Chapter 04: Playing the Part of a Deity, Nonsensical Talk Abounds

No, no... you are indeed pursuing the wisdom of Zhou Gong, even surpassing the insights of the famous diviner Mai Yi... Hehe..." Shuai Lang shook his head in denial, chuckling again, but he did not expose the trick. To expose the trick would be akin to slapping someone in the face and knocking their rice bowl away, and that is something he would not do

How to say it

You didn't calculate anything at all; you merely induced some fluctuations in the stock index curve. Fatty Xu reacted instinctively, his mouth trembled, his hands shook, and his eyes turned green. Those who are trapped in the market are all like this; you haven't even calculated, and he has already revealed it himself.

Of course, it is calculated accurately. What you mean by this sentence is that there is no way out, right? The district chief is unfortunate; in the future, there will be comments like, "Oh, you are at a dead end, you calculated correctly..." If the district chief gets promoted, it can also be interpreted as not walking anymore, soaring to great heights, right? You are still correct... For example, I can also calculate; I want to determine whether you have a partner or not, and I would directly state, "A widower cannot have a companion," don't you think?

"What's wrong?" Upon hearing this, Shuai Lang expressed his disapproval, patting the money in his chest pocket, rolling his eyes and pointing out, "Is that what you call a problem? It's nothing but a scam aimed at those three fat guys, and it's all wrong; not a single word is accurate."

"Is there?" Shuailang was taken aback and asked in surprise

"Of course, it's yours." The old man chuckled and casually asked, "There's a small question; I did point out that he came for wealth, but this is something derived from inference."

Indeed, as Shuai Lang looked more closely at the old man before him, he realized that the seemingly ethereal figure from a distance appeared somewhat gaunt up close. The silk robe he wore billowed as if hanging on a rack. Fortunately, the expression on his face was sufficiently benign, leading Shuai Lang to believe that his fists would be quite effective against such an old, weak, and frail individual. Moreover, upon observing the surroundings, he confirmed that there were indeed no hidden assailants. He took a seat at one end of the chair and, with a hint of mockery in his tone, asked, "Great Immortal, I am but a mere mortal with a stubborn mind, unable to comprehend lofty words. It seems we have no common language, do we?"

Examining, such a solemn examination startled Shuai Lang for a moment, and he quickly explained: "Old man, I didn't interfere with your business. You've already swindled the money, so why are you back? I'm not in league with them."

The old man's tone became a bit harsher, and Shuai Lang covered his mouth, cautiously looking around, not daring to respond.

A loud voice interrupted the young people who were amusing themselves by the lakeside. Startled, the young man turned around to find the ethereal diviner, who had returned at some unknown time, standing not far behind him and inquiring.

"Cheat!" The old man narrowed his eyes and was taken aback: "Am I cheating?"

What to look at - pictures - books? Of course, one should see if this person is colluding with accomplices. As the saying goes, thieves fear obstacles while con artists fear exposure. The person is clearly a fortune teller, yet you insist on calling it a scam for money. What if accomplices jump out to cause trouble? Wouldn't that be inviting trouble upon oneself

Is that so? Did I deceive you? All three of them agree, yet you have objections? The old man wore a look of bewilderment, appearing quite innocent, as if he were trying to uphold his reputation as a semi-divine figure and a master of divination.

You see, when it says "the father is still alive while the mother has passed away," the literal meaning is that the father is still here and the mother is already dead, correct? Conversely, it can be understood as the father having passed away before the mother, right? Regardless of who dies first or last, it all makes sense, doesn't it?

The old man, unable to wait for further developments, devised another plan. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a few banknotes, waving them as he said: "Xiao Shuai, everyone knows that the divination is fake, but if you can tell me how I got it right, the divination fee for today will be yours. What do you say? Do you have the ability to take it?"

As he spoke, he got up to leave, seemingly anxious that the money in his pocket might not be safe. This time, the old man did not stop him, but merely said, "Xiao Shuai, where are you working now? If you have time, let's chat and have some tea. How about I treat you?"

"Well, it's just the same old tricks, isn't it? You mean 'The Oath of the Peach Garden' and 'A Plum Blossom Stands Alone,' right?"

