I consulted a feng shui master in Hong Kong.

Kowloon Tong, the Fok family.

The old phonograph was turning slowly, the stylus grinding against the vinyl record, making a soft, rustling sound that made the secluded house in Kowloon Tong seem even more serene.

Huo Shichang sat at the end of the study, slowly twirling a string of sandalwood beads between his fingers, his face expressionless.

The light was dim, and half of his face was in shadow. After listening to Ah Kun's words, he gently raised his eyelids.

"You mean, the person has already agreed?"

"I agree, Second Master." Mr. Xu stood very straight, but his tone couldn't hide his excitement. "Su Yulian came to visit in person, and that young man surnamed Chen nodded on the spot. He and that Huang Shouzhou will go to the Su residence first thing tomorrow morning."

Huo Shichang paused for a moment while fiddling with the prayer beads, then smiled faintly.

"The fish has taken the bait."

Upon hearing this, the other two trusted confidants in the room also breathed a sigh of relief.

"After this trip, we'll be able to see clearly whether this young man is capable or not."

Standing on the left, Boss Luo was actually a little dissatisfied with everyone's seriousness. At first, they were worried about what would happen if Chen Qinghe didn't take the bait.

Boss Luo said at the time that as long as the money was enough, poor people from small places like this would naturally go.

Mr. Xu and Huo Shichang thought that if Chen Qinghe really had some skills, he might realize it and might not take the order.

With things going smoothly, Boss Luo felt he had made the right prediction: "If you ask me, what real talent can come from a place like Sham Shui Po? The time he stumbled upon the opportunity in Mid-Levels was probably just a fluke. Now that Su Yulian has set up this scheme, he's obediently fallen into it himself."

Manager Cai nodded in agreement: "That's right. In the end, he's just a lucky young man. He's only just made his mark on the street, and that's when he's most eager to make a name for himself. The more inexperienced someone is, the easier it is for them to be ensnared by fame and fortune."

The others in the room smiled as they listened.

In their eyes, Chen Qinghe was nothing more than a poor boy from out of town, living in an old alley in Sham Shui Po, renting a run-down shop that anyone who touched would lose, and accompanied by his unworthy nominal senior brother, Huang Shouzhuo.

Even if such a person truly understands some feng shui, he's nothing more than a charlatan, relying on a few accurate words to fool the neighbors and hot-blooded young masters like Huo Yuncheng.

Huo Shichang's smile faded slightly as he listened to their words.

He saw further and was more cautious than his subordinates.

Chen Qinghe didn't entirely believe that he was just getting lucky.

The game at Huo Family Halfway Up the Mountain involved many scholars, but none of them could control it. Yet this young man managed to do so, which is unusual in itself.

But that's precisely why he's even more determined to try.

If the test proves it's true skill, then that's a different story;

If the result is just luck, then there's no need to keep it.

Thinking of this, Huo Shichang twirled the sandalwood beads again and said in a calm tone, "Don't speak too confidently. Whether we can win or not doesn't depend on your words, but on the game with the Su family."

The study became quieter immediately.

Ah Kun immediately bowed his head: "Yes, Second Master."

Looking out at the dark night, Huo Shichang slowly said, "If he's truly capable, he'll naturally be able to glean something from the Su family. Then we'll find another way to meet him. Money can move people; we can get him to help us set up a scheme at Banshan! But if he can't even get past this hurdle, then it means that the Huo family's attempt was just pure luck."

As he said this, his voice suddenly turned cold.

"People like that don't deserve to show their faces in Hong Kong anymore."

Boss Luo and Manager Cai exchanged a glance, a hint of ruthlessness in their eyes.

Having worked for Huo Shichang for so many years, they understood his temperament best.

They may seem unassuming on ordinary days, but when it comes to actually taking action, they never hold back.

Mr. Xu, on the other hand, was even more aware of the situation.

In his view, this time there was nothing difficult at all.

Su Yulian was merely a pawn in their game, and the scheme within the house was something they had orchestrated beforehand.

If that guy surnamed Chen really goes, he'll most likely be led astray and trampled deeper into trouble.

If they don't understand it by then, they'll ruin their reputation; or if they see something they shouldn't have seen, then things will be even easier.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but grin.

"Don't worry, Second Master. After this trip, no matter how skilled he is, we'll find out his background. He's a down-on-his-luck guy from a small place. At most, he only knows a few tricks of fortune-telling. He can't cause any trouble."

Huo Shichang didn't respond to that, but instead slowly twirled the last sandalwood bead between his fingers and said softly:

"Go and clean up the mess again."

"Don't let him realize that this round is aimed at him."

Ah Kun immediately lowered his head in response, but the excitement and ruthlessness in his eyes became increasingly difficult to suppress.

In their view, Chen Qinghe was the fish that had already taken the bait.

All that's left to do is wait for him to sink down the line on his own.

