Liu Dashao sat on the small stool he had dragged out, staring coldly at the man. “What exactly do you want from me?”
Seeing that Liu Dashao had finally been defeated, the fortune teller opened his half-closed eyes wide and smiled. “Now do you believe we truly are fated to meet?”
“I believe you now. Just tell me, what do you want?”
Liu Dashao felt as helpless as an ant, completely in the other man’s grasp, at his mercy.
“That jade pendant around your neck—it wasn’t yours originally, was it?”
“That’s right. How did you know?”
The fortune teller smirked. “Have you forgotten what I do for a living?”
Liu Dashao glanced at the piece of paper lying on the cement ground beside him, where the words “fortune telling” and a bagua diagram were scribbled. “Can you even tell fortunes from something like this?”
The fortune teller suppressed the surge of pride and confidence rising within him and replied calmly, “If I couldn’t tell, you wouldn’t have come back, would you?”
At this point, Liu Dashao had no choice but to admit defeat and respect the old man. His resistance faded, and he spoke more calmly. “Can’t we just talk this over? If you’d be so kind, first return that jade to me. It’s really important to me. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have come back to you. Don’t you agree?”
“Is it because you’re the fated person for that jade?”
“How do you know everything?” Liu Dashao was even more shocked than before. Knowing about the jade wasn’t a big deal, but knowing that he was the destined person for it was something else entirely. Even the most accurate fortune telling couldn’t possibly be this precise. Liu Dashao began to suspect that this old man might be a spy sent by the Kuomintang to the mainland—how else could he know so much?
Seeing Liu Dashao’s surprise, the fortune teller chuckled. “I know much more than you think.”
Eager to retrieve the jade, Liu Dashao pleaded, “Please give it back to me first. We can talk about anything else slowly.”
The fortune teller smiled again. “I never took your jade, so how can I return it? And you never lost it, so why ask me for it?”
Liu Dashao replayed the man’s words in his mind and felt as if he had been toyed with by this charlatan. Irritated, he reached his hand to his chest. It was unbelievable—he was stunned speechless.
He almost stood up in shock. Just moments ago, when he turned around and came back, there had definitely been nothing around his neck. Yet now, somehow, the jade had returned to him without him noticing, resting against his chest, cool to the touch. It was utterly baffling, as if it had appeared by magic, and he hadn’t felt a thing.
The fortune teller nodded at Liu Dashao. “I told you it was still on you.”
“You can do magic tricks?” Liu Dashao removed his hand from his chest. The jade was too cold, making him uncomfortable pressed against his skin for so long.
“I’m just a fortune teller, not a magician.”
“Then what just happened?” Liu Dashao stared nervously at the man who now frightened him. Who was he really? How could he have such supernatural abilities?
The fortune teller said slowly, “What the eyes see isn’t necessarily real, and what appears in dreams isn’t necessarily illusory. Truth and illusion intertwine—how can anyone clearly distinguish one from the other? Perhaps only through personal experience can one truly understand.”
Liu Dashao felt something strange about the day, though he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. This fortune teller was clearly not someone he could easily get rid of. He decided to cut to the chase. “Is there something you want to tell me?”
“How perceptive,” the fortune teller replied.
Liu Dashao said, “If you didn’t have something to say, why go through all the trouble to make me come back to you?”
The fortune teller nodded excitedly. “Since you think that way, it proves we truly are fated to meet. How about a fortune reading?”
Old Madam Fan had already done one for him, so Liu Dashao stroked his chin and said, “Then how about a character reading?”
“Please give me the character,” the fortune teller gestured, signaling he was ready.
Liu Dashao sat on the small stool he had pulled out, looking at the fortune teller coldly, “What exactly do you want?”
Seeing that Liu Dashao had completely lost, the fortune teller opened his half-closed eyes and smiled, “Now you believe that we are destined to meet, don’t you?”
“I believe it now. Just tell me what you want,” Liu Dashao felt like an ant being manipulated in the fortune teller’s hands.
“That jade pendant around your neck, someone gave it to you, right?”
“Yes, how did you know?”
The fortune teller chuckled coldly, “Have you forgotten what I do?”
Liu Dashao glanced at the cement floor beside him, where the words “Fortune Telling” and a diagram of the Eight Trigrams were written on a piece of paper. “You can even figure that out?”
The fortune teller suppressed his pride and confidence, not letting them burst out, “If I couldn’t figure it out, you wouldn’t have come back, would you?”
At this point, Liu Dashao had to nod in acknowledgment and admiration. He no longer had any resistance and spoke calmly to the fortune teller, “Let’s discuss this properly. Please be merciful and return that jade pendant to me first. It’s really important to me! Otherwise, I wouldn’t have come back to find you, right?”
“Because you are the destined owner of this jade?”
“How do you know everything?” Liu Dashao was even more surprised than before. Knowing about the jade was one thing, but the fact that he was the destined owner was something even he wasn’t entirely sure of. No matter how accurate the fortune teller was, it couldn’t be to this extent. Liu Dashao began to suspect that this old man might be a spy sent by the Kuomintang to the mainland. Otherwise, how could he know so much?
The fortune teller noticed Liu Dashao’s astonishment and chuckled, “I know much more than that.”
Liu Dashao, eager to get the jade back, pleaded, “Please return the jade to me first. We can discuss other matters slowly.”
The fortune teller smiled again, “I never picked up your jade, so what can I return to you? You never lost it, so why are you asking me for it?”
Liu Dashao replayed the fortune teller’s words in his mind, feeling as if he had been played by this charlatan. Impatiently, he pressed his hand against his chest. It was utterly unbelievable, and he was left dumbfounded.
