He Shichen was completely dazed now.
He mechanically sent a red packet to Chu Qianli, and for a long time, he couldn’t recover from the shock.
The adults didn’t think much of it. They just assumed that Chu Qianli had stumbled upon a lucky guess and even started praising her astrology skills. They didn’t take the dice and the stock market seriously. Once they were convinced that metaphysics didn’t exist, they could easily find a rational explanation for any coincidence.
But He Shichen was different. This wasn’t the first time.
He had witnessed the exploding cup of water, heard about her fortune-telling for her classmates, and now had seen her correctly guess the grain prices. He clearly realized that this wasn’t a coincidence. It wasn’t just a fluke; this was real, and things don’t happen this way three times in a row.
After finishing the red envelope, He Yuanyang casually joked, “I lost a lot this time. Should’ve guessed for next week, I would’ve made much more money.”
Chu Qianli responded seriously, “The future has a different price, we can only see the trend.”
The astrological dice are accurate for the current situation, but the future is like a flowing stream, with all kinds of unstable factors. To accurately glimpse the future, more complex divination methods are needed.
He Yuanyang was taken aback, “Ah, then what’s the trend for next week?”
Chu Qianli extended her hand to He Yuanyang.
He Yuanyang looked at her in confusion.
Chu Qianli softly said, “Uncle, we always pay first for divination, and once the result is out, no refunds.”
He Yuanyang couldn’t help but laugh as he transferred the money, “Alright, alright, I’m just here to see how different it is from what I think.”
This time, He Yuanyang didn’t send a red envelope, but directly transferred the money.
Chu Qianli accepted it with satisfaction, then threw the astrological dice again. This time, the results were Uranus, Taurus, and the 11th house.
“Wait a moment, let me verify.” After looking at the dice, Chu Qianli took out her phone and checked the celestial chart, trying to avoid any errors in her interpretation.
He Yuanyang said, “This time took longer than before.”
Chu Qianli replied, “Because the future is much more complicated.”
After a moment of thought, Chu Qianli pieced together the fragments of information in her mind and explained, “Next week, certain digital or electronic currencies might be a good choice, or electronic precious metals. However, because Uranus’ influence is too strong, the price will fluctuate wildly. There’s a chance for overnight wealth, but it’s also easy to lose everything.”
“Bitcoin? Gold and silver?” He Yuanyang stared at the computer screen. “Bitcoin has been crashing for a while. I’ve been wondering when to buy in. Does this mean it’s going to rise?”
He Yuanyang was only trying to humor her, not fully believing in Chu Qianli’s words, but also using his own experience to judge.
Of course, he was playing along, so he joked, “Overnight wealth and losing everything are too different. Can’t you give me a specific entry time?”
Chu Qianli retorted, “Uncle, it’s all about the timing, but you can’t just do nothing and expect results.”
This was a common question she heard—things like “When will I get rich?” or “Will I pass my exam?”—questions that are difficult to answer definitively.
Divination can provide trends, but ultimately, it’s a guide. If she said someone would pass an exam, for example, the person might become complacent and stop studying, thus changing the future.
As a diviner, Chu Qianli’s responses also influence the outcome. Balancing the information given appropriately, without overstepping, is a challenge for those studying fate, because misguiding someone, even with good intentions, can lead to bad outcomes.
Nonetheless, Chu Qianli, having received He Yuanyang’s payment, maintained her professional integrity and patiently continued her analysis, finally saying, “Because the fluctuations are large, focus on the second half of the week.”
She had provided the potential time frame for the opportunity, but whether He Yuanyang could seize it was up to his own abilities.
Many people face opportunities but lack the capability to take them, ending up with regret and sorrow.
He Yuanyang nodded, “Not bad. I’ll keep an eye on it. I’ve been watching it for a while.”
He Yuanyang was already planning ahead, and Chu Qianli’s words unknowingly boosted his confidence.
The conversation shifted away from stocks and divination, and they chatted casually about family matters before saying their goodbyes at the door.
He Yuanyang waved He Zhenghe and the others off as they got into the car, then turned to Chu Qianli with a playful smile, “If I really get rich overnight, I’ll hire you for big data analysis on fate!”
Chu Qianli’s eyes lit up, and she smiled sweetly as she bowed, “Congratulations on your fortune, congratulations on your fortune.”
He Shichen stood beside the car, expressionless, opening the door to let Chu Qianli inside. However, his mind was still preoccupied with the aftershocks of the collapse of his worldview.
