Chapter 684 The Calamity
Josiah pondered before asking. “How could such a thing happen out of the blue? Is there something wrong with the fry?”
our lake had issues. The water was likely
“The fry had no problem. Among the batch, only t contaminated. But with the village in its current stat we won’t be able to stay much longer. It is what it is. The old lady sighed, her face etched with resignat
Upon witnessing the situation, Lysander and Josiah felt a surge of indignation.
The villagers had done nothing wrong, yet they bore the brunt of the consequences, while the saboteurs likely reaped substantial rewards.
Such an injustice could not unfold before their eyes.
Josiah insisted that the old lady accept their money. Only after purchasing the coarse cloth at the bottom of the elderly lady’s basket did she finally agree.
She was deeply moved, repeatedly expressing her gratitude.
As they were about to leave, Lysander slipped some change into the old lady’s hand, suggesting she take the bus back to the mountains, and comforted her, “You won’t have to leave. We’ll find a way.”
The old woman was skeptical, but the encounter with these kind–hearted young people rekindled a glimmer of hope in her weary heart.
Lysander watched the old woman’s retreating figure and felt a profound sadness.
Josiah gently took her hand and promised, “Lysander, believe me, everything will be all right.”
Lysander hesitated, then nodded lightly. “Okay.”
She believed in him.
At least, in this matter, she trusted him.
“Do… Do you really believe in me?”
“You’re not a bad person,” Lysander replied. “Our issues lie in our relationship, but that doesn’t affect my judgment of your character.”
Josiah was momentarily stunned, then smiled wryly. “You are as rational as ever.”
“Mmm.”
Josiah noticed the change in Lysander and felt a slight relief. As he looked ahead, he asked, “Shall we continue? It seems quite lively up ahead.”
He suggested this as a distraction as he was concerned that the encounter with the old lady might have dampened her spirits.
Lysander nodded. “Let’s check it out. We’re only here for two days. We should make the most of it to understand the town better.”
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Chapter 684 The Calamity
Along with the snacks, Josiah put the newly bought duck eggs and coarse cloth into the basket and
followed her.
Finished
The festival of the deities was bustling with vendors selling various goods, and there were booths for games like ring toss and balloon shooting. One booth featured a live goose with a long neck, deftly dodging the rings, making it almost impossible to win
Josiah noticed Lysander’s interest. Hence, he was eager to buy a few rings to try his luck. She promptly stopped him, saying, “What if you catch one? Your car has already suffered enough damage, one more goose wouldn’t make much difference, but the hotel might just kick us out.”
She had a point as there wasn’t another decent hotel nearby.
As Josiah was about to agree, a middle–aged man dressed in a woven robe and a biretta suddenly stopped and stared at them.
Upon noticing his gaze, Lysander looked back at him.
Instead of looking away, the middle–aged man began making hand gestures, muttering incantations. After a moment, he said, “Miss, your face shows kindness and righteousness. We are fated to meet.”
Lysander replied bluntly, “I don’t believe in fortune–telling.”
The middle–aged man, with an air of mystery, added, “Ms. Thorne, don’t be so quick to dismiss me. I foresee a calamity of bloodshed in your near future.”
As he spoke, he watched Lysander while shaking his head, swaying from side to side. If he had a beard, he would have certainly been stroking it non–stop by now.
It had been many years since Lysander had encountered such a textbook con artist. She didn’t spare the man an extra glance. Instead, she shot a look toward Josiah, signaling him to leave quickly.
Upon hearing the middle–aged man predict that Lysander would face a disaster, Josiah felt nervous.
The middle–aged man felt increasingly uneasy under Josiah’s intense gaze. He began to waver, contemplating abandoning this endeavor. Just then, he heard Josiah’s anxious question. “Can you predict accurately?”
Got him.
The middle–aged man had been observing the crowd on the street, originally intending to target someone older. However, as he happened to pass by, he overheard Josiah calling out Lysander’s name. This made him change his mind and approach them instead.
“It’s not always precise, but in my many years of practice, I can get one or two out of ten right,” he replied, adopting a worried expression as he looked at Lysander. “Miss, are you facing an important task soon?”
He noticed Josiah seemed convinced and aimed to persuade Lysander too, so he could sell his prepared “remedies.”
Lysander’s expression remained perfectly composed. “Yes, since you claim to be so skilled, why don’t you tell me what it is?”
The middle–aged man couldn’t possibly figure this out. All he could do was maintain a stern face and say, “Some things are meant to be kept secret. If I were to reveal it, your future endeavors wouldn’t go
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Chapter old The Calamity
smoothly.”
Such cliched tricks wouldn’t work in a more urban setting.
The corner of Lysander’s mouth twitched slightly. “Then doc
ything”
Wished
Just as she was about to expose the con artist, Josiah anxiously interrupted, “What about the calamity you mentioned?
The middle–aged man was fretting over a lack of an opening, quickly beginning to ramble, “I know a bit about fortune–telling and word reading, but I need my special pen to write it out. The fee…”
“The fee must be paid by the person receiving the reading, right?” Lysander interjected.
She was familiar with this kind of trickery and could even predict the price he would quote next.
Feigning difficulty, the middle–aged man replied, “Divining heaven’s secrets shortens one’s lifespan.”
Before he could finish, Josiah asked, “How much?”
Lysander was momentarily speechless but chose not to dissuade Josiah. After all, Josiah could afford it, and maybe this experience would teach him a lesson.
She wondered how had she not realized before that he was so gullible.
“Josiah.” Lysander cleared her throat gently, hinting, “Let’s go ahead and see, shall we?”
Josiah, however, seemed inexplicably adamant. “Let’s hear what he has to say first.”
“Are you determined to play the generous fool again today?”
“Even so, it’s just for the locals, so be it,” Josiah said then turned to the middle–aged man. “Please, tell me more about this calamity.”