A family member's death, a string of misfortunes, and even the involvement of a fox spirit.
Meng Guohui's predicament was rather peculiar, and the situation was more complex than Yan Shouyi had anticipated. It seemed unlikely they could resolve it all in a single night.
He frowned and said, "Let me take a look at Mr. Meng's palm for now."
Meng Guohui expressed surprise, "Mr. Yan, you can read palms as well?"
Long Feicheng declared with immense pride, "Mr. Meng, to tell you the truth, what I used to know were just parlor tricks from wandering the streets. But my brother Yan here possesses genuine abilities. Fortune-telling, physiognomy, bone reading, feng shui – he excels at them all. Many people beg him for his services, yet he rarely agrees. It's only because I know Mr. Meng to be a good person and that you've encountered trouble again that I've implored brother Yan to help."
While Long Feicheng's words were somewhat exaggerated, the shrewd businessman Meng Guohui didn't believe them entirely. However, he noticed that despite Yan Shouyi's youth, his attitude was serious, and he hardly mentioned money. This led Meng Guohui to believe that Yan Shouyi was more reliable than the feng shui masters he had encountered before.
If Yan Shouyi were a fraud or solely after money, his attention wouldn't be entirely focused on resolving the issue. He would likely try to extract benefits from Meng Guohui, such as persuading him to buy useless talismans at a high price.
Thus, Meng Guohui extended his right hand. "Mr. Yan, please take a look."
Yan Shouyi reminded him, "Left for men, right for women."
"Oh! Right!"
Meng Guohui quickly switched to his left hand.
Yan Shouyi peered closely, his brows furrowed in thought.
Meng Guohui asked nervously, "Mr. Yan, is there something wrong with my palmistry?"
Yan Shouyi shook his head. "Your palmistry shows the three palaces of wealth, fortune, and prosperity to be full, indicating the foundations of wealth and nobility. You were born with a fortunate destiny. Your main lines are deep, long, clear, and strong, and the human line trends upward. By rights, you should not have lost your wife!"
Mention of his deceased wife brought a shadow of sorrow to Meng Guohui's eyes. "My wife was healthy in the past and rarely fell ill. But two years ago, her condition took a sharp turn for the worse. We sought medical help everywhere, but no one could provide a clear diagnosis. I watched her grow weaker by the day, my heart wracked with pain. In the end, I couldn't bear it any longer and brought her home from the hospital. I stayed by her side in the old house we rented when we first got married, accompanying her as she breathed her last..."
Perhaps sensing some emotional resonance, Long Feicheng patted Meng Guohui's shoulder and offered him a cigarette.
Yan Shouyi, however, remained more pragmatic. He analyzed, "Mr. Meng currently faces three issues: first, the painful loss of his beloved wife; second, entanglement with a fox spirit; and third, a continuous string of bad luck. As for the fox spirit, I can't quite figure it out yet. But based on your palmistry, it's impossible that you would have lost your wife at this time, nor should your recent fortune be so dire. I suspect... there is something else behind all this."
"I've told you everything I know," Meng Guohui said.
"Of course, I'm not implying that Mr. Meng is intentionally concealing anything. After all, we are here to resolve problems," Yan Shouyi explained. "What I mean is, perhaps someone is manipulating things behind your back."
Long Feicheng suddenly interjected, "Brother Yan, are you suggesting... that Mr. Meng's wife did not die naturally?"
At these words, Meng Guohui's expression shifted. Anger flickered in his eyes, and his voice deepened.
"If that were true, I would surely make the person who caused my wife's death pay with blood! Mr. Yan, Young Long, I entrust this matter to you two. I will cooperate unconditionally. Please, get to the bottom of this!"
Long Feicheng thumped his chest. "Rest assured, Mr. Meng, my brother and I will handle this!"
But Yan Shouyi pulled Long Feicheng aside and said gravely, "Don't agree too quickly. What if things don't go as planned?"
