Chapter 27: Watching Other People’s Lives

The phone rang, and Li Si picked up within three seconds. I was puzzled; was he just sitting there waiting for my call?

"Brother, how did that matter go?"

I knew exactly what he was referring to. I said, "Don't even mention it. Qingyi chased me out."

"Brother, did you mess it up?" Li Si’s tone was dejected, but he quickly corrected himself. "It’s alright, little brother. This is normal. So many people went before us and couldn't spot the issue, so it’s no surprise we couldn’t either."

Hearing him say that, I thought to myself: *You old scoundrel, why didn't you tell me that sooner instead of letting me lose face?*

Still, I had to clarify things so he wouldn't look down on me. I said, "Fourth Brother, it’s not what you think. I did spot the problem, but Qingyi said he had already called in his senior martial brother. Since he hadn't stepped aside, I couldn't intervene according to the rules. If I had cured it, who would get the credit?"

"Damn it! Is Old Wan going senile? That Qingyi dragged him through the mud for half a month last time and charged him over a million. How can he still trust him?"

My brow furrowed involuntarily. I hadn't realized he’d already pocketed over a million for a botched job. Qingyi had clearly found himself a cash cow; no wonder he wouldn't let go easily.

I sighed. "Well, money is meant to be spent to avert disaster. Once the money is paid, the problem usually gets solved."

Li Si’s line went silent for a few seconds before he exclaimed, "Oh, brother! I knew you were a master. A disciple of Auntie San truly speaks with a different kind of wisdom."

Li Si quickly added, "Brother, where are you? Let’s go grab a drink."

I glanced at the signs around me and said, "I'm at the entrance of the Central Mall."

"Wait for me, I’ll be right there." With that, Li Si hung up.

A text message came in just then. I opened it with curiosity and was shocked to see a notification: "Recharge of 5,000 yuan successful."

I smacked my lips. Life with money sure is nice; this must be from Li Si.

I had been struggling for meals at school, yet here I was, a "ten-thousand-yuan man" after just one day of doing nothing. If I had actually pulled off the job for Old Wan, I might have become a millionaire.

At the thought of Old Wan, I started cursing Qingyi under my breath, "You old goat, you ruined my chance to be rich."

I touched the ten thousand yuan in my pocket and tried to convince myself that since twenty-three was my fated trial, what was the point of having so much money anyway?

***

Yet, I couldn't help but reflect on my naivety at Old Wan’s house. Experience and strength were clearly what I lacked most.

I shook my head and looked into the distance. The streets were filled with the hustle and bustle of traffic and a constant flow of people. Every face carried a different story; before me was a living tapestry of a thousand different lives.

I sat on a stone bollard used to block traffic and began to study the faces of everyone passing by, cross-referencing them with the records in my handbook. I used the crowd as my practice target.

A thousand people, a thousand lives, each with their own circumstances. Watching others' stories and reflecting on my own life—it was a wonderful feeling.

As I observed their experiences, I felt their troubles. Looking at the faces of the passersby, it felt as if I were experiencing a thousand different kinds of worries myself.

As I watched the crowd, I suddenly felt someone else’s presence. Another person had quietly sat down on the stone bollard behind me.

I turned to look. Li Si was staring wide-eyed in the same direction as me, asking blankly, "Brother, what kind of beauty has you so mesmerized? Where is she? Where?"

I couldn't help but shiver. How could Li Si be so thick-headed, and his thoughts so vulgar?

His eyes were wide as an ox’s, darting everywhere. An old woman who had just come over to scavenge for recyclables was so startled by him that she scurried away.

I gave him a look of disdain. "Tsk, what kind of mind do you have? I’m observing life—looking at others' stories to understand my own."

"What does that mean?" Li Si looked at me, bewildered. "How do you 'look' at someone's story?"

I shook my head. "You haven't trained in this; you wouldn't know. It’s what you often call 'physiognomy'—analyzing the problems reflected on a person's face."

"What? You can do that? Brother, I know you’re a master, but don't try to pull my leg!" Li Si curled his lip, looking at me like I was a fool.

I shook my head. It seemed if I didn't show him a trick or two, I’d lose my image as a master.

I pointed to a woman in her mid-thirties not far away. She was thin and fair-skinned, with her hands in her pockets, wearing glasses and a dark blue suit with her long hair draped over her shoulders. She looked like a quiet, pretty office worker.

"See her? Eyebrows protruding horizontally signify a vicious nature; the 'swallow-tail' split in the eyebrows indicates a tendency to cause harm; glinting, malicious eyes suggest criminal intent; and a hooked nose with no visible nostrils signifies a venomous heart."

Li Si stretched his neck and asked, "Which one? Which one?"

I pointed at the woman again.

***

"What does that mean?"

"It means that this woman will commit a crime in the future, and she is quite ruthless—she’ll implicate many people."

Li Si’s body relaxed instantly, and the look of curious wonder vanished. "Pfft! She looks like a typical office worker, so quiet. What kind of crime could she commit? If you’re going to lie to me, pick something more believable."

I shook my head. This was the trajectory of her future; it wouldn't happen immediately. It seemed if I didn't point out something immediate, he’d really look down on me.

"The 'fish tail' area and the *Jianmen* (spouse palace) have a dark, sickly complexion, which means the husband and wife will not sleep in harmony; the most ominous sign is the cross-mark, which suggests the wife might commit suicide, while yellow-tinged eyes indicate a secret affair. If there are lines cutting through the corner of the eye, her spouse is definitely cheating. Furthermore, a mole on the ear rim is something to guard against for middle-aged affairs."

Li Si’s neck stiffened again. He craned it to look at her and asked urgently, "Brother, what does that mean?"

I shook my head. "It means that when this woman reaches middle age, her marriage will be disharmonious, and she’ll have an affair."

"What? What? You’re saying she’s a loose woman?" Li Si blurted out, his voice loud.

That shout startled me. We weren't that far from the woman; she should have been able to hear him.

The woman glanced in our direction. I felt someone move behind me.

I looked back; a middle-aged man was tying his shoelaces.

"Brother, you’re just making things up. This woman is so quiet. When I’m old, I want to find someone like her—docile, quiet, and cute. Ah, that would be one of life’s great pleasures!"

"Tsk! You’re no good bird yourself. Why aren't you thinking of growing old together and being a devoted couple?" I retorted sarcastically.

Just then, the woman moved. She jogged toward a young man walking from a distance. The man held a bouquet of flowers; he was about twenty-six or twenty-seven, with orange-dyed hair and a hole in the chest of his denim jacket. The corners of his mouth were turned up, and he was smiling happily.

The woman ran up to him and jumped into his arms. The man caught her and spun her around. Li Si exclaimed in astonishment, "Holy crap, his son is that big already!"

I nearly fell off the stone bollard. Li Si’s thought process was truly something else.