"Alright, let's get together again another day!" Liu Kaichen said no more.
"Mhm, call me if anything comes up!" Liu Yifeng hung up without waiting for a reply, and the call ended automatically a moment later.
On the road, Liu Yifeng's mind was filled with what Wan Hui had told him.
Tongtong, seeing his father's pensive expression, asked with concern, "Daddy, what are you thinking about?"
Hearing his son's question, Liu Yifeng suddenly remembered something.
He recalled that Old Master Zhao had said that Tongtong's master not only understood astronomy and geography but also knew feng shui, divination, and could predict the past and future. Had he taught Tongtong these things?
With this thought, he hurriedly asked, "Tongtong, there's something Daddy wants to ask you. It's okay if you don't know."
"What is it?"
"This noon, a general manager from a five-star hotel told Daddy that the houses in the old town will be demolished in a few months, and he wanted me to buy property there, so I could earn a considerable demolition fee. But Daddy doesn't know if it's true, so I've been debating whether to buy a house there."
"The old town?" Tongtong's eyes grew thoughtful upon hearing this.
Liu Yifeng dared not disturb him. He had only asked casually, not really placing his hopes on Tongtong. After all, Tongtong was still so young. Even if his master had imparted all his knowledge to Tongtong without reservation, Tongtong might not have been able to absorb it all.
But clearly, he had underestimated his son. Tongtong's terrifying abilities were far beyond his imagination.
After a while, Tongtong gave him a clear answer: "Daddy, there won't be any demolition in that area for three years!"
Liu Yifeng was a little surprised. "Oh? Tongtong, how do you know there won't be any demolition?"
"Because I can calculate it. I know the city's plans for the next decade and more," Tongtong said calmly, as if it were the most normal thing in the world. He had no idea his words could drive so many people to madness.
Liu Yifeng's heart pounded, and his grip on the steering wheel unconsciously tightened. He suppressed his inner excitement and asked, "Tongtong, can you tell Daddy how you calculated that? What's your basis?" If Tongtong truly knew the city's plans for the next decade, wouldn't his life be like having a cheat code?
"The old man who taught me said that everything in this world is destined and prearranged by heaven. Humans are chess pieces, manipulated by God, and every move they make is on the board. He also said I'm naturally different, so he opened my 'heavenly eye,' allowing me to see everyone's future if I wish. But the old man warned me not to pry into others' lives unless absolutely necessary, or I would face divine retribution. However, for something like city planning, I think it's acceptable to look. It's just that I'm still too young, and my abilities are limited, so I can only see parts of the plan."
Liu Yifeng, who had been maintaining a semblance of composure, could no longer stay calm. He feared that his excitement might lead him to speed recklessly. He quickly pulled the car over to the side of the road and applied the handbrake. Then, looking at Tongtong, he asked excitedly, "Tongtong, since you're so amazing and know that the old town won't be demolished, do you know of any other places that will be?"
Tongtong didn't speak but closed his eyes. Countless fast-forwarded images flashed through his mind, making him dizzy and giving him a headache. Tongtong clutched his head, his face contorted in pain, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. This terrified Liu Yifeng. "Tongtong, what's wrong?"
After a few minutes, Tongtong, looking weak, looked at his father and said softly, "Daddy, the houses in the delta area will be demolished in two months!" With that, he fainted.
Liu Yifeng, scared, immediately drove Tongtong to the nearest hospital. Although he didn't know why Tongtong had suddenly fainted, he guessed it was related to him asking Tongtong to predict where demolition would occur. Just as Tongtong had said earlier, one should not privately pry into others' lives, or they would face divine retribution. Although Tongtong wasn't looking at a specific person's destiny, it was still an act of revealing heavenly secrets. He was too foolish to make Tongtong do something so against the natural order. With this realization, he blamed himself and vowed never to let Tongtong predict the future again, letting things unfold naturally.
He quickly reached the hospital, rushed into the lobby with Tongtong in his arms, and loudly called for a nurse to help. A nurse appeared with a mobile stretcher and took them to the emergency room. After the doctor's examination, the results showed that Tongtong had fainted due to overexertion of his brain, and he would recover after some rest. However, the doctors and nurses were puzzled as to how such a young child could overexert his brain.