As soon as he introduced himself, the refined and gentle old man immediately smiled. The main reason was that the person before him was neither handsome nor striking, with a below-average height and a crew cut that appeared somewhat rustic. His face was youthful, and he was not very old. Looking at his attire, he wore a suit that clearly looked like something from a street vendor, wrinkled and not even ironed. There was nothing remarkable about him; if you threw him into a crowd, he would definitely not stand out. At most, he would blend in with a flock of chickens, otherwise, he would not have been ignored just moments ago.

Sir, please use your divination skills to predict my fortune. I assure you, I only have thirty yuan on me, and there is no profit to be made here

"Of course there are, for example... you and I might both be atheists..." The old man said with a sly smile. Shuai Lang chuckled, which was tantamount to admitting he had been deceived. With a mischievous grin, the old man asked, "Xiao Shuai, I noticed you sneaking a laugh a few times just now. What’s going on? Have you figured something out?"

Having finished speaking, he looked at the old man, who appeared both astonished and somewhat surprised. Shuai Lang chuckled lightly, and with a serious demeanor, he leaned in and mimicked the old man's pretentious style of speaking, saying: "Old man, do you really want me to get to the bottom of this? This is just a trick from the old society to fool the common people. You think those three fat, foolish men with money are easy to deceive... Not only have I figured out what you just said, but I also heard from those three fat men that you told some district chief that 'there is no thoroughfare ahead, and no turning back behind,' is that right?" This is just a trick from the old society to fool the common people. You think those three fat, foolish men with money are easy to deceive... Not only have I figured out what you just said, but I also heard from those three fat men that you told some district chief that 'there is no thoroughfare ahead, and no turning back behind,' is that right?

In a concise manner, "Father is present, mother has passed away" and "Father is present, mother first... has passed away" have different punctuation with five characters. Depending on the tone and emphasis of the reader, they can lead to entirely different interpretations, which is how those three chubby individuals were mistaken for pig heads.

In response to this question, Shai Lang did not know whether he was unwilling to speak or simply did not grasp the intricacies of the matter. He smiled, tilted his head, and remained silent, his expression quite intriguing.

Alright, alright, I misspoke, it's still on you... You can start now, tell me, my ancient divination in the Jinhhe District has a bit of a reputation, and I rarely make mistakes. It seems you have noticed some issues. Old Gu appeared genuinely eager to learn, as just now this young man was smiling while casting the divination. After finishing, he leaned against the willows by the lake, laughing to himself, which made Old Gu feel a bit uneasy, unsure of where he might have made a significant error

Shuailang smiled, raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, and revealed his background, effectively silencing the other person. However, Old Gu did not mind; he smiled and gestured for Shuailang to take a seat, then sat down on the bench himself, smiling slyly. At this moment, he spoke without any pretense. Looking at Shuailang, who appeared somewhat suspicious, he straightforwardly said: "Don't be nervous, little Shuai. You're so poor, and I'm so old; it seems we pose no threat to each other, right?"

Of course, really. Why not take it first... The old man chuckled, pushing the money forward, six bills, six hundred yuan. Those three hefty fellows were quite generous. Shai Lang looked at the money with a hint of envy, clearly not possessing the celestial cultivation that views money as mere dirt. Not only did he not reach that level, but he was also indeed financially constrained. Sniffling, he suddenly snatched the money from the old man's hand, stuffed it into his pocket, patted it down, and then pointed a warning: "Don't play tricks; once the money is in my hands, don't think you can take it back."

You calculated that they would definitely pay, so you deliberately pretended not to want it. The more you refuse, the more they believe you are sincere, and they feel embarrassed not to give it. This is a skill in reading people and adjusting one's approach accordingly. Shuailang exposed this, but such a level of reading people and responding is indeed not a falsehood

At this thought, the old man stood up, packed his notebook, walked to the side of the rockery, bid farewell to the elderly man who had already started playing chess, and leisurely strolled out of the park, meandering towards the talent market

Hehe... stop pretending. Let's talk about the first point, your statement "the father before the mother has passed away".

Without any reason, the handsome Lang, who had made a small fortune, took a few steps forward. Upon hearing the words, he abruptly halted, slowly turned around, and with a sly smile on his face said: "Master, this time you must have miscalculated; you didn't foresee that I am unemployed and have no place to rise to, right? ... Haha, no need for tea today; consider this fortune as my treat..."

