Rebirth in the 1980s: Xiaoxiao's road to becoming a top student

It was already mid-afternoon when the master and disciple slowly walked home.

Yan Xiaoxiao was already starving, so she went straight into the kitchen. When she finished cooking, Yan Qing was still sitting on a stool at the kitchen door, in a daze.

"Master, let's eat first!"

Yan Qing turned his stiff eyes and focused them after a while. He slapped his thigh and said, "I know what the problem is. Let's go again tomorrow!"

Yan Xiaoxiao wailed in her heart. In fact, she was not very interested in physiognomy, nor did she not want to learn it. She just didn't find it very interesting. But she didn't dare to say it!

The next day, the two did not go to the town, but went to another town twenty miles away from the village.

Yan Xiaoxiao glanced at her master who was dressed like a charlatan and was speechless.

Yan Qing was wearing a jacket, a fur hat, and a pair of sunglasses. He sat behind a shabby table that he had rented for ten yuan.

Yan Xiaoxiao was also asked to change into a small jacket. She had two buns on her hair and sat next to Yan Qing, holding a sign in her hand with four large characters written in a flamboyant style - face reading and fortune telling.

Yan Xiaoxiao felt that she and her master were just like the charlatans on TV.

However, after they sat for a while, a skinny old lady really came over.

"Sir, can you really tell faces? Can you show me one? But first of all, I won't pay you if it's not right."

Although Yan Xiaoxiao couldn't read faces, she could tell that the person in front of her was mean and harsh, and not someone who was easy to get along with.

"Of course," Yan Qing took a closer look at her face, "You had a very difficult childhood, and you have no parents. But fortunately you married a husband who loves you, and you have a son and a daughter. But your son has been married for five years and still has no children. You came here this time for this reason, am I right?"

The old lady's expression changed visibly. After Yan Qing finished speaking, her face was full of surprise and a hint of trust. "You are absolutely right. I just want to ask when I can hold my grandson."

Yan Qing shook his head. Judging from the old lady's face, she was destined not to have a grandson, only a granddaughter, who would not be born until three years later.

Seeing Yan Qing shaking his head, the old lady became anxious, "Won't I have a grandson? Oh!" The old lady slapped her thigh, "My eldest grandson!"

There were many people around, and they all gathered over when they heard the shouting.

"Explain to me clearly why I can't have grandchildren. Give me back my eldest grandson!" The old lady sat on the ground and started rolling around.

Yan Xiaoxiao glanced at her master carefully and saw that he was sitting there calmly, not moved at all. However, what he said touched the old lady's heart.

"Let me be frank. It's because of you that your family doesn't have a grandson. Anyone who is reborn into your hands will either die or become a playboy!"

Some people around couldn't stand it anymore, "Your fortune teller's mouth is too poisonous!"

"My master never lies!" The girl's clear voice flowed into the hearts of the people around her like a spring of water. Many people only then noticed Yan Xiaoxiao who was sitting on the side.

Upon seeing this, many people exclaimed, "This child is so beautiful!"

"I've never seen such a fair-skinned girl!"

"Just like the maiden under the seat of Guanyin!"

Seeing that everyone was staring at her, Yan Xiaoxiao turned the sign in her hand over and saw that it said - Believe it or it exists; don't believe it or it doesn't exist.

"Fortune-telling is a matter of mutual consent. Grandma, you come to my master but don't believe it. There is no need to waste time here. You should go back. As for the fortune-telling fee, we won't accept it."

Yan Xiaoxiao's words were unanimously recognized by everyone. The old lady didn't want to pay anyway, so she got up and left. Soon, the people surrounding the stall dispersed.

Yan Xiaoxiao sighed. In just these two days, she discovered that her master was even less eloquent than she was. She didn't notice it before when they were both at home, but his shortcomings became apparent as soon as they interacted with others.

Come to think of it, my master has lived alone for decades, so naturally he does whatever he wants. I guess it’s hard for him to change all of a sudden.

Yan Xiaoxiao is so worried. It seems that she needs to stand up straight, otherwise her travel next year will be a disaster.

Yan Qing smiled ingratiatingly at his little apprentice. He was a person who followed his heart, and he had lived alone for so many years and seldom interacted with people. He came out these two days to teach his little apprentice some physiognomy and also to get a feel for interacting with people in advance.

Facts have proved that he is still the person who is not good at speaking and unwilling to deal with others. Well, fortunately, there is still a little apprentice. Seeing how efficiently she handled the matter just now, it is a good thing. I don’t need to force myself. I will leave the future dealings with people to her.

Yan Xiaoxiao had no idea that her master had entrusted such an important matter to a five-year-old kid like her. Even if she knew, she had no choice but to accept it.

In the following time, a few more people came. Every time Yan Qing sent someone away, he explained to Yan Xiaoxiao what the person's face looked like and how he could tell.

Yan Xiaoxiao was confused. She really couldn't see anything unless she brought the spiritual energy into her eyes. But she didn't want to do a business that would lose money. Was it easy for her to cultivate some spiritual energy? She couldn't waste it.

Thinking of this, Yan Xiaoxiao did the same. She opened her round eyes wide and tried hard to look.

It wasn't until it was getting dark and no one was at the market that the two of them packed up and headed back. The master and the disciple were unusually silent, and neither of them spoke.

"Xiaoxiao, do you like to tell people's fortunes?" Yan Qing broke the silence.

Yan Xiaoxiao thought for a moment and said, "It's OK!"

"If I like it, I like it. What does it mean to be okay?" Yan Qing's tone became serious.

Yan Xiaoxiao pondered for a while, "Master, maybe it's because I've been through a lifetime that I know better than anyone that having many skills is always a blessing, so now I learn as much as I can, as long as there is an opportunity."

Yan Qing nodded, "Your idea is understandable."

He hesitated for a moment and then said, "Everyone has different talents and interests. Not everyone can learn everything well."

Yan Xiaoxiao was stunned, "No, Master, what do you mean by this?"

Yan Qing looked at her seriously and said word by word: "What I mean is that you don't have the talent to learn physiognomy."

Yan Xiaoxiao pouted. "If I don't have talent, I can't learn it? What if I really want to learn it?"

"You can learn even if you don't have talent, but you can learn if you're interested. But do you have talent? And I've said before that if you only learn half of what you've learned, it's better not to learn at all, as it's a waste of time and energy. If that's the case, I won't teach you!"

Yan Xiaoxiao felt heavy in her heart. Yes, she had told herself before that if she wanted to learn, she would learn to the top level of this profession. She kept asking herself in her heart, is she serious about physiognomy? Does she want to learn?

The master and disciple returned to Xiaohe Village in silence. Yan Xiaoxiao was still thinking about this problem until she went home and lay in bed.

The next morning, Yan Xiaoxiao practiced as usual, but this time she carefully felt her mood. Well, it was joyful!

In the morning, while refining the medicine, she paid attention to her feelings again. Well, she was looking forward to it.

Three days later, Yan Xiaoxiao came to a conclusion.

"Master, I have decided to give up learning physiognomy. I am really not interested in physiognomy.

I studied before just to improve my skills, but I don’t have the talent. This means I have to spend more time studying.

But I am a human, not a god, and my time and energy are limited.

Now there are even more things I want to learn, like battle formations, martial arts, medical skills, and spiritual energy cultivation. I am very interested in them and want to learn them well.

I have both interest and talent in them, so I can learn them with much less effort.

I want to focus more on these and learn them well and thoroughly!"