The Unlucky Turn by Mark Twain 118
Back at Pure-Spring Clinic, Leilani had just parked when her phone rang. It was one of the suppliers she had worked with before.
“Dr. Sloan, I heard you went to the market today? Did you get everything settled?” the other party asked warmly.
Leilani briefly explained the situation, mentioning that she had rejected the owner of Bounty Herbs.
The supplier’s tone instantly became strange. Leilani sensed something was wrong and asked what the issue was.
The supplier sighed and told her that Gilbert, the owner of Bounty Herbs, was the cousin of the head of the Market Regulatory Board. He had a habit of hiking prices last minute, but because of his connections, everyone turned a blind eye. Who would have guessed he’d run into a hardliner like Leilani?
The supplier advised Leilani not to make things too stiff with Gilbert if she wanted to continue buying in the market.
Leilani didn’t take it to heart. After all, Alloy City wasn’t the only place with a market. She wasn’t afraid of running out of supplies.
But who could have predicted what happened next? A few days later, Leilani received several calls from the suppliers she had made deals with.
“Dr. Sloan, I’m really sorry… That batch of Angelica root you ordered? We can’t supply it right now.” On the phone, Mr. Larson sounded awkward, clearly feeling bad about backing out of a done deal. “I’ve already refunded the deposit to your account. Please check it.”
Leilani frowned. “Why the sudden cancellation? We signed a contract.”
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Mr. Larson stammered, “Well… regulations have been strict lately. We don’t have a choice.” After hanging up, Leilani’s phone rang again and again.
“Dr. Sloan, we’re out of the Astragalus you wanted…”
“So sorry, someone bought that batch of wild ginseng at a high price…”
Within half an hour, every supplier she had settled with called to cancel. Their excuses varied, but the goal was the same: cancel the order and refund the money. They simply wouldn’t sell to her.
Leilani thought. This was absolutely not a coincidence. These were profitable deals for both sides. Why would everyone renege at the last minute?
at the refund notifications popping up on her screen, her brow furrowed in
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Fortunately, her clinic’s main business was acupuncture, and she usually had patients fill their herbal prescriptions at other pharmacies, so the financial loss wasn’t huge. But that didn’t excuse the breach of contract.
She dialed one last number, calling an old contact she knew in the market. He ran a small shop and was the one who had first introduced her to the place.
“Barlow, what is going on?”
There was a moment of silence on the other end, followed by a sigh. Clearly, he knew.
“Leilani… did you get into a conflict with Gilbert?”
Leilani narrowed her eyes. “Yes. He tried to price gouge me, and I didn’t play along.”
“Ah, you don’t know. Gilbert is the cousin of the Market Regulatory Board’s director…” Barlow lowered his voice. “He put the word out. Anyone who dares to supply you won’t be able to do business here anymore.”
18:43
Cedella
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