Under everyone's gaze, Yan Shouyi slowly opened his mouth:
"Your surname is Chang, your given name is Guoliang. You are the third child at home, with two elder sisters above you. When you were six years old, you fell while walking, leaving a scar on your left leg. At twelve, you crashed your bicycle through the glass of a hair salon, resulting in a broken eyebrow. After starting school, you had three relationships, each of which was unforgettable. However, you eventually followed your family's arrangement and chose your current wife. Fortunately, you truly love her, and you two live in harmony, expanding your business. Currently, you should be in the clothing industry."
The man named Chang Guoliang showed surprise. He then cupped his fists again and said to Yan Shouyi with utmost conviction, "Mr. Yan is truly a divine strategist. Everything you have said is true!"
Chang Guoliang's change in address from "you" to "Mr." clearly indicated the shift in his attitude towards Yan Shouyi.
However, some people remained skeptical. Someone said, "Mr. Chang, these details about you could probably be known with a little investigation. This doesn't sufficiently prove Mr. Yan's abilities."
Chang Guoliang replied, "Very few people know about the scar on my left leg, and I have never told anyone the reason for my broken eyebrow. Of course, the most important point is that my two elder sisters… in fact, my eldest sister was given away by my parents shortly after birth. My parents only told me this before they passed away, and this secret is unknown even to my wife and children. If Mr. Yan were not a divine strategist, how could he possibly know about this?"
Upon hearing this, more than half of the attendees believed in Yan Shouyi's abilities, their faces showing admiration. The remaining half were still half-believing, pondering how they could stump Yan Shouyi.
At this point, Chang Guoliang said somewhat sheepishly, "Mr. Yan, may I ask another question?"
"You want to ask about your eldest sister's whereabouts, don't you?" Yan Shouyi stated directly. "I will answer this question for you free of charge, and it will not count towards your three questions."
Chang Guoliang was immediately filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Mr. Yan."
"I regret to inform you that your eldest sister has already passed away, two years ago. After being given away, she eventually moved abroad. Fortunately, her life was relatively happy and fulfilling. She had three children, two of whom have returned to China and are currently attending university in Yan Jing. The remaining one is working as a doctor abroad. Telling you this, if you still wish to reconnect with your eldest sister's children, with your capabilities, you should be able to find them, right?"
Upon hearing that his eldest sister had passed away, Chang Guoliang was very sad. However, when he heard that his eldest sister had lived a fulfilling life and had three children, he felt a little happier.
He bowed deeply to Yan Shouyi, apologized, and then went outside the banquet hall to make a phone call, presumably eager to reconnect with his eldest sister's descendants.
After Chang Guoliang's question, everyone felt a strong curiosity, with countless questions they wanted to ask Yan Shouyi.
But because the opportunity was precious, they couldn't think of what to ask for a while, so they could only pace anxiously, even drinking tea repeatedly to relieve their anxiety.
Yan Shouyi calmly sat in his chair, took another sip of tea, and said softly, "Next."
At this moment, a distinguished lady in a qipao, with a graceful demeanor, asked, "Mr. Yan, my question might be a bit tricky. I wonder if you can answer it."
Yan Shouyi smiled confidently, "Ask away."
"I am in the pharmaceutical industry, and I am getting on in years, planning to retire and pass on the mantle. I have eight children, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, so I don't know who to choose as my successor. If Mr. Yan can offer a reasonable suggestion, I will certainly adopt it, and I can also give Mr. Yan a generous gift in return."
Yan Shouyi paused and observed the lady. She appeared to be in her early forties at most, looking like she was in her thirties due to good maintenance.
A woman in her early forties, who had given birth to eight children, how did she manage it?
Liu Yiren observed Yan Shouyi's expression and chuckled inwardly. So there were things he didn't understand.
She then whispered in Yan Shouyi's ear, "Her name is Qian Meifang. She's never married, and all eight of her children were born through surrogacy abroad."
"There's… there's such a thing?" Yan Shouyi's mouth twitched.
His thinking was rather conservative, or perhaps naive. He always felt that using another person's body to have children was a strange practice.
But Yan Shouyi didn't dwell on it too much. He simply obtained the birthdates of Qian Meifang's eight children and began to calculate.
This time, he changed his method, no longer using the Four Pillars of Destiny, but instead opting for "Plum Blossom Divination"!
Plum Blossom Divination is an ancient method of fortune-telling, said to have been authored by the Song Dynasty I Ching scholar Shao Yong. It originated from Han I Ching, and it is a miraculous book that combines the I Ching with the study of imagery for divination.
Plum Blossom Divination relies on the numerical principles of the innate eight trigrams, namely Qian as one, Dui as two, Li as three, Zhen as four, Xun as five, Kan as six, Gen as seven, and Kun as eight. One can derive a hexagram at any time and place, with various methods of obtaining a hexagram, making it most suitable for calculating the future of these eight children.
Yan Shouyi dipped his finger in tea and drew hexagrams on the table, calculating something with his fingers as he drew.
Upon completing the calculations, Yan Shouyi was slightly surprised and looked up. "For the successor, give it to the eighth child."
