TGA Chapter 24

Chu Qianli finished her fake crying. She wiped her face and said leisurely, “But some of what she said wasn’t wrong. This field is a mixed bag, and taking on too many readings in a day isn’t good.”

“So, is there really such a thing as spiritual energy?”

“Ah, I really can’t say what it actually is,” Chu Qianli replied, scratching her head in frustration. “It’s like, some people do the same thing as me, but they might call themselves spiritual healers…”

“Some people approach it from a theistic perspective, while others are atheistic. Either way, there are so many different terms for it.”

“If we put it in terms that materialists can understand, it’s like having too many negative psychological suggestions. Similar to how a psychologist can only handle so many patients in a day, everyone has their own limit for what they can endure.”

Tan Muxing asked curiously, “So where’s your limit?”

Chu Qianli confidently replied, “How would I know? All these explanations are for ordinary people—they have nothing to do with me!”

Tan Muxing: “…Stop showing off, stop showing off.”

Suddenly, Tan Muxing understood why Chu Qianli was often attacked by her peers. In a way, she disrupted the market balance and even threatened her competitors’ businesses by offering low prices.

Every fortune teller has a limit to their energy and can only serve a finite number of clients, so naturally, they keep raising their prices to sustain their business.

Chu Qianli, however, has unlimited energy, and her pricing depends entirely on her mood. Because of this, she is deeply popular with her clients but is criticized by her peers as a pretentious “white lotus” who acts above it all.

Ultimately, there’s no market standard for pricing in this industry. Chu Qianli’s approach disrupts others’ pricing strategies, as not everyone is willing to join her in doing charity work.

When Chu Qianli confirmed what Ya Hun had said, Qiu Qingkong hesitated and asked, “Then is that crystal powder Ya Hun sells real? Could it actually have purifying effects?”

“What crystal powder?”

“It’s crystal ground into powder, meant to be swallowed with water. They claim it purifies magnetic fields.”

Ya Hun runs her own online store, selling crystals, aromatherapy products, and a product called crystal powder.

Chu Qianli frowned slightly and, after some contemplation, tentatively said, “Hmm… Your question doesn’t seem to have much to do with metaphysics anymore…”

“Doesn’t it?”

“No, I think even kindergarteners know not to randomly put things into their mouths. Shouldn’t everyone already understand what’s edible and what isn’t?” Chu Qianli looked genuinely surprised. “Why eat that when steamed lamb, roasted duck, or chicken are so much tastier? Why resort to eating stones?”

Crystals might help demagnetize, but putting them in your mouth is less about metaphysics and more about intelligence.

Qiu Qingkong: “…”

Tan Muxing reminded her, “You skipped steamed bear paws and deer tails.”

Chu Qianli: “Eating wild bears and deer is illegal.”

Tan Muxing: “?”

Chu Qianli dismissed Ya Hun’s online statements with a laugh, but Qiu Qingkong was relentless and wouldn’t let it go.

With righteous indignation, Qiu Qingkong said, “Teacher, how can we let such frauds roam free? We can’t just stand by and let her spread nonsense!”

Chu Qianli obediently nodded. “You’re right. We should report her store and get the crystal powder removed.”

Qiu Qingkong: “No! We should expose her lies by filming a video to prove it’s useless!”

“It’s pointless. She’d just claim the video was edited or that it was the work of a team,” Chu Qianli waved her hand dismissively. “Besides, we can’t face her directly since we’re online, so the argument would never end.”

Ya Hun claimed that “Magical Girl Squad” was a large team, with many beginner fortune tellers handling mass readings. Any recorded videos would be accused of editing and wouldn’t convince anyone that the same person did consecutive readings.

Qiu Qingkong pondered for a moment and then suggested, “Then let’s livestream. You can’t fake that!”

“Livestream?”

“Exactly. We’ll do a full-day livestream of fortune-telling. When you have clients, you can do readings, and when you don’t, you can just leave the camera on and do other things.”

