Page 265

"Todays session will be for three fortunes," Chu Yuening's fair face wore a gentle smile as she unfolded her table, only to hear a refined voice nearby.

"Do you still remember me, Master?"

A petite figure stood on the edge of the crowd. She was dressed in a light beige suit dress and carried a matching purse. It could only be Xue Ying.

As she drew closer,

Chu Yuening noticed her reddened eyes and chuckled. "You're still crying over it, I see?"

Xue Ying's watery gaze fell on her purse, and she said embarrassedly, "I thought I treated him well enough. Yet he still cheated on me, even dared to do it right in front of me. I just can't accept that I'm not worth more."

Recalling how tirelessly she had worked to secure resources for the jerk, only to have him cheat on her, made her feel disgusted.

Fortunately, the Master was willing to enlighten her.

Otherwise, with how much she had invested emotionally, she might not have realized the depth of her wounds until much later.

"Moving forward is indeed the right choice," Chu Yuening affirmed her thoughts.

Xue Ying inquired, "Master, if I hadn't discovered the true nature of that scumbag, what would have become of me?"

After a moment's contemplation, Chu Yuening decided to disclose the truth. "You originally came from an affluent family and were willing to lavish your lover with riches. But after cheating you of your money, he would forcefully end the relationship. When you confronted him, he turned violent."

"This incident would have haunted you for the rest of your life and made you hesitant to ever engage in another romance."

Xue Ying's eyes widened in disbelief. "That scumbag actually dared to lay a hand on me? Thank goodness for Master."

The scumbag had disguised himself so well, usually appearing charming and gentle. The thought of potentially enduring domestic violence if she hadn't stopped things in time sent shivers down Xue Ying's spine. She patted her chest in relief.

"Thankfully, I escaped quickly." Once again, Xue Ying felt grateful to the master. Reaching into her purse, she pulled out ten thousand yuan and placed it solemnly on the wooden table.

"Master, this is your consultation fee. Please accept it."

Initially, when she learned that Chu Yuening's fee was only two hundred yuan, Xue Ying was astonished. For those who had experienced Chu Yuening's prophecies knew how accurate they were.

Worried that Chu Yuening might not be aware of market rates, Xue Ying offered, "Any reputable fortune-teller usually charges at least two thousand yuan per reading, adjusting the price based on the severity of the matter. This doesn't even include those famous mystics who appear on television – their fees can easily run into tens of thousands. My father once consulted one of these TV masters, and after the reading, he had to pay extra to alleviate distress. In total, it cost us two hundred thousand yuan."

Distress alleviation was akin to dispelling calamities.

Fortune-tellers predict calamities for people, suggesting they pay to have them averted.

Xue Ying recalled her father spending two hundred thousand, only for the so-called master to miss the mark entirely, and she felt disheartened.

"You're more skilled than the rest, why don't you charge more?" she asked.

Chu Yuening listened patiently and explained, "Money is but a barrier for mystics to set."

The barrier can be high or low; those seeking profit will naturally raise it.

However, if a mystic is incompetent yet charges exorbitantly, their inability to alleviate their clients' misfortunes will accumulate karmic debts, which may eventually boomerang in their later years.

Xue Ying grasped the concept quickly but still queried, "Master, you could raise your fees too."

Chu Yuening chuckled and shook her head. "I am willing to divine for the impoverished."

Those simple words left Xue Ying rooted to the spot.

Suddenly, the world seemed to fall silent, so quiet that she could hear her own heartbeat. Her mind became clear, and she achieved a profound realization.

"Master, I understand," Xue Ying bowed solemnly. "In the future, I will learn much from you."

Sometimes, one didn't need a great deal of money to serve the people.

This Master was a person of integrity and conviction.

-

Xue Ying left.

Chu Yuening fetched a cloth to wipe the table clean, then set out two stools before sitting down to face her eager guest.

"We can begin the divination now."

Upon her words, the queue stirred, and after a moment, a middle-aged man stepped forward.

He had a gaunt face with sunken cheeks and wore a green polo shirt. When he reached the table, he lifted his head slowly.

Upon seeing the unusually young Chu Yuening, his eyebrows rose in surprise. "You're Master Chu?"

He had heard from his wife that there was a prodigious fortune teller in Temple Street who had even predicted the winner of the Miss Hong Kong pageant months in advance, which is why he decided to pay a visit.

He had expected a master to be an elderly person, but to his surprise, the fortune teller turned out to be a young girl in her early twenties?

Their eyes met, and he found himself momentarily dazed by the clarity in her gaze.

Chu Yuening could sense the distrust in the middle-aged man's eyes and chuckled. "Here, we believe in fate and free will. Would you still like a reading? If not, I can proceed with the next person in line."

Tao Haizhou fell silent.

Should he get a reading? Or not?

She was so young—what if she couldn't give an accurate prediction?

After a moment of hesitation, he finally took out two hundred dollars and placed it on the table. "I'll have a reading."

With that said, he sat down.

Chu Yuening glanced at the money and then studied Tao Haizhou's countenance. "I'll also need your birthdate and time of birth."

This time, Tao Haizhou didn't hesitate; he recollected the specific time and promptly provided it.

Chu Yuening crunched the numbers on his birthdate, analyzing, "Your eight characters show a strong and supported daymaster, with prosperous mentors and a robust personal energy that aligns favorably with the season. However, the multitude of siblings in your chart suggests a humble origin."

Said the speaker.

She raised her eyes to meet Tao Haizhou's, saying, "You were born into a family beset with hardships, with an elder sister and a younger brother, placing you in the middle of the sibling order. Your eight characters are graced with a seated wealth star, indicating a robust appetite for both fortune and career aspirations. Furthermore, the presence of the injury officer, represented by the fiery Jiuhuo, bolsters your vital energy, endowing you with an assertive nature and a keen ability to seize any opportunity that comes your way. Is that correct?"