Chapter 29

Chapter 29

In the courtyard, the ladies were discussing a recent sensational news item that had captured Beijing's attention. It involved insiders revealing on various social media platforms and forums that the daughter of a company CEO had abruptly broken off her impending marriage with her fiancé in a very public and ugly manner. Eventually, the ex-fiancé was even dismissed from his newly promoted position by the CEO and escorted out of the building.

Initially, netizens assumed it was a heart-wrenching story of a poor boy and a princess being torn apart. However, the subsequent developments were unexpected. The ex-fiancé repeatedly made desperate attempts to reconcile, and then there were reports from company employees witnessing the heiress publicly arguing with him. The informant mentioned that the ex-fiancé appeared mentally unstable, with bloodshot eyes, and at one point, he seemed to lose control, attempting to assault his former girlfriend in public. As expected, he was promptly overpowered by the company's security guards who had rushed to protect the heiress, beaten, and ejected from the office building.

It was said that the heiress's father, upon learning of his daughter's assault, was furious and vowed to ensure that this young man named Huang Fengxiu would never find employment in the city again.

Furthermore, he disclosed the ex-boyfriend's troubled past, explaining that he had opposed the marriage after discovering the man's dark history. The internet sleuths quickly dug up this information, resurrecting an old news story about a young woman's suicide that had previously gone unnoticed. Many neighbors from the residential area came forward, detailing how Huang Fengxiu had brought the heiress home for a meal shortly after his long-term girlfriend's suicide.

The phrase "karma is a cycle" echoed throughout the web. Nevertheless, these distant netizens knew far less about the situation than the local gossiping ladies.

One lady commented, "Did you know, I met that guy before. He put on such a good act. Tall, handsome, reliable, and well-mannered. Apparently, he even managed to buy a house in Beijing through his own efforts. CEO Wu was absolutely thrilled with this future son-in-law and even mentioned passing the company on to him one day."

Pausing, she lowered her voice, "But life can be so unpredictable. I heard it all started with a dream CEO Wu had. One night, he dreamed of a young girl who claimed to be the man's deceased ex-girlfriend. She just sat there quietly telling him her story all night. At first, Wu thought he was suffering from delusions, but when he investigated, it turned out to be true! His daughter didn't believe it at first, but then the guy started acting strangely and became very irritable. Something happened, and he couldn't keep it hidden anymore. People say the ghost probably haunted him for revenge. Now, he's lost his job and is reportedly ill. They're saying he might have to sell his house to pay for treatment. Isn't that terrifying?"

The group marveled at the tale, and one lady sighed, "Choosing a partner for marriage is truly complicated. You worry about selecting the wrong person, and then they might choose poorly themselves. Speaking of which, Wanrong, your eldest son, didn't you mention he was engaged to Wang's youngest daughter? When is the wedding taking place?"

Most people outside were still unaware of the Wang family's intention to withdraw from the engagement. When Shu Wanrong was asked about it, she didn't know how to respond.

Wei Xi's scandal had caused quite a stir. It was said that the Wang family's daughter was weeping bitterly at home, claiming she'd been deceived and her heart was shattered; she refused to marry again no matter what. However, when the Wang family came to the Lin residence to propose the withdrawal, her eldest son had strongly resisted and repeatedly sought out the girl to explain himself, only to be consistently rejected.

Recalling how her eldest son had returned from the Wang family in a daze before running away, Shu Wanrong couldn't help but sigh. After that day, he left a letter, bearing the injuries inflicted by his father, and quietly disappeared. When he returned, he became a tyrant, causing unrest within the entire family.

Only now, as she reminisced carefully, did Shu Wanrong suddenly realize that her eldest son had never mentioned his fiancée's name after coming back. It was as if he had forgotten about her existence.

This thought barely lingered before it was interrupted by the arrival of two guests.

*****

Lin Hanyang gently supported his wife as they were led through the courtyard by Butler Zhou. Upon seeing Wei Xi, tears welled up in Mrs. Lin's eyes. "Master! Your great kindness is beyond our ability to repay! My husband and I are eternally grateful!"

Wei Xi had a favorable impression of this woman who had helped him unconditionally after his departure from seclusion. He glanced at her up and down, then asked perceptively, "Are you pregnant?"

Mrs. Lin couldn't conceal her excitement. "We just found out. It's already been over a month. Hanyang and I have been longing for this child for over a decade. If not for your assistance..."

Wei Xi responded curiously, "You conceived a child through your own charitable donations. How does that involve me?"

He merely found Mrs. Lin's gratitude peculiar, but the Lin couple took it as humility and admired him even more.

After resolving the matter in Fengyang Town, they returned to Beijing to find their company thriving. Lin Hanyang was so busy handling previously unattainable partnerships that he hardly had time to rest. Yet, the couple didn't forget Wei Xi's parting advice and thus attended every charitable event during this period, making generous donations. A few days ago, after attending a fundraising gala for children with cancer, Mrs. Lin suddenly began vomiting profusely. Assuming her health had relapsed, Lin Hanyang rushed her to the hospital in panic. Little did they expect the unexpected joy that followed, a miraculous blessing from beyond the skies.

Lin Hanyang pressed another red envelope into Wei Xi's hand, expressing his gratitude profusely before introducing the guest he had brought along: "Master Wei, this is my old classmate Qiu Guokai."

