The Sun family’s villa was located just over a thousand meters from Wang Yong’s home, on the edge of North City Park, right next to the Fu’an residential complex in the northern part of the city. This area was known as Xiangyang Villa Cluster, home to hundreds of villas spread across more than ten acres. Though modest in size and belonging to the lower to middle class of villas, the location was exceptional. With small bridges, flowing streams, ancient trees offering shade, and far removed from the noisy streets, it was a tranquil, picturesque place filled with birdsong and floral fragrance—a perfect retreat for cultivating one’s mind and body. This was precisely why Old Man Sun insisted on settling here in his twilight years. Of course, another reason was the traditional sentiment of returning to one’s roots in old age.
Xiong Ying had been here before and led Shui Miao effortlessly into the villa cluster.
Shui Miao had never visited before. As he gazed at the old-style villas, he felt that although they weren’t luxurious, they carried a familiar charm steeped in ancient elegance.
For some unknown reason, Shui Miao felt a special fondness for this community and everything in it.
“We’re here. It’s the one right ahead.”
Xiong Ying patted Shui Miao’s shoulder and signaled him to stop the car.
After parking, Shui Miao followed his grandfather’s gaze and saw a villa ahead, its iron fence completely covered in vines. This villa was larger than the surrounding ones, but it looked abandoned—its entire structure covered in grime, like an ancient building worn by time.
“Hmm?”
Xiong Ying had barely glanced at it before frowning deeply.
Shui Miao turned to look at his grandfather, whose expression grew increasingly serious. Before Shui Miao could ask what was wrong, Xiong Ying quickly strode toward the villa.
The large iron gate was secured with a thick chain. The gate was rusty, yet the chain was brand new. Inside, weeds had overtaken the yard, and dry leaves and waste paper were scattered everywhere. As Shui Miao approached, he suddenly saw a whirlwind rise within the courtyard, carrying debris and moving straight toward the gate.
“Step back!”
Xiong Ying immediately reached out to shield Shui Miao, pulling him back a step.
Then, Xiong Ying stepped forward in a pattern resembling the Seven Stars, his hands flipping as if conjuring something. In an instant, he held a small bronze bell. As the bell rang with a crisp, tinkling sound, the whirlwind instantly dissipated.
Xiong Ying glanced at the villa a couple more times, said nothing, and simply turned around, pulling Shui Miao away with him.
Had they just encountered a ghost?
Seeing his grandfather’s grave expression, Shui Miao dared not ask questions and quietly followed him, pushing his bicycle.
After exiting through the west gate of the villa cluster, Xiong Ying pointed to a stone bench by the road and said in a calm tone, “Go sit over there. When people come later, don’t speak out of turn. When it’s time to eat, eat only when told. When it’s time to drink, drink only when told.”
“Okay…”
This was serious business, and Shui Miao naturally knew better than to speak recklessly—what shouldn’t be said, wouldn’t be said.
Behind the stone bench was the park, a vehicle-free zone known for its quiet comfort. Many elderly people often came here to walk, chat, and exercise, so the benches were always clean. Shui Miao leaned his bicycle against the bench and quickly sat beside his grandfather, eager to ask what had just happened. But his grandfather wore a solemn expression, frowning deeply in thought. After waiting five or six minutes, Xiong Ying finally snapped out of his contemplation. Seizing the moment, Shui Miao asked anxiously, “Grandpa, Grandpa, what was going on just now? We’re more than a hundred steps away from the villa, so can I ask about it now?”
“Oh? Seems like you know quite a bit!” Xiong Ying looked at Shui Miao with surprise. In the past, he had always taken Shui Miao along, but Shui Miao had never spoken up. Xiong Ying had assumed it was because the boy was too young and too innocent. But now, it was clear that Shui Miao had been listening carefully, learning attentively, and had already acquired a great deal of knowledge.
Shui Miao scratched his head and smiled, “The more I know, the less you have to teach me, Grandpa.”
“Don’t give me that cheeky grin and smart talk,” Xiong Ying shot him a sidelong glance before sighing softly, “You’ve really grown up during these three years away. I used to think you were too honest for your own good, but now I can finally breathe easy—no one’s going to make a fool out of you anymore.”
Indeed, Shui Miao had been a quiet boy before, known in the village as an honest and unfortunate child.
No one expected that after three years of venturing out into the world, he would change—becoming more mature and clever.
Hearing his grandfather’s words, a wave of emotion surged through Shui Miao. Who would know the hardships he had endured when he first left home? The trials and tribulations he had faced at the bottom of society forced him to adapt and change, or else the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Seeing Shui Miao fall silent, Xiong Ying gently patted his shoulder and comforted him, “Fate is important, but effort is even more so. When your cultivation deepens enough, perhaps you can even defy fate and change your destiny.”
“Yes, I will work hard!” Shui Miao nodded firmly.
Xiong Ying smiled slightly and continued, “Inside that villa is a very powerful malevolent spirit. I observed the aura for a while and found that the problem with the villa doesn’t lie in its feng shui, but rather…”
“Hail! Master Xiong! I finally found you!”
A strange man’s voice suddenly interrupted Xiong Ying.
Following the sound, Shui Miao saw a young man with slicked-back, oily hair running toward them.
The young man looked prosperous and well-fed, dressed in designer clothes—clearly the son of a wealthy family.
But why would the son of a rich family be so humble and polite? And calling him “Master Xiong” with such respect…
In Shui Miao’s mind, the rich usually avoided associating with the poor unless they needed something from them.
Xiong Ying tapped his own temple slightly, somewhat uncertainly asking, “You… you’re Sun Jihong, right? Sun Jijun’s younger brother?”
