Chapter 49: The Appearance of Transcendence

Yan Lan's kick was very light, and her feigned reproachful tone carried not only very little anger, but instead a subtle, indescribable intimacy. This caused Yang Rui's heart to flutter, and certain long-dormant feelings stirred back to life.

This feeling... why did it feel a bit like having an affair? And quite thrilling too! Yang Rui silently cursed himself as worse than an animal: Sister Lan was usually so good to him, yet he had actually conceived such filthy thoughts! He really deserved a beating!

Fortunately, his mind worked quickly. He immediately reined in his thoughts, put on a serious and solemn expression, and stared intently at Yan Lan's pretty face. "Sister Lan, I just took a close look at your physiognomy, and recently... you seem to be having a bit of bad luck? I'm afraid you might encounter some minor stumbling blocks."

Yan Lan was taken aback, then burst out laughing. "You brat, you even dare to tease Sister Lan? Who do you try to scam next?"

"I'm really not scamming you!" Yang Rui defended himself. "There are genuinely some early signs!"

"Really?" Yan Lan felt a bit uncomfortable under his gaze and was half-skeptical. "Then... take another careful look?"

"Alright! Let me have another thorough look!" Yang Rui rejoiced inwardly; he had finally found a righteous excuse to look his fill.

However, with this second look, his heart suddenly plummeted, and a layer of cold sweat instantly broke out across his back!

In the study of physiognomy, "physiognomy" refers to the "five facial features"—the ears, eyebrows, eyes, nose, and mouth, which correspond respectively to the Official of Hearing, the Official of Longevity, the Official of Observation, the Official of Discrimination, and the Official of Wealth and Treasury.

Through the shapes, complexions, and positions of these "five facial features," a physiognomist can make basic judgments about a person's fortune and misfortune. Generally speaking: the eyebrows relate to health and status; the eyes tie to willpower and character; the nose governs wealth and health; the mouth manages fortune, status, and benefactors; and the ears relate to the length of one's lifespan.

Of course, these were only the basics and might not fully determine a lifetime's ups and downs. But for Yang Rui, he could see with absolute certainty. Although feng shui and face reading belonged to different categories, the two shared a close connection in their theoretical systems. Both were based on the imagery and numerology of the Book of Changes and the theory of "the interaction between heaven and humanity," emphasizing the analysis of internal energy—such as magnetic fields and destiny—through the observation of external features like terrain and facial appearance, while focusing on the harmonious coexistence of humans and the natural environment.

Some feng shui masters would even deliberately study the art of face reading to enhance their comprehensive judgment capabilities. For instance, by observing facial features such as the luster of a client's glabella and the clarity of their gaze, one could anticipate recent trends in their fortune, thereby adjusting the feng shui layout in a more targeted manner. This cross-disciplinary integration enabled feng shui masters to provide comprehensive consultations covering multiple fields such as career, health, and marriage. And Yang Rui was precisely an expert deeply versed in this craft.

The art of reading people first places importance on regional differences—people nurtured by different soils and waters naturally have different facial features. Second is the complexion, which is a direct mapping of one's state of mind and reflects the subject's immediate fluctuations in fortune. Next is the voice; as the saying goes, "one noble quality overrides nine lowly ones." Many people of great nobility may appear poor and humble in appearance, but their voices are resonant, upright, and their bearing is extraordinary. Following that is one's bearing, which refers to deportment, manners, conversational style, and grace—commonly known as "temperament." Finally, there are those with extraordinary physiognomy; such individuals deviate from the norm and cannot be evaluated using conventional face-reading methods. They are also the most ominous and unpredictable, where the slightest carelessness can lead to misjudgment, harming both oneself and others.

Yang Rui focused his mind once more to examine Yan Lan's pretty face, and cold sweat instantly soaked his back.

How could this be? Just a few days ago everything was fine, and there were no abnormalities this morning; how could such a dramatic change happen in just one afternoon?

His mind was in utter chaos, and for a moment he didn't know what to do.