The beautiful woman was astonished. "The eighth child is the youngest, and he rarely stays at home, always preferring to be out. He's the most unconventional one. Why does Mr. Yan suggest him?"
Yan Shouyi smiled, "The eighth child was born in the Xu month, lacking earthly support. The酉 (You) metal sits below, forming an Yi-Geng combination. The year pillar has Ding fire revealing itself. The first three pillars lack roots, and the hour pillar certainly has no foundation. Therefore, he is a special case of following wealth and officialdom. His fortune is noble. Looking at his major luck, Ding fire reveals itself in the heavens, and his journey through wealth, officialdom, and descendant stars are all very good. His fate is good, his luck is good, and his future is bright."
"I don't quite understand what you're saying..."
Not only the beautiful woman, but everyone else was also confused.
Many charlatans deliberately speak unclearly, making it incomprehensible. Therefore, if Yan Shouyi didn't provide an explanation, people wouldn't be convinced.
"Alas, let me put it another way."
Yan Shouyi sighed lightly and said, "The eighth child's financial luck arrived a year ago. Perhaps he has already earned a lot of money behind your back. If you don't believe me, you can call him and ask."
"Is… is that so?"
The beautiful woman couldn't believe it and immediately took out her phone to call her eighth child. She asked a lot of questions. At first, he refused to admit it and played dumb, but later confessed. The more the beautiful woman asked, the more shocked she became.
The eighth child, only twenty-one years old, was about to become the CEO of three listed companies, with a net worth already exceeding one billion!
Upon hearing this news, the beautiful woman was overjoyed, almost dancing in the banquet hall. Others also congratulated her, casting envious glances.
After all, among the people present, whose family didn't have a few prodigal sons...
Especially Sun Hao, who was looking at Sun Zhipeng with increasing displeasure, wishing he could kick him a few times to vent his anger.
As Yan Shouyi gained more and more trust, Sun Zhipeng's head sank lower and lower. However, he still held onto a sliver of hope, hoping that Yan Shouyi was a骗子 (piànzi - swindler), and that the next question would expose him, leading to public condemnation.
"You've calculated correctly again, you're amazing!" Liu Yiren couldn't help but praise Yan Shouyi.
Unexpectedly, Liu Zong, who was beside her, said sternly, "Yiyi, you must speak to your uncle with respect!"
Liu Yiren: "..."
Yan Shouyi quickly averted his gaze, not wanting to meet Liu Yiren's biting glare, while Grandpa Liu wore a smile.
What should he name his grandson?
"Cough, cough, the third question!"
To avoid awkwardness, Yan Shouyi quickly moved on to the next topic.
This time, everyone vied with each other, chattering incessantly, not wanting to miss the opportunity to have Yan Shouyi perform his divination.
"Mr. Yan, please calculate my financial luck for me. I can give you a lot of money!"
"Talking about money hurts feelings. Mr. Yan, I have a daughter who just turned eighteen this year. She's as beautiful as a flower, and I'm worried about finding her a good match. If you can calculate my official career path, I'll agree to marry my daughter to you!"
"I have two daughters at home!"
"I have three!"
"You're going too far! As if Mr. Yan cares! ... Mr. Yan, what about me?"
Seeing the increasingly absurd remarks, Yan Shouyi quickly called for them to stop.
When everyone quieted down, Yan Shouyi scanned the crowd and said, "This is your last chance, and it's very precious. How about this, I will choose the person who needs this opportunity the most and answer his question."
The person who needs this opportunity the most?
Everyone present needed this opportunity!
If the question asked by the person Yan Shouyi chose did not satisfy everyone, it was likely that no one would agree.
Grandpa Liu also showed concern, afraid that Yan Shouyi would mess up a good hand.
Yan Shouyi extended his finger and pointed to a middle-aged man sitting in the far corner of the banquet hall. "Sir, I can see that you need this opportunity very much."
The man was stunned, not expecting Yan Shouyi to single him out, and his face showed surprise.
Then, he became extremely excited, even walking to the center of the banquet hall. "Mr. Yan, thank you!"
He hadn't even asked his question yet, and he was already thanking him.
Everyone was somewhat displeased, and it showed on their faces. This man was named Wu Ligang, a nouveau riche. Among the residents of Zuihua, although his wealth ranked high, his status had never been recognized by everyone.
The main reason for this was Wu Ligang himself. He disliked excessive extravagance and lived a simple life, even to the point of being frugal. He drank cheap beer, liked to go down the mountain to eat skewers at roadside stalls, and sometimes went out in slippers. Unaware, one might mistake him for a security guard in Zuihua.
Wu Ligang was out of place in Zuihua's luxurious lifestyle, and everyone looked down on him, believing his character had not kept pace with his wealth.
The reason Wu Ligang was surprised was that he felt there were too many people present, and he would never get a chance to ask a question, so he hadn't spoken up.
Yan Shouyi said, "Actually, I know what you want to ask, which is why I chose you. However, others don't know, so you should still state it yourself."
Wu Ligang nodded and said straightforwardly, "I want to know when I can have children!"
Everyone was stunned, and then bursts of laughter erupted.
It turned out that Wu Ligang had problems in that area and couldn't have children!
