Chapter 0006: The Four Calculations

Just when I felt powerless in my heart, I saw a black Mercedes stop outside the door. My eyes lit up; wasn't this the man who came a few days ago in the morning to seek my master's fortune-telling?

As I passed by the mountain where my mother resides, I ran up and shouted: "Mom, why did you even resort to poisoning my master? He is the one who raised me."

However, Master, just now there...

I looked at the man and calmly said, in fact, I was feeling quite anxious inside. Usually, when my master is present, I hardly ever read fortunes for others. This man is essentially my first customer.

I hurriedly went in to take a glance at my master; his entire face was extremely pale, as if he were in a deep sleep. My eyes were red from crying, and I did not dare to stay longer, so I took a car back to the shop.

I was running desperately when, on my way down the mountain, I encountered an uncle from a village who was heading to the city that morning. This uncle had previously sought my master's fortune-telling services. Upon seeing my master covered in blood, he was taken aback. He quickly regained his composure and drove his tricycle to take my master and me to the hospital in town

It was my mother who turned the master into this. My mother knew that the master intended to kill her, so she took action while I was asleep. In my mind, I am filled with the image of my mother fiercely biting the master, and I break down in tears.

My eyes are bloodshot, who did this? My mom?

In a daze, I took a ride back and rummaged through the store, finding less than one thousand yuan. I then went to the village chief's house and begged to borrow two thousand. Additionally, I received contributions from some uncles in the village, with amounts of two hundred, three hundred, and fifty yuan, gathering approximately five to six thousand yuan in total. I hurriedly sent the money to the hospital.

The man looked at me deeply, his voice still tinged with disbelief, "Do you really know how to tell fortunes?"

I tidied myself up as well, putting on clean clothes. The master once said that in the fortune-telling profession, one must pay attention to one's appearance. This appearance does not refer to wearing expensive clothes or having stylish hair, but rather to a certain demeanor, a profound demeanor.

A man walked in, holding his briefcase in one hand. He glanced around and then asked me, "Is Master Li not here?"

Those who wear long gowns, have their hair slicked back, and don sunglasses can be found in large numbers under the overpass, but do such individuals have any business prospects

Zhang Hao is thirty-nine years old this year, the man said

Little Tian, go to sleep

Whenever I think of this, I sigh within. Perhaps before ascending the mountain that day, the master had already foreseen that he would face a calamity, one that could not be avoided, which is why he said he would not return. I will calculate for him on Monday.

I felt as if struck by a bolt from the blue. My master usually charged thirty for fortune-telling for the villagers and those from nearby villages, often not charging at all. For wealthy clients, he only charged three hundred, and he would not accept more. Considering the tuition fees he had covered for me each year, his savings were not substantial. After a day and night of emergency treatment, I have exhausted all of my master's savings. Now, with daily medical expenses exceeding three thousand, where am I to find such funds?

You? Then forget it

I shouted for a long time, my voice became hoarse, but there was no response to my calls. I dragged my weary body down the mountain and returned to the shop

I do not know how long it has been, but I was awakened by the attending physician. He informed me that my master had been rescued, but due to excessive blood loss, it is uncertain when he will regain consciousness. Moreover, during this period, daily medical expenses exceed three thousand.

My master has already instructed me that you are here today for fortune-telling, and I can assist you with that

"Sit down." I gestured for him to take a seat.

It should be fine to wait until the master wakes up; when he does, he will tell me what to do

I ran over frantically, picked up my master, and ran down the mountain. My master was covered in bite wounds, bloodied all over. The master who had raised me since childhood had turned into this overnight. As I ran, I began to cry.

I can say for certain that this is definitely not my mother. That night when my mother took on human form, her gaze was fixed on me, yet her eyes were gentle, nothing like the chilling coldness I just experienced.

I dared not make a move, fearing it might suddenly pounce. Fortunately, there was a piece of wood nearby, which I quickly grasped in my hand. However, after those emerald green eyes flashed into view, the image vanished swiftly into the darkness, as if it had merely passed by.