Liu Dashao almost stood up. Before he had turned back, there was nothing around his neck, but now the jade had somehow returned to him, resting against his chest, cold to the touch. It was all too perplexing, like a magic trick he hadn’t even noticed.
The fortune teller nodded at Liu Dashao, “I told you it was still on you.”
“Can you perform magic?” Liu Dashao removed his hand from his chest. The jade was so cold that it was almost unbearable, and the prolonged pressure on his chest made him uncomfortable.
The fortune teller said, “I’m just a fortune teller, not a magician.”
“Then what just happened?” Liu Dashao nervously looked at the man who now frightened him. Who was he? How could he have such extraordinary abilities?
The fortune teller spoke slowly, “What the eyes see isn’t necessarily real, and what the dreams show isn’t necessarily illusory. Truth and falsehood, falsehood and truth, intertwined and indistinguishable. Only by experiencing it oneself can one truly understand.”
Liu Dashao felt that something was off today but couldn’t pinpoint what it was. The fortune teller before him was indeed hard to dismiss, and leaving seemed impossible. So he got straight to the point, “Do you have something to tell me?”
“Why do you think so?” the fortune teller asked.
Liu Dashao replied, “If you didn’t have something to tell me, why would you go through all this trouble to make me come back to you?”
The fortune teller nodded excitedly, “Since you can think like that, it proves that we are truly destined. How about a fortune reading?”
Liu Dashao, having already had his fortune told by Granny Fan, stroked his chin and said, “Why don’t you help me analyze a character instead?”
“Please, write a character!” The fortune teller gestured to Liu Dashao, indicating that he could now proceed with the character analysis.
Liu Dashao, on a whim, thought of the fact that he had just sat down and casually said, “Let’s go with the character ‘坐’ (sit).”
Upon hearing this, the fortune teller immediately squinted his eyes, extended his right hand, and wrote the character ‘坐’ on his left palm, muttering something under his breath. Liu Dashao couldn’t understand a word and had to patiently wait for the result.
“Ah!”
After a while, the fortune teller opened his eyes and said to Liu Dashao, “The character ‘坐’ is composed of two ‘人’ (person) characters and one ‘土’ (earth) character. This character holds deep meaning. Two people sitting on the earth, with the vertical stroke of ‘土’ being too long, separating the two ‘人’ characters. Young man, it seems you are about to part ways with someone, and this person is someone you can’t easily let go of.”
“Part ways? How so?”
The fortune teller noticed the change in Liu Dashao’s expression and nodded solemnly, “The ‘人’ character beneath the ‘土’ character suggests a return to the earth, perhaps a burial.”
After saying this, the fortune teller fixed his gaze intently on Liu Dashao, who felt as if he had been seen through. He didn’t know who the fortune teller was referring to as the closest person, but he could only nod, “I understand.”
The fortune teller laughed heartily, “Young man, are you really so accepting?”
Liu Dashao smiled bitterly, “Everyone dies. Why do you say it’s fate? Do you say this to everyone who comes to you for a fortune reading?”
“No, no, no, I only say this to those who are destined,” the fortune teller said as he put his sunglasses back on. Liu Dashao saw his own reflection in the lenses, blurred and indistinct.
“You will understand in time.”
“Oh?” Liu Dashao stared at him, “Then what about my fate?”
“Since the outcome is already predetermined, why cling to it? Ah, what is meant to be will come, and what is not meant to be cannot be forced,” the fortune teller sighed repeatedly after speaking.
Liu Dashao couldn’t grasp his meaning and asked, “Old sir, what do you mean by that? Why are you sighing so much?”
“Please, write another character!” The fortune teller spread his hands before Liu Dashao once more.
Liu Dashao said, “The character ‘因’ (cause) from ‘因果’ (cause and effect). I said it loudly so he wouldn’t mishear.”
The fortune teller looked at him intently for a moment, then began, “Young man, you still can’t let go.”
“Old sir, what do you mean?”
The fortune teller smiled, “From the character you wrote, I can tell what’s on your mind.”
“The character ‘因’ is composed of a ‘口’ (mouth) character and a ‘大’ (big) character. The ‘口’ represents four walls, and the ‘大’ can be broken down into a ‘人’ (person) character and a ‘一’ (one) character. This indicates that a person is trapped within walls and cannot escape. However, there is only one ‘人’ in ‘因’, which suggests that you are struggling within the walls you’ve built for yourself.”
“Is there any way to change this?” Liu Dashao asked, clinging to a last shred of hope.
The fortune teller said, “There is a way, but, but…” His words trailed off as if his throat had been choked.
Hearing this, Liu Dashao smiled at him, “Master, don’t worry. If you think the money is too little, I can add more.”
The fortune teller’s face remained calm, devoid of the joy Liu Dashao had hoped to see, “Young man, I think you’ve misunderstood. Money is an external thing. If money could solve the problem, it wouldn’t be a problem.”
Liu Dashao didn’t want to listen to his roundabout talk anymore and said, “Master, if you have something to say, just say it directly.”
“Heaven’s secrets cannot be revealed!” These words came from the fortune teller’s mouth.
Liu Dashao hadn’t expected the result he wanted to hear would be these words. He felt the urge to grab the stool leg and hit him. Damn it, only telling me half, no, not even half, it’s better not to tell me at all, just teasing me. I hate people who only speak half-truths.
A gust of wind blew through the alley, flipping the large red paper the fortune teller had weighed down with a stone. Liu Dashao casually placed the stone back on the corner of the paper, “Since it’s heaven’s secret, it’s better not to reveal it, lest you suffer divine retribution later.” He took out a dollar from his pocket, placed it on the paper, and stood up to leave.
