Chapter 65: Father

Inside the studio, although Qi Yan had promised with great confidence to shoulder all the work during this period, the truth was… without Li Ruoke personally overseeing things, he truly found himself overwhelmed. As luck would have it, these past two days had seen a surge in inquiries on both the official account and the website.

People seeking divinations were sending messages on WeChat in an endless stream. Qi Yan, following Li Ruoke’s instructions, responded methodically: he would note what each person wanted to divine and their reported situation, then select the corresponding text from a document, copy and paste it… and even improvise some phrases that sounded “professional” to give the impression he really knew what he was doing.

In addition to this, he had to answer all sorts of client calls—tasks Li Ruoke had always handled before. It had to be said, the people buying these amulets were more eccentric than the next, and the questions they asked were simply… laughable. Qi Yan had to stifle his urge to mock them and respond to each with patience.

Call one:
“Hello? Yes, yes… you’re asking if the case of your amulet can be replaced if it’s broken? Well, have you tried using 502 glue to fix it? …Sorry, I’m not trying to shirk responsibility. I know, I know, we promised a one-month warranty, but the shop has just been a bit busy lately—could you wait a couple more days?”

Call two:
“Mr. Wang, I’ve checked: the amulet you ordered last time was indeed the ‘Fortune Gecko.’ We sourced it exactly as you requested. If you want to change the type now, I’m afraid… Yes, yes, it’s already been blessed. The effect? Well, I think that really depends on the individual… No! Wearing a fortune amulet doesn’t mean you can quit your job and stop working. It’s an auxiliary talisman…”

Call three:
“Miss Zhuang, what can I help you with? …Your Yantong amulet hasn’t helped your marriage? Uh… it doesn’t work instantly, you need to put in some effort yourself… What? You saw your husband cheating with your own eyes? Oh… oh, his lover is… a man? …Okay, could you call back when you’re not crying?”

Call four:
“Mr. Yao, I’ve told you many times, there is simply no amulet that can make you win a million in the lottery…”

“Woof woof woof!”

“Sherry, stop barking! …No, no, not you, I mean the little Bichon I keep at the shop… Could you hold for a moment? My Siamese cat is about to tear up the sofa—I need to put it in the cage… And there’s a Teddy, currently… well, you know, with the pillow. Teddy’s doing what Teddies do—if you get my meaning?”

...

By midday, he’d already fielded over a dozen customer service calls, all about after-sales matters. Since a single amulet could cost thousands of yuan, these clients certainly had a right to expect good service.

Yet, the majority were complete novices, knowing as little as Qi Yan had at first. Their questions were enough to drive anyone mad, but thanks to them, Qi Yan felt his knowledge and expertise in Thai amulets was improving at lightning speed!

It was only his first day running the shop alone, and he was already exhausted in both body and mind.

He barely managed to make it to lunchtime, finally able to eat some takeout and catch his breath. But before he could even open his meal, his personal phone rang—it was… his father.

“Dad, I’m eating well, living well, and enjoying my new job…” He answered, quickly reporting a string of false good news before his father could speak.

To Qi Yan’s surprise, his father hadn’t called just out of concern this time.

“What? You’re coming to Xinzhou? When? …Why the sudden visit? Is it because you won’t be at ease until you see me yourself? …Ah? You said you’re coming for some kind of event?”

Qi Yan’s hometown was in the neighboring province, and now that the high-speed rail was open, it was only about a two-hour journey. His father, Qi Guoheng, was a professional photographer who used to work at a magazine. Before Qi Yan’s mother passed away, his father was often away on business trips.

This time, his father said he’d been invited to a major cultural festival and exhibition in Xinzhou. The organizer, apparently an old friend from years past, had reached out, so Qi Guoheng readily agreed—and could take the opportunity to visit his son working far from home.

What caught Qi Yan completely off guard was… his father’s train would arrive at six that very afternoon!

He hurried to the mirror to check his face, scrutinizing himself from every angle… Thankfully, that terrifying night at the Jintang Cement Factory had left no visible marks; otherwise, his father would surely suspect he’d been in a fight again.

“Tch… Seriously, couldn’t he have given me a couple days’ notice? So sudden.”

It was only midday. After lunch, Qi Yan quickly finished the remaining order forms, sent off the packages at the courier, and rushed to a barber shop to tidy up his month-old hair.

In short, he tried his best to look more spirited, more presentable.

He finished everything and headed for the North Railway Station before five o’clock to wait for his father’s arrival.

The station was always crowded, but the newly-built North Station was at least better—fewer people trying to hawk accommodation with signs. At half past six, a wave of passengers surged out of the exit. Qi Yan stood on tiptoe to look for his father’s face among the crowd. With so many people, it was impossible to spot him easily. Just as he was about to call, someone flicked the back of his head.

“Ow—!” Qi Yan clutched his head and turned, only to see a middle-aged man in a suit, suitcase in hand, grinning at him.

His beer belly strained against his shirt, and his slicked-back hair, streaked with gray, left no doubt as to his identity.

Qi Yan paused for a moment, his eyes lighting up with amused delight. Before greeting him, he exclaimed, “Don’t move!” Then he circled his father, inspecting him as if examining a rare artifact.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk… Oh! Who’s this? Looks unfamiliar…” Qi Yan teased intentionally—it was rare to see his father dressed so formally; he was usually so casual. Now, he looked just like a big boss.

Qi Guoheng gave him a light slap on the chest. “Enough nonsense, I have a dinner engagement tonight, so I dressed up a bit.”

At that, Qi Yan broke into a happy smile, and, heedless of the crowd, gave his father a bear hug. “Dad!”

“I keep telling you to eat more! Look how skinny you’ve gotten…” Qi Guoheng squeezed his shoulder, shaking his head with a laugh.

Qi Yan suddenly let go, sniffed the air, and frowned. “Dad, you used way too much hair gel… And is that… cologne? Don’t tell me you’re using this visit as an excuse to find me a stepmother in Xinzhou?”

“Pah! Stop talking nonsense, hurry up and grab my suitcase!”

The two chatted away in the taxi. They hadn’t seen each other in nearly half a year. Qi Yan’s father was never one for nagging, nor did he need to question his son’s situation in detail—perhaps because of his profession. As a photographer, he’d been many places and met countless people; a mere glance was enough for him to glean most of how Qi Yan was faring.

“Hardly eating on time, are you? Look at those dark circles… Cut down on the late nights. And that haircut—if I hadn’t come today, would you have stayed scruffy for another month?”

Qi Yan could only smile wryly and joke, “Why aren’t you like other parents, asking if I have a girlfriend?”

“Hmph… Of course you don’t,” Qi Guoheng said calmly, lips pursed. “Who would like a pauper like you?”

“Come on, Dad, that’s harsh…” Qi Yan deflated, then asked, “By the way, what’s the event you were invited to?”

Qi Guoheng lifted his eyelids. “It’s nothing much. Next week there’s an international folk culture exhibition in Longbin New Town, Xinzhou. They’ve invited a dozen or so veteran photographers like me to attend. Keep your weekend free next week and come with me.”

“I’m not going! A culture exhibition… Boring stuff like that isn’t for someone like me.”

“Hmph. I went out of my way to use work as an excuse to come see you in Xinzhou. If you dare not go, I’ll give you such a slap you’ll stick to the wall—won’t be able to peel you off!”