Qiu Guokai was a plump middle-aged man with thinning hair on top of his head. He smiled warmly at Wei Xi but harbored doubts in his eyes, discreetly pulling Lin Hanyang aside to whisper his skepticism: "This is the master you were talking about? Why does he seem so unreliable?"

Not only did he look young, but the scene he witnessed upon entering was peculiar. With numerous women chatting idly in the courtyard, it hardly resembled a master's residence; it was more like a bustling café or teahouse.

Lin Hanyang's expression changed slightly upon hearing this, as if his beliefs had been insulted. "Don't talk nonsense!"

Qiu Guokai fell silent for a moment, unable to comprehend how his former rational and materialist classmate had transformed into this. However, despite that, he wasn't a strict materialist himself. Recalling his classmate's account of this master's ability to deal with mischievous ghosts, coupled with the recent bizarre occurrences around him, he decided to take a chance. "Master, here's the situation."

Lately, Qiu Guokai had been feeling peculiar.

His career was thriving, his family was happy, and he had a lovely wife and young son – his life should have been perfect. Yet, inexplicably, he had seen strange shadows at home multiple times recently.

It started when he returned from a business trip earlier than expected. The house was dark, and as he opened the door, he felt a black shadow flash across his peripheral vision. It moved swiftly, vanishing almost instantly. When he turned to look, he saw nothing but an empty courtyard. Terrified, he woke up everyone in the house, but both the servants and his drowsy wife claimed it was just a mistake. Qiu Guokai was under considerable stress at the time, so he didn't give it much thought.

Little did Qiu Guokai expect that this incident would escalate uncontrollably. After encountering the shadow, he frequently found himself beset by bizarre disturbances. From hearing indistinct curses in the air while lounging at home playing with his phone to feeling a sudden pain on his face as if struck by someone while concentrating on work, these experiences grew increasingly surreal. For instance, his TV would inexplicably turn on and start broadcasting a drama while he simultaneously heard insults and felt his face being punched.

Qiu Guokai was genuinely terrified. Everyone around him claimed it was all in his head, but the pain on his face was undeniably real. He even felt that his face had swollen from the blows, although his wife insisted it was due to his natural weight.

He rubbed his chubby cheeks, clearly disheartened by her reassurance.

Scanning Qiu Guokai, Wei Xi whispered to his disciples, "Who do you think is fatter, him or Little Fatty?"

The second disciple glanced at him dismissively, while the elder disciple, Unity Yi, thrilled by the prospect of business instead of studying, examined Qiu Guokai attentively before reporting to his master, "He's definitely fatter. Though Little Fatty is plump, he doesn't have as much flesh on his face as this man. He resembles a pumpkin."

Upon closer inspection, Wei Xi had to agree; Qiu Guokai's face indeed resembled a pumpkin!

He couldn't help but marvel, imagining how filling such a large frame would be.

The second disciple then coldly asked Unity Yi, "How's your memorization? Can you tell what's happening to this person?"

Unity Yi, who had just been basking in his master's apparent approval, instantly deflated. Nevertheless, he dared not defy his junior's command and studied the man's appearance carefully. Scratching his head in confusion, he admitted, "I can't tell. There doesn't seem to be any evil signs. Apart from being a bit overweight and having some messy romantic affairs, everything else seems normal."

Without waiting for a response, he began reciting his books mournfully, "It must be that I haven't mastered my skills enough. I'll study more, perhaps then I'll see something."

Shuo Zong: "..."

Wei Xi turned to look at him and said, "How come I don't see anything wrong? Apart from being a bit plump, he seems perfectly normal. At most, he's got a bit of a roving eye."

Shuo Zong fell silent for a moment, feeling that this master-disciple pair was truly vexing in some ways.

Upon hearing Qiu Guokai's account, Lin Hanyang and his wife both felt a little frightened. Mrs. Lin asked Wei Xi worriedly, "Master, do you think he might have encountered a malevolent ghost like we did? It sounds even more terrifying than Fengyangxian. Fengyangxian only caused trouble at home, but the one he met attacked him in broad daylight?"

Seeing someone on his side, Qiu Guokai became even more animated and rolled up his pants to continue his tale. "Yes, look, this ghost is really vicious when it causes chaos. Lately, I've suddenly noticed many such marks on my legs. I suspect they were left by its grip."

Everyone followed his gaze, and Wei Xi also saw the dense network of veins on his legs, his expression turning sharp.

From the side, the cold voice of the second disciple could be heard. "Let's set aside the matter of you being beaten. These marks on your body have nothing to do with a ghost causing mischief."

Qiu Guokai: "Huh?"

Shuo Zong: "It's because you're too heavy and lack exercise, leading to poor blood circulation and varicose veins in your lower limbs."

Everyone: "..."

Upon hearing this, Unity Right immediately sensed the scent of money and promptly began his pitch. "Mr. Qiu, a lack of physical activity is detrimental to one's health in the long run. I can tell you must have a busy schedule and might not have the time to visit the gym regularly. Have you considered getting a membership card from our Taicang Sect? Golden members receive a 2% discount on spiritual rituals, as well as a 10% discount on everyday leisure club expenses. We also have an upcoming chain of haunted houses and a soon-to-open private detective agency, where members will enjoy various discounts with their cards!"

Qiu Guokai: "...."

Wait, wait a moment.

Putting aside the scientifically accurate diagnosis of varicose veins, what were these membership cards, leisure clubs, haunted houses, and private detective agencies all about?

Was there something amiss with the scope of this master's business ventures?