Volume One, Chapter 36: The Divine Calculations of Natural Evolution

Outside the Su family’s high wall, Eric had already vaulted over and escaped. He’d barely taken two steps before colliding with a young man.

Li Jinghou was knocked clean off his feet and landed hard on his backside, cursing, “Who the heck are you? Are you blind? Didn’t you see someone was here?”

Eric fell straight to the ground and expired on the spot, departing this world with remarkable speed.

Li Jinghou was pinned under Eric’s body. With a mighty twist, he shoved Eric aside.

“Ugh… why is my luck so rotten?” Li Jinghou sat on the ground in defeat, unable to hold back his tears.

At that moment, Su Yike and Jiang Chen, who were strolling nearby, heard the sound of crying outside the gate and peeked out curiously.

“Hey, this kid looks familiar,” Jiang Chen remarked as he leaned over the gate for a better look. Su Yike made a surprised noise.

“Hey, little brother? What are you doing here?” Su Yike recognized the newcomer as the son of her father’s sworn brother, Li Chuanzhong—a boy she’d grown up with.

Li Jinghou, who had been holding himself together, instantly lost his composure at the sight of Su Yike. His tears fell freely, as though they cost nothing.

“Sis, I’m so unlucky, I can’t take it anymore…” Seeing Li Jinghou on the verge of a breakdown, Su Yike hurried over, helped him up, and dusted off his clothes.

She looked at him with obvious distaste but still wiped his nose for him. “Come on, be a man. Don’t fall apart like this. Anyway, you’re just in time for dinner. Let’s go inside and eat.”

Li Jinghou didn’t pay much attention to Jiang Chen, assuming he was just a friend of Su Yike’s. Jiang Chen, however, found him increasingly familiar and then realized he was the one who’d raced cars with him the other day.

Who would have guessed this notorious young rascal was acquainted with Su Yike? And they seemed to get along quite well.

Just then, Su Chenglong entered with the chef. He was both surprised and delighted to see Li Jinghou.

At the dining table, Li Jinghou took a big bite of a chicken leg before finally speaking. “Uncle, you have to help me. There’s no one else I can turn to.”

Su Chenglong poured a full glass of wine for Jiang Chen and replied unhurriedly, “Jinghou, if you want to start a business, I can help. But if you’re looking for some girl, that’s beyond me.”

From his tone, it was obvious this wasn’t the first time the boy had caused such trouble.

Jiang Chen watched the drama unfold, amused. He let his hand rest wherever it pleased, and after a moment, he realized it landed on a pair of soft, fair thighs. He looked down and discovered his hand was resting on Su Yike’s lap.

Feeling guilty, Jiang Chen tried to sneak a glance at Su Yike. The moment he turned his head, he saw her face as red as if she’d just stepped out of a hot spring.

No protest must mean consent, Jiang Chen thought, so he didn’t withdraw his hand.

Li Jinghou wiped his tears. “Uncle, I need you to find someone for me. It’s a man.”

“A man?” Su Yike echoed.

“A man?!” Su Chenglong was incredulous.

“Huh? A man works too?” Jiang Chen muttered.

Li Jinghou glared at them all. “I’m asking you to help me find someone, that’s all!”

“Right, right, let’s eat,” they all said hastily, eager to escape the awkwardness.

As always, it took an elder to break the deadlock. Su Chenglong asked, “Well, he must have a name. Without a name, how can we help you? And you should have a reason for looking for him.”

Li Jinghou’s expression grew mournful as he recalled his troubles. “Uncle, to tell you the truth, I’ve been plagued by bad luck for half a month—slipped in the bath, got my foot run over, got reported for drag racing, even got cheated on… I’m doomed.”

Jiang Chen felt genuinely guilty. At least one of those mishaps was his fault—he was the one who’d reported the drag race.

The more awkward a person feels, the more their hands fidget. As Jiang Chen fidgeted, Su Yike’s cheeks grew even redder.

“Yike, why’s your face so red? Are you feeling unwell?” Jiang Chen asked casually. Su Yike shot him a deadly glare and knocked his hand away.

Li Jinghou didn’t notice their awkwardness and continued, “Later, I met an old beggar who told me a poem—there was a name in it. He told me to find this person; that he was my boss and I should follow him.”

Su Chenglong was skeptical. “An old beggar who can tell fortunes? Sounds pretty far-fetched.”

Li Jinghou shook his head vehemently. “Not at all! He’s amazing. I didn’t believe him either, but he figured out I had kidney problems.”

Jiang Chen nearly choked on his food.

“Um, I have a question, though I’m not sure if I should ask…” Su Yike said, trying not to laugh.

Li Jinghou guessed she was about to tease him and held up his hand. “Let me finish—he also knew that when I was five, I clung to a pretty lady’s leg and wouldn’t let go.”

A welfare group for beginners, Jiang Chen thought to himself.

He’d done much the same as a child, and if he ever had a son, he might well continue the tradition.

Su Chenglong finally asked, “So what did the poem say?”

Li Jinghou stood and recited:

“Like rolling waves reflecting the sky’s light,
The Star of Chen gleams with dazzling might.
Whose talent and charm could ever compare?
With graceful bearing, he soars through the air.”

Su Chenglong stroked his chin and commented, “The poem itself is nothing special, but the person described is certainly spirited.”

Li Jinghou nodded in agreement. “Right? I think this ‘Tailor’ must be quite something, though the name sounds like a profession.”

Su Chenglong stood up and knocked him on the forehead. “That’s what you get for skipping your lessons. Sure, the poem mentions those characters, but you can’t just string them together any way you like. Look at what you came up with!”

Li Jinghou pouted, “Isn’t that right? So is his name Jiang Chen Tailor?”

Su Chenglong felt like telling his old friend to give up on this hopeless case altogether.

With everything spelled out, if Li Jinghou didn’t catch on now, he’d truly be a fool.

“Jiang Chen? Yes! Jiang Chen! That’s who I’m looking for!” Li Jinghou exclaimed, finally realizing.

When Jiang Chen heard the poem, he was momentarily stunned. Then he understood: his master, the Grand Diviner of Destiny, had gone out of his way to help him.

A wave of emotion washed over him, and Jiang Chen could only stuff his mouth with food to suppress it.

His fifth master, Yuan Chunfeng—the Grand Diviner—was always shabbily dressed, but Jiang Chen had spent more time with him than with any other teacher. Back then, the two of them were penniless and could only beg on the streets. The old man spent all his money on new clothes for Jiang Chen, dressing the ten-year-old boy up like a porcelain doll.

The other masters, powerful as they were, each had their own tempers. But only with the fifth master did Jiang Chen truly enjoy his childhood—he was given good food, fun, and even surprise visits when learning from others.

Though Jiang Chen hadn’t told his fifth master he’d come to Qing City, clearly the diviner had already arrived.