The scene outside was a complete mess, the grass on the ground appeared to have been trampled, with pits and hollows everywhere, and blood scattered all around. My face turned pale with fear as I hurriedly looked around, only to discover my master lying in a pool of blood in the distance. His face was as pale as paper, and upon seeing me emerge, he closed his heavy eyes.

I felt a surge of anxiety in my heart, yet I maintained a slight smile on the surface: "Is this gentleman really going to walk out like this? Doesn't he worry about being blamed?"

I do not know how long I tossed and turned before I finally fell into a hazy sleep. When I sleep, I am always very noisy, as if there are people fighting right next to my ear. I want to open my eyes to see, but I am unable to control my body. My eyelids feel heavy, and I am very anxious, wanting to struggle desperately.

I was already drenched in cold sweat from my inner doubts. When I turned to wake my master, I found that he, who had been asleep, was now standing behind me without my noticing. My master stared intently in the direction where those emerald green eyes had vanished, his expression more serious than I had ever seen before

I suspect there are beasts watching us, but the master waved his hand and said, "The master knows, go in and sleep."

Early the next morning, I was awakened by the sound of my master's voice. His voice was faint and filled with pain, which startled me. I quickly got up and ran outside.

I said calmly, "My master is hospitalized"

As I waited outside, my mind blank and the images of the *illustrations* in my mind, the wounds on my master's arms and thighs were shocking to behold. The size and shape of these bite marks were so striking that I could not help but attribute all of this to my mother

The man hesitated for a moment and said, "Let's do face reading. The friend who introduced me said that your master is very accurate in face reading. My friend also overcame difficulties thanks to the guidance of your master before."

After opening the door in the morning, people from the village came to buy some items for worship. In total, it was just over 100 yuan for the entire morning. Many people came in, saw that it was not my master sitting in the chair, asked a simple question, and then said they would come back next time before turning to leave. I felt somewhat dejected; at this rate, how can I gather one or two thousand yuan each day?

I held onto my master tightly as I ran, shouting loudly on the mountain, calling out in my loneliness and despair, but there was no response to my cries. My mind was blank, and I hated myself for having heard the sounds of fighting last night; why didn't I wake up to see what was happening?

I nodded and continued, "Since my master has already instructed me, you can rest assured that we will proceed properly. According to my master's rules of fortune-telling, there are four methods: face reading, palmistry, bone reading, and qi reading. May I ask which one you would like to choose?"

Upon hearing the master's words, I could only nod and walk to the makeshift shelter by the tree, crouching down to enter it. As soon as I closed my eyes, the cold, emerald green eyes from earlier emerged in my mind, refusing to dissipate.

Organize the store and the books, open the door for business. I know that the daily medical expenses exceed 3,000, and I can only rely on the master's shop. If I can manage to gather one or two thousand each day to send to the hospital, it is certainly better than having no money at all. If I cannot produce the funds, the current hospitals will directly cut off the medication due to lack of payment.

I sighed with relief and asked, "What is your honorable surname, sir?"

I let out a sound of acknowledgment and then carefully scrutinized his features once again

At that moment, I felt something furry gently caressing my face, a tender touch that gradually eased my sense of terror, until I completely fell asleep

Could it be that those emerald green eyes just now belong to the so-called mountain deity

The man was taken aback for a moment, then felt somewhat disappointed, "What a coincidence? Your master asked me to come over today."

I am still young, so it is naturally impossible for me to possess the demeanor of a master. However, there is no other choice; I can only strive to move in that direction, dressing neatly and tidily, so that those who come in for fortune-telling will believe in me and thus be willing to pay me.

I was startled by the sudden appearance of these eyes, my hair standing on end as if I wanted to scream. The eyes were a vivid green, quite unsettling, clearly belonging to some kind of wild beast.

Upon arriving at the hospital in the town, the master had lost too much blood and his injuries were too severe, necessitating an immediate transfer to the city hospital. After a week of back and forth, the master finally entered the emergency room

The man cast a suspicious glance at me, muttering a few words, and seemed ready to turn and leave

The man hesitated for a moment, but still sat down