"Ha! So this is the famous Master Chen of Quancheng? What a joke! Just a fraud in disguise. Everyone, take a good look—don't let yourselves be fooled in the future."
Ji Hao finally revealed his sinister intentions, his face twisted with malice.
Even with Chen Yi's usual composure and cunning, a flicker of anger crossed his face.
To destroy a man's livelihood is akin to taking his life or stealing his wife!
For anyone to survive in this world, they may have countless dreams and pursuits—be it love or career—but no goal can be achieved without material support.
To ruin someone's livelihood is to push them to the brink of despair.
Chen Yi smirked coldly. "My skills are far beyond the comprehension of fools like you!"
"If you're so skilled, then why not enlighten a fool like me? Don't just run your mouth like some timid woman."
Ji Hao and his accomplices had only executed half their plan—they weren't about to let things end so easily. What they wanted was to utterly destroy Chen Yi, to leave him with no chance of redemption, forced to live the rest of his life underfoot.
"I've already told you—my divination skills are not for show."
"Ha! I get it. You just want money, don't you? Acting all righteous and noble." Ji Hao sneered, pulling out a stack of hundred-yuan bills from his pocket and slapping it against his palm. "Here's ten thousand yuan. That's probably a month's income for you, isn't it? How about I buy a reading from you?"
"Ten thousand? And you dare flaunt that in front of me? Do you really think everyone is as poor as you, never having seen real money before?"
Anyone familiar with Chen Yi would know—this guy was about to go for the jugular.
"Oh? Then tell me, Master Chen, how much does a reading from you cost? Money is no object, after all!"
Ji Hao had no idea that the tables had already turned. He had unwittingly transformed into the perfect prey.
"Ten thousand for a divination, fifty thousand for Feng Shui consultations. Small business, no credit allowed!"
"Ten thousand? Why don't you just rob me instead?"
Ji Hao was completely taken aback.
This guy had the audacity to demand ten thousand yuan just for a few words? That was more than most people earned in a year!
Unbelievable!
For the first time, Ji Hao felt that he and his group of unscrupulous businessmen were mere amateurs compared to Chen Yi's level of boldness.
"What's the matter, Mr. Ji? Can't afford it? If you can't play, don't pretend to be such a big shot. Turns out you're just a broke fraudster, yet you have the nerve to brag about your wealth?"
Chen Yi's words were as sharp as a blade, cutting deep with every syllable.
In business, knowing how to read people was a crucial skill, especially during negotiations. It was like cooking—too little heat, and the food remains undercooked, failing to reveal the customer's bottom line; too much heat, and the food burns, scaring the customer away.
Different types of customers required different approaches. For those who valued results, exaggeration was key; for the vain, flattery worked wonders. But there was one kind of person who could only be dealt with through relentless mockery and provocation—this was the only way to make them obediently open their wallets.
Ji Hao was the epitome of this type.
"Ten thousand? That's nothing to me!" Ji Hao snorted coldly, unknowingly stepping right into Chen Yi's trap.
"I want cash, not IOUs or empty promises," Chen Yi added fuel to the fire. "After all, I could just as easily claim I have a million."
"Do you take me for a fool? The banks are closed at this hour—where am I supposed to get ten thousand in cash?"
"Well, that's not my problem. If our wealthy Mr. Ji can't come up with the money, what can I do?"
Chen Yi's expression was one of feigned innocence, but his tone was laced with provocation.
"Don't try to bait me. I never go back on my word. I don't have cash, but I do have a card with ten thousand on it."
Ji Hao called over a staff member from the Tang Dynasty Club and requested a POS machine. The balance on the card indeed showed ten thousand yuan—Ji Hao hadn't lied.
In such a setting, there was no need for him to lie. Everyone present belonged to the same social circle, and if word got out that Ji Hao had tried to cheat over a mere ten thousand yuan, it would be a disgrace.
These nouveau riche second-generation heirs had nothing if not money to burn.
It was precisely for this reason that Chen Yi and his kind affectionately referred to them as "fat sheep."
"Now that I've paid, Master Chen, it's time for you to fulfill your promise, isn't it?" Ji Hao toyed with the card in his hand, a smug grin on his face.
"Of course, of course."
Chen Yi responded with a smile as well, though his smile carried a hint of reluctance.
