TGA Chapter 17

In the classroom, Tan Muxing was sitting at his desk drawing. Qiu Qingkong came rushing in with her backpack, looking excited. She noticed the empty seat by the window and asked curiously, “Where’s the teacher?”

Tan Muxing replied, “Teacher Liu called her over.”

“Probably another one of their usual talks.” Qiu Qingkong waved goodbye to Tan Muxing and darted toward a group of girls by the classroom door. “I’ll message in the group later. Bye-bye-bye!”

“Bye-bye,” Tan Muxing responded.

He watched Qiu Qingkong join up with Ruan Ya and the others at the door. The group of girls laughed and chatted as they left together.

Tan Muxing, Qiu Qingkong, and Chu Qianli shared a group chat of three. This group chat was the basis for Tan Muxing and Qiu Qingkong to begin chatting more often. Most of their conversations revolved around Chu Qianli, who served as the glue holding their group chat together.

However, while at school, Qiu Qingkong still hung out with Ruan Ya and her friends. She hadn’t abandoned her old friends for new ones. Meanwhile, Chu Qianli often spent time with Tan Muxing, and the two astrology enthusiasts each had their own social circles.

Tan Muxing often marveled at how, in less than two weeks since transferring, Chu Qianli had seamlessly integrated into the class dynamic and established her own label.

It was like characters in anime, each with a set role: He Shichen was the class genius, Ruan Ya was the model student and class leader, Qiu Qingkong was the extroverted social butterfly, and Chu Qianli was the mysterious transfer student skilled in astrology.

Tan Muxing, however, didn’t have a label in the class. His role was rather undefined.

“Hey, big fluffy bear, you used to sew clothes, and now you’re playing with the girls, huh?” Wang Zheng, who had overheard Qiu Qingkong and Tan Muxing chatting, leaned in with a mocking tone.

Tan Muxing frowned slightly but pretended not to hear. He thought to himself that every environment seemed to have its designated antagonist.

Wang Zheng was one of the weaker students in the class academically and often took the lead in ridiculing Tan Muxing. Anyone who talked to Tan Muxing would find Wang Zheng butting in with snide remarks, eventually discouraging people from engaging with him.

Lately, Tan Muxing had been spending a lot of time with Chu Qianli, which prompted Wang Zheng to throw a few jabs here and there. But Chu Qianli’s unique way of thinking meant she never took Wang Zheng seriously, continuing to team up with her “big fluffy bear” desk mate after school as usual.

Wang Zheng, seeing that Tan Muxing remained silent, felt like he had punched a pillow. Frustrated, he was about to stand up and stir up more trouble, but just then, Chu Qianli rushed back in.

“I’m outta here, I’m outta here! Thank goodness the money printer had something else to do today, or I’d have gotten an earful…” Chu Qianli burst into the room in a hurry, quickly packed up her backpack, and looked at Tan Muxing. “Sorry for the wait! Let’s go!”

He Shichen had student council duties that evening and wouldn’t be riding home with Chu Qianli.

Tan Muxing leisurely put away his pen and replied gently, “Alright.”

“Qiu Qingkong was just here looking for you,” he added, without even glancing at Wang Zheng behind him. Tan Muxing picked up his backpack and left the classroom with Chu Qianli, never once looking back.

“Ah, I’ll message her later. By the way, I watched the anime you mentioned yesterday—it was really good!” Chu Qianli said excitedly. “The Clow Cards have similarities with Tarot cards!”

“But that anime is really old. I didn’t expect you wouldn’t know it,” Tan Muxing sighed. He didn’t know much about Chu Qianli’s past, but it seemed she had missed out on many childhood experiences.

Watching the two leave, Wang Zheng’s face darkened.

The next day, the trio gathered again in class. Qiu Qingkong held up her phone screen to show the other two, exclaiming excitedly, “Teacher, I want to learn Tarot! Lately, I’ve been itching to make videos like this!”

