“Brother Qiang, the boss wants to know why you haven’t shown up at work today!”

At a public phone booth, Wang Mingqiang held an ear of corn in one hand and the phone receiver in the other. “Tell the boss I’m not coming in today—I’ve got a hot lead to chase!”

“A hot lead? Everyone’s already covering the Taoist temple corpse case, and the boss is breathing down our necks!” His colleague glanced toward the office. “That guy Sun Ming is badmouthing you to the boss right now!”

Taking a bite of his corn, Wang Mingqiang waved dismissively at the person waiting behind him and said into the phone, “I know. That’s why I’m chasing this lead. Everyone’s reporting on the temple case, but we can’t just do the same thing. The scoop I’m chasing will blow everyone away! I guarantee we’ll sell 10,000 copies tomorrow!”

Before his colleague could press for details, Wang hung up.

Hong Kong’s media scene was packed with countless publications, both big and small, totaling hundreds. In such a densely populated area, even the slightest stir could draw the attention of the city’s entire paparazzi community. However, convincing the public to spend money on newspapers wasn’t easy. Only truly explosive stories—or tantalizing gossip—could drive sales into the tens of thousands.

“Master Gu of Temple Street… Master Gu…”

Munching on his breakfast as he walked, Wang asked around for the fortune-teller.

Luckily for him, Gu Xicao’s recent rise to fame made her fairly easy to locate. But when Wang spotted the young girl, barely seventeen or eighteen, sitting behind a table, he was stunned. Rubbing his eyes, he tugged on the sleeve of the student who had guided him. “Kid, are you sure that’s Master Gu?”

The student, chewing on a popsicle, nodded and pointed at Gu Xicao. “Yup, that’s her. My grandma says she’s super accurate. Yesterday, when those guys from the temple came to mess with her, the police showed up and arrested them. My grandma says she teamed up with the cops because she predicted someone would try to harm her.”

Could it really be that magical?

In over a decade as a paparazzo, Wang had seen it all—voodoo practitioners, haunted houses, you name it. Yet, he had never witnessed anything truly supernatural. Despite his skepticism, the student’s account left him intrigued.

Hiding his thoughts, Wang handed the boy ten yuan. “Thanks. You can go now.”

“Wow, thanks, mister! Want me to introduce you?” the boy offered, beaming.

“No need. Run along now,” Wang replied.

Though tabloid reporters often fabricated stories, the most successful scoops always had a kernel of truth. Determined to gather solid material, Wang moved to a discreet spot nearby, pretending to loiter while keeping a close eye on Gu Xicao’s stall.

It just so happened that Sun Jiaying arrived with a female colleague to consult the fortune-teller.

Her colleague seemed skeptical, asking, “Jiaying, is this fortune-teller legit? I don’t mind the money, but it has to be accurate.”

Patting her colleague on the shoulder, Jiaying replied confidently, “Trust me. I don’t exaggerate. Once you see Master Gu in action, you’ll understand. Master Gu, glad to catch you here today!”

Jiaying enthusiastically dragged her colleague over.

Looking up, Gu Xicao greeted them with a smile. “Hello! Taking a break from work today?”

“We’re in sales—our schedule’s more flexible. But I do have something important to ask you,” Jiaying said, nudging her colleague. “Meili, tell her!”

Lin Meili hesitated when she saw Gu Xicao, a flicker of doubt crossing her face. But Jiaying’s urging, coupled with their friendship, convinced her. “I want to ask about my boyfriend. He’s been on a business trip for over two weeks, and I haven’t heard from him. I’m really worried.”

“Your boyfriend? Alright. First, pay the fee. Then write down your names. Do you have a photo of him?” Gu Xicao asked, sensing Meili’s hesitation. To reassure her, she added extra steps to the process, ensuring the 188-yuan fee felt justified.

After writing their names, Meili pulled a photo from her wallet. “This is us. Do you need his birthdate too?”

Leaning casually against a nearby wall, Wang munched on a pudding cake while covertly observing the exchange.

Glancing at the photo, Gu Xicao said, “No need for that. I already have two pieces of news for you—one good, one bad. Which would you like first?”

Meili froze, exchanging a nervous glance with Jiaying. Her lips quivered as she asked hesitantly, “That fast? Don’t you need to perform a ritual or something?”

“A true master doesn’t need gimmicks,” Jiaying declared, now a staunch believer after her own experience.

Hearing this, Wang Laoshi, another fortune-teller nearby, let out a loud cough.

Jiaying turned toward him, embarrassed. “No offense, Master Wang. I wasn’t talking about you!”

Wang Laoshi merely grunted, refraining from further comment.

Meili hesitated briefly. “Alright. The good news first.”

“The good news is your boyfriend is safe and sound. In fact, he’s already back home,” Gu Xicao said.

“Really?!” Meili’s face lit up with a mix of joy and surprise. “Master, you’re not lying, are you? I’ll call him right now!”

“Why would I lie?” Gu Xicao spread her hands. “If you want, you can verify it by calling him now.”

Though initially skeptical, Meili found herself swayed by Gu Xicao’s confidence. Yet, her curiosity lingered. “What’s the bad news?”

“The bad news is,” Gu Xicao began with a faint smile, “he wasn’t missing during those two weeks. He was detained by the public security bureau in Pengcheng for soliciting prostitutes.”

