Xu Shaowen walked briskly down the narrow street, a briefcase tucked under his arm. His face was tense, with dark circles under his eyes betraying his lack of sleep.

No one could blame him.

Who could sleep well when their house was haunted, and they nearly got into a car accident on the way out? It was no surprise he was a nervous wreck.

Today, he had deliberately left his driver behind and came to Temple Street alone to seek the help of a famous local master, Master Bai.

It was said that Master Bai had a knack for fortune-telling and exorcism, and Xu Shaowen hoped he could solve his big problem. So, when he heard the fee was 30,000 yuan, he didn’t hesitate to agree.

For a small business owner like him, 30,000 yuan wasn’t a big deal.

“Sir, sir!”

A voice called out from behind him. At first, Xu Shaowen didn’t think it was directed at him. But when he heard “Mr. Xu,” he stopped in his tracks, confused, and turned to look at the speaker.

“Are you talking to me?”

Behind a simple wooden table sat a girl of about seventeen or eighteen. She had a clean, delicate appearance and a bright smile that revealed a cute pair of tiger teeth.

“Yes, I’m talking to you. Would you like your fortune told?” she asked.

Xu Shaowen’s expression turned as though he had seen a ghost.

He looked around suspiciously before glaring at Gu Xicao. “Young lady, are you joking? I don’t know how you figured out my surname, but I don’t have time to play games with you.”

With that, he turned to leave.

Gu Xicao raised an eyebrow. “Mr. Xu, if you keep walking, you’ll face a calamity of bloodshed. I advise you to stop.”

Xu Shaowen couldn’t help but laugh. Bloodshed? What nonsense was this?

Zhou Xiufang, noticing his disbelief, quickly interjected. “Mr. Xu, Master Gu is incredibly accurate. She read my fortune just yesterday. You shouldn’t dismiss her words so easily!”

“Really?” Xu Shaowen’s gaze shifted between Zhou Xiufang and Gu Xicao. “Are you two in cahoots, trying to scam me? You’ve got the wrong guy—I’m no sucker!”

He snorted and stormed off angrily.

Wang Laoshi, who had been eavesdropping nearby, saw that Xu Shaowen was about to leave and hurried to grab his arm. “Sir, since she’s already warned you, why not listen? It won’t cost you anything and won’t take much of your time.”

“Let go! What are you doing—trying to rob me?!”

Xu Shaowen panicked when Wang Laoshi grabbed him, clutching his briefcase tightly. “Let go, or I’ll call the police!”

His voice was loud, attracting a crowd of onlookers curious about the commotion.

“Alright, now that so many people are watching, you’d better let me go! Or I’m calling the police right now!” Xu Shaowen, emboldened by the growing crowd, yanked his arm free from Wang Laoshi.

“What’s going on, Wang Laoshi? Are fortune-tellers struggling so much these days that you’ve turned to robbery?” a woman selling pudding cakes nearby asked nosily.

Wang Laoshi’s face turned red. “Nonsense! We’re doing a good deed here! Xiao Gu said this Mr. Xu is about to face a calamity of bloodshed. We’re just trying to help him!”

“Bloodshed? What nonsense…”

Xu Shaowen huffed, brushing off his sleeve, his face red with anger.

But before he could finish speaking, a sharp bang echoed from up ahead.

It sounded like a gunshot.

Everyone froze for a moment before screaming and scattering.

Gu Xicao quickly pulled Zhou Xiufang and the others down to crouch behind a railing. Through the gaps, they saw several police officers in green uniforms chasing a burly man with a face full of scars. The man turned and fired his gun as he ran, sending the crowd into another frenzy of screams.

Once the police and the fugitive were out of sight, the onlookers cautiously emerged from their hiding spots.

“Wow, that was close! Good thing we weren’t standing over there. Look at the hole in the ground—it could’ve been in someone’s body!” The pudding cake vendor clutched her chest, still shaken.

Gu Xicao sat in stunned silence.

She knew Hong Kong could be chaotic during this era, but she hadn’t expected to witness such drama—a real-life street shootout.

“Master, thank you! You saved my life!”

Xu Shaowen’s back was drenched in cold sweat as he realized the gunfire had occurred near the Taoist temple he was heading toward. If Gu Xicao hadn’t stopped him, he might have been hit by a stray bullet.

“Xiao Gu, how did you know he’d face a calamity of bloodshed? You’re amazing!” The pudding cake vendor and the others stared at Gu Xicao in astonishment.

Gu Xicao waved her hand dismissively. “It’s nothing. Alright, everyone, let’s get back to business and clear the road.”

Noticing that the street was now blocked, the onlookers quickly dispersed.

When Gu Xicao returned to her stall, she had just sat down when Xu Shaowen approached her, looking hesitant.

“Master, can you tell my fortune now?”

Without saying much, Gu Xicao pointed to her sign. Seeing the price—188 yuan—Xu Shaowen immediately pulled out 500 yuan and handed it to her without hesitation.

Gu Xicao only accepted 188 yuan. “That’s the set price. Mr. Xu, what would you like to ask?”

Xu Shaowen sat down hastily. “It’s like this: my house is haunted. I’d like you to read my fortune and help me perform an exorcism.”

