Xia Liang offered a faint smile.

"Just a passerby."

Xu Wanying didn't seem scared at all. Instead, she was filled with intense curiosity. "Then do you know why I came all the way from Jianglan City?"

"Isn't it to see your college roommate? Building 9 is just ahead. Keep driving."

Xia Liang said lazily, reclining comfortably in his seat.

When Xia Liang didn't answer her previous question, Xu Wanying felt a flicker of annoyance. At that moment, a girl was already waiting not far away. When she saw Xu Wanying's car, she waved enthusiastically.

After Xu Wanying got out, the girl quickly walked over and gave her a big hug. Then, she glanced at Xia Liang with some surprise and said to Xu Wanying, "Wanying, it's only been a few days of vacation, and you've already found a boyfriend?"

The girl's name was Su Qianyun, Xu Wanying's roommate. Unlike the naturally lively Xu Wanying, Su Qianyun, at first glance, was the epitome of a classical, conservative Eastern beauty. She also had a deep love for classical culture, a fact made obvious by the elegant Han Dynasty-style attire she wore.

Upon hearing Su Qianyun's question, Xu Wanying retorted with feigned indignation, "He's not my boyfriend!"

Xu Wanying briefly explained the situation to Su Qianyun, who was slightly startled. She then smiled apologetically at Xia Liang.

Just then, Xu Wanying suddenly grabbed Su Qianyun. "Xiao Yun, did you two conspire to trick me?"

Su Qianyun looked at Xu Wanying, perplexed.

Xu Wanying shook her head. "Did you tell him everything about me? He knows so much about me!"

Su Qianyun's confusion only deepened. "Of course not. Today is the first time I've met him, too."

Xia Liang smiled. "Su Qianyun, I live right next door to you."

Su Qianyun's beautiful eyes widened. "Next door? The house next door has always been empty. Did you just move in?"

Xia Liang nodded with a smile.

All three of them were young, and in this age where looks are everything, it didn't take long for Su Qianyun and Xu Wanying to warm up to Xia Liang. After all, he was handsome. What could they do?

Then Xu Wanying pressed him again. "Xia Liang, how exactly do you know all this about me?"

Xia Liang spread his hands. "I'll lay my cards on the table: I'm a fortune teller!"

"Pfft..." Xu Wanying covered her mouth and chuckled. "I've seen fortune tellers before, but never one so young and handsome!"

"I really am a fortune teller." Xia Liang smiled faintly and pointed to the villa nearby. "This villa is the payment I received for telling someone's fortune."

"Yeah, right!" Xu Wanying's beautiful eyes were wide with disbelief.

Although Su Qianyun didn't say anything, her eyes also held a hint of skepticism.

"Why won't you believe me?" Xia Liang shook his head with a wry smile. "I really can tell fortunes!"

"Keep making things up!" Xu Wanying chuckled, then nudged Su Qianyun. "This guy's method for hitting on girls is certainly unique."

Su Qianyun also nodded with a light laugh.

Xu Wanying extended her hand. "Well then, young man, want to read my palm?"

Xia Liang put a hand to his forehead. "Sigh, why won't anyone believe me when I tell the truth?" Then he looked at the two of them. "You two are top students from Huaqing University, currently on summer vacation. You, Xu Wanying, were bored at home, so you came to Xihong City to visit your bestie, Su Qianyun. Am I right?"

Xu Wanying's eyes widened. "Wow, for a made-up story, that was surprisingly accurate!"

Su Qianyun's interest was also piqued. "Young man, do you really know about these things?"

Xia Liang nodded. "Of course. I know the heavens above, the earth below, and the hearts of men in between. It's practically a bachelor's degree by correspondence!"

Hearing this, the two young women burst into tinkling laughter.

"Also, my name is Xia Liang. Stop with the 'young man' this and 'young man' that, it's grating."

Su Qianyun gave a slight bow. "Xia Liang, can you tell my fortune?"

Xia Liang glanced at Su Qianyun. "You have quite an interesting birthday. You missed being born in the 2000s by just one day."

