Chapter 003: Seizing Fate

Ah!

His mental state is also not good, and he probably hasn't slept much. As soon as he came in, he wanted to buy some incense and paper money. I asked him, "What do you need these for?"

After returning home, I tossed and turned all night without being able to sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I felt very uneasy. It was a struggle to make it to dawn. I yawned as I opened for business, and soon customers began to arrive. I never expected that the person who came in would be the taxi driver from yesterday!

I hesitated for a moment and asked, "Is it true that you saw a little girl yesterday?"

Although it was anticipated, I was still taken aback when I heard the news, and I weakly said, "You, you must be joking"

By the end, he was on the verge of tears; this experience would become a nightmare that would haunt him forever, and he would likely never dare to drive again in this lifetime

I felt a chill all over my body from what he said, my teeth were chattering: "Then, what should we do?"

I waved my hand and said, "I am hardly a rare guest"

As he spoke, he could hardly contain his emotions, his eyes darting around until they suddenly fixed on a stack of paper figures. His calves trembled as if sifting through grain, and with a trembling hand, he reached out to pick up the top paper figure, saying: "Just like, just like this, this ..."

Old Chen stood up, a shrewd glimmer passing through his murky eyes: "At such a young age, you are already so adept at business; given time, you will undoubtedly become a great tycoon. A future tycoon like you is indeed a rare guest"

Without waiting for my response, he asked for my birth date and time, as well as those of my parents and even Tao Xin's birthday. After calculating them all, he slammed the table and said: "That's right, your parents are destined for longevity, and your girlfriend comes from a wealthy background. Logically, you should not encounter any calamities in this life. Yet now, your father nearly lost his life, and your girlfriend has already been murdered. The most critical part is you! Looking at your birth date and time, you have no great fortune; your life will likely be one of mediocrity. Don't even think about getting into a prestigious university or becoming wealthy; just achieving a modest living would be quite good." He slammed the table again and reiterated: "That's right, your parents are destined for longevity, and your girlfriend comes from a wealthy background. Logically, you should not encounter any calamities in this life. Yet now, your father nearly lost his life, and your girlfriend has already been murdered. The most critical part is you! Looking at your birth date and time, you have no great fortune; your life will likely be one of mediocrity. Don't even think about getting into a prestigious university or becoming wealthy; just achieving a modest living would be quite good."

I stood outside in a daze, watching the busy scene, not knowing when cold sweat had already soaked my back. Is there really such a coincidence in the world

I felt as if I had grasped a lifeline, and in front of him, I tied the red string around my foot, leaving with countless thanks. After returning, I hung a sign that said "Closed for Business Today" and began to tidy up the threshold. Driven by the will to survive, I worked with great energy and soon removed the threshold. Wiping the sweat from my brow, I thought to myself that I should be safe now

I picked up the paper doll he had thrown on the ground, and the familiar feeling became increasingly clear. Paper doll, paper doll, that's right, paper doll! Suddenly, I remembered this incident. A few days ago, didn't I see a little girl asking me for a toy? I had chosen a paper doll that looked a bit cute and gave it to her

Old Chen sneered and said: "It is said that you have encountered evil. Evil is malevolent; it will not reason with you. Naturally, it seeks to harm you, making your situation increasingly dire. Now, as your loved ones suffer, you are left to endure and suffer, facing blows to your spirit. When your family and friends have all been harmed and killed, it will be your turn next"

The taxi driver appeared shaken during the police inquiry: "I don't know what happened. I saw a little girl blocking the road ahead, so I quickly turned the steering wheel. I pressed the brake, but nothing worked. I could only helplessly watch the car crash into the wall!"

Paper figures, paper lanterns... I felt a chill all over my body, and I could hardly think about doing business. I hurriedly closed the shop door and walked towards the town. Encountering such a situation left me utterly flustered, and I decided to find that old man from yesterday. He was said to be able to read fortunes, so perhaps he could shed some light on the matter

I truly have no intention of joking around; even now, I still feel a chill down my back. I quickly said, "Old Chen, please stop flattering me. I am here this time to ask for your assistance with something."

