Chapter 201: It

Li Ye, Hao Jian, and Jin Peng waited bored in the living room, staring at a statue of Guanyin.

Let me say this: Master Huang must be very famous on Hong Kong Island—his standalone villa is lavishly decorated, and every piece of furniture inside is anything but ordinary.

Just as Li Ye was about to use the half-baked knowledge he'd picked up from Old Song to determine whether the Guanyin statue was authentic, Master Huang's assistant came down the stairs.

"Gentlemen, please go upstairs! Master Huang is in a particularly good mood today and is willing to read your fortunes."

"Really? That's wonderful!"

Hao Jian immediately jumped up in excitement, only then noticing that Li Ye hadn't moved from the sofa.

"Little Ye, aren't you coming with us?"

Li Ye shook his head and waved them off, telling them to go ahead on their own.

Seeing Li Ye had no interest, Hao Jian and Jin Peng couldn't press him—he was a member, after all!

The assistant glanced at Li Ye and explained in Cantonese: "Sir, Master Huang rarely gives impromptu readings. Mr. Pei already booked six months in advance, so this opportunity is extremely rare."

"No thanks!"

Li Ye waved them off again, and the assistant gave him a cold glance before leading Jin Peng and Hao Jian upstairs.

After they entered, Pei Wencong paused slightly in surprise but said nothing.

Then, as Master Huang performed the reading for the two men, he repeated the exact same procedure he'd used for Pei Wencong earlier.

He furrowed his brow, cast multiple divination coins, and flipped through ancient family texts on fortune-telling and physiognomy.

After a long while, Master Huang suddenly turned to Pei Wencong with irritation: "Mr. Pei, these two are not the people you described. Are you unaware of the truth—or are you deliberately hiding something?"

Pei Wencong was stunned inside but kept smiling: "Why do you say that, Master?"

Master Huang tossed the divination book aside and said coldly: "Although these two gentlemen have different destinies from yours, their life paths are identical—you both share the same benefactor."

Pei Wencong stared at Master Huang in shock, his emotions, just now calmed, surging wildly once more.

Earlier, Master Huang had told Pei Wencong that his destiny was peculiar: a benefactor from the north would grant him four decades of great fortune.

This was utterly absurd—such a destiny wasn't just unheard of; it was something no one had ever even heard of before.

Then Pei Wencong had claimed that this "benefactor" from the north was right outside.

Master Huang had initially wanted to go downstairs himself to greet the guest, but he held back, still somewhat puzzled—had some celestial anomaly disrupted his divination?

But now that Jin Peng and Hao Jian had come upstairs, and without him even speaking, Master Huang had already deduced these two were not the "benefactor."

"Mr. Pei, although your fortune is currently flourishing, remember to keep your heart upright and treat others with sincerity. Otherwise, fate is unpredictable—you might lose your fortune halfway."

Master Huang's tone had grown distinctly cold. People in this profession despise deception—even if Pei Wencong's fortune was soaring, he wasn't afraid. After all, he was a renowned physiognomist on Hong Kong Island with plenty of high-society connections.

Pei Wencong quickly said: "No, Master, there were actually three people from the north this time. One is still very young—I'm not entirely sure about him."

"What does youth have to do with fortune?"

Master Huang stood up and headed straight downstairs; everyone hurried after him.

The assistant waiting by the stairs was utterly shocked—Master Huang hadn't personally greeted a guest in years, except for a few wealthy clients, let alone someone from the north.

When they reached the ground floor, they saw Li Ye standing in front of the Guanyin statue, examining it from all angles.

Pei Wencong was about to call out to Li Ye, but then he saw Master Huang—who had just moments ago been cold and distant—now walking over with a radiant smile.

"Friend, are you fond of this Guanyin statue?"

Master Huang spoke in Mandarin.

Li Ye turned around and smiled: "Oh, I was just looking. It looks quite nice."

Master Huang immediately said: "Then it's yours. I've kept it here for a long time, waiting for someone destined to receive it—and today, I've finally found that person."

Assistant: "."

Pei Wencong: "."

The assistant was stunned because he knew this statue had only been placed there last month—it certainly wasn't "a long time."

Pei Wencong was stunned because he was mentally screaming: "What the hell? Are you coming down here to read his fortune—or to steal mine?

You just went through all that effort—were you calculating my fortune, or your own?"

Everyone's fortune is finite—if you take more, someone else gets less, right?

But before Pei Wencong could figure out what to do, Master Huang was already chatting with Li Ye.

As they talked, Master Huang offered to cast a divination for Li Ye.

