Chapter 58

Chapter 58

The next day, before dawn, Xie Qingfeng and Jing Xiu set off for the airport. Although they arrived early, the airport was crowded, filled with people traveling home or for leisure on the first day of the holiday.

Hao Jixin was also surprised by the sea of people when he arrived, but thankfully everything went smoothly. The hotel rooms were booked in advance - three in total. Hao had made reservations last month, anticipating the holiday rush, which ensured they had accommodation.

Jing Xiu, unfamiliar with these arrangements, didn’t realize the need for advance bookings. Learning that Hao Jixin had secured rooms right after disembarking, he looked at Hao with admiration. No wonder he had managed to stay by the National Master’s side for so long despite Xie Qingfeng’s dislike of having attendants around; Hao certainly had the foresight and insight needed.

However, all these thoughts disappeared when they arrived at the hotel and learned that Hao Jixin had booked three separate suites.

Even though Jing Xiu understood this arrangement as being reasonable, since Hao Jixin didn’t know about his desire to be with the National Master all the time, he still felt a bit disappointed. After all, he and the National Master had been sharing a room, so why couldn’t they just book a larger suite instead of separate ones?

To show his consideration for the Master, Hao Jixin had booked three separate suites, all one-bedroom apartments, ensuring no waste.

Upon arrival, Hao Jixin excitedly introduced the arrangements: “I booked the top floor. We have the innermost rooms on this level, undisturbed by others. The National Master and Jing, the movie star, are in the suite right across from each other, and I’m next to you. It’s not even nine o’clock yet, so you can rest a bit and have something to eat. I have arranged a meeting with the other party at ten, not far from here. We’ll leave ten minutes early.”

They had plenty of time to rest, having arrived early in B city and booked a hotel close to the airport.

Xie Qingfeng was indifferent to the arrangement. His recent cultivation practice had significantly improved his endurance, allowing him to go days without rest. He hadn’t taken on any work recently and was not busy with his academic courses, even finding time for daily cultivation.

Since Hao Jixin had organized everything with their comfort in mind, Xie Qingfeng appreciated the effort: “Thanks for the arrangements. You should rest too. See you later.”

Hao Jixin grinned, feeling acknowledged by the Master, but then noticed Jing Xiu’s dark gaze from beneath his mask. It wasn’t exactly displeasure, but he definitely didn’t seem happy: “What’s wrong, Jing?”

Xie Qingfeng glanced casually, “He’s probably not used to it.” After all, Jing Xiu had only flown twice, including their departure from B city.

Jing Xiu looked at Xie Qingfeng solemnly: That's not it.

However, he couldn’t reveal the real reason, so he just glanced at Hao Jixin before using his keycard to enter the suite.

Hao Jixin rubbed his arms, puzzled by Jing Xiu’s reproachful look. When had he offended the movie star?

Xie Qingfeng and Jing Xiu, having had breakfast before leaving, didn’t need to eat again. They rested as planned and left their rooms about fifteen minutes before ten o’clock.

As Xie Qingfeng opened his door, Jing Xiu did the same across the hall: “Shall we go now?”

Xie Qingfeng nodded and looked at him earnestly, “Are you still feeling uncomfortable? If you are, you can stay and rest in the hotel. Hao and I will go.”

Jing Xiu, enjoying Xie Qingfeng’s concern, reassured him: “No need, I’ve recovered.”

Xie Qingfeng inspected him carefully to ensure he was alright before turning away. When they went to find Hao Jixin, he wasn’t in his room. After a call, Hao directed them to meet at the parking lot on the second basement level.

Once they reached the spot, Hao Jixin flashed the car lights and waved from inside, “Over here.”

As Xie Qingfeng and Jing Xi approached, Hao Jixin, sitting in the driver's seat of a rented Maybach, opened the door for them. After closing it, he started the car and glanced at them through the rearview mirror: "Masters, how is it? Nice car, right?"

Xie Qingfeng wasn't particular about cars: "How did you get this car?"

Hao Jixin: "Rented it. We'll be here for a week, and a car is convenient. We can't always rely on others. Plus, with Elder Zhang's birthday coming, it's easier to attend. It's hard to get a taxi there, and if the party goes late, Elder Zhang would insist on sending us back. It's inconvenient, and we'll avoid being looked down upon by the highbrows."