“That’s doable…” Chu Qianli hesitated. “But if I do fortune-telling all day, I’ll get yelled at like a printing machine.”

Yu Xin had been discharged from the hospital and was recovering well. Since He Shichen no longer worried about his mother’s health, he resumed managing Chu Qianli on weekends. Now, with money involved, he spoke with authority, often scolding her for idling around.

“Then how about my place?” Qiu Qingkong frowned. “No, my dad’s home on weekends; he’d be super annoyed.”

Tan Muxing paused for a few seconds. Seeing his companions struggling, he finally said timidly, “…How about my place?”

Tan Muxing felt that his family wouldn’t mind, so it shouldn’t be a problem.

Chu Qianli immediately caught on and excitedly smacked her desk mate. “Yay! You finally got the hint. I was waiting for you to say that!”

Tan Muxing: “…” He felt like he had been subtly manipulated into agreeing.

On the weekend, Chu Qianli informed her family, then packed her homework and fortune-telling tools and headed to the address Tan Muxing shared in their group chat.

On the street, Chu Qianli met up with Qiu Qingkong. They looked around the remote surroundings, utterly confused.

The He family lived in a villa district in the east, and Qiu Qingkong’s family lived in a high-end apartment near the CBD—neither were anywhere near the northern part of the city.

Chu Qianli, who had grown up in a village and was terrible with directions, was bewildered. “Where are we? You’re a city person; you take a look!”

“Wow, I’ve never been here before,” Qiu Qingkong stared at the GPS. “But the location is definitely here.”

“Where exactly does our desk mate live?” Chu Qianli looked around blankly. There wasn’t even a residential area in sight.

“I have no idea. I wasn’t close with him before; I just know his family business name…” Qiu Qingkong put her phone to her ear. “Let’s call him directly.”

The call connected quickly, and Tan Muxing said he had already arrived.

On the street, Tan Muxing stepped out of a long luxury sedan, waved awkwardly at the two, and seemed to have been waiting there for a while.

The car came with a dedicated driver. Chu Qianli and Qiu Qingkong got into the car, still puzzled. “We still need to drive further?”

Tan Muxing replied softly, “Yes, it’ll take a little longer.”

The three of them admired the scenery from the car. Looking out the window, Qiu Qingkong asked in confusion, “Are there even residential areas around here? My dad checked out this area before and said the feng shui was great, but there didn’t seem to be any places for sale.”

Tan Muxing answered honestly, “That’s right. There aren’t any residential areas here. If you go a bit further north, you’ll reach a tourist zone. Slightly to the east, there’s a villa district.”

Chu Qianli: “?”

Chu Qianli: “Aren’t we going to your house? Why are we heading to a tourist zone?”

Tan Muxing: “My house is in the scenic area.”

Chu Qianli: “???”

The car finally arrived at their destination, and Chu Qianli and Qiu Qingkong stepped out, completely dumbfounded. They couldn’t fathom who would live inside a tourist zone.

Standing before them was an ancient yet grand building, complete with a courtyard that looked like something out of a historical drama. From where they stood, they could see the mist-covered green mountains in the distance—a truly picturesque location.

As Tan Muxing led them inside, he explained, “If you follow the road we just took to the east, you’ll reach Qianshan, where there’s a natural scenic area. You can buy tickets to visit if you’re interested, but it’s probably packed with tourists on weekends.”

Qiu Qingkong, utterly confused, raised her hand. “Excuse me, but why does your family live inside a tourist area?”

Chu Qianli and Qiu Qingkong had only planned to visit their classmate’s house to livestream, but things suddenly took an unexpected turn.

Tan Muxing blushed slightly. “Actually, it’s not exactly a tourist area. When the tourist zone was planned, this piece of land wasn’t included. They only took the land near Qianshan, so my family used this land to build houses.”

Chu Qianli was stunned. “Are you saying that Qianshan used to belong to your family?”

