Chapter 10: Stealing Business

It is well known that the Lin family and the Gu family are the two prominent feng shui lineages native to Yancheng.

The Lin family’s main venue is called the Emerald Forest Pavilion, while the Gu family’s is named Gu Beitang. On the surface, these two establishments appear to be teahouses where people gather to drink tea and watch operas. In reality, however, they conduct business in divination, fortune telling, and feng shui consultancy.

Ever since my ill-fated father-in-law, Gu Tingjun, fell victim to a strange illness and became a vegetative patient, Gu Beitang has been nothing more than a hollow shell.

The feng shui trade throughout Yancheng has effectively been monopolized by the Lin family’s Emerald Forest Pavilion. My own father, Lin Yutang, retired from the business five years ago, leaving the helm of Emerald Forest Pavilion in the hands of my arrogant and reckless younger brother, Lin Yulang.

Therefore, Director Feng is also a client of Lin Yulang. Yet, it was clear he was dissatisfied with Lin Yulang’s services. With a sour expression, he said:

“Lin Yulang, I’m not trying to pick a fight with you, but your professional ability is really terrible! My life had been smooth sailing with no disasters or troubles for most of it. Ever since I bought a villa two years ago and had you design its feng shui layout, I’ve been met with one problem after another—small misfortunes every three days, big calamities every five… Tell me, how can I trust you to look after my feng shui again?”

Lin Yulang quickly tried to defend himself:

“Director Feng, you don’t understand. The changes in your fortune have absolutely nothing to do with the feng shui I designed for you.”

“Let me tell you, a person’s destiny is divided into five types: Heavenly Grid, Earthly Grid, Personality Grid, Outer Grid, and Total Grid. The Earthly Grid influences your fortune in the first half of life, while the Total Grid impacts the latter half…”

“Your misfortune in the second half of your life is clearly due to a poor Total Grid. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the feng shui layout I provided!”

Hearing this only made Director Feng angrier:

“What? I spent hundreds of thousands on you to design my feng shui, and now you’re telling me my fortune has no connection to your design? So I’ve just wasted my money? What use are you to me?”

Lin Yulang was left speechless, having accidentally let the truth slip while trying to deflect blame.

Director Feng, unwilling to waste any more time arguing, immediately turned to me:

“Mazi, you truly have real skill. I don’t trust him, but I trust you. If you have some free time later, please come to my house and take a look at my feng shui. We can negotiate the consultation fee—you name your price. How about it?”

Before I could respond, my father Lin Yutang and mother Liu Ruyin interrupted with stern faces:

“Lin Mazi, you’re not allowed to agree! Director Feng is a client of our Lin family. You’ve now become an in-law of the Gu family. If you take this job, you’ll be crossing the line!”

The so-called “crossing the line” is an industry term meaning competitors use improper means to poach business from one another, which is a grave taboo in our circle.

But my mother-in-law, Ye Qiang, immediately stepped forward to set things straight:

“Father-in-law and mother-in-law, that’s not appropriate to say. Director Feng clearly approached the Gu family himself. We Gu family neither obstructed you nor tried to steal your clients. How can this be considered crossing the line?”

She then patted my shoulder earnestly and said:

“Mazi, ever since your father-in-law fell ill and bedridden, Gu Beitang has been little more than a name. I had lost hope, but I never imagined Qianxi could find such a good son-in-law like you.”

“Our Gu family is, after all, a reputable feng shui lineage in Yancheng. Gu Beitang’s prestigious name has been passed down for over a century. You must not let the Gu family legacy end here.”

My wife, Gu Qianxi, also came over and said:

“Mazi, Gu Beitang is the foundation of our family and my father’s lifeline. Even if he is unconscious, I know he would be very happy to see you restore Gu Beitang.”

Since my wife had spoken, I naturally could not refuse.

I smiled and said:

“Darling, rest assured—I will do everything in my power to restore Gu Beitang’s glory!”

At these words, joy sparkled in Qianxi’s clear eyes.

“Hubby, you’re wonderful!”

She happily swung her arm around mine.

At this, my parents lost their composure and turned hostile:

“Well, well, Lin Mazi, the moment you became an in-law of the Gu family, you started turning against your own parents! You’re such an ungrateful wretch!”

“To curry favor with your mother-in-law and wife, you’re even stealing business from your own brother. How shameless can you be?”

Seeing Lin Yutang and Liu Ruyin’s defensive and bitter expressions, I felt only amusement.

Don’t worry—this is just the first step in my revenge. There are many more cracks to expose in their armor.

I replied confidently:

“Since I am an in-law of the Gu family, I am part of the Gu family. What happens to the Lin family is none of my concern.”

That one sentence left the three of them speechless, their anger stifled.

I found it amusing and turned back to Director Feng:

“Director Feng, I’ll come by shortly to check your feng shui.”

Overjoyed, Director Feng eagerly said:

“That’s wonderful! My private car is waiting outside. I’ll trouble you to accompany me.”

I nodded but did not rush to leave. Instead, I looked back at my beautiful wife.

Seeing my reluctance, Gu Qianxi teased with a smile:

“What’s wrong, Mazi? Going to work but can’t bear to leave your wife at home?”

I couldn’t help but reach out, gently pinch her fair, delicate cheek, and admit:

“With such a beautiful and gentle wife waiting at home, who has the heart to go to work?”

As I spoke, I casually picked up a napkin from the table, my fingers weaving swiftly. In the blink of an eye, I folded a lifelike paper figure and handed it to Gu Qianxi.

“Wow, such a cute paper figure! Mazi, I didn’t know you were so skilled!” she exclaimed, delighted as she cradled the paper doll.

I smiled softly:

“When the husband goes out to work, he can’t leave his wife lonely. If I can’t be with you, I’ll make a paper companion to keep you company.”

Gu Qianxi obediently nodded, gazing fondly at the paper figure:

“Then I’ll name him ‘Little Mazi’! When ‘Big Mazi’ is at work, ‘Little Mazi’ will stay at home with me! We’ll wait together for Big Mazi to come back!”

I laughed and lightly kissed her fair forehead before turning to accompany Director Feng out of the venue. We took the car to assess the feng shui at his home.

As we left, I heard Lin Yulang’s sour voice from behind:

“Hmph, let him go ahead. He only learned a few shabby tricks from that old beggar. He’s not a real feng shui master!”

“I’ll make sure he knows sooner or later that I am the legitimate heir to the Lin family’s feng shui arts. I am the true feng shui master. That Lin Mazi is nothing but a lousy beggar!”