Tan Muxing glanced at the card spreads on the phone. “Is this a divination video?”

“Oh, so it’s public divination,” Chu Qianli said as she watched a Tarot video on a streaming site. She hesitated. “It’s doable, but… you’re not even skilled with astrology dice yet, right?”

Qiu Qingkong was still an astrology apprentice. She was struggling with interpreting astrology dice, yet now she wanted to dive into Tarot.

“But you’re so good at it,” Qiu Qingkong said sheepishly, deflecting. “They won’t let me advertise on campus anymore, so life feels meaningless. I need to expand my business off-campus…”

Tan Muxing pointed out, “I feel like you’re more enthusiastic about promoting astrology than studying it.”

Since Chu Qianli’s divination services had become popular, Qiu Qingkong had been busy maintaining client relationships daily, leaving little time to study astrology herself.

Chu Qianli chuckled, delivering a playful jab, “She has strong Mercury energy. Mercury corresponds to Gemini, and Geminis are all about frantically spreading information. They love learning surface-level knowledge, but they’re scatterbrained and changeable, so they end up learning a little bit of everything before moving on.”

“Wrong, wrong, wrong…” Qiu Qingkong hung her head in embarrassment under their scrutiny, muttering softly, “But I’ll do it again next time.”

Chu Qianli continued, “Okay, but public divination doesn’t involve interacting with the audience, so it’s not suitable for beginners. You haven’t even mastered walking yet and already want to start running.”

Divination requires an exchange between the diviner and the querent. Chu Qianli had previously refused a proxy reading for Qi Yan for the same reason: omitting communication in divination leads to inaccuracies.

If a querent is unwilling to share their situation openly, the diviner loses valuable information, making it harder to provide accurate answers.

For beginners, Qiu Qingkong should start with face-to-face Tarot readings before advancing to public readings.

Qiu Qingkong declared enthusiastically, “Here’s my plan: first, I’ll record a public divination video with Teacher. We’ll launch the account, and I’ll manage it while learning. At the same time, I’ll take private online reading requests. As the apprentice, I’ll handle the account, but clients can message Teacher for paid readings…”

Chu Qianli was stunned. “Why do I feel like you’ve already thought this through?”

This setup sounded eerily familiar. When Qiu Qingkong first started fishing for clients, she would draw them in before directing them to Chu Qianli’s services.

Tan Muxing remarked, “She’s not planning to learn to walk at all. She wants you to do all the running from the start.”

Qiu Qingkong laughed, “Isn’t this just how talent agencies operate? I’m just asking about personal development plans, but the company already has branding and packaging ideas in mind!”

“……”

“This is exactly how the entertainment industry got so messy! But honestly, I think most Tarot creators on that site aren’t as good as Teacher. In a way, I’m restoring order to the industry. I’m even more ethical than those entertainment companies!”

“……”

Chu Qianli and Tan Muxing were left speechless, taken aback by the media-savvy daughter of a media mogul.

Chu Qianli often felt she couldn’t keep up with city folk. Feeling a bit overwhelmed, she relented, “Alright, let’s record one video. But what should we divine? Also, I don’t want to be on camera…”

“Don’t worry, don’t worry. I’ll plan the theme! Teacher can just show your hands. Lots of diviners don’t show their faces!” Qiu Qingkong assured her.

“We also need a name for the account and a unique logo,” she added thoughtfully. Fueled with enthusiasm, she was eager to promote the venture.

Tan Muxing offered, “I can send you the images from the rate card.”

Chu Qianli had a pricing chart that Qiu Qingkong had written, and Tan Muxing had designed the layout. The card featured some simple illustrations, which could double as a makeshift logo.

“I’ll also find someone to help with the video recording!” Qiu Qingkong dashed out of the classroom, leveraging her wide network of connections in the grade.

Tan Muxing muttered, “I feel like she’s always going to stay at the beginner level, biting off more than she can chew.”