Gu Xicao said sympathetically.

Cough, cough. Across from her, Wang Mingqiang nearly choked on his pudding cake upon overhearing the gossip. Feeling the eyes of Sun Jiaying and the others on him, he quickly turned away, coughing toward the wall.

“That’s impossible! Don’t say such things. My boyfriend loves me!”

Lin Meili’s expression darkened as she clutched the edge of the table. “Master, are you joking with me?”

“Joking? If I were joking, I wouldn’t say something like this.” Gu Xicao shook her head. “Your boyfriend is a truck driver, isn’t he?”

Lin Meili instinctively glanced at Sun Jiaying, who quickly interjected, “We only decided to come here on a whim today. How could I have told the Master about your boyfriend?”

Lin Meili thought about it and realized Jiaying was right. Jiaying hadn’t mentioned fortune-telling at all until that morning when Meili had expressed her concerns about her boyfriend’s disappearance.

They had been together the whole time since leaving the office, so there was no chance for Jiaying to contact the Master.

At this realization, Lin Meili’s face turned pale. “Yes, you’re right. He is a truck driver. But he’s different from others! He told me his colleagues might have mistresses in Pengcheng, but he’s never done anything like that.”

Hearing this, Wang Mingqiang, as a man, felt speechless. Only someone as gullible as Lin Meili could believe such excuses. A truly virtuous person wouldn’t even need to bring up what others were doing.

“You just take his word for it?” Sun Jiaying couldn’t contain her indignation. “Meili, are you stupid? If he got caught, it’s not his first time—just the first time he got caught!”

“No, it’s not possible. He’s not that kind of person,” Lin Meili muttered, visibly shaken and in denial.

“You can test it if you don’t believe me,” Gu Xicao suggested. “Call him and say you know his family bailed him out. See what he says.”

“Fine! I don’t believe Jia Ming would do this to me!”

With her thoughts in chaos, Lin Meili decided to verify it. She borrowed a phone from a nearby shop and dialed his number.

Ring, ring…

The phone rang incessantly.

Coming out of the bathroom, Zhao Jia Ming dried his hair with a towel. Hearing the phone ring, he called out, “Mom, get the phone!”

No one answered, so he reluctantly walked over to pick it up. “Hello?”

Hearing his voice, Lin Meili froze. She gripped the receiver tightly, her face filled with disbelief as she glanced back at Gu Xicao.

“How is it?” Sun Jiaying whispered.

“It’s Jia Ming’s voice,” Meili replied, her lips dry and her grip on the receiver whitening her knuckles.

“Who’s calling? Say something!” Zhao Jia Ming’s voice turned impatient.

Taking a deep breath, Meili finally said, “Jia Ming, it’s me.”

“Meili?!” Jia Ming stiffened, quickly standing upright. “Why are you calling? Don’t you have work today?”

“I… I was worried about you. It’s been over two weeks, and I haven’t heard anything from you,” Meili said, her voice trembling.

“Ah, why worry? Nothing happened to me. It’s just that this job took longer than expected because there was so much cargo,” Zhao Jia Ming explained casually, his mind racing.

The scent of grapefruit leaves lingered on him, a reminder of his two-week detention at the police station.

“You’re still lying to me. I know everything. Your family bailed you out. Isn’t that right?” Meili’s voice cracked, and tears welled up in her eyes.

On the other end of the line, Zhao Jia Ming’s expression shifted. “What are you talking about? Who told you such nonsense?”

“Don’t act dumb! I know everything. How could you do this to me—soliciting prostitutes?!”

Though soft-hearted, Meili wasn’t stupid. Jia Ming’s tone betrayed his guilt, confirming her suspicions.

Caught off guard, Jia Ming panicked. “Meili, it’s not what you think! It was my first time, and I didn’t even do anything! My colleagues dragged me into it. You have to believe me!”

Click!

Meili slammed the receiver down and burst into tears.

The shopkeeper and bystanders, including Wang Mingqiang, quickly busied themselves with other tasks, avoiding eye contact with Meili.

“Don’t cry over trash like him. He’s not worth it,” Jiaying consoled her.

“I know. I’ll break up with him,” Meili declared, wiping her tears. Turning to Gu Xicao, she added, “Thank you, Master, for showing me the truth.”

“No need to thank me. As women, we should look out for each other,” Gu Xicao said with a smile. “Men are like buses—if you miss one, another will come along. No need to be sad.”

Cough.

Wang Laoshi couldn’t help but let out another loud cough.

Gu Xicao turned to him with mock concern. “Master Wang, is your throat sore?”

“No. But don’t you think you’re being a bit too blunt? Buses?” Wang replied, exasperated.

“Fine, taxis then—whatever you prefer. Though, Master Wang, you’re more like an old car,” Gu Xicao teased.

Wang rolled his eyes, while Meili managed a small laugh despite her tears. “Thank you, Master Gu. Don’t worry—I’m not foolish enough to do anything rash.”

After exchanging phone numbers with Gu Xicao, Meili and Jiaying left together.

Having witnessed the entire scene, Wang Mingqiang felt like he’d struck gold. This fortune-teller’s accuracy was uncanny. The drama alone was enough to captivate readers, especially housewives.

With a broad grin, he approached the stall. “Master Gu, I’m a reporter from Today Times. Would you be open to an interview?”