Is it still necessary to deduce? At first glance, apart from money, does he care about anything else? Moreover, if fortune is shining upon him, would he bother to come to the park to find a fortune teller? Most likely, he would end up losing money and have no other options, which reminds me of superstitions and fortune telling

Then I calculated that he lost money in the stock market, the old man argued again

This young man... may I ask your esteemed name...

At last, he had a clear vision. The old man casually pulled out a small notebook from his pocket and began to sketch with a short pen, using a technique reminiscent of drawing. With just a few strokes, the page revealed a portrait: a person with short, flat hair, a broad forehead, large eyes, a prominent nose, and a wide mouth. This was the ordinary visage of an average person—neither handsome nor ugly, lacking any significant flaws or remarkable features. Dressed slightly better, he resembled an urban citizen; dressed poorly, he looked like a rural dweller. If one had to find something unusual about him, it was that this unremarkable figure bore a striking name. The old man chuckled and wrote this name emphatically on the drawing: Shuanglang. Short, flat hair, a broad forehead, large eyes, a prominent nose, and a wide mouth—an ordinary appearance, neither handsome nor ugly, lacking any significant flaws or remarkable features. Dressed slightly better, he resembled an urban citizen; dressed poorly, he looked like a rural dweller. If one had to find something unusual about him, it was that this unremarkable figure bore a striking name. The old man chuckled and wrote this name emphatically on the drawing: Shuanglang.

I was initially taken aback, thinking you had calculated it accurately, but then I realized it was just a back-and-forth conversation

Let me interpret this hexagram... If you say he is an only child, well, I can say that you have three in your fate, but since your life palace is high and prosperous, only you remain, which corresponds perfectly to the saying "a single plum branch stands out." That would be correct; if he says he has one brother, I can explain it this way: originally, there were three brothers in your fate, and for some reason, one was eliminated, leaving two, akin to the bond of the three sworn brothers in the Peach Garden, removing one plum branch, three minus one, does that not correspond to two? That would still be correct; if there are three brothers, it directly corresponds to the bond of the three sworn brothers in the Peach Garden, that cannot be wrong; if there are four, then it would be three sworn brothers plus one plum branch, three plus one, four, and you would be correct again. Three men and one woman is something that the old man couldn't hold back from saying himself; you didn't calculate it at all. I suspect that if there are two more brothers, you could still make this work, right?" The eloquent Shuai Lang kept talking, counting on his fingers as he calculated it again, following this line of thought, the hexagram he interpreted could not possibly be wrong. Three men and one woman is something that the old man couldn't hold back from saying himself; you didn't calculate it at all. I suspect that if there are two more brothers, you could still make this work, right?" The eloquent Shuai Lang kept talking, counting on his fingers as he calculated it again, following this line of thought, the hexagram he interpreted could not possibly be wrong.

Indeed, it was a long time ago, and it seems to have been quite accurate. Gu Qingzhi blinked his eyelids and smiled mysteriously.

When Shuai Lang spoke, each pause and emphasis instantly created two meanings. The old man's smiling face momentarily stiffened. It is rare for someone to articulate such a statement, and for this young child to grasp it is indeed remarkable. The old man couldn't help but glance at Shuai Lang a couple more times, astonished. Shuai Lang realized he had spoken correctly. He smiled and said, "Upon further reflection, it is not just that. If both his parents are gone, it makes sense regardless of who passes first; you are correct. If one parent has passed, it also makes sense, no matter who it is; you are right again. Even if both are still alive, it still holds true, as eventually, whoever dies first cannot escape the meaning of this statement... You completely overlooked the fact that that fat man's mother is no longer here. Just by saying this, you will always be right, won't you?"

Shuai Lang smiled slyly, and this phrase was repeated, causing the old man's eyes to widen in surprise. This very phrase captures the essence of the art of street vendors selling medicinal plasters. Although it consists of six characters, it can be divided into "widowed, cannot have a companion" and "widowed cannot, have a companion," which convey entirely different meanings. Regardless of the circumstances of the fortune-teller, it ultimately boils down to the question of existence and non-existence, and it cannot be wrong.

