When Nian Qiuyan's hand closed around the Divine Wood Sign, Mei Chengyu made no move. He heard Nian Qiuyan say, "You go under the sea and still run into all this mess. You'd better not have offended some baleful star. Want me to read your fortunes and turn your luck around?"
Mei Chengyu said, "One of your readings doesn't come cheap."
Nian Qiuyan nodded. "That's true."
Mei Chengyu chuckled and sat down beside the table, leaning back in the chair in a completely relaxed pose. He reached out and tapped beside the Six Mysterious Wood. "This isn't cheap either. I'll trade it for a reading."
"Sure." Nian Qiuyan sat down too, seeming not to give it much thought as he readily agreed. His gaze swept over the Six Mysterious Wood, and he placed the Divine Wood Sign on the table.
Mei Chengyu watched patiently as he cast the reading. Nian Qiuyan answered whatever he asked, telling him what had happened beneath the sea as well as about Xing Chun wanting to buy a Situ Clan spirit puppet.
As Nian Qiuyan performed the divination, the water heating on the stove behind them came to a boil with a shrill whistle. Mei Chengyu got up to turn off the heat and returned with the teapot.
After sitting back down, he poured water into a cup and suddenly asked, "I just remembered. You're from Yan, aren't you?" Nian Qiuyan shuffled the divination formation with one hand, not even looking up as he replied, "I am."
Mei Chengyu joked, "Yan is weak these days. With your Military Divination Technique being so impressive, have you never thought of going back and becoming a Great General or something?"
Nian Qiuyan smiled too. "Even if I became a Sage, there'd be no place for me among Yan's