A single divination predicts life and death; the entire internet begs me to start a live stream.

The banquet hall fell silent as soon as Lu Changsheng appeared.

It's not the kind of silence that comes after being scolded.

It was a very natural bow of the head.

These wealthy people, celebrities, and powerful figures have long been accustomed to hiding their sharp edges in front of this man.

Just moments ago, Chairman Zheng was holding his wine glass with a cold expression, but he immediately put the glass down.

The male celebrity in the white suit also dropped his dismissive expression.

The jewelry store owner even took a half-step back to make room for Lu Changsheng.

Chen Bufan looked at Lu Changsheng.

Three steps away.

The light shone on Lu Changsheng, but it couldn't reveal a trace of yin energy.

He looks too clean.

He wore a black long robe, his hair was tied up with a wooden hairpin, his eyebrows and eyes were gentle, and he did not have the impetuousness of Xuan Qingzi, nor the greed of Qin Yuanshan.

Judging by appearance alone, he doesn't seem like someone who can change their destiny.

He's more like a refined gentleman who has been doing charity work for many years.

But the more this happened, the more uncomfortable Chen Bufan felt.

Because he couldn't see Lu Changsheng's fate.

A living person stood before him.

But there was no lamp of destiny.

There is no lifeline.

There is no cause and effect.

It's as if this person should never have existed in this world.

Lu Changsheng smiled and said:

"Mr. Chen, you must have had a long journey."

He paused for a moment.

"I thought you wouldn't come, Mr. Chen."

Chen Bufan said calmly:

"The invitations have already been delivered to the Qin family's ancestral hall."

"It would be impolite not to come."

Lu Changsheng's smile deepened.

"Mr. Chen is indeed interesting."

After he finished speaking, he raised his hand in a gesture.

Immediately someone brought over a cup of tea.

White porcelain cup.

The tea soup is clear.

Steam rose in wisps.

Lu Changsheng personally took the teacup and handed it to Chen Bufan.

"These are snow buds from before the Qingming Festival this year."

"Mountain tea."

"Clean".

Many people in the banquet hall exchanged glances.

Mr. Lu personally served tea.

This is no ordinary treatment.

Many wealthy people who want to have a private cup of tea with Lu Changsheng have to make an appointment in advance.

Chen Bufan did not answer.

He looked at the cup of tea, his voice flat.

"Clean?"

Lu Changsheng said:

"At least the tea is clean."

Chen Bufan looked at him.

"Where are your hands?"

The atmosphere in the banquet hall suddenly became tense.

Many people's expressions changed.

Chairman Zheng frowned.

The male celebrity in the white suit whispered:

"You really don't know what's good for you."

Lu Changsheng, however, was not angry.

He simply looked down at his hands.

That hand was very white.

Long and slender fingers.

It was so clean that it didn't look like it had ever been covered in anything dirty.

"Mr. Chen is prejudiced against me."

Lu Changsheng smiled and placed the teacup on the table next to him.

"That's normal."

"After all, Mr. Chen has recently been dealing with some rather unseemly situations."

Chen Bufan said:

"Shen Qingyue's Life-Borrowing Scheme".

"The Wang family's disaster relief money."

"Zhao Qiming's copper plate for maintenance."

"Jiang Kun's life-saving charm."

"The Qin family's money-borrowing jar."

He looked at Lu Changsheng and asked, word by word:

"Which one of them wasn't reached out by your Longevity Foundation?"

Lu Changsheng did not deny it.

They did not admit it either.

He simply walked slowly toward the tea room on one side of the banquet hall.

"There are a lot of people here."

"If Mr. Chen doesn't mind, let's talk inside."

Chen Bufan glanced at him.

"Afraid they'll hear?"

Lu Changsheng smiled.

"They're here because they know something about it."

"Knowing a little and understanding are two different things."

Upon hearing this, many people in the banquet hall looked somewhat uncomfortable.

They knew the Longevity Foundation was not a simple entity.

I also know that Mr. Lu has some "unconventional resources".

But they were unwilling to think things through too clearly.

That's just how people are sometimes.

As long as the benefits are in hand, the details can be ignored.

Chen Bufan didn't say anything more and followed Lu Changsheng into the tea room.

The tea room was very quiet.

It blocked out all outside sounds.

One wall is covered with ancient books.

One wall is covered with landscape paintings.

A low table in the center.

Water has already been boiled on the table.

Lu Changsheng sat down, personally washed the cups, warmed the teacups, and added the tea.

The movements are very slow.

Very stable.

It's like we're entertaining an old friend.

Chen Bufan sat down opposite him.

"Have you been following me for a long time?"

Lu Changsheng paused in his tea-pouring motion, then smiled.

"It took longer than Mr. Chen thought."

Chen Bufan's eyes darkened slightly.

Lu Changsheng pushed the tea towards him.

"The last successor of the Chen family's fortune-telling lineage."

"Inherit the Record of Heaven's Mandate".