“Yes, yes, yes! Master, you have a great memory. I’m Sun Jihong.” The young man extended his hand to shake Xiong Ying’s. “I just got a call from Wang Yong saying you were here. Unfortunately, my older brother Sun Jijun has urgent matters to attend to and couldn’t come personally. He sends his apologies. But rest assured, Master, if you can help us resolve our feng shui issues, I will personally take care of the payment.”
The Sun family was wealthy, and their payments were always reliable. Xiong Ying had no concerns about that.
However, there were certain details Xiong Ying needed to clarify before he could proceed.
“Hehe, payment isn’t urgent,” Xiong Ying waved his hand. “Just now, I took a look, and the problem with that villa is huge…”
Xiong Ying wanted to ask more, but before he could even start, Sun Jihong cut him off again.
“Master, let’s skip the formalities. My older brother said, as long as you can resolve the villa’s issue, we will pay you 100,000 yuan.” Sun Jihong spoke of 100,000 yuan as casually as if it were 100 yuan.
Wow, they’re really rich!!
Shui Miao’s heart raced. He had worked hard for three years and barely earned 30,000 yuan. Now Sun Jihong casually raised the offer from 50,000 to 100,000 yuan with just a few words—could he have misheard?
“100,000…”
But to Shui Miao’s shock, Xiong Ying shook his head. “The problem with your family… even 100,000 yuan might not be enough.”
Hearing this, Shui Miao felt his heart rise to his throat. What was his grandfather doing? Was he really turning down 100,000 yuan!?
“Fine then, Master, name your price.” Sun Jihong paused slightly.
Seeing Sun Jihong’s reaction, Xiong Ying frowned slightly, calmly stroking his beard before narrowing his eyes and saying, “This isn’t about money…”
“Then what is it about?” Sun Jihong responded anxiously.
Xiong Ying paused, then asked, “Who lived in the villa before? How long ago did they leave? What happened while they were there? I need to know all of this.”
“Well… my older brother knows the details. I… I’ll call him to ask…”
Sun Jihong hesitated, his earlier nonchalance now replaced with stuttering.
At this point, even Shui Miao sensed something was off.
Observing Sun Jihong’s reaction, Xiong Ying narrowed his eyes, suddenly stepping forward and grabbing his hand. “Don’t call yet. There are still some things I don’t fully understand. Why don’t you take us inside the villa first? I still need to get back for lunch.”
“Uh…”
Sun Jihong hesitated for a moment before quickly saying, “Right, right! Let’s have lunch first. No rush to check the villa. My father won’t be back for a few days anyway. Let’s eat first—I’ve already booked a hotel. Master, please don’t be shy. I’ll go get the car now. Wait for me at this corner.”
Without waiting for Xiong Ying to respond, Sun Jihong quickly turned and ran off to fetch his car.
Watching Sun Jihong disappear into the distance, Xiong Ying let out a cold chuckle and muttered to himself, “Just as I suspected. Neither of these brothers is trustworthy.”
“Grandpa, what do you mean by that?” Shui Miao asked, puzzled.
Xiong Ying waved his hand, signaling Shui Miao to push the bicycle, and as they walked, he said, “Kid, do you really think they’ll just hand us the money once we fix their problem?”
“They’re so rich, wouldn’t they just pay?” Shui Miao felt there was more to his grandfather’s words.
“It’s hard to say…” Xiong Ying shook his head. “In my opinion, they might give us the money, but they’ll find a way to take it back—and maybe even take our lives with it. Of course, it’s not just about money. There are secrets involved. If we uncover them, they won’t be able to sleep soundly anymore.”
“Grandpa, I don’t get it. He doesn’t seem like that kind of person.” Shui Miao couldn’t believe Sun Jihong could be so ruthless.
“It’s not about appearances,” Xiong Ying replied. “The heart is hidden behind the ribs—you must always be cautious. Some things can’t be judged by looks alone; only experience and the residual negative energy around them can reveal the truth.” Xiong Ying quickly scanned the surroundings before lowering his voice. “My initial assessment is that Sun Jihong and Sun Jijun may have killed a woman inside that villa. She had a strong birth chart, and even after death, her spirit lingers, growing stronger. Sooner or later, she will seek revenge against the two brothers. If we stand in her way, we could be targeted—even killed.”
Xiong Ying’s deduction sent chills down Shui Miao’s spine.
Shui Miao swallowed hard. “If your guess is right, Grandpa, can you really defeat her?”
“Dangerous. This time, I really don’t have much confidence.” Xiong Ying admitted. “For a spirit to summon ghost winds in broad daylight… she must be extremely powerful.”
If even his grandfather wasn’t sure, then this mission was practically a suicide mission.
Shui Miao quickly said, “Grandpa, maybe we shouldn’t get involved in this matter at all?”
“Hehe…” Seeing Shui Miao’s fear, Xiong Ying smiled faintly. “You! Always backing down when trouble comes. That won’t do. Life is about daring to fight, to think, to give your all. Only by using your wisdom to win can you truly enjoy life! Don’t say another word. Just follow me and learn. Watch how I outwit them, getting both the money and walking away safely.”
Here we go again—the old gambler was at it once more, risking everything!
Shui Miao groaned inwardly. His grandfather had a gambling addiction and had never won the final round.
The more important the bet, the less likely he was to win. This time, it wasn’t just money—it was his life, and even Shui Miao’s life was now on the line.
Shui Miao wanted to back out but couldn’t bring himself to say it. After all, his grandfather had saved him and raised him. How could he abandon him now?
“Ah! Fine then, let’s gamble!”
Shui Miao let out a long sigh. This was his first gamble—and it was for his life. He wondered if he had gone mad.
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