Hearing that Tongtong would wake up soon, Liu Yifeng breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at his son, still unconscious, he held Tongtong's hand tightly, feeling fear for the first time. "Tongtong, it's Daddy's fault. I shouldn't have asked you this. Daddy promises I won't ask again. Even if things change in the future, I will never again ask Tongtong to reveal unknown and impending events."
Soon, Tongtong woke up as the doctor predicted. Seeing his father's red eyes and tear-streaked face, Tongtong asked curiously, "Daddy, what happened to me? Why are you crying? A real man doesn't cry."
Seeing Tongtong awake, Liu Yifeng hurriedly asked, "Tongtong, do you feel unwell anywhere else?" Tongtong shook his head. "Tongtong is fine, Daddy doesn't need to worry!" The little one, who hadn't blamed him at all, made Liu Yifeng feel even more guilty. "Tongtong, it's all Daddy's fault. I shouldn't have asked you about the future and made you reveal heavenly secrets, causing your body to be overloaded and faint. From now on, Daddy promises not to ask you these things again."
Tongtong smiled dismissively. "As long as Daddy is happy, I'm willing to do anything for you."
"Tongtong, you must be the most well-behaved and sensible child in the world. Having you as my son is enough for Daddy in this life." Liu Yifeng had already decided not to have any more children, as he didn't want Tongtong to feel unloved if he had another child.
After resting in the hospital for a while, Tongtong felt much better, and his complexion became rosy. At first, when Tongtong suddenly fainted, he had been greatly alarmed, thinking Tongtong had fallen ill! It was also this incident that made Liu Yifeng realize how important Tongtong was to him. Although Tongtong had only been with him for a short three months, his fatherly love for him was no less than anyone else's, and he would even risk his life for him. He had been too greedy, wanting to exploit Tongtong's precognitive abilities for immense profit, not realizing he had nearly harmed his son. Fortunately, Tongtong was fine, only having fainted; otherwise, he would have lived the rest of his life in regret and self-reproach.
After settling the hospital bill, Liu Yifeng took Tongtong home. It was already half-past six.
"Why are you back so late? Didn't class finish at four-thirty?" Liu Chunsheng asked Liu Yifeng as he saw the two return.
"Grandpa, Tongtong has been away for so long, did you miss me?" Tongtong, not wanting his grandfather to know about his fainting, hugged his grandfather's leg tightly, diverting his attention.
As expected, Liu Chunsheng stopped asking. He chuckled and picked Tongtong up. "Of course, Grandpa missed you. Was kindergarten fun?"
"There were many children at kindergarten, and the teacher played games with us. It was very fun," Tongtong said, hugging Liu Chunsheng's neck and sharing stories about kindergarten, completely forgetting how he had cried and refused to go in at the kindergarten gate that morning.
"It's good that it was fun. As long as Tongtong is happy, Grandpa is happy. Grandpa made a lot of delicious food for you. Go wash your hands and eat," Liu Chunsheng said, putting Tongtong down.
Upon hearing about delicious food, Tongtong scampered off to wash his hands. Although Tongtong possessed high intelligence, he was still a child at heart, liking food and play, but this did not detract from his special talents.
The next day, Liu Yifeng took Tongtong to kindergarten and then delivered the vegetables to the back gate of the kindergarten. He didn't rush home but drove to the delta district that Tongtong had mentioned. This district was slightly better economically than the old town. However, it was still much the same. The delta area was close to the river, and many houses dated back to the 1980s. If these houses were demolished and replaced with residential buildings, they would become riverside apartments, naturally increasing their value.
He drove around the delta, observing that the houses there were similar to those in the old town, mostly self-built, with some owners adding one or two floors to the existing structures to rent out for more income. The only advantage over the old town was the absence of a garbage dump nearby, thus no unpleasant smells. Since Tongtong had said this area would be demolished within two months, he had to seize this opportunity, as there might not be such chances in the future. After all, he would never ask Tongtong to reveal such information again. This time, however, he had to make the most of the opportunity. If he were to find a bargain, he would find a significant one, as this was a sure-win business.