Chapter 2
Exiting the residential area, the sun had risen to its zenith, and the air around was becoming increasingly unfriendly due to the heat.
Shang Tingzhi touched his slightly warm forehead. He had initially wanted to go home and rest early, but Li Kaifu warmly invited him to have dinner at the boat hotel by Yunshui Lake. He couldn’t refuse the gesture.
The boat hotel was built by the lake, resembling a luxurious cruise ship in appearance. Although it looked like it could sail at any time, in reality, the bottom of the boat was fixed and wouldn’t move.
The hotel’s specialty was a variety of freshwater fish, all freshly caught in Yunshui Lake.
Xia Leyang had just returned to China not long ago and was craving Chinese food. The restaurant’s dishes were exceptionally delicious, and he forgot Xia Guohua’s instructions to learn table manners from Shang Tingzhi.
When Li Kaifu raised his glass to Xia Leyang, he was savoring a piece of steamed bass.
The bass was tender, paired with simple ingredients like scallions, ginger, lemon slices, and sauce, making every bite a delight.
Xia Leyang didn’t want to put down his chopsticks, but Li Kaifu’s hand was already raised. He couldn’t leave him hanging, so he reluctantly took a few bites, swallowing the fish.
However, with just that one bite, Xia Leyang felt something stuck in his throat.
He took a sip of the drink meant for toasting and felt that something was off. He placed one hand on his neck, the other covering his mouth, coughing several times.
Shang Tingzhi, hearing the sound, looked over and saw Xia Leyang coughing, his face turning red. He casually asked, “Fishbone stuck?”
Xia Leyang nodded, wiping away the tears caused by coughing. He picked up his bowl and chopsticks, saying boldly, “It’s okay, I’ll swallow it down with rice.”
“Wait…”
Shang Tingzhi hadn’t finished his sentence, but Xia Leyang had already taken a big mouthful of rice, forcefully swallowing it down. “Done, the fishbone’s down.”
Shang Tingzhi frowned slightly, not really caring about Xia Leyang. However, he thought again; this person was Uncle Xia ‘s younger son, so it was necessary to give him a reminder.
“If a fishbone gets stuck in the future, don’t use rice to swallow it. It’s easy to scratch the oesophagus.”
Xia Leyang, not paying much attention, said, “Isn’t this a common method? Everyone does it.”
“So,” Shang Tingzhi patiently continued, “don’t use these common methods randomly. If you can’t get the fishbone out, go to the hospital.”
Xia Leyang chuckled, “You, a Feng Shui expert, are talking about science now?”
His good intentions treated like a joke, Shang Tingzhi’s mouth twitched. Feeling irritated, he decided to ignore Xia Leyang.
“Xiao Xia, Feng Shui is also a science.” Li Kaifu timely interjected, “Feng Shui, also known as geomancy, is a technique for judging terrain and the environment. It’s a unique skill passed down through generations, something ordinary people can’t easily learn.”
Xia Leyang’s eyebrows twitched. If he remembered correctly, Shang Tingzhi was twenty-nine this year, only four years older than him, belonging to the same generation. How did Shang Tingzhi become “Mr. Shang” in Li Kaifu’s mouth, while he became “Xiao Xia”?
“This kind of unique skill, I also have it,” Xia Leyang said discontentedly, “Just need a sharp tongue.”
Shang Tingzhi glanced at Xia Leyang expressionlessly, “Say that again?”
Xia Leyang raised his chin, confidently saying, “A sharp tongue is all you need.”
Shang Tingzhi said, “I meant the unique skill.”
Xia Leyang responded, “A unique skill, goose.”
Li Kaifu’s assistant couldn’t hold back a chuckle, and Li Kaifu joined in, laughing, “Xiao Xia, you really need to practice your pronunciation.”
Xia Leyang curled his lips, knowing that his skill in banter wasn’t quite up to par. He reluctantly continued to focus on eating.
Shang Tingzhi watched the head buried in the rice bowl beside him, subtly hooked the corner of his mouth, his smile carrying a hint of sarcasm and amusement.
After lunch, they parted ways with Li Kaifu in the hotel parking lot. Xia Leyang got into Shang Tingzhi’s Bentley and couldn’t resist asking the question that had been on his mind: “How much do you charge for a Feng Shui consultation?”
Following Xia Leyang into the car, Shang Tingzhi answered casually while getting in, “Two hundred.”
Xia Leyang was surprised. So, Feng Shui consultations were that cheap?
In that case, he had misunderstood the situation. It wasn’t really a scam; at most, it was spending money for peace of mind, a mutually agreed-upon transaction.
However, as Shang Tingzhi closed the car door, along with the sound of a “bang,” Xia Leyang also heard a “million.”
Xia Leyang: ???
“Are you charging two million just for a stroll around?” Xia Leyang was shocked, “Is Feng Shui that expensive?”
Shang Tingzhi leisurely fastened the seatbelt in the back seat and replied lazily, “If others are willing.”
