Abnormal Gourmet Chronicle-Chapter 1112 - 538: Master Zhou

"Letting Mr. Xu sit in the kitchen for a meal isn't out of the question. I can just find an excuse and say Mr. Xu's food reviews are exceptional and hope he can sit in the kitchen to give live commentary."

Qin Huai didn't mind helping Zhou Hu with this little favor, fulfilling Xu Tuqiang's quirky wish. Actually, given Qin Huai's relationship with Xu Tuqiang, if Xu really asked to eat in the kitchen once, Qin Huai would certainly agree.

Unfortunately, Mr. Xu has his own insistence; he wants to eat in the kitchen inexplicably like Wang Gen Sheng did.

After all, Zhou Hu is most likely the 11th spirit in the illustrated record.

"But."

Just as Zhou Hu showed a grateful expression, Qin Huai's tone shifted, causing Zhou Hu's heart to skip a beat.

"I still want to know why," Qin Huai said. "Planner Zhou, you sell a talisman for only 500, so why are you willing to spend 5000 to have Mr. Xu eat in the kitchen?"

If Zhou Hu really is a spirit, Qin Huai thought this might be the key to uncovering Zhou Hu's related tasks.

Zhou Hu blurted out, "Master Qin, you really plan to accept it?"

Qin Huai: ?

Are you a Pixiu, buddy? Didn't Gong Liang suspect you're a fox? Are you foxes really this stingy? Even worse than Zhao Cheng'an with the empty promises.

"Planner Zhou, you don't plan to give it?"

Zhou Hu: ...

Seeing Zhou Hu's face full of signs of a big loss, Qin Huai smiled and said, "But if Planner Zhou is willing to answer my questions, I wouldn't mind doing it for free."

Zhou Hu was tempted.

Qin Huai also noticed Zhou Hu's interest was piqued.

If Qin Huai previously believed there was an 80% chance that Zhou Hu was a spirit based on Gong Liang's guess, now this probability had risen to 90%.

Doing strange things, having a mind that's not quite right, seeming normal yet not quite, very much like a spirit.

"The specific reason..." Zhou Hu lowered his voice, "It might be a bit complicated, not sure if it's convenient for Master Qin to find a quiet place..."

"Of course," Qin Huai gestured to Shi Dadan, telling him that he needed to explore a new side task first and that they should continue on without him for now.

Shi Dadan, sensing the underlying message, relayed the news to everyone. Chen Huihong originally planned to go with Qin Huai to enjoy amusement park rides. To Chen Huihong, this was actually a team-building event for the "Loving Family" group at the amusement park, where everyone had to be together for it to count.

Seeing Qin Huai going to recruit new group members, Chen Huihong happily pushed Luo Jun's wheelchair toward the carousel, leaving behind a furious Luo Jun's complaints.

"Chen Huihong, are you out of your mind? If you want to ride the carousel, go by yourself, don't drag me along!"

"Hey Luo Jun, I know you love riding the carousel. Last time, that's the only ride you went on."

"That's because it's the only one I can ride!"

"Well, since we're here, we should enjoy it. Don't worry, I'll talk to the staff; I'll make sure the pumpkin carriage is saved for you!"

"I don't want to ride the pumpkin carriage!!!"

As Chen Huihong pushed Luo Jun further away, Qin Huai explained as a friend, "Mr. Luo is just that kind of person. I heard, Planner Zhou, that the funeral hall plan you submitted to Mr. Luo still hasn't been approved. You might want to find the refiner he likes best and persuade him hard; it might just work wonders."

Zhou Hu suddenly came to a realization.

"Let's go then, Planner Zhou. I know a dessert shop in the amusement park that doesn't do very well. We can sit there and talk; surely no one will disturb us." 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Zhou Hu: ?

Qin Huai led Zhou Hu to the dessert shop where he had previously searched Shi Dadan's memories. Fortunately, this dessert shop hadn't closed down yet and still had very poor business.

And of course, the prices on the menu hadn't dropped either, with shaved ice still shockingly priced at 58 yuan per serving.

Qin Huai ordered two servings of shaved ice, found a quiet corner, and sat down looking all ears to listen.

Zhou Hu cleared his throat and began to recount the story from the beginning, along with his emotional journey.

How should I say it? Qin Huai heard a completely new version of Master Zhou's story.

In the version Gong Liang discovered, even though Zhou Hu's family background wasn't clean — three generations of tomb robbers, father imprisoned, disqualified from public exams — he was still a fortune-teller trusted by clients.

After all, the family knowledge and achievements were there, and the Zhou family had a vast and stable clientele in Shan City for many years. Many clients, like Xu Tuqiang, firmly believed in Zhou Hu's fortune-telling skills.

Clients really trusted the fortune-teller.

But the fortune-teller himself didn't.

The first thing Zhou Hu said to Qin Huai was —

"Master Qin, never trust in feng shui or fortune-telling; it's all fake. If you're interested and want to have a little fun, spend 50 to 100 to listen to a fortune-teller tell a few stories and say some nice things, just for a laugh. But don't buy those talismans, Eight Diagrams Mirrors, pagodas, or other so-called consecrated items. Checking feng shui is fine, but don't spend a fortune to invite someone to set up a feng shui formation at your home."

"I've studied feng shui and bagua for over ten years growing up, and I never believed in those things."

Qin Huai was bewildered.

In Zhou Hu's narrative, Qin Huai heard a completely new story of a fortune-teller.

Because of his family background, and since Zhou Hu's father had a serious psychological shadow from his grandfather's death due to tomb robbing, he didn't plan to teach Zhou Hu the family's grave-robbing skills, and simultaneously didn't want the family craftsmanship to completely disappear, Zhou Hu could say he learned feng shui and bagua from a young age.

Incidentally learning a bit about Gold Division and Positioning.

Zhou Hu was a smart child since childhood with great academic performance. Otherwise, his father wouldn't have believed in his potential to "land ashore" and had him apply to the funeral services program with high marks, hoping he would succeed.