Chu Qianli’s divination business was booming.
As the lunch break was about to end, the three of them began to pack up.
Tan Muxing took down the makeshift curtain and casually placed it on the table. He began to tally the feedback from the day. The deep purple curtain was made from a tablecloth that came as a gift with the purchase of tarot cards. Now, it had returned to its original function, with Chu Qianli and Qiu Qingkong organizing the various divination tools on the tablecloth.
Qiu Qingkong said proudly, “More and more people have been coming these past two days. I bet soon, people from other grades will start coming too!”
Chu Qianli admired her. “You’re really great at promotion.”
Chu Qianli had started doing divination in her village. At first, she had to rely on her grandfather’s reputation, and people often questioned her abilities because of her young age.
Qiu Qingkong pioneered a new approach. She first built up Chu Qianli’s image as a reclusive master, and then used high prices to filter out skeptical customers. This way, she completed a round of client screening early on, reducing a lot of trouble.
After chatting with Chu Qianli about astrology, Qiu Qingkong cheerfully ran back to her seat to prepare for the afternoon classes.
Tan Muxing watched Qiu Qingkong leave. He had stayed silent the whole time, but now he spoke with concern, “But the number of people coming is increasing, and that could cause you some trouble.”
Chu Qianli asked curiously, “What kind of trouble?”
Tan Muxing replied, “We’re doing this in the school, and if it’s just within the grade, that’s fine. But if it spreads throughout the entire school, the teachers might want to have a word with you.”
Tan Muxing and Qiu Qingkong were just helping out, but if the teachers decided to take action, they’d certainly approach Chu Qianli. He felt the risk was a bit high, and it could negatively impact their new classmate.
“You’re right. I’ll talk to Qiu Qingkong about it later,” Chu Qianli thought for a moment and agreed, “There were indeed too many people coming at lunch.”
Chu Qianli had underestimated Qiu Qingkong’s ability to attract clients. She didn’t have this much business back in the village.
In the neighboring class, Qi Yan sat upright at her desk. After listening to the results of the divination, she said with great interest, “So, the transfer student really does have talent?”
The star-struck girl nodded. “Yes, and I think she has a lot of charisma. She has that kind of ethereal, otherworldly vibe…”
When Chu Qianli did divination, she was all serious and professional, unlike her usual playful and carefree self. With Qiu Qingkong’s deliberate promotion and marketing, an image was naturally created, leading to a misunderstanding about her persona.
The students from other classes had no idea about Chu Qianli’s bad habits in class—sleeping through lessons or frantically copying homework. They didn’t know about her absurd self-introduction either.
Distance made things look better, and it created a filter through which people viewed her. In Qi Yan’s mind, Chu Qianli was just like a prodigious young genius from Mount Qian, and now that she had come into the world, Qi Yan was determined not to miss the chance.
Qi Yan spoke gently, “This is really a huge help. Learning the I Ching is so difficult, it’s much faster to just ask someone directly.”
She turned to the star-struck girl and said, “Could I trouble you with one more favor? I’ll pay for it this time.”
During the break, Chu Qianli looked at the familiar face in front of her. She honestly found the behavior of city people baffling and exclaimed, “Are you really that rich?”
The star-struck girl had come during lunch break, and now she was back again within just a few hours.
“It’s not about the money,” the girl replied helplessly, “It’s just that I have a friend…”
“Is it another ‘I have a friend’ story?” Chu Qianli asked with a strange expression. “Are you starting a new series?”
Chu Qianli looked at her with a deadpan stare. “Don’t show me celebrity photos again, I won’t fall for it a second time.”
City folk had deep schemes. She had grown and learned, and now she wasn’t so easily tricked.
The girl, seeing Chu Qianli’s indifferent gaze, hurriedly waved her hands in panic and laughed awkwardly. “This time it’s real! I really have a friend who wants me to ask for a divination for her…”
Chu Qianli shook her head. “No, that’s not possible.”
“Ah?”
Chu Qianli raised her eyes and said, “This form of second-hand divination doesn’t hold much value. Or rather, most diviners dislike it.”
“Your friend must be a smart person, right? Probably doesn’t want to reveal their identity. But if the person asking doesn’t trust me, then I have no reason to answer their questions.” Chu Qianli sighed deeply. “To be honest, if you keep doing this, you might get beaten up by diviners when you go out.”
This kind of practice was ruining her reputation—fake questions followed by second-hand divination. Many astrologers hated this kind of behavior.
The star-struck girl was stunned. “But I’ve seen you keep your cool. You didn’t seem angry at all?”
Chu Qianli calmly answered her questions, never once losing her temper.