Tan Muxing nodded. “Yes, now when we visit the mountain for ancestor worship, the whole family has to go up, and my grandpa complains it’s so troublesome.”

Before the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, Qianshan and the surrounding land all belonged to the Tan family. Over time, most of it was returned to the state, though a portion that wasn’t included in the demolition compensation remained. Some old Tan family buildings still exist on Qianshan, but they are now managed as part of the natural scenic area.

Chu Qianli and Qiu Qingkong were completely dumbfounded, feeling as though their impoverished imaginations had failed them.

Even among wealthy people, there are levels, and Tan Muxing’s family was clearly part of a lineage of wealth that had lasted for over a century.

Qiu Qingkong held her head, overwhelmed. “This is just too outrageous. I never would’ve guessed. You could’ve even transferred Wang Zheng out of school…”

At school, Tan Muxing was self-conscious and timid. He never mentioned his family’s situation and wasn’t good at making friends. He endured ridicule and teasing in silence, so no one ever imagined his privileged background.

Families in traditional industries tend to keep a low profile, unlike media or tech companies that often make headlines. However, their foundations are rock solid. Tan Muxing could’ve easily used his status to act overbearing at school, but he instead maintained his meek and conciliatory demeanor.

Tan Muxing lowered his head dejectedly and said uneasily, “But that would feel a bit…”

The idea of using his family’s wealth or personal strength to crush others felt inherently wrong to him. Yet he wasn’t skilled at verbal sparring or confrontation, which left him trapped in the unfortunate predicament caused by his personality.

Chu Qianli, however, wasn’t paying attention to any of this. She was already absorbed in the luxurious estate, exclaiming excitedly, “It’s Tomoyo! This is just like Lady Tomoyo!”

This kind of grandeur, passed down from one’s grandfather’s grandfather, was straight out of a novel.

Tan Muxing’s face turned completely red as he quickly waved his hands. “It’s not that exaggerated. Don’t overthink it…”

“I called you my bro too soon; I was too hasty,” Chu Qianli lamented, stomping her foot before solemnly declaring, “From today onward, we are siblings from different parents. Can I call you ‘big brother’ and will you answer?”

Who needed a printing machine when the person before her had literal gold mines at home?

Tan Muxing paused for a moment before reluctantly responding, “… He Shichen will get mad.”

After touring the house and confirming that Tan Muxing’s family members were all away, Chu Qianli and Qiu Qingkong found a room with excellent lighting to do their homework and prepare for the fortune-telling livestream.

Qiu Qingkong had already announced in advance that the teacher would be doing a full day of fortune-telling, with random lucky viewers selected from the comments for free readings.

Tan Muxing and Qiu Qingkong set up the livestream equipment, ensuring that Chu Qianli wouldn’t appear on camera, though her clothes and hands made it clear that there were no substitutions.

The three of them began working on their homework. Tan Muxing and Qiu Qingkong were quite focused, while Chu Qianli, upon opening her workbook, immediately wanted to slack off. She discreetly pushed her book aside, glanced around, and started staring at the comment section.

[Is this a real livestream?]

[There’s definitely a team if it’s a whole day of fortune-telling.]

Seeing the comments, Chu Qianli responded, “I’m interpreting live. If you don’t believe me, test me.”

[Fortune-telling all day won’t be accurate. The precision will drop off later.]

Chu Qianli chuckled. “Ah, this friend seems to have a knack for fortune-telling. I haven’t even reached the later part of the stream, and you already know it won’t be accurate? Can you tell fortunes too?”

“You’re at it again…” Tan Muxing, hearing her mischievous tone as she provoked the audience, wanted to gently remind her but ultimately swallowed his words, allowing the troublemaker to banter with random commenters.

Tan Muxing figured that since no one could reach her through the screen, there shouldn’t be any safety risks.

Chu Qianli, ignoring her homework, bantered so much that she managed to irritate some people. One viewer paid for a reading and declared that if her fortune-telling was inaccurate, they’d “wreck her stall.”

