Qiao Qiong and Liang Youde engaged in mutual flattery, praising each other to the skies, and both laughed heartily, quite pleased.
They were even planning future collaborations.
Only Catherine’s expression shifted slightly. As she looked at the prescription in her hand, the more she examined it, the more she felt something was amiss.
Although Catherine was a Western medicine practitioner, she had some research into Traditional Chinese Medicine.
After reviewing the prescription, Catherine couldn't discern the use of the mildewed gecko. It seemed that removing the gecko wouldn't affect the prescription at all.
She frowned slightly and asked Qiao Qiong, "Have you looked at this prescription?"
Qiao Qiong shook his head, "No, time was so urgent, how could I have had the time to look? As soon as I stole it, I rushed to get a taxi and came here. I haven't had a chance to read it yet."
Catherine handed the prescription to Qiao Qiong, "Then take a look."
"Alright."
Qiao Qiong had studied Traditional Chinese Medicine under Qiao Kaicheng since he was young. Although his talent was mediocre, unlike the excellent Qiao Ling, he was still much better than his peers.
After reading the entire prescription, Qiao Qiong's face changed several times, turning a jaundiced yellow.
He had seen the problem!
Catherine quickly asked, "Is there a problem?"
Qiao Qiong nodded with certainty and replied, "There is indeed a problem. This prescription is just a common remedy for colds and flu. It doesn't require a gecko at all! Putting the mildewed gecko in is just fooling around."
This meant that Lu Ming had merely placed the mildewed gecko in an ordinary prescription.
He hadn't created a prescription that could reasonably utilize the mildewed gecko!
Actually, it made sense.
Mildewed gecko was a highly toxic substance. How could it be used as a medicinal ingredient? It would kill people!
Qiao Qiong furrowed his brow, confused, and said, "Why is this happening? Is Lu Ming just bragging?"
Catherine had crossed paths with Lu Ming several times and knew that man was no ordinary individual. He would never do something meaningless. If he did it, there must be a reason.
"No!" Catherine's expression changed drastically, and she asked, "How did you steal this prescription?"
Qiao Qiong truthfully replied, "After Lu Ming created the prescription, my sister Qiao Ling went to call Grandpa, and Lu Ming urgently needed to use the restroom. There was a vacuum period of about one minute where no one was around. I took the opportunity when neither of them was present to conveniently steal the prescription."
This…
Catherine shook her head repeatedly.
If this prescription were truly that important, Lu Ming wouldn't have left it unguarded.
It sounded more like Lu Ming had deliberately created the unoccupied period to lure Qiao Qiong into stealing it.
"There's an old saying in your China: 'Luring the snake out of its hole.' I think Lu Ming wasn't rushing to the restroom but deliberately left to lure you into stealing it."
"No way?" Qiao Qiong asked, "What's the benefit for him doing this?"
Catherine narrowed her eyes and stared at the prescription for a moment. Suddenly, she realized something was wrong and tore the prescription apart.
Immediately after.
Under everyone's gaze, a chip as thin as cicada's wings fell from the prescription.
"We've been fooled!"
Catherine stepped on the chip and said angrily, "We've all been tricked by Lu Ming!"
As soon as she finished speaking.
A waiter knocked on the door, "Excuse me, is Ms. Catherine in?"
Catherine signaled with her eyes, and Qiao Qiong scurried over and opened the door.
The waiter said, "A group of people have arrived at the hotel lobby, saying they wish to see Ms. Catherine, as well as Mr. Qiao Qiong and Mr. Liang Youde."
Catherine asked, "Who wishes to see me?"
The waiter replied, "One of the gentlemen said his name is Lu Ming."
Here they come!
They've come to us!
Catherine said, "It seems our plan has been completely seen through, and that bastard Lu Ming has come to our doorstep. So be it, let me face him head-on!"
Immediately after, Catherine, along with Qiao Qiong and Liang Youde, went downstairs.
Among them, Qiao Qiong was the most nervous.
Because out of the three, the other two still had a way out. Only Qiao Qiong was a mole, an inside informant, with no escape.
If exposed, Qiao Qiong would be expelled from the Qiao family.
"It's over, it's completely over!"
...
The three arrived at the lobby and indeed saw Lu Ming standing there erect. Beside Lu Ming were an old man and a young woman.
Naturally, it was Qiao Kaicheng and Qiao Ling.
The two from the Qiao family glared at Qiao Qiong as soon as they approached. They had overheard Qiao Qiong's entire conversation through the listening device and knew the truth.
At this moment, Qiao Kaicheng wished he could slap Qiao Qiong twice immediately!
Qiao Qiong's legs turned to jelly in fright. He ran to Qiao Kaicheng, fell to his knees with a thud, kowtowing and weeping, "Grandpa, I was wrong. You can beat me or scold me, I have nothing to say."
Qiao Kaicheng's heart ached.
Looking at the grandson he had doted on since childhood, Qiao Kaicheng raised his hand halfway and then withdrew it.
The old man took a few deep breaths.
Finally, Qiao Kaicheng waved his hand and said, "It is I, the old man, who is incompetent and failed to educate you properly. Qiao Qiong, from this day forward, you are expelled from the Qiao family and removed from the Qiao family genealogy! The Qiao family will no longer have a descendant like you."
Expelled… Just as expected.
Qiao Qiong's eyes rolled back, and he fainted directly. It had to be said, Qiao Qiong was cowardly and incompetent, bringing immense shame to the Qiao family.
One down.
Lu Ming's gaze shifted to Catherine and Liang Youde.
He first spoke to Liang Youde, "Director Liang, do you have anything to say?"
Liang Youde was an old hand. Facing Lu Ming's questioning, he shrugged and said, "What is there for me to say? I don't know anything."
"Is that so?"
Lu Ming took out a voice recorder and played the conversation between Liang Youde and Qiao Qiong publicly.
Their conspiracy against the Qiao family was revealed to all.
The more Liang Youde listened, the more his heart sank, and his face turned pale.
Lu Ming angrily rebuked, "As a citizen of China, you colluded with a foreigner to harm your own people! Qiao Qiong strategically placed the mildewed gecko, and you came to seal it up. You two cooperated very well. How could China have someone like you who betrays their own people? Liang Youde, do you know what you've done? You, this is traitorous behavior!"
Every word was like a knife, piercing Liang Youde fiercely.
His legs went weak, and he collapsed to the ground.
"I… I was wrong," Liang Youde confessed truthfully. "I was momentarily foolish and accepted two million from Catherine to cooperate with her in this charade, all to destroy Renzhi Pharmacy. I have failed the people, failed China, I… I am not worthy of being human."
Qiao Qiong and Liang Youde, both acted for money.
One was to repay gambling debts, and the other was blinded by two million, leading him to commit a heinous crime.
Soon.
The police cars arrived. Based on the evidence provided by Lu Ming, they handcuffed Qiao Qiong and Liang Youde and arrested them on the spot.
However, when the police attempted to arrest Catherine, an accident occurred.