The birth of an actor

Chapter 91 Half Divination
"Director Feng, Director Xu, this is the old An family home."

Outside a bungalow with iron gates in the small county town of Fusong, after the Toyota came to a stop, the driver pointed to the two large iron gates and asked Feng Xiaogang and Xu Fan:
"Do you two know the rules?"

"What are the rules? Tell us about them."

Hearing Xu Fan's words, the driver nodded:

"After entering, follow the queue. Once inside, don't speak, offer incense first. You're here for fortune telling, right? Put twenty yuan in the donation box. It's ten yuan per person. After putting the money in the donation box, go to the side room. If there's someone there, wait outside. If no one is there, one person goes in, kneels down, and kowtows three times. You must introduce yourself as a disciple and explain your purpose and what you want to ask. Just say: 'Disciple has come to inquire about wealth, career, marriage, etc.' After that, just wait."

"...Do we still have to kneel?"

Xu Fan's eyes widened instinctively.

The driver continued to respond:

"Yes, but not kneeling to Anxin, kneeling to the old immortal. Anxin is sitting on the prayer mat, but that's not him, that's the old immortal. When he gets off the prayer mat, it means the old immortal has left. Only then will he be human."

Feng Xiaogang was speechless.

I thought to myself, "Is this really so strange?"

I have to kowtow to him once... no, three times?

But Xu Fan nodded after hearing this:
"Okay, I understand. Let's go in first."

"Okay, I'll wait for you two outside."

"Xiao Gang, let's go."

As Xu Fan spoke, he opened the car door.

Exhausted from the journey, she stretched out a big yawn after getting off the bus, and then she and Feng Xiaogang began to examine the closed iron gate.

The courtyard wasn't large; the iron gate was black, but it wasn't locked; it was ajar.

There were a few people in the courtyard.

Seeing this, Xu Fan took the initiative to push open the iron gate.

The sound of metal scraping together made several people in the yard turn around instinctively.

Upon seeing Xu Fan, they all showed a hint of surprise.

From her clothes to her appearance, she seemed out of place here.

On the contrary, Feng Xiaogang next to him looked quite pathetic.

The two remained silent and walked towards the crowd. Xu Fan politely asked:
"Is this where we queue?"

At the very end of the line, a woman holding a child nodded:

"Yes... what are you here for? It's getting dark, and the old immortal doesn't attend funerals anymore. If it's a funeral, come tomorrow morning."

"We... came to have our fortunes told."

"Oh, okay."

After the woman finished speaking, Xu Fan asked in a low voice:
"Ma'am, are you here to have your fortune told too?"

"The child bumped into something."

The older sister spoke concisely. Xu Fan glanced into the swaddle blanket and found that the child was indeed sickly and looked listless.

It collided...it must have lost its soul, right?

As she was thinking, she heard the older woman say:

"You're not from here, are you?"

"...No, it's from Hebei Province."

"Did you come here on purpose?"

"Correct."

"Then you two came to the right place. His divination is incredibly accurate. Once you get the half-divination, just follow the instructions, and you'll definitely be right."

Upon hearing this, Xu Fan asked, puzzled:
"Half a hexagram?"

"Yes. The old divination master doesn't give a full divination, only half a divination. I don't know the specifics of what it is, but I'll just give you half a divination. Just follow the instructions."

Upon hearing this, Feng Xiaogang asked in a low voice:

"Wasn't it supposed to be four characters?"

"Yes, four characters make up half a hexagram. He wrote eight characters, but only gave four. I heard that this hexagram is one good and one bad, or it may be all bad, but the one he gave is definitely the best one out of all the hexagrams."

“Oh~~~~”

Feng Xiaogang looked enlightened.

He muttered to himself, "This seems to be similar to the Golden Skin Hanging Willow from the Eight Great Sects of Jianghu."

But he also asked.

This is slang used to describe the various characters and social classes that frequented Tianqiao in the early days.

People from other places may not understand.

Even Xu Fan didn't understand.

But... as someone who grew up in Beijing, he knew a thing or two about these kinds of things in the underworld.

This "half-divination" is very similar to the way people in Kinmen operate.

