Ning Xi didn't get to watch the excitement.
She walked to the doorway and, as if seeking revenge, dropped a bomb on Shen Xubai, "Then I have to pick up my son, right?"
Shen Xubai: ?!
How old are you!
Fortunately, he didn't have time to think too much.
Ning Xi had already walked into the neighboring Fang family's house and brought out a plump, white Pekingese duck with a gold collar around its neck.
She handed it directly to Shen Xubai, "Third Brother, your nephew, Meng Quan Zai."
The little duck proudly tilted its head, "Quack—"
Shen Xubai: ...
He pursed his lips and looked at the chubby nephew in his arms.
He let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Fortunately, his nephew was a duck...
Ning Xi freed up her hands. Instead of going to the car, she took out a talisman paper from her pocket and walked back to the Fang family's house.
The owner of the Fang family, Fang Wanshan, was the chairman of multiple groups spanning real estate, film and television, investment, and luxury goods. He was a top sugar daddy in the entertainment circle whom no one dared to offend.
Usually, Uncle Fang and Auntie Fang took good care of Ning Xi, giving her delicious food, helping her raise Meng Quan Zai, and even buying Meng Quan Zai a gold collar, which Ning Xi didn't even have!
Recently, Fang Xue, Fang Wanshan's only daughter, had an accident. After falling into the water, she remained in a coma, and all famous doctors were helpless.
So Ning Xi specifically went to the hospital to see Sister Fang today. On her way back, on the bus, she drew this talisman paper.
"Uncle Fang, this is the talisman I drew. It can save Sister Fang."
She handed the talisman paper to Fang Wanshan, who looked haggard.
"This talisman needs to be placed on Sister Fang's chest, and then take her back to the scene of the incident. Walk clockwise around the swimming pool forty-nine times, and her soul, which was scared away, will be found. Sister Fang will wake up."
Fang Wanshan was startled. The red characters on the yellow talisman looked a bit frightening in the dark. He hesitated, "This..."
Ning Xi was not polite and directly handed it to him, "Take it. It can't get any worse anyway."
Fang Wanshan: ...
Shen Xubai: ...
That was too blunt...
But it made some sense.
Fang Wanshan thought for a moment, then gritted his teeth and took it, "Okay, I'll take Xiao Xue there immediately!"
"Okay! Goodbye, Uncle Fang."
Ning Xi got back into the car.
She threw another thunderbolt at Shen Xubai.
"Third Brother, when the talisman paper takes effect, I'll faint. Don't be nervous, just take me to Chen An Hospital. The nurse sisters all know me."
Shen Xubai was shocked all over, "Ah?!!!"
...
All the way, Shen Xubai drove carefully.
While driving, he kept offering her water and snacks, afraid that Ning Xi would faint.
Ning Xi calmly advised him, "Don't worry, the talisman paper won't take effect that quickly."
After she finished speaking, she turned sideways, leaned against the seat, and stared intently at Shen Xubai's face.
Shen Xubai felt creeped out by her gaze, "What's on my face?"
Ning Xi suddenly smiled, her lips curving into two dimples, "Third Brother, you must not know why you turned into a black soot ball, right?"
Shen Xubai: ...
This new sister was too good at conversation; she could kill a conversation just by chatting casually...
Ning Xi ignored whether he responded or not.
She continued to talk to herself, "Third Brother, you were originally Nuwa's masterpiece, as beautiful as Pan An, surpassing Diao Chan, a peerless beauty, capable of making fish sink and geese fall. You were so handsome it shook the heavens and earth, so devastatingly handsome it angered gods and men! But now, it's like Nuwa's clumsy mistake. Alas, in one word: ugly!"
Shen Xubai was almost amused to anger.
Being ugly was bad enough, but she couldn't even be bothered to add a few more adjectives.
He smiled helplessly and asked, "So, is this ugliness salvageable?"
"Yes!"
Ning Xi's spirits lifted when she heard him play along. Her pale little face regained some color.
She spread her hands at Shen Xubai, "Siblings, let's settle accounts clearly. Transfer 2999 to me, and I'll tell you the reason and how to save yourself."
Shen Xubai glanced at Ning Xi's outstretched hand out of the corner of his eye, sighing inwardly.
His face, even when the Shen family was rich, had been examined by countless famous doctors and major cosmetic surgery institutions. In the end, they even resorted to metaphysical methods, but they couldn't restore his original skin color.
What could this 18-year-old girl, Ning Xi, possibly do to cure him.
Shen Xubai knew she wanted money, but perhaps she wasn't familiar with him yet, so she didn't dare to ask directly.
He didn't expose her but nodded gently, "Okay, I'll transfer it to you after I park the car."
