mchenry-crisis.org Chapter 6: Feng Shui problems should be solved using Feng Shui methods.
Chapter 6: Feng Shui problems should be solved using Feng Shui methods.
"I slept well tonight!"
Ye Kai stretched, glanced at the still pitch-black window, and got out of bed.
This excessively young body hadn't yet picked up any bad habits from society. Accustomed to going to bed early and waking up early, he was as healthy as a wild donkey frolicking on the grassland.
Looking at the time, it was only 5:30 in the morning.
After a quick wash, he spent a good half hour in the yard venting his remaining energy with "3500 Essential Vocabulary Words for High School English," and then went through the key formulas in math, physics, and chemistry before reluctantly calling it a day.
The clock struck seven, and the sounds of people outside grew louder, including elderly men and women doing their morning exercises, as well as various small vendors.
The bustling places were naturally the vegetable market and the breakfast stalls.
"Huffing and puffing—"
Ye Kai ran five kilometers around the neighborhood, and after warming up thoroughly, white steam rose from the top of his head.
When he returned to the Little Red House with the breakfast he bought at the entrance of the community, it was only 7:40 in the morning.
"Oh, what did you buy for breakfast today, my dear grandson?"
Professor Xu Jingyuan had just gotten up. She doesn't have many of the sleep problems common to older people. On the contrary, she has developed a habit of taking a beauty nap in the morning, which she still does even though she is almost seventy years old. This is something that many people envy.
"It's the Nanji Spicy Soup shop at the entrance of the community, along with their fried dough sticks and side dishes."
Ye Kai went to the kitchen and brought out two large bowls. He poured the spicy soup from the bag into them, arranged the fried dough on a plate, and put the restaurant's homemade side dishes on a dish before running back inside to wash his face again.
"Their hot and sour soup is really good. The pepper is well-chosen; it must be white pepper from Hainan."
The old lady sat down, took a spoonful of the spicy soup, and showed a very satisfied expression.
What are your plans for today?
Seeing Ye Kai sit back down at the dining table, Professor Xu asked a question seemingly casually.
"I promised to go to the flower and bird market with my classmate yesterday. I'll study at home this afternoon. I plan to go through the typical math problems this weekend and focus on physics and chemistry during the Spring Festival."
Ye Kai's overall improvement plan is much better than he expected, and now his confidence is greatly boosted, with a bit of a Great Leap Forward feel to it.
"Male or female student?"
The old lady was more focused on the present and didn't pay attention to Ye Kai's study plan.
My deskmate is Shen Jiayi.
"Her parents weren't home, so I was just helping out."
Ye Kai also gave a brief and understated explanation.
"Shen Jiayi?"
"Is that the top student in your class? The one who's guaranteed a spot in a 985 university's arts program? I heard she's pretty too?"
Professor Xu asked three more questions out of curiosity.
The old lady knew about Ye Kai's class and had heard about Shen Jiayi. She knew that Shen Jiayi's grades were a full 200 points higher than her grandson's, but she couldn't understand how a top student and a poor student could get along so well. Could this be the effect of complementary personalities?
A top student, with an added advantage in the arts, and beautiful.
Is my deskmate really that outstanding?
After Ye Kai had fully processed these three buffs in his mind, he suddenly realized that his classmate Shen Jiayi was actually so outstanding. No wonder that after her family collapsed in her previous life, she was still able to fight her way out of the crowd and become the chief madam of Hong Langman in Jinyang City, the provincial capital.
"The one you're talking about... is indeed her."
Ye Kai shook his head, then nodded.
"She's a good girl."
"You're not getting enough pocket money, are you?"
Professor Xu looked at his ordinary-looking grandson, said some irrelevant things, but then took out a wad of banknotes from his wallet and silently pushed them in front of him.
She really... I'm crying my eyes out...
Having such an understanding grandmother is truly my greatest fortune as her grandson!
Ye Kai was deeply moved and gladly accepted the heartfelt care from his grandmother, quickly stuffing the banknotes into his pocket.
After Grandma's love was materialized, it amounted to a full 1,200 yuan, enough for him to buy a lot of Bitcoins. It was truly a timely help.
……
The winter in Xinghua City is relatively short, and by January the biting cold has disappeared.
After breakfast, a thin fog rose outside, which quickly became thick.
Shen Jiayi appeared before Ye Kai, her hair seemingly frosted with age. Her beige down jacket did not conceal her figure; instead, it appeared very form-fitting. Paired with light blue jeans and white sneakers, it perfectly accentuated her student-like aura.
Good morning!
Seeing Ye Kai standing next to the bus stop, Shen Jiayi happily waved and greeted him.
"It's getting late."
"I've already started memorizing '3500 Essential Vocabulary Words for High School English' for the second time."
Ye Kai stuffed the vocabulary book into the canvas bag slung across his shoulder and went to meet him.
His English proficiency is not bad, but ability is one thing, and exams are another. If he doesn't build up his vocabulary, even if a British person came, he might not be able to get a decent score in the college entrance exam.
Ye Kai understands this very well and will naturally put it into practice to avoid any mishaps.
"You've suddenly become so diligent, are you trying to steal my top spot in the class?"
Shen Jiayi patted Ye Kai's shoulder and asked in a tone that was both reproachful and amused.
