Chapter 29: [A Different Price]

Chen Yan took a car to the hospital and entered Director Fang's hospital room.

He had only just pushed the door open when he saw Director Fang sitting up on the hospital bed, his expression grave.

Seeing Chen Yan come in, Director Fang immediately sat up straight and said in a deep voice, "Chen Chen Laoshi, please, have a seat. My body isn't cooperating, so I won't get up to greet you."

Chen Yan nodded, turned around and closed the door first, then slowly walked over and sat down on the chair beside Director Fang's bed.

He took a look at Director Fang — the man's complexion was actually not bad; clearly, being cared for in the hospital these past two days had helped him recover quite a bit.

"Director Fang, have you been alright these past two days?" Chen Yan asked with a smile. "Eating and sleeping should both be fine, right?"

Director Fang sighed. "It's alright. Once I was admitted here, my heart settled down quite a bit. Before, I used to wake up startled in my sleep at night, but these past two days I've actually slept decently. But I'm still anxious every day — as long as this matter isn't resolved, I can't set my mind at ease for a single day."

After a pause, Director Fang ventured tentatively, "I heard from Assistant Yan that a couple of days ago he took you to the company to have a look. But you haven't been to my home yet. These past few days you don't have your ritual tool on hand, so..."

Hearing this, Chen Yan cut in, "Director Fang, there's no need to go to your home."

Director Fang was a shrewd man and naturally knew how to read between the lines; his heart stirred. "You mean… Chen Chen Laoshi has already found where the problem lies?"

"Mm," Chen Yan nodded.

He straightened up a little and said slowly, "I told you before — the root of your matter isn't in that villa."

Director Fang's heart stirred. He already believed this about seventy or eighty percent. The words that Uncle Qing from Luoyun Studio had used when reading his fortune were different from this young man's.

But after going through this incident, Director Fang naturally trusted the man before him even more.

He thought for a moment, then said, "The ritual done at the villa was useless — of course I believe what you say. So where exactly is the problem?"

"Director Fang, you have to promise me one thing first. Otherwise, I can't easily step in on your matter."

Chen Yan put forward this request, and Director Fang immediately said, "No problem! If Chen Chen Laoshi is willing to step in, whatever the request is, I'll definitely cooperate!

If it's about the price…"

Chen Yan shook his head. "Don't rush to talk money. Listen to the matter first. If you can do it, then I'll say more."

Director Fang felt even stranger in his heart, but he nodded repeatedly. "Go ahead, go ahead!"

"I came to see you today — this matter stays between just you and me. I don't want a third person to know.

Even if that person is Assistant Yan.

To be blunt, Director Fang — I've found the crux of your problem, and I can resolve this matter for you.

But this matter requires you to keep it secret, to keep your lips sealed. You can't let anyone know I have anything to do with it, and even less let anyone know it was me who stepped in.

Assistant Yan doesn't know much as it is. You just need to tell him I didn't calculate any result, and that I won't be getting involved in this matter anymore — just say that to him.

Also, tell Assistant Yan to keep his mouth shut. It's best that the two of you having sought me out — none of this is told to anyone else.

As for anything more, I imagine Director Fang knows some of the rules yourself and shouldn't be too loose-lipped."

Director Fang's heart was pounding as he listened, but he had been in business for many years, and after reading the room, he understood the matter was no simple thing. "Alright! No matter what, anything involving you, Chen Chen Laoshi, I'll keep locked inside and never let slip!

I'll also tell Xiao Yan not to be loose-lipped — Xiao Yan has been with me for years; he's the most cautious sort of person, he absolutely won't blabber."

Chen Yan nodded. "Then I'll say it." He deliberately paused for a moment, then said slowly, "Director Fang, the reason you've been having a run of bad luck recently is that you've touched some things you shouldn't have touched."

"What object is blocking me?" Director Fang immediately understood.

He thought briefly, then blurted out, "The thing — it's at my company?"

This wasn't hard to deduce — after all, Chen Yan had once gone to the company with Assistant Yan, and after that he hadn't gone to Director Fang's home.

Following that line of logic, and now that Chen Yan was saying he'd already found the root — wasn't the problem obviously at the company?

But as for exactly what it was that shouldn't be touched, Director Fang couldn't guess.

He had once asked Assistant Yan about the process of taking Chen Yan to the company that day, but Assistant Yan told Director Fang that this Chen Chen Laoshi had looked at many things at the company and hadn't said there was any problem.

To Director Fang's question, Chen Yan didn't answer, but said slowly, "Throw out everything in your office — I imagine Director Fang isn't short on money; some ordinary trinkets that are just worldly possessions, throwing them out shouldn't hurt too much, right?"

Director Fang immediately nodded. "No heartache! No heartache! I'll go back and have people clear out my office completely! Not a single sheet of paper left — throw everything out and replace it!"

Chen Yan nodded, slowly reached into the pocket of his jacket and took something out, gently placing it on Director Fang's bedsheet, but didn't let go — just held his hand lightly over it.

Director Fang glanced at it — it was a stack of paper talismans.

"There are four paper talismans here. Take them and place them in your office — the four corners, east, south, west, and north. Each corner gets one. You can tuck them into the ceiling panels, or press them inside books — however you place them is fine; the main thing is just to make sure it's the four corners, east, south, west, and north."

