37: Chapter 37 Acquiring Assets Through Ethical Means

Han Jingyang ultimately decided against raising the price.

As he had said before, he was a master of metaphysics; making money was fine, but he could not become a miser blinded by greed.

A gentleman loves wealth, but acquires it through proper means.

He was no gentleman, but he had to maintain that persona, as it would help him make more money.

He was not looking for a one-off deal; he wanted to build a sterling reputation, become a major IP, and live off his word-of-mouth like those famous metaphysics masters in the South and Hong Kong/Taiwan regions.

Good reputation, great fame, and genuine skills—only with these could he raise his status and social standing, and earn big money.

A deal like Zhou Yucheng's, earning ten million in one go, was an exception after all, happening just because Zhou Yucheng was in a desperate situation.

If Zhou Yucheng had any other option, he would not have been so generous; after all, no one's money just falls from the sky.

June 27th.

Jiguang Zhai.

Han Jingyang was in the shop, studying the zhentan wood in his hands.

If he did not find another item with the Evil-Warding attribute within these three days, he would reluctantly part with this zhentan wood and sell it to Zhou Yucheng.

Although he felt a little reluctant, cash was more appealing to him. After all, he had no other channels for making money.

In this society with such specialized division of labor, money was omnipotent.

Moreover, although this zhentan wood was decent, it was only a fifth-grade item. There would certainly be better ones in the future, so there was no need to hoard it like a treasure.

Additionally, showing off his skills in this matter would certainly increase his popularity, which would be extremely helpful for the future.

As for why he set a three-day deadline, it was a little trick to raise his own value and prevent Zhou Yucheng from feeling that the item had been obtained too easily, which might lead to regret over spending so much money.

It was the same principle as someone asking you for a favor.

If you agreed too easily and handled it casually, the other party would feel the favor was worthless, which would inevitably lead to other thoughts.

The human heart is a complex thing. Even doing good deeds and helping others requires technique and strategy; otherwise, not only might you fail to receive gratitude, but you might even invite trouble.

Living in this world, one does not have to exploit human nature, but one must see through it to remain in an invincible position.

Understanding worldly wisdom without becoming worldly is exactly what that means; it is a very sophisticated way of conducting oneself.

Han Jingyang, as a young man, certainly could not be considered a master who had mastered human nature, but he was not completely ignorant either.

People, after all, grow up gradually.

Around eleven o'clock, after sending off a curious customer, Liu Jing leaned boredly against the counter: "Boss, the counter is empty. It always feels like something is missing. When will we restock?"

"This afternoon."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Hehe, keep it up, Boss. Try to fill this counter soon so I can have a sense of security. Otherwise, I wouldn't even dare to ask for time off."

"What does that have to do with asking for time off?"

"After I take time off, you will realize that the shop is the same whether I am here or not."

Han Jingyang smiled, and turning his head, he saw Mr. Shen leading Shen Lele as they pushed the door open to enter.

Han Jingyang waved his hand: "Have a seat, don't stand on ceremony."

He now knew Mr. Shen's true identity: Deputy Director of the Quancheng Public Security Bureau. Although his actual power in a provincial capital like Quancheng was not anything extraordinary, he could not be underestimated. Given the nature of his department, ordinary people would not dare to provoke him.

Mr. Shen's full name was Shen Yuhai. He was nearing retirement age, but having worked in Quancheng for many years, climbing step by step from an ordinary police officer, he had accumulated a vast network of connections. Therefore, despite Shen Yuhai not holding the top position and being on the verge of retirement, he remained a figure in Quancheng whom no one dared to underestimate.

Shen Lele was the daughter Shen Yuhai had with his ex-wife, and she was also his only child.

Shen Yuhai sat down opposite Han Jingyang, then, with a straight face, scolded his daughter: "Come over here and apologize to Mr. Han."

Shen Lele pouted, lowered her head, and moved toward Han Jingyang with a face full of reluctance, bowing slightly: "I'm sorry..."

Shen Yuhai was furious: "Is this your attitude? Is this how I taught you?"

Han Jingyang quickly stopped Shen Yuhai: "Alright, alright, she's just a child; this is perfectly normal. When you and I were young, we might not have been as sensible as she is." He gestured toward Liu Jing: "Take Lele out for a stroll, walk around for a while."

Liu Jing understood immediately, took Shen Lele, and left, heading out on her electric scooter to go shopping.

Once the two women had left, Shen Yuhai spoke seriously: "Brother, thank you. If it weren't for you, I would have really stumbled this time."

"Let's not talk about that, it's meaningless. Drink some tea."

"Alright, let's drink tea." Shen Yuhai picked up his teacup and took a sip: "Has Zhou Yucheng approached you?"

"Yeah, I could not stand his pleading, so I agreed to help him once."

"Brother, don't get too deeply involved in this matter."

"I know. I am just going to adjust the feng shui of his residence and will not get involved in anything else. I didn't even ask what happened; I just told him to hurry up and find a noble benefactor."

Shen Yuhai thought for a moment and gave a thumbs up: "Brother, you are truly wise. For the current Zhou Yucheng, that really is the only path."

Han Jingyang raised an eyebrow: "It seems it really is quite serious."

"He might end up in prison. How did you know he only had the path of help from a noble benefactor?"

"It is a simple metaphysical principle. In our theoretical system, the problems people encounter can be divided into several levels. Most problems can be handled and solved with metaphysics, but some problems are very serious, exceeding the capabilities of feng shui and metaphysics. They are caused by destiny and fortune. To solve these problems, one must exert effort from multiple angles simultaneously to have any hope."

"What category of destiny does Zhou Yucheng's problem fall into?"

"It is at the level of acquired destiny."

"Huh?"

"Innate destiny is basically set in stone. In a short life, innate destiny is a fixed number; in a multi-dimensional life, it is a fixed parameter. Acquired destiny, however, is different. It can be changed through various methods, such as feng shui, studying, and accumulating virtue. But while acquired destiny can be changed, it often involves a long process and can almost never be achieved overnight. In a person's life, there are only a handful of opportunities to change one's acquired destiny."

Shen Yuhai nodded slightly: "I know this: First destiny, second luck, third feng shui, fourth accumulating hidden virtue, fifth studying, sixth naming, seventh physiognomy, eighth respecting gods, ninth associating with noble benefactors, and tenth nourishing life."

"Zhou Yucheng's innate destiny was very ordinary, but he was smart, did well in his studies, and seized opportunities. He used thirty or forty years of effort to change his own destiny and that of his family. But that is also where the problem lies. In the process of changing his destiny, he left behind huge hidden dangers, which have only just erupted. Therefore, if Zhou Yucheng wants to escape his predicament, he must change his acquired destiny."

"So he only has the path of help from a noble benefactor."

"No, there is another path, but I guess he certainly could not accept it, so I didn't mention it."

"What is it?"