Page 4

These hands had apprehended countless ruthless criminals in Hong Kong, yet they were powerless to catch the murderer of his own daughter.

"I'll take on your case," he said.

Uncle Ken paused in his action of reaching for his wallet, and the detonation wire inside the black plastic bag swayed slightly. He shook his head with a bitter smile. "It's no use. I've consulted many feng shui masters to break the curse, but they took my money without any results. Ajuan complains of terrible headaches every night, and I need to help her."

Many feng shui charlatans in Kowloon peddled their wares under false pretenses. Uncle Ken, desperate for a cure, had spent his life savings, while Ye Tianliang remained unscathed, still deceiving people with his pretended benevolence and even using Ajuan's compensation money to buy a Mercedes.

Uncle Ken could not wait any longer.

Chu Yuening gazed at Uncle Jian, now shrouded in deathly aura, and shook her head. "Death won't solve anything."

Uncle Jian's heart jolted. "You know what I'm planning? That's impossible..."

He had sprinted through several streets of Mong Kok to gather everything, and only an insider would be aware of his intentions.

Chu Yuening continued, "Suicide will only tarnish your family's reputation. Do you want Ajuan to depart this world with unresolved grievances?"

Uncle Jian fell silent.

"Let's wait one more day."

Uncle Jian fished out some cash from his pocket. "I only have two thousand left. Other feng shui masters charge three thousand for a session. I know it's not much..."

"That's enough." Chu Yuening took the money, neatly folding the bills. She said earnestly, "I'll take five hundred as a deposit. The remaining fifteen hundred can be paid after the matter is resolved."

Seeing Uncle Jian's stubbornness, A'Qiang grew frustrated. "When I was starving and my stomach was churning with acid, who gave me a bowl of rice? It was Ah Liang! Such a good man, how could he possibly kill his wife?"

"You just wait to get swindled. Ah Liang is such a kind person, I'd like to see what sort of dirt a con artist can dig up on him."

Uncle Jian shook his head, sighing. He didn't respond to A'Qiang but helped the dazed Aunt Fen leave.

Chu Yuening accepted the money and observed the whispering crowd. Ignoring them, she waited until Uncle Jian had left before stowing the small table beneath her cart.

Lin Jiahua approached. "Are you planning to help Uncle Jian break the curse? Do you need any assistance?"

Unlike others who believed Chu Yuening was scamming people, Lin Jiahua had great faith in her.

Chu Yuening placed the jars back onto the cart before hopping onto the front bike. Looking back, she said, "It's fine, I've got this. Do you know where I can buy yellow charms?"

Lin Jiahua replied, "There's one on Tung Choi Street."

With her bicycle in tow, Chu Yuening steered with one hand while waving behind her back. "Alright, I'll head back first. See you tomorrow!"

Temple Street wasn't far from Tung Choi Street; it was just across the road.

After parking her cart, Chu Yuening scoured Tung Choi Street until she finally found a feng shui shop.

It was said that competitors were natural rivals; visiting without prior notice was akin to disrupting business.

Looking up at the sky, Chu Yuening thought to herself, In this world, I'm just a dessert vendor. Does that really make me a competitor?

Feeling a bit guilty, Chu Yuening stepped into the feng shui shop.

The owner, dressed in a yellow Taoist robe, spotted a potential customer and adjusted his hat with a smile. "Miss, our store offers luck-enhancing charms, amulets, and even items to attract romance. May I know what you're looking for?"

Having encountered many young women like Chu Yuening in her twenties, the owner promptly showcased their most popular items.

Chu Yuening walked around the shop before responding, "No, I'm actually looking for talismans."

"Oh, I see. It's talisman paper." The owner smiled warmly and returned to the counter, retrieving a wooden box. Upon opening it, rows of yellow talismans were revealed.

"Talisman paper comes in many varieties too, like protection charms or warding off evil spirits... Which one do you need?"

Chu Yuening observed the talismans in the wooden box, sensing that they did indeed carry a faint magical aura. However, it was too weak to assist her in breaking the deadlock.

"I want plain yellow talisman paper, unused."

The owner closed the box. "You plan on drawing your own talismans?"

"Yes," Chu Yuening replied, then added after a moment's thought, "I'll also need a calligraphy brush and cinnabar ink."

The owner turned and entered an inner room. After a while, he emerged with a stack of cut yellow talisman paper, handing them to Chu Yuening.

Seeing Chu Yuening inspect the paper, the owner couldn't help but ask curiously, "Young people these days enjoy making their own talismans, huh?"

It seemed lately, most customers were buying talismans for luck in love or charm decorations.

How could he keep up with such rapid changes in the world? How was he supposed to run his business?

The shop owner was visibly worried, fearing that the young generation followed trends too closely, and he could already envision his shop closing down in a year's time.

Noticing the cautious tone in the owner's voice, Chu Yuening pinched the cinnabar and rubbed it between her fingers to reassure him, "It's just a personal interest."

Relieved from the potential crisis, the owner let out a sigh of relief and joked, "If everyone knows how to draw charms, I'd have to shut down my shop – that would be terrible."

Chu Yuening held back her laughter, wondering what expression the cautious owner would wear if he knew she not only sold dessert in Temple Street but also moonlighted as an astrologer and feng shui consultant.

Handing the selected charm papers and cinnabar to the owner, she asked, "How much is it?"

"Forty dollars," the owner replied, fetching a bag from the cabinet to pack them and kindly advised, "Drawing charms is no easy task; it took me years to learn. You should buy more – a stack might not be enough."

"I think this will do. I shouldn't waste much paper," Chu Yuening accepted the red plastic bag, paid for her purchase, and waved goodbye politely, "Goodbye."

How could a beginner not waste paper when practicing?

Not to mention beginners, even the renowned Taoist master who often appeared in Ming Pao in Mong Kok wasted a pile each time they drew a charm.

The owner didn't believe her. Watching Chu Yuening leave with the bag, he crossed his arms, admiring and reflecting on her confidence.

"Ah, the youth of today are truly something – they can boast without any preparation."

Chapter 3

Chu Yuening returned to Sham Shui Po first, parking the food cart in its usual spot. The old building was in disrepair, and with the aid of a flashlight, she climbed up to the fourth floor. With matters weighing on her mind, her steps quickened involuntarily.

Tap, tap, tap – the sound of footsteps echoed loudly in the silent hallway, accompanied by the hurried rhythm of her breath.