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In 2014, Master Xiao came to Guangzhou for a visit and stayed at my place for more than half a month. In our line of work, the only real benefit is the freedom of time, allowing us to arrange our schedules without constraints. The downside is the unpredictable income; sometimes we go half a month without any jobs, while other times one job can keep us resting for weeks. We like to call ourselves freelancers, but in reality, we are just unemployed wanderers. My business is slightly busier than Master Xiao's; besides taking on ghost-exorcising jobs, I also offer feng shui consultations for some extra cash. Even so, it barely covers the basics, and life isn't exactly luxurious. However, Master Xiao tends to get higher-quality jobs—those that pay well and are generous. So, he lives a more carefree life than I do. One evening, while we were at home enjoying cold beer and barbecued meat, his phone rang.
He unlocked the screen and pressed the speakerphone button, greeting the caller while continuing to stuff his mouth with barbecue.
“Hello, is this Master Xiao?” A melodious female voice came through the phone, very pleasant to hear. Master Xiao quickly swallowed the piece of meat he was chewing and took a sip of beer to clear his throat before replying, “Yes, hello! I am Xiao. How can I help you?” His gaze was fixed as if he could see the owner of the voice on the other end.
Based on my years of experience, calls from someone named Mr. Liu usually come from insurance salespeople or various company representatives. However, if they address him as Master Liu, it’s almost certainly someone looking for his services. I figured Master Xiao felt the same way; for us unemployed wanderers, receiving an unexpected job offer can be quite exciting.
“Hello, Master Xiao. I am Wang, an office secretary from Shanghai XX Group. I apologize for the sudden call; I’m reaching out on behalf of our boss who needs your assistance.” The tone from the other side was sincere and clear.
Upon hearing "group" and "boss," Master Xiao's expression brightened even more, though his tone remained calm as he replied, “Oh? What does this master have to do with me?” He was trying to elevate his status and project an air of superiority, which would help when it came time to negotiate fees. What a cunning fellow; I shook my head while munching on my food.
“Well,” she continued, “our boss has encountered some issues at home. We previously hired someone to take a look but it didn’t resolve anything. This time we’d like you to come over and help us out. As for the reward, we guarantee your satisfaction.”
“Are you implying that you’ve contacted others as well?” Master Xiao's tone turned slightly unfriendly.
The woman hurriedly explained, “Yes, I apologize for that, Master Xiao. Our boss just wanted to be cautious because the previous master didn’t follow through properly and left us hanging. Now the situation has become quite serious, so our boss reached out to several other colleagues in your field to meet and discuss in person. The meeting is scheduled for tomorrow at 6 PM at the Shangri-La Hotel in Pudong.”
Master Xiao’s face showed signs of interest again but he maintained his calm demeanor as he said, “But I'm currently in Guangzhou. If I return to Shanghai without securing your job, wouldn’t that be a waste of resources?”
“Rest assured,” she replied reassuringly. “Every master who attends will receive an 8,888 yuan red envelope as transportation compensation; no master will make a trip without being compensated.” Her tone remained respectful.
Winning a contract? The big boss of this group certainly knows how to handle things—hiring masters feels more like a bidding process.
Master Xiao feigned calmness once more and said, “Alright then, let’s leave it at that for now. I’ll contact you once I arrive tomorrow; I'm currently eating dinner. Goodbye.” After hanging up the phone, he raised his glass and exclaimed, “Cheers! Another opportunity for wealth has come our way! Ha ha!”
"You don't even ask what it's about, yet you already know you're going to make a fortune. Is it really just for that little transportation subsidy? Besides, people say the situation is quite complicated. Do you really think you can handle it?" I ignored his excitement, pouring a bucket of cold water over him. The thought of being scammed didn't even cross my mind; after all, who would go out of their way to con a Taoist priest?
Once a person is overly joyful, it's hard to bring them down. Despite my words, he showed no reaction and continued, "Who cares? We'll figure it out when we get there. You haven't had much going on lately anyway, so come with me. Judging by this boss's style, he shouldn't be a stingy person. If we can take this job and finish it, we should be able to make a small fortune. With you around, my chances are even greater."
"If we take this job, the reward will be split fifty-fifty, and you'll negotiate the price. Otherwise, I'm not going," I said casually since we were all familiar with each other.
