Chapter 280: Metaphysics and Science

The college entrance exam results would be released in a few days.

Chen Mo and Su Yuqing had been planning to spend the next few days resting at home.

But they had only been back for two days when, on the third day, Chen Xi showed up at their door.

The doorbell rang insistently, full of an undeniable vitality.

"Coming!" Su Yuqing called out, walking over to open the door with a touch of curiosity.

Standing outside was none other than Chen Xi. She wasn’t in her usual business attire today; instead, she wore a set of sharply tailored casual clothes. Her face was lit with excitement and a hint of a mysterious smile, making her seem vibrant and full of life.

"Good morning, Qingqing!" Chen Xi said with a smile. Her gaze passed over Su Yuqing and landed on Chen Mo, who was just walking out of the kitchen after clearing the dishes. "Momo, hurry and get ready! I’ve planned an outing for you two today, a chance to relax!"

Chen Mo looked at his mother’s expression, a rare, girlish glee, and was somewhat taken aback. "We were just saying we wanted to rest at home for a few days and wait for our scores."

"What’s the fun of being cooped up at home? Young people should get out more!" Chen Xi strode in, not taking no for an answer. Her eyes flicked between Chen Mo and Su Yuqing with an all-knowing smile. "This is a time when you really need to relax, especially after the exams but before the results are out. Right, Qingqing?"

Su Yuqing had been worrying about the possibility of their exam scores being too different, which would prevent them from attending the same university. A flicker of gloom, almost imperceptible, crossed her eyes, but she quickly nodded and smiled. "Yes, Auntie is right. It would be nice to get out."

Chen Mo wiped his hands and walked over to the entryway. "Mom? The sun is blazing out there. Where are you planning to take us?"

"Somewhere great!" Chen Xi put on her shoes and walked to the sofa. Her gaze swept over her son and future daughter-in-law, lingering for a moment on the subtle intimacy between them as a flicker of satisfaction crossed her eyes. "I heard there’s an old Daoist priest at the Daoist temple on Yunyin Mountain who’s incredibly accurate with his predictions! Since you two just finished your exams, I thought I’d take you to have your fortunes told. You know, ask about your futures, and maybe your romantic fate, that sort of thing!"

"Romantic fate?" Chen Mo nearly choked, looking at his mother—a titan in the world of high-tech—in utter disbelief. "Mom, you work in cutting-edge technology! How can you believe in this stuff?"

He couldn’t recall his mother ever showing any interest in metaphysics or fortune-telling before.

This was mainly because, in his previous timeline, Chen Mo hadn’t spent much time with his mother.

Su Yuqing, however, knew nothing of this; she only reacted to the mention of "romantic fate." Her eyes widened slightly as a blush crept up her cheeks.

’Romantic fate... My romantic fate with Chen Mo?’ ’Coming from Auntie Chen Xi, the words had a strange, heart-pounding formality to them.’

Chen Xi planted her hands on her hips, full of self-assurance. "Science is one way of understanding the world, and metaphysics is another way of exploring the unknown! It’s called being eclectic, you know? Some truths passed down by our ancestors for millennia are so profound that science just can’t explain them yet! Besides..." Her tone softened as she shot a teasing glance at Su Yuqing. "Let’s just treat it as a day out. The scenery on Yunyin Mountain is beautiful, the air is fresh—it’s much better than being cooped up at home. Right, Qingqing?"

Su Yuqing felt both excited and panicked by Chen Xi’s words.

’If the reading said they were a match made in heaven, that would be one thing.’

’But if it said they weren’t a good match, it would be a disaster.’

So Su Yuqing was in a total panic.

Chen Xi seemed to pick up on her anxiety. She smiled and said, "The key is that I heard this old Daoist priest has the power to alter one’s fate. Even if the reading isn’t great, he has methods to improve it."

"Isn’t that just a scam to get money!" Chen Mo was exasperated. But seeing his mother’s excitement and Su Yuqing’s blushing, expectant face, he found himself hesitating. After the fundamental shift in their relationship on Bikong Island and the deep emotional conversations they’d had, the words "future" and "destiny" held a new, subtle weight for him.

’Might as well give it a try. Besides, these kinds of street swindlers usually do the initial reading for free. They only charge you when it’s time to ’solve’ the problems they’ve ’discovered’.’

’So I should be able to stop my mom from getting scammed.’

’I’ll just treat it as a sightseeing trip.’

"Fine, Mom. We’ll do whatever you’ve planned," Chen Mo said with a helpless shrug, though an indulgent smile played on his lips.

Seeing his agreement, Su Yuqing could only nod obediently. She was still flustered, but at the same time, she really did want to hear what the fortune-teller would say about her and Chen Mo’s romantic fate.

"Excellent!" Her mission accomplished, Chen Xi beamed. "Then what are you waiting for? Get changed! Let’s go!"

Qingxu Temple, nestled on Yunyin Mountain in the city’s outskirts, was built into the mountainside. Far from the urban clamor, it was a place of towering ancient trees and serene tranquility.

Few tourists walked the bluestone paths, and the faint scent of incense hung in the air.

Chen Xi had clearly done her research. She confidently led the two around the back of the Daoist Temple to an even more secluded side courtyard.

Sure enough, an old Daoist priest was sitting at a small table beneath an ancient pine tree. His hair and beard were completely white, but he looked vigorous and full of spirit.

Unlike the ethereal, otherworldly figure one might imagine, this old Daoist priest wore a worn, gray robe with a few specks of mud on the cuffs of his trousers. His eyes, however, were exceptionally bright and sharp.

He held an old-fashioned pipe, slowly puffing out clouds of smoke. A few bunches of fresh vegetables and a basket of herbs sat on the table beside him. This blend of the mundane and the profound gave him the air of a hidden master living among common folk.

"Mom, you said he was some kind of master fortune-teller, right? If word of his skills really spread far enough to reach you, shouldn’t this place be swamped with people? How can he be this idle?"

Chen Mo glanced around. To his surprise, there wasn’t a single other person in sight.

"You silly boy. Daoist Liu only sees one group a day, no exceptions. You need to book in advance. You think he’ll see just anyone who shows up? If you don’t have an appointment, the trip is a waste. So even though it looks empty, tons of people are trying to get a spot. And your old mom here got one through her own skill."

Chen Xi said, looking at Chen Mo with a triumphant grin.

This "skill," as it happened, was simply being randomly selected by the Daoist priest after signing up.

This Daoist priest was quite the character. Most people operated on a first-come, first-served basis.

But every day, he would randomly draw one name from the list of people who had signed up the day before, elegantly calling the process "fate."

Those who weren’t chosen were simply considered "unfated."

The person who was chosen was then allowed to bring friends and family along to have their fortunes told by the old Daoist priest.

The group, however, could not exceed five people in total.

When Chen Xi first heard about this old Daoist priest from a friend, she had also assumed he was some sort of con artist.

But her friend had been so insistent, so Chen Xi figured when it came to things like metaphysics, you could take it or leave it. As long as the fortune-teller didn’t say anything too unpleasant, there was no harm in hearing him out.