Under One Person: God Profiler

"See, Lin Yuan? If a dog offends you in the future, don't rush to argue with it. Just bear with it and go find the dog's owner. The owner will compensate you and even discipline the dog for you. If you argue with the dog, then you're no different from a dog," Xia Huaisang whispered in Xia Lin Yuan's ear.

Xia Linyuan nodded. Then he asked, "I understand, Grandpa. What if the dog owner is unreasonable and biased?"

Xia Huaisang pondered for a moment and said, "Now, we should go to the company, but when I was young, we usually killed the dog owner."

"Dad, could you please do my makeup?"

"Here they come. Lin Yuan, watch from the audience for a while. Grandpa will come and keep you company after he finishes doing your dad's makeup."

Xia Linyuan tilted his head, still pondering finding the company and killing the dog owner. Murder... that shouldn't be good, right? His father had said so...

Uh, oh no, I forgot.

Xia Linyuan walked off the stage with great distress. Daxing Square was very large, and people of all ages were active there. There was a commercial street next to it.

The audience members were mostly elderly people.

Meanwhile, the young people were all looking down and fiddling with a long, flip-top object.

Xia Linyuan didn't know what it was, he only knew that they were being very disrespectful to the actors on stage.

Xia Linyuan looked up at the makeup on their faces and the way they spoke, and couldn't help but hum along. Although he didn't find anything particularly outstanding about the performers on stage, he could see the tears in their eyes, the rise and fall of their chests, and the trembling of their calf muscles. He knew then that they had tried their best.

After a while, Xia Huaisang finished her work and came over from backstage.

Seeing that Xia Linyuan was engrossed in watching and even humming a tune softly, she didn't disturb him. Instead, she quietly squatted down behind Xia Linyuan and listened to him humming the tune.

His old face smiled like a blooming chrysanthemum.

Time passed by bit by bit, and the autumn wind swirled a few times as it flew across the square.

There are fewer and fewer people. And the weather is getting colder and colder.

Xia Changhe has finally made his appearance.

And then raindrops began to fall from the sky.

There were already few people, and now there are even fewer.

People hurried past the stage. Xia Changhe began to sing "The Story of the Jade Bracelet," dressed in a white robe embroidered with blue flowers, his makeup flawless. His beautiful and melodious opera singing captivated the entire audience from the very first note: "Hearing the mournful cries, my heart ached as if being pounded..."

Those who were about to leave paused for a moment, looked back, and then shook their heads and sighed as they departed.

It's not that the music is bad, but the audience consists of older people. If they get sick from being soaked in the rain, it could be the last straw that breaks the camel's back.

The rain was getting heavier and heavier, and eventually the person playing the small drum stopped. The person in charge rushed out and told them to pack up their things.

Only Xia Changhe remained on the stage.

"Dad, it's raining, no one's listening anymore. Stop singing."

Xia Linyuan shouted loudly. But Xia Changhe remained unmoved. He continued singing "The Locked Sachet," his voice captivating, yet sounding so desolate in the rain.

Xia Linyuan thought his father hadn't heard him and prepared to pull Xia Changhe down. Just as he was about to make a move, Xia Huaisang grabbed him and said earnestly, "Linyuan, there's a saying that's been passed down in our Xia family. You must remember it."

"The moment the opera begins, listeners come from all directions: some are humans, three are ghosts, and four are gods. Just because no one is listening doesn't mean no ghosts or gods are listening!"

As Xia Huaisang finished speaking, a bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, making Xia Huaisang's aged profile look somewhat frightening.

At this moment, a staff member carried a drum onto the truck, smiling broadly at Xia Huaisang.

"Hehe, what you're saying is really weird. Who still believes in ghosts and gods these days?"

"Hurry up and call your son down, or he'll get sick."

Xia Huaisang chuckled: "Yes, I'm playing with my grandson here. As for my son, don't worry about him, he'll come down on his own after he finishes singing."

Xia Linyuan tugged at Xia Huaisang's sleeve excitedly and asked...

"Grandpa, do you also believe in ghosts and gods?"

Xia Huaisang brought her face close to Xia Linyuan's and said, half serious and half joking, "Of course I am, are you scared?"

Xia Linyuan's eyes widened: "Don't be afraid, because I will sing opera for them."

"Then Grandpa will teach you how to sing opera for them, okay?"

"it is good."

........

Half a year later, because Xia Changhe had finished performing the opera, he was paid every penny he was owed, and he didn't ask for back any extra money he had given.

The grandfather, grandfather, and grandson continued to wander around renting guesthouses and earn money by performing operas. The only difference was that Xia Linyuan's life became even more difficult. In addition to studying Chinese, mathematics, and English, Xia Huaisang often tested Xia Linyuan's weapon handling skills.