Master Xiao laughed heartily and said, "Six for you, four for me is fine as long as you're willing to go. Here's to a pleasant cooperation!" He raised his beer mug.
With a clink, our mugs met with a cheerful sound, marking the agreement on our profit-sharing.
The next morning, we took the earliest flight from Guangzhou Baiyun Airport to Pudong International Airport. By the time we arrived in Shanghai, it was still too early for lunch. We returned to Master Xiao's place, bringing along plenty of luggage. If we didn't secure this job, I planned to spend a few days exploring Shanghai before leaving.
Shanghai was far more bustling than Guangzhou, with a faster pace of life. Watching the throngs of people bustling about made me reflect as an unemployed wanderer: if I weren't doing this line of work, what would I be doing? What could I do? Suddenly, I recalled a line from Stephen Chow's movie Kung Fu where Master Yuan Hua said near the end: "If our son were still alive and grown up now, I think he would either be a doctor or a lawyer."
After lunch, Master Xiao suggested taking me for a massage, but I firmly declined. It wasn't that I thought massages were bad; rather, I simply wasn't comfortable with a stranger's hands on me—it made me feel unsafe. I heard this was a kind of phobia, but I had no intention of treating it; it was quite convenient—saving money and time without any side effects.
Time flew by as we played chess together. Just when he was about to lose completely, his phone rang. It was that girl again, reminding us that our meeting would be at six o'clock and providing the specific room number.
I glanced at the clock; it was already four-thirty. The rush hour was approaching quickly. Although the distance wasn't far, getting stuck in traffic could lead to regrets if we didn't arrive on time. I said, "Let's go; it's better to arrive early than late."
Master Xiao nodded and replied, "Wait for me a moment." He then headed into his bedroom.
A few minutes later, he emerged wearing an impressive yellow robe and carrying a Cosmic Bag slung over his shoulder with a Peach Wood Sword sticking out from behind it—looking every bit like a con artist from the Jianghu (martial arts world). I couldn't help but feel like kicking him. "If you're going like that, let's just go our separate ways; I can't afford to be seen with you."
He chuckled and said, "You don't understand; you'll see soon enough." With that, he walked out the door without another word. Sighing lightly, I turned and followed him outside.
When they arrived at the parking lot, he said, "You drive. I'll sit in the back. Usually, the driver is in front while the Boss sits in the back, resting."
"You're just a pig with a green onion stuck up its nose, pretending to be something you're not. With this old Volkswagen of yours, do you really think you're the Boss and need a driver?" I retorted, but I still took the car keys and sat in the driver's seat, setting the navigation towards Shangri-La Hotel.
When they reached the hotel, I realized it was even more luxurious than I had imagined. The tiered fountain at the entrance clearly showed that someone had consulted feng shui for its design. After parking and getting out of the car, Master Xiao's robe drew attention from people nearby; some even discreetly took photos. I forced myself to remain calm and stepped aside, hoping not to be caught in any candid shots.
It was barely five-thirty when Master Xiao, unfazed, pulled out his phone and called Miss Wang. This guy was really good at putting on airs; he clearly knew the room number but still called for someone to come down just to show off his importance.
I stood silently to the side. A few minutes later, Miss Wang came down. They say girls with beautiful voices aren't usually attractive, but Miss Wang proved that wrong with her looks. Master Xiao was quite conspicuous and was spotted immediately. After exchanging greetings, she led him inside. Master Xiao turned back and waved at me, and I reluctantly followed him in.
At the door of the room, I heard a commotion inside. When I opened the door, I was taken aback—there were people sitting and standing everywhere in the large conference room, with over twenty individuals scattered about, more than half of whom were wearing robes. I was puzzled; was it customary in Shanghai for people to flaunt their identities with robes?
Once Master Xiao walked in, he didn't seem as noticeable anymore. Upon entering, we had to sign in. After signing in, a receptionist handed a thick red envelope to each person who registered. I stood behind Master Xiao as he signed in and received his red envelope. Just as I was about to enter, he turned back to the receptionist and said, "This is my friend; he's also a Taoist. Can he get a red envelope too?" The receptionist smiled slightly and replied, "I'm sorry, Master Xiao. Our invitation slots are fixed, so we don't have any extras prepared. My apologies." My face flushed with embarrassment as I pulled Master Xiao inside. Only he could pull off such an embarrassing stunt while wearing a robe; I couldn't imagine what his master would think if he saw this.
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