It seems Yuan Zhenguo and Gao Hesheng aren't on the same side, Xia Liang sneered inwardly. To describe that man with the word 'scum' would be an insult to the word itself.

He was known for delaying wages, abusing his power, and mistreating employees with constant beatings and scoldings. The staff were too intimidated by his authority to voice their anger. Yuan Zhenguo and Old Liu had known each other for many years, and Yuan Zhenguo had instigated many of Old Liu's past deeds.

But none of this had anything to do with Xia Liang.

"Old Yuan, this Master Xia is truly amazing," Old Liu said. "He spotted our feng shui issue at just one glance."

Hearing Old Liu's introduction, Yuan Zhenguo looked at Xia Liang and stiffened slightly. A hint of wariness flashed across his face. Before entering the room, he had overheard the whispers outside and already had a rough idea of what had happened.

This subtle change did not escape Xia Liang's eyes.

"You two can talk, Boss Yuan. Don't mind me."

That simple sentence made Yuan Zhenguo's heart tremble. He had a guilty conscience, so the words hit him differently. To others, the comment was meaningless, but for Yuan Zhenguo, it took on a completely different flavor.

This kid is so young, yet he found the dead cat and even those handcuffs... Does he really have some kind of ability? Could he have already figured out it was me?

Yuan Zhenguo's wariness intensified. He decided to test Xia Liang and said with a forced smile, "So, you're Master Xia Tian. Truly impressive for your age. Youth is a great thing! Young people are full of vigor!"

His intent was simple. If Xia Liang already suspected him, the remark served as a warning: don't be impulsive and spill everything you know. If Xia Liang didn't suspect him, the statement wouldn't arouse any suspicion at all.

"Hm?" Xia Liang frowned slightly. What's with that insincere smile?

"If you're not vigorous, can you still call yourself young?"

Xia Liang hadn't planned on getting involved, but since Yuan Zhenguo was now openly threatening him, he chuckled, not feeling the need to be polite.

"I'm nowhere near as impressive as you, Boss Yuan. After all, you're such a kind-hearted person. I hear you have quite a few pets at home. British Shorthairs, orange tabbies... and didn't you bring home a Black Cat just a while ago?" Xia Liang said, looking at Yuan Zhenguo with a smile.

"Heh, I can't help it. The kids at home love them," Yuan Zhenguo replied, his own smile unnatural. He grew increasingly uneasy.

A Black Cat... The name itself means jet-black. In other words, just a common black cat!

Old Liu also chimed in with a smile. "The Heavenly Master hit the nail on the head again! Old Yuan's love for cats is..."

As he spoke, Old Liu seemed to recall something. His expression changed for a fraction of a second before he quickly composed himself.

Yuan Zhenguo caught the fleeting change. He turned to Xia Liang, his brows knitting together. He now knew, without a doubt, that Xia Liang suspected him.

"So, how many Black Cats are left at your house, Boss Yuan?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, the color drained from Yuan Zhenguo's face. A murderous glint flickered in his eyes.

Xia Liang sneered, completely unfazed by Yuan Zhenguo's killing intent. Over the years, Yuan Zhenguo had committed countless evil deeds and acted without a bottom line. Anyone he targeted was destined for a terrible end. Sometimes, his actions resulted in death, which was then hastily covered up with a paltry sum of money and a claim that the person had gone missing.

But Xia Liang was currently affiliated with the Protectors and even held a title. These few simple sentences from him were enough to make Yuan Zhenguo break out in a cold sweat.

"Old Yuan, are you not feeling well? Why don't you go home and get some rest?" Old Liu suddenly interjected.

Yuan Zhenguo latched onto the excuse and nodded quickly. "I've been too busy these last few days. My head is killing me."

He stood up and smiled at the other three. "You all keep chatting. I'm going to go rest for a bit."

As he left, he gently pulled the door closed behind them. The moment the door clicked shut, two words were forced through Old Liu's clenched teeth.