"Are you asking me?" The young man pointed at himself in surprise, looking at the elegantly poised old sage standing with his hands behind his back. Not knowing which nerve had misfired, he laughed heartily for a while before launching into his usual self-introduction: "My surname is Shuai, just the character 'Shuai'... the 'Shuai' in handsome, and the 'Lang' in bright."

When he spoke these words, Shuai Lang had no serious expression, and he had no interest in forming any connections with the people of the rivers and lakes. He merely considered it a passing moment, having taken a look for amusement. Just as he was about to leave, unexpectedly, the old man blocked his way. Extending his hand, he wore a friendly and amiable expression, persuading him: "Please stay, young man... You have misunderstood. It is rare for us to meet by chance; why not sit down for a brief chat?"

"So do you know how I deduced it?" The old man, with his thumb in his mouth, leaned against his chin and asked Shuai Lang in an inquiring manner. The ethereal demeanor he once had was long gone, leaving only a playful attitude reminiscent of a child.

In fact, this is the basic skill of wandering performers. A few words gradually stripped away the outer guise of this ancient bird man. However, at this moment, the old man’s expression changed from one of astonishment to one of hearty laughter. He did not feel embarrassed when the mystery was unveiled; instead, he clapped his hands a few times, as if to encourage the younger generation. This candidness made Shuai Lang somewhat fond of him. Nevertheless, he still preemptively reminded him, "The money belongs to me, right"

"Of course there is, who says there isn't?" the old man said

Talent, indeed talent. The old man gazed at his own artwork, reflecting on the young man's silent demeanor, which appeared honest and sincere. A sly smile crept across his face as he considered the young man's articulate and structured thoughts. It seemed to him that this individual possessed some peculiar quality that he had yet to discover. After observing for a long while, he appeared to be lost in thought, lifting his gaze to the spot where the young man had vanished. He pondered how such a talent could end up in a talent market, shaking his head in regret, and silently remarked, "Oh, if this talent is seeking a job in the talent market, it would be a waste indeed."

"Are you serious?" Upon hearing this, Shuai Lang laughed and leaned in to ask.

"According to what you said, haven't I gotten everything right yet?" The old man glanced sideways, clearly amused.

Hahaha... The old man, not taking offense, threw his head back and laughed a few times, his voice hearty. After chuckling, he looked with great interest at the young man beside him, who was not particularly handsome, and then asked: "So I can count him as my brother, right? Four in total, three men and one woman, is that correct?"

Upon hearing this, Shuai Lang became even more disdainful. It took him quite a while to comprehend these few critical remarks that had troubled him. At this moment, he spoke animatedly, pointing out:

As time went by, the truth was revealed to be worthless, like a worn-out shoe. When Shuai Lang looked at the old man again, there was not a hint of embarrassment on his face; instead, he seemed quite pleased and happy, smiling as he resumed his usual antics. He watched Shuai Lang with great interest, making Shuai Lang feel somewhat uneasy. Shuai Lang chuckled awkwardly a few times, startled by the sudden ringing of his phone. Pressing the button, he solemnly said, "Master, until we meet again, it's almost eight o'clock, and I have some matters to attend to, so I must take my leave."

As he spoke, he truly dashed away in a flash, straight through the path of the park, turning back a few times to smile at the old man sitting still. In the blink of an eye, his figure exited the park gate and vanished into the street

What happened, is there a problem

Fortunately, there was no one around, at least no one nearby. Shuai Lang considered himself a somewhat bold individual, smiled, and replied: "Not at all, please forgive my indiscretion. I do not steal, nor do I deceive... Haha... Why does it feel so awkward to say this? Well then, please continue with your business, I shall not disturb you."

I was mistaken, I was mistaken, the figure of Shuai Lang has disappeared, and the old man gently tapped his forehead, looking as if he had suddenly realized something. This place is only two bus stops away from the talent market in the Golden River District. With Shuai Lang dressed in a cheap suit and carrying a worn-out bag, he is nothing more than a polished turd; he looks like a white-collar worker, but his pockets are much cleaner than his face.

It sounds polite, and it mimics the tone of an old man's flowery speech. However, when someone says it resembles the fart of an immortal, it is extraordinary. Yet when Shuai Lang says it, it sounds like a man has been castrated, how should one interpret that? It's just pretentiousness.