A Little Show of Skill

The upscale restaurant Wang Leyao had booked was tastefully decorated. Rosewood tables and chairs stood before antique-style screens, and through the windows, half of Yangcheng’s nightscape could be seen.

The dishes had yet to arrive, but the atmosphere was already ice-cold.

Ever since they had returned from Lichun Square, Wang Xincheng had not said a word. His brows were furrowed so tightly they could have trapped flies.

He had said nothing while driving, nothing after entering the restaurant, and nothing even after sitting down and drinking three cups of tea.

Wang Leyao could not take it anymore.

“Dad, what’s going on? You’ve been like this ever since we left Lichun Square. I’m on pins and needles here. At least say something.”

Wang Keting, for once, showed some tact. Rather than pressing his father for answers, he first refilled his tea, then poured another cup and slid it over to Liu Zheng.

Liu Zheng was there too, serving as a buffer. When Lin Mo arrived, tempers might flare, and having someone in the middle would make it easier to mediate.

Rubbing his fingers along the rim of the cup, Wang Xincheng finally spoke.

“The seal is in much worse condition than I expected.”

He set down his teacup, his gaze heavy.

“I’ve read the information Captain Liu showed me. This seal does indeed need reinforcement. But since an expert is willing to step in, I assume he must have noticed the same thing.”

Wang Xincheng had originally thought he was an expert no matter how one looked at it. But now that he knew someone had been able to beat a Celestial Master from Longhu Mountain senseless, perhaps all he needed to do was observe that person’s methods.

Liu Zheng held his teacup and thought for a moment. “Actually…”

He got two words out before swallowing the rest.

“Forget it. We’ll wait until he gets here. What he intends to do may be rather troublesome, and it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to make the decision on his behalf.”

Liu Zheng understood Lin Mo. The man had never liked dragging things out, and patchwork repairs were not his style.

That was why he had a suspicion: Lin Mo would most likely eliminate the hidden danger beneath Lichun Square at its roots.

But he could not say that in advance. Doing so might cause complications.

The private room fell silent for a while.

Wang Leyao was just about to say something else when the door was pushed open from outside.

Lin Mo entered first, followed by Jiang Yunlu, Xie Yuling, and Chu Miaomiao, with Zhafu bringing up the rear.

Liu Zheng was the first to stand. He stepped forward and positioned himself between them.

“Come, let me introduce everyone. These are three feng shui masters from Hong Kong: Mr. Wang Xincheng and his son and daughter.”

Wang Xincheng’s eyes swept quickly over the newcomers.

Of the four people in front, three were young girls. As for the young man leading them… How should he put it? He looked young, and he certainly had an air about him, but he still seemed a little short of what one would expect from an expert.

Then his gaze landed on Zhafu, who had entered last.

Dark-skinned, sturdy, and more mature-looking than the others, Zhafu possessed a calm, steady presence. Simply standing there, he seemed capable of commanding the entire room.

So Wang Xincheng instinctively assumed that Zhafu was the expert.

He rose at once, cupped his hands across the table, and put on a suitably respectful smile.

“You must be the expert Captain Liu mentioned. A pleasure to meet you.”

Zhafu did not speak or react in any way. Under Lin Mo’s control, he was currently nothing more than a puppet.

Liu Zheng immediately realized that Wang Xincheng had misunderstood, though it was an entirely natural mistake. He quickly corrected him.

“Mr. Wang, this is Lin Mo—the expert I told you about. He is a disciple of the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Sect.”

Wang Xincheng’s smile froze.

He looked at Zhafu, then at Lin Mo, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly. The situation was somewhat awkward.

Still, he was a man who had seen plenty of the world, and he quickly composed himself. The doubts in his heart, however, could not be dispelled so easily.

This young man really was too young.

Lin Mo showed no particular reaction and did not take offense. He merely cupped his hands in greeting.

“Everyone, take a seat.”

With that, he walked toward his place.

Jiang Yunlu had already beaten him to it. She pulled out his chair, holding the backrest with both hands and turning slightly to the side. Her posture was so impeccable that she looked like a head attendant at a five-star hotel.

Lin Mo shot her a sidelong glance.

This monkey was becoming more and more outrageous lately. What was she trying to do?

Jiang Yunlu did not back down after catching his look. She even smiled at him.

The smile was innocent and guileless. If someone unfamiliar with her had seen it, they would probably have assumed she was Lin Mo’s little sidekick.

Xie Yuling was even more direct.

She raised her hand slightly, and the other three chairs in the private room were simultaneously pulled out by an invisible force and arranged neatly in place.

Then she took Chu Miaomiao by the hand and sat down gracefully, casually pushing Miaomiao’s chair closer to the table.

Wang Leyao and Wang Keting stared in shock.

Their father was indeed a feng shui master. He had seen magic arrays and drawn talismans.

But all they had ever witnessed was the power of money. They had never seen supernatural power.

Moving objects through the air was supposed to be impossible. Could this be some kind of magic trick?

Wang Keting opened and closed his mouth, then instinctively turned to look at his father.

Wang Xincheng’s reaction was not as exaggerated, but his brows drew together even more tightly, and his eyes took on a scrutinizing look.

He had seen people capable of manipulating objects from a distance before. In his understanding, that was a skill belonging to extremely formidable practitioners.

And this girl looked so young.

As for Zhafu, he had stood two paces behind Lin Mo ever since entering the room, his arms hanging naturally at his sides without saying a word.

That single display conveyed a great deal. Wang Leyao and Wang Keting could not help widening their eyes.

Jiang Yunlu had just sat down when she rose again. “I’ll go order some more dishes. I know this place well.”

High-end restaurants were practically Jiang Yunlu’s home turf.

Wang Leyao could not help saying, “We’ve already ordered.”

“You didn’t order enough.”

Jiang Yunlu spoke very directly, though her tone remained gentle. “Don’t worry. We’ll cover the bill.”

With that, she had already walked out of the private room.

The moment the door closed, Wang Leyao felt somewhat offended. She had chosen this restaurant with great care, and she had ordered a great deal of food—more than enough for a dozen people.

But then she thought about the presence that girl carried with her. It was not something that could be propped up by clothes or makeup.

It was the confidence that came from being raised on real wealth from childhood.

After doing business for so many years, Wang Leyao was still a good judge of character.

A few minutes later, Jiang Yunlu pushed the door open and returned, settling back into her seat beside Lin Mo.

Although her attributes had already changed into those of a monkey, Jiang Yunlu remained just as poised and proper in front of outsiders.

Wang Leyao’s gaze moved back and forth among them several times.

The girl with the supernatural ability was beautiful and carried an imposing presence. The smaller girl huddled beside her looked timid and nervous, and it was difficult to tell what she was capable of.

As for the girl who had pulled out Lin Mo’s chair…

During the two minutes Jiang Yunlu had been gone, the restaurant’s owner had personally come in to replace the tea.

In a restaurant of this caliber, one did not need to say what it meant for the general manager to make a personal visit for a guest.

All right, enough. The more she thought about it, the more extraordinary this group seemed.