This viewer was especially bold, asking Chu Qianli to predict what they’d have for lunch.

Qiu Qingkong, annoyed, said, “Ridiculous! Teacher, don’t bother with him. I’ve never seen an influencer do readings like this. Just block him!”

People online often spoke rashly, venting their emotions without any logic.

Chu Qianli reassured her student, “Oh, dear, a fortune-teller must provide positive guidance. Even if you’re fuming inside, you should still speak with restraint.”

She addressed the viewer calmly, “Friend, with your temper so high, it’s possible you won’t get lunch today. Your mom might say she’s too lazy to cook for you. She might even scold you for lazing around at home.” Chu Qianli fiddled with her astrology dice, her tone slow and infuriating without showing her face on camera.

Tan Muxing quietly muttered, “… Is this what you call positive guidance?”

The angry viewer, enraged, began spewing profanity in the comment section and was quickly banned for their extreme language.

Once the troublemaker was gone, Chu Qianli performed several more readings for other viewers, all live without any substitution.

Not long after, a new account appeared in the comments, with a tone strikingly similar to the banned user.

[What the heck, did you call my mom?? How do you know this stuff?! Are you stalking me or something?!]

[Is that the same angry guy from before??]

[Bro, if you keep swearing, you’ll get banned again.]

Chu Qianli kindly remarked, “If you’re eating fish and cursing, you might get a fishbone stuck in your throat.”

[???? How do you know I ordered basa fish delivery?! Are you a creep staring at me or what?!]

Chu Qianli pretended to cry in grievance. “Boo-hoo! You paid me to read for you, and now you’re calling me a creep… How unfair…”

If this person hadn’t asked her to read, she wouldn’t have known these details. He had requested it!

The furious commenter, now genuinely spooked, began warning others in the comments, seemingly realizing how uncanny the situation was. Even his tone softened as he nervously left the stream.

[Teacher, don’t mind him! He’s a die-hard fan of Ya Hun and is just here to mess with you!]

[“Don’t bother with people like that, just do your thing for us.”]

[“Whoa, I thought that person was a shill. I even said the acting was too fake. But when I checked, it turns out they’re actually an old fan of YH?”]

[“If you’re so accurate, why are your fees so low?”]

[“Probably because she’s loaded. Just look at the teacup she’s using. I’m guessing fortune-telling is just a hobby for her.”]

Chu Qianli was just about to silently praise her own genius when the comment section distracted her. Confused, she picked up her teacup and asked, “Is this cup really valuable?”

When the three of them entered the house, Tan Muxing brought over a teapot and teacups, placing tea in front of each person.

Qiu Qingkong examined the cup carefully. “It really is quite beautiful.”

After reading through the comments, Chu Qianli was stunned. “They’re saying this cup is worth ten sessions of fortune-telling with Yahui!?”

Yahui’s fortune-telling sessions cost in the four-figure range. Viewers concluded that Chu Qianli must come from a wealthy family, mainly because her teacup outclassed everything from the other fortune-teller.

Rare teaware is indeed expensive, and these days, online viewers are quite discerning, especially when the teacup is close to the camera.

Chu Qianli and Qiu Qingkong both fell silent, quietly turning to look at Tan Muxing.

Tan Muxing said awkwardly, “…They brought it here. I’m not really sure.”

Tan Muxing wasn’t even aware of how many sets of teaware were in the house. Of course, he just used whatever others handed him.

With the help of her desk mate, Chu Qianli quickly established an image of someone both rich and skilled. She even hesitated about taking the camera up the mountain to give her audience an alternative “room tour.” Most content creators on streaming platforms showed off their mansions, but who had ever seen someone flaunt their family’s entire mountain?

Chu Qianli had only seen mountains in villages and had never heard of scenic mountains in the capital. Competing with Yahui in fortune-telling didn’t matter—she would absolutely outclass her when it came to flaunting wealth.

