Lu Chen asked expressionlessly, "Sell what?"
It was true that Jiang Hanyuan idling away her days was not a sustainable situation. Regardless of gender, independence was a necessity; he couldn't possibly support this woman for the rest of his life.
"A fortune-telling stall!"
Jiang Hanyuan took a large gulp of soup, feeling warmth spread throughout her body. Among the treasures Grandpa Lu had left behind was a deck of cards featuring obscure and difficult-to-understand divination verses. There were forty-nine cards in total. Her father had dabbled in this type of fortune-telling before; it was called "Spirit Bird Divination."
This Spirit Bird Divination was thirty percent guesswork and seventy percent bluffing. Relying on his silver tongue and keen observation, her father could get it right eight or nine times out of ten. Yet, this wasn't exactly a scam; there was genuine ability involved.
For instance, Grandpa Lu had it, and so did she.
She could read fortunes when she was only three years old, and it was incredibly accurate. However, every time she read a fortune, her body would become weak. Her father stopped letting her do it for others; even if they didn't know where their next meal was coming from, he would rather scavenge for trash than risk her accidentally dropping dead.
Her father had said that if she could be guided by a master, her condition could be avoided. Unfortunately, he never found such a master before he died. Since then, Jiang Hanyuan had never used her ability again, choosing instead to become a doctor.
Now, with the spirit spring and the supplements Lu Chen provided, she no longer had to worry about dropping dead.
Lu Chen looked at her skeptically. Fortune-telling?
Could this woman actually do that?
"Don't underestimate people!"
Jiang Hanyuan hummed softly, sniffed haughtily, put her bowl in the kitchen, and began preparing to set up her stall.
She didn't have a spirit bird, but she had a spirit chicken.
She grabbed a handful of rice to feed Jin Shan-shan and negotiated with it: "If you behave and listen to me, I'll provide for you in your old age. If you don't, I'll stew you!"
Jin Shan-shan shivered and nodded frantically. It was a pity it couldn't speak; otherwise, it would have surely pledged its loyalty to its mistress.
Jiang Hanyuan began training the rooster. She discovered that Jin Shan-shan was incredibly clever; it learned after just one demonstration, swiftly and accurately plucking a card from the pile and delivering it to her hand.
"Good job!"
Jiang Hanyuan patted Jin Shan-shan’s head with satisfaction. She knew this chicken had spirit.
In truth, it didn't matter which card was plucked; it was just to add an air of mystery. The key lay in her interpretation. She could read faces, and since everyone had different features, she could glimpse their futures through them—that was her true specialty.
Furthermore, Jiang Hanyuan discovered that after binding with the space, her abilities had become even stronger. However, she couldn't see through Lu Chen’s face, nor Jiang Siyuan’s, and the child Doudou was also a blur.
Jiang Siyuan was the original female lead, so it was normal not to see through her. Lu Chen was closely linked to her space, making him unreadable as well. As for Doudou, she suspected the child’s bloodline was extraordinary, though the book had very little to say about him.
Jiang Hanyuan found a wooden board and used a brush to write four lines: "Spirit Chicken Divination, fifty per reading, three readings a day, fair to all."
Lu Chen’s mouth twitched. His grandfather had only charged ten back in the day; this woman was shamelessly asking for fifty.
"You’re going to get beaten to death!" Lu Chen warned.
The people of Fucheng were fierce. If Jiang Hanyuan scammed people for money so blatantly, she would definitely be beaten.
"No charge if it’s not accurate."
Jiang Hanyuan rolled her eyes. Fifty was just to attract customers; she would raise the price once business stabilized.
"Doudou, let's go!"
Jiang Hanyuan called out. Doudou took her hand, his eyes sparkling, followed by the equally excited Jin Shan-shan.
The trio walked down the street with a swagger. Jiang Hanyuan led the way, holding the little boy’s hand in one hand and a small stool in the other, while a rooster followed behind, head held high and chest puffed out, looking more arrogant than a swan.
Passersby cast sidelong glances, and some recognized Jiang Hanyuan.
