Divine Calculation Hall.
Ji Heng wasn't there today; only Qian Fugui was guarding the door. "Good morning, Master."
"Good morning, Fugui." Lin Xi stepped into the room.
The elderly men and women arrived early after receiving the news. Upon seeing him enter, they all stood up and shouted, "Good morning, Master!"
Their movements were synchronized and their tone was precise, just like students greeting their teacher in class.
Lin Xi raised her hand, "Good morning, everyone, please sit down."
The elderly folks sat down obediently.
"Master, I haven't been able to eat or sleep well these past few days since you last came. I've been waiting for you here every day."
"Oh, me too, I don't even have the energy to eat sunflower seeds."
Lin Xi glanced at her and said, "Aunt He, eat less sunflower seeds, or you'll get blisters on your lips."
"It's alright, I've brewed some herbal tea." Aunt He held a bamboo fan in her left hand and a thermos in her right.
“My mother used to run a cold dish shop in Lingnan, and she passed down the recipe.”
“Use honeysuckle, houttuynia cordata, cassia seed, mint, poria cocos, and other 24 kinds of Chinese medicine to boil for half an hour, and boil four bowls of water down to one bowl.”
"It's mid-June now, and the weather is getting hotter. If you need anything, just take it; it's free."
Aunt He took out a disposable cup. "Master, please give it a try."
Lin Xi took a sip and smacked her lips.
It's bitter, sweet, and astringent, with an indescribable strange taste. After drinking it, your whole mouth tastes like Chinese medicine.
Qian Fugui tried a small bite, and his face contorted in disgust. "This taste... is amazing!"
The other elderly men and women were very curious, so they poured some in to taste it, and immediately put on masks of pain.
"Oh my, this smell! If you want to poison us, just say so."
Aunt He laughed so hard she bent over, "You can't savor herbal tea, you just gulp it down."
Lin Xi drank a bottle of water to wash away the bitterness in her mouth. "Alright, let's begin today's fortune telling."
Qian Fugui called out names, "First one, Li Zihan."
"I am here."
Li Zihan was a young girl who walked in arm in arm with a middle-aged woman.
"Girl, don't trouble the master with this." The middle-aged woman leaned outwards, clearly wanting to leave.
Li Zihan objected, "No, this matter must be clarified."
Liu Peilan was resisting with all her might, saying, "We should keep our family matters to ourselves behind closed doors."
The elderly men and women raised their hands, saying, "We can leave if necessary."
They have principles when it comes to gossiping: they only eat the gossip that's appropriate, and they quickly get rid of the gossip that's not.
"No need. Let all you uncles and aunties be the judge." Li Zihan's attitude was firm. "Mom, after what my brother said, do you still expect him to succeed? Won't you still have to rely on me?"
"Listen to me, get to the bottom of this."
Liu Peilan froze on the spot, remaining silent.
Li Zihan took out a family photo and asked directly, "Master, I want to ask, are my younger brother and my father biological father and son?"
The question immediately caused an uproar among the onlookers.
"If the younger brother isn't Dad's child, then whose is he?"
"Huh?! This mother and daughter self-destructed?"
"No, no, no, based on my years of experience as a gossip follower, this is definitely going to be very explosive."
Everyone strained to listen; Qian Fugui's CPU had burned out.
Let's assume these two are a mother and daughter, and the younger brother is also a biological brother, but the younger brother is not the father's child...
No, he can't think anymore.
Lin Xi calmly took the photo, saying, "Your brother and father are father and son."
Li Zihan was furious. "Damn it! I knew it! How could they do this?!"
A flicker of surprise crossed Liu Peilan's eyes. Undeterred, she asked again, "Is Tao Tao really his child?"
"Yes." Lin Xi frowned slightly. "The relationships within your family are quite complicated."
The daughter is related to both her father and mother by blood, but the younger brother is only related to his father by blood and has no relation to his mother at all.
Lin Xi asked, "Is your younger brother your father's illegitimate son?"
“No.” Li Zihan took a deep breath. “My younger brother was adopted by my parents. He is the son of my mother’s best friend.”
My mother has a best friend from childhood, Liu Meixin.
The two women share the same surname and were brothers in their great-grandfather's generation. They were very close and could talk about anything.
Liu Meixin married her father early on, marrying an honest and simple man.
Later, sigh...
Li Zihan sighed, her mind a jumbled mess. "Master, Dad cheated on Mom with her best friend?"
"Hmm." Lin Xi didn't know what word to use to describe it, "Your family... is amazing."
Liu Peilan cried, "I raised Tao Tao for fifteen years, and they lied to me for fifteen whole years!!"
Li Zihan clenched her fists and shouted angrily, "These two bitches have been having an affair behind my back, making my mother feel guilty for fifteen years."
The two bastards refer to her father and Liu Meixin.
Her mother suffered severe postpartum hemorrhage during childbirth, which damaged her body and rendered her unable to have children again.
Li Zihan is a girl. Her father always wanted a boy, and her mother couldn't have any more children.
My father always lamented, "The Li family line has ended with my generation. How will I face my ancestors after I pass away?"
"Liu Peilan, you have cut off the Li family's lineage!"
The mother blamed herself, "If only I could give birth..."
At this time, Liu Meixin became pregnant. She suggested, "Peilan, I already have a son. I want to have a daughter this time. If it's another big, healthy boy, I'll give him to you to raise. You'll be just missing a son."
Mom had this idea. "Are you serious?"
Liu Meixin: "Really, we are best friends. My son is your son. You can't live without a son these days. What if your man finds someone else to have a child with?"
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