At midnight, Yu Daochen opened for business as usual. Just as he placed the teapot on the ceramic stove to heat, a bright light shone towards the entrance. Yu Daochen paid it no mind, lying back in his rocking chair to rest his eyes.
After a few footsteps, three figures stood at the door. One of them knocked and asked with urgency in his voice, "Excuse me, is Master Yu here?"
Yu Daochen opened his eyes and stood up. Only then did the three people walk in. They glanced at the furnishings inside the shop and then at the young man before them.
Yu Daochen sized up the three people who had entered. A man around forty years old, wearing a suit that fit him with vigor. The woman beside him, of a similar age to the man, was likely his wife. Judging by the valuable pearl on the woman's neck, her status was undoubtedly extraordinary.
In contrast, the woman beside them, who wore no jewelry and was of a similar age to Yu Daochen, was likely their daughter.
Yu Daochen couldn't help but look a few more times. Long, slender legs, fair skin, and a pair of expressive eyes. She was an absolute beauty, and among all the women he had seen, she was undoubtedly the most beautiful, without exception.
The middle-aged woman asked urgently, "Excuse me, is Master Yu here?"
Yu Daochen pointed to himself with a smile, "I am."
The man and woman beside her looked at Yu Daochen with surprise. Master Yu, as rumored throughout the old street, was a young man not yet eighteen years old.
The middle-aged woman stepped forward, about to kneel. If not for the man beside her holding her back, she would have knelt down then and there.
Yu Daochen glanced at the teapot heating on the ceramic stove and said, "Come in and sit down first."
After the three were seated, Yu Daochen asked, "Tell me about the situation first."
The woman glanced at the man, who nodded. He directly took out a stack of hundred-yuan bills from a paper bag and placed them on the tea table. "Thirty thousand yuan. You can count it."
Yu Daochen glanced at the stack of hundred-yuan bills on the table. To be honest, Yu Daochen had never seen so much cash in his life. It wasn't that he hadn't seen large sums of money, but this was the first time he had seen thirty thousand yuan laid out at once.
Seeing Yu Daochen's lack of reaction, the man continued, "As long as you are willing to help, sir, no matter the conditions, as long as I, Zhao Hai, can fulfill them, I will do so."
Yu Daochen was startled. The name Zhao Hai was known to everyone in Yangzhou City. He had made a fortune during the real estate boom a few years ago and had now moved into the pharmaceutical business, owning over a hundred pharmacies. He was a true business magnate. The two people beside him were likely Zhao Hai's wife, Yang Fanglan, and his daughter, Zhao Yiyi.
Yu Daochen cleared his throat and said, "Tell me what happened first."
Yang Fanglan wiped away her tears and explained the whole story.
It turned out that Zhao Hai's youngest son, Zhao Yicheng, had gotten into trouble. On the weekend, Zhao Hai's family of four went to play by the rockery. The youngest son, Zhao Yicheng, saw goldfish in the pond and went to feed them by the pond. Unexpectedly, Zhao Yicheng suddenly fell into the pond. The pond, which was over a meter deep, should not have drowned an eleven-year-old child. But when Zhao Yicheng fell into the water, he began to sink. Fortunately, Zhao Yiyi, who was nearby, reacted quickly and grabbed Zhao Yicheng's hand, pulling him up. However, no matter how hard Zhao Yiyi tried, Zhao Yicheng continued to sink, as if something was pulling his feet downwards.
If Zhao Hai hadn't arrived in time and pulled Zhao Yicheng up by his clothes, Zhao Yicheng would have drowned.
Afterward, Zhao Yicheng had a persistent high fever, and even the best hospital could not help. That night, the couple dreamed of Zhao Yicheng crying by the pond, saying he was scared and wanted to go home.
Zhao Hai was helpless and invited many masters to perform rituals, but they all failed. Later, he was introduced by a friend to a very powerful master in the old street, whom people in the underworld called Master Yu.