"After years of hardship, he suddenly broke out and emerged in the live streaming room."

"After Shen Qingyue's divination, I knew that Mr. Chen, you couldn't hide it anymore."

Chen Bufan said calmly:

"You know quite a lot."

Lu Changsheng picked up his teacup.

"The Chen family should never be forgotten."

"Especially Mr. Chen, you."

"Chen Bufan".

"It's quite interesting that your father gave you this name."

Chen Bufan rarely showed even a hint of emotion.

"Do you know my father?"

Lu Changsheng did not answer.

He gently blew on the tea noodles.

"Mr. Chen, don't worry."

"Try some tea first."

"We will have plenty of time."

"tonight."

"as well as."

"from now on."

The temperature in the tea room seemed a little low.

Chen Bufan picked up the exquisite teacup and drank it all in one gulp.

Even someone like him who knows absolutely nothing about tea could taste the overflowing aroma of the tea.

Lu Changsheng remained gentle.

"I have seen everything Mr. Chen has been doing recently."

"Save Shen Qingyue and break the life-borrowing trap."

"Save Wang Tianhao and break the cycle of disaster."

"Let Zhao Qiming fall from grace and cut off the supply chain."

"Helping the police rescue Zhou Xiaoyu broke the life-saving charm."

"Help Qin Ruoxue break the Seven Fiends' Wealth-Stealing Formation."

As he said this, a genuine sense of appreciation appeared in his eyes.

"to be honest."

"Mr. Chen, you are even more outstanding than I expected."

"If your master were still alive, he would be very pleased."

Chen Bufan slammed the teacup he was holding heavily on the table.

"Don't mention my master."

Lu Changsheng nodded.

"it is good."

"Then I'll talk about you, Mr. Chen."

He put down his teacup.

"Mr. Chen, you are capable."

"There is a tradition."

"He's talented."

"And there is a very rare heart."

"But Mr. Chen, what are you doing with these things right now?"

Chen Bufan remained silent.

Lu Changsheng said slowly:

"Save a celebrity."

"Saving a rich kid."

"Save a few cats."

"To save two ordinary girls."

"To save a family that is on the verge of collapse."

His voice was soft, without any sarcasm.

There was even a hint of regret.

"Mr. Chen, you win every single time."

"But what have you changed?"

"Shen Qingyue will continue to rise and fall in the entertainment industry."

"Wang Tianhao is still the same person who was spoiled by his wealthy family."

"If Zhao Qiming collapses, there will be Li Qiming and Wang Qinian."

"Zhou Xiaoyu survived, but countless girls go missing every day in this world."

"The Qin family's old debts have not been cleared, and Qin Ruoxue may not be able to protect the Qin family."

Lu Changsheng looked at Chen Bufan, his tone as gentle as if he were reasoning with him.

"Mr. Chen, saving one person can only change one family."

"At most, you'll get a small group of people cheering for you for a few days."

"and then?"

"The trending topic has passed."

"Traffic is dissipating."

"Those who deserve to die, keep dying."

Those who are destined to be poor will remain poor.

"People with this disease continue to be sick."

Chen Bufan looked up.

"so?"

Lu Changsheng leaned forward slightly and poured Chen Bufan a cup of tea that was seven-tenths full.

"So, you should do something bigger."

The tea room fell silent.

Lu Changsheng's gaze remained gentle.

But beneath that gentle exterior, something real was revealed.

It wasn't murderous intent.

It's a bird's-eye view.

A perspective from a high vantage point, looking down upon the flow of fates of all living beings.

"Mr. Chen."

Have you ever thought about it?

"What would happen if a truly valuable person lived ten more years?"

Chen Bufan looked at him but didn't reply.

Lu Changsheng continued:

"If a top medical scientist lives for another ten years, he may be able to conquer a terminal illness."

"If a city-level entrepreneur lives for another ten years, he may be able to save the jobs of hundreds of thousands of people."

"If someone in a key position lives for another ten years, it could change the fate of a region."

"If someone with resources and decision-making power lives for ten more years, it can drive progress in education, healthcare, technology, and industry."

"Aren't these things more meaningful than saving one or two ordinary people?"

He spoke very slowly.

Each sentence is like a carefully polished piece of jade.

mild.

reason.

grand.

It carries a certain allure.

"Saving an ordinary person can only change the lives of one family."

"But if you help a truly valuable person extend their life."

"It can change a city."

Chen Bufan understood and suddenly smiled.

"Whose life will be used to prolong it?"

Lu Changsheng took a sip of tea and gestured for Chen Bufan to continue.

Chen Bufan stared at him.

"Using the lives of the poor?"

"Using employees' lives?"

"Using the fans' luck?"

"Using ordinary people who are unseen, have no one to back them up, and whose deaths won't cause any trouble?"

Lu Changsheng did not answer.

He simply put down the teacup.

Chen Bufan's voice rose a few decibels.

"You said that if a valuable person lives ten more years, it can change a city."

"What about the person you used to prolong their life?"

