The middle-aged woman took the black water-based pen and yellow paper from Chen Yuanshan's hand. As she wrote her daughter's name and the lunar birthday and time, Chen Yuanshan examined me from head to toe with a solemn expression.

I sat on the sofa, absent-minded, replaying the events from last night in my mind. I still couldn't figure out whether I truly encountered a ghost or if it was just a nightmare. The image of that terrifying female ghost haunted me, sending shivers down my spine.

After writing her daughter's name and lunar birthday on the yellow paper, the middle-aged woman handed it to Chen Yuanshan. He calculated her daughter's fate based on the lunar birthday and then proceeded to analyze it with the traditional Chinese method of Bazi (Eight Characters).

While Chen Yuanshan performed the calculations, the middle-aged woman anxiously observed his every move.

After about ten minutes, Chen Yuanshan withdrew his hand and looked at the middle-aged woman with a puzzled expression.

"Master Chen, tell me quickly, will my daughter get into a top-tier university or a second-tier one? What major is suitable for her?" The middle-aged woman anxiously inquired.

"Are you sure the name and lunar birthday you provided are correct?" Chen Yuanshan pointed to the yellow paper on the table and asked the woman.

She carefully examined her daughter's name and lunar birthdate on the paper. "Yes, it's correct!"

"If it's correct, according to my calculations, your daughter is already three months pregnant and appears to have dropped out of school." Chen Yuanshan replied gravely.

"Nonsense! My daughter is well-behaved and obedient. She doesn't even have a boyfriend, how could she be pregnant? Your calculations are rubbish!" The middle-aged woman stood up, displeased with Chen Yuanshan's revelation. She knocked over the chair she was sitting on and left in a huff.

"Ah!" Chen Yuanshan sighed as he watched the woman leave and then approached me. "You..."

"Save your words. I know your situation," he interrupted me before I could speak. Chen Yuanshan brought a bronze incense burner and five incense sticks.

Placing the incense burner on the coffee table, Chen Yuanshan handed me the five incense sticks. "What's this?" I asked as I took the incense sticks from him.

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"Light these five incense sticks and insert them into the incense burner," Chen Yuanshan instructed, placing a lighter in front of me.

I nodded, following his instructions and lighting the five incense sticks, then inserting them into the burner. "Now, wait," Chen Yuanshan said before walking upstairs.

As he left, I stared at the burning incense, confused about what Chen Yuanshan was trying to achieve.

After a while, Chen Yuanshan descended the stairs, scratching the back of his head. "How did it disappear?"

"What disappeared? Can't you speak more clearly and not scare me?" I questioned him, my patience wearing thin.

"We use incense burning to predict the future in Taoism. I gave you five incense sticks to represent your lifespan. Three long and two short sticks signify danger. Now, the incense has burned into three long and two short sticks, known as the 'life-expiring incense.' In other words, your life is in imminent danger," Chen Yuanshan explained, pointing at the incense sticks.

Listening to his explanation, I glanced at the incense burner. Indeed, three sticks on one side and two on the other, shorter by a section.

"Now, write your name and lunar birthday for me. I will calculate your Eight Characters and see if I can determine your fortune," Chen Yuanshan placed a black water-based pen and a piece of yellow paper in front of me.

I wrote my name and lunar birthday, pushed the paper towards Chen Yuanshan, who, as before, calculated my Eight Characters and proceeded to analyze my fate. I sat silently, observing him.

After less than five minutes, beads of sweat appeared on Chen Yuanshan's forehead, dripping down his face like rain. "Your fate is strange. I've calculated that you are involved in the business of dealing with the dead, correct?"

His words echoed what my grandfather had told me before. "Yes, we are in the business of retrieving corpses from the river for generations."

"For those dealing with the dead, the destiny should lean towards yin, with the element of water. These are basic conditions. However, your destiny leans towards yang, with the element of fire. Water and fire are incompatible. Engaging in this business will endanger your life sooner or later." Chen Yuanshan's words mirrored my grandfather's warnings, almost word for word.

"If you want to live, be truthful. Tell me any strange events happening around you recently. Maybe I can help you," Chen Yuanshan suggested.

"The strangest thing that happened recently was yesterday morning when my dad and I pulled a girl's body from the river. She was standing upright in the water."

Upon hearing about the upright corpse, Chen Yuanshan was astonished. "A corpse standing upright carries malevolent energy, heavy with resentment. Such a body must not be touched. If touched, the resentment will cling to you."

"I know that. We have three taboos in our business, and one of them is not to retrieve a standing corpse. I advised my dad not to retrieve it, but he didn't listen. The family of the deceased offered a hefty sum of a hundred thousand yuan for the retrieval." I recounted the experience of retrieving the corpse and the strange events that occurred last night.

As I finished my story, the five incense sticks had burned to the roots. Chen Yuanshan pulled them out and threw them aside. Then, he grabbed a handful of ash from the incense burner and smeared it on my right wrist. Blowing gently, the ash on my wrist disappeared, leaving a black handprint.

Seeing this, a look of terror spread across my face.