Li Ye was indifferent, but when Master Huang asked for his birth details, he replied he didn't know—he'd never been told the exact hour by his family.

Since the time is missing, there's no need to report the eight characters!

Li Ye was cautious here—he'd read too many supernatural stories in his past life, and some of them were downright terrifying.

Master Huang said nothing and simply asked Li Ye to shake the coins.

Li Ye casually shook the copper coins six times, and Master Huang recorded the results in order.

Then Master Huang began his calculation.

At first it was fine, but as he continued, he started sweating.

He stared at Li Ye's face, then looked down to calculate, then looked up again, repeating this cycle endlessly, until he finally fell silent—yet his fingers were frantically moving as he counted.

Watching his speed, Li Ye wondered if he'd spent forty years celibate to master this skill.

Everyone held their breath—they all knew Master Huang had encountered an extraordinary hexagram.

But as his face grew redder and redder, unnaturally so, Li Ye couldn't help thinking: "Is he about to perform a ritual? Summon a deity or get possessed?"

The moment this thought crossed Li Ye's mind, Master Huang's eyes rolled back, and he collapsed suddenly to the floor.

「.

Everyone froze for several seconds before the assistant screamed.

"Call an ambulance! The Master's having a heart attack!!"

The living room erupted into chaos—the female assistant gave him medicine and water, while Pei Wencong, drenched in sweat, called for an ambulance.

Jin Peng was also helping, though he was only helping with his mouth.

"I'm telling you, this isn't a heart attack—I think he's had a stroke."

"Drop the whirlwind" was a local dialect term for "stroke"—meaning something went wrong in the brain.

But Hao Jian just stared fixedly at Li Ye, his knees trembling as if he were about to kneel and hug his legs.

Many people in Qingshui County said Li Ye had received a dream from the Old Locust Tree Spirit; others claimed he was the Celestial Scholar incarnate—this guy was a god!

Li Ye looked at the Master, foaming at the mouth on the floor, then at the Guanyin statue, feeling deeply disappointed.

That Guanyin statue was truly magnificent—the Master had promised to give it to him. Now how could he bring it up?

。。。。。。。

The ambulance arrived quickly. Pei Wencong pulled a thick wad of cash from his wallet and handed it to Ah Min—easily tens of thousands of Hong Kong dollars.

"Ah Min, take Mr. Li on a tour of Central—show him places like the Grand Hyatt. I'll take Master Huang to the hospital."

Ah Min took the money and whispered: "Boss, the cost of visiting the Grand Hyatt isn't included, but wouldn't it be inappropriate for them to go there?"

Pei Wencong waved his hand: "Whether they want to go is one thing; whether we invite them is another. We must treat people with sincerity."

Ah Min glanced at his boss, searching his eyes for that familiar "painful sting" of spending—but all he saw was generosity and excitement.

【Finally, you stingy boss has woken up! If you earn money but won't spend it, what's the point of being a boss?】

But after accompanying Master Huang's assistant to the hospital, Pei Wencong stayed only briefly before slipping away.

He hailed a taxi, tossed a hundred-dollar note at the driver, and urged him to speed all the way to Luo Runbo's Jinbo Financial Consulting.

Upon entering, he blurted: "Bo, I want to trade Hang Seng Index futures too—just like Mr. Li."

Luo Runbo, watching Pei Wencong panting for breath, poured him tea: "Ah Cong, after nearly ten years, why are you still so impulsive? If you hadn't quit your job back then, you'd have been rich by now!"

"You're talking about me? Aren't you the same?" Pei Wencong mocked. "If you'd been willing to lick boots back then, wouldn't you be richer than Leung Ka Shing?"

「.

"Hahahaha!"

The two burst into laughter, and after a long while, Pei Wencong said seriously: "My impulsive decision back then was absolutely right—and today's is too."

"Alright, I'll take your order. But brothers are brothers, business is business—I'll give you a 30% discount on commission. You know the risks of trading Hang Seng Index futures—if you get liquidated, don't…"

"Ugh, you jinx! Stop nagging—can't you say something nice?"

"There are rules in every profession! I have to explain everything clearly."

Luo Runbo didn't waste more words—he pulled out the contract and told Pei Wencong to fill it in himself.

When he reached the section for entrusted capital, Pei Wencong wrote: 490, 00 Hong Kong dollars.

Luo Runbo frowned and muttered: "Who's been feeding you superstitions again? Why 490, 00? Just put 500, 00—it's simpler."

But Pei Wencong replied: "Better safe than sorry. For certain people and certain things, you must always show reverence."

