Burn a handful of incense. What is a mean person in the way?

"Burning a stick of incense has a villain in the way" is a common saying, which is usually used to describe the situation that people are hindered or destroyed when doing things or interacting with others. It means that there are always some malicious people who will get in the way and ruin the good things, which is also a feature of villains. This statement implies the existence of villains. Villains may be jealous, dissatisfied or for other reasons. They don't want others to live well and do well, so they will try their best to hinder and destroy other people's plans and good things.