Chapter 68 The Secretary Who Knows Nothing of Proper Conduct (Continuing with the Fifth Update ~~~~~~~~)

Zhao Yuanqiao glanced at me. Both times, I had helped Yue Leiting out of a tight spot. He gave me a meaningful smile and said, “This young man really knows how to talk. He’s calm in the face of change, smooth and worldly wise—he’s born for business. With someone like this around, Chairman Yue, it’ll be hard not to make a fortune.”

The atmosphere eased with Zhao Yuanqiao’s hearty words. Huo Qian, standing to the side, poured more wine. Yue Leiting suddenly looked apologetically at Wei Yong, who had remained silent the whole time, and said with regret, “Secretary Wei, look… ah, this is my oversight. I thought only three leaders would be coming, so I only prepared three gifts. I didn’t expect you, Secretary Wei, to join as well, so I… I…”

Wei Yong’s smile was humble, much like Huo Qian’s, yet in it there was something I couldn’t quite decipher—something as unfathomable as the depths of his gaze. “You’re too kind, Chairman Yue. I was notified at the last minute to accompany the three leaders. There’s no need to trouble yourself.”

“Say no more, it was my failure in etiquette. But today you’ll have to drink with us.” Yue Leiting opened a bottle of Wuliangye and placed it before Wei Yong. “Consider the gift a debt I owe you—another day, I’ll make sure to deliver it in person.”

“You’re too polite, Chairman Yue. Let’s drink first, as a sign of respect!” Wei Yong downed his glass in one go, without the slightest hesitation.

My gaze never left Wei Yong. Compared to the other three, there was something indescribable about him. Though he sat quietly in the corner and said little, there was something curious I couldn’t help but notice. Whenever Wei Yong raised his glass, the other three would follow suit. None of them touched any dish on the table until Wei Yong had moved his chopsticks, and even when entering the room earlier, the seating order seemed meticulously arranged—no one sat until Wei Yong had taken his seat.

By title, Wei Yong was only a secretary, his rank far below the others. In the rigidly hierarchical world of officialdom, Wei Yong surely knew these subtleties. If he were truly ignorant of etiquette, he would never have been present at such an occasion. That left only one possibility—unless I was overthinking things, in which case Yue Leiting wasn’t wrong: this banquet was indeed a Feast at Hongmen, a trap laid beneath a mask of hospitality.

“Gentlemen, it’s rare to have you all here tonight. We must enjoy ourselves—never mind the old ‘no one leaves sober’ cliché. Drinking like this is too dull. Actually, I have a proposal,” Yue Leiting hurried to open three more bottles of Wuliangye and placed them before the guests.

“What do you suggest, Chairman Yue?” Zhao Yuanqiao asked, pushing his glass aside with a smile.

“Mayor Zhao, this friend of mine here is Qin Yanhui.” Yue Leiting nodded at me with a smile. “He knows fortune and fate—in plain terms, he reads faces and tells fortunes. Why don’t the three of you let him take a look? If he gets anything wrong, I’ll drink a whole bottle as penalty. But if he’s right, you each drink a glass. Just a bit of fun for tonight.”

“Face reading and fortune telling?” Zhao Yuanqiao let out a hearty laugh and looked at the others. “That’s nothing but feudal superstition. We’re all atheists—none of us believe in such nonsense.”

“Even better if you don’t believe. If he’s wrong, I’ll drink,” Yue Leiting said confidently. “How about this: if he gets even one thing wrong, I’ll personally see you three out at once. What do you say?”

“Alright, since you want us to have fun, we’ll play along. But let’s be clear—if there’s a single mistake, we leave. No more changing the rules this time,” Luo Deyi said with a faint smile and nodded.

“I’ll go first, then. I heard you need a birth date and time for fortune telling. Mine is—”

Before Luo Deyi could finish, I interrupted, “I always base my readings on facial features. I simply say what I see. I only worry…”

“Heh, you’re afraid you’ll say something wrong and we’ll leave?” Luo Deyi chuckled.

“No, I’m afraid that, by reading faces, I might say something that shouldn’t be said, and upset you gentlemen,” I replied calmly.

“Just say whatever you see fit. Right or wrong, we’ll know in our hearts. Even if you’re mistaken, it’s no matter—we don’t believe in such things anyway,” Fan Liang said dismissively.

“Pale as powder, harm to parents; green invading the cheekbones, quarrels among brothers,” I recited confidently to Luo Deyi. “A pale hue signals death or loss. If it appears in the palace of the parents, it foretells bereavement. When the cheekbones are tinged with green, it means strife among brothers.”

Luo Deyi was momentarily stunned by my quick response and hesitantly asked, “Could you put that in plain words?”

“Director Luo, the palace of your parents shows a pale aura—there has been a recent bereavement in your family. The faint green at your cheekbones means you’ve recently had disputes with your brothers.”

