The past debts of romantic entanglements leading to present trouble were very much in line with Lin Fan's character.
Upon hearing this, Yan Shouyi felt no surprise, as if it was natural for Lin Fan to encounter such troubles.
Ordinary people might find destiny unfathomable, and various fortune-telling methods miraculous. In reality, whether it's Xiao Liu Ren Shen Shu or Mei Hua Yi Shu, they are results derived from formulas that combine multiple factors. What influences these results is not just one's birthdate and time, but also their personality.
For example, someone with an impulsive personality who is told by a fortune teller about a potential disaster involving blood might likely experience it. This is because such people are prone to anger and often neglect details, leading them to court disaster, such as driving aggressively and eventually getting into a car accident.
As for someone like Lin Fan, born into a wealthy family and pampered since childhood, his arrogance and disrespect for others were ingrained. Gluttony, lust, and gambling were likely vices he indulged in, enjoying them immensely only to eventually fall victim to them.
Regarding Lin Fan's past, Yan Shouyi didn't need to count on his fingers; a few casual conversations were enough for him to guess seven or eight tenths of the story.
"After that woman jumped off the building, I secretly sent a large sum of money to her parents, thinking the matter was settled. But reality was far from that simple..."
"At first, I kept hearing a woman crying at home. I thought it was all my imagination, until one time while showering, I saw a figure behind the bathroom glass. When I went outside, there was no one there. When I slept, it felt like a pair of cold hands were always grabbing my leg under the covers. When I woke up in the morning, there were indeed two red handprints on my leg. Even when I went out in broad daylight, I often saw a familiar figure on the street. Sometimes that figure would suddenly appear in front of my car, startling me into slamming on the brakes. When I came to my senses, the figure was gone!"
"Not only that, but my right leg started to act up. It became weak, unresponsive, and disobedient. I went to the hospital for a check-up, but they couldn't find anything. Later, following the doctor's advice, I had a CT scan. When the results came out, the doctor said... the doctor said..."
"They said the scan showed an infant clinging to my calf! The infant's limbs were tightly wrapped around my ankle, its bones seemingly fused with mine!"
Even though ten years had passed, Lin Fan was still filled with terror as he recounted the events.
One could only imagine his expression upon seeing that CT scan.
"The doctors couldn't explain what was happening to me. They even suggested I visit a City God temple for blessings. Only I knew what had truly happened... It was that woman. She was wearing red when she jumped, and after her death, she became a vengeful spirit. She and her child were haunting me, seeking to claim my life!..."
"I consulted several sorcerers, but they were all charlatans. The talismans and incantations they gave me were useless! Worse, those useless talismans only further angered the woman. Later on, whenever I looked out the window at night, I could see her falling. Sometimes she fell incredibly slowly, and I could see her face wearing a sinister smile as her head gradually slid down from the windowsill!"
"For those months, I was driven almost to madness, my mental state deteriorating. Just as I was about to break, the赊刀人 (shē dāo rén - knife seller) who had advised me before reappeared. He seemed to know what I was going through. Before I could even speak, he said he could help me get rid of the female ghost and her child, but with one condition – in ten years, I had to give him my disciple the West Lake of Rongcheng!"
Upon hearing this, Lin Ruofu's face turned green with rage. He couldn't help but kick Lin Fan.
Lin Fan, who had once been a person of some standing, was now like a stray dog. He was kicked to the ground by Lin Ruofu but dared not resist or retort.
Lin Ruofu roared, "He asked for the West Lake, and you actually agreed? What ability do you have to give him the West Lake?"
Judging by Lin Ruofu's reaction, he clearly hadn't known about these events before. His current fury stemmed from the revelation, as the West Lake belonged to the Yan family, and the Lin family was merely its custodian.
Lin Fan had truly caused Lin Ruofu to lose all face.
Lin Fan said weakly, "At the time... I didn't know any of this. I thought the West Lake didn't belong to me anyway, so I couldn't produce it. Besides, who would remember something that was ten years away? Moreover, I was truly at my wit's end, so I agreed."
Lin Ruofu was about to erupt again, but Yan Shouyi stopped him, saying,
"Dad, let him finish speaking first, and then we can make plans."
"Alright, I'll listen to you!" Lin Ruofu suppressed his anger, not even looking directly at Lin Fan. Seeing Lin Fan remain silent for a long time, he snorted, "Cat got your tongue? Continue!"
Lin Fan then spoke, "After I agreed to the赊刀人's condition, he left a cleaver and said his disciple would come to claim his promise in ten years. In addition, he gave me some talismans, instructing me to paste them on the doors and windows at night, and then specifically open a window to let the female ghost in. I was to hide under the bed so the female ghost wouldn't see me, and he would appear then to resolve her."
"When I returned home, I followed all his instructions. That night, I dutifully hid under the bed. In the middle of the night, a cold wind indeed swept into the room, followed by the woman's tragic cries and a strange thumping sound."
"Hiding under the bed, I was terrified but couldn't help but peek outside. As I did, I saw the female ghost's face – she had fallen headfirst when she jumped, so she was also upside down in death. The thumping sound I heard was her entering the room inverted, continuously banging her head on the floor!"