Why should a top-performing student from a 985 university make fun of a student aiming for a regular university?
"Hurry up, or all the good feng shui fish will be taken by someone else."
Ye Kai stretched out two fingers, pinched Shen Jiayi's small hand, and took it off his shoulder. Then he spoke solemnly and sternly.
It has to be said that although Ye Kai wasn't exactly a rhodium, cesium, or beryllium expert, he still felt something special when he held Shen Jiayi's small hand.
He could joke and play around with Shen Jiayi more than ten years later, hug and kiss her, and even do more intimate things, but in front of Shen Jiayi at this moment, he was somewhat restrained and unable to let go.
Shen Jiayi is very outstanding, but she is not my ideal woman!
What do you call her?
Of course, they're brothers!
Ye Kai shook his head, banishing those inappropriate thoughts, and accompanied Shen Jiayi into the flower and bird market.
Although Xinghua City is only a small county-level city, its consumption power is not low.
Thanks to the early development of local commerce and trade, and seizing the opportunity of the first wave of e-commerce boom in the internet economy, Xinghua City has achieved excellent economic development. With a population of 500,000, it has become the second strongest economic county (city) in the province, and its upward momentum remains very strong.
The flower and bird market in Xinghua City has a history of 20 years and is very famous in the surrounding counties and cities. The market has about 500 vendors and sells thousands of kinds of products.
Whether you're in the flower business or the bird, animal, fish, or insect business, the environmental requirements are quite high.
After entering the market, the two saw several huge domed glass canopies that divided the market into more than a dozen different areas.
They walked along the moist and warm passageway and finally arrived at the area for birds, beasts, fish and insects.
The huge ventilation fans overhead whirred, as conspicuous as the ventilation equipment in a post-apocalyptic shelter. The sound of rushing water could be heard everywhere. Various tall green plants blocked the view of pedestrians and separated the different business areas, providing a certain degree of privacy.
"Excuse me, sir, which shop sells feng shui fish?"
Shen Jiayi chose a kind-looking middle-aged man to ask for directions.
"Feng shui fish? Turn left from here, there are several shops selling feng shui fish on the third row."
The uncle was squatting on the ground loosening the soil around the money tree when he heard this. He looked up, smiled, and pointed the way for them.
"Thanks!"
Shen Jiayi thanked him and pulled Ye Kai straight towards their destination.
"Hey, why are you suddenly getting handsy?"
Why are you running so fast?
Ye Kai was a little surprised and was forced to run along with Shen Jiayi, who grabbed his hand.
He touched his face with his other hand, as if his face wasn't enough to make the proud and academically gifted beauty Shen Jiayi fall in love with him.
Ye Kai is indeed confident, but he is not narcissistic.
Classmates are classmates,
Deskmates are deskmates,
Good feelings are one thing,
In terms of family background, appearance, education, wealth, and social connections, he and Shen Jiayi are not on the same level. He must be crazy to think that Shen Jiayi took the initiative to pursue him.
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh—"
Panting from running, Shen Jiayi patted her not-so-ample chest and explained with a slightly trembling heart, "Guess... who I just saw?"
"Who?"
"Who else can make our Miss Shen run away with her tail between her legs, disregarding her image?"
Ye Kai asked curiously.
He didn't see anyone in his way, so why did Shen Jiayi act like she'd seen a ghost in broad daylight?
"Teacher!"
"Old classmate was just looking at flowers in that shop next door! Luckily I spotted him, otherwise it would have been a big problem if he had seen you and me loitering here!"
Shen Jiayi's rapid breathing finally calmed down, her eyes still wide open, and she gestured with her hands, looking on in surprise as she spoke to Ye Kai.
"Old Wang?"
Ye Kai was also taken aback when he heard this.
The homeroom teacher, Wang Fusheng, is a Chinese language teacher and has always been very strict with them, especially cracking down on any signs of early romantic relationships in the class.
If Old Wang were to see him and Shen Jiayi strolling hand in hand in the flower and bird market, he would probably launch a blizzard-like, ruthless warning and education campaign against them on Monday.
As for Shen Jiayi, Lao Wang would only try to persuade and advise her gently and patiently, and only under great care not to affect her emotional state.
Who told Ye Kai to be such a poor student who couldn't even get into a 985 university?
For teachers, students' poor grades are the biggest sin.
……
At the corner beyond three rows of shops, Wang Fusheng, a top-notch head teacher, provincial-level academic leader, outstanding teacher in the city, and a hero of the college entrance examination from Xinghua No. 1 Middle School, stood at the entrance of a flower shop, looking into the distance with a look of surprise and uncertainty on his face.
"Old Wang, what are you standing there for?"
"Come and see how this plant looks! It has thick branches and large leaves, and a full root system. But isn't 180 yuan a bit too expensive, boss?"
His wife was busy looking at the flowers inside, and the more she looked, the more she liked them. But then she noticed that Old Wang had run to the door, so she hurriedly called out to him.
"Hey, here it comes!"
Wang Fusheng shook his head, thinking to himself, "Could I have just seen things? How could a top student like Shen Jiayi possibly hang out with Ye Kai, a student who struggles to even get into a top university?"
Impossible, absolutely impossible!