Although the Du Family had many children, Father Du and Mother Du had always treated them equally, rarely showing any blatant favoritism. Consequently, Du Hexuan was deeply shocked after hearing about Yang Jiantao’s wife and brother-in-law, and he couldn't help but look at his old friend with a touch of sympathy.
Once he understood the situation, Du Anrao began to feel distressed.
*I just thought he had a sharp eye, seeing right through the true colors of a certain top celebrity, so how can he be so blind when it comes to his own wife and brother-in-law? Since he’s my second brother’s friend and has taken care of my brother in the past, shouldn’t I warn him?*
*But how should I warn him? Should I pick up my old trade, just like I did with Ye Mengzhen?*
Hearing this, Du Hexuan’s eyes lit up. Mother Du had mentioned what happened at the restaurant earlier, so he naturally knew exactly what "old trade" Du Anrao was referring to.
He cast a glance at Yang Jiantao, then fixed his eyes on the enamel mug in his hand, a sudden idea striking him.
"Brother Yang, that doesn't look like the mug you usually use."
Yang Jiantao touched the cup, his expression tinged with regret and nostalgia. "The one I had before was accidentally dropped two days ago."
Anyone who knew Yang Jiantao well was aware of his old-school habits. He didn't smoke or drink, and whenever he had downtime on set after decades of acting, he loved to carry his enamel mug around with him.
He had carried that previous mug for over a decade. He had grown attached to the old object, and even though he had bought a similar one, he still wasn't quite used to it.
"I don’t know if it’s just a run of bad luck lately, but I keep losing things."
The speaker was unintentional, but the listener took it to heart.
Du Hexuan’s eyes flickered, and he seamlessly took over the conversation. "They say that when things go abnormally, there’s usually something strange at play. Losing one or two things is one thing, but if it happens too often, you really should pay attention."
Hiding behind Du Hexuan and pondering how to bring it up, Du Anrao nodded in complete agreement.
*Exactly. Those things lost in your house were nine times out of ten sold off by your wife to fill the hole her brother dug. Once the house is empty and there’s nothing left to sell, she’s going to set her sights on you!*
"As it happens, my younger sister grew up in a Taoist temple and is quite knowledgeable about these things. Why don't you let her take a look for you?"
As soon as these words were out, many people around them stopped what they were doing to watch.
Du Anrao was startled, not understanding why the conversation had suddenly turned to her.
Yang Jiantao was stunned for a moment before he burst into laughter. "Your sister has such a talent? Well, then I must show my support."
It was clear he didn't believe in so-called fortune-telling, or at the very least, didn't believe such a young girl could possess such skills. He was merely playing along to save face for Du Hexuan, helping him indulge his younger sister.
Du Anrao feigned composure and nodded. Despite her internal doubts, she had to admit that her brother’s brilliant, off-the-cuff remark had saved her a lot of trouble.
"Then, Brother Yang, please write a character for me."
"Write a character..." Fortunately, these veterans were in the habit of carrying pen and paper to make notes on their scripts at any time.
Yang Jiantao quickly wrote down the character he wanted analyzed: the word "Jian" (Sword) from his own name.
Du Anrao stared at the character for a long time, her expression growing increasingly solemn. Even though Yang Jiantao didn't believe in such things, he couldn't help but feel a nervous drumbeat in his chest.
"An'an, have you seen something?"
Du Anrao sighed gravely, her brow furrowed. "This is a character of injury and ruin."
"A character of injury and ruin? What does that mean?"
"Simply put, it’s a character that could cause one to suffer harm and financial loss."
"This..." Yang Jiantao’s face darkened. No matter how good-natured a person is, being told they might suffer injury and financial ruin would never make them happy, especially since this "injurious" character was part of his own name.
Du Anrao knew these words were unpleasant, but honest advice often stings. For the sake of preventing him from following the same fate as in the original story, she gritted her teeth and continued.
"The character 'Jian'—the left side is 'gold' (metal), and the right is 'knife.' The 'gold' needs no explanation; gold and money represent wealth. The 'knife' is a sharp blade, and the hook curving to the left signifies the loss of wealth."
"Just the loss of wealth?" Du Hexuan frowned, feeling that this explanation differed slightly from what Du Anrao had said earlier.
"Of course, it’s not just the loss of wealth." Du Anrao took the pen from Yang Jiantao and wrote another character on the paper.
"This is..."
"This is the traditional form of the character. It’s the same word, just the difference between simplified and traditional. Now, looking at this one, can you see any difference?"
Yang Jiantao studied the two characters carefully, his face darkening. "The 'gold' on the left now looks like 'mouth' over 'person'."
"Exactly. The 'gold' has become two 'mouths' and two 'people.' These two mouths and two people suggest that you, Brother Yang, may soon have a verbal conflict with someone over money."
Hearing this, Yang Jiantao’s eyes widened. He had indeed been arguing with his wife about money lately.
The root of it was that his brother-in-law had started dating someone, and they were already talking about marriage after only two months. It was a significant expense, and his wife wanted him to take out most of his savings to help her brother get married.
But Yang Jiantao’s daughter was about to start college. She had excellent grades and a passion for fashion design, and he had been planning to send her abroad for advanced studies after the entrance exams.
The couple had been arguing incessantly over this.
His wife believed that, at the end of the day, a girl would just get married, so why study so much? Sending her abroad was a waste of money, and it would be better spent on her brother’s wedding.
Yang Jiantao, on the other hand, felt that his daughter was his only child, cherished like a pearl, and worth every penny spent on her. He wouldn't allow anyone else to point fingers or make disparaging remarks.
Because it was a private family matter, he hadn't mentioned it to anyone—not even Du Hexuan.
Now that Du Anrao had brought it up, Yang Jiantao felt a tremor in his heart. While he tried to comfort himself that it was just a coincidence, he couldn't help but touch the mug in his hand.
Du Hexuan watched the change in Yang Jiantao, marveling at his younger sister’s ability to improvise.
If he hadn't known her true thoughts earlier, he would have been fooled, too. Setting everything else aside, it was a pity she didn't become a professional fortune-teller with this kind of talent.
"Not only that," Du Anrao continued, pointing at the character Yang Jiantao had written. "Because the 'gold' on the left has become 'people,' the 'knife' on the right is now pointed at them. The way you wrote the character just now, the end of the hook on the 'knife' is elongated and upward-turning. If you replace it with this version, it points exactly at the 'person' on the right."
"As we said, the 'knife' is a sharp blade, and the hook toward the 'gold' signifies the loss of wealth. Now that the knife is aimed at a person..."
"...What will happen?"
Du Anrao’s eyes were sharp, her expression so solemn that it made people unconsciously ignore her youth and feel a sense of awe.
"It was just a dispute over money, but if a sharp weapon is introduced into a verbal conflict, it turns into a clash of blades. This is the... murderous intent hidden beneath the ruin of wealth."
The crowd of onlookers: !