Chapter 25

Chapter 25
Xie Yubo failed to coax him and instead had a piece of gold confiscated; he didn’t dare approach Shang Yange during the flight.
In the past, whenever someone tried to appease me with gold, I was always delighted.
Could it be that there isn’t enough?
Xie Yubo recalled the heavy chests of gold ingots from his past life, each about half the size of a palm.
The tyrant might have had many flaws, but the gold ingots he sent every day after court were always large and plump. In comparison, the Golden Guanyin seemed somewhat slender and small.
Xie Yubo nodded in deep agreement. Thus, after disembarking from the plane, when Shang Yange took him to the Xie family home to pack his belongings, Xie Yubo, with a pained heart, crawled under the bed and retrieved two gold bars.
I still need to work hard to earn more money; this tiny stash isn’t even enough to cover Mr. Shang getting angry twice.
After obtaining Xie Chenbo’s consent, Wang Ping also decided to move into the Shang family residence. He helped Xie Yubo pack clothes and books—not much overall—mainly because Xie Yubo’s fortune-telling tools absolutely couldn’t be discovered.
Xie Yubo stuffed all the talisman papers into his schoolbag, leaving the rest in Uncle Wang’s car trunk, daring not to bring them into the Shang household.
While Shang Yange went to fetch the car, Wang Ping quietly asked Xie Yubo, “Young Master, are you really going to live together with Mr. Shang?”
In his understanding, Xie Yubo would relish the freedom of being alone, undisturbed by anyone while he practiced fortune-telling.
Xie Yubo’s hand clutching his schoolbag stiffened. After a moment of reconsideration, he spread his hands and said, “I made him angry; there’s nothing I can do about it.”
“Are you ready?” Shang Yange knocked on the door.
“Ready.” Xie Yubo walked over and, like a gambling god revealing his winning hand, flicked two fingers to magically produce two gold bars. “Here are two more for you. Please don’t be angry anymore, okay?”
Shang Yange had largely lost the desire to ask where the gold bars came from; as far as he knew, Xie Chenbo had no habit of buying gold bars for his younger brother to play with.
Thus, President Shang asked, “Who gave you these this time?”
Xie Yubo replied without hesitation: “Boss Wang sent them.”
Shang Yange suspected that if he kept up his stern expression, Xie Yubo would simply produce a whole pile of gold bars and meticulously list which boss had gifted each one.
How could he be so utterly endearing?
“Shall we go? Do you need to bring a chef?”
“No need.”
In just one night, Shang Yange’s downtown villa underwent a dramatic transformation: solid wood furniture was replaced with soft upholstered sofas, impractical ornaments like vases were all stored away in the basement, and the rectangular dining table gave way to a round one. The first-floor bedroom was assigned to Xie Yubo; since there had originally been only one bedroom on that level, the CEO’s own room was relocated upstairs to a converted tea room.
Every sharp corner was padded with safety guards, as if preparing the house for a toddling little child.
Seeing this, Xie Yubo finally realized just how urgent his mission of pretending to be blind had become.
Moved yet determined, he shut off his Heavenly Eye, becoming a truly blind man.
That evening, members of the Xie family took turns calling to ask if Xie Yubo was adjusting well to his new life.
Eldest Brother Xie said, “Little brother, the layout of Shang Yange’s villa is different from ours; be careful when walking. Otherwise, I’ll return home tomorrow…”
Xie Yubo: “Thank you, big brother. There’s no need; life is very convenient here. Please focus on your work without worry.”
Xue Jing: “Little Bo, have you been eating well? Is anyone serving you food at meals? Should I send another housekeeper who knows your taste preferences over there?”
Xie Yubo: “I eat my fill every day. Brother Shang is very skilled at serving dishes.”
Second Brother Xie: “Ahem, I will arrange to return to the country as soon as possible.”
Xie Yubo’s interactions with his second brother were limited to phone calls, so he merely responded with a reserved “hello.”
Xie Chenxing is a neurologist who has been pursuing advanced studies abroad and enjoys a stellar reputation. It was he who personally visited dozens of major hospitals to discuss surgical options for Xue Jing, comparing various approaches before finalizing the plan.
Whenever Dr. Xie spent time with his family, casual conversations often inevitably turned to discussions about life plans.
