Chapter 66

Chapter 66

◎ The Shadow of a Snake in a Cup Scheme ◎

In an instant, Li Minan's mind raced through countless thoughts, weighing all possible pros and cons. He was just about to call his assistant for advice, but for some reason, he felt a persistent sense of unease.

After some consideration, he finally decided to call an old friend he had known for a long time at his company.

This friend had helped him during his most difficult times many years ago. They hadn't been in touch for years, and when they reconnected, Li Minan discovered that his friend had been in an accident and lost half of his leg. Li Minan then arranged a simple job for him at his company's factory, and it had been over a decade since then.

Over the years, his friend had never reached out to him and had simply continued working in the factory. No one at the company was aware of their connection.

At that moment, Li Minan suddenly felt as though he could no longer trust anyone. The only person he thought could help him was this friend with whom he had shared a brief connection in the past.

The favor he needed wasn't particularly difficult—he just wanted his friend to go to the hospital and check on his son. He was worried that the timing of this incident was too coincidental, and that someone might be targeting his son.

After making the call and clearly explaining the situation, Li Minan walked toward the two young men.

Noticing someone sitting across from them, Xiao Ye turned around and was surprised to see the man they had met in the pavilion the previous day. He greeted him with a smile, "Uncle, you're here too? What a coincidence!"

Li Minan smiled back at him and then turned to Ji Nanxing, "Young man, yesterday you advised me to stay in the hotel for three days to avoid a calamity. Can I ask what kind of calamity it is?"

Hearing this, Xiao Ye glanced at Ji Nanxing. He hadn't realized that Ji Nanxing had spoken to this man the day before, but he didn't interrupt. Instead, he put away the phone he had been using to take photos of Ji Nanxing and sat quietly beside him, his smile fading away.

Ji Nanxing didn't often practice physiognomy. He often saw through things without voicing them. His skill in physiognomy wasn't particularly advanced; he relied more on sensing the aura around a person to determine their fortune.

The reason he had given that warning the day before was partly because the man had kindly advised him first. Now that they had coincidentally met again and the man had approached him, it seemed that this person's life wasn't destined to end just yet.

So Ji Nanxing said directly, "One fortune-telling session costs 100,000."

For Li Minan, 100,000 wasn't a significant amount. Sometimes, hosting a dinner for friends cost more than that, so he agreed without hesitation, "Sure, how do you do the reading? Do you need me to write something or provide my birth details?"

Ji Nanxing simply raised his eyes, and a faint glow of spiritual energy swirled in his pupils as he observed the man before him.

"You didn't come from a wealthy background. Your family only had modest assets. When you were around sixteen or seventeen, your family went bankrupt and fell into debt. Three years after your father passed away, your mother also died of illness. Your financial luck began when you were twenty-three, starting from small businesses and eventually becoming a successful entrepreneur. Your marriage palace has two folds, meaning you've been married twice. Both wives bore you a son. Your eldest son likely stayed with your first wife and only returned to your side in recent years. Your second wife divorced you a few years ago, but your younger son stayed with you. However, your younger son is rebellious and difficult to manage, and your relationship with him isn't good. Your career is thriving, and you have no financial concerns, but your biggest concern is likely the relationship between your two sons."

Everything he said was accurate, so much so that Li Minan couldn't help but wonder if this young man had researched his background beforehand and was setting him up to swindle him out of money.

But the thought only flashed through his mind briefly. Looking at the young man's demeanor and appearance, Li Minan felt that even if it was a scam, he was willing to believe it was real.

Suddenly, he began to understand why some superstitious older folks were so easily swayed. It wasn't that they were gullible—it was just that the other party's skills were too impressive.

Li Minan asked, "So, is this calamity related to my son?"

Ji Nanxing replied, "When I looked at your face yesterday, I saw the 'Tengshe entering the mouth' pattern. This pattern indicates a tragic and violent death in old age. However, your financial fortune doesn't align with a tragic old age, so the only remaining possibility is a violent death—meaning you won't live to see old age."

Li Minan's face instantly paled. No one could remain calm upon hearing that they wouldn't live to old age, especially when the threat of death seemed imminent.

