The Thirty-Ninth Chapter

Jiang Li paused for a moment. She was always quick-witted when it came to family matters.

The old Mrs. Zhang was just like her deceased mother-in-law, with a strong preference for sons over daughters. Zhang Shijing's previous wife had a daughter for her first pregnancy, but she didn't keep it. It was said that Old Mrs. Zhang didn't even visit her in the hospital.

Given her current attitude, it was likely that the new daughter-in-law's pregnancy was not with a boy.

Jiang Li had initially just been listening for amusement, but since she had some acquaintance with Zhang Xueqi, and the other woman had approached her for help, she casually asked Liu Mumu, "Can you divine for her?"

After saying that, she felt she might have been too forward and quickly added, "Zhang Xueqi is quite generous. She definitely won't shortchange the divination fee."

Liu Mumu scratched her chin. "I don't have a problem, but she probably won't ask me for help."

She was happy to earn some pocket money when she had free time, but she didn't have any extra income recently. This job was likely a no-go.

As expected, after Jiang Li got Liu Mumu's consent and told Zhang Xueqi about Liu Mumu's identity as a diviner, Zhang Xueqi on the other end of the phone sounded hesitant. Her reply was vague, and she didn't say whether she wanted help or not.

Jiang Li immediately understood the other party's meaning and didn't say anything further. After some polite exchanges, she hung up the phone.

After the call ended, she felt a bit embarrassed. "What does Zhang Xueqi mean? I was kindly trying to help her, and she's going back on her word."

"She doesn't really want fortune-telling. Instead of finding someone like me who looks unreliable, she'd rather go to the antique street and find an old man who looks like a master." Liu Mumu was quite philosophical, mainly because she was used to it.

She regretfully touched her smooth, tender face. The fortune-telling profession also depended on looks, and her appearance was a disadvantage.

Just as Liu Mumu predicted, Zhang Xueqi did go out and find a fortune-telling master. This master, not to mention anything else, had a truly impressive appearance.

Not only did he look like an immortal, but he was also blind, which was practically the standard for a master. Zhang Xueqi was very satisfied. He looked much more authentic than the young girl from the Dong family next door.

The inauthentic Master Liu felt very wronged.

When the hired master stood in the Zhang family's house, he said a few words that completely appeased Old Mrs. Zhang. The old woman no longer mentioned the child harming her.

While this Master Liu was appeasing Old Mrs. Zhang, the whole family watched. Lü Yao stood behind her husband, listening as the master spoke flowery words about her unborn child being a reincarnation of a Golden Lotus from before a Bodhisattva. She couldn't help but smile and shake her head.

Zhang Shijing, an intellectual with a higher education, also shook his head, but his mother believed such unreliable talk.

Over there, Old Mrs. Zhang was still consulting with Master Liu. "Master, you say this Golden Lotus is descending to the mortal world. Shouldn't it be born a boy?"

Master Liu said profoundly, "This is a spiritual fetus. Its gender was not determined during reincarnation. If you are sincere, Old Madam, it might not necessarily turn into a boy."

The money Master Liu received was only enough to ensure the child's safety. Once the child was born, whether it was a boy or a girl, it couldn't be put back into the womb. Whatever fuss the Zhang family made then would have nothing to do with him.

"The Master speaks wisely." Old Mrs. Zhang clasped her hands together and bowed in a clumsy manner, chanting a few Buddhist phrases.

Having successfully fooled Old Mrs. Zhang, Zhang Xueqi and her younger brother respectfully escorted Master Liu to the door and presented him with a stack of gift money. Master Liu felt it, nodded with satisfaction, and tucked the envelope containing the gift money into his sleeve.

"Thank you, Master Liu, for your help this time."

Master Liu nodded with a reserved air. "It was nothing. If you need anything in the future, you can find me on the antique street. I have some knowledge of fortune-telling, acupoint striking, and Feng Shui."

"Farewell, Master. Please don't see yourself out." Zhang Shijing's lips twitched. After seeing the man off, he felt that he would likely have no further dealings with this master.

Thanks to the master's dissuasion, the Zhang family had a few days of peace. Zhang Shijing calmed things down at home and had business to attend to, so he had to leave Qing City for a few days.

Not long after he left, the Zhang family started arguing again. This time, it wasn't Old Mrs. Zhang, but her daughter-in-law. It seemed that Zhang Yang had learned about his stepmother's pregnancy, and she was making a bigger scene. She intended to move out, but Old Mrs. Zhang absolutely refused.

In the past few days, the Dong family's gossip over meals had all been about the Zhang family next door, quite like a melodramatic soap opera.

Liu Mumu and Dong Yue listened with great interest as Jiang Li recounted the gossip. Although Dong Zhenghao had expressed his disinterest in other people's affairs several times, he was the one listening most attentively.

Only Dong Qi seemed listless, with two large dark circles under his eyes, silently shoveling food into his mouth.

After the meal, Jiang Li looked at her son, who had been much quieter lately, and couldn't help but say, "Qiqi, you haven't been sleeping well lately, have you? How about Mom takes you to the hospital?"

Recently, she could occasionally hear her son talking in his sleep when she got up at night.

A few days ago, she also had many dreams at night. Her husband, Old Dong, seemed to have them too, but they gradually got better. However, Dong Qi seemed to be getting worse.

Jiang Li was a little worried, thinking that her child might be under too much pressure and having psychological problems. But she was afraid of hurting his self-esteem by saying it directly, so she tactfully suggested taking him to the hospital.

Dong Qi looked up at his mother, his eyes vacant, his whole person looking dazed, and his voice ethereal. "No need."