Yu Daochen glanced at the steaming teapot, got up, walked to one of the drawers, pulled it open, and took out an apricot leaf.
He placed the apricot leaf in a teacup and handed it to the center of the table. Zhao Hai's family looked at the apricot leaf in the teacup without speaking. Ordinary apricot leaves are green or yellow, but the apricot leaf Yu Daochen took out was purple.
Yu Daochen picked up the teapot filled with boiling water and said, "The rule here is that I only recommend people who can handle this matter, and I am not responsible for the execution. As for the price, you can discuss it with the person who handles it. If you agree, then this cup of tea will be poured."
Yang Fanglan quickly nodded, "We agree, we agree."
Yu Daochen shook his head and added, "If this cup of tea can be drunk, I will help. If it cannot be drunk, then do not blame me for being unable to help."
Hearing this, Yang Fanglan's eyes, still moist with tears, began to well up again. Zhao Hai put his arm around Yang Fanglan and nodded.
At this moment, Zhao Yiyi, who had been silent, stood up directly and pointed at Yu Daochen, scolding him, "We are not refusing to pay you, why aren't you saving my brother? Why, why?" The tears that had been gathering in her eyes could no longer be held back and began to flow.
Zhao Hai took a deep breath. Yu Daochen poured the boiled water into the cup. The moment the water touched the apricot leaf, it turned a dark purple.
"A cup to invite, two cups to help, three cups to stay in their home, four cups to give up their life."
Yu Daochen pushed the tea towards Yang Fanglan. Just as Zhao Hai was about to lift the cup, Yu Daochen stopped him, saying, "This tea is only effective if the madam drinks it."
Yang Fanglan looked at the tea on the table, said nothing, and raised the teacup to drink. Zhao Hai and Zhao Yiyi were about to stop her, but it was too late. The tea had already been drunk by Yang Fanglan in one gulp.
Zhao Yiyi glared at Yu Daochen, about to scold him, but Yang Fanglan pulled Zhao Yiyi's sleeve and said, "It's not hot, and it doesn't have the bitterness of tea. Instead, it has a sweet taste."
Zhao Hai and Zhao Yiyi looked at each other in surprise. They had clearly seen the steaming hot water poured into the teacup, and it could be drunk in less than two seconds.
Yu Daochen glanced indifferently at the teacup with only an apricot leaf remaining. His heart, which had been in his throat, finally settled. He felt immense relief, thinking, "Thank goodness, thank goodness. If it couldn't be drunk, my little shop would probably have to close tomorrow."
Seeing Yu Daochen's lack of reaction, Zhao Hai cleared his throat, "Master?"
Yu Daochen blinked, came to his senses, and poured more water into the teacup, saying as he poured, "I will help with this matter."
As he finished speaking, he casually glanced at Zhao Yiyi. Her originally beautiful eyes were now red from crying.
Perhaps because she heard Yu Daochen agreed to help, her tears stopped flowing. Yu Daochen let out a sigh of relief and said, "Drink another cup. This one might be a bit hot."
Yang Fanglan picked up the teacup, took a small sip, and then drank it all. Yu Daochen frowned, stared at the apricot leaf in the cup, hesitated for a moment, and then poured another cup of tea. "Try this one."
As Yang Fanglan picked up the teacup, she could feel a warm current. It was the same as last time, so she took a small sip.
But this time was different from the previous two. Yang Fanglan's brow furrowed tightly, and she couldn't help but spit out the tea in her mouth.
Yu Daochen took a small portion of the thirty thousand yuan in cash and said, "Tomorrow morning, at nine o'clock, come to the shop to find me."
Zhao Hai nodded repeatedly. Yu Daochen picked up the remaining cash on the table and handed it back to Zhao Hai, "Take the rest back. I'm afraid you might not be able to spend it if you can't keep your life."
Zhao Hai accepted the money, said a few words, and then left. Zhao Yiyi beside him gave Yu Daochen a heavy glare before leaving.
Yu Daochen shook his head helplessly, stretched, and walked to the rocking chair, lying down.