“Young man, all of this is predestined! It’s best to let nature take its course!” The fortune teller’s words carried a deep meaning as Liu Dashao walked away.
Liu Dashao, with his back to him, said indifferently, “I think I already know what to do.”
“That’s good.” The fortune teller picked up the stone and slowly tucked his wrinkled Eight Trigrams diagram into his robe, “Young man, from now on, I’ll be living in the small house across the street. We’ll be neighbors, so take care of each other. By the way, my name is Zhang Enpu.”
“Alright, Uncle Zhang, goodbye.” Liu Dashao paused and said.
“Past lives, present lives. The five flaws and three deficiencies, widowed, lonely, and disabled. Inheriting the Dao, enduring countless trials. One day, the dragon and tiger will meet, passing through sixty-four generations.”
“Ah! Life and death, death and life. Life without death, death and rebirth. Dreams from another realm, following opportunities. All grievances, scattered with the wind, all scattered with the wind!”
The fortune teller’s words echoed in Liu Dashao’s mind once more. This time, he didn’t turn back to ask why the old man had spoken such a convoluted passage. However, Liu Dashao secretly memorized every word, though he only half-understood them. He didn’t know that this poem was actually a portrayal of his own life.
Finally, he could leave this oppressive place. As he stepped out of the alley, Liu Dashao suddenly felt a sense of rebirth, as if he had escaped from hell.
The streets were now almost empty, with only a few people hurrying home. A cold wind swept through, carrying scraps of paper and leaves along the street, rolling them to the other side before they disappeared without a trace.
The fortune teller immediately closed his eyes, writing the character on his left palm with his right index finger, muttering something under his breath. Liu Dashao couldn’t understand a word and could only wait patiently.
“Hmm!”
Liu Dashao sat on the small stool he had pulled out, looking coldly at the man: “What exactly do you want?”
Seeing that Liu Dashao had completely lost, the fortune-teller opened his half-closed eyes and smiled: “Now you believe that we are destined to meet, don’t you?”
“I believe it now. Just tell me what you want!” Liu Dashao felt like an ant being toyed with in the man’s hands.
“That jade around your neck was given to you by someone else, wasn’t it?”
“Yes, how did you know?”
The fortune-teller chuckled coldly: “Have you forgotten what I do for a living?”
Liu Dashao glanced at the cement ground beside him, where the words “Fortune-telling” were written in large characters, along with a paper with a Bagua diagram. “You can even figure that out?”
The fortune-teller suppressed his pride and confidence, not letting them burst out: “If I couldn’t figure it out, you wouldn’t have come back, would you?”
At this point, Liu Dashao had to nod in acknowledgment and admiration. He no longer felt any resistance and spoke calmly to the fortune-teller: “Let’s discuss this properly. Please be merciful and return that jade to me first. It’s really important to me! Otherwise, I wouldn’t have come back to you, right?”
“Is it because you are destined to have this jade?”
“How do you know everything?” Liu Dashao was even more astonished than before. Knowing about the jade was one thing, but the fact that the fortune-teller also knew he was destined to have it was beyond belief. No matter how accurate fortune-telling could be, it couldn’t possibly be this precise. Liu Dashao began to suspect that this old man might be a spy sent by the Kuomintang to the mainland. Otherwise, how could he know so much?
The fortune-teller noticed Liu Dashao’s surprise and chuckled: “I know much more than that.”
Liu Dashao, desperate to get the jade back, pleaded: “Please return the jade to me first. We can discuss anything else later.”
The fortune-teller smiled again: “I never picked up your jade, so what can I return to you? You never lost it, so why are you asking me for it?”
Liu Dashao replayed the man’s words in his mind, feeling as if he had been played by this charlatan. Impatiently, he pressed his hand against his chest. It was utterly unbelievable. He was left speechless.
Liu Dashao almost stood up. Before he had turned back, there had been nothing around his neck, yet now the jade had somehow reappeared on his chest, feeling cold against his skin. It was all too perplexing, as if it were a magic trick he hadn’t even noticed.
The fortune-teller nodded at Liu Dashao: “I told you it was still on you.”
“Are you a magician?” Liu Dashao removed his hand from his chest. The jade was so cold that it was almost unbearable, and the prolonged pressure on his chest made him uncomfortable.
The fortune-teller said: “I’m just a fortune-teller, not a magician.”
“Then what just happened?” Liu Dashao nervously stared at the man who now frightened him. Who was he? How could he possess such extraordinary abilities?
The fortune-teller spoke slowly: “What the eyes see isn’t necessarily real, and what the dreams show isn’t necessarily illusory. Truth and falsehood, falsehood and truth, intertwined and indistinguishable. Who can truly understand? Perhaps only by experiencing it oneself can one comprehend.”
Liu Dashao felt that today was strange, but he couldn’t pinpoint exactly why. This fortune-teller was indeed hard to deal with, and leaving seemed impossible. So he got straight to the point: “Do you have something to tell me?”
“Why do you say that?” the fortune-teller asked.
Liu Dashao replied: “If you didn’t have something to tell me, why would you go through all this trouble to make me come back to you?”
The fortune-teller nodded excitedly: “Since you think that way, it proves that we are truly destined. How about a fortune-telling session?”
Since Granny Fan had already helped with fortune-telling, Liu Dashao stroked his chin and said: “Why don’t you help me interpret a character instead?”
“Please, give me a character!” The fortune-teller waved his hand, indicating that he was ready to interpret.
Liu Dashao suddenly thought of the character “坐” (sit), as he had just sat down, and casually said: “How about the character ‘坐’?”
