"Something wrong?"

Wrong?

This was more than just wrong—this was fatal!

However, Ye Chen wasn't about to disclose details of his past life to Zhang Jingshan.

With a faint, enigmatic smile, he simply replied, "We'll talk about it later."

So there is a problem?

Zhang Jingshan and Li Changfeng, who had already half-considered Ye Chen a mystical figure, both exclaimed in a low voice.

But this time, Ye Chen ignored them.

Meanwhile, He Shaocong quickly returned, noticing that Zhang Jingshan and Li Changfeng seemed uneasy.

A faint sense of panic crept into He Shaocong's heart.

Could something really be wrong with his Hongyan Restaurant?

That didn't make sense. He had carefully selected an auspicious opening date with the help of several feng shui and fortune-telling masters. The entire construction process had been smooth, and every detail in the restaurant was aligned with feng shui principles.

How could anything go wrong?

Still, thinking back to how Ye Chen had dodged his earlier question about something being wrong, He Shaocong felt increasingly uncertain.

He didn't want to appear overly concerned, though, so he refrained from bringing up the same topic again.

"Brother Ye, what do you think of Hongyan Restaurant?" He Shaocong asked with a dry laugh as they sat down.

"It's great," Ye Chen replied with a nod. "A perfect blend of traditional charm and modern sophistication. I haven't visited many high-end restaurants, but Hongyan definitely exudes the aura of a top-tier establishment."

"Brother Ye, we spent tens of millions to build this place—of course, it's high-end and luxurious!" Zhang Jingshan chimed in with a sheepish smile.

"Don't listen to him," He Shaocong interjected humbly. "A few tens of millions might sound like a lot, but it's not much for a high-end restaurant. Compared to the real top-tier establishments, Hongyan is still far behind. This is just Wan'an Group's first attempt at entering the high-end dining market. If Hongyan succeeds in Jiangzhou, the group might fully pivot toward this sector."

Listening to He Shaocong's aspirations, Ye Chen sighed inwardly.

The future?

In his past life, Wan'an Group ceased to exist after the disaster at Hongyan Restaurant.

Still, in this life, with fate tying him to them, Ye Chen didn't mind lending a hand to avert disaster. However, whether the He family could truly change their destiny was up to them.

If they refused to believe him, there was nothing he could do.

Amid their lighthearted banter, Ye Chen suppressed his urge to warn He Shaocong immediately. It wasn't procrastination; he needed to carefully consider how to phrase his warning.

Before long, the dishes arrived.

The enticing aroma and exquisite presentation left even Ye Chen impressed with the chefs at Hongyan. The quality was undoubtedly worthy of the restaurant's high-end status.

"Brother Ye, how do you find the food? Does it suit your taste?" He Shaocong asked during their meal.

"It's not about whether it suits my taste," Ye Chen replied with a smile. "What matters is that it meets your restaurant's high standards, and this definitely does."

"Since Brother Ye says so, it must mean the dishes are excellent!" Li Changfeng interjected. "You might not know, but Brother Ye once pointed out subtle flaws in dishes at another high-end restaurant that even I couldn't detect after countless visits. His palate is unparalleled!"

"Really? In that case, Brother Ye..." He Shaocong seized the opportunity. "After this meal, let me give you a VIP card for Hongyan Restaurant. You can dine here anytime on the house. If you ever notice any issues with the food, just let me know!"

Of course, his real intention wasn't to make Ye Chen a food critic for the restaurant—it was to foster a closer relationship with him.

After all, anyone who could command the respect of both Zhang Jingshan and Li Changfeng was worth befriending.

"You're overthinking it," Ye Chen declined with a polite smile. "With your chefs, there's no need to worry about issues unless you replace them. And even if problems arise, your food critics would catch them right away. Otherwise, we wouldn't be enjoying food this good now, would we?"

"Don't listen to him, Brother Ye," Zhang Jingshan chuckled. "He just wants to give you a free meal card and make friends with you!"

Embarrassed, He Shaocong could only laugh awkwardly.

"Brother Ye," he said, trying to ease the mood, "just call me Shaocong from now on. Calling me 'He Shao' sounds too formal."

Ye Chen smiled and nodded, not dwelling on the topic further.

When the moment felt right, Ye Chen asked, "By the way, did you consult a feng shui master for Hongyan Restaurant?"

It had begun.

Hearing this question, Zhang Jingshan and Li Changfeng instantly tensed and sat upright.

"Brother Ye, why do you ask?" He Shaocong asked, his face changing. "Did something go wrong with the feng shui? My father consulted several masters for everything, from layout to auspicious dates. Is there a problem?"

"What did those masters say?" Ye Chen inquired.

"They said the feng shui and chosen dates would ensure Hongyan's prosperity!" He Shaocong quickly replied.

"Exactly," Ye Chen said thoughtfully.

"What do you mean, exactly?" Zhang Jingshan asked, puzzled.

"Prosperity, yes," Ye Chen explained. "But I'm afraid it could get out of control—too much fire to handle."

"Brother Ye, what do you mean?" He Shaocong asked nervously, his throat dry and his unease growing.

"I have a strong feeling that Hongyan Restaurant is at risk of a fire disaster—an extraordinary one," Ye Chen said solemnly.

Zhang Jingshan and Li Changfeng's faces turned pale at Ye Chen's words. His intuitions had never been wrong, and the thought of an extraordinary fire chilled them to the bone.

"Brother Ye, please don't scare me like that!" He Shaocong exclaimed, his face visibly drained of color.

"This isn't about scaring you," Ye Chen replied. "From the moment I entered, I felt a hidden sense of danger. Coupled with what you said about the masters predicting prosperity, my intuition about a fire disaster grew even stronger."

As Ye Chen finished speaking, a cold shiver ran through everyone.

"Brother Ye, please wait a moment!" He Shaocong stammered before rushing off in a panic.