They only tell half the story, leaving you in suspense, making you want to pay more to find out... or rather, they're scamming you out of money.

Could they be from the same line?

He became increasingly puzzled.

At this moment, the door of the house in the courtyard was pushed open, and a person came out, while the person guarding the door went in.

Seeing that it was almost her turn, the older woman stopped talking.

About ten minutes later, the woman came in carrying her child.

Only Feng Xiaogang and Xu Fan remained in the courtyard.

But neither of them dared to say anything, so they could only wait. After the woman came out, Xu Fan glanced at Feng Xiaogang and said:

"I'll go in and take a look."

"Ah."

Xu Fan walked straight in and immediately felt a warmth, mixed with the scent of grass.

It'll be quite smoky and hot...

It even stung my eyes a little.

Looking up, one could see a shrine surrounded by red cloth, and in front of the shrine, besides offerings of fruits and vegetables, was an incense burner filled with sticky incense sticks.

Apart from that, there are just some ordinary home furnishings.

Xu Fan remembered the driver's words, glanced cautiously at the red cloth, and wondered which deity was enshrined inside before approaching the altar.

I lit incense and then put ten yuan into the donation box. Then I looked to my left.

Seeing that the door was open, she walked straight to the doorway and glanced inside... She found that the furnishings in the whole house were very simple.

A figure can be seen inside a raised platform covered with light gauze.

And the futon in front of the light gauze.

It's that simple.

She thought for a moment, then went straight in, first taking a look at the figure inside the gauze curtain.

All that can be seen is that he is sitting cross-legged, and there is a small table next to him; after that, nothing else can be seen clearly.

The air was thick with the smell of smoke, which mixed with the scent of grass, creating a strange yet...mysterious atmosphere.

As she thought this, she knelt on the prayer mat, respectfully kowtowed three times to Anxin inside, and said:

"This disciple has come to inquire about marriage."

The sound of water being poured could be heard.

Xu Fan subconsciously looked up and saw a figure drinking water and the sound of the cup being put down.

Then came the sound of a match being struck, followed by the smell of cigarettes and alcohol mixed together.

Immediately afterwards, accompanied by the sound of exhaling smoke, the entire room fell silent.

Less than two minutes later, as Xu Fan remained kneeling and his doubts grew, there was movement inside the veil.

The sound of paper rubbing together.

It disappeared very quickly.

About ten seconds later, she heard the sound of paper tearing, and then a hand passed through the gauze and handed out a folded piece of yellow straw paper.

Xu Fan was taken aback and subconsciously looked through the gap in the sheer curtain.

It would have been better if I hadn't looked; once I did, I felt a cold sweat break out all over my body...

It gives me peace of mind.

It's him!

It's definitely that child!

but……

She wasn't sure if she was imagining things. Even though the veil was only slightly lifted, she felt like she could see An Xin's entire face, and even his eyes.

Those eyes... how can I describe them?

Definitely not that kid with a clean and cheerful laugh!

Rather, it was a feeling that was... indescribable.

It's like...not being human!
They only needed to look at each other once to see through each other completely!
She shuddered instantly, and when she came to her senses again, the gap in the veil had vanished without a trace.

Only that hand, still holding half a piece of yellow paper, hovered in mid-air.

Xu Fan, whose back was inexplicably covered in a layer of white sweat, quickly and respectfully accepted the yellow paper. He didn't even dare to open it to look at it. After receiving the yellow paper, he immediately got up and walked outside.

She didn't know what was wrong with her, but... she felt a mixture of awe and fear pushing her to walk outside.

It wasn't until I felt a gust of cold wind that I came to my senses.

"What did you say?"

Seeing his girlfriend looking distracted, Feng Xiaogang quickly asked.

"..."

Xu Fan was speechless, not even knowing what to say.

Her instincts, not yet fully composure, led her to unfold the half of the yellow paper.

Feng Xiaogang also came over, and the two of them saw the four words on it.

The calligraphy, with ink stains.

"A calm mind and a stable position"

"..."

Under Xu Fan's questioning gaze, Feng Xiaogang asked:

"What do you mean?"

"I...I don't know, you can go in."

