Typically, Master Baili’s services consist of two parts: reading the heavens and controlling fortune. Reading the heavens involves providing clients with a detailed analysis of their fate, identifying lucky objects and potential disasters—how to leverage good fortune and how to avoid misfortune. Controlling fortune, on the other hand, involves using his abilities to enhance the client’s overall luck. His services are astronomically expensive, largely due to the fortune-control aspect. The fate analysis is more of an appetizer, though even that is priced at a flat rate of 40,000 yuan. Double the fee, as he had demanded, would come to 80,000.

Though to the wealthy, a five-figure sum might not be a big deal, Baili Xiao was aware that he hadn’t really provided Yu Jinghao with any service at all. The man’s fate was practically dripping with so much auspicious energy that it might as well have “Fortune God” written across his forehead. Despite Baili’s current physical form being that of a regular human, he had been nourished by a lifetime of absorbing fortune. Just meeting Yu Jinghao—even without draining his luck—left him feeling invigorated. Not charging for the encounter was still a win for him.

What Baili didn’t realize, however, was that he had successfully piqued Yu Jinghao’s interest. Demanding double the usual fee had been an impulsive reaction, driven by the irritation of being reduced to a mere fortune-teller in Yu’s eyes. He hadn’t actually expected Yu Jinghao to take him seriously.

In fact, he assumed that no sane person would actually transfer double the amount—until, just as he stepped out of the hotel, he received a text alert from his bank.

Baili Xiao glanced at the cold, impersonal message from the system, frowning slightly. He replayed his encounter with Yu Jinghao in his mind—deep, magnetic voice, ink-black eyes, tall, with impeccable taste. Nothing about the man suggested he was an idiot.

So why had he sent the money?

Baili Xiao felt a wave of irritation wash over him. Did he really need to take the initiative to contact Yu Jinghao’s assistant, explain his temper, and return the money?

The summer night in the capital was filled with the incessant sound of cicadas, which he usually ignored, but tonight it grated on his nerves. Closing his eyes to steady his breath, Baili tried to sense if anything was amiss, but everything around him felt normal. When he opened his eyes, the fortunes of the people passing by revealed themselves clearly to him, yet no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t discern his own fate.

Another strange occurrence. Gritting his teeth, he decided not to deal with the unexpected payment just yet. Perhaps the heat was clouding his mind, or maybe he had drawn too much fortune from that drunken man last night. Either way, he resolved to retreat and spend some time in quiet meditation before going back out into the world.

As for that ridiculous interview—

Just as the thought crossed his mind, his phone buzzed softly.

“Dear Sir, due to intense competition, we regret to inform you that you have not passed our assessment. [Oneworld International]”

—It seemed he didn’t need to perform any divination to confirm it: his luck had truly taken a nosedive.

Frustration surged through him. Ever since last night, nothing had gone right. He had absorbed that drunkard’s fortune, and while he hadn’t expected to win the lottery, he certainly hadn’t expected this much bad luck either.

It was truly unbelievable.

“Is something wrong, Master Baili?” A somewhat familiar voice suddenly came from behind him. Baili jumped slightly and turned around to find a black Porsche had silently pulled up behind him. The window was partially rolled down, and Yu Jinghao was behind the wheel, his well-defined knuckles resting elegantly on the steering wheel. When he met Baili’s gaze, he seemed momentarily taken aback.

Baili realized too late that he had removed his mask and instinctively tried to put it back on, only to quickly realize it was too late for that.

This person was truly persistent.

He snorted coldly, intending to turn and leave, but the next second, the black Porsche glided silently to his side, the familiar scent of citrus wrapping around him once again. The rich yet subtle aroma instantly dispelled his irritation.

Yu Jinghao suddenly smiled—”Need a ride?”

When he smiled, he didn’t come across as a cold, elite member of high society; instead, he seemed warmer than the sun, yet not overly so.

Baili hesitated for a moment, and then Yu Jinghao added, “I was rude earlier; let’s talk properly. I’d like you to elaborate on my fate. I have many friends who are interested in your services. How about we discuss it further?”

It was a reasonable request that was hard to refuse.

Baili let out a soft sigh. He had to admit that Yu Jinghao hadn’t truly offended him. Plus, being around this man genuinely felt more comfortable.

After all, he was someone meant to be sustained by an unending flow of fortune, and since he had encountered this living deity, it would be a waste not to take advantage of it.

So, Baili Xiao got into the car.

Yu Jinghao naturally rolled up the window, turned on the air conditioning, and asked, “Where do you live?”

Baili paused for a moment; he didn’t want to reveal his actual address. So he thought for a bit and, almost on a whim, said, “Let’s go to Oneworld International.”

The man beside him seemed to fall silent for a second. “Oneworld International?”

“Yes.” Baili had no intention of explaining further. He closed his eyes to calm his mind for a few seconds, then sighed softly and said, “Since you’ve actually paid the fee, I’ll take a look at your fortune. Your fate is indeed of high quality, so you don’t need to worry too much. I can check your recent star positions.”

Yu Jinghao merely nodded. “Okay.”

Baili knew he was likely still viewed as a fraud in Yu Jinghao’s eyes, but since he had taken the money, he felt he should uphold some professional ethics. So he concentrated, closing his eyes in meditation. After a moment, he opened his eyes in surprise and turned his head to silently observe Yu Jinghao’s profile.

“What’s wrong with me?” Yu Jinghao couldn’t help but laugh.

