Ch 14: The Mysterious Pocket Watch

“Tianqing, you know how our Wen Family made its fortune, right?”

Wen Chengxin said with a serious expression.

Wen Tianqing replied without much thought, “Our Wen Family has dabbled in all walks of life, but our initial success…wasn’t it because of Father’s keen eye and successful stock trading?”

Wen Chengxin nodded and said:

“Yes, it was through stock trading.”

“When I was young, I was just a working stiff.”

“After entering the stock market, whichever stock I invested in would inevitably skyrocket, accumulating a vast wealth in a short time. I then started branching into businesses across various industries, and our Wen Family rose rapidly, as if we were cheating, succeeding in all our ventures. Do you know…why?”

“Wasn’t it because of your keen eye?” Wen Tianqing asked, puzzled.

In business, isn’t it about having extraordinary judgment and vision, seizing opportunities, and making decisive moves?

Especially with something like stocks, the price fluctuations are unpredictable.

One day it might surge, and the next it could plummet.

Wen Chengxin must have possessed extraordinary judgment to have made his first pot of gold through stock trading.

And later, the Wen Family’s business also thrived thanks to Wen Chengxin’s judgment alone.

Therefore, in Wen Tianqing’s eyes, his father, Wen Chengxin, was a god-like figure.

“You’re oversimplifying things.” Wen Chengxin shook his head.

“Whether in business or the stock market, my accurate judgments weren’t due to my intelligence…”

Wen Chengxin stood up, using his cane to support himself as he walked towards a certain spot behind him.

Wen Tianqing wanted to help him, but Wen Chengxin waved him off.

Wen Chengxin went to the room behind him, cautiously glancing around several times, gesturing for Wen Tianqing to come in.

After Wen Tianqing went inside, Wen Chengxin slammed the door shut, and closed the windows as well.

“Dad, what’s with all the secrecy…”

“What I’m about to tell you might be beyond your comprehension, so listen carefully.”

Wen Chengxin walked shakily towards a wardrobe.

After opening the wardrobe, he pushed all the clothes to one side, revealing a safe.

Even Wen Tianqing didn’t know there was a safe hidden behind the wardrobe.

To be honest, few people ever enter the old man’s room, let alone know there’s a safe hidden in the wardrobe.

Wen Chengxin deftly opened the safe, his movements very practiced.

Wen Tianqing curiously leaned in.

Inside the safe wasn’t any valuable gold or jewelry, but…an old pocket watch?

Wen Chengxin carefully held the pocket watch, gently brushing away non-existent dust.

“Our Wen Family’s rise to a wealthy family is all thanks to this pocket watch!”

“This pocket watch…what does it do?” Wen Tianqing was full of questions.

Why was his father acting so strangely today?

His family’s vast empire was built on this small pocket watch?

Wen Chengxin smacked Wen Tianqing’s head, whispering mysteriously:

“Don’t you dare doubt it, inside this pocket watch, there’s a…ghost!”

“Ghost?!” Wen Tianqing exclaimed in astonishment.

“Back then, when your father was still a poor kid, I accidentally obtained this pocket watch, and discovered it could predict fortune and disaster!”

“Dad, you believe in superstitions too?”

“You brat, let me finish!”

“I’m not kidding!”

Even though the usually serious Wen Chengxin was serious now, Wen Tianqing was still dubious.

“Just drop a drop of blood onto this pocket watch, and silently recite what you want to divine; the pocket watch’s hands will turn.”

“There are 24 time points; the smaller the number, the more auspicious the sign; conversely, the larger the number, the more ominous the sign.”

“The 24 time points are divided into three sections: 1 to 8 points is the best sign, representing that doing what’s in your heart will bring good fortune and you must complete it at all costs.”

“8 to 16 points is an average sign, meaning it’s neither auspicious nor ominous, it can be done or not.”

“And 16 to 24 points is the worst sign, a great omen of misfortune; if the thing in your heart is allowed to happen, irreversible consequences will absolutely occur!”

“All the major decisions behind the Wen Family’s successful stock trading and investments over the years are because of this pocket watch.”

“I know what I’m saying may be hard for you to accept now, but you must believe me.”

Wen Chengxin’s words completely shattered Wen Tianqing’s worldview.

Before today, Wen Tianqing completely disbelieved in ghosts, monsters, and feudal superstitions.

But Wen Tianqing knew his father’s meticulous nature.

Seeing his father’s serious expression, he knew Wen Chengxin would never joke about this.

Seeing that Wen Tianqing was still somewhat dubious, Wen Chengxin said again:

“Remember two years ago, when your old father had a keen eye and saw the potential in that land in White Stork Bay?”

“Of course, I remember. At that time, no one was optimistic about that land in White Stork Bay, but you ignored everyone’s doubts and bought it. Six months later, the government included that land in their development plan, and our Wen Family made a killing. Could it be…”

Wen Tianqing’s eyes were full of disbelief.

“Yes, it was that time.”

“I used the power of the pocket watch, and it pointed to two o’clock, predicting that the decision to bid for that land in White Stork Bay was a very auspicious sign.”

Wen Chengxin admitted.

“The government only decided to develop the White Stork Bay land six months later. Six months prior, even the government couldn’t have predicted that White Stork Bay would be developed. Where did I get this inside information?”

“It was all thanks to the pocket watch’s ability to predict good and bad fortune.”

At this moment, the magnificent and glorious image of Wen Chengxin in Wen Tianqing’s heart crumbled.

Wen Chengxin had always been mysterious and unfathomable in Wen Tianqing’s eyes.

In Wen Tianqing’s childhood memories, Wen Chengxin was just an ordinary employee.

But one day, Wen Chengxin suddenly started trading stocks and started making a fortune.

From then on, Wen Chengxin’s speed of making money was like cheating.

Wen Tianqing also moved from a small house to a large villa.

Wen Chengxin could always predict and avoid risks and make low-investment, high-return decisions.

This allowed the Wen Family to rise from an unknown small family to a top-tier family in Magic City in just over a decade.

Wen Tianqing thought Wen Chengxin had a superhuman mind.

However, it was actually because of a small pocket watch?

“Don’t be too surprised, I’ve lived for so many years, and I know there are many things that ordinary people like us can’t access.”

“But I know one thing, in this world, ghosts and monsters exist…and there are Daoists who possess magic!”

Wen Chengxin’s words were difficult for Wen Tianqing to digest.

“I believe in ghosts because a ghost resides in this pocket watch; I believe in Daoists who possess magic because this pocket watch was given to me by an old Daoist…” Wen Chengxin recalled.

“Wait, Father, if this pocket watch is as magical as you say…why didn’t that Daoist keep it for himself?” Wen Tianqing asked after hearing his father’s words.

Wen Tianqing was very confused. Why would someone not keep such a powerful pocket watch for themselves but give it to someone else?

A hint of melancholy appeared on Wen Chengxin’s face.

“That’s because this pocket watch has a side effect.”

“The side effect is—the offspring of the pocket watch’s owner will only be female, and they will be haunted by ghosts and monsters for their entire lives.”

“Tianqing, the reason I have you as a son is that you were already born before I got this pocket watch.”

“Because of the curse that only female offspring could be born and they would be haunted by ghosts and monsters, your mother and I didn’t dare to have any more children.”

“But I didn’t expect this curse to extend to you, and Chuhan and Churou are the best examples…”

“Wait…” Wen Tianqing interrupted Wen Chengxin, frowning and asking, “Dad, if the curse of the pocket watch, that Wen Family descendants would only be female, is true, then why are Chuhan and Churou healthy and haven’t been haunted by ghosts or monsters?”