Su Qianyun was surprised. "Ah, you know that too!"

Xia Liang gave a mysterious smile. "I know more than that. I also know you're a girl plagued by bad luck."

As soon as he said this, Su Qianyun and Xu Wanying both stiffened, looking at Xia Liang with utter astonishment.

Xia Liang had already anticipated their shocked expressions. "Your father is Su Shoucheng, the owner of Shoucheng Car Dealership. You're the family's only precious daughter, but you were unfortunately born with an unlucky streak. Everything you do goes wrong. Any computer you use inexplicably crashes and has to be scrapped. Any flower you touch mysteriously withers the next day. Your family runs a car dealership, yet you haven't dared to drive for years because any car you get behind the wheel of inexplicably gets a flat tire. You've lived in fear and caution all these years, thinking everything through three times before acting. Am I right?"

Xia Liang looked at Su Qianyun calmly.

Su Qianyun nodded softly. "That's right. Besides my family, Wanying is the only friend I've had all these years. A few old men once told me I was born under an evil star, that anyone who gets close to me will be struck by misfortune..."

As if touching a sore spot, tears began to well up in Su Qianyun's large eyes. Xu Wanying quickly comforted her. "It's okay, Xiao Yun. We've been friends for so long, and nothing has happened to me."

Xia Liang shook his head and offered his own consolation. "That 'evil star' business is just a simple case of having an unlucky constitution. After all, only inanimate objects you touch have problems; living things are fine. And while you can't drive yourself, riding as a passenger doesn't cause any issues. Think about it carefully, am I wrong?"

Su Qianyun, who had been on the verge of tears, calmed down at Xia Liang's analysis and started to reflect. After a moment, her beautiful eyes lit up. "Xia Liang is right!" She nodded gently. "It does seem to be the case."

Just then, an idea seemed to strike Xu Wanying. She pointed at Xia Liang. "Wow, Xia Liang, fess up! Did you investigate her so thoroughly because you want to pursue our Xiao Yun?"

"Pursue her? Investigate? Thoroughly?" Xia Liang's face darkened upon hearing this. I'm a Heavenly Master standing right here, and this silly girl refuses to believe me?

Xu Wanying nodded. "Come on, confess. How long have you been watching our Xiao Yun?" she asked, looking at Xia Liang with a mischievous smile as she playfully draped herself over Su Qianyun.

Xia Liang was left speechless. This girl's imagination is running wild!

"I already told you, I'm a fortune teller. If you don't believe me, there's nothing I can do," Xia Liang said with a shrug, preparing to head home.

"Wait a moment, Xia Liang," Su Qianyun suddenly said in a soft voice. "Can you please look at my fortune again?"

Xia Liang turned back and smiled. "Not today. We'll meet again tomorrow."

Without waiting for their reaction, he walked straight toward his villa and went inside for the night.

「The next morning.」

Xia Liang woke up and stretched languidly as he looked at the scenery outside the floor-to-ceiling windows. "Old Gao is pretty reliable. This villa has everything. Not bad, not bad at all!"

Time to get up and set up my stall!

Xia Liang pulled out his phone. Since he hadn't driven, he simply called a cab.

When he arrived at the commercial street, he was greeted warmly.

"Master Xia, you've arrived!"

"Hey, Master Xia! Please, take a seat."

"Please start soon!"

The tourists were like a pack of hungry wolves, staring at Xia Liang as if they wanted to devour him. The phony fortune teller nearby watched him with eyes full of envy.

"Sigh. People start lining up for him before he even gets here," he muttered. "And he only does big-ticket business. I can talk myself hoarse all day and not even make a fraction of his earnings. It's infuriating to compare yourself to others!"

The phony fortune teller shook his head with a wry smile, a look of bitter resentment on his face.

Xia Liang glanced at the enthusiastic crowd, recognizing many familiar faces. I didn't expect to indirectly boost repeat business on this commercial street.

He shook his head with a light chuckle and settled down at his stall. Instantly, the tourists surged forward, holding either cash or their phones.

Xia Liang said lazily, "Don't push, don't push! Form a line!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.