"Fortunately, at the critical moment, the赊刀人 appeared and shattered the female ghost and her child into pieces, allowing me to escape death! That赊刀人 was incredibly powerful. It only took him a few moves to kill the female ghost. When she tried to escape, she was blocked by his talismans. He..."
Lin Fan wanted to describe the赊刀人's prowess further, but he noticed Lin Zitong looking at him with evident displeasure.
He quickly came to his senses, realizing that this was not the time to praise the赊刀人. He was still counting on Yan Shouyi and Lin Zitong to deal with the赊刀人.
With a forced smile, he said, "While that赊刀人 is indeed formidable, he is still somewhat inferior to Shouyi and Zitong..."
Lin Zitong scoffed dismissively, entirely unimpressed by Lin Fan's flattery.
Lin Ruofu snorted, "You've said what you needed to say. So, what now? Are you expecting me to give him the West Lake? He wishes! This West Lake belongs to Shouyi; even I have no authority over it!"
Lin Fan immediately panicked:
"Brother, this won't do. He's now cursing my sons; they are on the brink of death. If we don't agree to his terms, the next to die will be me!"
Lin Ruofu shoved Lin Fan away, "If you die, you die. If you had done even one good deed over the years, I would still consider our brotherhood. But you even tried to lay hands on Zitong back then, so how can I help you?!"
In his desperation, Lin Fan suddenly dropped to his knees before the three of them, kowtowing continuously:
"Brother, Shouyi, Zitong, I know I was wrong. I truly know I was wrong. I will spend the rest of my life making amends for my mistakes. But my sons are innocent. I beg you, please, you must help them!"
Lin Ruofu sighed. Lin Fan had spoken a truth: his children were indeed innocent.
Although Lin Fan was detestable, and several of his sons were illegitimate, it had to be said that some of his illegitimate sons were quite capable, unlike their father.
Lin Ruofu said, "Why don't we invite that赊刀人 over? We can have a good talk with them. We definitely cannot give them the West Lake, but we will do our utmost to provide them with satisfactory compensation."
This was the only plan Lin Ruofu could devise that wouldn't affect Yan Shouyi.
However, Yan Shouyi shook his head, "It's no use. The赊刀人 has a reputation in the underworld: 'Iron-Mouth Predictor赊刀人.' Their words are like spilled water; they cannot be taken back."
Lin Zitong pursed her lips, "Then do we really have to give them the West Lake?"
She was a thousand times unwilling. Even if Yan Shouyi didn't care, this matter would undoubtedly become a thorn in Lin Zitong's heart.
"Actually, the赊刀人 outwardly demands the West Lake, but what they are truly seeking is a prime location with good feng shui," Yan Shouyi said. "How about this: in the next few days, we find an opportunity to meet with that赊刀人's successor and ascertain exactly what they want. If we can find a satisfactory substitute, the West Lake can be saved."
Lin Ruofu said guiltily, "Shouyi, this sort of thing should not have affected you."
"I hope that after this, Lin Fan will mature a little," Yan Shouyi said calmly.
Even though Lin Fan was Yan Shouyi's uncle by seniority and significantly older, Yan Shouyi addressed him by name and even expressed hope for his growth.
This indicated that, from the bottom of his heart, he still looked down on Lin Fan.
Lin Fan also felt quite helpless, completely drained of spirit. Fortunately, Yan Shouyi was willing to intervene. He said gratefully, "Shouyi, Zitong, I will definitely turn over a new leaf and be a new person from now on."
"You can leave," Lin Zitong said, unwilling to even look at Lin Fan's face.
Lin Fan had no temper. He agreed and walked out.
Lin Ruofu sighed and stood up, saying, "Since the matter has been discussed, I'll be leaving too. You two lovebirds should be resting well after returning..."
"Dad, it's alright, don't worry about it," Lin Zitong said with a faint smile. "We have quite a few friends. That赊刀人 will likely give some face. This isn't a big deal."
"Alas, I'll go out and scold Lin Fan a few more times to vent your anger!"
Lin Ruofu, being a man, expressed his emotions directly. He casually picked up a vase on the table and stormed out.
Seeing this, Yan Shouyi found it rather amusing, "It seems we don't need to discipline Lin Fan."
"He deserves to learn his lesson!" Lin Zitong pouted.
"Forget it... Lin Fan's illegitimate sons have been cursed, and we won't be stepping in to handle it. I've been teaching Xiao Long quite a bit lately, so this time we'll let him handle it as practice." Yan Shouyi said.
"Alright, I'll go and inform him to follow Lin Fan directly," Lin Zitong said, also leaving the villa.
Yan Shouyi sat on the sofa and stretched.
He took out the cleaver left by the赊刀人 and examined it on the table.
After hearing Lin Fan's story, he realized that the赊刀人's master didn't seem like a good person either.
It was highly probable that he had targeted Lin Fan from the beginning with the intention of seizing the West Lake ten years later.
The West Lake was acquired by Yan Chou for Yan Shouyi, so Yan Shouyi naturally would not give it away.
Therefore, negotiations with the赊刀人's successor would likely not be smooth.