Feng Shui magic

Li Chengfeng's curse—spoken in frustration—hung thick in the air. Before he could retract it, Ye Wushuang's tirade dissolved into panic.

"My… my eyes!" She clawed at her face, pupils dilated and unseeing. "Mengyao! Where are you? It's *dark*!"

Ye Mengyao waved a trembling hand before her aunt's face. No reaction. The once-arrogant woman now staggered blindly, nails digging into her niece's arm. "Take me to Master Hu! I won't be a cripple like Brother!"

"You monster!" Ye Mengyao wheeled on Li Chengfeng, tears of fury glinting. "First Father, now Aunt—what grudge do you hold against our family? Undo this curse, or I swear—"

"This isn't my doing!" Li Chengfeng snapped. "Your ancestral graves reek of **corrupted earth**. Dig them up, and you'll find rot!"

But they were already retreating, Ye Wushuang's final threat echoing: "The Ye clan will ruin you for this!"

---

**Night Visitors**

Exhausted and penniless, Li Chengfeng collapsed onto his cot. Sleep, when it came, brought whispers.

*Knock. Knock.*

He jolted awake. Two translucent boys stood in the doorway, water pooling at their bare feet. Their skin glowed corpse-pale, hair matted with algae.

"Don't fear, Big Brother," the taller one murmured. Ripples distorted his voice, as if speaking through water. "We came… to thank you."

Li Chengfeng's pulse steadied. These were the drowned children—Wang Xiaoming and Yang Lei.

"Mama cries every night," the smaller boy said. A silver carp scales shimmered on his cheek—the mark of a water spirit's claim. "Tell her… we're sorry. Tell her to eat the fish Papa caught last Sunday. It's… important."

"And the reservoir!" Xiaoming interjected urgently. "The *green fish*—it's not a fish! It—"

Their forms dissolved like mist.

Li Chengfeng awoke gasping, the dream's chill clinging to his bones.

---

**Dawn's Fury**

*Bang! Bang! Bang!*

Ye Mengyao's fists hammered the door at 4:17 AM. "Li Chengfeng! Open up, you venomous snake!"

He groaned. Through the peephole, he saw her disheveled state—mascara streaked, silk blouse torn. Behind her, a stretcher held Ye Wushuang, now coughing black phlegm into an oxygen mask.

"You said three days!" Ye Mengyao screamed. "Aunt collapsed an hour ago! Her lungs—they're *melting*!"

Li Chengfeng cracked the door. "Listen carefully: Your **ancestral tomb** sits on **Black Tortoise** ground. But someone buried **scorched bones** at its **Azure Dragon** position. Until you—"

A porcelain vase shattered against the doorframe. "Lies! You did this!"

---

**Hidden Truths**

Unseen by all, spectral water pooled around Ye Mengyao's ankles. The drowned boys watched sadly from the shadows.

"Big Sister's in danger too," Yang Lei whispered.

Xiaoming nodded. "The green fish… it's coming for her next."

---