The whole situation felt oddly familiar—first, scare you to death, then ask for money to avoid disaster. Was it too late to download an anti-scam app now?

Seeing the doubt in Li Minan's eyes, Ji Nanxing didn't seem bothered. "Your phone."

Xiao Ye quickly handed over his phone.

Ji Nanxing pushed his hand away, "Not yours."

Sitting across from them, Li Minan immediately understood and took out his own phone, unlocking it helpfully. He wanted to see what else the young man could say.

The young man, who had him oscillating between belief and skepticism, opened the camera and took a photo of him. Then he handed the phone back, "The 'Tengshe entering the mouth' pattern isn't just the deepening of nasolabial folds as you age. If you have photos from two or three years ago without filters or beauty enhancements, you can compare them yourself."

Previously, Ji Nanxing had only glanced briefly, seeing the "Tengshe entering the mouth," and thought it was his destined facial feature, indicating a short life. But upon opening his spiritual eye for a closer look, it was clear that his face was shrouded in a gray haze, meaning this facial feature was a later, man-made alteration of fate.

Li Minan found it hard to face the high-definition photo directly, as the wrinkles and creases on his face were all too visible. The most striking were the nasolabial lines that didn't match his age—they were too deep and extended down to the corners of his mouth. If these two lines were the so-called "Tengshe," then it truly was the "entering the mouth" sign.

Li Minan thought for a moment and then searched through his phone. He had previously stored photos from the ribbon-cutting ceremony of a new factory building, taken by his assistant directly with his phone, so they should be free of filters or beauty enhancements.

Without comparison, he hadn't noticed any issues with his nasolabial lines, but the difference was stark upon comparison. In just two years, such a drastic change shouldn't have been possible!

Sweat began to bead on Li Minan's forehead. He believed it now; even if the next moment the other asked him to spend money to avoid disaster, he would be willing to believe!

"Master, is there a solution to this facial feature?"

Ji Nanxing: "This facial feature is man-made. Take off what you're wearing around your neck."

Li Minan quickly complied. He was wearing a Wushi plaque, a piece of jade with a gold border, symbolizing peace and safety.

The moment he placed the plaque on the table, Li Minan's expression changed again, as he remembered that this plaque was a birthday gift from his younger son, given exactly two years ago.

The one who had just called him, saying he had fallen and was hospitalized, was also his younger son. Even though it was his own son, at this moment, Li Minan couldn't help but think in a negative direction.

Ji Nanxing picked up the plaque and glanced at it. Xiao Ye, sitting beside him, also leaned over to take a look: "Is it just me, or do the patterns inside this jade look a bit like a snake?"

Ji Nanxing's fingertip lightly traced over the green, landscape-like patterns of the plaque, then he tapped it on the table. The not-so-hard jade cracked in his hand, revealing a sight that made Li Minan's eyes widen in shock.

Inside the beautiful plaque was a yellow talisman.

Xiao Ye tentatively reached out, and seeing that Ji Nanxing didn't stop him, he took out the talisman hidden inside the plaque and unfolded it for a look.

It looked somewhat familiar: "I think I've seen this talisman before. Let me think."

Ji Nanxing remained silent, and Li Minan, sitting across from them, also held his breath, waiting.

After a while, Xiao Ye said: "I remember now, this is a Shadow Talisman."

Li Minan looked confused: "What kind of talisman is that?"

Xiao Ye: "It's a bad talisman. The creation of this talisman originates from the idiom 'a bow's shadow mistaken for a snake.' The bowstring's reflection in a cup is mistaken for a snake's shadow, causing fear and paranoia, leading to self-induced fright."

Li Minan pursed his lips slightly and asked in a deep voice: "What happens if someone wears this talisman?"

He carefully reviewed the past two years. Since wearing this plaque, nothing particularly unusual had happened. As for occasional fatigue, he thought it was normal, as middle age often brings a lack of energy.

Xiao Ye only recognized the talisman because he had recently bought a comprehensive book of talismans on the Human Realm Network app, which included this type. He had seen it before, so it was somewhat familiar, but being new to these things, he hadn't fully grasped the specifics.