Yue Leiting was taken aback by my direct mention of Luo Deyi’s family bereavement. Unsure how to respond, he hurriedly poured Luo Deyi some wine. “Director Luo, please don’t take it to heart—he’s just speaking offhand.”

Luo Deyi’s face darkened. He lowered his head in silence for a while, then slowly raised his glass and drank it in one gulp. “Three months ago, my father passed away from heart disease. My brother and I argued over how to handle the ashes. My father wanted them scattered in his hometown’s mountains and rivers, but I insisted he should be buried.”

Yue Leiting was speechless. Though I was right, it was clearly a sad subject and he didn’t know how to smooth things over.

“That doesn’t count,” Fan Liang said, trying to lighten the mood. “Chairman Yue could easily have found out our zodiac signs—these things are no surprise. Tell us something else: can you tell what Director Luo does for a living?”

I looked at Luo Deyi, hesitated, then said, “Director Luo’s position doesn’t seem quite right.”

“Not quite right?” Luo Deyi smiled faintly, unconvinced. “What’s wrong with my position?”

“Your face shows a strong, dignified character. The ‘side court’ between your left temple and hairline is prominent—those with such features are destined for glory and command. The travel star touches the borderlands, symbolizing military authority. Director Luo, may I see your hand?”

Luo Deyi extended his hand. After a close look, I spoke with even more certainty. “There’s a ‘military tally’ line in your palm: you rose early in your career, destined for positions of power, commanding troops and banners at the borders. By both your face and palm, Director Luo, you are a person with military authority—a leader in your own right.”

“Yanhui, Director Luo isn’t in the military—how could he command troops? He holds an administrative post, not one in the army. Are you sure you’re not mistaken?” Yue Leiting whispered to me.

Luo Deyi gave me a long, meaningful look. Slowly, a strange smile spread across his previously impassive face, and he raised his glass and finished it in one go. “Your name is…?”

“Qin Yanhui.”

“Good, good! Very interesting.” Luo Deyi set down his glass, smiling.

Yue Leiting looked at Luo Deyi, baffled. It seemed I had guessed right again, but how could a department director wield military power? He simply couldn’t figure it out. Seeing Luo Deyi drink, however, he let out a long sigh of relief.

Fan Liang and Zhao Yuanqiao exchanged glances, as if communicating silently, then both looked at me with astonishment.

“Can you really divine anything?” Fan Liang asked, his expression meaningful.

I just smiled and nodded silently.

Fan Liang thought for a moment, then took a pen from his bag, wrote his birth date on a slip of paper, and pushed it to me. “Help me see what obstacles I might face in my career.”

I took the paper, calculated briefly, furrowed my brow, and said calmly, “District Chief Fan, your chart is too weak. The eight characters lack earth and do not form a proper pattern. You sit with direct officer and proper seal, your aura is pure and destined for official distinction. But metal sits in a fire position—it needs tempering, countless trials. Hence, your career will be full of ups and downs: great rises and great falls. From your face, the energy is turbid, your central forehead flat and sunken—a sign of losing office. If I’m not mistaken, right now you hold no official post and are free of burdens.”

Yue Leiting had assumed his three guests were all senior officials and thus prosperous, so my readings would all be pleasant. But when Fan Liang asked about his career and I predicted he had lost his post, Yue Leiting was momentarily at a loss for how to smooth things over.

Fan Liang, however, simply smiled, drank another glass, and said nothing, much to Yue Leiting’s surprise.

“Is there any way to turn things around?” Fan Liang now sounded more curious than skeptical.

“District Chief Fan, you need not worry. Although your central forehead is sunken, you have a ‘rising moon’ and ‘literary star’ at your brow—signs of help from benefactors. Your forehead shines; your career will rise again. From your features, within three days, you’ll surely be promoted!”

Fan Liang didn’t respond to me, but instead turned to look at Zhao Yuanqiao, as if awaiting confirmation.

Zhao Yuanqiao gave me a long, meaningful look, shaking his head in amazement. “I’ve really seen it all tonight. Because of work, District Chief Fan was temporarily dismissed, which many people know—so you saying he’s now out of office isn’t that impressive. However, this afternoon, the city’s People’s Congress voted unanimously to appoint him as Director of the Bureau of Justice. Very few people know this. I was planning to tell him after the banquet. Who would have thought you could predict even that!”

“Mayor Zhao, does that mean… my appointment has been approved?!” Fan Liang’s eyes shone with excitement.

Zhao Yuanqiao smiled and nodded.

Yue Leiting, hearing this, realized I hadn’t missed a single mark. He raised his glass joyfully. “This is wonderful news! Let me congratulate Director Fan in advance—may your career reach ever greater heights!”

Fan Liang, in excellent spirits, drank two more glasses in rapid succession and said with enthusiasm, “The second glass is my penalty for losing. Qin Yanhui, you really are a half-immortal. Even I didn’t know, and yet you did! In the future, if I ever need anything, I’ll be sure to come to you.”