TGA Chapter 18

At home, Chu Qianli’s confrontations with the “Money Printer” (He Shichen) were even fiercer. She mainly relied on the fact that He Shichen wouldn’t dare lay a hand on her. However, once she stepped outside, she tended to restrain herself—after all, in her past life, she had constantly been at odds with her peers in the same industry.

It had to be said: her predictions were remarkably accurate, and, occasionally, she was also genuinely as reckless as a bear.

If they encountered a cultured master like Grandpa, that would be fine, but some hot-tempered fortune tellers truly couldn’t stand her.

The classmates in the room were unaware of the idle chatter in the back. They only heard a loud clattering noise, and when they turned around, they saw Wang Zheng lying on the ground.

The homeroom teacher quickly arrived upon hearing the commotion, and the three involved in the dispute were summoned to the office.

In the hallway, He Shichen and Qi Yan were walking together, holding some documents. They walked silently, a few steps apart, one in front of the other, leaving the student council office and heading back to their respective classrooms.

The two of them were competing for extra points through school activities, so it was inevitable they would run into each other—and as competitors, no less.

At the entrance of the classroom, a crowd of students had gathered, chattering noisily, which piqued He Shichen’s curiosity.

He frowned and asked, “What’s going on here?”

“Chu Qianli and Tan Muxing had a conflict with Wang Zheng, and all three were called to the teacher’s office.”

“What?”

Qi Yan also stopped upon hearing this, quietly listening in.

He Shichen was quite surprised, though he’d been surprised so many times lately that he couldn’t muster much emotion anymore. He remarked indifferently, “Isn’t Wang Zheng just a clown? What kind of conflict could they even have?”

He Shichen was already numb.

The first week, Chu Qianli had a fortune-telling session and got called in by the teacher. The second week, she had a conflict with a classmate. He was now starting to wonder—what would she do in the third week? Blow up the school?

The classmates were astonished by He Shichen’s words and looked at him in disbelief. “You two are really alike, huh?”

He Shichen was confused. “Alike with who?”

“Chu Qianli. Apparently, she called Wang Zheng a clown too, and then he flipped out.”

He Shichen: “…Thanks, I’m officially annoyed now.” He had no desire to be similar to her.

Qi Yan smirked lazily and mocked him, “He Shichen, you’re not much of a match, are you? And yet you tried to stop me from meeting her? If she were in our class, I guarantee the person you’re all talking about wouldn’t even dare to act out in front of her.”

He Shichen glared at her, gritting his teeth. “Could you stop interfering in everything?”

He Shichen found Qi Yan extremely suspicious. She was clearly the child of a prominent family, steeped in schemes and strategies from a young age. Her words and actions exuded an aura of deep calculation.

Chu Qianli, on the other hand, came from a rural background and clearly wouldn’t be able to outmaneuver Qi Yan’s intellect. She would inevitably stumble.

The He family had only risen to prominence in recent years, and their family dynamics were relatively simple, unlike the Qi family. He Shichen had mixed feelings about Chu Qianli. He felt he had no obligation to manage her affairs, but leaving her alone often led to problems, like attracting someone as enigmatic as Qi Yan.

He Shichen didn’t believe in emotions, only in benefits. If Chu Qianli was useful, Qi Yan would support her; if she wasn’t, everything would change.

For this reason, he thought it best to keep the two unconnected.

In the office, the homeroom teacher had already figured out the details of the situation and demanded that Tan Muxing and Wang Zheng call their parents.

Since Chu Qianli had only spoken up for Tan Muxing and hadn’t participated in the fight, she wasn’t required to involve her parents.

Wang Zheng stayed silent the entire time, hanging his head in shame and deliberately keeping his distance from Tan Muxing. He wasn’t reckless enough to provoke just anyone; he would never mess with someone like He Shichen, who had a thousand ways to deal with him. His arrogance only came from the fact that the gentle giant hadn’t retaliated yet.

If Wang Zheng hadn’t lunged at Chu Qianli, Tan Muxing might not have taken action at all.

In the hallway, Chu Qianli and Tan Muxing walked out of the office. She asked worriedly, “Do you really have to call your parents?”