Ji Nanxing then spoke up: "This talisman is usually used to harm people by being placed in a home. In terms of feng shui, it's called the Tengshe Confrontation Formation. Two snake shadows encircle the home, and the long-term confrontation leads to unrest, attracting villains, poverty, and the ruin of family wealth. But if worn on a person, you should know the story of 'a bow's shadow mistaken for a snake.'"

Li Minan said: "Paranoia?"

Ji Nanxing shook his head: "It's mistaking the bow's reflection in the cup for a snake, leading to paranoia and illness, with no apparent cause. However, this talisman hasn't fully manifested yet. The snake shadows are still hidden. Once illness strikes, it will take your life. But since you are born in the Year of the Snake, the facial feature appeared before that, resulting in your current 'Tengshe entering the mouth' sign."

Li Minan's mind was too chaotic to think further, and he quickly said: "Master, how can this be resolved? Please help me!"

Ji Nanxing shook his head again: "No need to resolve it."

Li Minan was puzzled: "No need? Why not?"

Ji Nanxing explained: "Because it's like 'a bow's shadow mistaken for a snake.' The person who saw the shadow in the cup drank the wine, returned home, and fell ill from paranoia. Many doctors couldn't cure him. Finally, the host came to visit, learned the cause of his illness, and went back to inspect the banquet venue, solving the mystery of the bow's shadow resembling a snake. Once the person understood the reason, his illness vanished without medicine. The moment the shadow is exposed, the issue is naturally resolved."

Li Minan breathed a sigh of relief. The talisman hidden in his plaque was now clear, but he still hadn't passed the three-day ordeal. So he asked again: "Then, does staying in the hotel for three days also resolve this ordeal?"

Ji Nanxing said, "This misfortune isn't related to your Tengshe facial features. It might be that someone, seeing you not falling ill, got impatient and set up another trap."

After speaking, Ji Nanxing showed his payment QR code.

Li Minan hurriedly transferred the money. At first, he thought 100,000 was too little, so he directly transferred 200,000. After all, this master had saved his life, and keeping a good relationship and making a good impression was definitely a good idea.

However, Ji Nanxing returned 100,000: "We said 100,000, and now we're square. You have good fortune in your fate, but there's a saying that 'too much of a good thing can be bad.' I suggest you occasionally do good deeds and give away some money, which will benefit you."

Li Minan nodded repeatedly, promising to do more good deeds and give back to society.

After taking care of one thing, Ji Nanxing took Xiao Ye to take a nap.

Though it wasn't Xiao Ye's first time seeing Ji Nanxing deal with mysterious matters, it was the first time he saw Ji Nanxing change someone's life with just a few words.

Calm and collected, strong and alluring.

Although his classmate was thin and looked a bit pale and fragile, Xiao Ye, for the first time, looked past appearances and sensed the strength of a person—an aura, a charm, something coming from the soul, completely captivating.

Seeing Xiao Ye staring at him without speaking, Ji Nanxing looked puzzled: "What's wrong?"

Xiao Ye sighed, "Suddenly, it seems like no one in this world is good enough for you."

Ji Nanxing smiled, "Everyone is unique. Why should we see ourselves as something to be matched with others? Moreover, you know my situation; I'm freer and happier on my own."

Xiao Ye pulled Ji Nanxing onto the bed, then turned over and draped his leg over him: "Then I'll stay with you. From now on, we'll be together—go to school together, eat together, play together, and even live together when we start working. That way, we'll have each other."

Ji Nanxing: "What about finding a girlfriend?"

Xiao Ye thought about it. Compared to finding a girlfriend, being with Ji Nanxing didn't seem so important. So he said, "We'll see about that later. If I don't meet someone I truly like, I won't settle just to follow someone else's life path."

Life is short, and happiness is what matters most. Things like going to school on time, working at a certain age, and doing what's expected at each stage of life—he didn't want that. Who set these stages for life? You can't date in school, and you have to marry and have kids after graduation—it's absurd.