Xue Jing didn’t state things directly; instead, she casually mentioned that “Second Brother might be dating,” then subtly probed whether he had found anyone during his long stay abroad, adding that skin color didn’t matter.
What was infuriating was that after Xie Chenbo found out, he specifically called in the middle of the night to tease, “Mom’s about to undergo surgery; it’s natural for her to feel nervous. It would be best to find a topic to distract her. I think your major life event is perfect for this, so don’t avoid it.”
Xie Chenxing suspected this was a coordinated tactic, but he had no evidence.
Xie Chenxing tactfully asked, “Could you help clarify things for Second Brother?”
Xie Yubo countered, “Isn’t it true, though?”
Concerned about the accuracy of the Imperial Astrologer’s divination, Xie Yubo momentarily forgot his second brother’s true intentions.
Surely this Imperial Astrologer won’t fail again?
Xie Chenxing: “…”
“Second Brother?”
Xie Chenxing murmured softly, “Let’s put it this way: working in neurology makes it rather easy to encounter lunatics.”
Especially for the highly skilled and strikingly handsome Dr. Xie; even the simple act of raising his hand to drink water, the silhouette of his waist revealed as his white coat lifted, had already filled the photo albums of countless nurses.
Xie Yubo wore an expression of sympathy. As someone who could be considered half a colleague to Xie Chenxing, he knew all too well how exasperating unreasonable patients and their families could be.
With Second Brother facing such difficulties at work, he surely had no mind for romance. Could it be that this Imperial Astrologer has made a mistake?
Xie Yubo could investigate once more, but he had already inadvertently used his ability to probe his brothers’ privacy when verifying the phone last time; unless absolutely necessary, he preferred not to do so again.
Xie Chenxing added, “If that lunatic deliberately acts up, it’ll be far too easy for others to notice.”
It simply couldn’t withstand any scrutiny.
Xie Yubo widened his eyes: “I get it now, Second Brother! You’re trying to hide that lunatic—no, I mean, you’re trying to hide Second Sister-in-law!”
Xie Chenxing said, “No, I didn’t say that.”
Xie Yubo called Xue Jing: “Mom, I misspoke at the airport last time. Second Brother is definitely not in a relationship.”
A knock came at the door, followed by Shang Yange’s voice: “Time for milk.”
“Come in.”
Shang Yange spent the entire day consumed by baseless jealousy, only finding peace while warming milk for Xie Yubo.
Watching Xie Yubo drink the milk, Shang Yange strangely found a sense of serene happiness in this moment of quiet domesticity.
“Goodnight, Brother Shang,” Xie Yubo said, setting down his milk cup, a ring of milky white residue clinging to his lips.
Shang Yange grabbed a tissue to wipe Xie Yubo’s mouth; perhaps due to the dim lighting and Xie Yubo’s exceptionally fair skin, President Shang couldn’t quite distinguish between the milk stains and his natural complexion, ending up rubbing Xie Yubo’s lips until they turned red.
Xie Yubo suspected that President Shang suffered from a degree of night blindness.
..
Su Changfen, the principal of No. 2 Middle School, had become exceedingly laid-back after experiencing two campus public opinion crises. For a principal who found himself in the spotlight so frequently, mastering the arts of hiking, enjoying nature, and nurturing one’s health was essential.
On this day, he went fishing at a secluded wild lake in the suburbs, where few visitors ventured. There used to be a fishing platform here, situated about a meter above the water’s surface.
Principal Su had always been unlucky when it came to fishing, but today he started off with a crucian carp the size of a palm, which filled him with excitement.
Suddenly, the float bobbed, and the tip of the fishing rod was dragged underwater. Su Changfen jumped up excitedly to reel it in, but rising too quickly made him dizzy. Combined with the fierce struggle of the large fish in the water, Su Changfen, a man weighing 160 jin, plunged headfirst into the lake.
“Help—!”
The winter lake water was bone-chillingly cold. Su Changfen couldn’t swim; after struggling a couple of times, his clothes became completely soaked, dragging him heavily down into the deeper water.
Su Changfen recalled how, at the autumn opening ceremony, he had repeatedly emphasized that middle school students were forbidden from swimming or bathing in streams and lakes, even making them sign safety responsibility forms. Who would have thought that since becoming principal, with all students behaving obediently, the first person to fall into the lake would be him?
