Page 87

The Qiao family gathered around the hospital bed. Just as Mother Qiao was about to ask Chu Yuening for an update, the young man on the bed slowly opened his eyes.

"A-ge!" Qiao Xing rushed forward and embraced Qiao Ziyuan.

Qiao Tianxin, on the other hand, clasped his hands together in prayer, vowing to set up the largest altar at home from now on, to worship the gods and seek their blessings for the Qiao family's safety and happiness for generations to come.

Qiao Ziyuan gathered his thoughts gradually. After such a long coma, his voice was strained. Mother Qiao quickly brought him a glass of water, which he drank before asking, "What happened to me?"

Overwhelmed with joy at seeing her son conscious again, Mother Qiao cried tears of relief, "You're awake, you're awake."

Not wanting to disturb them, Chu Yuening quietly left the room, making sure to close the door behind her.

It was already late at night. Shi Boren and Gan Yizu had both gone back to their respective homes.

Standing by the street, Chu Yuening was about to hail a taxi when a SUV pulled up beside her. The window rolled down, and Zhou Fengxu signaled for her to get in.

"It's too late, and taking a cab might not be safe. I'll drive you home."

Chu Yuening made no pretense of modesty and opened the car door. She stepped onto the running board and sat inside, smiling politely. "Thank you."

Zhou Fengxu started the car and glanced at her through the rearview mirror. "I should be the one thanking you. If not for your help, I'd be a corpse by now."

He then lightened the mood with a joke. "The newspapers might have reported how an Inspector from the Serious Crime Unit was shot dead while apprehending a criminal."

Chu Yuening didn't insist on humility and smiled. "Wouldn't it be a loss to Hong Kong citizens if the young and righteous Officer Zhou were killed by a criminal? As a member of Hong Kong, I still hope that Inspector Zhou can continue serving society."

"Of course," Zhou Fengxu said as he parked the car and got out to open the door for her. "I'll walk you up."

Looking around, Chu Yuening noticed that all the lights in the village houses had been turned off except for the one in her room. She knew Chu Yi had left the light on for her.

Exiting the SUV, she entered the small compartment of the village house. The food cart was parked in a corner, alongside her neighbors' bicycles.

She retrieved a flashlight from the cart, switched it on, and the dim surroundings brightened. Holding the flashlight against her chin, she smiled with a slight crease in her brows.

"No need to trouble Inspector Zhou. I can manage on my own," she said.

Zhou Fengxu felt relieved and chuckled. "A gentleman wouldn't defy the wishes of a beautiful lady. Goodbye."

"Goodbye." Chu Yuening hopped onto the steps and turned to wave.

Zhou Fengxu watched the girl disappear step by step up the stairs before he sat back in the SUV, gazing at the fourth-floor window. In no time, the window was pushed open.

Chu Yuening waved downstairs, and only then did the stopped SUV depart.

She gently closed the window and latched it, her gaze then shifting to the sleeping girl on the upper bunk. Silently, she slipped into the kitchen to prepare a sweet soup.

Fenpo took Meng Zhou back to their old house. From afar, they saw smoke rising from the rooftop, causing her pace to quicken as she pulled Meng Zhou along. Her heart skipped a beat when they drew closer.

The entire old house was engulfed in smoke, with flames shooting up and the sound of cracking echoing nonstop.

Meng Zhou suddenly snapped out of his daze. Pointing at the house with a weak voice, he cried, "Money, money..."

All the cash was kept inside, and now it was all gone...

Their newly bought car had just been totaled in a collision in the parking lot.

Shivering, Meng Zhou fumbled in his pocket for the lottery ticket. He found that the ticket had been soaked through with sweat, the numbers completely obliterated.

Gone.

Everything was gone.

Meng Zhou was overwhelmed with regret. Evil deeds truly brought harm upon both others and oneself; in the end, he had lost everything and was doomed to perpetual misfortune. Any hope of turning his life around in this lifetime was utterly extinguished.

In a certain office building in Mong Kok.

_

Within a feng shui company that occupied an entire floor, there were a dozen offices of varying sizes.

Suddenly, a man in his thirties spat out blood, clutching his chest as he slowly slumped onto his desk, blood gushing from his seven orifices, his eyes wide open in death.

The client, who had been receiving a bone reading from the man, let out terrified screams.

The commotion drew the attention of others in the neighboring offices. Upon witnessing the gruesome sight, their faces paled in shock.

"It's a backlash again!"

"In the face of death, both Ah Guang and Ah Tong have fallen. I'll cancel my appointments too, for my life is paramount."

"Wait, I'll join you," another voice chimed in.

"I'll do the same. Life comes first," declared a third person, seated in the largest office at the center of the hall. The secretary opened the door and watched as the man attended to a VIP, who was receiving a bone-reading session.

After finishing his diagnosis, Guang Deye spoke, "A prominent fifth cervical vertebra indicates wealth and status. Relax, after acquiring this building, your fame will soar and your assets will multiply sixfold."

"Really?" The VIP was clearly startled by the prospect of such exponential growth. A sixfold increase would propel him onto Hong Kong's list of the wealthy – a goal he had pursued for a decade.

He never imagined that one building could skyrocket him to success.

With a sigh, he shared his dilemma, "But there are some stubborn old timers who refuse to vacate the property. Oh, well!"

The thought of these recalcitrant individuals frustrated the VIP. "The acquisition was going smoothly until they appeared."

"How about offering them more money?" Guang Deye suggested, pouring a fragrant tea for the VIP.

"The price I offered is triple the market rate, yet they still refuse to move. They even declared they wouldn't leave for any amount of money after living there their whole lives." The nobleman picked up his tea, blew on its surface, then suddenly put the cup down as if he had just remembered something.

"Master, can you think of a way to help me get rid of them?"

"There's always a solution," Guang Deye said, leaving his words hanging.

The nobleman immediately understood and, with swift action, opened his suit jacket to pull out a stack of checks. He filled in seven zeros and tore one off. "Master, this check is yours if you can clear the building of all those people."

Guang Deye accepted the check with a wide grin. "Since they're unwilling to leave, I'll set up a situation that will make them feel as if the winds howl and cranes cry. Then, they won't have a choice but to go."