Ji Nanxing smiled without speaking. He hadn't fallen in love yet. Once he did and met someone he liked, he would naturally understand that while playing with brothers and friends is fun, having a partner by your side is what life is all about.

While the two were taking a nap in the room, Li Minan received a call from a friend.

"Your son is fine. He just fell, but there's nothing seriously wrong. However, he insisted on getting a scan, claiming a concussion. The doctor arranged it, and now he's still in the ward."

"I didn't show up in front of him. I just asked the doctor and told him not to say I asked. Do you need me to do anything else for you?"

Li Minan gripped his phone tightly: "No need, thanks, buddy. I'll treat you to a meal another day."

The man hung up the phone, then, still puzzled, leaned on his prosthetic limb and went back to work at the factory.

Li Minan also returned to his room, pondering everything. There was no problem, yet his son insisted on staying in the hospital. What would happen if he went?

Li Minan thought of many possibilities but dismissed them one by one. However, what he was most uncertain about was the role his assistant played in all this. Was he in cahoots with his son, or was he just being overly suspicious?

Li Minan set his phone to silent. He decided to stay in the hotel for three days. During these three days, he wasn't idle. Having built his current fortune from scratch, Li Minan was not someone who would just sit back passively.

If he couldn't trust the people around him, he would spend money to hire outsiders to solve the problem.

Li Minan had people investigate his two sons and the assistant he interacted with the most, checking their relationships and financial situations.

His eldest son was starting his own business, working on some kind of smart robot, which was very costly, but his current expenses were stable. He hadn't used the millions Li Minan had set aside for him, focusing on his small company, which seemed normal.

His younger son, however, was not normal. He was supporting a young celebrity, gifting sports cars, but couldn't afford to give away houses—the price per square meter in Yulan City is 100,000, and his family wasn't wealthy enough to give away houses without a second thought.

Besides, his younger son had just returned from the gambling city not long ago.

Although some things are still under investigation, it's a no-brainer what the talisman in his amulet of peace and his younger son's plots are about.

Li Minan never imagined that the biggest issue in his family would be his two sons' inability to get along, with the younger son hating the elder and the elder ignoring the younger. That's why he felt so envious when he saw Ji Nanxing and Xiao Ye that day.

He was an only child and never experienced the mutual support between brothers. Although his two sons are from two different marriages, they are still brothers by blood. He always thought that over time, their relationship would improve.

He never imagined that not only would the brotherly bond not improve, but even the father-son relationship might be gone.

Watching the incoming calls and messages on WeChat, Li Minan just waited quietly. After three days, he had the hotel arrange a car to take him down the mountain.

Meanwhile, Li Minan's younger son mortgaged all his properties and vehicles to pay off debts, which still wasn't enough. He even pawned some of his family's collectibles, but it still wasn't sufficient. He pleaded with the creditors to give him a few more days, saying he would have the money once his father returned.

When Li Minan returned home, his younger son was almost hopping mad, pointing at him and yelling, "I told you I was in the hospital, why didn't you come back! You didn't answer my calls! Is it because your elder son is back that you don't care about me anymore! I knew the second wife's child would never be as good as the first! Do you only remember you have a son like me when I'm dead!"

In response, Li Minan walked over to him and slapped him hard across the face.

The younger son was stunned, but as a young man in his twenties full of vigor, he couldn't just take the hit. However, just as he was about to retaliate, Li Minan threw the broken amulet of peace and the talisman on the table.

Seeing these, the younger son immediately froze in guilt.

Li Minan looked at this son he had raised and sneered, "Twenty million in gambling debts, how dare you? How dare you cast such a spell on me? Do I not remember you, or do you not consider me your father? I've never wronged you in this life, providing for your food and drink, never letting you go cold or hungry. You wanted money, I gave it. You spent money on those small celebrities, and I turned a blind eye. Li Leyang, what more do you want? Colluding with my assistant to tamper with the car, telling me you were in the hospital to trick me into coming back, then making me take the assistant's car to the hospital, what were you planning, to kill me for the inheritance?"

Li Leyang immediately refuted, but his eyes were shifty, "I didn't! You're lying! Don't falsely accuse me!"