Chu Qianli’s eyes glistened, and she muttered, “It’s not that I lack the physical strength, I’m just afraid I can’t beat you.”
“…”
“You think I don’t want to? It’s just that I don’t have the strength!”
“…”
The star-struck girl awkwardly lowered her head and coughed a couple of times. “I’ll pass the message along to her.”
Upon hearing that, Chu Qianli decisively drew the curtain and smiled like a crescent moon as she saw her off. “Alright, then, welcome next time. Just so you know, the payment won’t be refunded.”
The star-struck girl hurriedly left to pass on the message.
Qi Yan listened attentively and thought for a moment before speaking. “Since the master invited me to go in person, I should show some proper manners. I’m sorry, I didn’t think this through.”
“But where did she say she invited you to come?” The girl blinked in confusion. “Qi Yan, have you read too much I Ching? You’ve started speaking like you’re in a period drama.”
The star-struck girl recalled the words Chu Qianli had said. Had Qi Yan misunderstood the phrase “Welcome next time” as an invitation to come in person?
Is this what it means to be a top student in Chinese?
To dig nonexistent meanings from a brief statement? Maybe it was the result of years of reading comprehension training.
Meanwhile, He Shichen was standing outside the office door. He politely knocked, and after hearing the teacher’s response, he slowly pushed the door open.
He Shichen casually closed the door behind him and asked, “Teacher, did you need to talk to me about something?”
The desk was piled high with various exercise books, and a computer screen was placed beside them, but the chair was empty.
Other teachers weren’t in the room. Only the homeroom teacher sat there. When he saw He Shichen, he quickly stood up, nervously rubbing his hands in a fly-like manner, and greeted, “You’re here. No rush, please sit down…”
He Shichen’s heart skipped a beat at the teacher’s uneasy demeanor, and an ominous feeling surged within him.
He was one of the top students in the grade, frequently praised by the teachers. But now, he keenly felt that something was off—the atmosphere was different from usual.
He Shichen was full of doubts but still sat down, waiting for the homeroom teacher to get to the point.
The homeroom teacher pulled over a chair and sat next to He Shichen. He spoke with earnest sincerity, “Shichen, have you heard any rumors recently, like the ones about Chu Qianli playing little games with other students…”
Upon hearing that, He Shichen’s face immediately darkened. “…”
The homeroom teacher noticed He Shichen’s grim expression and quickly added, “I’m not saying this kind of behavior is bad. We don’t forbid students from having hobbies, but the school is still a place for learning, so some of these little activities need to be toned down. At least don’t make them too conspicuous…”
He Shichen felt a headache coming on and pressed his forehead in annoyance. He forced a calm expression and said, “…Teacher, why don’t you talk to Chu Qianli about this instead of coming to me?”
He Shichen felt trapped.
He had never been called in for a talk with the teacher before, and this was the first time. He felt a sense of hopelessness, like he was trapped with no way out!
He Shichen had kept an eye on Chu Qianli’s actions for the past week, but he’d deliberately ignored them. No matter how many people came to her for divination, he just pretended not to see. He had also heard the rumors in the grade, but why did it concern him?
But why was it he who was being called in for a talk about her spreading superstitions?!
The homeroom teacher spoke earnestly, “Shichen, you know her situation. She just transferred to this new school, and her living environment has been very different from most students. I specifically arranged for her to sit with Tan Muxing, thinking that at least Tan Muxing doesn’t have some of the bad habits other students have…”
The students at the private high school were either rich or from prominent families, so Chu Qianli’s sense of displacement might be quite large. Tan Muxing, on the other hand, was non-confrontational, so at least they wouldn’t clash.
“She’s only been here for a week, and if I talk to her directly, her pride might be hurt. So, I think you should go back and talk to your parents. Maybe they can gently persuade her to focus on her studies and treat divination as a hobby.”
The homeroom teacher thought highly of He Shichen. He believed that He Shichen, who was steady and mature beyond his years, was the best person to approach this issue, which was why he had chosen to speak to him instead of Chu Qianli.
He Shichen replied calmly, “You’re overthinking. She doesn’t have pride.”
They couldn’t discuss something that didn’t exist in the first place.
The homeroom teacher was looking down at his phone. Upon hearing He Shichen’s response, he looked up in surprise and said, “Ah? What did you just say? Sorry, I was replying to a message from the principal.”
He Shichen immediately corrected himself: “It’s nothing.”
“Alright then, you both should go home and talk to her over the weekend,” the homeroom teacher said as he stood to see He Shichen out. Just before leaving, he suddenly added, “By the way, is this divination accurate? I’m planning to move recently, and would it be better to choose a date…?”
He Shichen turned around expressionlessly and stared at the homeroom teacher.