Ning Xi, having received a positive reply, hugged her arms with satisfaction, sat up straight, and answered earnestly, "Third Brother, your face has been stolen and transformed. Your original complexion, skin, and bone structure have been stolen over the years, slowly making you dark and rough, and your complexion has gotten worse and worse."
While waiting for the red light, Shen Xubai turned his head, "Then who stole my face?"
Ning Xi thought for a moment and mumbled, "You wouldn't believe me even if I told you."
Shen Xubai chuckled upon hearing this, "So my 2999 was spent in vain?"
At this, Ning Xi sat up abruptly, shaking her index finger repeatedly, "Impossible. With Master Ning Xi, 2999 is excellent value for money. I'll tell you the answer: the one who stole your face is Lu Xinyue. She not only stole your face but also the luck of your entire family."
Shen Xubai: ...
He guessed the next sentence would be, "Don't see Xinyue..."
In the recent dramas where he played extras, that's how it was always portrayed...
As if to confirm Shen Xubai's thoughts, Ning Xi said with a serious expression, "As long as you carry the Yun Ji Bag and avoid seeing Lu Xinyue recently, you will see results within five days."
Shen Xubai's lips stiffened.
He had guessed correctly.
Actually, Ning Xi was overthinking. Given the Shen family's current situation, Xinyue would not return, so there was no need to consider her an imaginary enemy, or even think of her at all.
He opened his mouth to explain, but before he could speak.
Ning Xi cast a faint glance at him. She seemed to understand what Shen Xubai was thinking and slowly said, "If you don't believe me, fine. It's your ugliness, not mine."
Shen Xubai: ...
The siblings' brief conversation broke down.
Fortunately, they had arrived home.
Shen Xubai parked the car and immediately transferred all the money from his card to Ning Xi.
Fortunately, the payment for the two guest appearances had come through. Otherwise, his card would be empty right now. Ning Xi wouldn't have enjoyed the good times of the Shen family and would have to suffer with the family upon her return...
Shen Xubai looked at the little girl with heartache.
But Ning Xi didn't find the amount too small at all. Instead, she smiled and replied, "Thank you, Third Brother."
He had been mentally prepared for Ning Xi, raised by the Lu family, to have a domineering personality. He hadn't expected her to be so obedient and soft. Shen Xubai was a little stunned. If he had transferred such a small amount of money to Xinyue before, she would have ignored him for several days.
Ning Xi, unaware of his thoughts, tilted her head and looked at him proudly, "Third Brother, since you overpaid me by 3001, I'll give you another piece of advice. If you absolutely must see Lu Xinyue, remember to apply the yin soil from around the grave mounds to your face, and carry the Yun Ji Bag. This will block her from stealing your beautiful face."
Then Ning Xi transferred 3000 back to Shen Xubai, "Third Brother, here's some pocket money for you~"
The little girl said, holding Meng Quan Zai, and opened the car door to get out.
Shen Xubai looked at the transfer notification, his peach blossom eyes filled with shock.
...
The Shen family was located in Gukou Village on the outskirts of Jing City.
It was a very remote area, considered the most backward region of Jing City.
Ning Xi stood in front of the Shen family's house.
Her heart sank instantly.
The Shen family's two-story old building, from the 1960s or 70s, was dilapidated. The walls were mottled and peeling, revealing blackened bricks. The plants in the yard were half-withered and scorched even in the vibrant spring, showing no signs of life.
All of this told Ning Xi that the Shen family had formed a heavenly pit formation: wealth would leak out as soon as it arrived, energy would dissipate as soon as it entered, good fortune could not be retained, and malevolent spirits could not be driven away. It was a typical extremely inauspicious pattern of wealth leakage, luck leakage, and leakage of the family's foundation.
Currently, any attempt to gather fortune, wealth, or energy into the house would be futile.
Only by first sealing this heavenly pit and preventing the Shen family from continuing to leak luck could there be a possibility of their fortune turning around.
Ning Xi stood outside the door, her expression solemn.
To Shen Xubai, this look brought a bit more heartache and a lot more helplessness.
He sighed softly, walked over, and patted Ning Xi's shoulder, "The living conditions at home are a bit poor. Just make do for now. You'll be going to college in a few months, and we can talk about moving out then."
Ning Xi was taken aback and tilted her head to look at him, "Who said I'm going to college?"
Shen Xubai: "? If you're not going to college, where are you going?"
The siblings seemed to be on different wavelengths.
They stared at each other.
Suddenly, the courtyard gate opened.
Two elderly people with white hair rushed out, pushing Shen Xubai aside with their arms.
Then, as if kidnapping her, they each took an arm of Ning Xi.
"Darling, you're finally back!"
"I'm your maternal grandfather!"
"I'm your maternal grandmother!"
"Granddaughter, welcome home!"
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