The Eleventh Chapter

At Guangrong Mall in Qing City's center, Jiang Li, with her hundred-thousand-dollar bag slung over her shoulder, dressed in an expensive skirt and high heels, walked ahead like a noblewoman on a tour.

Behind her, Dong Zhenghao and Liu Mumu looked like soulless puppets, wishing someone would drag them along.

Perhaps Jiang Li had a bad night's sleep and her brain malfunctioned, because early that morning, she'd informed her husband and stepdaughter that they were going to the mall to get Liu Mumu some clothes, and the two of them had to go along.

Because she was so insistent, Liu Mumu didn't even have time for her daily divination for going out.

After shopping all morning, she felt a despair akin to dying and coming back to life. She felt like her toes might want to run away from home.

"Let's stop shopping for today," Dong Zhenghao said. He didn't mind spending money, but his body couldn't take it anymore. Facing Jiang Li, who was still full of energy, his tone carried a hint of reverence.

Jiang Li turned around and saw the half-dead look of the two behind her. She raised an eyebrow, "Alright, let's go eat first. I've already booked a table."

Dong Zhenghao had no energy left to ask where she'd booked, as long as it wasn't more shopping, anywhere was fine.

Soon, the three arrived at a private club Jiang Li had reserved in advance.

They had just sat down and hadn't even had time to order when there was a knock on the private room door, and Jiang Jia walked in.

"What a coincidence, brother-in-law, you're also eating here today."

Dong Zhenghao also found it coincidental and greeted her with a smile, "Are you here to eat with friends?"

"No, I'm here with our Old Zhan. We just happened to run into you. Why don't we all eat together?"

"I'd rather not disturb you," Dong Zhenghao politely refused. His relationship with Zhan Hongye was delicate, and there wasn't much to say between them.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Li interrupted him and readily agreed, "Okay, I actually have something to tell you."

After speaking, she looked at Dong Zhenghao and persuaded him, "Go ahead. The banquet that day was too rushed, and I haven't formally introduced Mumu to my younger sister yet."

"Indeed. Old Zhan has been mentioning it to me these past few days, saying it's a shame he only met brother-in-law's daughter once and wants to introduce her to Jenny."

Seeing that both his wife and sister-in-law had said so, Dong Zhenghao didn't insist further, "Alright."

The three of them went to the adjacent private room.

The adjacent room was a large private room for over ten people. Before they entered, only Zhan Hongye and a middle-aged man in a black Zhongshan suit, who looked unfamiliar, were inside.

Seeing that there was an outsider, Dong Zhenghao assumed Zhan Hongye was meeting a business partner and couldn't help but regret agreeing to come.

Zhan Hongye, however, warmly stood up to welcome them, "You're here, please sit down."

As Dong Zhenghao took his seat, Zhan Hongye first introduced the man in the Zhongshan suit sitting beside him, "This is my brother-in-law, Dong Zhenghao."

Then he introduced Dong Zhenghao, "This is Mr. Ning, my good friend."

Even though their relationship was not harmonious in private, they maintained the pretense well.

Dong Zhenghao extended his hand to Mr. Ning, "Hello, Mr. Ning."

Mr. Ning's expression was somewhat cold, but he also extended his hand to shake Dong Zhenghao's.

"Everyone, please sit," Zhan Hongye said, then turned his gaze to Liu Mumu and smiled, "Mumu, right? It was too busy that day, I forgot to introduce Xiao Ni to you. Come to my house another day."

Zhan Hongye was handsome and treated people with gentleness and courtesy. Sitting next to the slightly overweight middle-aged Dong Zhenghao, the contrast was stark.

Liu Mumu clicked her tongue inwardly, This is the consequence of not taking care of yourself. You've been outshone.

Since the other party was so polite, she naturally returned a smile.

While they were talking, Mr. Ning kept staring at Liu Mumu. His gaze was too direct; Liu Mumu couldn't ignore it even if she wanted to.

She looked back up, but he had already turned his gaze away.

Liu Mumu didn't pay much attention. She was tired and hungry now and just wanted to eat, nothing else.

The dishes for Zhan Hongye's table had already been ordered. A few more dishes were added when they arrived, so it didn't take long before someone started serving.

Liu Mumu focused on eating, ignoring the adults who were still chatting.

Somehow, the conversation suddenly turned to the deceased Wang Guixiang.

This topic was certainly not initiated by Dong Zhenghao. He still occasionally immersed himself in the grief of losing his mother. It was Mr. Ning who brought it up first.

He saw that Dong Zhenghao wasn't drinking alcohol and was instead drinking tea. He smiled and took a sip of tea, "There aren't many people like Mr. Dong nowadays who are still willing to observe ancient mourning rituals."

Dong Zhenghao was stunned at first, then looked at Zhan Hongye.

Zhan Hongye also showed surprise. Before Dong Zhenghao could speak, he asked, "How does Mr. Ning know brother-in-law is observing mourning rituals?"

Mr. Ning casually said, "Mr. Dong's Parents Palace has a malevolent star in position, so a close relative must have passed away recently."

His words were somewhat mystical, but Dong Zhenghao still looked at the two suspiciously, thinking this was a trap set by Zhan Hongye.

Besides, the news of his mother's death wasn't exactly a secret.

"It seems Mr. Dong doesn't trust me much," Mr. Ning smiled. "You seem to think I knew this beforehand and deliberately said it."

