Chapter 45

Old Ye, though his heart was pounding, maintained a natural and serene smile, as if he harbored many profound secrets. To Wu Kun, Old Ye’s smile seemed to carry deep significance.

"Mr. Wu, as you know, we feng shui masters wander the world, guiding people to avoid disasters. The fire method my apprentice suggested is indeed effective, but it also has its drawbacks. Because the effect is so strong, the backlash is naturally severe. It’s up to you, Mr. Wu, to decide."

Wu Kun stepped forward, leaning closer to Old Ye, and respectfully whispered, "I humbly request your guidance, Master."

"Heavenly secrets cannot be revealed!"

Wu Kun, with a humble expression, received the response that "heavenly secrets cannot be revealed." He shook his head. Although he greatly admired feng shui, he wasn’t foolish enough to burn down his business of over ten years. So, the words of Old Ye and Tang Zhen Dong merely passed through his mind and then drifted away.

Wu Kun was a businessman, not a fool. Businessmen are known for their shrewdness, and Wu Kun was a true inheritor of this trait.

On the way back, Old Ye declined Wu Kun’s offer to drive them home, and rarely took a taxi. "Tang, tell me, did you suggest setting the shop on fire to get back at Wu Kun for not asking us to check the feng shui first?"

"Ah, Old Ye, this isn’t about revenge. Besides, this is our first step into the feng shui business. If I were to seek revenge, wouldn’t I be destroying our own livelihood? Let me tell you, what I said to him is the truth. His shop does indeed need a fire. Fire can overcome metal, which will counteract the sharp angles of the feng shui layout across the street. Moreover, Wu Kun himself lacks fire, which can generate earth, fitting his name 'Kun.' Most importantly, fire grows stronger as it burns. Setting the shop on fire will make it more prosperous."

Although Tang Zhen Dong explained the matter clearly to Old Ye, Old Ye seemed to be half-convinced. If even Old Ye, who practiced feng shui, was skeptical, Wu Kun had even less reason to believe it.

After seeing Old Ye and Tang Zhen Dong off, Wu Kun kept thinking about the fire method. The more he thought about it, the less he believed it. How could setting his own shop on fire make his business better? No one would believe such a thing!

Wu Kun shook his head, dispelling the thought from his mind. He had too many things to worry about, and the next day was the day Wang Gang would come to collect money.

Wang Gang was the son of Wang Youde, the Secretary of the Organization Department of Haicheng City. He had recently gotten married to a girl from a suburban ordinary family. Wang Youde was very low-key and always required his son to be the same. Wang Gang didn’t want to be extravagant, so he hired a medium-sized wedding planning company near his neighborhood. However, the wedding car broke down halfway, delaying the auspicious time. This made Wang Youde very angry, as the wedding was attended by many important leaders from the city and district governments, and this delay was a significant embarrassment for him.

Wang Youde was furious about the embarrassment, and Wang Gang was completely enraged. After his friends’ car finally brought the bride and him to the hotel, it was already several minutes past the auspicious time. This made the feng shui-believing Wang Youde consider it very inauspicious. He scolded Wang Gang right after the wedding, and Wang Gang, already upset about the incident, became even angrier. He then went to Wu Kun’s floral and etiquette company.

Wu Kun, who had been having a string of bad luck, felt that his luck had run out. He had just hired a feng shui master, spent the money, and now, within two days, another problem had arisen. It was one misfortune after another.

Wu Kun smoked a whole ashtray full of cigarette butts but couldn’t come up with a good solution.

After all the employees left, Wu Kun continued to smoke furiously in his office, as if the cigarettes could burn away his bad luck.

Wu Kun finished two packs of Nanjing cigarettes, and he felt as if he were drunk, his mind hazy from the excessive smoking.

Wu Kun locked the company door and dragged his weary spirit home.

Tang Zhen Dong declined Old Ye’s invitation to drink together and parted ways with him halfway, then returned to his rented apartment.

In recent days, Tang Zhen Dong had been drinking every day, and he felt that the martial arts techniques taught by Li Yuanshan were regressing. So, he wanted to sober up and practice his skills.

Tang Zhen Dong’s method of practice was unique. He could practice while walking, which was a special technique of the Ghost Valley School. While walking, he focused his mind on the dantian, moving physically but remaining mentally still, experiencing the contraction and expansion of internal energy in the dantian.

This intentional yet unintentional practice was the essence of Ghost Valley’s internal martial arts. Under the guidance of his master Xu Zhuo, Tang Zhen Dong had long grasped this essence.

Tang Zhen Dong liked walking partly to save money and partly to practice.

Zhao Lili had returned home a few days ago and came back today. Hearing Tang Zhen Dong’s key turning in the lock, she poked her head out. "Brother Zhen Dong, you’re back!"

"Yes, I was home for a few days."

"Brother Zhen Dong, I have something to tell you. Have you eaten?"

"Not yet."

"Then let me take you out to eat, and I’ll tell you what I need to say."

"Alright, let’s go!" Tang Zhen Dong hadn’t eaten either, and he wasn’t a rigid person. Besides, Zhao Lili was a good neighbor, and he had enjoyed her fruits many times.

The two sat down at a small restaurant by the village road. "Lili, what’s up?"

"Brother Zhen Dong, I want to thank you. Thanks to your reminder, I took my father to the hospital for a check-up. The doctor said that coughing up blood and chest and back pain are early symptoms of lung cancer, which are easily overlooked, especially by farmers who assume chest and back pain are from hard work. The blood in the phlegm is also hard to notice. Fortunately, you told me. The doctor said it was caught early, and now he just needs to take medication and adjust his lifestyle. There’s no danger, Brother Zhen Dong, thank you."

"No problem. Elderly people should get regular check-ups. They’ve worked hard all their lives and don’t take care of themselves. We, as their children, should pay more attention."

"Right," Zhao Lili nodded. "Brother Zhen Dong, how did you guess that our family has had good weather and that my father had a lung problem?" This was something that had puzzled Zhao Lili. Did Tang Zhen Dong have some kind of foresight?

"Hehe, well, I sell fruits and often eat your family’s fruits. If the weather wasn’t good, the fruits wouldn’t grow so well. Don’t forget my profession."

"Then, did you see my father’s illness from the fruits?" Zhao Lili was not entirely satisfied with Tang Zhen Dong’s explanation. She had been out for many years and had seen many things.

"Cough, cough, well, elderly people generally have poor health. Smokers have bad lungs, and drinkers have bad stomachs. Isn’t that normal?"

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