"...Okay. Did you talk to him?"

"without……"

Xu Fan had just agreed when he suddenly remembered those eyes and quickly reminded him:

"Just follow the rules and don't look around randomly."

"it is good."

Feng Xiaogang nodded and went inside.

Xu Fan stared at the four hastily written characters on the yellow paper for about two or three minutes before Feng Xiaogang came out.

Before she even had to say anything, Feng Xiaogang handed her the yellow paper.

The sign above reads: "Good luck at the end of the year."

“I asked him questions, but he wouldn’t answer… he just gave me these four words.”

At this moment, a middle-aged man in line behind the two said:

"The old immortal doesn't speak; speaking out will bring karmic consequences. Just remember this half of the divination and do as instructed."

Feng Xiaogang was taken aback, thought for a moment, and asked:

"Is there no one to interpret the divination?"

"There's no way to solve it, and it can't be solved. Just do whatever the old immortal says."

After the man finished speaking, he went straight inside.

The two were left staring at each other in bewilderment.

……

In Northeast China, it gets dark early; by a little after five o'clock, it's completely dark.

After turning on the light, Anxin rubbed her tired face.

Then, he respectfully lit the last incense stick for the shrine where Grandpa Hu and Grandma Hu were enshrined, and then opened the door to the outer room.

A cold wind instantly rushed in.

He, however, looked quite content.

The air here... is so much fresher.

He then carried a few bottles of liquor out of the house, glanced at the Toyota with the Jilin A license plate still parked on the roadside, opened the iron gate and went out.

They also saw Feng Xiaogang and Xu Fan getting off the bus.

The divination texts of the two people unconsciously came to mind.

Xu Fan's fate is "to be childless, but with a broad mind and a stable position."

Feng Xiaogang's message was "Being separated from relatives and friends, good luck at the end of the year."

The former question concerned marriage, while the latter concerned career.

Although it was the old immortal who showed him, he could clearly perceive everything that happened.

That's precisely why his feelings were so complicated.

I thought to myself, even though I've been reborn, I still ended up getting a lesson from the old immortal.

In his previous life, Director Feng rose to fame through New Year's films.

As for being separated from family and friends... that probably refers to the gossip news about him and Wang Shuo and a series of other people.
He had experienced it firsthand, while the old immortal calculated it directly.

This kind of thing is really... inexplicable.

However, if it can't be explained, then let's not explain it. Having seen through the wickedness of countless people, a weary yet refreshed smile graced his face.

"Brother Feng, sister-in-law, when did you arrive?"

Xu Fan was taken aback, looking at the young man whose demeanor was completely different from the one he had just glanced at, and subconsciously asked, "You don't remember?"

"Remember what?"

Anxin was somewhat puzzled.

"We just had our fortunes told by you."

"Uh... ha."

Xu Fan saw him wave his hand:

"It wasn't me who calculated it, it was the old immortal who did. I didn't even know about this..."

"Give."

Xu Fan quickly handed over the yellow paper in his hand:
"Look, help us get it done..."

"sister in law."

Anxin waved her hand, interrupting her, and without taking the yellow paper, said directly:

"I don't do divination. The old sage's divination will naturally come true when the cause and effect arrive. Just be honest with yourself about the divination; no one else can or should interpret it. Just remember it, and it will naturally correspond to you in the future. And when it does, just do as instructed."

"Uh……"

Xu Fan paused, seemingly speechless, and said:
"But the question is, how do we know if it should come true or not?"

Anxin shook her head again:

"When the water flows, the channel will naturally be formed."

"That's...ok."

"Don't worry, this is only half a divination, right? The other half..."

"Brother Feng, divination can be good or bad, just like people. The old sage gave us the most auspicious result of the two. As for the other half of the divination, I don't know either."

Now, Feng Xiaogang didn't know what to say.

Anxin then invited the two of them into the house:

"Let's go, Brother Feng, let's go look at something."

"……it is good."

……

"Hey, are you back?"

Changchun, Beidahu Ski Resort.

Upon seeing Feng Xiaogang and Xu Fan, Wang Shuo, still wearing his ski suit, asked with a smile:

"How about it? Doesn't this mean you two will have a long and happy marriage, flying wing to wing together?"

