Chapter 8: The Complainant Arrives

Li Chengfeng was speechless. He had only offered a kind reminder, yet they took it as malice. Since they refused to believe him, staying any longer would only deepen their disgust, so he left in disappointment.

His mood sank somewhat. He had hoped to make a good profit, but instead, he earned nothing and was shunned and humiliated. Behind him, Ye Gucheng’s reproachful voice reached his ears.

“There are too many fraudsters nowadays. Don’t bring just anyone into the house in the future.”

“Okay, I understand!” Ye Mengyao’s eyes were filled with resentment as she watched the frail figure walk out of the Ye family’s gate. Regret gnawed at her—had she lost her mind to bring him home? Fortunately, she realized in time; otherwise, she might have truly been deceived.

He had arrived in a luxury car, but now he could only squeeze onto a bus.

Back at the Suiyuan Hall, Li Chengfeng didn’t dwell on the incident. He had stayed there for two days. Every day, people came to the door, glanced inside, saw a young man alone, and then turned away. Li Chengfeng felt helpless; if this continued, he wouldn’t even have money for food—he had only a few yuan left.

Sitting idly in a grand chair, he browsed his phone and stumbled upon a piece of news. In Qingzhou, five boys went to bathe at Qingcheng Reservoir; two of them drowned. Three days had passed, and their bodies had yet to be found. The rescue team was still searching.

Two young lives lost so tragically stirred a deep sense of sorrow within him.

Just then, a young couple, their faces streaked with tears, entered Suiyuan Hall. Perhaps overwhelmed by grief, they paid no attention to the young man inside and began to weep as they spoke.

“Sir, my son drowned while bathing in the reservoir. His body hasn’t been found yet. What should I do? I want to see him one last time.”

“Sir, please help us find our child. We are willing to pay anything.”

Recalling the news, Li Chengfeng thought it unlikely to be a coincidence. He poured them tea and comforted them, “Don’t worry, the rescue team will find your child.”

He was merely a feng shui master and had no intention of getting involved in such matters. These things were for mystics and mediums to handle.

But the couple begged desperately, their grief clouding their reason, and they knelt before him.

“Please, help us find our son. We have searched for days.”

“We have scoured the reservoir again and again, but still no sign of our child.”

Li Chengfeng wondered how they had found his humble shop. Seeing their earnest pleas, his heart softened, and he resolved to help recover the boy’s body.

He asked them to buy two gourds, joss paper, incense, candles, and two roosters.

Armed with yellow talisman paper, cinnabar, and a brush, Li Chengfeng followed the couple to Qingcheng Reservoir. Along the way, they chatted and he learned the husband’s name was Wang Jun.

Because of the heat, their son had gone to bathe in the reservoir with classmates after school. One boy slipped into deep water by accident. Wang Jun’s son, Wang Xiaoming, seeing his classmate drowning, tried to save him but was dragged underwater himself.

The rescue team had been searching for three or four days without success.

At their suggestion, Wang Jun and his wife had sought several Taoists and spirit mediums, spending much money but to no avail.

They had tried all the reputable mystics nearby, most of whom turned out to be frauds. When they were at their wit’s end, they happened to pass by Suiyuan Hall and decided to try their luck.

Li Chengfeng was still puzzled about how they had found him but did not ask. Fate, after all, had its own designs.

Soon they arrived at Qingcheng Reservoir, vast and deep, with the deepest point nearing thirty meters.

The rescue team was still working, with two divers searching underwater and a boat dragging nets through the water.

Nearby, the parents of the other drowned boy sat on the shore, their tears dried, their vacant eyes fixed on the water.

Wang Jun approached them sorrowfully.

“Brother Yang, have you found the children?”

“No.” The man on the ground was Yang Dongming, who had lost his son and was overcome with grief. When Wang Jun introduced Li Chengfeng, he merely grunted without even glancing at him, seemingly indifferent to whether Li was a fraud.

Li Chengfeng understood perfectly—when one’s heart is shattered, little else matters.

Wang Jun looked apologetically at Li Chengfeng and said, “I understand how you feel. Let’s go—let’s find the children.”

Li Chengfeng selected a flat spot by the reservoir to begin the search for the boys’ bodies.

At that moment, Zhang Junjie, the captain of the rescue team, approached. Seeing Li Chengfeng’s youthful appearance, he frowned and asked sharply, “What are you doing here?”

Before Li could answer, Wang Jun hurried to explain, “Captain Zhang, this is Mr. Li from Suiyuan Hall. He’s here to help me find my son.”

“You’re out of your mind,” Zhang scoffed. “Someone like him can help you find your son?”

Zhang Junjie sneered, certain Wang Jun had been duped again. How could someone so young have any real ability?