Li Minan laughed, waved his hand, and had the security throw him out, "From today on, I have no son. I won't pursue what happened before. I've raised you until you're twenty-two. I lost my parents when I was only twenty. You're twenty-two with hands and feet, you can surely support yourself. I won't take back what I've given you before. Whether you rise to fame or beg on the streets in the future, it's none of my business."

Only when Li Leyang was being dragged out by the security did he realize the severity of the situation and immediately begged, "Dad! I'm your son! How can you treat me like this! Dad, I didn't do those things, really, I didn't. Dad, the amulet of peace was given to me by my elder brother, not me, really not me!"

Li Minan just looked up at him, "Did I say anything about the amulet of peace? Did I say the talisman was inside the amulet of peace?"

Li Leyang's face turned pale instantly. Only when he was really thrown out by the security did he start to panic. What about his remaining debts? How could his father not care about him, how could he not care? He's his father!

Li Minan sat down tiredly on the sofa, looking at the broken amulet of peace and the talisman, and with a sweep of his hand, threw them all into the trash.

He doesn't have the late-stage cancer of needing to continue the family line. If he has children, he raises them; if not, he lives the same. Without his younger son, he still has an elder son. Daring to gamble, daring to harbor murderous intentions towards him, such a son is better off without.

Li Jingheng, who had just pulled two all-nighters at the company, closed his eyes for a rest when his good friend and business partner rushed in excitedly, "Your troublesome brother has been kicked out!"

Li Jingheng frowned slightly, "Kicked out?"

Zhang Feng, sitting across from him, spun his chair and said, "Your brother, kicked out by your dad, who also declared he no longer has this son. That kid is now being chased for gambling debts, begging everywhere for money. He didn't come to you?"

Li Jingheng laughed, "What for, knowing I'd kick him out."

A brother? He doesn't have such a thing. His mother only gave birth to him, where would he get a brother from.

But how did the old man come to his senses, to be so ruthless?

Thinking this, Li Jingheng stood up, took his coat, and walked out.

Zhang Feng called after him, "Where are you going?"

Li Jingheng, "Going back to care for the lonely old man."

In the parking lot, just as Li Jingheng drove away, a man was kicked and fell onto a parking spot. The man was none other than Hong Hao, who had previously had a dispute with Ji Nanxing and the others at the hotel.

The woman who kicked him took off a tiny diamond ring that you'd need a magnifying glass to see, looked at the man on the ground with a gaze as if he were trash, threw the ring, and walked away.

Hong Hao got up and chased after her, only to be hit by the angry woman with her bag. The corners of the bag were as hard as if they contained iron rods. He never knew that such an expensive bag could hurt so much when it hit you.

The woman vented her anger by hitting him several times before she felt slightly relieved: "It's bad enough that you're seeing multiple people at the same time, but you're also bisexual. And not only that, you even harass minors? Dating a pervert like you will be the biggest stain on my life. I admit I was wrong. If you dare to bother me again, I swear I'll cut off your little thing, believe it or not!"

Hong Hao tried to defend himself: "It's really not like that, Nana, listen to me, it's really not like that!"

The woman lifted her foot and kicked him in the groin, causing Hong Hao to collapse in pain, writhing on the ground.

Looking at the man she had briefly dated, the girl named Nana felt nothing but disgust and walked away in disdain. She planned to meet up with her girlfriends for a spa day to wash away the bad vibes.

She had even considered using her family's connections to help her boyfriend, but luckily, she stopped in time before it was too late.

That kick left Hong Hao in pain for several days, and he finally couldn't bear it anymore and went to the hospital. The results were worse than expected—he had contracted a sexually transmitted infection (STI). He couldn't even remember how many people he had slept with recently, mostly random encounters at bars where they would sleep together and then go their separate ways, both men and women.

However, before he could even start treatment, the verdict from the lawsuit came down. Besides compensation, he was also sentenced to detention. Although it wasn't severe enough to be considered imprisonment, he wasn't sure if this kind of detention would leave a criminal record. If it did, his future would be ruined.