Xie Qingfeng, though indifferent, quickly understood Hao Jixin's thoughtful implication.

Jing Xi glanced at Hao Jixin, admitting internally that he was quite impressive.

However, he planned to ask Liang Chenglei to buy a similar car. What others have, the National Master should too.

As Hao Jixin drove them, he briefed them on their employer's situation.

The employer, Mr. Du, owned a gallery in City B, a significant business. He made his fortune in City C and knew Hao's father, maintaining occasional contact.

"Mr. Du's gallery, not far from here, houses numerous famous calligraphies and paintings. It has been quite profitable over the years, selling expensive artworks mainly to a wealthy clientele. Mr. Du, known for his good character, has built a loyal customer base."

"However, the issue began with a regular customer who, two months ago, purchased a painting by a newly famous artist. It wasn't expensive, but the customer really liked it and bought it along with other pieces."

"After the purchase, the customer started experiencing health issues and several business projects went awry. Initially, he didn't associate these problems with the painting, until a minor accident involving a football and the painting occurred."

"The painting, hung on the wall by the first stair, was knocked down by the ball, shattering its glass. Considering its low value, the customer instructed the butler to store it in the warehouse."

"Once the painting was removed, the customer's health surprisingly began to improve, and his business affairs started recovering."

"The customer, a believer in Feng Shui and having consulted experts, sensed something amiss and called in a reputed master, who, upon inspecting the painting, claimed it was adversely affecting the customer."

"Enraged and convinced by the immediate turmoil post hanging the painting, the customer confronted Mr. Du."

"Mr. Du was startled but clueless about such matters. He tried to contact the artist, but to no avail."

"Hao Jixin parked the car in the shopping center's parking lot, explaining, 'Mr. Du, unable to reach the artist and unaware of the painting's specifics, could only apologize to the customer. However, the customer, adamant and fearing bad business luck, refused Mr. Du's offer to repurchase the painting or compensate, severing ties completely. This incident quickly spread, tarnishing Mr. Du's reputation, devastating his business.'"

"Mr. Du felt wronged, ignorant about such things and unable to contact the artist. He feared accepting the blame could ruin his years of business and even suspected industry sabotage."

"So, Mr. Du decided to consult a highly skilled master to inspect the painting. If it was indeed problematic, he would accept it, but he didn't want to be unjustly blamed if it wasn't the painting's fault."

Unable to find a master in B city due to his widely known issue with a major client, Mr. Du, a gallery owner, had no choice but to look elsewhere.

By chance, he got in touch with Hao Jixin's father, who recommended Xie Qingfeng.

Mr. Du offered a substantial fee of five million yuan to resolve the matter.

Xie Qingfeng, seeing no reason to turn down the offer, agreed to examine the situation. Unlike others, he wasn't concerned about offending the influential client.

When the trio arrived at the coffee shop in the plaza, Mr. Du was already waiting and promptly guided them to a secluded spot.

Hao Jixin greeted him as "Uncle Du" and introduced Xie Qingfeng and Jing Xiu as Master Xie and Mr. Jing.

Although Mr. Du had heard of the young master's high skills from Old Hao, he was still surprised by Xie Qingfeng's youth but didn’t underestimate him, trusting Old Hao's judgment.

He speculated that the master might just appear young due to good maintenance.

Once seated, Mr. Du recounted the incident in a low voice, looking hopefully at Xie Qingfeng, his eyes ringed with dark circles from stress and lack of sleep: “Master, thank you for making this trip. Mr. An might not be very welcoming due to the painting issue, but I’ll try to arrange for you to examine it. If the problem lies with the painting, I’ll accept it. If not, I hope you can clarify things with Mr. An.”

His gallery had become deserted, threatening to shut down due to the tarnished reputation.

Xie Qingfeng responded with a nod, “Do you have a photo of the painting before it was sold?”

“Yes, I do, and a video as well,” Mr. Du quickly retrieved his phone to show the requested items.

The coffee shop was quiet and sparsely populated at that early hour, and their corner seat kept them away from prying eyes.

Xie Qingfeng took a look at the video, which was noisy, showing Mr. An leaving with the painting. A young man was assisting him, carrying the securely packaged painting. Although the corners were tightly wrapped, and an additional clear shockproof box covered it, the painting inside was visible.