Xia Linyuan was very clever. By observing Xia Huaisang's footwork, the way he handled his weapon, and his body posture, he predicted Xia Huaisang's movements and successfully injured a tiny bit of Xia Huaisang's keratin. He received praise from his grandfather, but was then beaten up by his father.

That night, Xia Huaisang took out an old-fashioned book. "Linyuan, you've practiced for so long, how about Grandpa teaches you how to sing ghost and god opera today?"

"Really!"

Xia Linyuan's eyes lit up. Since he was old enough to understand, Xia Linyuan had been taught to sing opera by his grandfather. A year ago, he was rigorously trained by his grandfather and father, so much so that at just six years old, he far surpassed his peers in appearance and temperament.

"Father, Lin Yuan is still young. His studies should be planned in the long term."

Xia Changhe brought the meal and placed it on the dining table. Although the living environment was still an earthen house, the meal was quite good, with four dishes and a soup, which was just right.

"No need for long-term planning. I'll start teaching now! Good things should be passed down for future use!"

Chapter 5 Playing God

Upon hearing this, Xia Changhe's eyes flickered slightly, and he lowered his head to eat his food.

Xia Linyuan had been observing Xia Changhe, and seeing that his father had tacitly agreed, Xia Linyuan felt happy.

"Lin Yuan, listen carefully. What I'm about to tell you is what you'll be learning from now on. In ancient times, there was a group of people responsible for sacrifices. They could communicate with the gods, and they were called entertainers."

"Singers please the gods with their beautiful and melodious voices, which is called singing. Dancers please the gods with their graceful and beautiful movements, which is called dancing. Entertainers can please the gods with their beautiful and melodious singing and dancing. If the gods are satisfied, they will descend upon them and bestow power upon them."

"Their opera performances can even move the gods?"

"Yes."

"That's really impressive," Xia Linyuan said very seriously.

"Lin Yuan, do you know about Nuo opera?"

"I know, it's a play performed with masks."

Xia Huaisang shook his head: "Nuoxi is about portraying gods. Wearing a mask, you are a god; taking off the mask, you are a human. If you want ghosts and gods to perform, you have to perform what they like. And what ghosts and gods like most is others performing their plays. The more realistic your performance, the more they like it..."

"Grandpa, I understand."

Xia Linyuan laughed heartily. He said with great confidence.

Do you really understand?

Xia Huaisang was somewhat surprised.

"I really understand now. It's just playing a god, I think it's very simple. You made me memorize ghost stories since I was little, I've known them by heart for a long time." Xia Linyuan smiled confidently.

"Really? Then Grandpa will do your makeup, and you can act as Sun Wukong for Grandpa." Xia Huaisang said, reaching into his pocket and revealing a pair of fluorescent gloves on his hands.

A thin veil was applied to Xia Linyuan's face.

"It's finished."

Xia Huaisang chuckled, a hint of anticipation in his cloudy eyes.

"okay."

Xia Linyuan's voice suddenly changed, and he somersaulted off the stool and jumped down.

His bright eyes suddenly became calm and still. He adjusted his posture slightly, bent his back a little, and turned to look at Xia Huaisang: "Amitabha..."

With just one glance, Xia Huaisang was stunned.

In his eyes, it was as if an ancient ape, weathered by time, was looking at him without a trace of joy or sorrow. This made Xia Huaisang wonder if his grandson was possessed by some evil spirit.

The melodious opera singing was unlike anything a child could produce. It was melodious and beautiful. "I, Wukong… attained enlightenment on Mount Ling…"

Xia Changhe involuntarily clenched his fist. This scene was too bizarre.

Even if someone were to portray Sun Wukong again, he should be agile and lively. But Xia Linyuan's portrayal was calm and weathered. Even so, it was still immediately obvious that his son was playing Sun Wukong.

I felt something was off, but at the same time, it felt perfectly natural.

"The journey to the West to obtain Buddhist scriptures is a timeless milestone..."

"Now... Yong'an is carefree..."

Xia Linyuan walked step by step in the small room, and a red cassock gradually appeared behind him... A gold and red monkey mask also appeared on his face, covering the white veil.

The gods descended.

Victorious Fighting Buddha!

Xia Linyuan seemed oblivious, continuing to sing the melodious tune and strike a pose, unaware that his body had already transformed into something else entirely.

She slowly wove a golden fluorescent glove with her hands, wore a fiery red robe, a golden-red mask, and black cloud-patterned boots. Six golden brocade banners were stuck on her back, with the character "Buddha" written on them in red ink.

Xia Linyuan waved his hand, and a golden staff appeared in his hand.

Xia Huaisang and Xia Changhe had a bad feeling.

The next second, their idea was confirmed.