Chapter 32: 【The Great Good Man Chen】

The two of them came out of the emergency room—one with a gauze pad taped to his forehead, the other clutching a plastic bag full of medical supplies and medicines.

There was no worry about mixing up the medical records or prescriptions, because apart from the names, the symptoms, injuries, and prescriptions were all identical.

The two didn't go far either, simply finding a coffee shop in the commercial space beneath the hospital and sitting down.

That's the good thing about private hospitals—the commercialization is high. Underneath the hospital's outpatient building, there's a whole floor of retail. Convenience stores, little supermarkets, coffee shops, dessert and pastry shops—every kind you could want.

The coffee shop was nearly empty. Chen Yan ordered himself a cup of hot cocoa, and ordered one for Lu Sisi as well.

Once they were settled, Chen Yan looked at the nervous Lu Sisi and first used his Heavenly Eye Qi-Gazing Art to examine her.

Sure enough, a tangle of black qi swirled around her, endlessly regenerating.

But it looked like she'd just gone through another tribulation, so the black qi seemed to be missing a chunk—and from that missing piece, new black qi was already ceaselessly sprouting, reconcentrating.

The young girl seemed a bit out of it. Chen Yan cleared his throat lightly: "You said earlier that you… you've always been unlucky? Unlucky your whole life?"

Better not to have brought it up—the moment it was mentioned, Lu Sisi's eyes went red again.

Chen Yan slapped a tissue right over the girl's eyes and said fiercely and quickly: "Don't cry! You'll end up drawing the hospital security over and getting me arrested as a pervert! Talk properly!"

Lu Sisi's voice was thick with tears as she whispered: "But I really have been unlucky since I was little…"

·

Then, Lu Sisi began a long account of her life.

After listening to the whole thing, how should Chen Yan put it…

In literary terms, it would be called a life of many misfortunes.

In Chen Yan's own personal feeling, though…

This girl in her past life must have been a broom!

·

Lu Sisi had been sickly since childhood. At five, she caught pneumonia and nearly croaked.

Growing up, minor illnesses never stopped—colds, fevers, and the like came far more frequently than for normal people.

On top of that, she was constantly getting hurt in one way or another.

In school during PE class, she'd get randomly hit by a ball, or trip and fall while running.

Walking down the street, she'd get hit by bicycles, by motorcycles, by cars.

Crossing the road, she'd look left and right extremely carefully, check the traffic lights, and only step out once she was sure it was safe.

And then—with one step—she'd fall right into an open manhole!

Even indoors, sitting peacefully watching TV, a fluorescent tube from the ceiling could fall and land on her head.

Brand-new clothes, before she'd worn them twice, would inevitably be ruined by some accident.

Brand-new phones were always lost, or smashed.

The neighbor's dog wagged its tail at everyone—sweet as could be.

But the moment it saw her, it'd go "awoo" and bite!

When her family gave her pocket money, five times out of ten she'd lose it.

—And so, Lu Sisi grew up with great difficulty, already accustomed to living carefully amid all kinds of hardship.

The whole person had developed the temperament she had now: living like a rabbit sneaking out of its burrow to forage, surrounded by predators on every side.

She never wore new clothes—always bought secondhand ones to wear.

Phones were always bought secondhand too.

Any cat or dog she saw, she'd avoid—even though she actually really liked cute puppers.

Getting sick and hurt so often, she'd become her own doctor out of necessity; her backpack was always stocked with all sorts of common medicines.

Anti-inflammatories and fever reducers, iodine and alcohol, Huoxiang Zhengqi Water, Suxiao Jiuxin Wan!

She'd even taught herself the solo Heimlich maneuver!

So that if she ever choked on food, she could save herself—this had actually happened several times!

And so, eighteen-year-old Lu Sisi slowly endured all of this.

However…

What was most lamentable, though, was the coldness and warmth of human nature.

From her teenage years she'd discovered something: her bad luck was contagious to the people around her.

Anyone who got a little closer to her, had a better relationship with her, interacted with her more…

Would also start having bad luck—illnesses, disasters, accidents would come one after another.

After enough time, the people around her noticed something was off, and so she became the 【Jinx】 that everyone avoided.

No one her age was willing to be her friend. Best friends and the like—naturally, she had none at all.

Boys she knew all avoided her too; no boy had ever been willing to show her any affection.

From childhood on, this girl who lived so carefully and meekly also had to endure what seemed like an endless loneliness!

In the end she didn't even dare to actively make any more friends, and her personality grew more and more cowardly and timid.

As a college freshman, normally, arriving at a new school surrounded by new classmates, all the peers just like her would be joyfully embracing youth, making all kinds of new friends at school.

But she could only ever lock herself away, keep her distance from the crowd, and carefully avoid anyone trying to approach her.

Outsiders were like that, and so was her family.

Lu Sisi came from a special family.

Her mother was a local of Jin Ling, while her father was from Harbor City.

