Chapter 2The Fortune Seeker
660 Words
Xiaohua had gone to great lengths to arrange this meeting with her parents, so I prepared meticulously.
First, I got a haircut, changed into a sport-brand T-shirt and knee-length shorts, then wandered around the county mall to buy health supplements for her parents. The cost nearly equaled a month’s living expenses for my grandfather and me.
By noon, I hopped onto our old Phoenix-brand "Big 28" bicycle—a relic from my father’s era that Grandpa had stubbornly repaired over the years—and pedaled to Xiaohua’s home. I’d begged Grandpa for a new bike, but he insisted I either ride the old one or walk.
When I arrived, Xiaohua was already waiting downstairs. Before I could greet her, she snapped, “Why did you ride that junk again?”
I pulled out my Nokia “brick” phone. “I didn’t hear it ring while cycling. What’s the rush? It’s only 11:30.”
As I grabbed the gift boxes from the bike’s handlebars, Xiaohua pressed my hand. “Li Yi, let’s break up.”
“What?!” I thought she was joking.
“It’s over. You showed up exactly at 11:30—no effort, as always. Today was just a courtesy meal before my mom told you to leave. I wanted to spare you the humiliation. Take your gifts and go.” She shoved me, knocking over the bicycle with a loud clang.
Xiaohua hesitated, then slammed the building door shut. I stood there, staring at the fallen bike. When I called her, her mother answered: “Get lost! No money, no degree, no job—who’d marry my daughter?!”
“Screw you!” I hung up, righted the bike, and left with the supplements. The receipt said they were returnable within three days. At least the refund would cover a few funeral wreaths.
Honestly, I wasn’t heartbroken—just annoyed at the wasted money. After returning the gifts, I headed to our family shop. Two middle-aged men stood inside while Grandpa lounged in his chair, ignoring them.
I greeted the men with a rehearsed, “Who passed away? My condolences. How can we help?”
One man studied me, then turned to Grandpa. “Master Diviner, is this your grandson? He’s grown so much.”
Master Diviner? Few knew Grandpa’s old title.
Grandpa kept watching TV. The man pressed, “I’ve come for a divination. Name your price.”
“I’ve retired,” Grandpa said flatly.
I stepped in. “We sell funeral supplies. For fortune-telling, try the street peddlers by the river.”
The silent man tensed, but the first waved him off. “We’ll return until you agree, Master.”
As they left, I analyzed the speaker’s face: mismatched eyebrows hinted at half-siblings, coarse and short—signs of familial strife. His murky eye corners suggested two years of bad luck. At 40, his fate balanced on fire-earth elements, likely a turbulent outcome tied to family conflict.
“You read faces?” the man asked suddenly.
“A little,” I said, sharing my observations.
He gaped. “Amazing! Everything’s true! My half-brother and I—”
“Enough,” Grandpa cut in. “Come back tomorrow.”
After they left, Grandpa closed the shop and led me to our ancestral altar. “Li Yi,” he said gravely, “my time with you is over. Staying would endanger you. I’m leaving tonight.”
“You’re dying?!” I panicked.
“No, you fool! I’m leaving town. Take the shop and the savings—well, two-thirds are mine. Don’t look for me, or disaster will follow. Like your parents.”
He packed and vanished, ignoring my protests. With Xiaohua gone and Grandpa fleeing with my “wedding fund,” I wondered if I’d driven him away. Guilt gnawed at me.
Alone in the county, I pondered my fate—and whether Grandpa’s escape was less about protection and more about dodging my future bride’s dowry.
- Writer
