Chapter 45: The Risky Trafficking

In the system of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements, each type of spiritual energy has its own distinct color, yet there is no existence of purple spiritual energy.

Now, purple energy was emerging from Lin Haiyang’s body, causing Shui Miao to feel a sudden stirring in his heart. He speculated that perhaps purple energy might be a unique type of spiritual energy generated within the human body, directly related to one’s emotions. Thinking about it, Shui Miao felt that his speculation wasn’t without merit. The human body itself is incredibly mysterious; after winning money, when one feels happy and excited, the body can produce some special physiological reactions, resulting in a cheerful mood and a refreshed spirit. This purple energy might be the very essence of joy.

After collecting the money, Lin Haiyang decided not to gamble anymore. Such good fortune was rare, and continuing to gamble would only lead to losses.

He took out three hundred to share as a celebratory gift, but Shui Miao stopped him and suggested he treat everyone to a meal instead.

Lin Haiyang readily agreed. Everyone got into the car and headed to a small restaurant named Qinhuai Renjia, located by a big river.

Along the way, Chenxiang took out some egg tarts. Lin Haiyang’s eyes lit up, and he immediately pulled the car over to the roadside. Soon, the two boxes of pastries were devoured by everyone.

Chenxiang didn’t immediately give the mobile phone back to Chen Bing. Giving Chen Bing an expensive gift in front of Lin Haiyang would imply that she didn’t consider him part of the inner circle.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, they ordered a large table of dishes. Since Lin Haiyang had to drive, he didn’t drink, but everyone still enjoyed the meal immensely. The total cost was only around five hundred, yet they had eaten quite well.

After finishing the meal, Lin Haiyang suggested going somewhere to have fun.

Chen Bing wanted to go to an internet café to play CrossFire, while Lin Haiyang preferred going to a karaoke room. Shui Miao and Chenxiang, however, preferred quieter places. In the end, they all went to the internet café together.

Midway through, Lin Haiyang received a phone call regarding an urgent family matter, so he said his goodbyes and left early.

Shui Miao spent a couple of hours online browsing information related to Feng Shui before finally leaving the internet café with Chenxiang and Chen Bing.

Around four in the afternoon, the three of them arrived at the doorstep of Wang Yong’s house.

Wang Yong had been at home, and upon seeing Shui Miao, he was delighted and warmly welcomed everyone inside.

Wang Yong was usually quiet and stayed at home alone. He didn’t have any particular hobbies, just watching TV occasionally and going out for a jog now and then. Mostly, he stayed indoors, surrounded by his collection of antiques. Having a few younger guests visit unexpectedly made his home much livelier. He arranged rooms for everyone and then sat down to chat, covering all sorts of topics from all over the world until nightfall, after which he took everyone to a small nearby restaurant for dinner.

Previously, whenever Shui Miao saw Wang Yong, he always felt a sense of unfamiliarity.

But today, Wang Yong seemed different—he felt genuinely like family now.

After dinner, everyone dispersed: some went to take showers, others watched TV. When Chen Bing and Chenxiang had gone to sleep, Wang Yong changed the subject and asked Shui Miao, “Is it true that your grandfather has really left today?”

“Yes, Father, why would I lie to you?”

Shui Miao suddenly felt a bit puzzled. Why was Wang Yong repeating this question? Could there be something hidden in his words?

Wang Yong chuckled and shook his head. “Your grandfather really left in a hurry!”

“Father, if you have anything to say, just tell me directly. My grandfather is staying at a hotel in the city. If you really have an urgent matter, we can go find him right now.” Shui Miao took out his phone, acting as if he was about to call his grandfather.

“No, no, no, don’t disturb him,” Wang Yong quickly gestured for Shui Miao not to call. After a pause, he smiled and continued, “Actually, it’s not a big deal. A friend of mine in Zhonghai called me this morning asking to hire a Feng Shui master to check the Feng Shui of his house. Since your grandfather is so busy, I’ll forget about my small matter. Anyway, my friend’s house doesn’t have any serious issues; he just wants to adjust the Five Elements a bit and boost his financial luck.”

Upon hearing this, Shui Miao’s mind raced, and he quickly responded, “Father, if it’s just about boosting financial luck, I can give it a try. Of course, I’m a beginner, but I can do it for free as a trial.” Shui Miao had always been thinking about how to establish himself in Zhonghai City. Now that this opportunity had come up, he naturally wanted to seize it. It would not only be a chance to test his skills but also an opportunity to meet some local figures. If he did well, he believed his reputation would spread quickly.

“Haha, are you confident?”

Wang Yong smiled as he looked at Shui Miao, but before Shui Miao could respond, he continued, “Great! I’ll contact him tomorrow and have him invite you. If my godson isn’t confident, who else would be? Hahaha…”

“Alright, Father! I promise I won’t disappoint you.” Shui Miao nodded, feeling a surge of excitement inside.

“Ah!”