Baili shook his head, suppressing the turmoil within him, and said softly, “Your astrological chart looks excellent. Most ordinary people have only one main star in their fate; typically, those with strong fortunes have a primary star in a favorable position, while those with weaker fortunes have a minor star. As for your main star…” He paused for a moment and slowly continued, “It’s the Seven Star position, the Big Dipper.”

“Oh? That sounds quite rare.”

“Indeed,” Baili Xiao said, unconsciously biting his lip. Since his birth, he had carried the burden of the Baili family’s legacy and its rise and fall, and he had calculated the fate of countless Baili familysmen. He had only seen the Big Dipper once before.

That was him.

His teacher had said that such a fate was unique, with no parallels in a thousand years, and he believed it wholeheartedly, never considering he would meet someone like himself.

So, did the fluctuations in his fortune today have anything to do with Yu Jinghao? Two people with completely identical main stars could either be perfectly harmonious or be natural nemeses of each other.

While he was lost in thought, the person beside him asked, “You mentioned my Red Luan star is moving—what is the Red Luan star?”

“The Red Luan star governs love and relationships. Have you encountered someone you admire recently?”

Yu Jinghao paused for a moment at this, his eyes crinkling with a deeper smile as he replied meaningfully, “Someone I admire… Hmm… I’ve never really thought about that.”

“Not even one?”

“None.”

“That’s impossible.” Baili Xiao immediately replied, “Absolutely impossible.”

He wasn’t some street fortune-teller relying on wild guesses. Observing destinies and controlling fortunes were innate abilities he possessed as a descendant of the divine, and he could never be wrong.

“Don’t be anxious,” Yu Jinghao glanced at him and said, “I believe in your divination. The moving Red Luan star… Hmm… it does make a lot of sense.”

Makes sense, my foot.

Baili Xiao rolled his eyes in silence, clearly sensing that Yu Jinghao had never taken his divination seriously from the start. After a moment of thought, he added, “If that person hasn’t appeared yet, they are certainly going to show up soon.”

Just then, they reached a red light, and Yu Jinghao stopped the car. Without dwelling on the previous topic, he shifted the conversation, asking, “So, are you a staff member at Oneworld International, or… an artist?”

Baili Xiao raised an eyebrow. “Why do you ask?”

“I just think you’re good-looking. It would be nice for you to be a star; being a staff member seems a bit beneath your talents.”

Baili Xiao chuckled lightly and replied, “I think what you said makes a lot of sense.”

He wouldn’t tell Yu Jinghao that it was indeed a world that prioritized appearances, and he hadn’t even managed to sign on as a trainee.

Just thinking about it made him feel frustrated.

Oneworld International was not far from the hotel where he was staying, and soon enough, Baili Xiao found himself back in front of the familiar building. Yu Jinghao parked the car smoothly at the front entrance and handed him a bottle of sparkling water. “Baili Xiao, it was a pleasure purchasing your services. See you next time.”

Baili Xiao accepted the bottle of sparkling water. “Thank you, but you have plenty of good fortune. I don’t think we need to meet again.”

Yu Jinghao merely smiled, nodded politely, and started the car. The black Porsche glided silently and smoothly past him, causing no discomfort for those outside.

Baili Xiao, for some reason, found himself standing there watching the car disappear around the corner, lost in thought.

…

At midnight, having just returned home and taken a shower, Baili Xiao, as usual, opened Weibo with damp fingers.

“@Baili Celestial Master: Tomorrow, the Celestial Queen Star is in decline; avoid building temples, getting married, or setting up beds. The Ziwei Constellation is currently unstable; rituals may be performed, but refrain from other matters. Additionally: the shop will be undergoing maintenance, with reopening details to follow.”

He clicked send, watching the retweets rapidly climb, but feeling somewhat gloomy inside.

Before his shower, he had divined once more and found his fortune shrouded in confusion, increasingly difficult to discern. The only comfort was that, although he couldn’t currently read today’s fortunes, he sensed his luck was becoming more robust. Despite the slight irritability he felt, overall, things should be fine.

With a sigh, Baili Xiao was about to close his eyes and sleep when his phone, resting on the pillow, suddenly vibrated. It was an unknown caller.

It was past midnight, and he had no friends in this world—who could be calling him?

After hesitating for a moment, he pressed the answer button. “Hello, may I ask who this is?”

“Hello, is this Mr. Baili Xiao?”

“It is.”

“This is the Human Resources Department of Oneworld International. Congratulations, you’ve passed our interview! When would you be available to come in for a meeting? There are many matters to discuss, including the contract period, development path, and management team…”

Baili Xiao was a bit dazed. “But I received a rejection message for the trainee assessment.”

“That is indeed the case, but because your qualifications are exceptional, we’ve decided to consider signing you directly as an artist.” The response was very straightforward.

“I see. Okay, I’m available for a meeting anytime.”

Baili Xiao calmly accepted the invitation and hung up the phone.

—Though this could be considered good news, he still sensed something amiss. After having a string of bad luck all day, he knew this couldn’t possibly be a stroke of fortune.

So, Baili Xiao set down his phone and walked back to the window, drawing the curtains open. The dark night sky was adorned with brilliant lights, and the city of Beijing was calm, looking no different from usual.

His gaze drifted across the scattered stars above, fixating on the northernmost part of the night sky—

The seven stars of the Big Dipper were shining brighter than ever.