His previously low spirits immediately became excited as he grabbed my shoulder: "Really! Of course it's true! I swear this is absolutely not a lie born out of my fear of taking responsibility. That little girl suddenly appeared in front of the car, looking about five or six years old, quite adorable, just like, just like ... "

I poured out all my troubles to him like beans from a bamboo tube. By the end, Old Chen's brows were tightly knitted together. He asked me to extend my hand, examined my palm, then told me to stick out my tongue to inspect the coating. After completing all this, he walked back and forth with a fan in hand, and the situation seemed quite tricky. I did not dare to disturb him, feeling anxious inside. After about five or six minutes, Old Chen finally said solemnly: "Young man, I fear you have encountered something sinister"

He looked at me and said slowly, "The fortune you have now is all taken from your relatives and friends. In other words, the better your luck and the happier your life, the more miserable those close to you will be"

I panicked, feeling that things were somewhat beyond my capacity to accept. A customer came in, calling out to me several times, but I didn't respond until he came over and tapped me. It was then that I suddenly woke up, cold sweat pouring down. I remembered that besides the paper figure, there was also a lantern. After my father woke up, he kept mentioning the lantern. At that time, I didn't understand what it meant, but now I think, could it be the paper lantern I gave to the little girl?

I was somewhat confused by him, and after swallowing, I asked, "What does this mean?"

Old Chen took a red string from the cabinet and pointed to the threshold of the wreath shop, saying: "This red string was obtained from the Great Buddha Temple and has the effect of warding off evil. As for the threshold of the wreath shop, it is an object that attracts spirits. After you return home, remove the threshold, tie the red string around your ankle, and you will no longer encounter any unclean things in the future"

Old Chen shook his head: "Just think about this matter; it is filled with oddities everywhere. If it isn't a case of encountering something sinister, then what is it?"

Regarding this matter, I also feel quite distressed. I said in a low voice, "Actually, I happened to be nearby yesterday and saw it all; the ones who died were all my friends"

Reflect on the events that have transpired during this period: the business of the flower wreath shop improved, my father was involved in a car accident, my female friend had just reconciled with her partner, and the next day paid the price with her life. Friends had barely been back together for two hours when an accident occurred right before my eyes. Even I, despite my usual dullness, realized that something was amiss

He sighed: "I must have been incredibly unfortunate for eight generations. Yesterday, there was an accident while driving, resulting in the death of a passenger and injuries to three others. Although this incident is not my fault, I still feel uneasy inside. I should buy some paper money to honor the friend who died yesterday."

I sat up abruptly, thinking of my gravely ill father, then of my deceased girlfriend, and also of those innocent friends. A strong sense of guilt surged within me, and with red eyes, I said: "I must have encountered some misfortune; let it come at me, but why must it involve my family!"

I was somewhat unsettled by his appearance. As I walked over to take a look, my body trembled slightly. Suddenly, I found this paper figure very familiar; it resembled a little girl, with rosy red lips. The driver looked at me in sheer terror, stammering, "It’s her, it’s her!"

In Chen Xueyuan's shop, there was not much business. When I arrived, he was resting while fanning himself. As soon as I entered, he woke up and, upon seeing me, clearly appeared surprised. He stood up and said, "Oh, this is quite a rare visitor."

The old man is named Chen Xueyuan. He had already been running a wreath shop since my childhood. Over the years, he has opened several branches, making him a successful figure in our industry. I tend to stay indoors for long periods, and when I finally stepped out, I realized that the situation was much more serious than I had imagined. The entire street of wreath shops was struggling, to be precise, there wasn't a single customer in sight. Several shops had simply closed down, putting up signs indicating that they were for sale. However, my shop was experiencing explosive business, as if it had attracted all the customers from the entire street!

However, I am not clear about how this came to be; it seems as though there is a fog in front of me, making it impossible to see clearly

The police naturally did not believe it, saying, where is the little girl, and why didn't anyone else see her? A group of people continued to question the driver. I was listening nearby when I suddenly recalled another matter: when Tao Xin fell into the water, wasn't there an old man who saw her being pushed in by a little girl? I had always thought the old man was mistaken, but now this driver also mentioned the little girl, which surely cannot be a coincidence

He scrutinized me for a moment, nodded, and said: "Looking at you, it is indeed evident that you are entangled in misfortune. I do not know if I can be of assistance, but please go ahead and speak."

He retreated several steps in succession, fleeing as if he had gone mad

The rescue results came out quickly; the driver was unharmed, only suffering a mild concussion, standing by the side as if nothing had happened. As for my friend, one was dead and three were injured. Watching them being lifted from the pool of blood made my heart twitch, and a wave of guilt surged over me. I did not even know why I felt guilty, as logically speaking, this incident had nothing to do with me.

He was taken aback for a moment and said with a wry smile, "What a coincidence"

My intoxication was abruptly shattered by this sudden incident. Together with bystanders, I helped extinguish the fire. Someone had already called for help, and within about ten minutes, I heard the sound of sirens. The remaining matters need not concern us, as professionals will naturally handle them.