That evening.
After seeing the message, Lin Fan called Jiang Hu Xue.
It was terrible timing; just as she was about to return, he had to go on a long trip and couldn't pick her up.
Lin Fan had to apologize and explain the situation so she wouldn't be sad.
After hanging up, Lin Fan tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
He had never traveled far from home in his life.
Although he had seen trains and planes on television, he had never ridden one.
Zhong Chen had already booked his flight. He was leaving tomorrow for Ganshui City.
The thought of the competition being held in the Jiangnan region, a place rumored to be full of beautiful women, piqued Lin Fan's curiosity.
How beautiful could they be?
As for the competition, Lin Fan thought, it would be best to win, but if he lost, so be it.
After all, he wasn't part of the Feng Shui community.
Besides, he had no interest in the so-called North-South rivalry.
In his opinion, both the Southern and Northern schools were just bored.
Only in recent years, with the country's economy booming and people having money, did these Feng Shui practitioners find a foothold.
If it were in the past, they would have been paraded through the streets and criticized, would they still dare to compete?
Lost in such thoughts, Lin Fan gradually drifted off to sleep.
...
The next morning.
Zhong Chen and An Hai set off from their hotel in Shimenzhen and bumped their way to Xiao Fan's Medical Clinic.
"No one here?"
Zhong Chen stared at the large lock on the door, surprised.
An Hai glanced at the time, "Let's wait. We still have time."
Meanwhile, Lin Fan was at home, being nagged by his sister-in-law.
Xia Xue stuffed clothes and food into his travel bag, muttering worriedly, "Xiao Fan, it's not like home when you're away. You must remember, don't say anything you shouldn't, don't do anything you shouldn't, and don't look at anything you shouldn't."
"Yes, sister-in-law, I understand."
Lin Fan reassured her, "Don't worry, I'll be back in two or three days at most. I'll bring you back lots and lots of gifts."
"I don't want any gifts, and I don't want you to go."
Xia Xue looked directly at Lin Fan, her eyes filled with concern.
"Maybe I shouldn't go."
Lin Fan couldn't bear to see that look, "Anyway, I don't have much of a relationship with them. Helping is friendship, not helping is my duty."
"That wouldn't be right."
Xia Xue shook her head, "Secretary Wang has said so much, how can we go back on our word? It would also implicate Song Yue."
"I, I'll be fine. If Xiao Fan doesn't want to go, he doesn't have to. Uncle Fugui will scold me at most, he can't do anything to me," Song Yue said softly.
"Alright, just pretend I'm going to the city to see a patient. It's only two or three days. I promise, as soon as it's done, I'll come straight home, no delays."
Lin Fan picked up his packed travel bag, "Sister-in-law, Yueyue, I'm leaving. They're probably waiting for me at the clinic."
"Xiao Fan, don't cause any trouble!"
Xia Xue warned him with concern.
"Sister-in-law, I know. You don't have to see me off."
Lin Fan couldn't stop his sister-in-law from walking with him all the way to the clinic.
In front of the clinic.
Besides Zhong Chen's car, there was another familiar vehicle.
A beautiful and dashing woman was speaking with Zhong Chen and the others with a stern expression.
It was Tian Mengyao.
Tian Mengyao walked over and glared at Lin Fan resentfully, asking, "Xiao Fan, why didn't you tell me you were going away?"
"I... didn't Secretary Wang tell you?"
Lin Fan quickly found someone to blame.
"Him?"
Tian Mengyao was annoyed and speechless.
"I'll be back in two or three days. Just think of it as a business trip."
Lin Fan scratched his head, saying sheepishly.
"You're going to represent the Northern Feng Shui Association in a competition against the Southern Li Qi Sect?"
Tian Mengyao's expression was complicated, and she had many questions in her heart.
"Well... they just inexplicably found me, and I couldn't refuse, so I agreed. Secretary Tian, it's not like the old days of fighting competitions. It's just about looking at Feng Shui. Besides, winning or losing doesn't matter much. I can just treat it as a trip to relax."
Lin Fan explained, fearing that Tian Mengyao would nag him endlessly like his sister-in-law.
"You're quite open-minded."
Tian Mengyao rolled her eyes at him and said softly, "If anything happens outside, call me. If I can solve it, I will. If I can't, I'll go to my dad. He still has some influence."
"Mhm."
Lin Fan nodded.
"Don't 'mhm.' Tell me seriously, do you understand?"
"I understand."
Lin Fan was getting impatient.
Tian Mengyao huffed angrily, "I'm telling you, don't play the big man with me. If anything happens to you, I won't forgive you!"
"I will report to Secretary Tian three times a day, morning, noon, and night, and I will not hide anything, big or small."
Lin Fan finished by giving a salute.
"You!"
Tian Mengyao raised her hand as if to hit Lin Fan, but then thought better of it, realizing they were not alone.
It was then that she noticed Xia Xue staring at her, and her face turned a deep red.
Zhong Chen and An Hai watched the two of them with smiles, lowering their voices, "As expected, a young man lives for pleasure. He's quite lucky with women."
"I see his forehead is broad and bright, his eyebrows are thick and dense, his eyes are long and straight, and his fingers are slender. All signs of abundant romantic fortune."
An Hai teased, "Perhaps what we're seeing is just the tip of the iceberg."
As they were whispering, Lin Fan had already walked over.
They immediately turned around, looking serious and focused.
"Let's go."
With that, the group got into the car.
"Master Lin..."
"President Zhong, elders are respected. You can call me Xiao Fan, or call me by my name. I can't possibly be called a 'Master'."
Lin Fan said earnestly.
"Oh, Xiao Fan."
Zhong Chen smiled kindly, "How many chances do you think you have in this competition?"
He and An Hai both believed Lin Fan possessed special skills, but time was short, and there was no time for further testing. After their initial excitement, they had become worried.
The association couldn't afford to lose!
Yuan Fei, Song Tian's disciple, although a rare young talent, they secretly speculated that he might be some distance behind Li Yu Sheng.
Besides him, there were no other outstanding individuals among the younger generation.
If this dark horse, Lin Fan, were to lose, the Li Qi Sect would be unable to hold its head up for the next decade, or even decades.
"The person you mentioned, what's his name, Li Yu Sheng, is he very powerful?"
Lin Fan asked.
"More than just powerful."
Zhong Chen gave a bitter smile, "He can be considered the unparalleled genius of the Li Qi Sect in the past fifty years. He is also a disciple of Master Lin Xing Nan, a very famous figure in the late Republic of China era."
"That can't be right?"
Lin Fan raised an eyebrow, "Someone from the Republic of China era would be over a hundred years old now. Can he still take disciples and teach?"