Upon hearing this, before Feng Xiaogang could speak, Xu Fan shook his head:

"Don't worry, I won't tell you."

"What's going on? Why are you hiding it? What's going on?"

Wang Shuo asked, and Xu Jinglei, who was standing to the side, was also a little curious.

But Feng Xiaogang also shook his head:
“It’s not that I’m hiding it, it’s that they really won’t let me tell you, and they won’t even interpret the divination… The kid is really unfair.”

"Haha, is it his birthday? Does saying your wish out loud mean it won't come true?"

Wang Shuo continued joking, but didn't dwell on it, instead waving his hand:

"That's perfect, let's go for a drink?"

"Okay, let's go back and take a shower and change our clothes first."

"Hurry up, we've been skiing all afternoon and we're starving. Hey, what are these bags? Why are there some local specialties?"

"Yeah. It's on the way, so I asked Anxin to get some for the elderly at home."

"Oh~"

Wang Shuo nodded indifferently, and the two then parted ways.

But they soon reunited.

At the dinner table, fueled by alcohol, Feng Xiaogang and Xu Fan finally started talking about their trip to Fusong.

Although the divination results cannot be discussed, Anxin's experience at home is certainly a good topic of conversation at the dinner table.

But when Xu Fan said, "I saw An Xin drinking, and when we met him, he was carrying three or four empty bottles of baijiu," Wang Shuo and Xu Jinglei's expressions both turned strange.

Are you sure? You're drinking with peace of mind?

"Yes, it's still baijiu. A sip of liquor followed by a puff of cigarette smoke..."

"..."

Seeing Xu Jinglei's speechless expression, Xu Fan asked in bewilderment:
"What's wrong? Is it so strange that he's drinking? He's almost eighteen, isn't he? It's perfectly normal for him to drink a little."

"This is completely abnormal."

When Xu Jinglei recounted how the two men had turned completely purplish-red and black after taking a sip of wine, Feng Xiaogang and Xu Fan were stunned.

“That shouldn’t be the case. The driver who took us there also said that his fortune telling only takes the time it takes to drink a glass of wine and smoke a cigarette… I saw him drink it with my own eyes.”

"..."

"..."

The two were speechless.

No one can convince anyone.

After all, they had all "witnessed" Anxin drinking.

After the meal, Wang Shuo returned to his room by himself.

Xu Jinglei returned after he had finished showering in a daze.

Wrapped in a large bath towel, he asked, puzzled:
"What are you doing?"

Xu Jinglei said directly:
"Shall we go too?"

"Why go?"

"Go to Fusong to find peace of mind."

"I'm not going."

Wang Shuo rolled his eyes.
"I don't believe in this stuff. Didn't you hear what Xiao Gang said? It's several hours' drive, so far away, what's the point? Besides, the way they're doing fortune-telling is so secretive, it's just like those charlatans with gold skin and blood on their hands, trying to entice you with something... I'm not saying this, but An Xin's actions are really unethical..."

"I'd like to have my marriage fortune told with you."

Xu Jinglei had gotten used to her boyfriend's stubborn and opinionated style.

They don't even think there's anything wrong with this kind of independent thinking.

but……

Since it concerned their future, she wanted to have it calculated.

"Uh……"

Wang Shuo, who had been so determined, was suddenly stunned.

As the alcohol took effect, he was somewhat dizzy, but his mind remained clear.

After all, I didn't drink too much.

Looking into Xu Jinglei's firm and affectionate eyes, his original heroic ambition turned into tenderness.

He opened his arms, and after his girlfriend came over, he hugged her and said with a smile:

"Okay, let's go then. But... let me make this clear first, I don't believe in this stuff, I'm just going with you."

“You should also consider this. We’ve had a really tough year, with one film banned and another ordered to stop filming… Let’s see if we can turn our luck around.”

"……Row."

He suddenly laughed.

Xu Jinglei hugged him tightly.

Wang Shuo heard a sentence in his ear:

"But I'm also afraid the calculation will turn out badly..."

"Ha, I don't believe in that stuff anyway."

"……hey-hey."

