A Peculiar Encounter

The first time I sought a divination stick was when I was 20 years old. I was still in university then, and my relationship with my first boyfriend was becoming increasingly unstable, leaving me feeling lost and confused.

Should I break up? But I had waited so long for him to finish his military service.

Should I continue? After over three years together, our differences were becoming more apparent.

That year, my mother sold our house and took me on a trip to Hong Kong. It was during that trip that I sought my first divination stick at Wong Tai Sin Temple, asking about my marriage.

Nervously clutching the stick, I went to the fortune-telling street nearby, where a fortune-teller in his fifties interpreted it for me in Cantonese:
“You shouldn’t get married until after 27 years old . Only then will it be good for you.”

27?! At the time, I had planned to marry three years after graduation. The only reason I hesitated was because my first boyfriend would not have graduated yet. Could this mean he was not The One?

There is a saying that couples who visit Wong Tai Sin Temple to ask about marriage will break up if they are not destined to be together. Naturally, my first boyfriend was not with me on this trip—my mother did not even know I was dating. 😅

But just two weeks after returning to Singapore, we really did break up. I initiated it, and this time he did not try to stop me. Later, I found out he had met a new girl during his university orientation.

As for me, it took a year to move on. I did not blame him because deep down, I knew I was not a good girlfriend. Coming from a broken home, I was incredibly insecure in my first relationship, to the point where I would threaten to break up every couple of weeks. Honestly, he put up with a lot.

We all reap what we sow.

When I met my second boyfriend, I could not stop thinking about the divination stick from Wong Tai Sin:
“You shouldn’t get married until after 27.”

In the end, I did not wait until I was 27 to get married. What happened afterward taught me that ignoring the advice of immortals comes at a cost.

Nearly 30 years later, I found myself back at Wong Tai Sin Temple. I remembered that the temple offered free incense for visitors, but I decided to support the vendors selling incense outside. These vendors, braving the elements year-round, work so hard to make a living.

As I walked along the street, I looked for a vendor who would be kind-hearted. I eventually chose an elderly woman to buy incense from. What happened next was entirely unexpected.

After handing her the money and turning around to leave, she suddenly said to me in Cantonese:
“You’re very strong.”

I stood still and looked at her again, wondering if we knew each other.

She repeated, “You’re very strong.”

And just like that, on a sunny afternoon, this incense vendor began reading my fortune on the street.

“You’ve been through so much. It hasn’t been easy for you. But you made it because you’re so strong. After 35, your life will get better, and you won’t struggle as much. You’ve done a lot of good and helped many people. But you mustn’t hold on to too much. Worrying too much will harm your health. Don’t overburden yourself.”

She went on to share her own story of wandering through life and how her master had taught her face-reading. I did not tell her what my occupation was. Her eyes sparkled as she analyzed my face with genuine enthusiasm. Watching her, I thought of how much I love Feng Shui and Bazi readings, and learning Buddhism. It is a passion etched into my bones, a calling born of both nature and past-life karma.

The elderly woman’s words resonated deeply. This year, I have already reduced my video and livestream output significantly—from 130 livestreams last year to just around 10 this year. Shifu have repeatedly told me.

During my spiritual practice, Grandmaster, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have also reminded me to learn how to rest.

For a workaholic, eating well and sleeping well are skills that must be learned. Hearing the reminder again through this grandmother, I could not help but marvel at how the Buddhas and Wong Tai Sin chose to use her voice to affirm and warn me once more.

Ignoring the advice of immortals comes at a cost.

This time, I will not repeat my mistakes.