Dying like this would surely be utterly humiliating.
Su Changfen flailed up and down in despair, when suddenly he felt his body grow light; an unexpected warmth surged from somewhere within him, and he began to slowly float on the water’s surface.
All those twenty years of cultivating such high-quality fat weren’t wasted after all!
Just as he was attributing this miracle to his fat reserves, he discovered that merely moving a finger caused his body to drift automatically toward the shore.
He was certain it wasn’t the waves pushing him; earlier, while fishing, a withered leaf had fallen onto the water’s surface and hadn’t drifted even ten centimeters in half an hour.
Su Changfen stumbled ashore in a daze. Only when he felt the relief of surviving a near-death experience and the biting cold penetrating his body did he dare believe that the Black and White Impermanence hadn’t been coming to claim his soul just moments before.
He hurriedly ran back to his car and turned on the heater. Suddenly struck by a thought, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a yellow talisman.
It was surprisingly the only thing on his person that remained dry, and also the inexplicable source of warmth he had felt on his body.
Su Changfen felt he needed the help of the “Approaching Science” program. This talisman was trash he had picked up at the botanical garden; after returning home, he hung his clothes in the entryway and forgot to throw it away. Today, when he went out fishing, he deliberately wore an old shirt.
Something even more incredible happened: Su Changfen watched with his own eyes as the talisman in his hand gradually became wet, as if realizing only now, with a delayed reaction, that he had fallen into the water.
Su Changfen couldn’t help but connect this to the legendary “haunting” of the botanical garden. Could it be that long, long ago, some master passed through here and used this talisman to suppress the evil spirits within the garden?
Then, will he be in trouble if he picks it up?
Su Changfen immediately drove back to the school, changed into a spare set of clothes in his office, and headed to the botanical garden.
By now, the botanical garden had undergone extensive renovation, bearing no resemblance to its original appearance; students loved strolling here after classes.
Does it seem like nothing’s wrong?
Perhaps his eyes had played tricks on him just now?
..
With his guardian keeping a tight rein on him, Xie Yubo decided to resume his campus business.
Even a small-scale venture brings in money, but Xie Yubo hadn’t anticipated that his market would be completely usurped by someone undercutting his prices by half.
The person selling talismans in imitation of Xie Yubo was named Wang Pan; their talismans were identical, and the naive students gradually defected to the cheaper option.
Some people suspect that Xie Yubo’s health-boosting talismans were merely coincidental, as the flu has passed and even those who didn’t buy the talismans have recovered; they therefore believe their own robust constitutions simply allowed them to heal a step ahead.
Since the talismans are identical in every detail, why not buy the cheaper ones for peace of mind? Moreover, ever since they purchased Wang Pan’s talismans, their lives have been smooth and carefree, proving that if talismans truly work, Wang Pan’s are just as effective.
Liu Fei slammed the table in shared indignation: “Boss, he’s gone too far! He’s basically making money by stepping all over you.”
Displaying sharp business acumen, he added: “Boss, how about we launch some new products?”
Xie Yubo: “No need.”
He had expended his own spiritual energy, yet sold it for a mere four thousand yuan—like giving away cabbage—while someone else took the opportunity to swindle these naive innocents out of thirty thousand.
Unless he created some major spectacle to show everyone who truly possessed real ability, but doing so would inevitably alert his teacher.
Still, he decided to meet this Wang Pan in person and demand the money back.
Students are too easily deceived, so Xie Yubo decided to stop doing business on campus.
“Boss! Great news, great news! Someone in Class Five bought a talisman, felt cheated, and wanted a refund. Wang Pan refused, but the buyer had a recording of the transaction and reported it to the homeroom teacher.”
The study committee member rushed over with the good news. He had purchased and studied Wang Pan’s talismans; they never generated any heat. In contrast, during the flu outbreak, whenever a patient sneezed at Xie Yubo, his talismans would warm up slightly once.
That warmth was nearly imperceptible; only the study committee member, whose attention to detail was as fine as a hair, noticed the difference across the entire grade.
Liu Fei broke into a grin of long-awaited vengeance: “Satisfying!”
Xie Yubo’s heart skipped a beat; something felt wrong.