There were also individual photos of the painting taken before the sale.

This was Mr. Du's practice, to keep records in case of future disputes. There was also surveillance footage, but it wasn't as clear as the video, so it wasn't shown to Xie Qingfeng.

After carefully viewing the photo and video, Xie Qingfeng concluded, "This painting has no issues."

Mr. Du's eyes brightened, relieved: “Really?” He instinctively sought confirmation.

Xie Qingfeng affirmed, “Not only does it have no issues, but if hung for a long time, it can even bring some fortune and protection to the house. It seems the painter knows something about our field.”

Mr. Du was stunned, “But why did Mr. An’s family experience problems after hanging it?”

Xie Qingfeng guessed a possibility but needed to see Mr. An's house layout and the painting’s condition before concluding: “Let's visit Mr. An’s residence to understand the specifics.”

Mr. Du, initially confused, then apprehensive, quickly stood up: “I’ll take you there right away.”

The video and photos he showed had no issues, but problems could have arisen during transportation to Mr. An’s house or while hanging it.

After all, the painting was now in Mr. An’s possession; a direct examination was necessary.

Mr. Du feared that even if it wasn't the painting's fault, explaining the situation would be challenging, hoping the issue lay in Mr. An’s house layout.

But would Mr. An admit to a flaw in his house’s layout? It was known that his residence, from location to furnishings, was meticulously planned by experts.

Mr. Du, anxious, led the trio to Mr. An’s house. After confirming the meeting with the master, he had called Mr. An, persuading him through a mediator, thus securing Mr. An’s reluctant agreement despite his dissatisfaction.

"But this was his only chance; returning to business as usual might be difficult for Mr. Du afterward."

"When the group arrived, the butler notified the gatekeeper to grant entry. Approaching the owner's villa, they were met by a butler who, seeing the four, gave a courteous nod, saying, 'Mr. Du, the gentleman is already waiting for you.'"

"As he spoke, his gaze swept past Mr. Du and the three people behind him, then looked beyond, finding no one else."

"The butler masked his surprise, watching the four enter the yard before shaking his head in resignation. He wondered what Mr. Du was thinking, owing such a big favor to the master to agree to meet them, and the so-called master he invited… so young, and from where? Could it be a scam?"

"If he spouts nonsense and angers the master, Mr. Du's future here would be even more difficult."

"The master might have tolerated other matters, but something that nearly compromised his health and jeopardized several projects? Would the master just let it slide?"

"To prevent Mr. Du's invitee from fabricating stories, the master also summoned a renowned master for a direct confrontation if needed."

"Mr. Du had thought Mr. An would still be displeased to see him, but to his surprise, Mr. An was quite cordial and cooperative. Pointing to a damaged painting, Mr. An said, 'There it is. Take a look and give up hope early. I'm not targeting you intentionally. I trust your character, but learn your lesson. Don't just accept any artist's work. In this situation, if the artist doesn't show up, you're left holding the bag.'"

"This was also why Mr. An hadn't held a grudge. Knowing Mr. Du for years, he believed it wasn't intentional, but he couldn't swallow his pride."

"Mistakes have their consequences, otherwise, all his suffering and worries would be in vain."

"He wasn't running a charity to take losses on everything."

"Relieved, Mr. Du had feared Mr. An's non-cooperation and hurried over, now quickly retrieving the painting from a box."

"The painting had been damaged when the football hit it, knocking off a corner of the frame, tearing a corner of the canvas, and shattering the surrounding glass, leaving it in its current state."

"Carefully placing the painting on the coffee table, Mr. Du looked anxiously at Xie Qingfeng, 'Master, can you take a look at this painting? Is there a problem?' He pressed down the torn corner for a clearer view."

"Mr. An, who had just sat down again, turned to look at the person Mr. Du was referring to. Seeing the overly young man, even with a hat and mask, he widened his eyes in disbelief, incredulously glancing at Mr. Du: Had he gone mad? He finally gave him a chance, and he brings a random person to impersonate a master?"

"The butler, too, was stunned, but quickly composed himself, thinking that this 'master' must have been bribed by Mr. Du, ready to declare the painting problem-free."

