Fourth Chapter: Playing the Part to the Full
Having received the red packet, Yang Haoran naturally had to solve the client's problem. This problem was actually quite simple to resolve, but to make the man surnamed Liu feel that his money hadn't been wasted, he naturally had to put his glib tongue to good use.
That meant bamboozling, bamboozling with all his might.
“Brother Liu, rest assured,” Yang Haoran guaranteed the man surnamed Liu. “Since I’ve given my word to that kid Guan Hai, I will absolutely handle this matter for you thoroughly and properly. ”
Upon hearing Yang Haoran’s words, the man surnamed Liu’s face immediately blossomed with a heartfelt smile, his mouth ceaselessly spouting thanks.
Yang Haoran remained poker-faced and waved his hand, indicating that the man surnamed Liu’s words of thanks were sufficient and he needn’t continue. The man surnamed Liu understood and immediately clamped his mouth shut.
“Solving this problem is both simple and difficult,” Yang Haoran began. “It’s simple because you just need to find a curtain to cover the bathroom door. A beaded curtain or a window curtain will do; as long as the bathroom door is covered, the foul energy within the bathroom won’t leak out. ” At this moment, Yang Haoran, possessed by the spirit of a charlatan, spoke with absolute conviction.
The man surnamed Liu looked confused, then hesitant, as if he wanted to say something but didn’t dare.
Yang Haoran noticed the man surnamed Liu’s reaction and slightly furrowed his brow, asking, “Brother Liu, say whatever you have on your mind. Don’t keep it hidden. I’m here to solve your problem. Not only will I resolve the issue with your house, but I’ll also clear up any doubts in your heart, so there’s no need to be polite. ”
Hearing Yang Haoran speak like this, the man surnamed Liu let out a sigh of relief, then pointed to the bathroom door and meekly asked, “Master Yang, look, my bathroom already has a door. Can’t this door block what you call foul energy? ”
The man surnamed Liu seemed to understand, yet didn’t. Yang Haoran struck while the iron was hot, continuing, “The reason the main door shouldn’t face the bathroom is that the main door brings good fortune to the owner—what we commonly call ‘luck’. If the foul energy from the bathroom collides with this fortune, it will affect the luck, and in severe cases, it can even turn good luck into bad luck, leading to misfortune for the homeowner and their family. Do you understand now? ”
The man surnamed Liu nodded frantically. He looked as if he had understood, but whether he truly grasped it, only he himself would know.
“Brother Yang, you just spoke about the simple aspects. What about the difficult ones? ” Guan Hai interjected at this moment, timing it perfectly.
Yang Haoran praised him inwardly but outwardly let out a low sigh, saying, “The difficulty lies in this: you also need to nail three long nails above the bathroom door. These three long nails might seem to be for hanging beaded or window curtains, but there’s a great deal of significance to them. If you don’t understand the method and just do it haphazardly, not only will it not solve the problem, but it might even make it worse. ”
As his words fell, under the gazes of Guan Hai and the man surnamed Liu, Yang Haoran began rummaging in his shoulder bag. A moment later, he pulled out three long nails from his bag. The nails were quite ordinary; aside from being rusty, they had no special qualities.
“Don’t let the rust on these three long nails fool you; they are excellent items,” he declared. “They are Warding Nails that I have consecrated through special techniques, and they have miraculous effects in restraining this foul energy. You just need to nail these three Warding Nails above the bathroom door, and even without hanging beaded curtains or other covers, they will serve to block the foul energy. If you also hang a beaded curtain or other coverings, the effect will be even better! ”
At this moment, Yang Haoran had fully immersed himself in his role. He carefully handed the three so-called Warding Nails to the man surnamed Liu, who, with a look of apprehension, quickly received them with both hands, afraid of disrespecting these three 'treasures'. Meanwhile, Yang Haoran rummaged through his shoulder bag again with a series of rustles and clatters, pulling out another item.
The item Yang Haoran took out this time was a Compass.
After taking out the Compass, Yang Haoran simultaneously scrutinized the wall above the bathroom door and carefully observed the Compass. He continued to speak, “The Warding Nails are treasures, but only by nailing them in the correct positions can they maximize their power. Otherwise, my three precious Warding Nails will be wasted. ”
Just as he finished speaking, Yang Haoran’s face lit up with delight, and his eyes gleamed with a sharp light as he declared, “Found it! ”
Guan Hai didn’t understand why, and the man surnamed Liu was even more bewildered. Ignoring the two of them, Yang Haoran put the Compass back into his shoulder bag, then pulled out a pen from within. He then addressed the stunned man surnamed Liu, saying, “Get a stool. ”
The man surnamed Liu acknowledged him, and without thinking, immediately brought a stool to Yang Haoran. The latter then stepped onto the stool and used the ballpoint pen in his hand to make three marks above the bathroom door.
“Just nail the three Warding Nails in these three spots,” Yang Haoran said. “I just used the Compass to check; these three spots are the best. Only these three positions can unleash the Warding Nails’ power one hundred percent! ” He said, putting the ballpoint pen back into his shoulder bag, then stepping off the stool.