Sure enough, a minute later, the class monitor rushed in, panting heavily: “Bad news, Boss! Wang Pan has ratted you out. He claims he learned it from you and that you’re selling at a higher price.”
“The homeroom teacher is waiting for you to come over.”
Liu Fei asked cautiously, “Boss, do you want me to accompany you?”
“Thank you.”
Xie Yubo was dragged by Liu Fei into the office, where both homeroom teachers had already teamed up to reprimand Wang Pan, ordering him to write a self-criticism, summon his parents, and refund all the money to his classmates.
Reduced to tears by the scolding, Wang Pan regained a sliver of confidence the moment he saw Xie Yubo.
Having experienced the efficacy of Xie Yubo’s talismans firsthand through classmates from Class Two, he couldn’t understand what exactly he had done wrong by selling identical copies.
Wang Pan expected Xie Yubo to say a few words and vindicate their talismans.
Xie Yubo did not disappoint, maintaining an exceptionally calm expression.
Wang Pan wiped away his tears and waited quietly for an explanation. He hoped Xie Yubo would produce some evidence, thereby saving him as well, so he wouldn’t have to issue refunds.
Xie Yubo said, “Teacher, I was wrong. Could you please not call my parents?”
Seeing Xie Yubo admit his mistake so decisively, the homeroom teacher of Class Seven patted Wang Pan on the shoulder. “Look at his attitude. Go back to class now, and have your parents come to school tomorrow.”
As he left, Wang Pan cast a look of utter shock at Xie Yubo.
With only the homeroom teacher and Xie Yubo remaining in the office, the teacher spoke kindly yet with absolute certainty: “That is not possible.”
My mother is currently undergoing surgery,” Xie Yubo said sorrowfully. “She cannot afford to get upset.
“Your brother—”
“My brother is abroad.”
“Your new guardian—”
Xie Yubo shook his head. “He’s so fierce.”
Xie Yubo had a hunch that must never be revealed to President Shang.
However, the homeroom teacher firmly believed that only by summoning parents would these audacious students truly reflect on their actions.
He stated, “It must be done.”
Left with no other choice, Xie Yubo played his trump card: “Teacher, when you were eleven, you set off firecrackers that exploded the school’s septic tank. Your homeroom teacher demanded your parents be summoned, so you bribed Old Wang from next door with an ice pop to impersonate your father and fool the teacher. Putting yourself in others’ shoes, surely you understand how unpleasant it feels to have one’s parents called in.”
“How did you know?” The homeroom teacher, suddenly confronted in middle age with a past misdeed, wore an expression of sheer astonishment and discomfort.
Just as he was about to speak, the principal suddenly entered.
Upon seeing Xie Yubo, Su Changfen immediately showed heightened interest, prompting the homeroom teacher to promptly recount the entire incident in detail.
Xie Yubo arched an eyebrow and glanced at Su Changfen, their eyes meeting squarely.
The talisman at the botanical garden was personally drawn by Xie Yubo; back then, he had not yet chosen to create commercial talismans.
Just now, he sensed a ripple of spiritual energy—it turned out the principal had used Xue Sibo’s life-preserving talisman.
After hearing the full account, Su Changfen felt a jolt run through him: another talisman!
He suddenly recalled the composition class when he saw Xie Yubo’s scribbles, which resembled ghostly talismans, and realized they bore a striking resemblance to that very talisman.
—Because Xie Yubo had also written words like “tyrant” and “idiot” in his composition notebook.
Su Changfen calmly waved his hand: “Teacher Zhao, go attend to your duties; I’ll handle this matter.”
“Alright, thank you, Principal,” the homeroom teacher thought to himself. The young master Xie clearly held a different significance for the principal; even a trivial matter warranted the principal’s personal intervention.
Xie Yubo and Su Changfen faced each other in silence for three seconds before Xie spoke first: “Principal, didn’t you just fall into the lake?”
Su Changfen felt he couldn’t stay calm: “You know?”
Xie Yubo: “I also know that you picked up my talisman in the botanical garden.”
Su Changfen’s legs hadn’t trembled when he climbed out of the lake, but now he had to drag over a chair and sit down. This seasoned social operator was as flustered as a greenhorn: “Student Xie, what… what do you mean?”
“My talisman saved your life. In return, keep this matter secret. Don’t let my family find out—not even my new guardian.”
