Chapter Nineteen: When Enemies Meet

“Master Yao, it’s been a long time. I’ve always wanted to meet with you, but knowing how busy you are, I dared not disturb you too often,” Li Guang said as he stepped forward to greet Master Yao, having recognized him. “My wife took a liking to this apartment today, so I asked you to come and assess its feng shui.”

“Mr. Li, you’re as courteous as ever. I’m just a humble practitioner from the countryside, nothing compared to a distinguished businessman like you who manages so many affairs each day,” Master Yao replied modestly.

The two exchanged a few polite words and compliments. After Li Guang introduced Huang Fen to Master Yao, the formal feng shui assessment began.

The beautiful young woman beside Master Yao carried a small leather case, which she opened to reveal a dazzling array of feng shui tools: a compass, wooden sword, copper coins, a bronze bell, talisman papers, and other oddly shaped objects whose names Zhang Wei couldn’t even guess.

Master Yao started by taking out the compass. He compared the readings as he observed the apartment’s layout, frequently pausing, raising his head to gaze upward at an angle, his brows furrowed as he stroked the beard on his chin. Aside from his somewhat plump figure, he indeed had the air of a wandering sage.

Whether Master Yao truly possessed any real abilities, Zhang Wei couldn’t say. But he certainly took his time, circling the apartment with the compass for half an hour, his attitude earnest. Zhang Wei and Li Guang followed closely behind—one observing coldly, the other full of reverence.

The beautiful woman by Master Yao’s side was no ordinary person either. Noticing that Huang Fen seemed uninterested in feng shui, she struck up a conversation about clothing and style. Before long, the two women were chatting as if they’d known each other for ages, with Huang Fen clearly warming to her.

After a while, Master Yao finally stopped, put the compass away, shook his head slightly, and let out a long sigh. “Ah!”

“Master Yao, what did you find?” Li Guang hurried over to ask.

“Tsk tsk, the layout of this apartment is quite peculiar. At first glance, the feng shui appears favorable, but...” A look of gravity crossed Master Yao’s face as he was about to continue, only to be interrupted by Zhang Wei.

“Master Yao, I think the layout here is quite good,” Zhang Wei interjected.

“Do you understand feng shui? If not, don’t speak nonsense!” Master Yao scolded Zhang Wei. Recalling Zhang Wei’s flippant behavior at the door, and now daring to interrupt again, he sneered inwardly: “You’re just a realtor, yet you dare offend me, a feng shui master. Don’t expect to sell this apartment now.”

“Mr. Zhang, don’t interrupt Master Yao. Let him finish,” Li Guang admonished.

“On the surface, this apartment’s feng shui seems fine, but precise measurement with the compass reveals a hidden, ominous energy. If it’s serious, there could even be bloodshed,” Master Yao said gravely, sneaking a glance at Zhang Wei. “I’ve painted this apartment as so dangerous—let’s see you try to sell it now.”

“Master Yao, do you mean this danger applies to me, or to my family?” Li Guang asked. He wanted to know whether the ominous sign targeted himself or his wife, but chose his words carefully to avoid being too direct.

“Mr. Li, you are a man of great fortune, and with the protective talisman I’ve given you, you’ll naturally be able to turn misfortune into blessing. But your family may not be so lucky,” Master Yao responded without hesitation.

He was well-versed in such word games—‘yourself’ and ‘your family’ were just two words, but the latter could include parents, spouse, children, siblings, aunts, and so on. Even if he was guessing, he’d always hit on someone.

Li Guang was secretly delighted at Master Yao’s answer. In his mind, ‘family’ referred specifically to Huang Fen. If the apartment posed no risk to him but might threaten Huang Fen, wasn’t that exactly the ‘harm the wife, benefit the husband’ feng shui Zhang Wei had mentioned?

“Master Yao, thank you so much. If it weren’t for you, I’m afraid I would have...” Li Guang gripped Master Yao’s hands in gratitude, though he left the second half of his sentence unsaid, as his true intentions could not be voiced.

“No need to thank me, Mr. Li. This is what I should do,” Master Yao replied, assuming Li Guang would now abandon the idea of buying the apartment, and smiled faintly.

“Master Yao, this is a token of my gratitude. Please, you must accept it,” Li Guang said, taking a red envelope from his briefcase and handing it over with both hands.

“As a practitioner of the mystic arts, I shouldn’t accept such gifts. But living in this secular world, I can’t entirely avoid such customs,” Master Yao feigned reluctance, but didn’t refuse further. He accepted the envelope, saying, “Mr. Li, I won’t disturb you further. I have other matters to attend to. I’ll take my leave.”

“Let me see you out, Master Yao,” Li Guang said enthusiastically.

“No need, Mr. Li. You should discuss the apartment with your wife,” Master Yao declined politely, glancing at Zhang Wei with a meaningful look.

“Master Yao, why don’t I see you out?” Zhang Wei said, his eyes twinkling with a half-smile.

“Very well,” Master Yao agreed, mocking Zhang Wei inwardly: “Let’s see if you dare play games with me again.”

Zhang Wei escorted Master Yao and the beautiful woman to the door. Master Yao sneered, “Young man, don’t get too cocky, and don’t offend feng shui masters like us. Otherwise, you’ll never make it in real estate!”

“And that’s what you get for ogling me and trying to take advantage during the handshake,” the beautiful woman added gleefully.

Zhang Wei laughed. “What you see isn’t always the whole truth, and what you imagine may never come to pass. Until we meet again.”

With that, Zhang Wei closed the door, leaving the two outside, stunned. Master Yao whispered to the woman, “Has he lost his mind? The apartment can’t be sold now, yet he’s still so cheerful.”

Contrary to Master Yao’s expectations, Li Guang didn’t give up on the apartment. Instead, he became more determined to buy it. If the omen of bloodshed came to pass and something happened to his wife, all the wealth would become his.

With his mind-reading ability, Zhang Wei could see this clearly. Yet he sensed that Li Guang wasn’t a truly wicked man, and couldn’t quite understand why he harbored such resentment toward his wife. Still, there had to be more to the story—after all, it takes two to quarrel, and those who seem pitiful often have their own faults.

“Honey, what did Master Yao say? There’s no problem with the feng shui, is there?” Huang Fen asked.

“There’s no problem with the apartment’s feng shui,” Li Guang replied coolly. Although Zhang Wei had overheard Master Yao’s words, Li Guang wasn’t worried he’d expose the lie. Doing so would bring Zhang Wei no benefit, and would only make Huang Fen unwilling to buy.

“That’s great! Let’s buy this apartment!” Huang Fen exclaimed happily.

While waiting for Master Yao, Zhang Wei had already discussed the price with them. The total came to about five million, higher than the average for the neighborhood, but as the best unit in the complex, it was worth it.

Huang Fen had tried to negotiate, but Zhang Wei had been firm, refusing to lower the price by a cent—any lower, and the owner might not sell. Since she truly liked the apartment, she didn’t press further.

“Mr. Zhang, could you arrange a meeting with the owner? I’d like to discuss signing the contract directly,” Li Guang said, a glint in his eye.

“Of course,” Zhang Wei replied, having already seen through Li Guang’s intentions. He mused, “Damn, this guy really is cautious.”