But then, Wang Yong suddenly sighed, furrowed his brows, narrowed his eyes, and said, “I don’t want to stay at home anymore. I’m planning to develop myself in Zhonghai City. Zhonghai is a national economic special zone with tremendous development potential, unlike our Huanghai City, which has limited prospects. Fortunately, I have some friends in the construction industry there, and I plan to join them. First, I can get out and see more of the world. Second, since you’re already there, I can also keep an eye on you. We’re practically father and son now. You’ve only been gone for a day, but I already miss you.”

Wang Yong’s words were filled with deep emotion, warming Shui Miao’s heart and deeply moving him.

Shui Miao had never experienced paternal love before. Hearing Wang Yong’s heartfelt words, although he didn’t speak, he had already silently vowed to cherish this newfound fatherly affection and repay Wang Yong’s kindness and support.

Seeing the intensity in Shui Miao’s eyes, a faint, sly smile briefly appeared on Wang Yong’s lips.

But it was only a fleeting moment.

“Alright, enough about that. Tomorrow, when you head to Zhonghai, help me bring some things over. That way, when I come later, it’ll be easier for me.” Wang Yong pointed toward a corner of the room where two ordinary suitcases were placed.

“No problem, that’s a small matter.” Shui Miao readily agreed.

Seeing how readily Shui Miao accepted, Wang Yong grew serious. “Inside the suitcases are some valuable antiques. When I go to Zhonghai, I’ll inevitably meet many different people—both legal and illegal—so I’ve prepared some antiques for bribes. You must handle them with great care: lift and place them gently, never let them out of your sight, and don’t open them, because I’ve packed them carefully myself. If you open them, you won’t be able to repackage them as neatly as I did.”

“Don’t worry, Father. I promise I’ll handle this small matter well. If necessary, I’ll even rent a car to Zhonghai.” Shui Miao was worried that Lin Haiyang might have other plans and wouldn’t be able to accompany him, so he planned to rent a car, even if it cost an extra thousand yuan.

But to his surprise, Wang Yong waved his hands repeatedly, lowering his voice and speaking mysteriously, “Cars are risky—they might be inspected. The antiques I have aren’t ordinary items. If they’re discovered, they’ll be confiscated, and you’ll get involved too. The safest way is to take a long-distance bus. Most passengers are migrant workers carrying all sorts of random stuff, so no one bothers to check.”

Wang Yong had already planned this carefully.

Shui Miao was momentarily stunned before realizing the truth. He suddenly remembered that his godfather had previously been a tomb robber—his antiques were mostly illicit. Shui Miao now understood that this wasn’t just about carrying two suitcases; these items could bring serious trouble. If caught, he might even end up in jail!

“Father, how much are those antiques worth? If they’re too valuable, I’m afraid…” Shui Miao swallowed hard, his face showing visible hesitation. He had some basic understanding of the law—being caught transporting tomb-robbing artifacts could lead to serious legal consequences depending on their value. He wondered whether taking this risk for the sake of this sudden “paternal affection” was worth it. At the very least, he needed to know the value beforehand to mentally prepare himself.

“They’re not worth much—those two suitcases are only worth around ten thousand yuan. The more valuable ones are in the suitcases I’m bringing myself.” Wang Yong waved his hand casually and added with a smile, “If something accidentally breaks… well, just let it break. Do your best—I believe in you!”

A reluctant expression flickered across Wang Yong’s face.

His words sounded generous, but they subtly placed pressure on Shui Miao.

Shui Miao wasn’t the kind of person who would go back on his word. Ten thousand yuan was no small amount for him. Once he had agreed to carry the suitcases, he was determined to do it properly. However, taking such an unnecessary risk made him feel uneasy, and he even considered backing out but didn’t know how to bring it up.

At that moment, Wang Yong pulled out an envelope he had already prepared and directly stuffed it into Shui Miao’s arms. “Here’s ten thousand yuan for your travel expenses. Don’t refuse it—Father isn’t short on money. Go upstairs and get some sleep now. I’ll send you to the national highway tomorrow morning to catch the long-distance bus.”

“Alright then… I’ll go to sleep now…”

Pushed toward the stairs with ten thousand yuan in his arms, Shui Miao’s mouth involuntarily softened.

How often does one get an opportunity like this—carrying two suitcases and earning ten thousand yuan in return?

Shui Miao had taken long-distance buses several times before, and he had never seen any police checking them.

After all, it was just a few antiques worth over ten thousand yuan. Even if caught, the worst-case scenario would only be a few months in jail!

Father has been kind to me. Even if he hadn’t offered any money, I should still help him…

With the money in hand, Shui Miao’s mindset shifted. Even the thought of being imprisoned for a few months didn’t scare him anymore.

Now, with Xiaoxiang by his side, he felt a great sense of pressure. The five thousand yuan she had wasn’t even a drop in the ocean in a metropolis like Zhonghai—rich people there wouldn’t even blink at spending that much on a single meal. If he didn’t find ways to earn more money, Xiaoxiang would suffer in the future.

Birds die for food, and people die for wealth. For the sake of money, Shui Miao decided to take this risk.

Of course, it wasn’t just about money that Shui Miao was willing to take this risk—it was also because he cherished this hard-earned familial bond!