Chapter 26: Favorable to the Southwest, Unfavorable to the Northeast

Jing Xi spent the whole night thinking.

If this man named Huang was really involved in something shady…

Then Liu Chun was most likely in that so-called karaoke hall of his.

But if she went there, could she guarantee her own safety?

Jing Xi wasn’t sure. She did have her secret space, but it could only hide her—it wouldn’t help her take someone else out.

She also didn’t know how to fight. Even protecting herself would be a challenge.

How could she help the Liu family find Liu Chun while ensuring her own safety?

Before, she had deliberately caused trouble in the village, provoking Wu Dazhuang, all to test their limits.

But now, she was at a loss.

The Liu couple had treated her well, and she genuinely wanted to help them.

She didn’t sleep a wink that night, and as dawn approached, she finally had an idea.

She thought of Old Man Xia.

It was said that in ancient times, wealthy families would use divination to locate runaway servants who had signed contracts of servitude.

Could she ask him for guidance too?

Even while believing in science, there was no harm in trying something different. What if it actually worked?

Seeking the Old Man’s Help

Early the next morning, Jing Xi steamed a fresh batch of buns and carried them to Old Man Xia’s house.

If you’re asking for a favor, you should bring a gift.

With a basket of warm, fragrant buns in hand, she hadn’t even reached the Xia household when she spotted Xia Lidong, the old man’s eldest son, standing by the roadside.

As soon as he saw her, he grinned widely.

“Comrade Xiaojing, here you are!”

Jing Xi was surprised. It almost felt like he had been expecting her.

“Uncle Xia, did you know I was coming?”

Xia Lidong nodded. “After breakfast, my father told me to come out and wait for a guest. I had only been out for five minutes when you showed up.”

Jing Xi was stunned. This old man was something else!

“Grandpa Xia really is incredible.”

“Haha, come on in. He’s waiting for you inside.”

Jing Xi followed Xia Lidong into the house and saw Old Man Xia casually playing with a pair of walnuts in his hands.

Even in different eras, people still enjoyed working walnuts smooth.

As soon as she entered, the old man stopped fiddling with them.

She greeted him politely. “Grandpa Xia.”

The old man grinned. “So, you’ve come! This morning, I woke up and saw a few dried leaves on my windowsill. I calculated and figured out that an important guest would be visiting today!”

Jing Xi was astonished. Important guest? What kind of “important guest” was she? She was just an orphan.

This old man sure knew how to joke.

But since she was already here…

“To be honest, I came to ask for your help with something.”

Instead of responding right away, the old man stood up and glanced at the basket. “You brought a basket? What’s inside? Steamed buns?”

Jing Xi nodded and quickly set the basket down. She had rushed over, so the buns were still warm.

Xia Lidong chuckled. “No wonder he insisted on having steamed buns for breakfast.”

Jing Xi immediately picked up a warm bun and handed it to Old Man Xia. “Try one! I just steamed them this morning—they’re still hot!”

The old man took the bun, and before even taking a bite, the rich wheat aroma filled the air.

One bite in—soft yet firm, full of flavor. With just two chews, the fragrance lingered in his mouth. He didn’t even need anything else to go with it—he ate the whole bun as it was.

His appetite was impressive.

“Delicious! I love these solid yet fluffy buns. Just one fills you up. Child, why don’t you open a shop selling these? That way, I can have them every day!”

Jing Xi laughed. She hadn’t taken his words seriously at first. “If you like them, I’ll bring you some whenever I steam a new batch.”

“Such a good deal?”

Jing Xi’s eyes twinkled. “Of course! But in return, I need your help with something.”

The old man chuckled. “This divination fee is quite satisfactory. Lidong, take the buns—I’ll cast a reading for this child.”

Jing Xi was delighted. She hadn’t expected him to agree so easily.

She had worried that he might have a lot of rules and conditions, but it turned out she had luck on her side today.

She handed the basket to Xia Lidong.

Old Man Xia casually grabbed a few walnuts and tossed them onto the heated brick bed.

He didn’t ask for a birthdate or any personal details.

Instead, Xia Lidong quickly provided a direction.

Jing Xi couldn’t understand their cryptic discussion, but she could see the walnuts scattered randomly on the brick bed, seemingly without pattern.

Old Man Xia murmured a few words before speaking. “Child, you’re asking on someone else’s behalf today.”

Jing Xi nodded.

The old man paused for a few seconds, then added, “You’re looking for someone?”

She nodded again.

But when she saw the old man’s expression turn serious, she started feeling uneasy.

“Child, do you understand the principles of the I Ching and the Five Elements?”

Jing Xi shook her head. “Not at all.”

“No worries. I’ll explain, and you can take it as a reference.”