"Beast!"

After all, the implications of the conversation had been painfully obvious, and Old Liu was no fool. How could he not have understood? He had been holding himself back, knowing it wasn't the right time to have a complete falling out with Yuan Zhenguo when he had no solid evidence.

Beside him, Gao Hesheng's face was a mask of righteous indignation. "Old Liu, I told you long ago he was no good, but you never listened to my warnings."

Xia Liang stood up and stretched lazily. "Alright, the matter is out in the open now. How you handle it from here is your business, Old Liu. Once the feng shui is taken care of, I should be heading back."

By the time the three of them exited the office, Yuan Zhenguo had vanished without a trace.

Just then, a member of the procurement team hurried over. "President Liu, the rockery Master Xia requested has been delivered."

Xia Liang nodded and gave his instructions. "Place the rockery in the very center of the mall and set it up."

The installation workers immediately got to work. Soon, the modest rockery stood in the middle of the floor. When they switched on the water feature, a new sense of vitality instantly filled the mall's ground floor.

Liu Zhendong asked, "Master Xia, should we put those Fengshui Fish in the pool at the base of the rockery?"

Xia Liang thought for a moment and nodded. "You can, but that other pool will have to be dismantled."

At that moment, two customers walked in.

"Whoa, this place looks completely different!"

"It actually looks really nice."

"Yeah, so much better than before."

"Hey, take a short video for me. I'm gonna post it on TikTok later..."

The pair wandered around for a bit before a shopkeeper beckoned them into a store. Not long after, they left with a satisfied look on their faces, carrying several large shopping bags.

Liu Zhendong was amazed. "Well, that's strange! Before, people would walk into the mall, take one look, frown, and leave without a second thought. But now, they not only browsed, but they actually bought a bunch of stuff. Master Xia Tian, I'm just a simple man. Can you explain the mystery behind this?"

The surrounding shopkeepers and security guards listened with looks of anticipation. Those two customers hadn't just bought things; they had taken photos and videos to post on social media. The mall's image had clearly improved, and they believed it wouldn't be long before more people from the city would start arriving.

"Little Master, what's really going on? Is it actually a feng shui problem? In the past, customers would barely even walk around the first floor, let alone go up to the second or third."

"Yes, please enlighten us, Little Master! What's the secret?" another shopkeeper chimed in.

"The secret?" Xia Liang glanced at the crowd and said with a note of annoyance, "Secret, my ass!"

He pointed at the rockery. "A rockery represents Earth and symbolizes having a strong backer. Not only can it stabilize the location's energy, but it can also anchor wealth. At the same time, it blocks the customers' immediate line of sight. Put yourselves in their shoes. If you walked in and could see the entire, empty mall in one glance, would you feel like shopping?"

Everyone nodded, a look of sudden understanding on their faces.

Xia Liang chuckled. "This isn't just feng shui, it's also science!"

Soon, a trickle of new customers began to arrive and wander through the shops. The business owners were buzzing with enthusiasm. While the mall wasn't crowded yet, the foot traffic was already several times what it used to be. Furthermore, as long as customers were willing to stay and browse instead of leaving after a quick glance, more people would see them and be encouraged to come in and look around. It's human nature to be curious, to follow a crowd, and to enjoy a bit of hustle and bustle.

The third and fourth floors only had a few minor issues, which the security guards quickly fixed under Xia Liang's direction.

When Xia Liang scanned the area now, he could see the entire mall enveloped in a faint purple aura, occasionally streaked with a wisp of golden energy. Clearly, the feng shui of the mall had already improved from a lower-middle grade to a level approaching upper-middle grade. For a shopping mall, this was considered quite good.

Liu Zhendong asked curiously, "Master Xia Tian, what level would you say the feng shui is at now?"

"Barely upper-middle grade, I'd say," Xia Liang replied.

Liu Zhendong grinned. "Master Xia Tian, is it possible for the feng shui to get even better?"

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