"No way, Brother Yan, are there things you can't handle?" Long Feicheng chuckled.
"Human hearts are complex things, and the truth might not be what Mr. Meng wishes to see. If that's the case, uncovering the truth might not be the best outcome," Yan Shouyi stated.
Long Feicheng didn't think much of it. "Brother Yan, we're just doing a job for money. Uncovering the truth is what matters. Whether the outcome is good or bad is Mr. Meng's concern, not ours."
"You have a point..."
After careful consideration, Yan Shouyi decided to help.
Just then, a group of people burst into the nightclub's private room. They were men in suits, appearing somewhat aged, and exuding an air of authority in their movements and speech.
The man leading them was tall and thin. Upon entering, he walked directly to Meng Guohui, displaying great concern.
"Mr. Meng, why are you drinking here again? You must pull yourself together. Our company's operations cannot afford to be without you!"
Meng Guohui glanced at the man and introduced him to Yan Shouyi and the others, "This is Ding Li, our company's vice president."
Meng Guohui's introduction was subtle. He introduced Ding Li to Yan Shouyi and the others but not the other way around.
This action signaled for Yan Shouyi to pay attention to Ding Li.
Given Meng Guohui's recent string of misfortunes and the fox spirit's involvement, if he were to fall, the greatest beneficiary would naturally be Ding Li, the company's vice president. Therefore, Meng Guohui's suspicion was not unfounded.
Seeing Yan Shouyi and Long Feicheng dressed ordinarily, Ding Li paid them no mind, focusing solely on Meng Guohui.
"Mr. Meng, you've had too much to drink. Shall I drive you home to rest?"
Meng Guohui, smoking a cigarette, pondered for a moment. "Alright. Take them along as well."
"Them?" Ding Li asked, confused as to how individuals like Yan Shouyi and Long Feicheng, who appeared to be penniless youths, had gotten involved with Meng Guohui.
Long Feicheng reacted quickly, displaying a simple, honest smile. "We're Mr. Meng's relatives, his nephews. Uncle passed away, and we came to see her off."
Meng Guohui did indeed come from humble beginnings. When he first arrived in Rongcheng, he was just an unsophisticated young man working odd jobs. He gradually became a contractor and eventually founded his own company, becoming a respected figure in the real estate industry.
Ding Li knew that it wasn't strange for Meng Guohui to have relatives from the countryside.
Therefore, he didn't suspect anything and let Long Feicheng help support Meng Guohui as they walked downstairs, eventually ushering Meng Guohui into an Audi A8.
Standing outside the car, Ding Li thought for a moment and then asked, "Can you two drive?"
Yan Shouyi and Long Feicheng exchanged glances. As Long Feicheng was about to say they could, Yan Shouyi stopped him. "We can't."
"Alright then, I'll drive." Ding Li showed a hint of impatience towards Yan Shouyi and Long Feicheng and unhappily got into the driver's seat.
Long Feicheng quietly asked Yan Shouyi, "Brother Yan, why did you stop me?"
"This Ding Li is indeed suspicious," Yan Shouyi said in a low voice. "He carries a faint scent of fox, indicating he must have come into contact with the fox spirit recently."
Long Feicheng was startled. "Could it be that Ding Li is the mastermind behind it all, and he sent the fox spirit to harm Mr. Meng?"
"It's possible. That's why I didn't let you drive. If something unexpected happens on the way back, we can both disengage and react in time."
"Brother Yan, you really think of everything!"
Long Feicheng got into the passenger seat, planning to keep an eye on Ding Li.
Yan Shouyi, meanwhile, went to the back seat to sit with Meng Guohui.
Although Meng Guohui had been drinking, he was still coherent. As Yan Shouyi entered the car, Meng Guohui stared at him until Yan Shouyi nodded subtly. Only then did Meng Guohui take a deep breath and look straight ahead.
Ahead, in the driver's seat, was Ding Li.