Li Se frowned slightly. Before he could speak, Chen Yongyan had already stood up to greet him, showing great respect to the old man with the white beard. "Master Huayang!"
"Mr. Chen, I heard that you've been having a lot of trouble lately. So when you invited me, I divined for you. It's better to stay still than to move. If you do as this young man suggests, not only will it be ineffective, but it will only worsen the situation," Huayang said assertively.
"Master Huayang, what should I do then?" Chen Yongyan asked hastily.
Huayang stroked his beard and said with ease, "It's very simple. Peach wood ornaments ward off evil spirits and transform misfortune. Fortunately, I brought such an item made of peach wood with me today."
Saying this, Huayang produced a crescent-shaped pendant carved from peach wood and handed it to Chen Yongyan. "This has been consecrated with Buddha's blessings for seventy-seven days. Wear it, and you will no longer fear the so-called malevolent spirits."
"Thank you, Master Huayang." Chen Yongyan clearly trusted Huayang greatly. He immediately took out his bank card and handed it to Huayang. "Here is one million, thank you, Master Huayang, for your guidance."
Huayang accepted the bank card with satisfaction, then looked at Li Se and snorted, "So young, yet not on the right path, just spouting nonsense. If I hadn't arrived in time, Mr. Chen would have been terribly harmed by you!"
Chen Yongyan's expression changed slightly. He immediately looked at Chen Bin and said indifferently, "Bin'er, entertain your friend."
Chen Bin wanted to say something, but Chen Yongyan didn't give him the chance. He turned to Huayang and said, "Master Huayang, please come upstairs. Let's talk in my study."
"Good!" Huayang nodded.
Seeing this, Li Se quickly said, "Uncle Chen, while peach wood can ward off evil, its effect isn't very significant, and consecration makes little difference. The best option is still to move the factory. Otherwise..."
"Enough!" Chen Yongyan couldn't listen anymore. He might have hesitated before, but after hearing Huayang's words, he was convinced. Besides, moving would mean considerable losses.
Seeing that Chen Yongyan wouldn't listen, Li Se had no choice but to get up and leave.
Chen Bin followed him out, apologizing, "Li Se, I'm sorry. My father really believes in Master Huayang."
"What's the background of this Huayang?" Li Se asked curiously.
Chen Bin explained, "Huayang is a renowned feng shui master in Qingyun City. Many people seek his advice. Oh, and do you know the chief appraiser of Zhongbaoge?"
"Yes." Li Se nodded.
Chen Bin continued, "The chief appraiser of Zhongbaoge even consulted Master Huayang. It's said he altered the feng shui layout. I don't know how effective it was, but it's quite a package deal."
Li Se's expression changed slightly. "So it was him who made the changes. No wonder."
"Li Se, you said my family's factory must be moved. Is that true?" Chen Bin trusted Li Se quite a bit.
"Yes." Li Se thought for a moment and said, "How about this, you take me to your family's processing plant."
"Alright!" Chen Bin nodded.
The Chen family's processing plant was located in the suburbs. As soon as they got out of the car, they could hear the sounds of grinding and cutting. This wasn't cutting raw stones, but processing jade.
"Mr. Chen!" A man wearing glasses greeted them as soon as they arrived at the processing plant.
"You can get back to your work, no need to entertain me," Chen Bin waved him away.
"Yes, Mr. Chen." The man in glasses retreated.
Chen Bin led Li Se to a spot and said, "This incident caused quite a stir back then. That employee damaged a piece of jade and was reprimanded by my father. Somehow, he lost control, started shouting, and then fell from the fifth floor, dying right here."
"You said he lost control?" Li Se asked curiously.
"Yes." Chen Bin nodded. "Later investigations revealed that the employee had some mental health issues. We also provided compensation to his family. Alas, since that incident, our business has been declining day by day. If it weren't for you finding the Imperial Green and Ice Jade, our jewelry store's business would have been really difficult to sustain."
Li Se observed the entire processing plant and, after a moment of thought, asked, "Before you took over this processing plant, what was it used for?"
"It seems to have been a chemical factory," Chen Bin said, not quite remembering.
"If I'm not mistaken, someone had already died in the previous factory, and that person's soul has remained in this factory. The reason this employee jumped off the building was also due to the influence of that ghost," Li Se said, and then suddenly remembered something, immediately asking, "How long has that employee been dead?"
"Nearly two months?" Chen Bin recalled, and quickly gave an exact figure, "Forty-seven days."
Li Se's expression changed. "On the forty-ninth day, another person will die."
"This..." Chen Bin found it somewhat unbelievable. Although he considered Li Se an extraordinary person, ghosts and seventy-seven days were hard to accept. But remembering that Li Se could provide protection with a small pendant, he immediately chose to believe him and quickly asked, "What should we do?"
Li Se thought for a moment, then asked Chen Bin to prepare three incense sticks, lit them simultaneously, and inserted them at the spot where the employee had died. He also took out three copper coins and placed them in front of the incense sticks, saying, "Tell me tomorrow how these three incense sticks burn."
"Alright!" Chen Bin nodded.
After sending Li Se back, Chen Bin immediately rushed home and told Chen Yongyan everything Li Se had said and done today, in detail.
"Nonsense!" Chen Yongyan certainly wouldn't believe it. "Ghosts? You believe such things? Chen Bin, I think you should spend less time with this friend."
If it weren't for Li Se helping to procure the Imperial Green, he would have already lost his temper. Now, he mostly believed that Li Se was purely lucky.
He Hong, who was beside them, comforted him, "Bin'er, it's alright. Master Huayang also said he would visit the processing plant with us tomorrow. With Master Huayang here, there's nothing to fear."
Chen Bin pondered for a moment before deciding to mention the protective charm, but Chen Yongyan immediately dismissed it. "What does this pendant have to do with anything? Why doesn't he claim to be an immortal?"
"Bin'er, you're too superstitious," He Hong said with disappointment, shaking her head.
Chen Bin felt like crying. It seemed his parents completely disbelieved him. He could only wait to see how the incense sticks burned.
The incense burned quickly. Chen Bin had already made arrangements to be notified, so within two hours, a message was sent back, along with photos.
Without hesitation, Chen Bin sent the photo of the burned incense to Li Se and asked, "What does this mean?"
Upon seeing the photo, Li Se sighed, "Humans fear long and short periods of misfortune, and incense abhors two short sticks and one long one. This is an ominous sign!"