"Indeed, the next moment, the young man spoke in a pleasing voice, uttering deceptive words: 'There's nothing wrong with the painting.'"

"Mr. An laughed in frustration, 'You say there's no problem just like that? Then explain why, ever since this painting was hung in my house, my business suffered and my health declined? And when the painting got damaged, both recovered. How do you explain that?'"

"After Mr. An finished, he expected the young man to be flustered, but instead, he calmly looked back with steady eyes, unsettling Mr. An: 'What are you looking at?' Was he preparing another deceitful trick?"

"Xie Qingfeng replied, 'I am simply observing when your misfortune started.'"

"At this statement, everyone except Hao Jixin and Jing Xi gasped."

"Mr. Du felt a moment of darkness, anxious but knowing he couldn't hinder the situation as he had invited this person."

"Xie Qingfeng, facing the infuriated Mr. An, calmly said, 'Since Mr. An asks why, it's because the painter knew a bit about Feng Shui and peacekeeping. This painting holds a blessing effect, albeit a mild one. Coincidentally, after its purchase, it was hung right in the center of the house's negative energy. This disrupted the entire Feng Shui of the house, exposing the underlying unrest, business troubles, and health issues. After the painting was damaged, the house's energy realigned temporarily, suppressing these issues. But if the final arrangement erupts, it won't just be health problems.'"

"Rather... it could be life-threatening."

"Mr. An and Mr. Du were stunned. It took Mr. An a while to regain his composure, infuriated yet, for a moment, almost believing the young man's confident assertion. But how could that be possible?"

"His house's Feng Shui was excellent, arranged by professionals at a high cost. And what was this about revealing problems early, and the painting just happened to break the negative energy?"

"He didn't believe a word."

"Mr. An, looking even more displeased but maintaining his composure as a businessman, challenged, 'If this young master is so capable, then how would you break this negative energy?'"

"Xie Qingfeng glanced at him and then directly addressed Mr. Du, 'I've seen what I needed to see and said what I had to. Can we leave now?'"

"Mr. Du, momentarily dazed, was about to agree. While it made sense, Mr. An clearly didn't believe it. His only intention in inviting them was to check the painting for issues. Besides, resolving negative energy wouldn't be easy, and if Mr. An's problem was real... it couldn't be solved just like that, especially since Mr. An didn't believe a word."

"So, indeed... there was no need to stay any longer."

Mr. An frowned skeptically, "What does this 'young' master mean? Does he think I can't afford his services?" He emphasized 'young', clearly not convinced.

Hao Jixin gave Mr. An a once-over and scoffed, "Whether you can afford it or not is your business, but our master is booked for the next seven days. Even if you try to make an appointment, there's no chance."

Mr. An thought, "Are scammers this bold nowadays? So many people getting fooled?"

He turned to Mr. Du, "I don't trust the person you brought. Did you hear what he just said? I don't believe this nonsense about a 'cursed house'. You're cursing me just to clear your name, Mr. Du? Is this how you do business?"

Mr. Du, on the verge of tears, pleaded, "Mr. An, we've worked together for years. Why would I deceive you? This master is truly skilled. Your house... might actually have a problem. Better get someone to check and break the curse, or else..."

Mr. An interjected, "Your words don't count. I've also invited a master to check. Let's see if it's true or false. You can't leave yet."

Mr. Du looked desperately at Xie Qingfeng and his companions, "Master, could you please stay a bit longer? I can compensate for the delay."

Xie Qingfeng thought about the 500 million offer and decided to stay longer.

Mr. Du sighed in relief, about to speak when an assistant in a suit came in, handing over a list.

The assistant glanced at the group but quickly looked away, "Boss, here's the gift list for Mr. Zhang's birthday after tomorrow. Anything to add or replace?"

Xie Qingfeng and his group, overhearing 'Mr. Zhang', wondered if it was the same person they knew.

Mr. An, focusing on the list to ensure the gifts were appropriate, then instructed, "Double-check everything. I’m relying on this event to meet Xie Qingfeng through Mr. Zhang."

The assistant nodded seriously.

Hao Jixin, overhearing the conversation, almost choked on his tea, giving Mr. An a strange look.

Mr. An, noticing the odd expression on Hao Jixin's face, grew uncomfortable: "What's going on?"