Tan Qiqiang (Arc 2)

Standing behind him was a middle aged man. He wore a casual white shirt and black trousers, but on his left wrist, there was a Rolex watch that gleamed in the sunlight.

Feng Yongrui looked at the man closely. He had sharp eyes and well-defined features, making him look like a shrewd businessman.

"Ahaha... That's right, I am a bit hungry... But it's okay," Feng Yongrui replied.

"Well, if you're hungry, you can just come inside and have some noodles. I'm a regular here... The chicken noodles are the best," the man said.

Feng Yongrui pursed his lips and almost cried.

He just convinced his stomach (and heart) that he shouldn't drool and that he doesn't need to eat! Why was this man being so annoying and tempting him like this!

He has no money, okay??

The middle-aged man saw Feng Yongrui's resistance and chuckled.

"Haha... You're not a local, are you? Did you run away from home?"

"Uhm... no..." Feng Yongrui said, scratching his head in embarrassment. Did he look like a rebellious teenager running away from his home because he got into an argument with his parents?

"Host, technically, you did run away from your home," the System reminded him.

Feng Yongrui: "..."

That actually made sense.

"Wait, no... I flew away from home," Feng Yongrui corrected the System.

The System was silent and did not retort.

The middle-aged man looked over at Feng Yongrui's appearance and he shook his head. It seemed like the man did not believe that Feng Yongrui didn't run away from home.

"Did you bring your ID card?" the man asked.

Feng Yongrui shook his head to say no.

"Did you bring your phone?"

He shook his head again.

"And you didn't bring money, right?"

Feng Yongrui pursed his lips sadly. "I-I didn't..."

The middle aged man nodded his head.

"Come on in, I'll treat you this time. After you eat, I'll send you home. Young kids like you shouldn't be running around like this," the man said.

Feng Yongrui felt speechless and he looked at the man warily. The first time he saw this man, he thought he was a rich person, since he was wearing a Rolex watch.

But now... Why did it seem like this man was some sort of kidnapper?!

"I mean, what kind of rich person willingly pays for someone else's meal? Especially since we don't know each other," Feng Yongrui muttered in his head.

The System shrugged with its non-existent shoulders and spoke.

"Maybe he knows who you are?"

"No way... That can't be it..." Feng Yongrui said.

He had used his shapeshifting skill to alter his face, so he didn't look like "Yin Yongrui"... And he didn't even know who this man was!

"Come in, don't hesitate," the man said. He opened the door glass door and led Feng Yongrui inside.

The two of them sat down and the man called the waiter.

"I'd like the usual chicken noodles, please. Two bowls," he said.

"Alright. Coming~"

While they were waiting for the noodles, Feng Yongrui decided to talk with this man.

"Uhm, Sir... why are you being so nice to me like this?" Feng Yongrui asked.

He was curious about this man, as well as his motives...

The man heaved a long sigh and shook his head.

"Don't feel pressured. I'm just doing this because I want to. You just remind me of my sons..." the man spoke with melancholy.

"...I see..." Feng Yongrui replied. It seemed like this man had a past of his own.

When the two noodles arrived, Feng Yongrui once again thanked the man for his kindness and ate the noodles.

"Urgh... This tastes so good..." Feng Yongrui couldn't help muttering out loud.

After a long time of drinking milk and eating soft food, Feng Yongrui's taste buds were thoroughly pleased to eat these noodles...

The familiar oily soup, chewy texture, and tasty chicken made Feng Yongrui want to cry. Delicious~

The middle-aged man chuckled when he saw Feng Yongrui's reaction.

"Has it been such a long time since you ate something?" the man asked jokingly.

Feng Yongrui's cheeks turned slightly red and he did not reply. When the meal was over, Feng Yongrui looked up at the man.

"Sir, I forgot to ask you, but what is your name?" he asked.

"Ah... My name is Tan Qiqiang," the middle-aged man replied.

"Tan Qiqiang... Okay, Uncle Tan..."

Wait! Feng Yongrui looked at the man more closely. He said his name was Tan Qiqiang??

A middle aged man who looked quite rich... Someone from the Tan family... Could he really be that person?

Feng Yongrui skimmed through the information regarding this world as quickly as he could.

That's right. In this world, there was a family who was as prestigious as the Yin family. It was the Tan family.