He suspected that if the Tarot account succeeded, Qiu Qingkong would soon propose learning something new, counting on Chu Qianli’s expertise in everything.

“Well, she just likes biting off things; she never said she had to chew them thoroughly,” Chu Qianli waved it off. “Besides, astrology and Tarot have similarities, so learning them together isn’t a problem.”

“What similarities?”

“The images on Tarot cards incorporate astrological knowledge. For example, the Devil corresponds to Saturn and represents Capricorn in astrology,” Chu Qianli explained. “Beyond the obvious links, there are deeper similarities, like shared human experiences.”

She picked up a Tarot deck from the table and laid out the 22 Major Arcana cards in order, from the Fool to the World. “Look at them this way, and you’ll see a story of life’s journey, forming a continuous cycle.”

Tan Muxing stared at the arranged cards in surprise. “Is this a cycle?”

“Yes. Like this, it might make more sense.” Chu Qianli rearranged the cards, placing the Fool (0) and the World (21) together to form a closed loop.

The Fool symbolizes beginnings, innocence, and wandering. The World represents completion, travel, and achievement. After the World, the journey loops back to the Fool, signifying the endless cycle of life.

“The twelve zodiac signs tell a similar story of growth. Starting with Aries as the beginning and progressing to Pisces as the spiritual end, we all undergo experiences that lead to transformation. So the sequence and process matter a lot,” Chu Qianli explained, smiling. “Other systems of divination have similar concepts. They all draw from shared human experiences.”

Tan Muxing seemed to understand partially and replied, “Ah, I see…”

“Big Fluffy Bear, do you even understand what she’s saying?”

A sudden voice interrupted them.

Wang Zheng passed by their desk and, overhearing their conversation, sneered, “Why do you like being her lapdog so much?”

Since Chu Qianli joined the class, the two had been practically inseparable, breaking Tan Muxing’s usual solitary routine.

Wang Zheng had already figured out the dynamics between them. He believed that Tan Muxing always flattered the new transfer student because he didn’t want to be alone again.

Chu Qianli looked up in surprise.

Tan Muxing glanced at Wang Zheng beside him, falling into a moment of silence. He usually ignored Wang Zheng’s sarcastic remarks, but this time, the taunts came right in front of his desk mate, forcing him to respond.

With a bitter smile, Tan Muxing said, “You’re wrong.”

Wang Zheng frowned. “What?”

Tan Muxing self-deprecated, “I’m not as cute as a dog.”

Wang Zheng: “???”

Tan Muxing was like a giant dough ball—no matter how much you hit or mock him, he didn’t react, which often frustrated others even more. While most people would get angry under ridicule, Tan Muxing remained as still and deep as a calm pond, not even causing a ripple.

Chu Qianli stayed silent for a few seconds, then suddenly turned to Wang Zheng and asked out of nowhere, “Do you have a crush on my desk mate?”

Tan Muxing looked at her in shock. “?”

Wang Zheng was equally flabbergasted. “What nonsense are you talking about?!”

Chu Qianli replied, “Then why are you always talking to him? You even interrupt when I’m chatting with him.”

From her first day at school, Chu Qianli had noticed that Wang Zheng often targeted Tan Muxing with taunts. While she usually dismissed his words as meaningless noise, she admitted that his constant badgering polluted the air.

“Look at him! Who would possibly have a crush on someone like him? Or maybe you do?” Wang Zheng shot back, fully aware that most girls hated being associated with unpopular boys. He assumed this tactic would put Chu Qianli in a tough spot.

But Chu Qianli never played by the rules. She answered matter-of-factly, “No, I don’t do crushes. If I like someone, I make it obvious.”

She was the type to openly ask for money when broke, so why would she bother with secret crushes?

Tan Muxing was stunned by her response.

Wang Zheng grew increasingly agitated, realizing Chu Qianli was far too thick-skinned to be easily driven away.