"What are Lu Chen’s wife and his simple-minded son doing with a rooster?"
Everyone was curious. Since many hadn't returned to work during the first month of the lunar year, they were bored and followed behind Jiang Hanyuan, watching as she went to the department store across the street where people were bustling about.
Jiang Hanyuan set down the stool, laid out the forty-nine cards on the ground, and stood up the wooden sign. She was officially open for business.
"Go buy two skewers of candied haws!"
There was an old man selling candied haws by the roadside. Jiang Hanyuan gave Doudou a one-yuan note. Doudou ran over happily and soon returned with two skewers.
The big one and the small one licked their candied haws, even sharing a piece with the rooster. This strange combination immediately attracted a crowd, and soon a circle had formed.
"Spirit chicken fortune-telling, fifty per reading."
"Why don't you go rob a bank?"
Someone read the words on the wooden sign, and everyone gasped. They looked at Jiang Hanyuan as if she were a fool.
The most famous "Half-Immortal Meng" in Fucheng only charged thirty, and he was a half-immortal guided by a Bodhisattva whose readings were the most accurate. Even he didn't have the nerve to ask for fifty. This pretty girl really dared to open her mouth wide!
"No charge if it’s not accurate!"
Jiang Hanyuan said calmly. Her beautiful face made those who wanted to curse stop in their tracks; they couldn't bring themselves to swear at such a pretty face.
"Give me a reading. If it’s not accurate, let me kiss you, how about that?"
The speaker was a ruffian-like man in his thirties. He stood with his arms crossed, looking Jiang Hanyuan up and down without restraint. Others frowned; this hoodlum was Song Chenggong. His name was a good one, but he wasn't very "successful" in life—he was a good-for-nothing whom everyone disliked.
Fortunately, his family owned ten storefronts, and as an only child, he had money to spend even without working. He had married three beautiful wives, but the first two had left because they couldn't conceive. The current one had been married for three years with no signs of pregnancy, and it was rumored they were close to divorcing as well.
Jiang Hanyuan looked up and met Song Chenggong’s gaze. In that instant, a flash of golden light crossed her mind, and a dense row of text appeared—it was from the medical book in her space, detailing this man’s physical condition.
So, he was suffering from kidney deficiency!
Jiang Hanyuan’s lips curled. She hadn't expected the medical book to have such a function; as soon as she touched a patient, their symptoms would automatically appear. It was more advanced than any instrument.
"What are you laughing at?"
Song Chenggong always felt Jiang Hanyuan’s smile had a hidden meaning; perhaps she was laughing at his impotence.
With three wives unable to conceive, Song Chenggong knew many people talked behind his back, saying he was "no good." Those people were full of hot air—how could he be "no good"?
He was more than capable.
The fact that they couldn't conceive was because the women were useless. He just had bad luck, marrying three barren wives.
"Laughing at the fact that you’re facing a catastrophe and are still clueless!"
Jiang Hanyuan said cryptically and then fell silent. A master had to have an air of mystery.
Song Chenggong’s face darkened. He cursed, "You stinking woman, are you tired of living? I’m perfectly fine, to hell with your catastrophe!"
He had money and property, didn't have to work, and lived a carefree life. How could he be facing a catastrophe?
This stinking woman was definitely fear-mongering to scam him out of his money!
"You can have a reading. So many people are watching; if it’s not accurate, I won't take a single cent!" Jiang Hanyuan said coldly, adding a hint: "Your wealth palace is prosperous, you have no worries about food or drink, but your offspring palace is dim and lusterless."
Song Chenggong’s face changed drastically. He gritted his teeth and asked, "Do you know me?"
Jiang Hanyuan rolled her eyes and retorted, "Are you Andy Lau?"
Song Chenggong wasn't angry. Could this woman actually have real skills?
If she could see that he had issues with his offspring, surely she could solve it, right?
"Give me a reading. If it’s not accurate, I’ll smash your stall!" Song Chenggong’s eyes were fierce. If this stinking woman dared to scam him, she shouldn't blame him for being ruthless!