"Haha~ Go take a shower, baby, you smell so good..."

……

26 number.

"Escape to the west?"

Xu Jinglei looked puzzled as her boyfriend walked out.

Wang Shuo casually crumpled the half-sheet of yellow paper into a ball and laughed:

"I don't know if this is telling me to go west or to the Western Paradise. Fine, I told you, it's a complete waste of time. Go ahead, hurry up. I've figured it out, this kid's no different from those lousy fortune tellers..."

Before he could finish speaking, Xu Jinglei had already pinched his mouth shut with her hand:

"Keep your voice down!"

She gave Wang Shuo a reproachful look, then went inside.

Wang Shuo, on the other hand, nonchalantly tossed the half-written yellow paper aside.

He sighed inwardly, realizing that he had truly wasted his time this time.

A moment later, Xu Jinglei came out.

he asked:
"How did it go? What did you say?"

"...I didn't calculate it."

Xu Jinglei suddenly shook her head.

Wang Shuo was taken aback:
Why doesn't it count?

"Fine, then forget it. Let's go, I don't want to stay here anymore."

"Well……"

After looking at her with a puzzled expression for a while, Wang Shuo nodded:
"Let's go."

He was in front, and Xu Jinglei was behind.

His brows were furrowed.

Fate or no destiny...

How could there be a case of being destined to meet but not to be together!

I love him.

He loves me.

How could there be a case of being destined to meet but not to be together?!

"Hey, don't you think we're being stupid? Three or four hundred kilometers, what's the point of all this trouble? It's really a hassle. This kid is a complete idiot..."

"..."

Hearing her boyfriend's words, Xu Jinglei did not refute them this time.

Yes.

Why are you here all of a sudden?

Recalling the half of the yellow paper she had thrown away, Xu Jinglei subconsciously clenched her fist.

The fingernails dug deeper and deeper into the flesh of the palm.

When An Xin didn't see Xu Jinglei and Wang Shuo that night, he vaguely understood what the two were thinking.

In fact, it’s not their fault.

After all, one was seeking a marriage partner, and the other was asking about their career, but both of their divination results were quite unfavorable.

One was destined to be together but ultimately separated. The other was born in a year of great misfortune and fled far to the west.

It's absolutely terrible.

The memories from before his rebirth also corroborate this.

It's understandable that the two of them are unhappy.

It doesn't matter if I feel at ease.

It's perfectly normal for others to come and go in his world; they can come and go as they please, treating him like a roadside inn.

Having witnessed the hearts of so many people, he had long since become indifferent.

Little year.

That day he officially ended everything.

It's customary not to consult divination or rituals during the first month of the lunar calendar.

He finally returned to his grandfather's house and could get some rest.

The grandfather and grandson didn't really feel the festive spirit, but fortunately, everyone in the village got along well, and they visited each other's homes, making it quite lively.

In addition, relatives visit from time to time.

He had a peaceful and uneventful New Year.

He even had a dream while staying up late on his 30th birthday, in which a group of old men and women were laughing and giving him candy.

As a result, early on New Year's Day, many dead, wandering chickens appeared in the courtyard...

Fine.

It can be considered as a sign of affection from family.

Already used to it.

Unfortunately, not long after I fell asleep, Fan Bingbing called.

"Don't worry, I wish you a Happy New Year."

"May you achieve great success in your career and realize your grand ambitions."

"May you reach 1.8 meters tall as soon as possible."

"Haha, remember to come back soon, Fan."

A series of vibrations and sounds disturbed his peaceful sleep. This spendthrift kid, treating his pager like a QQ account, doesn't even know how to save money. Even Liu Qiangdong, Ji Yuan, and Uncle Li joined in the New Year's greetings.

But as soon as he turned around, he curled up in the blankets and fell asleep again.

Erdaogou Village is his home; this mountain holds everything he has known since childhood. No matter what storms rage outside, they are irrelevant to him; it is the final haven for his soul.

He can always sleep most soundly here.

(This is the only update today, 6,000 words. I just resumed updating 10,000 words a day two days ago, and my back is killing me. It hurts terribly. I'm so sorry everyone.)
(End of this chapter)