The fortune-teller immediately squinted his eyes, traced the character “坐” in his left palm with his right hand, and muttered something under his breath. Liu Dashao couldn’t understand a word and had to patiently wait for the result.
“Ah!”
After a while, the fortune-teller opened his eyes and said to Liu Dashao: “The character ‘坐’ is composed of two ‘人’ (person) characters and one ‘土’ (earth) character. This character carries a deep meaning. Two people sitting on the earth, but the vertical stroke of the ‘土’ is too long, separating the two ‘人’. Young man, it seems you are about to part ways with someone, and this person is someone you can’t easily let go of.”
“Part ways? How?”
The fortune-teller noticed the change in Liu Dashao’s expression and nodded solemnly: “The ‘人’ character below the ‘土’ character suggests a return to the earth, perhaps a burial.”
After saying this, the fortune-teller stared intently at him. Liu Dashao felt as if he had been seen through. He didn’t know who the fortune-teller was referring to as the closest person, but he nodded: “I understand.”
The fortune-teller laughed heartily: “Young man, are you really so accepting?”
Liu Dashao smiled bitterly: “Everyone dies. Why do you say it’s fate? Do you say this to everyone who comes to you for fortune-telling?”
“No, no, no. I only say this to those who are destined.” As he spoke, he put his sunglasses back on. Liu Dashao saw his own reflection in the lenses, looking very blurry.
“You’ll understand in the future.”
“Oh?” Liu Dashao stared at him: “Then what about my fate?”
“Since the outcome is already destined, why cling to it? Ah, what is meant to be will come, and what isn’t meant to be shouldn’t be forced.” The fortune-teller sighed repeatedly after saying this.
Liu Dashao couldn’t understand his meaning and asked: “Old sir, what do you mean by that? Why are you sighing so much?”
“Please, give me another character!” The fortune-teller spread his hand in front of Liu Dashao again.
Liu Dashao said: “The character ‘因’ from ‘因果’ (cause and effect). I’m afraid he might mishear, so I said it loudly.”
The fortune-teller stared at him for a while, then said: “Young man, you still can’t let go.”
“Old sir, what do you mean?”
The fortune-teller smiled: “From the character you gave me, I can tell what’s on your mind.”
“The character ‘因’ is composed of a ‘口’ (mouth) character and a ‘大’ (big) character. The ‘口’ represents four walls, and the ‘大’ can be broken down into a ‘人’ (person) character and a ‘一’ (one) character. This means someone is trapped within walls and can’t get out. However, there’s only one ‘人’ in ‘因’, which indicates that you’ve been struggling within the walls you’ve built for yourself.”
“Is there any way to change this?” Liu Dashao clung to a last glimmer of hope as he asked the fortune-teller.
The fortune-teller said: “There is a way, but, but…” His words trailed off as if his throat had been choked.
Hearing this, Liu Dashao smiled at him: “Master, don’t worry. If you think the money is too little, I can add more.”
The fortune-teller’s face remained calm, not showing the joy Liu Dashao had expected: “Young man, I think you’ve misunderstood. Money is an external thing. If money could solve the problem, it wouldn’t be a problem.”
Liu Dashao didn’t want to listen to his roundabout talk anymore and said: “Master, if you have something to say, just say it directly.”
“Heaven’s secrets cannot be revealed!” These words came from the fortune-teller’s mouth.
Liu Dashao hadn’t expected the result he wanted to hear to be these words. He felt the urge to grab the stool leg and hit the man. Damn it, he only told me half of it—no, not even half. It would have been better if he hadn’t told me anything at all. I hate people who only say half of what they mean.
A gust of wind blew through the alley, lifting the large red paper the fortune-teller had weighed down with a stone. Liu Dashao casually pressed the stone back onto the corner of the paper: “Since it’s heaven’s secret, it’s better not to reveal it, lest you face divine retribution later.” As he spoke, he took out a dollar from his pocket, placed it on the paper, and stood up to leave.
“Young man, all of this is predestined! It’s better to let nature take its course!” The fortune-teller’s words carried a weighty tone behind Liu Dashao.
Liu Dashao, with his back to the man, said indifferently: “I think I already know what to do.”
“That’s good.” The fortune-teller picked up the stone and slowly tucked his wrinkled Bagua diagram into his robe: “Young man, from now on, I’ll be living in the small house across the street. We’ll be neighbors, so take care of each other. By the way, my name is Zhang Enpu.”
“Alright, Uncle Zhang, goodbye.” Liu Dashao paused for a moment.
“What was the past life, and what is this life? The fate of five misfortunes and three lacks—widowhood, loneliness, and disability. One must inherit the Daoist tradition, enduring countless trials. One day, the dragon and tiger will meet, and the sixty-fourth generation will be passed down.”
“Ah! Life and death, death and life. Life and death, death and life. To live without dying, to die and be reborn. Dreams of foreign lands, spirits following closely. All grievances will scatter with the wind, scatter with the wind!”
The fortune-teller’s words echoed in Liu Dashao’s mind once more. This time, he didn’t turn back to ask the old man why he had spoken such a convoluted passage. However, Liu Dashao secretly memorized every word, even though he only partially understood them. He didn’t know that this poem was actually a reflection of his own life.
Finally, he could leave this place that made him feel so oppressed. The moment he stepped out of the alley, Liu Dashao suddenly felt as if he had been reborn, as if he had escaped from hell.
The streets were now almost empty, with only a few people hurrying home. A cold wind swept through, carrying scraps of paper and leaves along the street, rolling them to the other side before they disappeared without a trace.
“Part ways? How exactly?”
Seeing Liu Dashao’s expression change, the fortune teller nodded solemnly. “A ‘ren’ character sitting on top of ‘tu’—perhaps it means returning to the earth forever.”
