Chapter 4: Putting on a Show |
After accepting the red envelope, it was time for Yang Haoran to deal with the trouble for the client. Solving this trouble was actually quite simple, but in order for Mr. Liu to feel like his money was well spent, Yang naturally had to showcase his persuasive skills.
That meant spinning a tale, really laying it on thick!
"Liu Ge, rest assured, since I've promised that brat Guanhai, I will definitely handle your matter properly," Yang Haoran assured the man surnamed Liu.
[Tl: Ge refers to big brother; Big Brother Liu.]
Upon hearing Yang Haoran's words, a genuine smile spread across Liu's face, overflowing with gratitude.
Remaining composed, Yang Haoran gestured for Liu to stop thanking him verbally. Understanding the message, Liu immediately closed his mouth.
"Resolving this issue sounds simple, yet it's also complicated. It's simple because all you need to do is find a curtain to cover the bathroom door. Be it a beaded curtain or a regular one, as long as the door is covered, the impurities from the bathroom won't leak out," Yang Haoran explained with the air of a charlatan.
Liu looked puzzled at first, then hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but didn't dare.
Noticing Liu's reaction, Yang Haoran furrowed his brow slightly and asked, "Liu Ge, if you have something to say, just say it. There's no need to keep it to yourself. I'm here to solve your trouble, not only regarding the house but also to clear any doubts you may have. So, feel free."
Yang Haoran cursed inwardly at this troublemaker, but his expression remained unchanged as he calmly explained, "The impurities aren't ordinary gases, so conventional methods won't block them. While your bathroom door can isolate all odors inside, to block the impurities, special measures are required. And the method I just mentioned can do just that."
Liu seemed to grasp it, though not entirely. Seizing the moment, Yang Haoran continued, "The difficulty lies in needing to nail three long nails above the bathroom door. These nails seem to be for hanging curtains, but there's more to it. If you don't understand the intricacies and do it haphazardly, not only will it fail to solve the problem, but it might worsen it."
With that said, Yang Haoran, under the watchful eyes of Guanhai and Mr. Liu, rummaged through his bag. After a moment, he pulled out three ordinary-looking long nails, except for the rust marks, there was nothing special about them.
"Don't be deceived by the rust on these three nails. They're valuable items, refined through special means into Feng Shui nails. They are highly effective in countering impurities. Just nail these three Feng Shui nails above the bathroom door, and even without hanging curtains, they will block the impurities. If you do hang curtains or similar coverings, the effect will be even better!"
Fully immersed in his role, Yang Haoran carefully handed the so-called Feng Shui nails to Mr. Liu, who took them with a fearful expression, afraid of mishandling these precious items. Meanwhile, Yang Haoran continued rummaging through his bag and pulled out an item.
This time, it was a compass.
After taking out the compass, Yang Haoran inspected the wall above the bathroom door while studying the compass carefully. He continued, "The Feng Shui nails are treasures, but they need to be positioned correctly to maximize their power; otherwise, these precious Feng Shui nails will go to waste."
As soon as he finished speaking, Yang Haoran's face lit up, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Found it!"
Guanhai was puzzled, and Mr. Liu was even more bewildered. Ignoring them, Yang Haoran stowed away the compass and took out a pen from his bag. Then, he addressed the baffled Mr. Liu, "Fetch a stool."
Mr. Liu responded with a quick "Sure," and immediately fetched a stool for Yang Haoran. Yang stood on the stool and marked three spots above the bathroom door with a ballpoint pen.
"Simply nail three Feng Shui nails in these three positions; I've already checked with the compass, and these are the best spots. Only in these positions can the Feng Shui nails exert their full power!" Yang Haoran said, retracting the pen into his bag as he spoke and then stepping down from the stool.
The sound of Yang Haoran jumping off the stool startled Mr. Liu awake, who then wore a grateful smile.
"Thank you, Master Yang, thank you so much! Today, you've solved a huge problem for me," Mr. Liu said, pulling out cigarettes and handing one to Yang Haoran, lighting it himself, and then giving one to Guanhai as well. Finally, he lit his own cigarette. The three of them puffed away, filling the room with smoke.