From the cryptic expression on He Shichen’s face, the homeroom teacher sensed a pressure, as if just one more word could make He Shichen explode right there.
The homeroom teacher quickly waved his hands. “No, no, never mind! You should go back to class now.”
He Shichen left in a mood of frustration. He realized that leaving Chu Qianli to her own devices wasn’t the solution. Some problems couldn’t be avoided; they had to be faced head-on.
In the classroom, Chu Qianli sat by the window. She suddenly sneezed loudly and immediately curled up like a shrimp.
Tan Muxing grabbed a tissue and handed it to her, saying with concern, “Did you catch a cold? You should close the window.”
Chu Qianli took the tissue and wiped her nose, muttering, “It’s fine. Maybe someone’s thinking of me.”
When school was over, everyone began packing up their textbooks, preparing for the weekend.
He Shichen glanced at the corner where Chu Qianli and Tan Muxing were chatting and laughing. He intended to go home and have a serious discussion with someone about the spreading of superstitions at school, at least to make sure the teacher didn’t come after him.
At the door of the classroom, Qiu Qingkong was about to leave when she saw someone entering. She paused, surprised, and turned back to look. “Huh? Qi Yan?”
“Hello, may I ask where the master is sitting?”
“Teacher?” Qiu Qingkong pointed, “Over there.”
Chu Qianli was tidying up her desk. When she looked up, she saw a delicate and captivating stranger with bright, intelligent eyes, and her expression immediately turned confused and puzzled. The long-haired girl had an outstanding temperament, with elegant brows and eyes that sparkled with intelligence.
Qi Yan smiled warmly. “I came as you invited me.”
Chu Qianli: “?”
Chu Qianli, facing this unfamiliar female classmate, had no idea when she had invited her.
He Shichen watched as Qi Yan entered the classroom, equally confused by the situation and unsure of how things had developed.
Tan Muxing looked at Chu Qianli, and sensing the awkward atmosphere, he helped clarify, “When did you invite Qi Yan?”
He Shichen and Qi Yan were both well-known figures in the grade, frequently mentioned in the school’s various accolades, and their names were even posted in the school’s announcement boards, so it was not surprising that others would recognize them.
Chu Qianli was taken aback. Qi Yan was the female protagonist of the original story, but she definitely hadn’t invited her!
Chu Qianli’s face froze in bewilderment. “…Could it be that I invited her in a dream?”
“It’s not as serious as I imagined,” Qi Yan chuckled lightly, not expecting Chu Qianli to speak so bluntly. She then asked, “What type of girls do you like?”
Chu Qianli was completely at a loss. “I—I like all types of girls?”
What was going on? She was getting more confused by the second.
Qi Yan frowned slightly, seemingly deep in thought. “If someone else said that, it would sound a little frivolous. But coming from you, I can still accept it…”
Qi Yan seemed to be trying to tie Chu Qianli to herself. Given her mastery in divination, she was willing to overlook some flaws. If the master had no human weaknesses, it would actually be harder to fully win her over.
Chu Qianli: “???” What did that even mean?
Tan Muxing, who had been listening carefully for a while, suddenly understood the delicate situation and cautiously spoke up, “Sorry to interrupt, but you might have misunderstood. She’s actually a girl.”
Chu Qianli had short hair and was wearing a male-style school uniform, but her voice and features were not hard to distinguish.
It seemed Qi Yan had made a mistake and had suddenly started flirting with his deskmate.
Qi Yan froze, then looked at Chu Qianli with disbelief in her eyes.
Chu Qianli returned her gaze, equally stunned.
After a moment, Qi Yan took out a glasses case from her bag, put on her glasses, and carefully studied Chu Qianli again. She realized that Tan Muxing was right.
Since she had initially thought of Chu Qianli as a “talented young man skilled in divination,” she hadn’t checked her gender beforehand. The different classes made it difficult to get to know one another.
Qi Yan adjusted her glasses and apologized, “Sorry, I wanted to make a good first impression, so I didn’t wear my glasses when I came. I didn’t prepare my contacts for today.”
After putting on her glasses, Qi Yan looked more scholarly, and her appearance was no longer as striking or overwhelming.
Chu Qianli snapped out of her daze. “It’s fine…”
She had felt that something was off earlier, always feeling like they weren’t on the same page. Now, she finally understood there had been a misunderstanding.
Qi Yan smiled and said, “But I think, in today’s world, gender doesn’t seem as important anymore?”
Chu Qianli, Tan Muxing: “?”
He Shichen: “!!?”
Chu Qianli and Tan Muxing were both stunned.
But He Shichen completely lost it. Looking at the absurd scene before him, he suddenly wished the world would just end.
Puh-lease 😭😂😭