of chaos and competing interests, she would be secure. For now, her focus still had to remain on the country. And precisely because of that, she could not stay there—
When interests were at stake, someone was bound to win and someone else was bound to lose.
What if the losers refused to accept their defeat?
What would happen if they became desperate enough to lash out?
Besides, staying abroad would make it more convenient for her to demand an exorbitant price…
Having made up her mind in an instant, Su Ning did not refuse the call. It would be a good opportunity to let a little information slip. Before long, the other side called again.
A familiar voice came through.
It was Madame Kung.
As they exchanged pleasantries, Madame Kung sighed over the matter of the oil fields in Northeast China. Su Ning had mentioned it to her before, so when everyone else had been speculating about Su Ning’s motives for supporting the Northeast, Madame Kung had enjoyed the smug satisfaction of being the only one who truly understood.
Oil fields—how important were they?
She understood all too well.
What came out of those wells was not merely oil, but banknotes, silver dollars, gold, and silver. Just the Yumen Oil Field alone had earned her a fortune as one of its investors, so Su Ning must have made even more.
What lofty ideals? What nation and family?
None of them could compare with money!
She had never expected that she had still underestimated Su Ning. It was not only a matter of the oil fields. There was something even more dazzling and priceless: penicillin.
Thinking of this, Madame Kung said in a seemingly joking tone:
“…It would be understandable if you kept it from everyone else, but how could you keep it from me too? In the end, I had to read about it in the newspapers. Miss Su, surely you don’t consider me a friend?”
“Of course I do.”
If she wanted to establish penicillin’s presence in the country, she could not avoid dealing with the Nanjing government.
Therefore, Su Ning patiently engaged in the necessary social niceties.
With an innocent air, she said:
“It really was just a coincidence. Penicillin had only just been found to be the cause of the deaths, and I was already worried about what to do. You know how certain despicable lowlifes have been spreading rumors and talking nonsense outside. Clearing things up isn’t as simple as it sounds.”
Madame Kung was rendered speechless.
Actually… there were people on their side who had gotten involved as well, though she herself had not.
But hearing Su Ning put it that way—
even Madame Kung’s face began to burn with embarrassment.
She wondered whether Su Ning was indirectly criticizing her. But before her anger could rise, she heard Su Ning continue:
“Then I thought I might shamelessly ask you to help endorse penicillin, but—”
“But what?”
Madame Kung hurriedly said,
She couldn’t help imagining how much profit she could make if she were the first person to get her hands on flawless penicillin. Her very insides seemed to twist with longing.
“Japan has actually invaded Manchuria. The moment I heard the news, I changed my mind. As the saying goes, everyone is responsible for the fate of the nation. Perhaps Heaven deliberately arranged for penicillin’s fatal flaw to be discovered at this particular moment. Naturally, I had to follow the will of Heaven. I never expected the outcome to be this good. What do you think, Madame? Isn’t it all rather miraculous? If word got out, it would sound just like one of those stories about good people being rewarded.”
Madame Kung: …
No. She did not think so.
All she felt was her heart bleeding.
It hurt. It hurt terribly.
“Yes, yes, it’s quite good.” She forced a smile and composed herself before saying,
“Now that the clarification has resolved the issue, have you thought about how to sell the penicillin, Miss Su? If you don’t want the trouble, you can leave it to me. You won’t have to worry about a thing—I guarantee we’ll get you an excellent price.”
How greedy.
Su Ning gave a soft laugh, her tone growing even more indifferent. “We’ll talk about it later. I’m not in a hurry over the penicillin right now. I’m going abroad in a few days.”
“What for?”
“Hmm, perhaps to make a film? I watched a movie today and found it surprisingly enjoyable. Then I remembered that I own cinema chains overseas, and I got the urge on a whim.”
She hung up.
Although she had come up with the excuse on the spot, the more Su Ning thought about it, the better it seemed—
Once it got out, it would be enough to infuriate a whole crowd of schemers.
She could even play dumb and pretend not to understand.
“What penicillin? That’s all in the past. Come, let me tell you about the development of film, how to choose a cast, how to shoot…”
“Cousin, are you going abroad to make movies?”
Zhenzhu, who had been quietly listening beside her the entire time, suddenly asked with a smile.
“That’s right.”
Su Ning said, “I’m going to America.” The Great Depression was reaching its peak over there. Although she had instructed Su Er to acquire as much as possible, it still wasn’t as good as having her there in person.
Besides, that president would be taking office in another two years.
For someone as wealthy as her, that would be—
A devastating blow.
Time waited for no one. She hadn’t thought much of it before, but the moment she did, she realized there were far too many things to take care of. A sense of urgency immediately rose within Su Ning.
So she failed to notice the change in Zhenzhu’s expression.
It wasn’t Britain.
It was America.
That was already good enough, wasn’t it? The Hawthorne family was in Britain, after all. She desperately tried to convince herself of that, but it was no use. It simply wasn’t enough.
It was as though a venomous snake had been hiding in her heart, spraying poison with wild abandon.
“By the way, Zhenzhu, there’s something I need you to handle.”
“Ah? What is it?”
Hearing the ping in her mind, Su Ning smiled and said, “It’s nothing major. Penicillin requires a large number of qualified professionals. There’s no reason to let outsiders profit first, so start by recruiting from your university. If you know of suitable people elsewhere, you can recommend them too.”
The matter sounded extremely important.
Zhenzhu nodded solemnly.
“Oh, right.” As though she had just remembered something, Su Ning casually asked her to look around for technical personnel in the film industry as well.
Of course, that was no problem either.
Now that she had something to do, Zhenzhu took her leave. Watching her retreating back, Su Ning leisurely took a sip of tea.
It was only because she had too much free time that she had the chance to dwell on all those pointless things. Once she got busy, she’d be fine.
Wouldn’t it be better to focus all her energy on something worthwhile—like helping China’s film industry take off… Though that would be difficult. That person had never officially appeared in the first place; they existed only in other people’s stories. For all she knew, they might be alive—or dead.
In any case, keep it up, Zhenzhu.
…………
“Keep the good stuff within the family.”
That saying could practically be considered a universal truth. The professors who got the news first quickly sought out their favorite students who met the requirements.
“Recruiting? But I haven’t graduated yet. And, actually, my family has already arranged a job for me. I… Thank you for thinking of me, Professor.”
The student had come to them personally.
Could it really be such a good job?
After thinking it over, and worrying that the professor might be offended, the student quickly added, “I’m really not turning you down. My family went to a lot of trouble to arrange this position for me. It has excellent prospects for advancement, and the salary isn’t low either.”
“May I ask what this job you’re recommending actually involves?”
“Working for Miss Su.”
The professor added:
“It has to do with penicillin.”
Student: …
The next second—
“Thank you, Professor! Thank you so much! I’ll take it—I can report for duty right now!”
Who cared whether they had graduated or not?
That wasn’t important anymore!