Years ago, Lu Sisi's father had come to Jin Ling to expand the family business, met her mother locally, the two fell in love and married, and had Lu Sisi.

Her parents' relationship was actually fine, and at first they were very good to Lu Sisi, but as time went on, with all her bad luck clinging to her and spreading to her family…

After enough of this, even her parents began to avoid this child.

A few years ago, she created a new account.

Her father's family, far away in Gang City, still refuses to write Lu Sisi into the family genealogy.

This is because, when Lu Sisi was five years old, her father once took her back to his home in Gang City for ancestral worship, and something happened during the ceremony.

At that time, the young Lu Sisi, under the guidance of my lord, knelt before the ancestral tablets and kowtowed.

She had just knocked her head down once...

Crack!

The ancestral tablet split open right then and there!

·

Chen Yan: "…………"

Although saying this might damage one's merit...

But... this scene is indeed quite explosive!

To be honest, if I were the clan leader, I wouldn't dare let her into the genealogy either!

·

"Actually, my father's surname is Yang. When I was born, I was always called Yang Sisi. But later, the genealogy wouldn't allow my entry; my father's family put pressure on him, forbidding me from using the surname Yang.

So after I turned six, my family changed my surname, making me take my mother's surname, and my name was changed to Lu Sisi."

When Lu Sisi spoke to this point, her eyes were already brimming with tears.

Chen Yan sighed, then suddenly remembered something: "People in Gang City are very superstitious, especially certain families, and metaphysics is popular there. Back then, didn't your paternal family in Gang City, the Yang family, hire some great master to calculate your fortune?"

Lu Sisi's face went pale, and she spoke in a low voice: "Actually, it was calculated. Right after that time when I was five, knelt down, and cracked the ancestral tablet...

The elders there hired a famous expert from the area to calculate my fate."

Chen Yan perked up: "Oh? What did they say?"

"They said, they said I am... a Seven-Extinction Fate," the girl said, her face pale and her voice trembling slightly: "Seven-Extinction Fate means that in my life...

I will be cut off from relatives, cut off from friends, cut off from wealth, cut off from blessings, cut off from official rank, cut off from longevity, and cut off from descendants."

Having heard these Seven Extinctions clearly, Chen Yan couldn't help but shiver!

What a vicious fate!

After thinking for a moment, Chen Yan made a decision in his heart.

"Take out your phone."

"Ah?" Lu Sisi was stunned.

"Stop talking nonsense, just take it out first."

As Chen Yan spoke, he took out his own phone and opened the payment QR code for Weixin: "You have money in your bank card, right?"

Uh?

The girl immediately looked at Chen Yan with some wariness, but her nature was soft and her courage small, so she answered weakly: "Mm, yes, a little bit."

"Transfer some money to me."

"???"

The girl stared at Chen Yan with wide eyes, but she also seemed unable to muster the courage to resist, instead shrinking back and speaking in a low voice: "T-transfer how much?"

"Whatever you wish. Three or five yuan is not too little, thirty or fifty thousand is not too much; it's all up to you," Chen Yan said, waving his hand.

Pausing for a moment, seeing the Miss look utterly confused, Chen Yan still kindly explained two sentences: "I'm not trying to scam you out of your money on purpose. It's just that the tradition of my learning has a rule: take someone's money, do work for them.

Helping people do things must require a reward, even if it breaks the rules.

You, just give whatever you feel like, any amount is fine, understand?"

The girl was stunned, then spoke in a timid, low voice: "I, I don't have much money left. It's almost the end of the month, and the living expenses for this month have mostly been spent. Two days ago, I also... because of that incident where I injured your friend, I broke my phone and spent money buying a second-hand one, so there's even less money left in the card.

I, I only have a little over four hundred yuan left in my card now..."

Chen Yan sighed: "I already said, whatever you feel like, it's just about following fate; can't you understand?"

The girl lowered her head, her voice faint: "I... I'm afraid it won't be enough."

Chen Yan turned around and went to the counter, borrowed paper and a pen from the waiter, and placed them in front of Lu Sisi.

"Your birthday, your birth date and time... never mind, you probably don't know your birth date and time; just write down your birthday and approximate birth time, and I'll calculate it myself later."

"No, I know my birth date and time," the girl said earnestly: "Before, when my fortune was calculated, the master in Gang City wrote out my birth date and time for me."

"Alright, then write them down together."

Lu Sisi obediently grabbed the pen and wrote.

Chen Yan stood aside, stroking his chin and watching the girl—truly pitiful.

Unlucky for eighteen years, she developed such a weak and aggrieved nature.

Seeing the girl finish writing, Chen Yan said: "Transfer one hundred yuan to me."

"... Ah?"

The girl hesitated slightly, paused for a moment, but still nodded: "Oh, okay..."

As she spoke, Lu Sisi suddenly added: "You were injured today saving me; the medical expenses should also be paid by me."

Hmm?