Once things have sunk to a certain point, it will be only natural to close the net then.

……

……

The next morning, Su Yulian came to pick her up in person.

She changed into a moon-white cheongsam, her makeup was lighter, but the dark circles under her eyes were more obvious than yesterday, clearly indicating that she hadn't slept well again last night.

As the car drove towards Repulse Bay, the sea breeze grew stronger, and the scenery changed from old streets and narrow alleys to wide roads and mansions. Huang Shou-chou sat in the car, feeling uncomfortable all over, as if the dust on the soles of his shoes didn't match the place at all.

Only Chen Qinghe remained calm, as if he didn't care about the matter at all.

Huang Shouzhou kept nagging along the way: "Junior brother, junior brother, how much money do you think we can make on this trip?"

Chen Qinghe looked out the car window, his expression calm: "Don't rush, let's see what the situation is."

"What do you mean?"

"The deeper the scheme, the more money," Chen Qinghe said. "If it were just an ordinary house facing misfortune, three to five thousand in travel expenses would be enough. But her husband jumped off a building and died, and she still dared to come to his door in person to ask for help. This shows that she's not begging for compliance right now, she's begging for her life."

Huang Shouzhou's eyes lit up: "A business that seeks to save your life, isn't that...?"

Chen Qinghe then turned to look at him: "Just remember to talk less and observe more once you're inside. If she's really just a startled widow, the money will be easy to collect; if not, you'll have to make sure you see her clearly before accepting payment."

Huang Shouzhou nodded quickly, agreeing verbally, but he was still making plans in his mind.

The house in Repulse Bay, the husband who jumped to his death, and the beautiful widow personally bowing to the door—it doesn't seem like a small-time affair at all.

If this situation can be resolved, my junior brother's reputation and prestige in this area will likely rise even higher.

When the car stopped in front of the Su residence, the gate was already open.

The house was not ostentatious, with white walls and black railings, and the front yard was well-maintained. The overall layout did not look ominous; in fact, it could be described as somewhat elegant and refined.

But as soon as Chen Qinghe entered the room, he paused slightly.

Huang Shouzhou hadn't figured anything out yet, only that this house was smaller than the Huo family's, but quieter, so quiet it felt empty.

The weather was fine, and the flowers and trees in the yard were well-maintained, but as soon as one stepped inside, it felt as if a thin layer of cotton was pressing on one's heart—not heavy, but suffocating.

Su Yulian led the two people inside, her voice soft: "After my husband's accident, nothing in the house has been touched much. Only the previous gentleman said the energy in the house was not flowing smoothly, and asked me to change a few places."

Chen Qinghe didn't rush to reply. He went into the main hall first and then looked up at the stairs.

The stairwell faces a newly hung mirror. The mirror is not large, but it is tilted slightly forward, perfectly capturing the section of the second-floor corridor and the area in front of the study door.

Beneath the mirror sits a bronze beast, its mouth facing upwards, as if trying to swallow the air from upstairs. Looking further up, at the end of the corridor outside the study hangs a white glass wall lamp, inconspicuous during the day, but when lit at night, its shadow refracts through the mirror, illuminating the staircase and the study door.

Huang Shouzhou felt a slight chill on his back.

Individually, these items all seem like decorative items to "ward off evil spirits," but when put together, they look somewhat out of place.

Chen Qinghe walked further in and entered the study.

The study is by the window, with a large desk and tasteful furnishings.

But on the wall behind the desk hung a painting of mountains, too high, the mountains looming overhead; next to the desk by the window sat a half-dead asparagus fern, its leaf tips yellowing, its roots submerged in a narrow-mouthed white porcelain vase. And the worst part was what lay outside the window.

The view outside the window should have been open, but someone later added a thin railing, crisscrossing horizontally and vertically. When the outside light shines in at night, it casts a "well" shaped shadow, which falls right between the desk and the floor.

"Before your husband had the accident, did he have trouble sleeping, become increasingly irritable, and unwilling to stay in the study? He often complained of chest tightness and always felt that his complexion was poor when he looked in the mirror?" Chen Qinghe suddenly asked.

Su Yulian looked up abruptly, her fingers clenching tightly: "Yes."

Chen Qinghe nodded: "It's not an evil spirit; someone is exploiting the house's weaknesses to make things worse."

Huang Shouzhou's heart skipped a beat when he heard this.

He originally thought this was just an ordinary house haunted by evil spirits, but now it seems that it was actually a setup orchestrated by someone.

Su Yulian's face paled even more: "Then my husband..."

"Your husband wasn't originally headed for death." Chen Qinghe stood by the table, looking at her. "He was first cut off from his business, then his mind was disturbed by the situation in this house, and finally he went to the window. If you really believed he couldn't think straight, you wouldn't have come to pick us up in person today."

