Ye Huohuo's heart stirred when she heard Li Mohan say, "The smoke coming out from inside is going to get on you."
She quickly detached the ashtray from its fixed rack, disregarding its dirtiness, and directly inverted it onto the ground, patting it firmly.
She emptied everything inside, cigarette butts of all brands, and ashes, all of which she dumped onto the ground. A gust of wind scattered them everywhere, turning the previously clean smoking corner into a mess.
The air was filled with the scent of smoke, but it seemed to carry something different.
Li Mohan frowned, watching her, "What exactly are you doing?"
Ye Huohuo didn't speak, and ignoring the filth of ashes and cigarette butts inside the bucket, she reached in to rummage.
Puffs of smoke assaulted her nostrils, making her eyes water, but she persisted. Finally, her hand paused, and she looked up, a look of joy on her face, "Found it!"
Just as she spoke, she pulled something out from within. It was palm-sized and covered in ash.
"What is this?" Li Mohan took a few steps closer, peering at it for a long time without recognizing anything.
Ye Huohuo's lips curved into a triumphant smile, "They hid this so well; it almost got away with it."
"This is?" Li Mohan took out a tissue from his pocket, using it to pick up the item and examine it carefully.
It was a small bronze statue. After wiping off the floating ash, they could clearly see it depicted a small, fierce-looking ghost with bared fangs and raised claws.
"This..."
Li Mohan looked again, and Ye Huohuo, with extreme speed, emptied the remaining four ashtrays. Each one contained a similar small bronze ghost.
"Five Ghosts Transporting Wealth technique! And an enhanced version," Ye Huohuo said with a cold smile, looking at the five little ghosts placed on the cement platform.
"What's the use of this?" Li Mohan didn't understand.
"These are placed in your company as a feng shui formation called 'Five Ghosts Transporting Wealth.' In the past, some unscrupulous practitioners of the mystical arts would use these ghosts to steal gold, silver, and jewels from wealthy families at night. This is commonly known as 'Five Ghosts Transporting Wealth.'
However, with the continuous advancement of society, people rarely keep money at home; most of it is in banks. For large companies like yours, wealth generates more wealth, and fortune can no longer be described merely by money.
Therefore, what the five ghosts transport is no longer tangible money, but luck and fortune.
From an individual's fortune to a company's fortune, it can all be transported away. Companies whose fortune is depleted will experience continuous accidents and a sharp decline in business."
Ye Huohuo explained in detail.
"No wonder you said before that someone had tampered with our company. These people are truly cunning, hiding it here. If it weren't for you, it would have been hard to discover," Li Mohan rarely praised someone.
Ye Huohuo accepted the compliment readily, "It's also thanks to your reminder; otherwise, I would have been fooled too."
"What?"
"You said I was almost choked by the smoke! Normally, cigarette butts are extinguished. Even if there's a lingering ember, it wouldn't produce so much smoke.
Clearly, it wasn't smoke from cigarette butts, but incense someone had burned inside, using the smell of cigarettes as a cover. I didn't even smell it at first," Ye Huohuo rubbed her nose.
She had forgotten that she had just rummaged through the trash with her hands, which were dirty. As a result, she had smudged ash onto the tip of her nose, making her look like she had a black nose, which was rather comical.
Li Mohan watched her, a smile appearing in his eyes. He took out a handkerchief and gently wiped her nose.
His attitude was gentle.
Ye Huohuo looked at his earnest gaze focused on her nose, her heart filled with a mix of bitterness and sweetness.
Thinking of the person in his heart, she quickly turned her face away and wiped her nose with her sleeve, "It's okay, I can do it myself."
Her gaze flickered, afraid to meet Li Mohan's eyes again.
She repeatedly warned herself, *Ye Huohuo, control your heart!*
Li Mohan's hand, holding the handkerchief, remained suspended in the air for a long time before slowly lowering. Seeing Ye Huohuo's apparent resistance, he felt a bit confused. Everything had been fine before; what was happening now?
Ye Huohuo adjusted her emotions. She tied the five bronze ghosts together with red thread, heads down, and placed them on the rooftop. She then wound red silk threads around them and arranged five copper coins around the little ghosts.
