Chapter: 2630

There is a special type of fairy that helps chase away evil spirits from children. Older people believe that if children see scary things, they will get frightened and cry endlessly. Because of this, they often seek out someone called Daxian’er for help.

Most young people, along with some educated older folks, don’t really believe in such things. He Yuanjiang was one of them. After spending many years abroad, he thought of superstitions as nonsense. However, today he felt uneasy. His right eye was twitching, and he was worried about his daughter, who was with the Syrian government forces in a military operation. Feeling anxious, he decided to consult a fortune-teller.

He turned to Charlie Wade and said, “Charlie, if you’re free, could you come with me to check it out?”

Charlie noticed that He was pointing toward a fortune-telling booth and asked, “Uncle He, are you looking to get a reading?”

He Yuanjiang nodded and sighed. “I understand now why people cling to their beliefs. When I feel helpless and don’t know what to do, I guess I turn to faith or superstitions for comfort.”

Charlie smiled gently. “Well, I don’t have anything important to do, so I’ll come with you.”

He Yuanjiang appreciated the company and together they walked to the fortune-telling booth.

At the booth, they found an old man who looked to be in his 70s or 80s. He had dark skin, gray hair, and a lean build, giving him a wise appearance. The old man sat quietly, absentmindedly stroking his beard when He Yuanjiang approached him. Without waiting for He to speak, the old man asked, “Do you need something?”

He Yuanjiang wanted to check on his daughter’s safety. He nodded and said, “I want to ask about my daughter.”

The old man smiled and pushed a bamboo tube filled with sticks toward him. “Think about your daughter and shake the tube to get a sign,” he said.

He Yuanjiang quickly did as instructed, focusing on his daughter while shaking the tube. The sticks jostled around until one fell out. He picked it up eagerly and read the message: “I heard that tonight is Shangyuan, and the silver lamp shines forever; yet, a sudden wind and rain could put out all the lights.”

“What does this mean?” he asked, puzzled.

The old man smiled knowingly. “You have drawn the 32nd lottery from Che Gongling. If you want to cancel this reading, it will cost 500 yuan.”

Charlie Wade, watching nearby, thought the old man was a fraud. He believed that fortune-telling was based on Taoist beliefs, while the idea of randomness or blessings came from Buddhism. It didn’t make sense for a Taoist to talk about good luck like that. It felt similar to a monk claiming you could meet God if you donated money—there was a flaw in the logic.

But He Yuanjiang didn’t know this. When he heard the old man say it would cost 500 yuan, he quickly pulled out his phone and asked, “Can I pay by scanning the QR code?”

The old man handed him a pre-printed receipt code with a smile. “Yes, scan this. WeChat or Alipay works.”

He Yuanjiang hurried to scan the QR code to make the payment. Charlie Wade wanted to intervene but hesitated, feeling anxious like an ant on a hot stove.

He couldn’t stop him, so he stayed quiet and just watched what happened next.

Soon, He Yuanjiang completed his payment. The elder’s phone buzzed with a notification: “WeChat payment of five hundred yuan.” The elder smiled, pleased with the transaction.

He said, “Your signature is for this sign. I heard tonight is Shangyuan. The silver lanterns will shine, and the fire trees will glow bright. But suddenly, there might be a storm, and the lights in many homes could go out. The celebrations of music and joy could disappear.”

As he spoke, he sighed and added, “This really is the worst luck. If there was a lottery, everything you wanted to ask could be summed up in just four words.”

Curious, He Yuanjiang quickly asked, “What four words?”

The old man shook his head and said with a heavy heart, “‘All things are not good!'”