He fixed Liu Dashao with a piercing gaze, making the young man feel exposed. Liu Dashao didn’t know who this person might be, but he simply nodded. “I see.”
The fortune teller laughed heartily. “Are you really so at peace with this, young man?”
Liu Dashao gave a bitter smile. “Everyone dies eventually. Why do you say it’s fate? Do you say this to everyone who comes to see you?”
“No, no, no. I only say this to those with whom I share a destined connection.” Saying this, he put his sunglasses back on. Liu Dashao saw his own blurred reflection on the lenses.
“You’ll understand in time.”
“Oh?” Liu Dashao stared at him. “Then tell me, what is my fate?”
“If the ending is already decided, why cling to it? Alas, what is fated will come to pass; what is not fated, no amount of striving can change.”
Liu Dashao couldn’t understand and asked, “Old sir, what do you mean? Why do you keep sighing?”
“Please give me another character,” the fortune teller extended his hand again.
Liu Dashao sat on the small stool he had pulled out, staring coldly at the man: “What exactly do you want?”
Seeing that Liu Dashao had completely lost, the fortune-teller opened his half-closed eyes and smiled: “Now you believe that we are destined to meet, don’t you?”
“I believe it now. Just tell me what you want!” Liu Dashao felt like an ant being toyed with in the man’s hands.
“That jade pendant around your neck, someone gave it to you, right?”
“Yes, how did you know?”
The fortune-teller smirked coldly: “Have you forgotten what I do for a living?”
Liu Dashao glanced at the cement ground beside him, where the words “Fortune-telling” were written in large characters, along with a paper with a Bagua diagram. “You can even figure that out?”
The fortune-teller suppressed his pride and confidence, not letting them burst out: “If I couldn’t figure it out, you wouldn’t have come back, would you?”
At this point, Liu Dashao had no choice but to nod in acknowledgment and admiration. He no longer felt any resistance and spoke calmly to the fortune-teller: “Let’s talk this through properly. Please be merciful and return that jade to me. It’s really important to me! Otherwise, I wouldn’t have come back to find you, right?”
“Because you’re the destined owner of this jade?”
“How do you know everything?” Liu Dashao was even more astonished than before. Knowing about the jade was one thing, but the fact that the fortune-teller knew he was the destined owner was beyond belief. No matter how accurate the fortune-telling was, it couldn’t possibly be this precise. Liu Dashao began to suspect that this old man might be a spy sent by the Kuomintang to the mainland. Otherwise, how could he know so much?
The fortune-teller noticed Liu Dashao’s surprise and chuckled: “I know a lot more than that.”
Liu Dashao, desperate for the jade, pleaded: “Please, just return the jade to me first. We can discuss anything else later.”
The fortune-teller smiled again, “I never picked up your jade, so what can I return to you? You never lost it, so why are you asking me for it?”
Liu Dashao replayed the man’s words in his mind, feeling as if he had been played by this charlatan. Impatiently, he pressed his hand against his chest. It was utterly unbelievable. He was left speechless.
Liu Dashao nearly stood up. Before he had turned back, there had been nothing around his neck, yet now the jade had somehow returned to him, resting coldly against his chest. It was all too perplexing, like a magic trick he hadn’t even felt.
The fortune-teller nodded at Liu Dashao: “I told you it was still on you.”
“Are you a magician?” Liu Dashao lowered his hand from his chest. The jade was so cold it was almost unbearable, and the prolonged pressure on his chest made him uncomfortable.
The fortune-teller said, “I’m just a fortune-teller, not a magician.”
“Then what just happened?” Liu Dashao nervously looked at the man who now seemed so intimidating. Who was he? How could he possess such extraordinary abilities?
The fortune-teller spoke slowly: “What the eyes see isn’t necessarily real, and what the dream shows isn’t necessarily illusory. Truth and falsehood, falsehood and truth, intertwined and indistinguishable. Who can truly understand? Perhaps only by experiencing it oneself can one comprehend.”
Liu Dashao felt that today was strange, but he couldn’t pinpoint exactly why. This fortune-teller was indeed hard to deal with, and leaving seemed impossible. So he got straight to the point: “Do you have something to tell me?”
“Why do you say that?” the fortune-teller asked.
Liu Dashao replied, “If you didn’t have something to tell me, why would you go through all this trouble to make me come back to you?”
The fortune-teller nodded excitedly: “Since you can think like that, it proves that we are truly destined. How about a divination?”
Liu Dashao, having already had his fortune told by Granny Fan, stroked his chin and said, “Why don’t you analyze a character for me instead?”
“Please, provide a character!” The fortune-teller gestured to Liu Dashao, indicating that he was ready to analyze.
Liu Dashao, on a whim, thought of the fact that he had just sat down and casually said, “Then let’s go with the character ‘坐’ (sit).”
The fortune-teller immediately squinted his eyes, extended his right hand, and wrote the character ‘坐’ on his left palm, muttering something under his breath. Liu Dashao couldn’t understand a word and could only wait patiently for the result.
“Ah!”
After a while, the fortune-teller opened his eyes and said to Liu Dashao: “The character ‘坐’ is composed of two ‘人’ (person) characters and one ‘土’ (earth) character. This character carries a deep meaning. Two people sitting on the earth, but the vertical line of the ‘土’ is too long, separating the two ‘人’. Young man, it seems you are about to part ways with someone, and this person is someone you can’t easily let go of.”
“Part ways? How?”
The fortune-teller noticed the change in Liu Dashao’s expression and nodded solemnly: “The ‘人’ character beneath the ‘土’ character suggests a burial in the earth.”