Su Yulian's lips trembled slightly, as if the shell she was holding up had been pierced.

She remained silent for a long time before asking in a hoarse voice, "What else did you see?"

Chen Qinghe did not answer immediately, but only glanced at her again.

When she came to the shop the day before yesterday, her toes were pointing outwards, but her shoulders were turned inwards, which showed that she was afraid, but had no choice but to come.

Upon entering her own house today, her gaze first fell on the stairs, then on the study, and finally on herself, not on Huang Shouzhou.

This shows that what she was really afraid of wasn't the ghosts, but the fact that there were other people behind this scheme.

"Your husband didn't die for no reason," Chen Qinghe said calmly. "The person who drove him to his death is still holding you hostage. If you don't comply, you'll face the same consequences. You invited me here today not just to get rid of the house, but also because you're on the verge of collapse."

Upon hearing this, Su Yulian felt as if a breath had been sucked out of her body, and she had to hold onto the edge of the table to steady herself.

Huang Shouzhou, listening from the side, felt a chill run down his spine, wanting to interrupt but not daring to. He suddenly realized that this seemingly gentle and weak Mrs. Su was probably not as simple as she appeared.

Su Yulian looked up, her eyes already slightly red: "Then are you still willing to take this job?"

Chen Qinghe turned to look at the mirror at the top of the stairs, then at the bronze beast and the layout of the study, his expression remaining largely unchanged.

"I'm willing," he said. "Let's break the deadlock first, then talk about the person. I can dismantle the schemes within the house, and I can see about seven or eight parts of what's going on with you. As for who the person behind it all is, you know in your heart, and so do I. But this isn't something I should decide for you."

Su Yulian was stunned: "Do you know who it is?"

"I know," Chen Qinghe said, looking at her. "And I also know why you're afraid to say it."

He paused, but his voice remained steady.

"But I only handle the resolution of situations and collect the money; I don't make decisions for people. Your husband's death was caused by being gradually pushed to the brink. You're in the same boat now, just not quite there yet. I'll dismantle the situation in the house for you first, so you can sleep tonight and breathe tomorrow. As for whether you continue to endure it, whether you bring up old grievances, or whether you fight that person, that's your own choice."

Upon hearing this, Su Yulian could no longer hold back her tears, but she quickly suppressed them.

She had considered that someone might see through her, but she hadn't expected Chen Qinghe to see through her so clearly, yet he didn't force her to speak up on the spot.

This made her feel worse than being interrogated.

Huang Shouzhou stood to the side, slowly coming to his senses.

Chen Qinghe doesn't ignore things; he just doesn't make decisions for others.

He understood it clearly and could explain it clearly, but the final path was up to Su Yulian to choose.

Su Yulian took a deep breath, took out a thick envelope from her purse, and placed it on the table.

"Here is two hundred thousand." Her voice was low and steady. "Regardless of what happens later, please, Mr. Chen, dismantle this house's shackles for me."

Huang Shouzhou's eyelids twitched, and his heart suddenly warmed. Just as he was about to reach out to touch her, Chen Qinghe spoke first.

"Okay," he said, "but leave the money for now, I'll collect it after I've moved everything."

After he finished speaking, he pointed towards the stairwell.

"Take the mirror away first, and move the bronze beast. Change the position of the paintings in the study, and remove the dead bamboo by the window. Don't turn on the white light upstairs tonight; switch to a warm light. Also, don't let the chair your husband used to sit in face the window anymore."

Su Yulian nodded and immediately told the servants to get to work.

Huang Shouzhou then realized what was happening and quickly went to help. As he moved things, he silently did the math in his mind. The 200,000 was just an advance payment; there would be more money after the deal was done. At this rate, not only could he establish a decent Sanxuan Temple in Hong Kong, but even if he thought about it on a larger scale, it didn't seem like there was no hope at all.

While Su Yulian was in the backyard instructing the servants, Huang Shouzhou quietly approached and whispered, "Junior brother, you made it so clear just now, aren't you afraid she'll turn around and deny it?"

Chen Qinghe looked at the mirror on the stairs and said calmly, "She won't."

Why?

"Because what she fears most right now is not that I know, but that no one knows." Chen Qinghe paused, then added, "When people are pushed to a certain point, they are most afraid of being the only ones who understand."

Huang Shouzhou was taken aback, then looked down at the envelope on the table and felt that this deal was probably really going to go through.

Chen Qinghe stood in the Su family's study, his gaze sweeping over the altered air vents, the disordered ancestral altar, and the crisscrossing shadows in front of the window that were driving him crazy, but his thoughts were going much further.

Su Yulian brought in a cup of tea.

Chen Qinghe thought for a moment and said, "You can come to our shop again tomorrow. At that time, I can set up a Azure Dragon Protector and Anti-Evil Formation for you."

"What is that?"

"If you come, the outcome will be clear in half a month."