Sheng Muxi: "..."
“You said I’m biased towards my sister, right? It’s not that I don’t care about her, it’s that I simply can’t. I have no authority over her. My sister has heard too many dark stories about me from my mom.”
".."
Sheng Muxi rubbed her forehead, leaning on the armrest. Chai Qianning lowered her voice and whispered in her ear, "What, does Teacher Sheng prefer someone who's obedient?"
Sheng Muxi lowered her wrist, glanced at the parents surrounding the experts not far away, then looked back at Chai Qianning.
"Then I'll try to be more obedient." Chai Qianning rested her chin on one hand and placed her phone face down on her lap.
Sheng Muxi slapped her hand: "What are you doing? This is a school."
“School?” Chai Qianning smiled alluringly: “Then, Teacher Sheng, you’re not a minor anymore.”
"Cough cough."
Faced with Chai Qianning's playful words, Sheng Muxi couldn't argue with her, but she was also helpless. She could only glare at her as if she were a student.
However, this was of no use to Chai Qianning. Seeing Sheng Muxi like this, her smile became even more unrestrained.
——
Chai Qianning never missed a single weekend meal at Sheng Muxi's house.
Feeling somewhat guilty, Chai Qianning would buy some groceries and deliver them to him, and occasionally the two would go out together.
On one occasion, the two of them went out and saw an old fortune teller setting up a stall on the street.
A large crowd had gathered around, including many young people.
Sheng Muxi never believed in these things, but he really couldn't understand why so many young people were superstitious about them now.
Just as she was reflecting on this, she overheard a girl passing by say to another girl:
"This is the old gentleman. His predictions are incredibly accurate. I had my fortune told here last month. He said that if I went to Shangyang Plaza on Saturday, I would meet my true love. I went there with some skepticism, but I actually met my current boyfriend."
"Really? That's amazing."
Upon hearing these words, Sheng Muxi glanced at the fortune-telling stall a few more times.
Chai Qianning, who was standing to the side, noticed that she was staring in one direction and nudged her arm: "Do you want to go have your fortune told?"
Sheng Muxi immediately turned around: "No, I don't believe in that."
Chai Qianning paused for a few seconds, then suddenly said, "Actually, I can also tell fortunes."
"You're just making things up," Sheng Muxi retorted without holding back.
Chai Qianning stopped: "You don't believe me?"
Sheng Muxi's thick eyelashes trembled a few times.
"Open your palm and let me tell your fortune."
Chai Qianning insisted on telling her fortune, so Sheng Muxi had no choice but to reach out her hand: "Fine, let me see what you can tell."
"Right hand."
"You even distinguish between left and right hands?"
"Of course, men on the left and women on the right."
Sheng Muxi switched hands, and Chai Qianning held her right hand fingers, carefully studying the lines on her palm: "There are three lines here: the life line, the career line, and the marriage line. I'll show you the marriage line."
"Hmm." Sheng Muxi looked at her face with interest, wanting to hear what nonsense the other party could come up with.
Chai Qianning's fingertips caressed the lines on Sheng Muxi's palm, making it ticklish. Sheng Muxi tried her best to resist and didn't pull away.
After about half a minute, Chai Qianning raised her eyes and said seriously, "You'll be able to find a partner this year."
Sheng Muxi stared into her eyes for a few seconds, then burst out laughing: "You look so serious, I almost believed you."
You don't believe me?
Chai Qianning pointed to the fortune-telling stall: "Didn't that girl just say that the old gentleman was very accurate in predicting marriage? Go and have your fortune told, and see if it's the same as mine."
Sheng Muxi found it quite interesting: "What if they're different?"
Chai Qianning made a surprising statement: "Then I'll let you sleep with me."
Chapter 21 Peach Blossom Year
The old town is full of life, with towering ancient trees, crumbling walls, and every brick and tile exuding the wear and tear of time.
Two or three elderly people carrying loads on their shoulders, shouting something as they passed by.
If Sheng Muxi hadn't insisted on buying bowls and plates from an old shop here, saying that their quality was good, they probably wouldn't be here now.
The two stood under the shade of the trees in the alley, looking at the fortune-telling stall across the street.
Driven by a certain stubbornness, Sheng Muxi still dragged her over.
Many people seek out old men to predict their marriage prospects, mainly because the prices are not expensive. Many young people just want to have fun and join in the fun.
After waiting for about ten minutes, it was finally Sheng Muxi's turn.
Chai Qianning sat on the stone chair, her elbows resting on her legs, propping her face up as she looked in her direction.
