The next morning, one stone sent ripples through a thousand layers. An article attacking Shen Qiong was being widely publicized online.
Shen Qiong still had no idea what was going on. He glanced at the I Ching and asked in surprise, "Why hasn't the client who made an appointment shown up yet?"
Ren Tianxue was happily eating a vanilla ice cream bar when she suddenly said, "Oh, right. I ran into Yuan Jiancheng yesterday, the elementary school teacher who plays the stock market."
Shen Qiong set the book aside and picked up his steaming teacup. Shaking his head, he said, "That guy? No way!"
She hesitated for a moment, wondering whether she should tell Shen Qiong what had happened. "Actually, were you really that confident back then? You were sure he'd lose money in the stock market?"
Shen Qiong took a small sip of the new tea the neighboring grocery store owner had given him and smiled. "One hundred percent."
Seeing how confident Shen Qiong was, she didn't doubt him. Half a month had been more than enough time for her to learn about his "powers." This guy could be unreliable at times, and even refuse to tell a client's fortune, but whenever he was certain about something, he was never wrong.
Ren Tianxue sighed deeply and murmured, "If he'd listened to you that day, things wouldn't have turned out like this."
Huh? What was going on? Shen Qiong asked in surprise, "Don't tell me he lost a fortune again!"
She took a pleased lick of her ice cream, looking utterly satisfied, before saying, "Not only did he lose a fortune, he was driven crazy."
"What?" Shen Qiong's eyes widened. He set down his teacup and asked, "What happened?"
Ren Tianxue gave Shen Qiong a rough account of what had happened that day, then said with a lingering shudder, "The despair in his eyes was terrifying. It really scared me."
Just then, the work phone she used specifically for client appointments rang!
Not many people called this number, since Shen Qiong had stipulated that appointments couldn't be made over the phone.
She answered, and a hesitant voice came through the line. "Um, sorry. I was supposed to come see Master Shen for a reading today, but something's come up and I don't think I can make it!"
She blinked in surprise. Two or three hundred people tried to book appointments with Shen Qiong every day, but only twelve managed to get one. The odds were very low, and most people took time off work to come in.
"You're sure?" Ren Tianxue asked, puzzled.
"Uh, yes. I can't get away because of something that came up. I'm really sorry."
"All right. May I have your name, please? I can reschedule your appointment." Ren Tianxue politely offered to help.
A sheepish chuckle came from the other end. "My name's Lin Zesheng. There's no need to reschedule. I probably don't need to have my fortune told by Master Shen after all."
"Huh?" She looked stunned. This was the first time something like this had happened. Why go through all the trouble of getting an appointment, only to cancel at the last minute?
"That's right. Sorry to bother you. Goodbye!" The caller quickly hung up.
Shen Qiong was curious. What could someone have said on the phone to leave this usually unflappable girl at a loss?
Ren Tianxue looked at Shen Qiong with concern and said cautiously, "I think something's off. The client suddenly canceled his appointment and even said he wasn't coming back."
Shen Qiong raised an eyebrow and muttered, "That is strange!"
"I have a bad feeling about this. Could something have happened that we don't know about?" Ren Tianxue had a keen sense that something was wrong.
"There haven't been any troublemakers around lately, and no unusual clients either." Shen Qiong thought it over. He couldn't think of anyone he'd offended.
The two suddenly exchanged a knowing look, then said in unison, "Yuan Jiancheng?"
Shen Qiong immediately logged into Weibo. He didn't check his own account first, but went straight to Chen Yuxiang's profile in his friends list. If there was gossip to be found, that guy's account was sure to have an update.
But the results weren't what he'd hoped for. All he saw on Chen Yuxiang's profile were a few everyday updates, along with photos of youthful, pretty girls that had earned him quite a few likes.
Ren Tianxue logged into her own Weibo and checked Master Shen's account for any strange comments.
She suddenly called out, "Shen Qiong, come look at this!"
Shen Qiong hurried over and leaned beside her. A faint, sweet scent drifted into his nose, but he wasn't in the mood to enjoy it. The girl's phone was showing his Weibo account, and the comments left them both staring in shock.
"Master Shen is full of crap. He's done so much harm."
"I finally saw someone for who they really are. He's so ugly it makes me sick."
And those two comments had racked up nearly a hundred likes? What was going on? Most of the people who followed his Weibo were his fans, and very few ever criticized him. Shen Qiong had never imagined anyone would openly attack him like this.
Shen Qiong recognized some of the people in the comments as fans who had once stood up for him. A user named Fried Tomatoes and Eggs commented, "I was blind. I even defended him more than once."
Many people below joined in to condemn Shen Qiong. "I never thought Master Shen would be this kind of person. Guess getting famous really went to his head."
"More than that—he thinks he's better than everyone. I'm asking you, Master Shen: do you have the guts to make a bet with me? It doesn't even have to be at double the odds. One-to-one is fine. If I make ten thousand in the stock market, you give me another ten thousand."
"To be honest, who wouldn't be tempted by a bet like that? You risk the same amount but stand to make three times your money."
"Everyone, calm down. I don't think Master Shen is to blame here. That guy was just too greedy."
They only needed to skim a few comments to realize this was indeed connected to Yuan Jiancheng—and that the whole thing had blown up.
Shen Qiong returned to his seat and continued to frown at the comments. If some people hadn't still been supporting him, he would have already been cursing up a storm.
"Are you all stupid? It's obvious Master Shen didn't think he'd do well in the stock market, which is why he made that bet. Listen to the recording a couple more times. Master Shen sounded completely firm, like he was frustrated that the man wouldn't listen." A user named Big Soybean came to Shen Qiong's defense.
Immediately, countless people piled on beneath Big Soybean's comment. "Get lost! There's a recording as proof. No matter how frustrated he was, it was still a bet—and one that could ruin someone's life."
"Let's be honest, Master Shen made his money off people like us. If he was confident enough to harm someone, we're all responsible."
"That's right! I'm never going to him for a reading again. Neither are my family or friends. Let's make him beg for food!"
Online, all it took was one person to start the ball rolling before countless others followed. There were far more people criticizing Shen Qiong than supporting him.
At last, Shen Qiong found a link in one of the comments claiming to reveal the truth.
He clicked it. He hadn't watched for even thirty seconds before his face darkened. Then he cursed, "Goddamn it!"
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