He wasn't content. After all, Feng Kun was the true mastermind behind this scheme, and Chen Yi had yet to deal with him.
It was obvious to Chen Yi that Ji Hao was acting under Feng Kun's orders. Otherwise, why would Ji Hao, who had no prior grudge against him, go to such lengths to ruin him?
"Wait. This is too boring," Feng Kun suddenly interjected just as Chen Yi and Ji Hao were about to begin.
Standing nearby, Feng Kun had been observing the entire exchange. To him, the forced smile on Chen Yi's face was a clear sign of guilt.
"Do you have something to say, Feng Shao?"
Chen Yi couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
At last, the real player had stepped onto the stage.
"This is between me and him, Feng Shao. I hope you won't interfere," Ji Hao said, his expression shifting.
"Chen Yi is Wenxue's junior and my friend. Don't you think you're going a bit too far?"
Having grown up together, Feng Kun and Ji Hao were adept at playing off each other, their coordination seamless. But their act didn't fool Chen Yi.
Keep pretending. The more you pretend, the more fun I'll have.
Chen Yi maintained a calm facade, but inwardly, he was delighted.
"I'll add another ten thousand to Chen Yi's payment. That way, no one loses out. What do you think?"
Feng Kun's proposal seemed like a generous offer, as if he were handing money to Chen Yi.
"Fine," Ji Hao agreed after some thought. "But this twenty thousand can't be handed over for nothing. Otherwise, people might think we're pushovers."
"What do you want, then?"
"My request is simple. If Master Chen can correctly divine the item I place, he gets the twenty thousand, and I'll apologize. But if he fails, he'd better disappear from the public eye for good. Otherwise, every time I see him, I'll make sure to teach him a lesson."
"Agreed. If Chen Yi can't do it, then he's nothing but an empty fraud. I, Feng Kun, won't associate with such people. I'll make sure to 'teach him a lesson' every time I see him as well."
The two schemers, working in perfect harmony, had already sentenced Chen Yi to "death" before he could even respond.
"Well played, Feng Shao!"
Han Wenxue had anticipated that they would target Chen Yi, but she hadn't expected them to stoop so low.
"Wenxue, what do you mean by that? They're all my friends—I can't take sides, can I?"
"Ha! Not taking sides? Is ruining someone's livelihood your idea of fairness?"
"You misunderstand, Wenxue. I'm simply being impartial. If Chen Yi really is a fraud, then he's deceiving not just me, but you as well. Or are you so blinded by your desire to protect him that you can't tell right from wrong?"
Feng Kun's patience was wearing thin. Seeing Han Wenxue cling to Chen Yi's arm in front of everyone had already filled him with jealousy. Her repeated attempts to undermine him only deepened his resentment.
At the same time, it made him even more eager to execute his plan for the evening.
One would be crushed, and the other… well, he was eager to see how this so-called virtuous woman would look when she was crying beneath him.
"Enough. Let's begin," Ji Hao interrupted, turning to Chen Yi. "Master Chen, are you ready? This might be the last reading you ever give."
"Don't be so sure. You might end up apologizing and losing money instead!"
"Big talk for a dead man walking! Turn around—I'm placing the item now."
With a cruel smile, Ji Hao added, "Forgive me, Miss Han, but I must ask you to turn around as well. We wouldn't want you breaking the rules to help your junior, now would we?"
"Hmph!"
Han Wenxue knew arguing would be pointless, so she turned her back along with Chen Yi.
As she did, she couldn't help but worry. Unlike her grandfather, who always used tools like compasses and tortoise shells for divination, Chen Yi had brought nothing of the sort.
Her anxiety deepened, and she unconsciously tightened her grip on Chen Yi's arm, practically holding him against her chest.
Chen Yi's lips curled into a faint smile, his expression calm and collected. This eased Han Wenxue's nerves slightly.
But in truth, Chen Yi was far from composed.
With a stunning beauty like Han Wenxue clinging to him, her soft curves brushing against his arm, and her delicate fragrance filling his senses, how could he possibly focus? For a moment, he even forgot about the wager entirely.
If Old Master Han knew that his teachings about remaining steadfast and unshakable had been undone by his own granddaughter, he might very well regret ever taking Chen Yi as his disciple.