Li Ye had invested 500, 00—Pei Wencong felt it was wiser to invest slightly less.

Besides, this money was originally meant for a new Mercedes—but now, maybe it could buy him a Rolls-Royce and a mansion on the hillside.

。。。。。。。

The next morning, Jin Peng and Hao Jian woke up early, ate breakfast, and sat quietly waiting for Pei Wencong to pick them up.

But five minutes past the scheduled time and Pei Wencong still hadn't arrived, so they stood by the window, craning their necks to look outside.

Behind them, Li Ye put down his magazine and said calmly: "What, impatient? The Grand Hyatt doesn't open for business in the morning."

「.

"No, no, we didn't want to go back to the Grand Hyatt… hehe."

"Exactly! We already saw it yesterday—no need to go again. You've got the wrong idea, Little Ye."

"Hmph~"

Li Ye smirked disdainfully: "We can observe and study the decadent luxury of capitalism—but we must never become addicted to it. Understood?"

"Got it got it got it got it got it~"

The two nodded repeatedly, as obedient as elementary school students.

Yesterday, that Ah Min took them to Da Fu Hao, and it completely overwhelmed them.

The scene, the decadent luxury of capitalism, opened their eyes wide.

At first, they were hesitant to go in, because Li Zhongfa had sternly warned Jin Peng.

But Li Ye didn't care—he wanted to see this one of Hong Kong's important cultural landmarks—so the two gathered their courage and followed him in enthusiastically.

So who is Boss Li?

Do you expect a street boss and a speculating middleman to have Li Zhongfa's iron will?

Seeing no sign of restraint from Li Ye, their strict teachings were long forgotten.

When your sister drags you into singing and dancing, how could two kids ever have experienced such a taste?

Once they grabbed a dancer's hand and danced two rounds, all their inferiority and reserve vanished.

Here, money is the boss.

If it weren't for Li Ye, that Liu Xiaohui, standing nearby as an obstacle, those two novices to sugar-coated bullets might have indulged yesterday.

"I'm going out for a cigarette."

"Me too, me too."

The two waited until past nine, and when Pei Wencong still hadn't arrived, they went out together for cigarettes.

"Sigh, Old Hao, you think today we'll switch to a different place for observation and study?"

"Who knows? And it all depends on Little Ye's mood—we're just bodyguards."

"You're right. It's always Little Ye who takes us."

After indulgence came regret; the two mulled it over and decided they should pin the blame on Li Ye.

After all, he's tall—he can take the hit.

At 9: 0 a. ., Pei Wencong finally arrived.

But today he didn't mention visiting or touring anywhere—he requested a private meeting with Li Ye.

After closing the door, Pei Wencong pulled out a contract.

"Mr. Li, after some thought, I find your profit-sharing proposal from the day before yesterday reasonable, but my publishing house has other operations, so calculating profits from this project is complicated."

"I suggest we jointly establish a company dedicated solely to managing 'A Song of Ice and Fire.' Any future collaborations will also be operated under this company's name."

"Oh? Do you have any issue with the three-seven profit split?"

"No issue," Pei Wencong smiled. "You're the boss of this new company; I'm just a shareholder."

Li Ye was slightly surprised—he'd already planned to set up a company in Hong Kong, but hadn't yet mentioned it to Pei Wencong, who had already arranged everything for him.

His actual bottom line had been four-six; given the current situation, nearly everything in Hong Kong would rely on Pei Wencong—he needed some incentive to work hard.

Yet Pei Wencong suddenly surrendered, as if willingly handing himself over, clean and obedient.

【What's the reason?】

Li Ye paused, then asked Pei Wencong: "Mr. Pei, what did that Master Huang tell you about your yearly fortune yesterday?"

"..."

Pei Wencong blinked, then said: "I can't tell you—once you speak it, it loses its power. Hehe."

Li Ye studied Pei Wencong closely, his piercing gaze pressing against his face, making Pei Wencong awkwardly smile and turn his head away.

On Pei Wencong's face, Li Ye saw anxiety, even a touch of fear—but mostly anticipation.

"How is Master Huang doing?"

Pei Wencong finally twisted his mouth, slowly shaking his head, saying not a word.

"Alright, let's find a law firm and sign this contract."

"Sure. I know several lawyers—Luo Runbo is one. Mr. Li can choose whoever he likes."

Pei Wencong exhaled and stepped out of the hotel with Li Ye.

As they passed a newspaper stand around the corner, Li Ye glanced casually—and spotted news about Master Huang on a newspaper.

"Oh~! Sorry! This isn't my fault."

(End of Chapter)