Chapter 32: Experiencing Different Lives

A staff member immediately brought over a blindfold. Once it was confirmed that Nan Chu could not see, Director Zeng and the others walked past her one by one. Nan Chu correctly identified each person as they passed. After witnessing this, Director Zeng was moved, realizing that the videos he had seen online were true. It turned out that there really were people in this world with extraordinary talents; Nan Chu’s ability was truly remarkable.

After Nan Chu finished her demonstration, Director Zeng said, "You’ve passed the audition; the role of Piaoxue is yours. However, after seeing your performance today, I have some new ideas. I need to consult with the screenwriter, and the updated script will be sent to your agency."

"Thank you, Director."

Once Nan Chu left, she quickly shared the good news with Zhuang Wenqi, who was very happy for her. Since she had no work scheduled for the afternoon, Nan Chu returned to her apartment. Upon arriving, she messaged Jiang Han to tell him the good news about passing the audition. Jiang Han received the message and immediately called her on a video chat. As soon as Nan Chu answered, she heard Jiang Han’s praise: "Nan Chu, you’re amazing!"

Nan Chu shyly replied, "My acting skills still need to be refined and improved."

"I believe you will definitely improve."

Jiang Han and Nan Chu chatted for a long time before hanging up. Afterward, Jiang Han continued to think about what his father had suggested. He pondered it for two days before reaching a decision.

***

A few days later, Nan Chu went to record a variety show titled *Experiencing Different Lives*. The profession she was to experience this time was that of a fortune teller. In this world, besides fortune tellers, there were other special professions such as sorcerers. Sorcerers were even more mysterious than fortune tellers and existed within sects, though they were so reclusive that most people were unaware of them. Nan Chu knew of them only because her original self had encountered one in the past. When a film set she was working on had an accident, the director had hired a sorcerer, and Nan Chu had witnessed the sorcerer performing arts at that time. Beyond these two, there were other rare professions, but they were so uncommon that ordinary people rarely saw them.

The master she was to learn from was named Fu Qiu, who was fifty-five years old and had been practicing fortune telling for over forty years. This variety show was pre-recorded.

"Hello, Master. I am Nan Chu, and I am here to learn from you today."

Fu Qiu looked at Nan Chu and remarked, "I cannot see through your life destiny."

Nan Chu knew that Fu Qiu was capable of accurate predictions. To prevent Fu Qiu from discovering that she was a reincarnated soul, she had used a talisman to conceal her true destiny.

"That is a pity; I was hoping to have you take a look at mine, Master," Nan Chu said with a regretful expression.

Fu Qiu asked for Nan Chu's birth date and time, but from that information, she could only calculate up to August 2026; anything beyond that was impossible to foresee. How strange! After trying for a while and failing, Fu Qiu stopped probing Nan Chu's destiny.

"How much do you know about the profession of a fortune teller?"

Nan Chu shared what she knew, having done plenty of research before arriving. After chatting for a while, Fu Qiu handed her a book on palmistry to study. Nan Chu possessed a strong memory and retained most of the book's content after just one reading. Whenever she encountered something she didn't understand, she would ask Master Fu.

They studied like this throughout the morning, and by 1:00 PM, the first client scheduled by Fu Qiu arrived. The first client was a man in his sixties, and trailing behind him was the ghost of an elderly woman. The ghost was currently clutching the old man’s throat, though the man could not feel it.

The old man was somewhat surprised to see so many cameras. Although the master's assistant had notified him in advance, this was his first time on television. However, the production team had promised that they would pixelate his face and modulate his voice in post-production to ensure his family wouldn't recognize him.

"Sit down," Fu Qiu said. After the old man sat, she asked, "What would you like to consult about?"

"I haven't been sleeping well lately. I keep dreaming of my wife, so I wanted to ask you to see if she has any unfulfilled wishes."

"Has your wife said anything in your dreams?" Fu Qiu inquired.

The old man’s eyes shifted as he replied, "She hasn't said anything."
*[In the dreams, she curses at me—it's incredibly nasty—and she even wants to kill me, but I can't say that out loud.]*

The ghost of the old woman was cursing from the sidelines: "You shameless old thing! I’ve only been dead for two months, and you’re already remarrying your first love. A pair of shameless old bastards..."

Hearing the old woman’s vitriol, Fu Qiu’s mouth twitched, as the insults were truly vile. Fu Qiu said sarcastically, "Don't you have any idea why you keep dreaming of your wife?"

"Master, I really don't know," the old man feigned ignorance.

"Did you remarry?"

"Yes."

"And you remarried not long after your wife passed away?"

The old man rubbed his nose. "She’s been dead for over two months. The traditional seventh-day ritual has already passed."

"Your wife has been dead for less than two months, and you've already remarried. What did you consider your wife to be?" Fu Qiu said coldly. "She worked hard to manage your home and raise your children, yet as soon as she died, you turned around and welcomed another woman."

"I'm only sixty-six. I still have ten or twenty years left! Besides, my first love's husband is long gone, too. What is wrong with us spending our remaining years together?" the old man said righteously.
*[Besides, my first love still has feelings for me. We came back together because of our love.]*

"So it’s a first love," Fu Qiu sneered. "If you had remained single your whole life waiting for them, I might be moved by your devotion. But you were both married, and to reunite immediately after your original spouse died—you’ve truly opened my eyes."

"What were your original spouses to you? Just unlucky? You encountered them, yet after decades, you couldn't even warm their hearts," Fu Qiu said sharply.

Nan Chu couldn't help but interject: "The person by your side was not the one in your heart; you stepped on a fresh grave to welcome an old flame. No wonder you can't sleep well." It served him right.

Nan Chu was also stunned. At sixty-six, his wife dies, and he immediately reconnects with his first love. They must have been in contact all along to get together so quickly. This was a case of an affair that had been lingering for years. It wasn't worth it for the old woman to have married such a person. It was no wonder the old woman refused to reincarnate after her death.

The old man chuckled awkwardly. "Master, is my poor sleep because my wife is blaming me?"

"Of course," Fu Qiu confirmed.
*[I wonder if the master can suppress her.]*
*[No, I can't say 'suppress.' If I say that, this master certainly won't help me.]*

"Master, is there any way to make my wife forgive me?"

"I cannot help you with that; it depends on what you do yourself," Fu Qiu said.

"Do you expect me to kneel and beg for forgiveness?" the old man muttered.
*[Kneel and beg? In your dreams!]*

"Think carefully about how to earn your wife's forgiveness. Nan Chu, see the guest out."

"Master, can't you help solve this? Can you exorcise the ghost and send my wife away?"

"No," Fu Qiu replied. "Please leave."

"Sir, the door is this way, please," Nan Chu said politely.

The old man left, cursing under his breath. He called Fu Qiu a quack and a fraud who couldn't solve any problems. He also cursed his deceased wife, complaining that she wouldn't let him have peace even in death.

After the old man had walked a good distance away, the misfortune curse Nan Chu had placed on him took effect, and the old man tripped and fell flat on his face.