Right now, he had two choices:
- Believe that Chu Qianli was pretending to be an innocent person, and that she was actually more knowledgeable in financial investments, even surpassing He Yuanyang
- Believe that Chu Qianli really could read the stars, and that metaphysics could actually defeat science.
If He Shichen chose the first option, he would have to accept that he had been completely outplayed by Chu Qianli, including his proud investment skills. But right now, he actually felt more inclined to choose the first option.
For someone with such a strong sense of pride, this was unimaginable.
Perhaps he thought that admitting his own weakness was at least more reasonable than denying materialism.
At the moment, he didn’t want to think about whether Chu Qianli had any ulterior motives. He just wished the real world could make sense again.
Inside the car on the way back, He Shichen remained silent, as if his soul had left his body.
The car’s soundproofing was excellent, and the driver couldn’t hear the conversation between the passengers.
Chu Qianli curiously asked, “Are you following Uncle’s stock tips? Maybe you should buy in next week too.”
Chu Qianli had no understanding of account operations; she could only rely on the stars to gather information. How to turn that information into money was the skill of a professional. He Shichen’s fortune for next week was stronger than He Yuanyang’s, so maybe it would be more reliable for him to manage it.
He Shichen slowly turned his head to look at her, “Are you insulting me?”
Chu Qianli was confused, “If making money for someone is an insult, then I hope someone insults me more.”
He Shichen’s eyes darkened. His lips tightened, and his voice trembled as he said, “Since you’re so capable, why don’t you invest yourself?”
“Isn’t your ability all-knowing and all-powerful?”
Although he refused to admit it, deep down, he knew that Chu Qianli did possess some kind of foresight.
While He Zhenghe and Yu Shen treated it as a child’s game, He Shichen had seen it before.
Humans have a deep fear of the unknown, and once their beliefs are shattered, they fall into confusion and doubt.
Chu Qianli answered seriously, “All-knowing and all-powerful are reserved for true gods, but I’m clearly not a god.”
He Shichen’s eyes flashed, “…Then what are you?”
Chu Qianli pondered for a moment, then tapped her chin, “Among humans, I’m barely all-knowing, but not all-powerful. I guess you could call me a semi-god? Or maybe a semi-sage?”
Chu Qianli prided herself on being at the top of divination practitioners, but ultimately, she was still human, with limits she couldn’t surpass.
He Shichen’s mind was in turmoil, and he exclaimed in astonishment, “Isn’t that enough?!”
“This is the misunderstanding of you outsiders. You always think that divination can do everything, but you still can’t escape the limitations of your own understanding. You either completely deny it or overly praise it…”
Chu Qianli, seeing the strange expression on his face, helplessly explained, “I think if you view astrology as a subject, maybe you’ll understand it better. I’m just very skilled in this subject, but that doesn’t mean I can do everything.”
She was simply one of many humans who were fascinated by the vastness of the starry sky; that didn’t mean she was the boundless universe itself.
Her unusual ability came from the gifts of countless astrology predecessors and the stars themselves, but it wasn’t to the point of arrogance or thinking she was invincible.
“I’m guessing even if I explained it, you wouldn’t understand, mainly because you don’t have the spiritual gift,” Chu Qianli said, scratching her head in frustration. “But I can explain why I don’t invest myself. My 8th House influence is very strong, but I can’t keep wealth for myself. I spend my life taking money from others, so I’ll always live quite comfortably.”
Generally speaking, people with a strong 8th House in their natal chart are suited for financial investments. Helping others manage their wealth also fits the interpretation of the 8th House.
However, Chu Qianli’s chart was quite special. She would have large sums of money coming in and out, like getting money that would immediately flow away, meaning she couldn’t run a business.
This wasn’t to say she had no wealth luck. She had “wealth with karmic influence.” She would be rich, possibly from money earned through divination, as metaphysical paths often carry karmic energy; it could also be money from family or others, which she couldn’t even refuse. For example, inheritances would fall into the 8th House.
However, a strong 8th House also comes with fatal problems—whatever one possesses in this life, they are destined to lose something else. Karmic energy is one of the hardest things to grasp in metaphysics.
In short, Chu Qianli’s legitimate work would never make her wealthy. She could only rely on metaphysics and taking other people’s money to live!
Although Chu Qianli and He Shichen weren’t related by blood, they indeed shared a strong karmic connection, and he was one of the people who could provide money for her.
Of course, besides money, she had other uses for He Shichen.
