That year, when I was fifteen, I was in the third year of junior high.
It was a Sunday, and a stranger came to my house.
I had just walked out of the courtyard gate and almost bumped into him.
I looked up; the man was about forty years old, tall and robust, but his face was filled with sorrow.
After bumping into me, the man repeatedly apologized and then asked, “Little friend, is this Wang Tianlong’s house?”
I nodded, “Wang Tianlong is my grandpa; he’s home. You can go in!”
Then I shouted into the house, “Grandpa, someone’s looking for you!”
“Tell him to come in!” my grandpa replied.
I said to the man, “Uncle, you can go in. My grandpa is doing a Bazi reading for someone!”
I took my basket and other tools and went to the river to catch fish.
I found a shallow pool, and just as I finished digging a drainage ditch, ready to drain it and catch fish.
My grandma ran over, panting, “Xiaolong, hurry back, your grandpa needs you urgently.”
“No way? Grandma, why would my grandpa need me?” I was utterly bewildered.
“Just go back when I tell you to. Why are you dawdling!” Seeing my indifference, Grandma got a little angry.
“Alright, alright, I’ll go back as soon as I finish up here!” I remained unhurried, wondering to myself, is there really something my grandpa can’t handle?
“You get back right now! I’ll clean up here!” This was the first time Grandma had ever gotten so angry with me.
Seeing Grandma truly angry, my heart sank. Could Grandpa really have encountered a problem?
Without another word, I immediately ran back.
As soon as I got home, the tall man from earlier immediately stood up, pulled out a pack of Huazi cigarettes, and offered me one, “Little Master, here, have a cigarette. Thank you for your trouble!”
I waved my hand and glanced at the man, “I don’t smoke!”
Then I turned to my grandpa, “Grandpa, you were looking for me?”
“Come, Xiaolong, Grandpa started teaching you ‘Ma Yi Shen Xiang’, ‘Di Tian Sui’, ‘Qing Nang Jing’… from when you were four years old.
Now is the time to show your skills.”
Grandpa said to me.
“Grandpa, didn’t you say that the first time I do a face reading, fortune-telling, or Feng Shui for someone, it must be for someone with the surname Bai?” I was a little confused.
“Oh, this client’s surname is Bai!”
“But Grandpa, you said not only must this person be surnamed Bai, but they must also be a female!” I looked at the man.
“Little Master, let me introduce myself. My name is Bai Dazhu, and my daughter is Bai Xinyi. I’ve come to ask you to treat my daughter!” the man quickly said.
“Oh, Bai Xinyi?” I was greatly surprised. There was a female student in our class also named Bai Xinyi.
She was not only our class beauty but also the recognized school beauty, and even my goddess—my unattainable white moonlight.
Could it be her?
When the third year of junior high started, she attended classes for a few days and then dropped out. Even now, I still don’t understand why she suddenly dropped out?
Before I figured it out, I didn’t dare to ask or speak carelessly.
“If she’s sick, why doesn’t she go to a doctor instead of coming to us?” Although I was only fifteen, influenced by my grandpa, I was precocious and spoke with an old-fashioned air.
“Oh, Little Master, my daughter developed a strange illness a year ago.
She was fine yesterday, but the next day she became delirious.
My wife and I panicked and took our daughter to various doctors, but no one could diagnose the cause of her illness.
Someone told us that if the hospital couldn’t find the cause, we should try fortune-telling or consulting a spiritual medium to see if she had offended any ‘bad spirits’.
To be honest with you, my wife and I both work for the Chongyao County Government. We don’t believe in gods or ghosts; we only believe in science.
But since the hospital couldn’t find the cause, we heard others say that believing in gods and Buddhas might cure her.
My wife forced me to inquire around to see if there were any extraordinary individuals in the spiritual world who could save my daughter.
After much inquiry, they said there was a remote mountain village called Eren Village.
In Eren Village, there is a master named Wang Tianlong, who is a top figure in face reading, fortune-telling, and Feng Shui.
So I specifically took a few days off and came to your house.”
He also took out a red envelope and handed it to me.
“Please put your red envelope away for now.
Our Wang family has a rule for doing things for people: no charge if the face reading is inaccurate, no charge if the fortune-telling is inaccurate, and no charge if the task is unsuccessful.”
I mimicked my grandpa’s words, appearing confident.
Grandpa secretly nodded.
The man awkwardly put away the red envelope.
“Write down her birth characters for me!” I said indifferently.
He quickly wrote down her birth characters for me: born in the year, month, day, and hour of the snake.
I was silent for a moment.
“Little Master, could it really be that she encountered ‘bad spirits’?” Seeing me draw a few strokes on the paper and remain silent, the man quickly asked me.
I knew that the ‘bad spirits’ he referred to were ghosts.
“I’ll go with you!” I had an idea, but I didn’t tell him the result.
“That’s good, that’s good, thank you, Little Master!” The man was humble and polite.
Grandpa had already prepared a tool bag for me and handed it to me.
I knew Grandpa was going to retire.
He once told me, “Xiaolong, Grandpa is getting old. If one day a person with the surname Bai comes to ask me for help.
And the matter concerns a female with the surname Bai, that will be the day I retire, and the day you officially begin your work.”
Eren Village is a remote small mountain village. Outsiders say that the people of Eren Village are poor, mean, and very barbaric, so anyone who says they are from Eren Village will never make friends.
I was in the third year of junior high and didn’t have a single friend.
This person was the first to treat me with such respect. I felt a little comforted, finally having some sense of presence.
I followed the man and walked over ten li of mountain road before leaving Eren Village.
By the main road, a police car was parked.
As we approached the police car, two people in uniform immediately got out and respectfully called out to the man, “Director!”
“Director?” My heart jumped. He was actually Director Bai, the Chief of Public Security Bureau!
I knew the Chief of Public Security Bureau’s surname was Bai, and I also knew that Bai Xinyi was the Chief of Public Security Bureau’s daughter.
Bai Xinyi was like a divine figure in our class.
She dropped out of school because of this reason!
She was the goddess in the hearts of most male students in our class.
I never imagined that my goddess would seek my help! My head was still buzzing.
However, I quickly calmed down. Grandpa had said that in our line of work, we shouldn’t think about other things; just do our job well.
The car was fast. In less than an hour, we arrived in the county town. The car drove to the front of a villa and stopped.
“Little Master, we’re here. My home is right here!” Director Bai personally opened the car door for me.
I mimicked Grandpa’s demeanor, unperturbed by favor or disgrace.
As soon as I entered the door, a Western dog pounced on me…