Sheng Muxi glanced at her, then looked away and took out a five-yuan note from his bag to give to the old woman.
When I took the money, I accidentally took my keychain with me.
Chai Qianning squinted and noticed that the black swan pendant that she had given her was still hanging on the other person's keychain.
A few minutes later, the old man stroked his white beard and said with a smile, "Young lady, this year is your year of love luck, and there's a high chance you'll find a partner. If you don't find one this year, then the next year of love luck will be when you're thirty-seven."
Sheng Muxi's brow twitched, and she turned her head to see Chai Qianning, who had already stood up from the stone chair and walked behind her.
Clearly, Chai Qianning had also heard what the old man had just said.
She pretended to be deep in thought, stroking her chin: "Teacher Sheng, does this mean that if you don't find a partner this year, you'll have to wait until you're thirty-seven to meet your true love?"
Sheng Muxi glared at her, picked up the small box containing the bowls and plates, went around to the back of the car, and put it in the trunk. His movements were smooth and fluid, done in one go.
"That's nonsense, isn't it?" Sheng Muxi opened the car door. "There's absolutely no scientific basis for it."
Chai Qianning had already gotten into the passenger seat from the other side.
Upon hearing this, she lifted her eyelashes and let out a soft laugh.
Sheng Muxi brushed her hair back and tilted her head: "Your calculations are different from his."
"What's different?"
"You used a declarative sentence, while the old gentleman said, 'probably,' meaning it's not certain."
"almost."
"Much worse."
"Alright then." Chai Qianning adopted a resigned look, tilting her head: "You really want to sleep with me that badly?"
Sheng Muxi turned her face away, and before she could even utter a word, she was almost choked by Chai Qianning's question: "Tonight or tomorrow night?"
"You're too noisy." Sheng Muxi went to adjust the car's music.
She really didn't know why she had to go to the old man to confirm Chai Qianning's words again.
This bet was a blatant scam, but she still fell for it.
She could perhaps explain it by saying that she has a spirit of seeking knowledge through practice and discovering the truth.
Yes, she just wanted to show the other person through her actions that they should trust science.
Although the results weren't very convincing, thinking about it made her feel much better.
The car drove off the street.
The scenery in Chai Qian's eyes flashed by rapidly.
Pure instrumental music played inside the car, its gentle melody adding a touch of tranquility to the sweltering summer.
Chai Qianning turned her head away unexpectedly: "Fortune telling is indeed quite mysterious. We should believe in science."
Sheng Muxi glanced down from the corner of his eye.
"So, just listen to what the old man said, don't take it too seriously, just believe what I said."
".."
"What do you mean you have to wait until you're thirty-seven to find love? Believe me, if you don't find someone this year, you'll find someone next year. If all else fails, just stay single."
".."
Sheng Muxi had never been so speechless.
Back in the neighborhood.
Chai Qianning followed Sheng Muxi home to cook. While Sheng Muxi was busy in the kitchen, Chai Qianning assisted her by washing vegetables and handing her bowls.
Ever since Chai Qianning started coming to her house for meals every weekend, her family has acquired a lot of new bowls, chopsticks, and seasonings.
When cooking for one person, Sheng Muxi cooks more casually, but when there are more people, she starts to research new dishes and makes a more elaborate meal.
Whenever she saw Chai Qianning take a bite of food, show a satisfied expression, and praise it highly, she would feel a great sense of accomplishment.
"Teacher Sheng, you're cheating." Chai Qianning leaned against the door frame of the kitchen sliding door and spoke casually.
Sheng Muxi was chopping vegetables, half-lifting her eyelids before lowering them again: "Do you know that fortune teller? Did you conspire with him to scam me?"
"I swear to God," Chai Qianning said, raising her finger. "I've been with you the whole time. How could I have had time to conspire with him?"
"Alright, I'll believe you this once." Sheng Muxi said seriously, "But how do you know how to tell fortunes?"
“I also know a tiny bit about tarot, astrology, and dream interpretation,” Chai Qianning said, counting on her fingers.
"I never expected you to be interested in this," Sheng Muxi said, finding it quite surprising.
"It's not me who's interested, it's my grandma."
Chai Qianning said, "My grandmother was extremely superstitious before she passed away. She would treat fortune tellers like close friends, and she would go to the masters to get all sorts of books to study. She was always talking nonsense."
"The adults were all busy, so Grandma could only talk to me, a little kid. She would look at the lines on my palms, then the lines on the soles of my feet, and then she would tell me my birth date and time. After listening to her talk so much, I inevitably learned some things."