Hu Yang set down his teacup and stared at Fan Qishan.
"Qishan, does reincarnation exist?"
Fan Qishan's expression remained unchanged.
"Don't you know?"
Wang Xiaoliang was utterly baffled. What was wrong with Hu Yang? He had success and fame, and could even enjoy the company of two women at once. Why was he going on about the meaning of life and reincarnation? Wang Xiaoliang couldn't understand it.
Hu Yang's lips moved, then stopped. After a while, he drew a breath. "Can Xiao Ya and I have a character divination?"
"Yes."
One word, crisp and decisive.
Wang Xiaoliang still hadn't figured out what that back-and-forth had been about, but he could see one thing clearly-Hu Yang had backed down a step. This wasn't what he had originally wanted to ask. Fan Qishan had blocked that path, so Hu Yang could only take another.
"Third Uncle, there's paper and a pen in the drawer to your right."
Hu Yang opened the drawer, took them out, and placed them in front of Jiang Siya.
"Write a character."
Jiang Siya looked up at him.
"Something related to your wish, or whatever you most want to write right now. Either is fine. Anything."
Jiang Siya picked up the pen but didn't put it to paper immediately. The tip hovered for a few seconds before descending.
She wrote "华"-Hua.
Wang Xiaoliang saw it clearly.
The Hua in Zhao Xiaohua.
What was on her mind was plain to see.
Fan Qishan pulled the paper over and picked up the pen. Without hesitating, he brought the tip straight down on the upper half of "华"-crossing out the "化."
Only "十"-ten-remained on the paper.
Jiang Siya froze.
"What... does that mean?"
Fan Qishan set down the pen and looked at her.
"Interpret it yourself."
His voice was very soft,