Xia Leyang’s expression was complex. He discreetly sent a message to his sister Xia Tianshui: How much money did this Feng Shui consultation guy scam from our family?
The black Bentley drove through the bustling city and slowly headed towards the old town at the foot of Mount Luoyi.
Tang Fengyi served as both an assistant and a driver. He drove steadily, and once Xia Leyang was full, he wanted to sleep. He swayed his head drowsily, and eventually, unknowingly, he leaned on Shang Tingzhi’s shoulder.
Shang Tingzhi patiently took a breath, then used his index finger to prop open Xia Leyang’s fluffy head and said in a deep voice, “Xia Leyang.”
“Hmm?” Xia Leyang rubbed his eyes, “Did you call me?”
“I’ll be upfront with you,” Shang Tingzhi paused, “I have a bad temper.”
Shang Tingzhi detested people dismissing Feng Shui as a scam. In his birth chart, all four pillars were fire, a rare extremely strong and yang destiny, suitable for being a general or a policeman. However, he excelled in Feng Shui, and it was a pity to give up his family’s traditional business.
Dealing with various people in Feng Shui consultations inevitably led to encounters with different personalities. In his rebellious teenage years, Shang Tingzhi was a bit uncomfortable, immediately quitting without considering the other party’s background. However, as the years passed and his family’s reputation grew, he learned to endure. Even if he felt angry, he could at most put on an icy expression.
Xia Leyang had experienced this icy demeanor in the morning. He rubbed his sore neck and asked, “Bad temper, and then what?”
Shang Tingzhi remained expressionless: “In the future, when you go out with me, if I don’t ask for your opinion, don’t express random opinions.”
Oh, so using feudal superstitions to fool people is justified.
Xia Leyang wasn’t one to back down. He crossed his arms and provocatively asked, “What if I want to express my opinion? Are you going to hit me?”
Shang Tingzhi didn’t immediately respond.
If Xia Leyang were his employee, he would have kicked him out instantly. However, Xia Leyang wasn’t just anyone; he was the biggest financial supporter of the Shang family—the younger son of Uncle Xia, explicitly entrusted to Shang Tingzhi by his own parents.
And…
Thinking about the real reason the elders pushed Xia Leyang to him, he couldn’t treat Xia Leyang too badly. However, this young master was indeed a bit annoying.
Shang Tingzhi thought for a moment and asked, “You don’t believe in Feng Shui, do you?”
“Hmm.” Xia Leyang unabashedly admitted, “I’m not superstitious.”
Last year was Xia Leyang’s zodiac year, and his mom, Ji Zhengfang, specifically sent him ten pairs of red underwear abroad, insisting that he must wear them and be extra cautious in his daily life. However, Xia Leyang didn’t wear those red underpants at all, and the past year went smoothly.
He used this incident to prove that his mom was superstitious, but Ji Zhengfang insisted it was because he was far away, and the Tai Sui didn’t bother him, thus avoiding disasters.
In any case, no matter what he said, his mom always had a reason. Xia Leyang just felt that his family was hopelessly superstitious.
“It’s okay not to believe.” Shang Tingzhi said, “Not believing means you won’t be afraid.”
“Afraid of what?” Xia Leyang asked instinctively.
Shang Tingzhi didn’t respond, and at the right moment, Tang Fengyi drove the car into an alley. Xia Leyang looked around curiously, completely forgetting the previous topic. He said, “My dad said you’re living in an old Western-style house now.”
“Yes.” Shang Tingzhi responded expressionlessly.
In Rui City, the most expensive real estate wasn’t top-notch mansions or lake-view villas but the old Western-style houses located in the old city.
These old houses documented the city’s history and were priced at billions. They held both cultural and collectible value. Even if there was a slight modification to the courtyard’s fence, it had to be reported and approved by the municipal government.
The black sedan finally stopped in front of an iron gate. Xia Leyang got out of the car with Shang Tingzhi and looked around curiously.
The old Western-style house had three floors, facing three sides without obstructions. The words “Gu Family Mansion” were engraved on the side of the main entrance. The walls were made of iconic Tai Shan red bricks, decorated with exposed aggregate concrete, a very prestigious decorative art for that era.
Xia Leyang’s luggage had been sent over a few days ago, and now he was checking in with just a light bag.
Although he felt that spending the next three months with this Feng Shui scammer was a waste of time, it was worth experiencing life in this environment.
Xia Leyang, feeling a bit excited, was about to say something when Shang Tingzhi, who was opening the door, suddenly said, “You don’t believe in these things, so you should be more comfortable living here.”
Xia Leyang shifted his gaze from admiring the old Western-style house and asked without much thought, “What?”
“This house,” Shang Tingzhi said, “had a tragic massacre in the 1970s.” Seeing Xia Leyang’s expression freeze, he added maliciously, “Several people died.”
Xia Leyang’s excitement instantly dissipated, and a big question mark appeared over his head. “What the…?”