These four talismans were ones Chen Yan had drawn at home the day before — they were the very simplest kind for warding off evil and turning misfortune to fortune, and their effect was quite ordinary.

But then again… as long as Director Fang didn't go burning that kind of sandalwood incense with additives in the future, this thing actually wouldn't even be needed — it was just to give Director Fang some peace of mind.

Going through with the whole act, after all.

Director Fang didn't know what was drawn on the talismans, but he could at least recognize the goods, and immediately nodded. "Good, good, good! Many thanks to Chen Chen Laoshi for bestowing the talismans!"

Saying so, Director Fang reached out to take the talismans, but Chen Yan merely smiled faintly and didn't move his hand.

Director Fang was startled, but immediately caught on and quickly laughed, "I didn't know the etiquette!"

He thought briefly, then said, "Chen Chen Laoshi, although we didn't talk much last time we met, I roughly understand your temperament.

Let's not beat around the bush.

I've looked at our rental contract — it's signed for two years.

You've already paid half a year's rent, with a year and a half remaining — that's eighteen months."

Saying so, Director Fang struggled to turn his body and pulled an envelope out of the drawer of the bedside cabinet.

"Inside here is the original rental contract." Director Fang paused. "I also had someone pay a year and a half of property management fees — the receipt is inside too.

All these things are for you.

This apartment — just go ahead and live there with peace of mind. I, Fang Mou, won't take a single cent; consider it my payment for your trouble.

What do you think — is that alright?"

Chen Yan's heart stirred — he understood what Director Fang meant.

How to put it — Fang Fang Zong looked quite generous, but… he wasn't a fool who gave things away blindly.

Between the lines, although he hadn't said it outright, the meaning could be savored.

The apartment was being given to him to live in for free, no more rent collected.

But it never said to live there forever.

They signed; the contract is for two years, and the property management fee has also been paid for a year and a half—plus the half year just paid a few days ago, the property management fee is now exactly paid for two years.

The meaning is clear: live for free for two years.

Calculating it, aside from the half year's rent already paid when renting the place himself.

The remaining year and a half of rent amounts to 270,000. They also paid a year and a half of property management fees, which is 54,000.

Director Fang, in one go, has effectively spent over 300,000.

Plus the 100,000 previously paid for his own compass.

The total is already over 400,000.

Not stingy, but not lacking in shrewdness either.

Chen Yan nodded, released the talisman, then took the envelope and tucked it into his chest.

"Chen Chen Laoshi," Director Fang, seeing Chen Yan had accepted the items, felt a sigh of relief in his heart, took the stack of talisman papers, pinched them in his hand, and spoke again: "I have another doubt I wish to ask you to clarify. You said something in my company is hindering me... I wonder which item it is?

When I have people clean up, I can clear it out thoroughly."

Chen Yan said indifferently, "It doesn't matter. Just move everything out of your office and replace it all; naturally, everything will be fine."

Seeing Chen Yan wouldn't say, Director Fang was stunned for a moment.

But he was a smart man; after a brief thought, his expression suddenly changed!

He understood Chen Yan's meaning!

This chubby Director Fang suddenly squinted his eyes, lowered his voice: "Does Chen Chen Laoshi mean... it is inconvenient to say openly?"

Chen Yan sighed, pointing a finger at the hospital room door.

"Director Fang, you are a businessman; you should understand the rules.

This matter is... just like you, getting your leg broken by someone outside, then being sent to the hospital for treatment.

The hospital is only responsible for healing your broken leg; these things are their duty.

If you want the hospital to help you catch the thief who broke your leg...

Then that exceeds the hospital's duty. You shouldn't find this meaning hard to understand, right?"

In Director Fang's squinting eyes, a flash of ferocity suddenly appeared.

Hoarsely, his tone also becoming sharp, he said: "Listening to Chen Chen Laoshi's meaning, it is not that I, Fang Mou, suffered bad luck and accidentally touched something I shouldn't have.

But rather... human malice?"

Chen Yan shook his head and said nothing.

Director Fang pondered Chen Yan's earlier words and suddenly understood.

Understood! This young man had obviously seen through something.

The reason he refused to say it openly was just as he stated.

I sought him to change my fortune, so he only handles changing the fortune.

Anything more...

That is a different price.

And... asking me to keep it secret, he probably also doesn't want to offend anyone.

Thinking of this, Director Fang perked up.

"Chen Chen Laoshi, if it is human malice, there are only a thousand days of being a thief, never a thousand days of guarding against thieves.

If this matter is not resolved by finding out who the enemy is, I will be unable to sleep or eat in peace; perhaps if one scheme fails, they will devise a new one to harm me.

Rest assured, I understand the rules!

I will pay another 200,000; do you think this number is acceptable?

Just guide me; I don't need you to take action yourself. I am simply buying a word from you, an answer.

Moreover, only you and I will know; I will absolutely not let a third person know you guided me."

Chen Yan thought for a moment: "Fine. Then remember, I never came today."

"Yes, we never met today," Director Fang readily agreed.

As Chen Yan spoke, he stood up, first took out his phone, and opened the system...

Director Fang did not hesitate either, taking out his phone as well.

In less than two minutes, Chen Yan received a bank SMS here; 200,000 had arrived.

Chen Yan nodded, then leaned over and quickly whispered two words in Director Fang's ear:

"Sandalwood."

After speaking, Chen Yan said coldly: "Remember your words, Director Fang. We never met today."

Then, he turned and left.

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