Tan Muxing reassured her, “Oh, it’s fine. My family probably won’t care about this. They might even say, ‘Well done!’ or ‘It’s about time.'”

Chu Qianli: “?”

Chu Qianli: “But you’re really amazing. I had no idea before!”

Chu Qianli only remembered Tan Muxing using his fists in sports, but she hadn’t realized he was so strong, with remarkable athletic abilities.

“Probably because you can’t tell from my appearance,” Tan Muxing said, scratching his head awkwardly with a smile. “You might laugh at this, but my uncle even sent me to train with a team. Despite all the exercise, I couldn’t lose weight. My family was worried there was something wrong with me, but the hospital couldn’t find anything.”

Tan Muxing came from a well-off family. His relatives had tried all sorts of methods to address his physical condition, but nothing worked. His physique didn’t affect his health—in fact, his athletic prowess far exceeded the norm—but he just couldn’t slim down.

Chu Qianli was amazed. “That’s a thing? How about I do a fortune-telling for you?”

Tan Muxing shook his head and politely declined. “Someone already did that before. They said I’d slim down once I found my goal, but I think it doesn’t matter whether I change or not. My appearance has allowed me to see many things clearly.”

The fortune teller had said that Tan Muxing could lose weight, but deep down, he was resisting the idea.

His subconscious was rejecting something, and it was reflected in his physical appearance.

Chu Qianli hesitated. “See what clearly?”

“As long as you lack appearance, no one will notice your inner self. If you can’t provide value to others, then you’re a dispensable, worthless person.”

Tan Muxing smiled bitterly. “If you watch various anime, you’d understand. The most popular characters are always the handsome and strong ones. Whether their ideologies are right or wrong doesn’t matter—they can even be morally ambiguous—and people will still like them.”

“It’s the same in real life. Actually, Wang Zheng has always picked on me. If I chat with other classmates, he butts in, and eventually, no one talks to me anymore.”

Tan Muxing said calmly, “I don’t blame any of them, because being friends with me is too troublesome. They’d have to endure Wang Zheng’s taunts and ridicule. In the end, my value as a friend doesn’t outweigh the hassle Wang Zheng brings.”

Tan Muxing’s inner world was different from his outward appearance. He was delicate, sensitive, and contemplative, often observing his surroundings with a detached perspective.

If it had been Chu Qianli in conflict with Wang Zheng, there would undoubtedly have been someone to stand up for her. Her fortune-telling abilities ensured she wouldn’t lack friends; she was a person of high value.

Others, faced with similar situations, would naturally react differently.

Tan Muxing sometimes felt that Wang Zheng was helping filter out people around him. If someone distanced themselves because of Wang Zheng’s idle gossip, then perhaps it wasn’t worth forming a deep connection with them in the first place.

Humans are complex beings. It’s impossible to simply judge someone else as good or evil. Likewise, classmates cannot be categorized as “good people” or “bad people.” Everyone has their own way of maintaining the balance within the class.

Of course, through constant filtering and weighing, he increasingly confirmed that he was a person of no value.

Tan Muxing had something weighing on his mind, but his expression was very gentle. “If I hadn’t been born into a wealthy family, I’d probably be completely useless. I don’t have any standout qualities, either in appearance or character. Even though I like making clothes, I’m nowhere near a designer’s level. I’m really just an ordinary person with limited talent…”

Exciting and dramatic stories are reserved for geniuses and heroes. He was very clear that he was just an average person.

“The thing I’m better at than others is the thing I like the least,” Tan Muxing said, looking down at his open hand. Slowly clenching his fist, he smiled wryly and continued, “And it’s something that’s useless to others. Nowadays, even warfare is digitized, so it really doesn’t have much use.”

Tan Muxing didn’t like violence. His family would never let him become a melee soldier, and his peculiar physique barred him from becoming an athlete.

He had already hit the limits and barriers of his potential and could never surpass the accumulation of his ancestors, leaving him feeling powerless.

He would never have to worry about food or drink in his life. Yet, being acutely aware of his uselessness, he naturally adopted a laid-back, indifferent attitude.

An excess of favorable conditions can dull a person’s fighting spirit, dragging them into a gentle whirlpool where they become trapped. This is one of the hardest obstacles to overcome. He would have a materially enviable life in the eyes of the world but would spend his life lost and wandering in his spiritual world, unable to find the value of his existence.