Chen Yan's heart stirred, and he looked deeply at this Miss.

He nodded: "Right, the medical expenses... if you hadn't mentioned it, I almost forgot.

Then, according to the rules, one hundred yuan isn't enough.

One thing is one thing; medical expenses are medical expenses, and the labor fee is the labor fee.

You should give a bit more, give a bit more..."

He thought for a moment, seeing the girl's pitiful appearance, and was truly a bit helpless: "Give twenty yuan more, transfer one hundred and twenty yuan to me in total."

"..." The girl looked up at Chen Yan, then fell silent, taking out her phone to obediently scan the code and transfer the money.

Chen Yan nodded only after seeing the arrival notification in his phone.

He reached into his upper shirt pocket again, feeling around until he pulled out a stack of paper talismans.

The stack was about seven or eight sheets, all identical to the Evil-Dispelling and Auspicious Talisman he had sold to Director Fang earlier; all of them had been drawn by Chen Yan at home in one batch yesterday.

"Take this. Buy a candle and light it, then use your right hand to hold a talisman and ignite it!"

Remember, when burning the talisman, you must extend your right index and middle fingers straight, pinch the talisman between the fingertips, and bring it to the candle to burn.

Remember this hand gesture!

Then, every morning when you wake up, burn one talisman according to the method I told you.

Each talisman should be able to protect your safety for a day."

Using the right hand is because men use the left and women use the right.

And extending and pressing the index and middle fingers together also has its reasoning: in finger seals, this gesture is called the "Finger Sword."

Normally, activating rune symbols requires channeling Yuan Qi to propel them, but Lu Sisi does not know how to move Yuan Qi.

The "Finger Sword Seal" is one of the few hand gestures through which ordinary people can also channel a tiny bit of Yuan Qi. (Note 1)

Lu Sisi listened carefully, accepted the stack of paper talismans Chen Yan handed her, and the curiosity on her face grew stronger.

"What exactly do you do? It feels like you're just like those Feng Shui masters in Gangcheng."

"... I am a great benefactor, here to do charity."

Chen Yan shook his head, sucking in a sharp breath of pain.

It hurts! It hurts so much!

The same talisman paper, four sheets sold to Director Fang for over three hundred thousand.

Eight sheets given to this little girl, and I only collected one hundred and twenty yuan.

I am truly a great benefactor!

From today on, I will change my WeChat nickname to Chen the Great Benefactor!

"Let's make this clear!

The one hundred and twenty yuan you gave me was not a loan, nor did I snatch it, nor did I cheat you for it!

This is my compensation; you give me money, and I do the work for you.

Do you understand this principle? This is my rule, and it cannot be mistaken."

Chen Yan earnestly instructed Lu Sisi: "Alright, you go back first. These talismans are enough for you to use for over a week.

As for me, I will go back and carefully calculate your fortune and your birth date and time. I will think about whether there is any way to help you reverse your luck."

Lu Sisi widened her eyes: "Is that it? You..."

"Do you think reversing luck is simple? I must have time to calculate slowly and think slowly before I can come up with a method to break it."

After speaking, Chen Yan waved his hand: "Alright, I'm leaving first. Burn one talisman daily as I told you to ensure safety for the next few days. I will contact you in a few days."

Having spoken, Chen Yan stood up to bid farewell and pushed the door open to leave immediately.

Lu Sisi watched the back of this fellow, but her lips curled into a pout.

Although he said that...

My feeling is that I've been cheated.

Wuwuwu...

I hate myself so much, why am I so timid...

He asked for money, and I obediently transferred it?

She looked down at the stack of yellow paper talismans in her hand.

Hmm, maybe I should try the method he said today and burn one?

After all, I did spend money on it.

Just as she was thinking this, the coffee shop door was suddenly pushed open, and Chen Yan ran back quickly.

"Oh no, I forgot one thing," Chen Yan ran in front of Lu Sisi, looked at her with a smile, and said, "Sorry, I need to take something."

Having spoken, he grabbed a handful of Lu Sisi's hair; before Lu Sisi could react, she saw a flash of cold light in Chen Yan's hand, and a blade tip emerged from his fingertips.

And a lock of her own hair had been cut off by the other party.

Before Lu Sisi could react, Chen Yan had already ripped off the blood-stained gauze from her forehead; the Miss, caught off guard, winced in pain. Chen Yan had already stuffed this piece of gauze into his plastic bag.

"There is your blood on this; I will take it away, it will be useful."

After finishing all this, Chen Yan waved his hand and ran away again.

Lu Sisi was dumbfounded.

(Wu... I still feel like I've been cheated!)

·

(Note 1: The Finger Sword gesture is something I saw in some miscellaneous books; it seems the Xuan Men sect really does have this saying. According to Xuan Men, pointing this gesture at others will consume one's own Yuan Qi and also harm the other person's Yuan Qi. So if you believe in this, do not casually try to play with it, as it harms both oneself and others.)