After saying this, the fortune-teller stared intently at him. Liu Dashao felt as if he had been seen through. He didn’t know who the fortune-teller was referring to as the closest person, but he could only nod: “I understand.”
The fortune-teller laughed heartily, “Young man, are you really so accepting?”
Liu Dashao forced a bitter smile: “Everyone dies. Why do you say it’s fate? Do you say this to everyone who comes to you for a reading?”
“No, no, no. I only say this to those who are destined.” As he spoke, he put his sunglasses back on. Liu Dashao saw his own reflection in the lenses, looking blurry.
“You’ll understand in time.”
“Oh?” Liu Dashao stared at him intently: “Then what about my fate?”
“Since the outcome is already predetermined, why cling to it? Ah, what is meant to be will be, and what isn’t meant to be shouldn’t be forced.” The fortune-teller sighed repeatedly after speaking.
Liu Dashao couldn’t grasp his meaning and asked, “Old sir, what do you mean by that? Why are you sighing so much?”
“Please, provide another character!” The fortune-teller spread his hands in front of Liu Dashao again.
Liu Dashao said, “The character ‘因’ (cause) from ‘因果’ (cause and effect). I’m afraid he might mishear, so I said it loudly.”
The fortune-teller stared at him for a moment, then said, “Young man, you still can’t let go, can you?”
“Old sir, what do you mean?”
The fortune-teller smiled, “From the character you provided, I can tell what’s on your mind.”
“The character ‘因’ is composed of a ‘口’ (mouth) character and a ‘大’ (big) character. The ‘口’ represents four walls, and the ‘大’ can be broken down into a ‘人’ (person) character and a ‘一’ (one) character. This indicates that a person is trapped within walls and cannot escape. However, the ‘因’ character only has one ‘人’, which suggests that you’ve been struggling within the walls you’ve built for yourself.”
“Is there any way to change this?” Liu Dashao clung to a last shred of hope as he asked the fortune-teller.
The fortune-teller said, “There is a way, but, but…” His words trailed off as if he had been choked.
Hearing this, Liu Dashao smiled at him: “Master, don’t worry. If you think the money is too little, I can add more.”
The fortune-teller’s face remained calm, devoid of the joy Liu Dashao had hoped to see: “Young man, I think you’ve misunderstood. Money is an external thing. If money could solve the problem, it wouldn’t be a problem.”
Liu Dashao didn’t want to listen to his roundabout words anymore and said, “Master, if you have something to say, just say it directly.”
“Heaven’s secrets cannot be revealed!” These words came from the fortune-teller’s mouth.
Liu Dashao hadn’t expected this to be the result. He felt the urge to grab the stool leg and smash it at the man. Damn it, he only told me half of it—no, not even half. It would’ve been better if he hadn’t told me anything at all. He’s just teasing me. I hate people who only say half of what they mean.
A gust of wind blew through the alley, flipping the large red paper the fortune-teller had weighed down with a stone. Liu Dashao casually pressed the stone back onto the corner of the paper: “Since it’s a heavenly secret, it’s better not to reveal it, lest you face divine retribution later.” As he spoke, he took out a dollar from his pocket, placed it on the paper, and stood up to leave.
“Young man, all of this is predestined! It’s better to let nature take its course!” The fortune-teller’s words were heavy with meaning as Liu Dashao walked away.
Liu Dashao, with his back to him, said indifferently: “I think I already know what to do.”
“That’s good.” The fortune-teller picked up the stone and slowly tucked his wrinkled Bagua diagram into his robe: “Young man, from now on, I’ll be living in the small house across the way. We’ll be neighbors. Take care of each other, whether there’s something or not. By the way, my name is Zhang Enpu.”
“Alright, Uncle Zhang, goodbye.” Liu Dashao paused before speaking.
“What was the past life? What is this life? The fate of five flaws and three lacks, widowed, lonely, and disabled. One must inherit the Dao, endure countless trials. One day, the dragon and tiger will meet, and the sixty-fourth generation will pass.”
“Ah! Life and death, death and life. Life and death, death and life. To live without dying, to die and be reborn. Strange dreams from another realm, following in wait. All grievances, scattered with the wind, all scattered with the wind!”
The fortune-teller’s words echoed in Liu Dashao’s mind once more. This time, he didn’t turn back to ask the old man why he had spoken such a convoluted passage. However, Liu Dashao silently committed every word to memory, though he only half-understood them. He didn’t yet realize that this poem was a reflection of his own life.
Finally, he could leave this oppressive place. As he stepped out of the alley, Liu Dashao suddenly felt as if he had been reborn, as if he had escaped from hell.
The streets were now almost empty, with only a few people hurrying home. A cold wind swept through, carrying scraps of paper and leaves along the street, rolling them to the other side before they disappeared without a trace.
The fortune teller gazed at him for a moment and said, “You still can’t let go, young man.”
“Old sir, what do you mean?”
The fortune teller smiled. “From the character you chose, I can tell what’s on your mind.”
Liu Dashao sat on the small stool he had pulled out, coldly staring at the man: “What exactly do you want?”
Seeing that Liu Dashao had completely lost, the fortune-teller opened his half-closed eyes and smiled: “Now you believe that we are destined to meet, don’t you?”
“I believe it now. Just tell me what you want!” Liu Dashao felt like an ant being toyed with in the man’s hands.
“That jade pendant around your neck, someone gave it to you, right?”
“Yes, how did you know?”
The fortune-teller chuckled coldly: “Have you forgotten what I do?”
Liu Dashao glanced at the cement floor beside him, where the words “Fortune-telling” were written in large characters, along with a diagram of the Eight Trigrams. “You can even figure that out?”