Tan Muxing couldn’t even confide in others, as outsiders would only think he was showing off, questioning why he wasn’t content.

Others might say, “You’re already standing at the finish line for so many people. Why do you have so many complaints?”

It’s like when someone says, “I feel really sad,” and others reply, “You’re just being dramatic.”

This is a common situation in astrology. People with vastly different natal charts can never fully understand each other. They don’t realize that everyone releases energy in different ways and assume that their own logic applies to everyone.

Each person faces different life challenges and lessons. No one has the right to judge someone else’s life.

Even astrologers must emphasize after a reading, “I’m only giving suggestions; the choice is yours.” Even if they predict future events, astrologers should not make decisions for the seeker—it’s their life to live.

Astrologers can only guide, not control.

After hearing these words, Chu Qianli fell silent. She had long known her deskmate had thoughts like this, but this was the first time she had obtained such a clear understanding.

Tan Muxing didn’t like talking about himself. He always focused on topics others were interested in and rarely revealed his inner thoughts.

“Is it boring?” Tan Muxing asked with a smile when she remained silent. “Let’s not talk about this anymore. Let’s head back to class.”

“It’s not boring,” Chu Qianli said slowly, shaking her head. “I’m just thinking about how to phrase what I want to say.”

After a moment of contemplation, she took a tarot deck out of her uniform pocket and handed the top card to Tan Muxing.

Tan Muxing instinctively took it. Looking at the card in his hand, he saw the Fool and became curious. “What does this mean?”

On the card, the Fool strides forward at the edge of a cliff, his face filled with joy, seemingly unaware of the danger ahead.

Chu Qianli explained, “This card is called the Fool. He doesn’t know where he came from or where he’s going, but he lives fully in the moment and finds joy in life.”

“This card is both the beginning and the end of the tarot deck. Some say the Fool represents chaos and selflessness. You said you felt like you had no value, but the Fool isn’t truly foolish. He starts with nothing, representing infinite possibilities,” Chu Qianli said with a smile. “I’m giving this card to you.”

“Zero represents nothing and the unknown, but it also symbolizes the beginning of a grand journey.”

The Fool boldly embarks on his journey, carrying a pure white rose. Even when warned of potential danger, he continues with confidence.

Tan Muxing stared at the Fool card, noticing its number, 0, and the pure white rose in the Fool’s hand. It was just as pure and bright as her earlier smile.

At that moment, Tan Muxing was at a loss for words, unable to describe the emotions stirring in his heart.

She was different from everyone else around him. He had always had this vague feeling.

This difference didn’t stem from her astrological abilities but rather from something that struck deep into his soul, like faint lights illuminating the endless tides of thought.

This was why he didn’t believe in fortune-telling, but he was willing to believe her words and trust her.

Tan Muxing suddenly felt a lightness in his heart. Her carefree nature was contagious. He carefully put away the Fool card and said softly, “Thank you. I’ll treasure it.”

His worries vanished, replaced by a sense of relief, as though he were the Fool brimming with innocent anticipation for the adventures ahead.

Seeing his mood improve, Chu Qianli boldly extended her hand. “If you accept someone else’s gift, you should give something in return.”

Caught off guard, Tan Muxing stammered, “What?”

Chu Qianli looked displeased. “You didn’t think you could just take my card for free, did you? The Fool card is very important. This deck is useless without it.”

Tan Muxing panicked. “But I don’t have anything on me right now!”

Chu Qianli tilted her head. “Then make me a scarf? Or maybe a pair of gloves. I need to show my hands in a video, so if you make a nice pair, I can wear them while filming.”

Tan Muxing hastily corrected her absurd request. “I’ve never made clothes for people. That’s completely different…”

He had made clothes for dolls before but never for people. Frankly, it was an entirely different field.

Chu Qianli waved dismissively. “Ah, that’s your problem. You figure it out.”

Tan Muxing: “?”

Chu Qianli grinned. “Didn’t you just say you were worthless? I think you’re like a fresh graduate—if no one exploits your value once, you’ll never wake up to your potential.”

“Only after having your surplus labor value extracted will you realize you’re useful!”

Tan Muxing: “…”