After the siblings became gods, during Pangu's first trip down to the Mortal Realm, Wanquan made three appointments.
A woman who, every day, gave directions to old people at a street corner. She felt it was her calling. Her husband said she'd gone crazy. She ignored him.
The middle-aged man selling candied chestnuts, who had been about to close up shop. In the days Pangu kept coming by, business got so good he borrowed money to expand.
And a couple who walked hand in hand every day. Their love, which had been cooling, became close again.
After Pangu went back, Wanquan revoked the appointments.
The woman suddenly didn't know why she was standing at the corner. She hadn't gone to work in half a year.
Her husband moved out. The neighbors thought she was crazy. A doctor said she had delusions.
She took medication, grew foggy, stopped going out.
But one day every month, she still walked to that corner and stood there for an afternoon.
Someone asked: "Auntie, who are you waiting for?"
She shook her head: "I don't know."
But she still came.
——
The man's chestnut stall went under.
The stock piled up at home, molded, got bugs.
Debt collectors came three times. The last time, they smashed his window.
His children had long since cut off contact.
He poured his last pot of chestnuts out by the roadside.
A stray dog came and ate one, then spat it out.
He looked at the pot of chestnuts and laughed.
A laugh uglier than crying.
——
The couple suddenly didn't want to hold hands. She grew suspicious; he went silent. In the end they broke up.
Years later, they ran into each other on the street.
She asked: "Back then...what actually happened?"
He shook his head: "I don't know."
They passed each other and didn't look back.
Wanquan sat before the Mirror of Fate, watching them. He watched for a long time. Then he switched off the mirror.
Outside the door, new reports were piled on his desk.
He sat down and started working through them.
As for the next time Father went down, he would still arrange things.
He would still let Father see that very good Mortal Realm.
He remembered every one of their names, and he remembered what happened after the appointments were lifted.
But he couldn't be found out.