The fortune-teller suppressed his pride and confidence, not letting them show: “If I couldn’t, you wouldn’t have come back, would you?”
At this point, Liu Dashao had to nod in acknowledgment and admiration. He no longer felt any resistance and spoke calmly to the fortune-teller: “Let’s discuss this properly. Please, be merciful and return the jade to me first. That jade is really important to me! Otherwise, I wouldn’t have come back to find you. Don’t you agree?”
“Because you are the destined owner of this jade?”
“How do you know everything?” Liu Dashao was even more astonished than before. Knowing about the jade was one thing, but the fact that the fortune-teller also knew he was the destined owner was beyond belief. No matter how accurate the fortune-telling was, it couldn’t possibly be this precise. Liu Dashao began to suspect that this old man might be a spy sent by the Kuomintang to the mainland. Otherwise, how could he know so much?
The fortune-teller noticed Liu Dashao’s surprise and chuckled: “I know much more than that.”
Desperate for the jade, Liu Dashao pleaded: “Please, just return the jade to me first. We can discuss anything else later.”
The fortune-teller smiled again, “I never picked up your jade, so what can I return to you? You never lost it, so why are you asking me for it?”
Liu Dashao replayed the man’s words in his mind, feeling as if he had been played by this charlatan. Impatiently, he pressed his hand against his chest. It was utterly unbelievable. He was left speechless.
Liu Dashao almost stood up. Before he had turned back, there had been nothing around his neck, yet now the jade had somehow reappeared, resting against his chest, cold to the touch. It was all too perplexing, like a magic trick he hadn’t even noticed.
The fortune-teller nodded at Liu Dashao: “I told you it was still on you!”
“Are you a magician?” Liu Dashao removed his hand from his chest. The jade was so cold it was almost unbearable, and the prolonged pressure on his chest made him uncomfortable.
The fortune-teller said, “I’m just a fortune-teller, not a magician.”
“Then what just happened?” Liu Dashao nervously looked at the man who now seemed so intimidating. Who was he? How could he possess such extraordinary abilities?
The fortune-teller spoke slowly: “What the eyes see isn’t necessarily real, and what the dreams show isn’t necessarily illusory. Truth and falsehood, falsehood and truth, intertwined and indistinguishable. Who can truly understand? Perhaps only by experiencing it oneself can one comprehend.”
Liu Dashao felt that today was strange, but he couldn’t pinpoint why. This fortune-teller was indeed hard to shake off, and leaving seemed impossible. So he got straight to the point: “Do you have something to tell me?”
“What makes you think so?” the fortune-teller replied.
Liu Dashao said, “If you didn’t have something to tell me, why would you go through all this trouble to make me come back to you?”
The fortune-teller nodded excitedly: “Since you think that way, it proves that we are truly destined. How about a fortune-telling session?”
Since Granny Fan had already helped with fortune-telling, Liu Dashao stroked his chin and said, “Why don’t you help me analyze a character instead?”
“Please, provide the character!” The fortune-teller gestured to Liu Dashao, indicating that he was ready to analyze.
Liu Dashao suddenly thought of the character “坐” (sit), as he had just sat down. “How about ‘坐’?”
The fortune-teller immediately squinted his eyes, wrote the character “坐” on his left palm with his right hand, and muttered something incomprehensible. Liu Dashao couldn’t understand and patiently waited for the result.
“Ah!”
After a while, the fortune-teller opened his eyes and said to Liu Dashao: “The character ‘坐’ is composed of two ‘人’ (person) characters and one ‘土’ (earth) character. This character has a deep meaning. Two people sitting on the earth, with the vertical stroke of ‘土’ being too long, separating the two ‘人’ characters. Young man, it seems you are about to part ways with someone, and this person is someone you can’t easily let go of.”
“Part ways? How?”
The fortune-teller noticed the change in Liu Dashao’s expression and nodded solemnly: “The ‘人’ character below the ‘土’ character suggests a return to the earth, perhaps a burial.”
After saying this, the fortune-teller stared intently at Liu Dashao, who felt as if he had been seen through. He didn’t know who the fortune-teller was referring to as the closest person, but he nodded: “I understand.”
The fortune-teller laughed heartily, “Young man, are you really so accepting?”
Liu Dashao smiled bitterly: “Everyone dies. Why do you say it’s fate? Do you say this to everyone who comes to you for fortune-telling?”
“No, no, no. I only say this to those who are destined.” As he spoke, he put on his sunglasses again, and Liu Dashao saw his own reflection, blurred in the lenses.
“You will understand in time.”
“Oh?” Liu Dashao stared at him: “Then what about my fate?”
“Since the outcome is already predetermined, why cling to it? Ah, what is meant to be will be, and what isn’t shouldn’t be forced.” The fortune-teller sighed repeatedly after speaking.
Liu Dashao couldn’t grasp his meaning and asked, “Old sir, what do you mean by that? Why are you sighing so much?”
“Please, provide another character!” The fortune-teller spread his hands in front of Liu Dashao again.
Liu Dashao said, “The character ‘因’ from ‘因果’ (cause and effect). I spoke loudly to ensure he heard it correctly.”
The fortune-teller looked at him for a moment and then said, “Young man, you still can’t let go.”
“Old sir, what do you mean?”
The fortune-teller smiled, “From the character you provided, I can tell what’s on your mind.”
“The character ‘因’ is composed of a ‘口’ (mouth) character and a ‘大’ (big) character. The ‘口’ represents four walls, and the ‘大’ can be broken down into a ‘人’ (person) character and a ‘一’ (one) character. This indicates that a person is trapped within walls and can’t escape. However, the ‘因’ character only has one ‘人’, which suggests that you are struggling within the walls you’ve built for yourself.”
