There were simply too many people coming to have their fortunes told. They wanted to know everything, from buying a house and having a baby to what their aunts, uncles, and other relatives were up to. There was just too much to cover, and for now, Shen Qiong didn't have permission to view all that information.
So Shen Qiong set some new rules for his shop.
If people wanted to see him, they had to make an appointment first. That was only reasonable. These days, a master wasn't someone you could just drop in to see. You had to book a slot.
Once they'd made an appointment, they had to go home and wait for a message. They could come see the master only after they'd been notified. If they didn't get a message, they'd have to try again another day.
This time, Shen Qiong consolidated all his rules and even had someone make a notice board to stand outside the shop.
Notice Board
First-time visitors and first-time clients must follow these instructions:
(1) You must come in person. You may not ask for a reading on someone else's behalf.
(2) Please make an appointment first. Place a photo of the person receiving the reading in the box, with their name and phone number written on the back. Then wait to be notified.
(3) Appointments are valid for 48 hours. If you haven't received a meeting notification within 48 hours, please come back another time.
In large red letters: Frequent visits to Shili Street will increase your chances of getting an appointment.
Returning visitors who have had their fortunes told before must follow these instructions:
(1) You must register for an appointment first. Follow the instructions above and leave a photo, name, and phone number.
(2) Someone else may come on your behalf.
Then Shen Qiong added a note at the bottom in bold black type: For the time being, I only tell fortunes about physical health and luck. I won't read on anything else.
Shen Qiong had put a lot of thought into writing the notice. After all, if a client had come from far away, they probably wouldn't show up among the people nearby. So he'd thoughtfully reminded clients to visit Shili Street more often.
As for people whose fortunes Shen Qiong had read before, he could find them directly in the "People I've Already Met" section, so he didn't need to impose so many conditions on them.
He set the notice board outside the shop and put two appointment boxes beside it: one for first-time visitors, and one for returning visitors. Keeping them separate would also make it easier for Shen Qiong to choose his clients.
Once he'd taken care of everything, Shen Qiong could finally have a proper rest. He wondered if he ought to take on an apprentice to help with all the tedious chores.
Shen Qiong was now earning one or two thousand yuan a day, which added up to tens of thousands a month. He'd never even dared to dream of a life like this before.
Looking at the thirty thousand yuan in his savings, Shen Qiong did the math. In a little while, he'd replace the furniture and appliances at home. The water heater that went from scalding hot to freezing cold, the computer that kept lagging, and the air conditioner that never cooled properly all needed to go.
Even tens of thousands of yuan wouldn't be quite enough for all that. He'd need a nice sofa and a TV, too!
Thinking of his lousy bed, which always creaked and squeaked, Shen Qiong realized he was still too poor.
Should he raise his prices? The thought crossed his mind, but he immediately rejected it. I, Master Shen, only tell fortunes for those destined to find me. Talking about money is so beneath me. No, no.
Shen Qiong was sure that once word of his reputation spread, plenty of wealthy people would come to have their fortunes told. For now, the priority was to make himself better known.
Half an hour later, a small crowd had gathered outside Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, drawn by Shen Qiong's notice board.
"Master Shen's business just keeps growing! Now you need an appointment," one longtime neighborhood resident remarked.
"Tell me about it. Yesterday I saw twenty or thirty people lined up outside, all waiting to see Master Shen. If any more show up, they'll block Gudao West Road," the internet café owner said with a laugh.
"That's a good thing! Master Shen even recommends that people visit Shili Street more often. That'll be good for business," the fast-food shop owner said cheerfully.
A college student pulled out his phone, snapped a picture of the notice board, and posted it on Weibo with the comment: "Strange things happen every year, but this year has been especially strange."
The student, Chen Yuxiang, spent a lot of time online and was something of a local celebrity for his jokes. Quite a few students followed him on Weibo.
He posted the picture with his comment, and people started replying right away.
Please Call Me Strange Uncle: "Fight superstition—everyone's responsibility."
Bunny Baby: "You need an appointment just to get your fortune told? Is there some kind of master in there?"
Class Two Grade Three Top Student: "I bet it's a publicity stunt. Fortune-tellers will scam you for years. I'm a top student, and I can use high-tech computers to tell fortunes. And I don't even charge!"
Don't Force Me to Take a Knife: "I know this place. It's over on Shili Street. That shop's been really popular lately!"
It was lunchtime, when students took a break to eat, and more of them were getting online. Plenty of people opened Weibo and saw Chen Yuxiang's new post.
Li Qinghai was a senior homeroom teacher at Third High School. To better relate to his students, he followed Chen Yuxiang's Weibo. He left a comment:
"Please be careful what you say on Weibo. Don't spread superstitious nonsense."
Chen Yuxiang replied, "I'm not saying whether the fortune-telling is real or not. I'm just saying that the picture is real."
Li Qinghai replied right away: "It's all superstitious nonsense anyway. Everyone, don't take it seriously."
Another user replied, "It might actually be real. Feng Shui and metaphysics are real. They can affect magnetic fields, and magnetic fields can affect people's minds and bodies."
Chen Yuxiang commented again: "Don't ask me if the master's readings are accurate. I've never had one myself, but I can tell you there are a lot of people who go there."
Gifts for You: Brain Gold: "I live nearby, and the poster's telling the truth. Lots of people come to have their fortunes told every day. My mom was thinking of going to wait in line today, but now you need an appointment."
The discussion took off in no time. Some people debated whether fortune-telling could be trusted, while others acted like walking encyclopedias, flooding the comments with everything they'd found on Baidu.
Chen Yuxiang watched as his follower count shot up by dozens and laughed. "I didn't expect that random photo to get so much attention."
I Don't Eat Dirt, You Eat Dirt: "Let me be honest with you all! The owner of that shop, Master Shen, once read my fortune. He said I'd have bad luck that day and should avoid going out if possible. Then some renovation work in the apartment upstairs nearly killed someone. I stayed safe by not going out. But I really was unlucky that day—I even got home to find the water had been shut off while I was taking a shower."
A flood of replies followed: "You're a legend, OP. I just want to know if you'd put soap on before the water got shut off."
"Are you a guy or a girl, OP? If you're a girl, you can shower at my place. The water definitely won't get shut off."
"Holy crap, is that true? Someone nearly got crushed? Good thing you stayed home!"
"Believe it or not, I'm convinced."
Rain in June: "I'll let you in on a secret: I've already made an appointment. Stay tuned!"
Shen Qiong had no idea that word about his shop was slowly spreading online. He was still trying to figure out how much he should pay someone to handle the odd jobs for him.
"Ugh, my head's about to split. Forget it. I'll go home and eat first, then come back this afternoon and see how many people have made appointments," Shen Qiong muttered.
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