After eating, Chu Yang reluctantly bid Chi Yan to leave first, "I'll go back to my dorm to tidy up and rest for a bit. Come pick me up again tonight."
"Alright." Although reluctant to part, Chi Yan obediently agreed, "I'll bring Zhu Ruxin's information to you in the afternoon as well."
"Thanks."
Chu Yang returned to her dorm and first tidied up all her luggage before lying down to rest for a while. Suddenly, a crow flew in directly through the open window. Seeing Chu Yang, it immediately cried, "Caw caw!" You're finally back!
As soon as Chu Yang saw it, she waved her hand to call it over. The crow perched on her palm as she gently stroked its little head, "Clever little guy, you actually knew I was back?"
The crow nuzzled her fingertips affectionately. Of course it had eyes everywhere.
"Alright, I happened to bring back lots of treats. Let me give you some fresh and fun stuff to eat." Chu Yang placed it on the table and took out some beef jerky strips torn into little pieces on a tissue, as well as some fruit chopped into bite-sized chunks for it to eat.
The crow called out twice before happily tucking in. Chu Yang sat to one side, idly browsing Weibo on her phone to see if there were any customers.
Indeed there was a customer, asking a somewhat silly question - school had started but he hadn't finished his summer homework. He wanted to ask if there would be any serious consequences.
Prophet Girl Chu Yang: "...I suggest you go do it now."
Chu Yang didn't even take out her crystal ball. Something like this hardly needed any fortune-telling, and of course she wouldn't charge for it either.
Chu Yang suddenly realized that with the new semester, she would become a senior student. Time really flew; it had been a whole year already.
Once the crow was full, it let out a couple of caws and flew off just like an irresponsible Casanova. Chu Yang cleaned up and finally could lie down to rest.
Around 4 pm, nearing 5 pm, Chu Yang awoke. Chi Yan had already sent her several messages. Chu Yang quickly replied before getting up to wash and dress. By the time she went downstairs at her dorm building, Chi Yan was already there waiting for her.
Chi Yan took her to dinner, then passed her Zhu Ruxin's information. Chu Yang flipped through and studied it for a long time before saying to Chi Yan, "I want to go to the antique street tomorrow. Come with me."
"Sure."
Early next morning, Chi Yan came over. The two of them headed to the antique street. As soon as they entered, a familiar old Taoist approached them, "Young lady, I see your hall of impression is dark..."
Chu Yang immediately took out a 100 yuan bill, "My hall of impression is bright. I have some questions I'd like to ask you, for a fee."
The old Taoist quickly accepted the money, "Ask away. I can answer anything I know, of course just simple stuff worth 100 yuan." He looked Chu Yang up and down. "Hmm, you look a little familiar."
Chu Yang said, "I find you rather familiar too. Let's go over there, I've got some questions for you."
"No problem." Money makes the world go round after all.
The old Taoist followed Chu Yang into a restaurant nearby where they got a private room. Chi Yan accompanied them the whole time.
The old Taoist looked back and forth between Chi Yan and Chu Yang. The longer he observed them, the more shocked he became. This young man has such robust yang energy! And this girl is extremely yin.
Yin and yang, yin and yang. The old Taoist nodded to himself. This was his first time seeing such a combination.
The server brought tea. Chi Yan poured for everyone before Chu Yang spoke, "Despite looking like a fraud, you must still have some genuine knowledge of fortune-telling and the like."
The old Taoist was so incensed his beard nearly stood on end. "Fraud! I have true mastery and learning!"
Chu Yang calmly sipped her tea. "Oh, true mastery is when you don't randomly tell passersby on the street things like their hall of impression being dark. Let alone getting beaten up over it." True masters were the type that people begged repeatedly yet still refused to appear.
The old Taoist suddenly recalled a memory. Staring at Chu Yang, he exclaimed, "Now I remember, it's you!" She was the girl he first capsized for.
Chu Yang made a timeout gesture. "Let's not dwell on the past. I want to ask if you recognize this birth date and time."
Chu Yang directly presented Zhu Ruxin's eight characters. "Is there anything special about this birth chart? Tell me about it."
The old Taoist thought it would be something major. It was just a routine birth chart. But upon closer look - "Huh?"
The old Taoist calculated with his fingers and took out a tattered book from his clothes to cross-reference on the spot. The more he read, the more alarmed he became, sweat beading his brow.
Finally, the old Taoist frowned at the chart. "Judging purely from this birth date, the fate of this person is to die a premature, violent death! However, a person's energy field, aura, environment etc. also greatly impact their physical state, so it may not be completely accurate." Not only that, such a fate was quite rare. Some wicked sorcerers would be very interested in a person like this.
"Born in a yin year, yin month, yin hour...an extremely yin fate, destined for early death," muttered the old Taoist.
Chu Yang took out another birth date. "What about this one?"
The old Taoist looked it over before immediately calculating with his fingers and flipping through his book again. He read for much longer this time before he was about to speak, but glanced between the two and quickly became serious. "Ahem! That 100 yuan won't cut it..."
Chi Yan swiftly handed over a red packet. The old Taoist felt the thickness and happily stowed it away, smiling now. "This one's about the same as the previous, no, even more heavily yin! They'll die even earlier!" This birth chart was even rarer.
Chu Yang's expression didn't change. "Is there a way to break this fate?"
The old Taoist shook his head. "No, no. At least I don't have one. And you can hardly tell just from a birth chart alone. Didn't I just say? A person's energy field, aura, environment etc. also greatly impacts their physical state."
Chu Yang pointed at herself. "Then take a look at me."
The old Taoist carefully examined Chu Yang, frowning again. What a strange girl. One moment seemingly fated to die early, the next seemingly destined for great fortune. Just what was going on?
After some thought, the old Taoist considered she was a customer after all and should say something positive. "Young lady, your complexion is rosy. And this young man beside you also seems to have great fortune. So your future prospects look very promising."
Chu Yang asked, "Does that mean I'll live past a hundred years old?"
The old Taoist nodded. "Naturally." Might as well flatter her.
Chu Yang went on, "For people born at that time, are they all fated to die young?"
The old Taoist shook his head again. "Not necessarily. There is yin and there is yang. Balance between yin and yang - the human body operates on the five elements in harmony. As long as balance is maintained, any ailment can be fixed." From within his clothes, the old Taoist took out a qi-replenishing talisman. "I can see you're somewhat deficient. I'm selling these talismans today not for 999 or 899 but just 599! Want it?"
Chi Yan and Chu Yang: ...
"No need. Didn't you say I'll live past a hundred?" Chu Yang flatly refused. One moment destined to die young, the next guaranteed long life - this man's "true mastery" seemed questionable.
The old Taoist: ...
"What about you, sir? I can see your robust yang energy. You must exercise frequently to discharge the yang qi. I've got a balancing talisman here to harmonize your five elements. Today only 1099! Want it?"
Chi Yan looked to Chu Yang, who also declined. "No need. He balances his energies with me around."
The old Taoist didn't push further. "Alright then. Anything else?"
