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Tao Haizhou initially harbored concerns about the destiny reading, but upon learning that it only indicated an additional offspring, he relaxed and mentioned his adopted son with a beaming smile. "My adopted son's biological parents are close friends of mine; we grew up in the same village from childhood."

"My adopted son is very sensible and well-behaved. There's just one issue - he has always been frail and prone to illnesses. My friend mentioned that our elders believed such weakness in a child suggests instability in their birth chart. By acknowledging him as an adopted son, he would grow up healthy."

"I had no reason to refuse when my friend approached me," Tao Haizhou reminisced, recalling the meal they shared and the ceremony held back then.

From that moment on, their adoption became official.

"My adopted son is almost the same age as my biological son. I've never regretted acknowledging him," Tao thought, reflecting on the adopted son's acts of kindness over the years and comparing them to those of his biological son. He couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration.

"He's even more filial than my biological son. Whenever he has time off, he comes to play chess with me. On holidays, he never forgets to bring fruits and gifts, and during festive seasons, he presents a red envelope (lucky money) to the entire family. When my company faced bankruptcy, he offered forty thousand yuan without hesitation to help me through the crisis. He's diligent and ambitious, and sometimes, looking at him is like looking at myself."

"In contrast, my biological son lacks the spirit I had in my youth and often lounges around idly. He does have filial piety, but not to the same extent. Sigh, but we're still father and son, so these things don't matter too much."

As he compared the two, Tao Haizhou occasionally wished that his adopted son was his biological son. That way, he wouldn't find himself constantly marveling at the adopted son's qualities.

After sharing his story about the adopted son, Tao turned to his neighbors, seeking their approval. "Tell me, wasn't it a wise decision to acknowledge this adopted son?"

The onlookers whispered to one another.

"I almost misunderstood you at first, turns out he's your godson."

"Well, to be fair, the fact that he's willing to lend you four hundred thousand to help you through your troubles, that alone makes him a godson worth acknowledging!"

"Indeed, in this day and age, even biological brothers might not necessarily lend a hand."

Tao Haizhou looked ahead again. "Master, isn't my godson great?"

Unexpectedly,

Chu Yuening sighed softly and shook her head.

"Great? What's so great about it? Using your own money to help you – is that what you call great?"

Chapter 95

"Great? What's so great about it? Using your own money to help you – is that what you consider great?"

Silence fell.

A commotion erupted among the neighbors.

"Every time Master says that, there must be a story behind it for the person with a fated encounter, right?"

"Why would the money given to the godson be Brother Tao's money?"

"Could it be that the godson has been stealing?"

"It shouldn't be. They said the godson is very filial. How could he steal?"

"Money can corrupt even the closest of relationships. If a couple can turn against each other over money, how much more a godson?"

Tao Haizhou's mind spun, confused. At first, he had thought the same as the neighbors upon hearing the master's words.

"The money was locked in a safe, Ah Hao wouldn't have been able to steal it unless he knew the password," Tao Haizhou asked doubtfully. "Master, could there have been a misunderstanding?"

The godson had always conducted himself properly and didn't seem like the type to steal.

"Wait, you'll understand soon enough." Chu Yuening didn't force an explanation but instead asked, "Did you have difficulty conceiving after your first child?"

Tao Haizhou's expression was perplexed. "Master, you can even calculate such things?"

"Of course, offspring are a part of your destiny," Chu Yuening said, then waited patiently for his response.

Tao Haizhou's confusion dissipated as he regained his composure and nodded. "Indeed, we only have one."

"My wife and I both adore children. We initially planned to have at least two, ideally a pair. Unfortunately, fate had other plans. Despite trying for two full years, we never succeeded. We even underwent medical checks, and both of us were found to be healthy with no issues in conception. Yet, we couldn't get pregnant."

"I was worried that the news might affect my wife's mood, so I've always told others that we don't plan on having more. Even our son believes this to be true."

He truly hadn't expected such a tightly guarded secret to be uncovered.

He was utterly impressed.

No wonder he was known as the Temple Street Oracle despite his young age.

Chu Yuening softly hummed in response. "Your destiny only foresees one child; the chances of conceiving a second naturally are exceedingly slim."

She continued, "What is destined to happen will eventually come to pass. Many couples remain childless even after years of marriage; there's a reason behind it. When the time is right, the child you're meant to have will arrive."

Tao Haizhou nodded, finally lifting a long-held burden from his heart. "I see, now my wife no longer needs to worry."

Their generation believed in the blessings of having many children. He used to be obsessed with this idea, but hearing the master's words had helped him let go.

A single child is also a blessing, he realized.

As he spoke, an idea dawned on him. "Master, could taking in a godchild affect me?"

Chu Yuening didn't deny it. "Your destiny foresees only one offspring for you, which is crucial for your financial prosperity. Taking in a godchild would mean shouldering their fate and karma."

Pausing for a moment, she continued, "Your life path is smooth sailing with wealth. Your luck started at 22, but you faced a minor setback at 30."

Tao Haizhou nodded in agreement. "Yes, that year, I lost 200,000 to a friend in business. It made me lose trust in friends and I started my own venture alone."

"After 30, overcoming that obstacle led to new opportunities. That chance allowed you to climb the ladder of success and accumulate significant wealth," Chu Yuening recalled the time he earned two million dollars overnight, a smile gracing his face. "Master, you're truly accurate."

With her fingers forming the character "eight," Chu Yuening spoke softly, "From the age of 30 to 50, you should have experienced rapid growth in your career, expanding your business and accumulating wealth. After 50, you retired to enjoy a peaceful old age with the blessings of your descendants. According to this astrological reading, where does the notion of bankruptcy come from?"