He Shichen’s mind was in disarray. He had no idea what the 8th House was. Rubbing his temples, he said in frustration, “Enough, I don’t want to hear this.”
Chu Qianli sighed, “I knew it. You’re great at making money, but you’re completely disconnected from divination.”
Chu Qianli didn’t want to explain further because, in her opinion, He Shichen wouldn’t be able to understand. It would be a waste of breath. She had great talent in metaphysics, but He Shichen had no connection to it.
Before getting out of the car, Chu Qianli spoke earnestly, “Brother, I understand that you don’t get astrology, but as long as you believe I’m a Marxist, it’s fine. My judgments follow patterns.”
He Shichen frowned deeply. He instinctively retorted, “What pattern can that possibly be…”
“You can argue with me, but don’t argue with money!” Chu Qianli interrupted him with rare urgency. “Be bold, promise me that you’ll seize the opportunity to make money next week, okay?”
Chu Qianli said with conviction, “If I end up poor and destitute in the future, it will definitely be because you didn’t work hard enough to make money!”
She was worried that He Shichen was too stubborn. If he didn’t make money, how could she get money from him!?
He Shichen: “…”
He Shichen felt she was unreasonable, but given her bizarre ability, he wisely chose not to confront her. He silently opened the door and got out of the car.
Chu Qianli watched his absent-minded figure, unsure if he had actually listened to her.
Inside the room, He Shichen sat at his desk, took his laptop, and started searching for information on the 8th House. Now that he had calmed down, he still remembered the term and decided to research what she had said.
The 8th House: Life, death, sex, karma, inheritance, competition, taxes, metaphysics, the dark side, other people’s resources and wealth, etc.
He Shichen frowned as he read the webpage. He understood each of these words separately, but when put together, it didn’t make any sense to him.
He was now inclined to believe one of Chu Qianli’s points—he truly was disconnected from divination. He couldn’t make sense of any of it.
Suddenly, there was a series of knocks at the door.
He Shichen stood up and, walking toward the door, asked, “Who is it?”
Outside, Chu Qianli’s weak voice answered, “Brother, it’s me.”
He Shichen was momentarily startled, and to be honest, he didn’t want to see her right now. But he still steeled himself and opened the door a crack, speaking gruffly, “What is it?”
He Shichen didn’t fully open the door. He just peeked through a small gap, cautiously looking at the person outside.
Chu Qianli, awkwardly standing by the door, asked hesitantly, “Brother, can I borrow your homework?”
Chu Qianli hadn’t realized there would be so much homework. She had just zoned out after looking at the class group chat and felt she had slacked off too much in the earlier part of the semester. She didn’t like doing homework, but if she didn’t hand it in, it would cause trouble. So copying someone’s work would save her a lot of hassle.
So, she just wanted to copy his homework.
He Shichen relaxed slightly at that, and suddenly he found Chu Qianli quite fascinating. She repeatedly switched between being deep and inscrutable and clumsy and awkward, making it hard for anyone to figure out what kind of strange vibe she gave off.
He Shichen looked at her hopeful eyes and said flatly, “Aren’t you supposedly barely all-knowing among humans? Why don’t you know the answers to the homework?”
Chu Qianli’s eyes widened in surprise, “Ah, this…”
He Shichen coldly shut the door, “Do your own homework.”
Chu Qianli stood there facing the closed door, speechless.
Frustrated, Chu Qianli stomped back into her room. She was furious and jumped up and down, “Damn, damn it, how can someone who can’t even understand the stars be so strict?”
Why was he being so harsh?
He could have just let her copy it!
Chu Qianli sat back at her desk, thinking for a while before deciding to seek help from the stars.
A moment later, Tan Muxing received a message from Chu Qianli on WeChat while at home. Curious, he opened it to see.
[As friends, I think we should understand each other better. I want to know your thoughts on something.]
Tan Muxing was taken aback. He hadn’t expected such a serious topic. He replied in confusion, [My thoughts on what?]
[Could you take a picture of the questions on page 137 of the homework for me?]
Tan Muxing stared at the WeChat message: “……”
Soon, Chu Qianli received a photo from Tan Muxing. She thought to herself, Stars are so straightforward, way better than the money printer next door!
Not only did Tan Muxing send the photo, but he also sent two more text messages, essentially copying the previous ones with only slight modifications.
[High emotional intelligence: I think, as friends, we should get to know each other better. I’d like to know your thoughts on something.]
[Low emotional intelligence: Could you take a picture of the questions on page 137 of the homework for me?]
