Chapter 3 [Old Lady, You Lied to Me...]
To be honest, Chen Yan's current state was no longer just strange and absurd.
There was even a hint of apprehension and tension.
Boss Ma stared at Chen Yan and suddenly seemed to understand, smiling: "Alright, Mr. Chen Yan, could you please pass a message to the old lady? Just tell her that West Lake Little Horse wishes to pay his respects. I wonder if I have this fortune?"
Chen Yan's lips twitched slightly at this address, West Lake Little Horse!
"Uh..."
Chen Yan had a stomach full of questions and carefully chose his words: "The old lady is at home. We never lock our doors, and the old folks in the village often come over to grab some garlic or something... If you want to see her, you can just go knock directly."
Boss Ma laughed loudly and then put away his smile.
"Mr. Chen Yan, it's like this. When the old lady saw me years ago, she told me one of her rules."
"What rule?"
Boss Ma sighed: "The old lady said that she and I can only meet once."
Only once?
"That means she only meets anyone seeking fortune once.
After that one meeting, there won't be a second in this lifetime. She said that a prosperous fate is predestined, and divulging too many heavenly secrets would shorten her lifespan."
Boss Ma spoke cautiously, seemingly weighing his words.
Only once?
Divulging heavenly secrets?
Shortening her lifespan?
Chen Yan felt that the old lady must be fooling this President Ma—those are just some online novel terms.
Wait, Boss Ma, didn't you get it wrong?
The one investing in online novels is another Boss Ma, not you!
Boss Ma looked a bit embarrassed and awkward: "It's like this, the help she provided back then was immense! You could even call it a life-saving grace! Without her guidance, I wouldn't be where I am today!
Since then, I've tried several times to see her again, but she always refused."
Listening to this, an increasingly dreadful thought arose in Chen Yan's mind...
Boss Ma sighed: "Recently, I've encountered some tough problems and had no choice but to seek her help again. I thought I'd ask her family first if things didn't go well... So, I boldly asked someone to invite you..."
Chen Yan's hand trembled!
Boss Ma looked troubled: "I know it sounds harsh and even somewhat insensitive.
It's selfish of me... This is really embarrassing, Mr. Chen Yan, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!!
I'll punish myself with a drink first!"
As he spoke, Boss Ma raised his cup...
Buzz!
Since entering the house, Chen Yan had been bewildered by all this absurdity.
Now, suddenly, his mind exploded! A clear thought filled his brain like an explosion.
Chen Yan abruptly stood up!
His mind was in a fog, but his face was expressionless!
If the old lady wasn't bluffing and truly had her abilities...
Then...
That prophecy [Your lifespan will end]...
Chen Yan felt a chill down his spine!
Taking a deep breath, Chen Yan's tone was somewhat wooden: "Sorry, President Ma, I think I need to go home immediately."
Chen Yan dashed out the door. The men in black outside seemed about to stop him, but Boss Ma called out from behind: "Don't stop him! Get a car, take Mr. Chen!"
Chen Yan strode out quickly.
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The car stopped at the village entrance. Chen Yan jumped out and practically ran all the way home. As he neared his house, he was out of breath and his legs felt weak.
This time, he was genuinely scared!
The main hall door was wide open.
The old lady was sitting inside, shelling fresh beans.
Strangely, seeing this scene, Chen Yan felt slightly reassured.
"You're back?" The old lady raised her head and glanced at Chen Yan, dropped the beans, and took a cigarette from a pack on the table, lighting it and taking a puff.
"Old lady..." Chen Yan called softly, his voice nervous.
The old lady looked at Chen Yan with a smile:
"You didn't eat a bite at that table, did you?"
Buzz!
Chen Yan felt a surge of numbness on his scalp!
Chen Yan felt short of breath: "Old lady, you knew?"
The old lady smiled kindly: "I calculated that Boss Ma would surely seek you out. You're not stupid; you'd figure it out and then... you'd surely run back in one breath, right?"
"I..." Chen Yan's voice was a bit dry.
"The beans I shelled this morning, I'll stir-fry them for you for lunch, okay?" The old lady's voice was unusually gentle and kind.
"Grandma..." Chen Yan's voice trembled.
The old lady sighed, put down what she was holding, and slowly walked over to Chen Yan, gently placing a wrinkled hand on his face.
"You always call me old lady, why suddenly call me grandma now."
"Because..."
Chen Yan's voice was hoarse: "I am really scared now."
"Well, this lunch will be the last time I cook for you. After this, there won't be any more chances." The old lady pinched Chen Yan's cheek: "My dear grandson has really grown up. Grandma now has to stand on tiptoe to touch your head."
Thump!
Chen Yan knelt on the ground, looking up at the old lady with red eyes, his throat so dry he could barely speak.
"Is... is it all true? Really?"
