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"What is the Wind Whispers and Crane Cries Scheme?" the nobleman asked in puzzlement.

The secretary explained, "Once this scheme is set in motion, the residents of the building will be unsettled and surrounded by fear. Within a few days, misfortunes will start to happen one after another. If they don't leave, they'll be trapped and eventually succumb to the scheme."

"So they'll die if they don't move out?"

"One could interpret it that way," the secretary confirmed.

After the secretary's response, the nobleman burst into laughter, pounding the table as he stood up. "I want the Wind Whispers and Crane Cries Scheme. I want to see how long these old folks can hold on."

Sending the nobleman off, the secretary returned to the office and relayed the news to Guang Deye.

Guang Deye frowned. "Another one gone?"

"The other junior disciples mentioned that he took on a Life Redirecting Scheme but couldn't withstand the backlash due to his low level of power."

"Ridiculous," Guang Deye said, seething with anger. The feng shui company already had a shortage of talents, and recently, they had inexplicably lost several apprentices.

Just as he was about to scold someone, Guang Deye clutched his chest, wincing in pain. The secretary grew extremely worried. "Is everything alright, Master?"

Guang Deye's qi and blood surged, and he spat out a mouthful of blackened blood. He took the secretary's handkerchief to wipe the blood from the corners of his lips.

Unfolding the white handkerchief, it was now stained entirely with black marks.

Guang Deye's expression darkened as memories of the disrupted Saigon Heavenly Calamity Life Borrowing Formation flashed through his mind. The backlash then had been severe, leaving him bedridden for three full days. Fortunately, he had foreseen this and made Hua Bin bear the brunt of the majority of the counterattack.

A lifetime of reputation, ruined in an instant.

Guang Deye forcefully threw the bloodied handkerchief into the trash can. "Oppose me? Whoever it is, I'll cut them into eight pieces when found!"

So...

Guang Deye sneered coldly.

He must not, under any circumstances, discover who had sabotaged the formation.

Chapter 35

Early in the morning.

Muffled rustling sounds emerged from the small, closed kitchen.

Chu Yuening was brushing her teeth in the bathroom. She casually tied her long hair up at the back of her head and wiped her face with a towel hanging on the wall. Hearing the noise, she walked out and opened the kitchen door.

In the compact kitchen, Chu Yi was dressed in a light yellow pajama dress adorned with Little Maruo prints. She was crouched on the ground, her hair in a mess of knots. Still half-asleep, she squinted her eyes as she picked up plastic water bottles from under the storage cabinet.

Seeing the kitchen door open, Chu Yi rubbed her eyes and called out, "Big Sister."

Looking at the floor covered in water bottles, Chu Yuening was surprised. "You've collected them all?"

"Yes," replied Chu Yi, stuffing the bottles into a plastic bag. Despite being in a daze, she couldn't hide the smile on her face. "We can sell them for money. Of course, I had to bring them back."

"Once we sell them at the recycling center, I'll take you to Hoi Kei Seafood Restaurant in Causeway Bay to try their famous stir-fried chili crabs," Chu Yi said, salivating at the thought of the rumored delicious and spicy dish. She let out a soft moan, clasping her chin.

"Do you want to eat it?" Chu Yuening joined her, squatting down to help collect the bottles. The kitchen had no windows, so the greasy air couldn't escape, making the floor damp and sticky with oil. The water bottles placed under the cabinet had also absorbed some of it.

Neither of them cared about the mess. They focused on gathering the water bottles.

"The classmates all say it's delicious." If this were in the past, Chu Yi would never have dared to suggest going out to eat, even after Chu Yuening started making money from fortune-telling. She wouldn't have dared to propose such an expenditure.

After all, her sister's earnings were hard-earned, and Chu Yi didn't want to casually waste them on food. It was only after she began earning money by selling mineral water that she allowed herself to consider such indulgences.

Upon hearing the word "classmates," Chu Yuening fell into deep thought.

Although Chu Yi had a new immigrant identity card, many schools in Hong Kong were still inaccessible to her. Thus, she could only attend more expensive schools, where wealthier students were prevalent.

The lifestyles of the affluent were different. What might be a casual snack for her classmates might require Chu Yi to save up for a long time.

Thoughts of heartache swirled in Chu Yuening's mind, so she gathered the plastic water bottles with even greater effort. "Alright, it's the weekend anyway. After we sell all these water bottles, I'll take you out to have some fun."

"Wonderful!" Chu Yi was genuinely delighted.

After tidying up the mineral water bottles, Chu Yi carried them on her tiny shoulders, while Chu Yuening pedaled the food cart. They had prepared the sweet soup the previous night, and if it wasn't sold today, it would all go bad.

Upon arriving at the junkyard, Chu Yi first sold the plastic bottles. A bag of them fetched her twenty yuan. Delighted, she carefully counted the money and stashed it all away.

The pair ventured around Causeway Bay, after selling out their sweet desserts, they indulged in spicy typhoon shelter crab. Chu Yuening returned home still clutching her stomach, questioning her life choices due to the spiciness, while Chu Yi, on the other hand, remained unfazed, savoring an iced coffee with evident relish.

Upon returning to the village house, Chu Yuening saw Zhang Jiande downstairs, engaged in conversation with Uncle Ming, the fish vendor, while holding his smoking pipe. Pushing her cart forward, she called out, "Brother De?"

Zhang Jiande turned around, promptly putting down his pipe and waving her over. "I've been waiting for you all afternoon. Hurry, hurry, I found an apartment that's fantastic. I've asked a friend to hold it for us, so let's go confirm it."

"Alright." Chu Yuening wheeled her cart into the village house first, then glanced at Chu Yi, who was still standing there, dazed.

"You're moving out?" Chu Yi had assumed they would be living in the village house for at least another decade.

"Yes, I asked Brother De to help me inquire about it before," Chu Yuening explained.

"Ahh!" Upon hearing about the change of residence, Chu Yi's eyes lit up, and she jumped with excitement. "I want to go too!"

The landlord had just descended from upstairs, her head adorned with curlers and a lady's cigarette between her lips. Observing the cheerful departure of the trio, she snorted in disdain through the cigarette.

She had overheard every word that the three had just spoken.

Uncle Ming said, "Aren't you worried? Sweet Soup Girl is moving out, and once she does, your place will be empty. With its damp environment and poor air quality, the walls even peel off frequently. Who would rent from you?"

"The talk will only start if she actually manages to rent it out," the landlord replied, blowing smoke as she held the cigarette between her fingers. "Everyone in Yuen Chau Estate knows each other's background."

"Selling sugar water to support a scholarly sister, how much could be left after a month's expenses? Last month, you still owed me rent. Does that mean you can afford to move elsewhere this month?"