Chu Qianli stared straight at Wang Zheng and sighed. “You’re so pitiful.”

“What did you say?”

“You think my desk mate has a weak personality and is easy to bully. But the truth is, he just can’t be bothered to engage with you. You have nothing of value to offer, so all you can do is butt into conversations and mock classmates to feel noticed. Otherwise, you’d face the unbearable reality that you’re irrelevant in this class…”

Chu Qianli calmly spun the dice in her hand. “You think you’ve succeeded in isolating my desk mate, but to everyone else, you’re just a clown. No one likes engaging with a rabid dog.”

Schools are full of competitions—whether it’s comparing clothing, family background, grades, or awards.

Wang Zheng relied on bullying Tan Muxing to feel a sense of superiority, but students like He Shichen and Ruan Ya never took him seriously. Everyone simply avoided dealing with someone so obviously unhinged.

At first, Chu Qianli thought Tan Muxing’s silence was due to fear of Wang Zheng’s taunts, but she’d recently realized that her “Big Fluffy Bear” desk mate had his own thoughts. His lack of confidence didn’t stem from people like Wang Zheng.

Chu Qianli’s words hit a nerve.

Wang Zheng’s face turned red with anger, and in a fit of rage, he lunged forward. “Shut the hell up!”

Chu Qianli was sitting by the window, and Wang Zheng, standing in the aisle, charged at her. Tan Muxing sat between them.

Wang Zheng, being a tall and burly boy, looked intimidating as he stormed forward. The scene was genuinely alarming.

But before he could reach the window, he felt an overwhelming force throw him backward. He landed heavily on an empty seat behind him, toppling over along with the chair.

The crash of the desk and chair against the floor was ear-splitting, immediately drawing the attention of the other classmates.

Ruan Ya, the class monitor sitting in the front row, turned around and stood up to restore order. She shouted sternly, “What are you all doing?!”

Wang Zheng lay sprawled on the ground, his legs awkwardly tangled with the overturned chair. Fortunately, he landed on his backside and wasn’t seriously injured.

He stared at Tan Muxing in disbelief, still shaken by the immense force he’d felt on his shoulder. It was as if he were seeing his classmate for the first time.

Tan Muxing stood protectively in front of Chu Qianli. He pursed his lips and said softly, “I don’t like violence.”

Tan Muxing was known as the class’s easygoing good guy, often teased by the boys for being “too soft.” He had never truly lost his temper or gotten into physical confrontations.

This was one reason the homeroom teacher had seated Chu Qianli next to him—Tan Muxing’s harmless nature ensured no conflicts would arise.

But, after all, a “Big Fluffy Bear” was still a bear. No matter how soft it appeared on the surface, it was a powerful and swift creature underneath. It was like the impression of pandas as adorable national treasures when, in reality, they were fearsome predators nicknamed “iron-eating beasts.”

Chu Qianli watched the scene unfold, wide-eyed and stunned. She had panicked when Wang Zheng initially charged, knowing she was defenseless. She hadn’t expected her desk mate to be hiding such strength.

When Tan Muxing noticed her dazed expression, he became nervous and quickly apologized, “I’m sorry… Did I scare you?”

Tan Muxing was a true pacifist who avoided any kind of aggression. He now feared his desk mate might think poorly of him.

As the class descended into chaos, Tan Muxing grew more worried that Chu Qianli might dislike him.

But in the next moment, Chu Qianli stood behind him, hands on her hips, and began taunting the fallen Wang Zheng with childlike bravado: “You shut your stupid starry mouth! Shut your stupid starry mouth!”

Now emboldened by her desk mate’s protection, she became increasingly audacious, confident that Wang Zheng wouldn’t dare get up to retaliate.

After all, if she couldn’t fight him, she had her desk mate to back her up.

Tan Muxing: “…” So, this is what it feels like to be the world’s only pacifist.