Mayi Physiognomy

Zhou Rui and Zhou Ziyu didn't linger long in my shop. After hearing my interpretation of the hexagram, they were eager to leave—or rather, Zhou Rui pulled Zhou Ziyu away urgently. It seemed Zhou Ziyu had more questions, her expression suggesting she wanted to ask about her relationship with Zhou Rui.

After they left, I counted the stack of money—a lucky number: 18,888 yuan. I closed the shop and headed straight to the bank to deposit it. Carrying that much cash made me uneasy; losing it would have been devastating. The bank wasn't far, and with no queue, I was back in under half an hour.

When I returned, I saw a woman standing at my shop door. She had a tall, slender frame, a high ponytail peeking out from under a baseball cap, and carried a large black backpack. Her denim shorts ended high on her thighs, drawing attention to her long, fair legs. She stood about my height.

Was she here for a reading?

As I approached, she turned. Her face was delicate, with a pointed chin and exquisite features—clear-eyed and elegant, truly stunning. Most striking was her strong "prosperous husband" aura.

"Can I help you?" I asked, fumbling with the keys as I unlocked the door.

She glanced at me, her expression dismissive, clearly unimpressed by my bargain-bin attire. Still, her tone remained polite. "Are the landlord? I'm here to rent. The main gate was locked, so I asked around and was directed here. Didn't expect this door to be locked too, so I waited."

Her long, coherent explanation told me she was logical and assertive—rational over emotional, often low in EQ, though exceptions existed.

I nodded. "I am the landlord. Since you've already inquired, you must know what happened here. I can lower the rent. If you're still interested, I can show you the room now."

"Okay," she agreed.

With that settled, I unlocked the shop and led her through to the courtyard. Before going upstairs, she pointed to the room I'd previously occupied downstairs. "Can I rent this one? I heard the person died upstairs. I'd be too scared to stay up there alone."

With my grandfather gone, I had two empty rooms downstairs. Since I finally had a tenant—and a beautiful one at that—I readily agreed.

As she'd be living here, I asked her name and occupation.

She introduced herself as Xu Ruohui. She'd just graduated from the county's teacher training college and had found a job at a nearby kindergarten. She wanted somewhere close to rent, and mine was the only place available in the area.

Her stylish clothes suggested wealth, and her physiognomy confirmed a prosperous background. I cautiously probed about her family, but she cut me off impatiently: "Landlord, that's a bit personal, don't you think?"

I apologized and dropped it, helping her clean the room instead. Once it was tidy, she paid six months' rent upfront. I handed her the keys to the main gate and her room.

After she paid, I didn't linger. Back in my shop, I sat behind my desk, grinning. Had my luck finally turned? First, a hefty payment from Zhou Rui's reading, now a beautiful tenant.

Sitting there, daydreaming, I felt lighter than I had in months.

Later, Xu Ruohui came to borrow a phone charger. I seized the chance to ask for her number. As her landlord, she gave it without hesitation. Then she headed out alone to buy daily necessities.

Soon after, Ning Haoyu called. His call reminded me of Xiong Jiu—Zhou Rui must have found me through him. I thanked Ning Haoyu to pass on my gratitude to his uncle, then asked why he'd called.

Ning Haoyu said his uncle wanted me to open a divination shop in the city. Xiong Jiu would cover the rent, split profits 50-50, and absorb any losses.

I was stunned. "Why?"

"Ziqiong Pavilion moved out of Antique Street. My uncle took over their storefront and some of their business. He's thrilled. You played a big part in that, so he wants to repay you."

Repay me? More like recruit me. Moving to the city would put me in Xiong Jiu's debt. I'd end up revealing secrets I shouldn't, inviting cosmic retribution.

"Thank your uncle for me," I said, "but I'll stay here. Business has picked up, and I promised my grandfather I'd keep this place running. If he wants another reading, he can come to the county."

I wasn't leaving. My shop was doing better, and now a stunning, prosperous-aura woman lived next door. My first goal was marriage—how could I not try to win her over?

The shop stayed empty all afternoon. When Xu Ruohui returned, I closed early and offered to help her unpack. She frowned. "No need." A soft rejection.

It was clear she wasn't interested—if anything, she looked down on me. A blow to my pride.

In modern terms: she was a goddess; I was a loser.

Dejected, I retreated to my room. What did girls like these days? Certainly not fortune-telling misfits. And that's all I was—a dropout who'd learned divination from Grandpa, running a funeral-supply shop. I had no other skills.

As I brooded, Xu Ruohui knocked. She held a wall hook. "Do you have nails?"

I found a hammer and nails and fixed it where she wanted.

That was the extent of our interaction that day.

The next morning, she left early for the kindergarten. I slept in, ate, and opened the shop late. Maybe my luck truly had changed: a woman in her forties walked in shortly after.

"Is the fortune-teller here?" she asked.

"I am," I said.

She looked skeptical. "If you're wrong, I won't pay."

"Fair enough," I agreed. "Let me tell you why you're here. If I'm right, we'll continue. If not, you can leave. No pressure."

She nodded.

Her face told the story: a small nose ("thin earth" physiognomy), heavy yin energy in her "forest" area, and a dull glow between her brows—disaster loomed today.

The lines in her "career palace" were tangled, with bloodshot corners near her pupils. She was headed for legal trouble, likely jail time.

I laid it out simply. Her doubt vanished, replaced by respect. "Master, how do I avoid this?"

"You can't," I said. "This prison fate is unavoidable because you did wrong. Your wealth palace shows heavy tainted wealth—you took what wasn't yours."

Her face fell. I continued, "You can't escape it, but you can lessen it. Return what you stole, and the disaster energy in your forest and career areas will fade. Your prison fate will weaken—but not disappear. Trying to escape will only worsen it."

She bowed. "Thank you, Master."

She left a thousand yuan on the counter and walked out. As she disappeared, I muttered, "Greed blinds. A self-made disaster."

Over the next few days, Xu Ruohui remained distant. We barely spoke. She'd rather read novels alone than talk to me.

But business boomed. Clients streamed in—some from the city, sent by Zhou Rui or Xiong Jiu; others from the county, referred by Chengguo. All were wealthy or influential. In days, I earned tens of thousands. They even gave me a nickname: "A Thousand Gold per Divination."

A week later, news broke: a female accountant in the county had conspired with a leader to embezzle public funds and turned herself in. The photo showed the woman who'd come to me.

I shook my head, pitying her. One bad choice had ruined her life.

I didn't know then that this news would bring me unexpected trouble...