The Tan family were once merchants who were involved in the black market and underground operations, but they had undergone whitewashing and were now businessmen.

The Tan family head, Tan Qiqiang, loved his wife very much.

Unlike Yin Qiushan, who had a mistress and did not care much about his family, Tan Qiqiang was a good person who cherished his family more than his business.

Unfortunately, this Tan family was struck with ill-fortune.

He had 3 sons, but each one died one after the other. His first two sons died when they were younger, and so Tan Qiqiang was overprotective of his third son. Based on the current timeline... This third son should be in his early twenties.

This third son, Tan Jiuming, was well protected by his family. Since he was the only remaining son in that family, he was brought up as the Tan family's heir.

Unfortunately, tragedy still struck. Tan Jiuming went to a business trip overseas, but his airplane got into an accident and crashed into the ocean. Tan Jiuming died, and his corpse was not even found.

With the heir gone, the Tan family fell into decline and could no longer stand equally with the other affluent families. Tan Qiqiang and his wife became depressed and could not manage their business.

By the time Yin Longshen came into power, the Tan family had pretty much disappeared.

"System, based on the current timeline... When will Tan Jiuming get into a plane accident?" Feng Yongrui asked.

"Hmm... I think that will be in two weeks," the System replied.

"Oh... What?? In two weeks?" Feng Yongrui cried in astonishment.

"Yes, in two weeks," the System replied.

Feng Yongrui shifted his attention to Tan Qiqiang, who was checking his phone. An idea struck his mind.

If... if he saved Tan Jiuming, wouldn't the future change?

And... he could use this opportunity to promote himself (as the Taoist Monk)!

"Ahem, Sir," Feng Yongrui pretended to rummage through his pockets and dug out a pink Chrysanthemum Flower. Actually, he had taken it from the System, but he had to pretend he took it from his pocket.

"This is for you, Sir. I don't have any money so I can only repay you with this," he said.

"Oh?" Tan Qiqiang received the flower and looked at it with interest.

"Sir, you might not know this, but there's a Taoist Monk that's pretty famous around this area... Now days, almost everyone I know goes to ask that monk for advice or blessings..."

Feng Yongrui continued promoting himself shamelessly.

"I heard that he cures sick people just by praying and chanting... The items he gives to people are also blessed with good fortune."

Tan Qiqiang lifted an eyebrow and grew intrigued.

"There was this lady who had long loved someone from her company, but she was afraid that she would be rejected. She went to that Taoist Monk, and he gave her a Crystal Lotus, and within two days, the man she liked actually proposed to her."

Feng Yongrui cited a few more examples and then explained, "I got that Chrysanthemum Flower from that Taoist Monk. I hope it gives you good luck, Sir."

Tan Qiqiang smiled and thanked Feng Yongrui for the flower. He didn't think he was a superstitious person, but he didn't mind getting something that could bring luck and prosperity.

"Right... how do I contact that monk?" Tan Qiqiang asked.

Feng Yongrui smiled secretly in his heart, but his face did not betray his emotions.

Feng Yongrui quickly recited Wang Xiamei's phone number. "This is the person who knows the monk... We have to contact that person to reach the monk, because I heard that the monk lives in the mountains," he explained.

Tan Qiqiang nodded and took note of the phone number. He didn't really take this seriously, but he thought it wouldn't bring any harm to keep this phone number. It might come in handy someday.

Feng Yongrui was glad that his goal was achieved, so he thanked Tan Qiqiang for the meal once more and bid him goodbye.

Feng Yongrui returned to the Yin mansion with a happy heart. As long as Tan Qiqiang gave the flower to Tan Jiuming, wouldn't Tan Jiuming's luck increase.

The System's items had always been good so far, so Feng Yongrui hoped that the flower would somehow change Tan Jiuming's destiny so that he wouldn't get into a plane crash.

His only worry was that Tan Qiqiang wouldn't give the flower to his son...

"But that's unlikely, right? Tan Qiqiang cherishes his son very much. If he has an auspicious item like that, I'm sure he'll give it to his son... Since he's afraid his son will pass away like the other two..."

Right now, the only thing Feng Yongrui could do was hope for the best.

***

Tan Qiqiang: I'm not superstitious.

Feng Yongrui: *gives him an auspicious item*

Tan Qiqiang: T-there's no harm in taking this...

***

Are there any items or superstitious beliefs that you or your family still believe in?

Comment below~