Taking out a blank yellow talisman paper from her bag, she used her special lipstick, dipping her finger in the red cinnabar, and drew on the paper with swift, dragon-like strokes.
In less than a minute, a talisman paper with an extremely intricate inscription was ready.
"I didn't expect to encounter this situation. This reversal talisman had to be drawn on the spot, but my success rate is very high, don't worry!" Ye Huohuo explained briefly, her pretty little face full of confidence.
Li Mohan looked at Ye Huohuo at that moment, as if she were shining. His gaze became fixed on her, unable to move away.
Ye Huohuo stood before the array of inverted little ghosts, stepping on the Big Dipper pattern, chanting incantations. The talisman paper was held between her right index and middle fingers.
After completing her steps, she stomped her right foot heavily on the ground, "Open!"
As she uttered the word "Open," the talisman paper between her fingers ignited by itself. The flames rose from bottom to top, appearing as if they were burning her fingers as well.
Li Mohan wanted to intervene, but Ye Huohuo glanced at him, stopping him with her eyes. That glance seemed to carry thunder, commanding respect even without anger, forcing him, a magnate who ruled the business world, to halt his movement.
In that moment, Ye Huohuo seemed transformed, as if possessed. The same small face became so stern, even severe, that it was intimidating.
But after the talisman paper finished burning, Li Mohan saw that her hands were unharmed, and she had returned to normal, appearing like a young girl again, without the fleeting thunderous power from moments before.
Li Mohan blinked. Perhaps he had imagined it.
At this moment, the strong wind on the rooftop suddenly stopped. For an instant, the surrounding air seemed to freeze.
But in that brief moment, everything returned to normal.
However, Li Mohan noticed something different.
"Why did the wind direction suddenly change?"
Li Mohan was very meticulous. He noticed this detail that most people would miss.
Ye Huohuo smiled and shook her head, "Mr. Li, if you didn't have such a large business, I would really urge you to become my junior and join our profession! Your insight is unparalleled in my experience."
"So, the change in wind direction means the situation has reversed?" Li Mohan asked again.
"That's right. You'll see the results soon," Ye Huohuo replied with great certainty.
Before she finished speaking, Li Mohan's phone rang.
As soon as he answered, his assistant's excited voice came through, "Mr. Li, the matter is resolved. the public opinion has been suppressed. Following your instructions, not only was that employee fired, but relevant management personnel were also punished. We've also apologized to all customers and asked for their supervision from today onwards.
We've established a public reporting platform, welcoming supervision from all customers. Any similar situations will be handled with utmost seriousness. Once this statement was released, it not only garnered forgiveness from the vast majority of netizens but also received a series of positive reviews.
They said we have a sincere attitude and are a trustworthy company. The stock has already started to rebound steadily, and the shareholders have returned!"
Ye Huohuo listened, her heart filled with emotion, but Li Mohan merely replied, "Got it!" His voice showed no hint of surprise, as if everything was within his expectations.
"You... why are you so calm? You don't seem happy at all!" Ye Huohuo finally couldn't help but ask.
Li Mohan's expression was unchanged. He looked up at a white cloud in the distance, "There's nothing to be excited about. After experiencing great storms, these things have become commonplace! However, thank you."
Ye Huohuo looked at his chiseled profile, and she began to understand his words. It was true, a university graduate, barely in his twenties, had to single-handedly support a faltering company.
He must have faced countless storms and challenges, both internally and externally. At that time, it must have been incredibly difficult for him. No wonder he didn't like to smile. Perhaps after enduring so much, nothing could startle him anymore, nor could anything truly make him happy!
She couldn't help but recall what he had said earlier about Ru Yan. Had she accompanied him through those difficult years? If she had been there to support him through that time, would he remember her as he remembered Ru Yan?
For the first time, Ye Huohuo envied a woman she had never met.
Just as they were both lost in their thoughts, a "clang!" sound of something falling to the ground broke their reverie.
Ye Huohuo's brow furrowed as she saw what had fallen.