Shen Qiong had flatly refused, and in the end, they could only leave in frustration.
On the way back to the hotel, Yao Hongguang experienced the bitter frustration of being turned down for the first time!
"Uncle Li, why is this guy so stubborn? I practically shoved money into his hands, and he still wouldn't take it?" Yao Hongguang grumbled.
"I don't understand either! At first, I thought you were making a fuss over nothing. There's no need to spend that much on some fortune telling Master from the countryside."
Yao Hongguang smiled wryly. "I've certainly seen what Master Shen is like. He's young, but he takes his rules very seriously."
"People in that line of work are all rather eccentric. You don't need to take it to heart, young master."
Yao Hongguang sighed. "That won't do! I came all the way to Lingxi City just to have him tell my fortune. Are we really going to leave just like this?"
Butler Li, who was driving, hesitated before saying, "It seems your father has already heard about this. Fifty thousand isn't much, but I'm afraid he won't approve of spending it on fortune telling."
"I know my dad doesn't believe in this stuff, so I wasn't planning to tell him. How did he find out?" Yao Hongguang frowned, gazing out the window.
Silence fell. Butler Li said nothing.
"Forget it. Let's go back to the hotel for now! I still have to accompany my mom to Europe soon. If someone won't take the money I'm offering, what can I do?"
Weibo was already in an uproar!
As soon as the picture of 500,000 yuan in cash was posted online, it drew countless likes on Chen Yuxiang's Weibo, followed by all sorts of comments.
"This is the first time in my life I've seen so much money."
"My mom asked why I was kneeling in front of the computer."
"I want to know if Master Shen accepts apprentices. At worst, I could be his assistant or something."
"Forget it, buddy! Take a look in the mirror. If your looks aren't at least a 90, Master Shen won't want you."
"Agreed. Master Shen's assistant is a total beauty now. Just looking at her is a treat. Master Shen really is lucky."
"500,000! Oh my god! The last time I had Master Shen tell my fortune, I only gave him 500!"
"I finally understand why he says to give characters as fate allows and tip as you please! Master Shen definitely doesn't need money."
"I worship Master Shen! We were worried that if too many rich people came to him, he'd be too lazy to deal with ordinary folks like us. Looks like we were wrong!"
"Um, can I ask where the rich guy who went to Master Shen for a reading is? I want to be friends with him."
"Yeah! Where is the rich guy? Why aren't there any photos of him? Please, we want a photo!"
Someone had dug up the conversation between Shen Qiong and Yao Hongguang on Dian Niang, and immediately posted a screenshot. "The truth is out! Turns out the rich guy is a big spender on Dian Niang. Master Shen had even said he'd tell his fortune for free, but later changed his mind and asked for 500,000 per reading."
"Explosive news! Did everyone see that? Master Shen said he'd pay ten times the amount if he got it wrong. Wouldn't that mean he'd have to pay five million? Master Shen really has been hiding his wealth. He's worth five million!"
"The person above must be an idiot! Master Shen doesn't need five million. Have you ever heard anyone say Master Shen got their fortune wrong?"
"Yeah! They're sitting in jail right now!"
"Hard to say! Even the best can make mistakes. I think Master Shen should play it safe. If he really does mess up, he'll be in trouble."
"I also think Master Shen refused because he was afraid of getting it wrong. Anyone who can casually pull out that much money must be someone important!"
"I'm going to try. I'll find some obscure topic and ask Master Shen to tell my fortune. I refuse to believe he's that amazing!"
"Good idea, young man! But first, you have to successfully book an appointment!"
"Can someone explain how to get an appointment? Please share your tips."
"Please share your tips!"
Yao Hongguang was naturally browsing Shen Qiong's Weibo too. Frowning in surprise, he wondered, "Could staying around Shili Street for a while really improve my chances of getting an appointment?"
He did a quick search, and apparently there was some truth to it. Aside from the announcement Shen Qiong himself had posted, many people had said they'd wandered around nearby before heading home—and sure enough, they'd received a text confirming their appointment.
Yao Hongguang was unconvinced. The more people on Weibo praised Shen Qiong, the more curious he became. Why could everyone else pay whatever they liked for a fortune reading, with 500 yuan being enough, while he couldn't get one even with 500,000?
Meanwhile, another WeChat group was buzzing too.
It was the university group chat shared by Lu Caishuang's classmates. Since Shen Qiong wasn't in it, they naturally discussed him there.
"Shen Qiong didn't tell anyone's fortune that day, so I'm sure you're all still holding a grudge. But after reading this Weibo post, I'm convinced." Zhu Zhengzhi casually shared the link.
Jiang Lekang hated Shen Qiong with a passion. He immediately clicked to see what the guy had gotten up to this time.
After reading the Weibo link his classmate had shared, he was speechless. Damn, someone had offered Shen Qiong 500,000 to tell his fortune, and he'd refused!
All because there hadn't been an appointment?
"No wonder Shen Qiong wouldn't tell our fortunes. Even 500,000 wasn't enough to get him to open his mouth."
"I was wondering how that guy got himself a girlfriend who looks like a goddess. He really made a name for himself!"
"That's it, I used to be jealous of him, but now I can't even manage that! How can the difference between people be so huge?"
Shen Qiong didn't care what people outside said. He was the one regretting it, after all.
At that moment, Shen Qiong was on the phone, explaining things to Ren Tianxue. "Don't worry, it's not that I've lost my mind. There are rules I have to follow. They've been passed down in my family, and I can't break them. If I do, my readings won't be accurate."
Ren Tianxue, wearing pink pajamas, sat at the head of the bed, hugging a blue Doraemon plushie as she sulked. "I was so mad at you back then!"
"I really didn't expect him to come looking for me," Shen Qiong said helplessly.
She gently brushed her long hair aside. Her loose pajamas revealed her alluring figure; if Shen Qiong had seen her, he would surely have lost control.
"So what are you going to do now? He left in a huff after getting turned away," she said regretfully.
"Don't worry, he'll come back. Of course, whether he manages to book an appointment will depend on fate." Shen Qiong smiled.
She rolled to the other side of the bed, her legs wrapped around the blanket. "Are you sure?" Her voice clearly showed she didn't believe him.
"Relax. You still don't trust what I say?" Shen Qiong figured that since Yao Hongguang had traveled all this way, he wouldn't give up so easily.
Of course, he'd guessed right. Yao Hongguang really wasn't willing to leave just like that, but he hadn't expected a rich man's time to be so precious.
She blinked, her long eyelashes fluttering slightly, and smiled. "It's not my money, so do whatever you want."
Shen Qiong smiled bitterly and shook his head. All he could do now was hope the other man really would come back. Otherwise, there was nothing he could do.
Sigh, why was it so hard to earn a little money...
Before you continue