The play wasn't over yet. Yang Haoran wouldn't play halfway; he'd play the whole game. It made spending money comfortable and collecting it even more so. Why not go all out?
Though Yang Haoran wasn't sure how much Mr. Liu had stuffed in the red envelope he placed in his bag—whether it exceeded the full package fee or fell short of half package—Yang Haoran was prepared to play the full package because he had principles.
"To be honest, Liu Ge, your house is quite nice. I wandered around earlier, seemingly looking around, but I was actually sensing," Yang Haoran said solemnly, taking a drag from his cigarette before continuing, "Sensing is about checking if there's anything dirty in your house. Congratulations, there isn't anything in your house. The only unpleasant aspect is your bathroom. As long as you follow my instructions, hammering in the three Feng Shui nails and hanging beaded curtains or regular curtains, your house will be perfect. As long as you work hard and don't wait idly, your days will surely get better. I guarantee it."
As long as one works hard, barring major illnesses or the like, days will naturally get better. But what does that have to do with these darn Feng Shui nails? However, at this point, Mr. Liu was already ensnared, believing wholeheartedly in Yang Haoran's persuasive speech. Moreover, Yang Haoran's words were pleasing to the ears. Mr. Liu chuckled happily, unable to close his mouth.
Observing Mr. Liu's reaction, Yang Haoran felt that the play had almost reached its climax and decided to wrap it up.
"It's fate that we've met. Let me carefully examine your house again to put your mind completely at ease," Yang Haoran said.
Upon hearing this, Mr. Liu became even more delighted. What was this? Was this extra service being offered?
Without wasting words, Yang Haoran, cigarette dangling from his mouth, took out the compass from his bag again. Holding the compass, he meticulously inspected the entire house, nodding occasionally in approval. This inspection unexpectedly took half an hour.
After half an hour, Yang Haoran put away the compass and let out a sigh of relief. A rare smile appeared on his face, albeit a tired one.
"I've double-checked, Liu Ge, your house absolutely has no other issues. You can truly rest easy now!" Yang Haoran, looking weary, said with a smile.
"Oh, buddy! I mean, Master Yang! Yang Ge! Thank you! Thank you so much!" Overjoyed, Mr. Liu's words became somewhat incoherent. He warmly held Yang Haoran's hand, excitedly saying, "I'll book a table at the restaurant right away. We must go now. Tonight, I must thank you properly, Yang Ge. We won't return until we're drunk!"
It was evening, just the right time for dinner. Yang Haoran initially thought to decline, feeling somewhat guilty. Taking someone's money and then eating their food and drinking their wine didn't sit right with him. However, before he could speak, Guanhai chimed in.
"Great! Alcohol is a wonderful thing! If we want to improve our bond, we must drink!" Guanhai had some scheme in mind, which Yang Haoran understood. If it were just the two of them, Yang Haoran would have undoubtedly teased and mocked Guanhai. But in this current situation, Yang Haoran couldn't do that, just as Guanhai hadn't interfered when Yang Haoran was busy with his "business."
With no other choice, Yang Haoran agreed. Mr. Liu carefully put away the three Feng Shui nails, and the three of them left, heading to their destination.
Mr. Liu drove his own car, while Yang Haoran naturally rode with Guanhai. As soon as they got into the car, before Yang Haoran could say anything, Guanhai exclaimed excitedly, "Quick, see how much Liu Ge gave you!"
Yang Haoran also had this intention. Seeing Guanhai more excited than himself, he rolled his eyes but didn't say much. He simply took out the red envelope from his bag.
Before opening the envelope, just feeling it, Yang Haoran's expression changed, followed by a bitter smile on his face. He tossed the envelope to Guanhai directly, saying, "You keep it. After all, you took on this job for me."
Seeing Yang Haoran's action, Guanhai was momentarily stunned. The fact that Yang Haoran gave him the unopened red envelope was unexpected. Guanhai knew Yang Haoran well; he wasn't usually this generous. Unless...
It seemed like Guanhai had figured something out. He picked up the red envelope and gave it a light squeeze between his fingers. His expression changed instantly.
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