Dong Qi felt that a doctor might not be able to save him, but Liu Mumu might.

After being tormented by nightmares for so many days, he finally decided to compromise with reality. He suddenly understood his father a little.

After the meal, Dong Qi was still lingering at the dining table, not leaving.

As Liu Mumu passed by him, she heard him softly call out, "Sister."

Liu Mumu turned to look at him, her face full of surprise.

Since she had moved in, this was the first time she had heard Dong Qi call her sister. It was as shocking as Mars colliding with Earth.

"I have something to tell you." Dong Qi was awkward and uncomfortable. He glanced around stealthily, seeing that his parents had gone to the living room and Dong Yue was not there either, before continuing to speak to her.

Liu Mumu sat back down, asking with great interest, "What is it?"

If the usually arrogant Dong Qi was willing to humble himself and ask her for something, she had to hear what he had to say.

Dong Qi squirmed in his chair as if he could shed his current awkwardness. He cautiously looked at Liu Mumu and asked her, "Does Gu exist in this world?"

"Gu?" Liu Mumu raised her eyebrows. "What novel have you been reading lately?"

"It's not a novel." Dong Qi irritably ran a hand through his hair. He hadn't wanted to say anything at first. After all, it was better to let sleeping dogs lie. But ever since he attended that class, he had been having nightmares every day. It couldn't be described as a coincidence.

Liu Mumu became a little more serious, waiting for him to continue.

"When I went to my maternal grandmother's house, I went with them to a class. I overheard two people giving the lecture talking about 'Longevity Gu' and putting Gu inside the human body."

"What class?" Liu Mumu pressed.

"It's a health supplement sales class. Their medicine sells for a fortune, over two thousand yuan a pill."

Liu Mumu was utterly shocked. What kind of profit margin was that? Selling medicine was faster than robbing a bank. She suddenly wondered if she should switch careers. She felt like every other profession made more money than being a diviner.

After getting the class address from Dong Qi, Liu Mumu asked, "Did you take their medicine?"

She didn't think the kid would be foolish enough to take something he knew was problematic.

Dong Qi shook his head. "I didn't, but my maternal grandparents might have."

Liu Mumu felt a complex mix of emotions. "Didn't you tell them not to?"

She remembered the last time, the couple was still inhaling pure oxygen. How had they suddenly started taking medicine? They were so fickle.

"I told them, but they wouldn't listen to me," Dong Qi mumbled softly. Not only that, but his maternal grandfather seemed to think the pills were incredibly effective and planned to buy two more boxes next time.

"So, you want me to check on them for you?"

Dong Qi shook his head. "I want you to check on me. After attending that class, I've been having nightmares every day. My grandparents and Zhang Yang had nightmares too during those days."

"Nightmares?" Liu Mumu leaned closer to Dong Qi, a flicker of curiosity in her eyes.

Unfortunately, her knowledge was limited. Besides noticing his dark circles were truly alarming, she couldn't discern anything else.

She couldn't handle this, but she knew a professional.

She took a photo of Dong Qi and sent it to Yan Xiu, with the caption: My younger brother, please help me see if he's been cursed with Gu.

She treated Yan Xiu like an intelligent robot, the kind that answered any question.

Yan Xiu: Symptoms?

Liu Mumu: Nightmares.

Yan Xiu: Look behind his left ear. Is there a red line?

Liu Mumu held Dong Qi's head and leaned in to peek behind his ear. Sure enough, behind his left ear, she saw a red line that looked like a blood vessel.

He really was cursed with Gu.

Liu Mumu: It's over, there's a line. Should I remind my Dad to prepare for his funeral? Also, are you coming to pay your respects?

Yan Xiu pinched the bridge of his nose, ignoring Fang Chuan's curious gaze from the driver's seat, and lowered his head to reply.

Yan Xiu: No. Nightmares don't kill people. You should check if your family members have been cursed with Gu. This Gu is contagious.

Liu Mumu ran to the living room and held Dong Zhenghao, tilting his head to look behind his ear. There was no red line, and she felt a little disappointed. Such a lack of connection between father and son.

Dong Yue didn't have one either. Only Jiang Li had a red line behind her ear, but it was very faint, as if it was about to disappear.

She sent a photo of Jiang Li's ear to Yan Xiu.

Liu Mumu: Can this still be saved?

Yan Xiu: This doesn't need saving.

Liu Mumu: It's hopeless? Shocked.jpg

Yan Xiu: If you had sent it any later, it would have already recovered.

Fine, her knowledge was indeed shallow.

Liu Mumu: Didn't you say it was contagious?

Yan Xiu: They probably had a lot of contact with you.

Liu Mumu possessed a Diviner's License. Ordinary Gu had no effect on her; in fact, it even had a certain expelling effect. Usually, only Dong Qi was around her, making him the most severely affected in the family.

Liu Mumu: What about my younger brother? He said he might have been cursed with Gu at a health supplement pyramid scheme class.

Yan Xiu: Address.

Liu Mumu sent him a string of characters. Yan Xiu glanced at it. It was indeed the same as their destination for the day.

However, he didn't tell Liu Mumu directly. He just said: Bring your younger brother to the police station tomorrow morning.

He wanted her to wait until tomorrow morning? Liu Mumu pouted. "Uncle Police, I've provided you with such important clues. Aren't you going to come over yourself?"

Yan Xiu: Not now.

Liu Mumu: Why? Don't you love me anymore.jpg

Looking at the white blob frantically sending him hearts in the chat interface, Yan Xiu calmly typed: Because Uncle Police is on his way to catch a criminal.

Alright, considering how busy Uncle Police was, Liu Mumu temporarily forgave him.