“Is there any way to change this?” Liu Dashao clung to a last shred of hope as he asked the fortune-teller.
The fortune-teller said, “There is a way, but, but…” His words trailed off as if he had been choked.
Hearing this, Liu Dashao smiled at him: “Master, don’t worry. If you think the money is too little, I can add more.”
The fortune-teller’s face remained calm, not showing the joy Liu Dashao had expected: “Young man, I think you’ve misunderstood. Money is an external thing. If money could solve the problem, it wouldn’t be a problem.”
Liu Dashao didn’t want to listen to his roundabout talk anymore and said, “Master, if you have something to say, just say it directly.”
“Heaven’s secrets cannot be revealed!” These words came from the fortune-teller’s mouth.
Liu Dashao hadn’t expected the result he wanted to hear would be these words. He felt the urge to grab the stool leg and hit him. Damn it, he only told me half, no, not even half. It would have been better not to tell me at all, just teasing me. I hate people who only say half of what they mean.
A gust of wind blew through the alley, lifting the large red paper the fortune-teller had weighed down with a stone. Liu Dashao casually placed the stone back on the corner of the paper: “Since it’s heaven’s secret, it’s better not to reveal it, lest you suffer divine retribution later.” As he spoke, he took out a dollar from his pocket, placed it on the paper, and stood up to leave.
“Young man, all of this is predestined! It’s better to let nature take its course!” The fortune-teller’s words were heavy with meaning as Liu Dashao walked away.
Liu Dashao, with his back to him, said indifferently: “I think I already know what to do.”
“That’s good.” The fortune-teller picked up the stone and slowly tucked his wrinkled Eight Trigrams diagram into his robe: “Young man, from now on, I’ll be living in the small house across the way. We’ll be neighbors. Take care of each other. By the way, my name is Zhang Enpu.”
“Alright, Uncle Zhang, goodbye.” Liu Dashao paused and said.
“What was the past life, and what is this life? The fate of five misfortunes and three lacks, widowed, lonely, and disabled. One must inherit the Dao, enduring countless trials. One day, the dragon and tiger will meet, passing through sixty-four generations.”
“Ah! Life and death, death and life. Life and death, death and life. To live without dying, to die and live again. Dreams of foreign ghosts, following closely. All grievances, scattered with the wind, all scattered with the wind!”
The fortune-teller’s words echoed in Liu Dashao’s mind once more. This time, he didn’t turn back to ask the old man why he had spoken such a convoluted passage. However, Liu Dashao silently committed every word to memory, though he only half-understood them. He didn’t know that this poem was actually a reflection of his own life.
Finally, he could leave this oppressive place. As he stepped out of the alley, Liu Dashao suddenly felt a sense of rebirth, as if he had escaped from hell.
The streets were now almost empty, with only a few people hurrying home. A cold wind swept through, carrying scraps of paper and leaves along the street, rolling them to the other side before they disappeared without a trace.
“Is there any way to change this?” Liu Dashao asked, still clinging to a sliver of hope.
“There are ways, of course,” the fortune teller replied, “but… but…” He suddenly stopped, as if his voice had been choked off.
Hearing this, Liu Dashao smiled and said, “Master, don’t worry. If you think the fee is too low, I can add more.”
The fortune teller remained calm, showing none of the joy Liu Dashao had expected. “Young man, I think you’ve misunderstood. Money is an external thing. If a problem could be solved with money, it wouldn’t be a problem at all.”
Tired of the old man’s cryptic talk, Liu Dashao said, “Master, if you have something to say, just say it plainly.”
“The heavenly secrets must not be revealed!” the fortune teller said solemnly.
Hearing those words, Liu Dashao felt a sudden urge to grab the stool and smash it over his head. “Damn it! You only tell me half the story—or even less! You’re just teasing me. I hate people who speak in half-truths!”
A gust of wind blew through the alley, flipping the red paper the fortune teller had weighed down with a stone. Liu Dashao casually placed the stone on the corner of the paper. “If it’s a heavenly secret, then better not to reveal it, to avoid divine punishment later.” He placed a one-yuan coin on the paper and stood up to leave.
“Young man, everything is fated. It’s better to let things take their natural course,” the fortune teller said gravely behind him.
Without turning around, Liu Dashao replied lightly, “I think I already know what I should do.”
“Very well.” The fortune teller picked up the stone and slowly tucked his wrinkled bagua diagram into his robe. “Young man, I’ll be living in that small house across the street from now on. We’ll be neighbors. Please visit anytime. Oh, and my name is Zhang Enpu.”
“Alright, Master Zhang, see you later.” Liu Dashao paused briefly.
“In past lives, what was life? In this life, what is birth? Five curses and three lacks in fate—loneliness, widowhood, isolation, disability. One must carry the Dao’s legacy, endure endless trials. In future, destined for dragons and tigers, passed down through sixty-four generations.”
“Ah! Life and death, death and life. Life and death, death and life again. Living without dying, dying to live anew. In foreign lands, ghostly dreams await. All grudges and favors will scatter with the wind, fade away with the wind!”
The fortune teller’s words echoed again in Liu Dashao’s mind. This time, he didn’t turn back to ask why the old man had recited such a strange poem. But he silently memorized every word, even if he only half-understood. He didn’t yet know that this poem was, in fact, a reflection of his entire life.
Finally, he could leave this place that had felt so oppressive. As he stepped out of the alley, Liu Dashao suddenly felt reborn, as if he had escaped from hell itself.
The street was nearly empty now, with only a few people hurrying home. A cold wind blew through, lifting scraps of paper and leaves along the road before they disappeared into the distance, vanishing without a trace.
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