The old lady caressed Chen Yan's head, her tone very calm: "Fate is fate. Don't be afraid, don't be afraid..."
Chen Yan's body trembled, unable to speak. Because... how could he not be afraid?
Raised for twenty-two years from the age of two.
From the moment he could remember...
No father, no mother. From childhood to now, the only constant was this old lady!
"Alright, alright, I'll go fry the beans first."
"I don't want to eat!"
Chen Yan clung tightly to the old lady's legs: "I just want you not to die! Grandma, you're very powerful, right? You can't save yourself?
Didn't you always say you knew spells, had divine techniques?
Grandma! Don't die, okay?"
The old lady looked down at Chen Yan, her eyes complicated.
She seemed hesitant: "Actually... there is..."
"Actually what? What?" Chen Yan jumped up from the ground as if finding hope: "What do you mean by that? Actually what? Is there a way? Is there?"
The old lady's tone was difficult: "There is a way... but it's a bit troublesome."
"No matter how troublesome, it must be done!"
The old lady took a deep breath, her face solemn!
"Three things are needed."
"What do you need? I'll go find them right away!"
"First, I need the tenderest new shoot from the top of the old willow tree at the village entrance! Willow trees are yin and can connect with yin and yang! I need that new shoot, peeled of its bark, and the freshest part extracted."
"I'll go get it! What else?"
"Second, go to the old temple behind the southern hill of the village, at the location of the Celestial Number, and dig out a stone imbued with the earth's energy. It should be half black, half white, warm to the touch on one side and cold on the other."
"Alright, I'll dig the stone! What's the third?"
The old lady's eyes showed a trace of difficulty: "The third... is the hardest."
"Say it! Just say it!"
The old lady looked serious: "To extend life is to borrow life! To extend mine, someone close to me must give up ten years of their life. Do you understand, my dear grandson? Ten years of life."
"I'll give it! Not just ten years, twenty years if needed!" Chen Yan interrupted the old lady without hesitation.
"My dear, Grandma can't bear to see you do that..."
"I'll give my life!" Chen Yan insisted, "Willow shoots, Yin Yang Stone! And my ten years of life? With these, it will work, right?"
"…Yes."
"Good!" Chen Yan's expression was determined: "I'll go get the willow shoots! I'll dig the stone! Wait for me! I'll get you those two things!!"
Seeing Chen Yan running out, the old lady's eyes flashed with a strange glint: "Yes, remember, the willow tree at the village head, the Celestial Number at the southern hilltop. I taught you the Celestial Number calculations when you were young. Do you remember?"
"I remember! I remember!" Chen Yan nodded quickly.
The old lady watched Chen Yan charge out the door with a kind smile.
She turned, lit another cigarette, took a few puffs, glanced at the shelled beans on the table, stood up, and carried them to the kitchen.
The stove was already lit.
...
Chen Yan almost sprinted to the village head and found the willow tree.
Who knows how old this tree was, he remembered playing under it since he was a child.
The villagers said the tree might be decades if not over a hundred years old.
Yes, it seemed legit?
Chen Yan scrambled up the tree — for a child raised in the countryside, climbing trees was no big deal.
He climbed up, searching for a long time at the top for fresh new shoots.
Not sure which was the freshest, he grabbed a handful, clutching a big bunch.
Jumping down, he stuffed the willow shoots into his chest and ran toward the southern hill.
The old lady said, the small ruined temple on the hill! Dig out the stone underground!
Running in a hurry, a few dozen steps later, Chen Yan tripped, fell, scraping his elbow and bleeding, willow shoots scattering.
Chen Yan jumped up, hurriedly picking up the shoots from the ground.
But after picking a few, he froze.
His heart jumped suddenly!
Something's wrong!
He quickly took out his phone and checked the time.
Last night, the old lady said: I have eighteen hours and forty-three minutes of life left!
At that time, it was around six o'clock in the evening.
So, eighteen hours and forty-three minutes from then.
It should be around one o'clock this noon!
The phone showed...
Noon, twelve fifty-seven.
Three minutes to one o'clock.
Tricked! Chen Yan suddenly felt a sinking heart, threw the willow shoots, and sprinted back home!!
·
The door was closed.
Chen Yan pushed it open with all his might, finding the hall empty.
On the table, under a cover, was a steaming plate of... stir-fried beans with pork!
Chen Yan felt all his strength draining away, panic-stricken, he rushed to the old lady's door and pushed it open.
Chen Yan's legs went weak.
Inside, on her bed, the quilt had long been replaced with new linens.
The old lady lay there in her burial clothes, colorful yet orderly, hands crossed on her chest.
She lay there, eyes closed, with a peaceful expression.
She looked just as usual...
But with no breath at all.
"Old lady, you lied to me..."
With a thud, Chen Yan, red-eyed, knelt on the ground.
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(More to come)
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