Haunted?!

Zhou Xiufang and Wang Laoshi perked up their ears, eager for gossip.

Stories of hauntings were common, but witnessing one being dealt with in real life was a rare treat.

Zhou Xiufang, who had planned to go home for dinner, decided she could skip a meal for this.

“An exorcism?”

Gu Xicao couldn’t help but chuckle.

Xu Shaowen, unsure of the meaning behind her laugh, felt even more nervous.

Gu Xicao tapped her fingers on the table and said, “If you’re asking for an exorcism, I can’t do that.”

“Huh?” Xu Shaowen was stunned, his expression dropping with disappointment.

“But who said your house is haunted?” Gu Xicao continued. “What’s happening at your place is manageable. Let me take a look. I estimate it will take me about an hour to resolve.”

An hour?!

Wang Laoshi’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.

What could anyone possibly solve in an hour?

“Master Wang, can you accompany us? I’ll treat you to a meal later,” Gu Xicao asked, turning to Wang Laoshi.

Although she projected confidence, she was still a young woman. After witnessing the shootout earlier, she couldn’t help but feel wary about the area’s safety.

Wang Laoshi cleared his throat. “Accompany you? I might not have the time.”

“Then I’ll go with you, Master. Consider it my way of repaying you for the fortune you told me,” Zhou Xiufang said eagerly.

Wang Laoshi froze for a moment. By the time he came to his senses, they were already hailing a cab. In a panic, he called out, “Wait! I’ll come with you. Mrs. Leung entrusted me to look after you, and I can’t let you wander around alone.”

Xu Shaowen’s house wasn’t far away; it only took about half an hour by cab to get there.

When they arrived, Wang Laoshi couldn’t help but gape.

For someone as unassuming as Mr. Xu, his residence was impressive—a small Western-style house with a yard.

“Come in, this is my home,” Xu Shaowen said, ushering them into the living room. “It’s just me and my son living here now. We used to have a housekeeper, but she was scared off by the… incidents. The place is a bit messy, so please excuse that.”

Gu Xicao glanced around. The house had two floors. The first floor housed the living room, dining area, and study, while the second floor contained the bedrooms and a game room for the son.

From the game room came the sound of a video game: “Go, go, go! Kill him, kill him!”

Xu Shaowen’s face turned embarrassed and angry. Walking to the game room door, he knocked, but the sound of the game continued unabated, and no one came to answer.

Finally losing patience, he pounded on the door. “Xuewu! Xuewu!”

At last, the door opened, revealing a boy of about fifteen or sixteen. His face was dark, and his eyes were bloodshot. Seeing the strangers in the house, he only paused for a moment before complaining, “What do you want, Dad? I was in the middle of a game!”

“I’ve hired a master to deal with the haunting. You can play your game anytime. By the way, when did you get this console? Didn’t I tell you not to play games and to focus on your studies?”

Glancing into the messy room, with soda bottles and chip bags littering the floor, Xu Shaowen’s face grew red with a mix of frustration and shame.

“I studied earlier and just wanted to relax. Now you’re nagging again. And about this so-called master—come on, Dad, don’t get conned. There’s no such thing as masters in Hong Kong,” Xuewu said disdainfully.

His eyes flicked warily between the visitors, his expression guarded.

“She is the master. She just saved me earlier,” Xu Shaowen said, his tone defensive.

Xuewu had already noticed Gu Xicao but had only thought she was a pretty girl. The idea that she was a master left him dumbfounded. “Dad, are you joking? She doesn’t look much older than me. You must be getting scammed. You should all leave, or I’ll call the police.”

Gu Xicao raised an eyebrow, sizing up Xuewu. “Go ahead and call the police. But tell me, would you be calling to chase us away or because you don’t want us to ‘exorcise’ the ghosts?”

“What are you talking about? Of course, I want the ghosts gone. Don’t twist my words!” Xuewu snapped, his tone hostile.

Xu Shaowen quickly pulled him aside and turned to Gu Xicao, his tone respectful. “Master, don’t listen to him. It’s my house, and I’ll decide. Just tell me what to do, and I’ll follow your instructions.”

Gu Xicao glanced around the house and asked, “Which bathroom was it where the bloody water appeared? Take me there.”

Xu Shaowen’s pupils constricted, his shock evident. His belief in the master’s abilities grew stronger.

On the way there, he hadn’t mentioned the bathroom’s bloody water to anyone. Only he, his son, and the fleeing housekeeper knew about it. How could this master possibly know unless she truly had extraordinary abilities?

With a dark expression, Xuewu followed them closely as they headed to the downstairs bathroom.

“This is the one. I usually use this bathroom. Ten days ago, I came down and found blood flowing from the taps. A few days later, it happened again. That same day, the brakes on my car failed. Luckily, I sensed something was wrong when I started the car and checked it out before driving. I had it towed for inspection, and sure enough, the brakes were broken.”

Even now, as he recounted the events, Xu Shaowen couldn’t hide his lingering fear.

Gu Xicao turned on the faucet. Clear water gushed out.

She examined the sink, her expression thoughtful. Then she stood up and said, “I know what’s causing the ‘haunting.’”