Su Changfen, who had long sought investments from Xie Chenbo and feared a potential fallout, hesitated. “Let me think about it.”
He still couldn’t quite believe it.
Xie Yubo asked, “After you emerged from the lake, was the talisman still dry?”
Su Changfen’s psychological defenses finally crumbled. “How do you know how to draw talismans?”
“A secret. However, if the principal has any friends in need of fortune-telling, matchmaking, feng shui consultations, or exorcisms to ward off evil spirits and protect their homes, they can all come to me. The only condition is that you must not tell my family.”
Xie Yubo eagerly promoted his services.
“…You certainly offer quite an extensive range of services.”
No wonder Confucius refused to discuss supernatural phenomena, violent forces, chaos, and deities. Su Changfen fell into deep thought for a minute, carefully recalling the details from the lake. The more he thought about it, the more cold sweat broke out across his body. Fearing that refusing Xie Yubo might cause him to die yet again, he finally said, “I can agree to your terms, but you—”
“I will no longer sell anything related to superstition at school.”
“That’s good.” Su Changfen felt relieved. “I’ll speak with your homeroom teacher.”
“Thank you, Principal,” Xie Yubo said with a bright smile. “If you ever need my services, feel free to contact me. My fees are quite reasonable.”
Sitting alone in his office, Su Changfen kept wiping sweat from his brow, overwhelmed not only by the shock and fear brought on by supernatural phenomena but also by the pressure of concealing matters concerning the Xie family.
I’m afraid I won’t be able to casually ask Xie Chenbo for money anymore.
His phone vibrated in his pocket; Su Changfen answered, “Hello?”
“Where are you? Didn’t we agree to go fishing together? I’m here, but where are you?” his friend complained. “My luck’s been terrible lately—one accident after another at the construction site. I came out fishing to drown my sorrows, and you’re the only one available, yet you stood me up.”
Almost as if possessed, Su Changfen replied, “Drown your sorrows? I’ve got a high school student right here…”
His friend cut him off in anger: “What kind of ridiculous idea is that? Even if I were desperate, I’d never keep a high schooler as a mistress. If this got out and became a social scandal, our stock price would crash into snowflakes.”
Su Changfen felt utterly frustrated. Do I really look that much like a pimp?
..
After school that evening, Xie Yubo went to the pedestrian bridge again. This time, he didn’t take any customers; instead, he stood quietly on the bridge for ten minutes, lost in thought as he watched people coming and going.
Uncle Wang inexplicably felt that the young master was heartbroken, scratching his head in confusion, unable to figure out why.
Could it be that business at the bridge has turned sour, making it a place of sorrow for the young master?
“Young Master?”
Twilight descended, and Xie Yubo snapped back to reality: “Let’s go.”
This was his last visit to the Sky Bridge. Perhaps there existed somewhere in the world even more akin to the Golden Terrace than this place, but he might never find it.
His phone rang. Xie Yubo answered; Shang Yange asked where he was now.
“Middle Road of the Railway Station.”
Shang Yange closed the proposal, picked up his suit jacket, and said, “Wait here for me. Ten minutes.”
Lin Bei followed behind President Shang to tidy things up, organizing the documents that needed to be taken home for processing that evening.
He had a hunch: President Shang was about to trade gold futures.
Tsk, tsk. Stocks no longer satisfied the domineering CEO.
Shang Yange went to the gold shop first, retrieved his reserved items, and placed them in his car.
Xie Yubo stood obediently under the overpass waiting for Shang Yange. Exactly ten minutes later, not a second more or less, he saw Shang Yange’s car approaching.
Xie Yubo felt that his Heavenly Eye was acting strangely today; amidst the bustling streets filled with traffic, it seemed he could only see Shang Yange’s license plate number.
Uncle Wang opened the door for Xie Yubo, then got into his own car to follow behind.
As soon as Xie Yubo got into the car, he noticed a rectangular box about twenty to thirty centimeters long beside his seat.
Shang Yange gripped the steering wheel, eyes fixed ahead, and said in a flat tone, “Open it. It’s for you.”
Xie Yubo opened the box, and the contents inside nearly blinded him.
He struggled hard to suppress the smile tugging at his lips, fingers tightening around the box as he feigned surprise and asked, “What is this?”
“Gold brick.”