Remember the old Taoist's instructions.

I knocked on Chen Zheng's door.

Chen Zheng's mother opened the door. Looking into the living room, there was a cushion on the floor with strange patterns drawn in cinnabar powder beside it,

and there were some props like candles on the table.

"Ping An, you're here. Hurry, hurry." Chen Zheng's mother took a step forward and closed the door directly.

"Once you perform this ritual, you'll be my daughter-in-law."

I nodded.

Chen Zheng's mother took out a black cloth from a cabinet on the side. "Did you bring the item?"

"Yes, I brought it." I took out the small cloth bag from my bag.

Seeing the item intact, Chen Zheng's mother smiled with joy and blindfolded me with the black cloth.

"Good child, it'll be over soon."

I asked, "Where is Chen Zheng?"

"Hmph, this is the ceremony for the girl, and the man has his own ceremony. Relax, you're Auntie's dear daughter-in-law. How could Auntie harm you?"

Under Chen Zheng's mother's urging, I reluctantly knelt on the cushion in the living room.

Chen Zheng's mother recited the words incessantly and sprinkled some water on me. I listened to her prattle for a while.

Then she sprinkled some powder.

The old Taoist said, "A person whose vitality has been taken away will feel dazed, weak, and powerless. In severe cases, they may lose consciousness."

I counted the time and felt it was the right moment, so I pretended to fall to the ground.

Chen Zheng's mother was still cautious. She pinched my philtrum and patted my face.

She even tickled my armpit.

I clenched my teeth to keep from bursting into laughter.

"Splash!"

A cup of cold water was poured on my face, and I opened my eyes accordingly.

Chen Zheng looked down at me from above.

"Ping An, were you falling asleep? Are you too tired?"

"It's getting late. Let's hurry home. It's not appropriate for unmarried men and women to stay overnight at someone else's house." Chen Zheng's mother pushed Chen Zheng aside, stuffed the cloth package into my hand, and without saying a word, she pulled me up and pushed me out the door.

"Auntie returned the item to you intact. You see, Auntie didn't deceive you. This is a auspicious thing. It won't cause any harm. Remember, you must keep it safe."

I stood in the corridor, and the door behind me slammed shut.

But there's no way I came empty-handed.

I deliberately left a bug in the room, recording their conversation clearly.

"It worked, it worked!" Chen Zheng's mother couldn't contain her excitement.

Chen Zheng spoke up, "Does it really work?"

"The master said it wouldn't happen so quickly. You should give this thing to Chen Yun first. She'll feel the effect in a few days."

After a rustling sound of fabric.

I looked at the yellow cloth package in my hand. They would never imagine that this would be the final straw that would crush them.

Chen Zheng asked, "Ping An, will she die?"

"Of course, there aren't many people who survive the fortune-changing technique." Chen Zheng's mother's tone was full of disdain. "Why are you feeling soft-hearted? You're not really falling for this woman, are you?"

"How could I? This woman doesn't have a single hair that looks as good as Yun'er."

As expected, the relationship between Chen Zheng and Chen Yun was far from being a normal sibling relationship.