The art of physiognomy primarily focuses on observing "spirit." In human life, essence, vital energy, and spirit are the fundamentals; as the saying goes, "those who retain spirit live, those who lose spirit die." Furthermore, "spirit" can be subdivided into ten types: hidden spirit, exposed spirit, urgent spirit, tranquil spirit, majestic spirit, dim spirit, harmonious spirit, startled spirit, intoxicated spirit, and detached spirit. Among these, "detached spirit" is the most uncanny and unpredictable. A person with a detached spirit appears like a lifeless wooden puppet, with the divine light in their eyes flickering in and out of existence—this is a sign of the exhaustion of the five viscera's essence and energy, which ancient physiognomy texts refer to as a "walking corpse"!

Yan Lan at this moment clearly exhibited the signs of a "detached spirit"!

Should he save her? Or not? If he did not save her, how could he bear it in his conscience? Yang Rui could guarantee that in less than a month, the kind-hearted and stunningly beautiful young married woman before his eyes would meet an untimely death! But if he were to save her... he had never attempted to defy the heavens and alter destiny! Forcing an intervention might not only subject him to karmic backlash, but Yan Lan would inevitably be implicated as well, with unpredictable consequences!

"What is it, Little Yang?" Seeing his expression shift unpredictably and looking exceptionally grim, Yan Lan couldn't help asking with concern.

Thinking of the warmth and care she had shown him over the years, Yang Rui abruptly gritted his teeth and made up his mind.

"Sister Lan," he said with an unusually solemn expression, "did you encounter any accidents today?" A sudden change in destiny could only stem from internal or external causes. Yang Rui had secretly observed Yan Lan's physiognomy several times before; she was originally destined for great fortune and longevity, which was why he asked.

"No?" Yan Lan recalled carefully. "I didn't go out all day, except to buy some groceries in the morning and came right back."

"Think carefully!" Yang Rui pressed urgently, adding, "Did you run into anything strange while buying groceries?"

Seeing his anxious expression, which did not look fake, Yan Lan grew nervous as well. Her delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly as she thought carefully before shaking her head. "Just like usual, nothing special. I bought everything from the same old vendors at their usual spots."

Yang Rui's expression darkened further. Strange! Could he have misread it? He focused his gaze to inspect Yan Lan once more, and that sign of a "detached spirit" was clear and unmistakable!

Yan Lan felt his gaze lingering on her body, especially pausing slightly over her chest, which caused her pretty face to flush red. She silently cursed him: This brat, is he taking advantage of the situation? He's really getting more and more out of hand as he grows up!

"What are you looking at, you brat?" she scolded in a low voice, afraid that her husband would overhear and stir up trouble again.

Yang Rui had no romantic thoughts at the moment; his mind was entirely consumed by how to resolve this life-and-death crisis for her! He was not unaware of the methods for breaking the curse, but worldly karma is interconnected. If the root cause could be found to prescribe the right remedy, it would be the safest course for both parties. If he forced the intervention, he would surely suffer heavenly condemnation and karmic backlash, and Yan Lan would also find it difficult to escape entanglement, with unimaginable consequences.

Seeing that Yang Rui was still staring unblinkingly, yet his gaze was filled with confusion and his expression fluctuated between light and dark, Yan Lan felt both annoyed and alarmed.

"Sister Lan, did you really not encounter anything unusual these past few days?" Yang Rui asked again, unwilling to give up.

Yan Lan had originally been half-skeptical about physiognomy, but Yang Rui's expression at this moment made her sense the severity of the matter.

"Little Yang! What on earth is wrong? Don't scare Sister Lan!" Her voice trembled, and her volume rose involuntarily.

"What's going on?" Cao Wanri and Zhu Ming, who had been chatting animatedly, turned their heads simultaneously. Cao Wanri asked with a frown.

"Darling! Little Yang... Little Yang says my physiognomy is very bad. What should we do?" As if she had found her backbone, Yan Lan looked worriedly toward her husband.

"Hah!" Zhu Ming sneered first, casting a disdainful glance at Yang Rui. "Sister Lan, what era is this? If your body feels uncomfortable, go to the hospital! Can you believe the words of a charlatan? Especially his words—you definitely can't believe them! Look at you, your complexion is rosy, you can eat and sleep well, you're doing just fine!"

"Exactly!" Cao Wanri immediately flew into a rage, pointing at Yang Rui and roaring, "Bastard! Are you cursing my wife here again? Believe it or not, I'll make you pack up and get lost right now!"