The man surnamed Liu was roused from his stupor by the sound of Yang Haoran jumping off the stool. His face was wreathed in smiles, filled with gratitude.
“Thank you, Master Yang, oh thank you, Master Yang! You’ve solved an enormous problem for me today! ” As the man surnamed Liu spoke, he took out a cigarette, offered one to Yang Haoran, and personally lit it for him. Then he offered one to Guan Hai, lit it himself, and finally lit one for himself. The three men exhaled clouds of smoke, and the room was instantly wreathed in a hazy mist.
The show wasn’t over yet. Yang Haoran naturally wouldn’t do things by halves. If he was going to play, he had to play the whole act. That way, the one spending the money would be comfortable, and the one receiving it would be comfortable too. Why not?
Although he didn’t know how much money the man surnamed Liu had slipped into his shoulder bag—whether it was more than enough for a full act or not even enough for half—Yang Haoran was prepared to play the whole act regardless, because he was a man of principles.
“To be honest, Brother Liu, your apartment isn’t bad,” Yang Haoran said, taking a deep drag from his cigarette, then slowly exhaling, speaking with a solemn air. “Earlier, I wandered around your apartment, seemingly looking here and there, but in reality, I was Sense Yin. ”
The man surnamed Liu grew interested and quickly asked, “Master Yang, what is this Sense Yin? ”
Yang Haoran chuckled, saying, “Sense Yin is, well, just checking if there’s anything ‘unclean’ in your apartment. Congratulations, there isn’t. The only imperfect spot is your bathroom. As long as you follow my instructions, nail in the three Warding Nails, and hang a beaded curtain or something similar, your apartment will be perfect. From now on, I won’t promise you a brilliant future, but as long as you work hard and don’t just sit around waiting to die, your life will definitely get better and better, I guarantee it. ”
Of course, as long as people work hard and don’t encounter major illnesses or the like, their lives naturally get better and better. But what in hell did that have to do with these Warding Nails? However, the man surnamed Liu was already hooked. He fully believed Yang Haoran’s bamboozling. And Yang Haoran, the charlatan, had a way with words. The man surnamed Liu chuckled incessantly, unable to close his mouth from sheer delight.
Seeing this, Yang Haoran felt the show had gone on long enough and decided it was time to wrap things up.
“Meeting is destiny,” Yang Haoran said. “So I’ll give your apartment another thorough check, just to put your mind completely at ease. ”
Upon hearing this, the man surnamed Liu grew even happier. What was this? Wasn’t this an extra, complimentary service?
Yang Haoran didn’t waste any more words. With a cigarette dangling from his lips, he took out the Compass from his shoulder bag again. Holding the Compass, he meticulously inspected the entire apartment. He looked the part, nodding slightly from time to time. This inspection actually took half an hour.
Half an hour later, Yang Haoran put away the Compass and let out a heavy sigh. A rare smile appeared on his face, though it was clearly one of exhaustion.
“I’ve confirmed it again,” Yang Haoran said, his face etched with weariness. “Brother Liu, your apartment absolutely has no other issues. You can truly rest assured now! ”
“My young brother, oh—no, Master Yang! Brother Yang! Thank you, truly, thank you so much! ” Overjoyed, the man surnamed Liu was a little incoherent. He enthusiastically grabbed Yang Haoran’s hand, exclaiming, “I’ll book a table at a restaurant right away! Let’s go now! Tonight, I must properly thank you, Brother Yang. We won’t stop until we’re thoroughly drunk! ”
It was already evening, and it was dinner time. Yang Haoran originally wanted to refuse; after all, he felt a little guilty. Taking their money, then eating their food and drinking their alcohol, he felt it was a bit unprincipled. But before he could speak, Guan Hai’s voice rang out.
“Good wine is a good thing! If you want to deepen your relationship, you have to drink! ”
Yang Haoran knew exactly what Guan Hai was thinking. If it were just the two of them, he wouldn’t hold back from ridiculing and teasing Guan Hai. But in the current situation, that was clearly impossible, just as Guan Hai wouldn’t sabotage him when Yang Haoran was busy with “serious business” before.
Having no choice, Yang Haoran could only agree. The man surnamed Liu carefully put away the three Warding Nails, and the three men then left, heading towards their destination.
The man surnamed Liu was driving his own car, and Yang Haoran naturally rode in Guan Hai’s car. As soon as they got in, before Yang Haoran could speak, Guan Hai excitedly said, “Quick, see how much Brother Liu gave you! ”
Yang Haoran had also been intending to do so. Seeing Guan Hai was even more excited than him, he rolled his eyes at him and without another word, took the red packet from his shoulder bag.
Before opening the red packet, just by squeezing it, Yang Haoran’s expression changed. A wry smile then appeared on his face, and he tossed the red packet directly to Guan Hai, saying, “Here, you take it. After all, you’re the one who got me this gig. ”
Seeing Yang Haoran act this way, Guan Hai was instantly taken aback. The red packet was thrown to him unopened. The Yang Haoran he knew wasn’t this generous. Unless. . .
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