"Don't they deserve to live?"

"Aren't their families considered families?"

"Aren't their parents, children, and partners human beings?"

Lu Changsheng was silent for a moment, then said softly:

"Mr. Chen."

"This world is inherently unfair."

"Some people are born to stand on high places."

"Some people are born only to be fuel."

Chen Bufan gave a disdainful snort.

"So you're just making the decision for them?"

Lu Changsheng sighed and filled Chen Bufan's cup to 7/10 full with tea.

"It's not my decision for them."

"That's just how fate is."

"I'm simply directing the resources of fate to where they are more worthwhile."

Chen Bufan picked up the glass and drank it all in one gulp.

"They described saving lives as resource allocation."

"You're better at talking than Xuan Qingzi."

Lu Changsheng was not angry.

"Xuan Qingzi?"

He shook his head and took a sip of tea.

"He was too hasty."

"That's too greedy."

"I warned him that the Qin family's debts are not so easy to deal with."

"Unfortunately, he overestimated his own extraordinary skills."

"He ended up vomiting blood, which was a consequence of his own actions."

Chen Bufan narrowed his eyes.

"So the Qin family's money-borrowing jar wasn't set up by him."

"Of course not."

Lu Changsheng admitted it very frankly.

"Xuan Qingzi only knows some external techniques."

"He can barely manage to set up a situation like the Seven Killings Stealing Wealth."

"But he doesn't have the ability to use the money-borrowing jar that the Qin family had twenty years ago."

Chen Bufan stared at him.

"So it's you?"

Lu Changsheng did not admit it.

There was no denial.

He simply smiled, then poured more tea for Chen Bufan, his aura remaining calm and composed.

"Qin Chengde was on the verge of bankruptcy back then."

He came to beg for his life.

"I gave him a chance."

"As a result, the Qin family enjoyed wealth and prosperity for twenty years."

"Over the past twenty years, the Qin family has saved many businesses."

"It supports a lot of employees."

"They have made many contributions."

"These are all acts of merit."

Chen Bufan retorted.

"What about the Qin family members who died violent deaths?"

Lu Changsheng looked at him.

"cost."

These two words were spoken so casually.

It's like talking about a normal, insignificant expense.

Chen Bufan finally understood what made Lu Changsheng truly terrifying.

He possessed a magical power that made people unaware that they were harming others.

They even felt they were doing something that would benefit the world.

In his eyes, human life is not human life.

It's a bargaining chip.

It's fuel.

It is a movable resource.

The wealthy, powerful, capitalists, and celebrities are the "valuable people" in his eyes.

Ordinary people are simply replaceable elements in a birth chart.

Chen Bufan drank it all in one gulp.

"I drank three cups of your tea."

"I don't understand it, so I won't waste the tea."

He stood up.

"We have different paths."

Lu Changsheng looked at him.

"Mr. Chen, are you no longer willing to listen?"

Chen Bufan said:

"No need."

Lu Changsheng also stood up.

"Mr. Chen, it's okay if you don't agree with me."

"But Mr. Chen, you will understand sooner or later."

"Saving only those in front of you is the shallowest form of kindness."

"True good is enabling more people to survive."

Chen Bufan looked at him.

"Using the lives of one group to save the lives of another."

"This is not kindness."

"Call for business."

Lu Changsheng smiled.

"Business is good."

"Charity is good too."

"It's also good for fortune telling."

"It's all about exchange at its core."

Chen Bufan said:

"That's why the Chen family refused to make an exchange with you back then."

Lu Changsheng's smile remained unchanged.

The two looked at each other.

In an instant, it was as if the flames of more than twenty years ago had burst forth from the air.

A moment of silence.

Lu Changsheng bowed slightly.

"It seems you know something, Mr. Chen."

"Of course, Mr. Chen should know that as well."

Chen Bufan's voice was very soft.

"Not enough."

Lu Changsheng nodded.

"That's definitely not enough."

He turned around and took a brown paper bag from the bookshelf.

The paper bag is old.

The edges are yellowish.

It looks like it's been preserved for many years.

He put the paper bag on the table and pushed it in front of Chen Bufan.

"Then I'll let you know more."

Chen Bufan did not move.

Lu Changsheng smiled and said:

"You're too scared to look?"

Chen Bufan looked at him and reached out to open the paper bag.

There was a photograph inside.

The photo has yellowed.

But it's very well preserved.

The photo shows an old house.

Blue brick courtyard wall.

Wooden gatehouse.

There are two characters written on the plaque above the door.

The Chen Residence.

Several adults and a very young child were standing in the yard.

The child was being held in a woman's arms.

He looks no more than two or three years old.

Chen Bufan's fingers suddenly stopped.

That was when he was a child.

That old house is the ancestral home of the Chen family.

It was also the place that was later burned to ruins in the fire.

Lu Changsheng stood opposite him, his voice still gentle.

"Mr. Chen."

"Now, we can talk about the old scores of the Chen family."