No wonder this fellow always looked thin and gaunt, and had always kept to himself in Zuihua. His large villa was not even home to a relative or a servant.
So that was the reason!
Wu Ligang lowered his head and said, "When I was young, to save a child who had fallen into an ice hole and was drowning, my lower body was frozen, causing an illness. The doctor said my probability of successfully conceiving was very, very low, so low that it could be ignored... I've earned enough money in my life and have no other wishes, except to have a child to accompany me until I grow old! Mr. Yan, please guide me and tell me how I can have a child!"
Everyone shook their heads. Even Grandpa Liu was somewhat speechless. With such a great opportunity, Wu Ligang actually asked such a useless question.
If you can't have children, you should go to the hospital for an examination!
Wasting such a good opportunity was practically a crime!
Only Yan Shouyi did not show any contempt for Wu Ligang. He said softly,
"Actually, you have a child, but you just don't know it."
Wu Ligang was stunned. "Wh-what?"
"Do you remember your first love when you were twenty-two?"
"She… I remember! I remember! Are you implying… she gave me a child?"
Wu Ligang found it incredible.
He did indeed have a relationship with his first love, but later, due to some trivial matters, he broke up with her. He then went to Rongcheng to strive, gradually achieving his current status.
Although he still missed his first love, he didn't have the courage to look for her, thinking that after so many years, she must have already started a family.
However, he never expected that his one night of passion with his first love had resulted in her conceiving his child.
After so many years, the child must have already graduated, started working, and even started a family of his own…
And he, the father, had completely disappeared from this relationship.
"Your first love is now living in Li City with your son. Their lives were indeed very difficult in the first half of their lives, but your son is very successful. After graduating from university, he holds a senior position in a large company and now has his own house and car. And here's more good news: your son has found his life partner, and their wedding is next week. Perhaps if you find them now, it's still not too late to participate in your son's life and make some amends as a father." Yan Shouyi said with a smile.
Wu Ligang trembled all over with excitement, and at the same time, couldn't help but ask, "Why didn't she come to find me?"
"That, you should ask yourself. Perhaps it's because she no longer loves you, or perhaps she feels that you are too out of reach, too unattainable, and she doesn't have the courage to find you. It's also possible that she doesn't want you to think of her as a weak woman. If she had come to find you, you might have thought she only wanted your money."
After hearing Yan Shouyi's explanation, Wu Ligang couldn't help but shed tears.
It was hard to imagine how much hardship a person must endure to raise a child alone.
Even if he went to find them now, he had missed too much of their lives.
But no matter what, knowing that he had a child was enough for Wu Ligang. What he would do next was his own business.
"Mr. Yan, thank you, truly."
There were no excessive words, just a simple thank you, but it contained Wu Ligang's most sincere emotions.
Yan Shouyi nodded and said, "I have calculated the questions in everyone's hearts, most of them are about financial luck and careers, but in my eyes, only family affection is the most important, which is why I chose Mr. Wu."
As his words fell, thunderous applause filled the banquet hall.
Everyone had been deeply moved by Yan Shouyi's words. They no longer held any mockery or disdain. Their faces showed emotional resonance, and some even began to comfort Wu Ligang, offering to help him find his child together.
Their gazes towards Yan Shouyi were filled with admiration.
Yan Shouyi's choice received everyone's approval and respect.
Grandpa Liu's face showed a look of relief and happiness.
And Sun Zhipeng, who had repeatedly tried to make things difficult for Yan Shouyi from the very beginning, was now regarded with contempt and disdain by everyone.
Compared to Wu Ligang, a scoundrel like Sun Zhipeng was the one least fit to be in Zuihua!
Therefore, the way everyone looked at Sun Zhipeng became less friendly.
Sun Zhipeng did not dare to defy everyone and quietly lowered his head, sitting obediently behind his father.
He no longer intended to bring down Yan Shouyi but only wished to be able to hold his head high in Zuihua in the future.
Sun Hao sighed deeply and said to Sun Zhipeng, "It would be good if this incident could teach you a lesson. Our Sun family has developed to its current state, and we are considered quite good in Rongcheng. I do not expect further guidance from Mr. Yan, and Mr. Yan should not hold a grudge against you and act against our Sun family... In short, my son, be more mindful in the future!"
Sun Zhipeng's face was crestfallen, filled with shame.
Grandpa Liu was overjoyed and called for the butler, Uncle Zhong, to instruct the kitchen to promptly serve dishes and wine to the guests.
Yan Shouyi's presence today was already an overwhelming honor for Grandpa Liu. Later, Yan Shouyi displayed his exceptional abilities in front of everyone to help him, which was giving the Liu family immense face!
What made Grandpa Liu happiest was that he had inadvertently discovered the "illicit affair" between Yan Shouyi and Liu Yiren.
Good thing! Great thing!
It was a wonderful thing!
The guests were also happy to have met a person like Yan Shouyi, and the banquet gradually became lively.
But just then, a voice suddenly came from outside the banquet hall: "What a lively affair! The Liu family is hosting such a banquet, and they didn't invite me, Zhu Shanzao? Liu Mingzhi, you're quite something!"