"Mr. Ning, you misunderstand," Dong Zhenghao replied calmly and perfunctorily. He wasn't an inexperienced young man and could naturally maintain his composure.

It was Mr. Ning, however, who seemed to be provoked, "It's meaningless to talk about things everyone knows. How about I tell Mr. Dong something that others don't know?"

"Please, go on."

"When Mr. Dong was eleven, he broke his leg. His family didn't have money for treatment, so your mother sold her blood to get the money to treat your leg."

The smile on Dong Zhenghao's face vanished. He looked at Mr. Ning with a scrutinizing gaze.

This matter is too long ago. The only trace is a faded scar on his leg. Even Jiang Li doesn't know about it, and his mother never mentioned it. His mother didn't want him to know about selling blood, so he heard about it from others.

From the moment this Mr. Ning started his "iron-mouthed predictions," Liu Mumu finally shifted her attention from the exquisite dishes before her to Mr. Ning across the table.

She suddenly had a premonition that something unexpected might happen today.

"Anything else?" After a moment of silence, Dong Zhenghao asked.

Mr. Ning seemed very pleased with his expression and smiled slightly: "When you were twenty-two, you went out to make a living. Unfortunately, your business failed, and you lost everything. It almost drove you to jump into the river, but your first wife helped you, didn't she?"

Dong Zhenghao tightened his clasped hands: "You can figure this out too?"

Besides his ex-wife and himself, no one else knew about this. His ex-wife was a bit naive at the time. She happened to be visiting relatives when she saw him standing by the river and thought he was going to commit suicide. Later, when she heard he had failed in business, she lent him some money, allowing him to keep it from his mother.

"It's not difficult. People's faces usually tell me many secrets."

At this moment, Mr. Ning instantly became unfathomable in everyone's eyes.

Seeing this, Zhan Hongye spoke up: "Let me reintroduce him. This is Master Ning, a master fortune teller."

Before this, Dong Zhenghao had always scoffed at fortune-telling, but this Master Ning had shattered his preconceived notions.

Upon hearing Zhan Hongye's words, Master Ning merely waved his hand: "I'm not a master. I'm just an ordinary fortune teller. It's just my opinion, Mr. Dong. You can just listen."

Jiang Li chimed in at the opportune moment: "Master Ning is too modest. We've already witnessed your skills. I wonder if you could tell my husband's fortune?"

"Tell what?"

"This..." Jiang Li only had a vague understanding of fortune-telling. Hearing his question, she became somewhat bewildered.

Seeing her like this, Master Ning didn't press further, only saying: "Alright, fortune-telling is fortune-telling. Then let's tell Mr. Dong's destiny."

Dong Zhenghao was no longer as resistant as before. Everyone is curious; they always want to know what their future holds. Dong Zhenghao was no exception.

"Does Mr. Dong remember his birthdate and time?"

Hearing him ask for his birthdate, Liu Mumu frowned slightly. However, no one present noticed her at this moment. Jiang Li blurted out Dong Zhenghao's lunar birthday, even accurately stating the time of birth.

Mr. Ning listened, raised his hand, and began to calculate. After a while, he said: "Mr. Dong has two wives in his destiny. He will grow old with his second wife. He will also have one son and two daughters, all of whom will be successful. And most importantly, his financial luck. Although there's no chance of becoming the richest man, it will ensure a life without worry."

This kind of destiny is considered a very good one.

Dong Zhenghao couldn't help but show a hint of joy. As for becoming the richest man, that was just a joke.

"Can Mr. Ning also tell Mumu's fortune?" Jiang Jia suddenly said. She smiled and looked at Liu Mumu, who was listening to their conversation. "This child has had a hard life since she was young. I don't know if she'll find happiness after hardship when she grows up."

"Oh?" Mr. Ning looked at Liu Mumu. "Do you have her birthdate and time?"

Liu Mumu didn't speak. Instead, Dong Zhenghao responded: "Yes, I remember it clearly. Mumu was born on the fifteenth of July, just past midnight."

It wasn't that Dong Zhenghao was particularly attentive to this daughter, but the time of her birth was too coincidental to forget.

Mr. Ning couldn't help but show some surprise. He was originally called to help with a small favor, but he didn't expect that he wouldn't even need to help.

Seeing Mr. Ning staring at Liu Mumu for a long time without speaking, Jiang Jia anxiously asked: "What did Mr. Ning calculate?"

Mr. Ning pondered for a moment before uttering a sentence: "This young lady's destiny is not good."

Jiang Li's lips curved slightly, and Jiang Jia, at the right time, asked again: "How is it not good? Is there any way to resolve it?"

Mr. Ning seemed to have developed a great interest in Liu Mumu. He stared at her face for a long time before shaking his head: "To be frank, this young lady's destiny is the most ominous I have ever seen. Heavenly Fiend Clash Four Pillars."

"What does that mean?" Dong Zhenghao asked.

"In common terms, it's what you call the Star of Solitude. Her own fate is malevolent, harming her relatives. Those who are close to her usually don't have a good end."

Jiang Li's expression changed slightly: "Mr. Ning, isn't that a bit harsh?"

Mr. Ning's expression remained unchanged: "If you don't believe me, you can take her birthdate to any fortune teller. Anyone who understands some Yin-Yang and Bagua can calculate it."