“This divination falls under the Jian hexagram, the thirty-ninth of the sixty-four hexagrams. The original meaning of this hexagram refers to a lame person struggling to walk—encountering danger, facing numerous difficulties.”

Jing Xi remained silent, listening carefully.

“This hexagram is extremely inauspicious. It suggests that the person you are concerned about is currently in trouble.”

‘Heavy rain floods the ground, snow blankets the sky.
Travelers on the road suffer, bitter and cold.
Dragging through mud, exhausting all effort,
Things do not go as planned—patience is key.’

Jing Xi wasn’t ignorant. With a basic grasp of classical Chinese, she could more or less decipher the meaning.

Her heart sank. “So… there’s really no hope?”

“Not necessarily.”

The old man stood up again, rubbing his walnuts between his hands.

“In this world, everything is constantly changing. Joy can turn to sorrow, but misfortune can also transform into fortune. The same applies to this divination—it has multiple variables.”

“So… you’re saying it hasn’t reached the worst possible outcome yet?”

Old Man Xia didn’t answer right away. Instead, he said, “Jian—favorable in the southwest, unfavorable in the northeast. Beneficial to meet a superior, divination shows good fortune. Go check the southwest; you will gain something. But don’t act too hastily. The one in question is not in mortal danger and is still in this area, just temporarily trapped. Head southwest, wait for the right opportunity, and contact the authorities. You might be able to capture them all in one go.”

“But remember, you must go alone! There is a fateful opportunity waiting for you there.”

=====

Jing Xi walked out of the Xia household in a daze.

She was a firm believer in materialism.

However, fortune-telling wasn’t entirely about idealism either. The universe followed patterns, and fortune-telling was just another way to predict those patterns—a kind of ancient science.

But…

Old Man Xia had said a lot, yet the most important part she remembered was that she had to go southwest, alone, and there was an opportunity for her there.

“Favorable in the southwest, unfavorable in the northeast.”

But the town center was in the northeast.

Contact the authorities—did that mean notifying the police station?

Jing Xi wasn’t entirely sure, but she decided to give it a try.

She went straight to the Liu household and told them about her fortune-telling session with Old Man Xia.

Liu Jianchang and Zhang Rui didn’t really believe in such things, but at this point, hearing Jing Xi speak so confidently about a possible lead, they clung to it like a lifeline.

She didn’t go into too much detail, only saying that Old Man Xia’s reading indicated that Liu Chun was currently safe and still in town, just temporarily trapped. She advised them to wait at home for police updates.

Jing Xi also casually found an excuse to inform the Liu couple that she wouldn’t be able to help with deliveries for the next few days as she had personal matters to attend to.

The Next Day

Jing Xi first went to the police station to find Li Tao, suggesting they focus on searching areas of town they hadn’t checked before and to put up more missing person notices. Then, she set off and took a bus southwest.

The southwest region was still part of the city, specifically a secondary center called Nan Town, the wealthiest small town in the area.

This place had two large coal mines, countless small coal mines, an iron mine, as well as oil fields, cement factories, and other industries.

As a result, it was more prosperous than the town where Jing Xi lived.

It was a working-class town.

In this era, resource-based cities were still thriving.

With an introduction letter from her village, she checked into a small hotel in the center of Nan Town.

The moment she arrived, she noticed missing person notices posted at the entrance of the hotel.

One of them had Liu Chun’s picture.

“That was put up by the police station. These are all the recently missing girls. Guest, please take a look—if you’ve seen or encountered any of them, you can provide the police with a tip. There’s a reward for it!”

The receptionist made sure to remind her, as if completing a task.

Jing Xi nodded. “Ma’am, to be honest, a child from my village has gone missing too.”

Hearing this, the receptionist sighed, “Ah, these days, there are too many bad people! Young lady, are you traveling alone? Be extra careful out there!”

“Mhm, I’m out here running some errands on my own. There’s no other choice.”

“I understand, I understand. Sigh, where are you from?”

“I’m from Bei Town.”

“Oh, so you’re from Bei Town! I thought you sounded like a local, but I don’t recall seeing you around. This town isn’t big, and the population is small. With people coming and going, faces become familiar quickly. And recently, a few girls have gone missing here too—poor parents crying their hearts out. Just thinking about it makes me anxious!”

“Exactly! Well, I won’t trouble you any longer. I’ll head up to my room now.”

The receptionist kept talking as Jing Xi walked away. “Go on, go on. I hope all these girls are found soon! Such a tragedy, really.”

After entering her room, Jing Xi walked to the window and took in the view of the town. It truly was more prosperous than Bei Town, though it was still just a small town.

She was about to close the curtains when she suddenly noticed a restaurant diagonally across from her hotel.

It was called Hong’s Restaurant.