Chu Qianli kept her livestream going all afternoon without turning off the camera. Even her lunch was eaten on stream. The food at Tan Muxing’s house was so good that she began to suspect his inability to lose weight had a reason.

She always did fortune-telling alone, occasionally chatting with her companions. Yet she showed no signs of fatigue, and her accuracy remained consistent. This was solid proof that she was the main force behind the “Magic Card Girl Team.”

[“That other person just overcharges and scams people, claiming that fortune-telling drains their energy so they can jack up their prices!”]

[“I don’t see how fortune-telling is tiring? Why do they all charge so much?”]

[“The industry is full of scammers! There are very few like our teacher!”]

Chu Qianli responded objectively, “That’s not true. This job can be exhausting. My situation is just unique. Other fortune-tellers have their reasons for their pricing. If you think it’s worth it, then it’s worth it. If you don’t, nobody’s forcing you to get a reading.”

[“Then why aren’t you tired?”]

“Because I’m strong.”

[“?????”]

The comment section exploded with question marks. The viewers were clearly stunned by her bluntness and didn’t know how to react for a moment.

[“Don’t act all high and mighty. Hearing that makes me want to puke. You’re not as accurate as Yahui, and now you’re making excuses? ‘I’m strong,’ my foot. I’m gonna throw up!”]

[“You’re probably pregnant if you’re so nauseous. Better get that checked out.”]

[“Your team is basically roasting every fortune-teller on this platform. Do you think we can’t see it?”]

The livestream comment section erupted into a heated argument. Not all viewers were Chu Qianli’s fans. Yahui had already offended many other fortune-tellers, and her fanbase was notorious. Justice-minded viewers joined the fray to take them on.

Chu Qianli said wearily, “Stop arguing, stop arguing. It’s the weekend. There’s no need for this. This stuff really can’t be compared. I can’t even interact with other fortune-tellers online…”

The problem with online fortune-tellers dealing with Yahui was that nobody could challenge her directly since everything happened online. At most, people could snipe at each other indirectly or argue back and forth. In the end, no one could claim victory.

This was Yahui’s brilliance. In the past, when fortune-tellers challenged her to interpret the same case, she simply refused to engage, continuing to make lofty statements in her videos about how divination shouldn’t be used for competition.

When Yahui’s fans saw Chu Qianli showing restraint, they doubled down, insisting she was inferior.

Chu Qianli scratched her head. “Ah, I really can’t compete directly with other fortune-tellers. But I could show off something they can’t do? Wouldn’t that prove I’m a bit stronger?”

“Since we have time, how about we do something unique? Birth time rectification, maybe?” Chu Qianli suggested with a smile. “Let’s randomly pick one lucky viewer. You share some major life events, and I’ll reverse-calculate your birth time.”

Many people don’t remember their exact birth time. To create an accurate natal chart, birth time rectification is necessary. Other metaphysical disciplines also emphasize precise birth times and can achieve similar results.

Of course, birth time rectification relies entirely on speculative data. It’s a very challenging task for astrologers, with a complex process. It’s something many astrologers dislike doing, let alone using it for entertainment purposes. They need to rely on the person’s major life events over the past decade to calculate it. Explaining a natal chart is like solving basic math problems; birth time rectification is the super-complex question at the end of the exam.

Meanwhile, Yahui scoffed at the livestream. “This is getting more and more ridiculous. Now it’s birth time rectification…”

An astrologer who can perform accurate birth time rectification is indeed impressive and could be teaching at institutions instead of messing around on streaming platforms.

Yahui knew that there were well-known astrologers in the country who could do this, but those people would never stoop to clashing with her.

[“What if the person you pick is a plant? Who knows if your rectification is accurate or not?”]

[“If you’re so loud about it, why not pick your boss? Don’t pick random people. Just pick Yahui.”]

[“Pick her! Pick her! Let’s see a showdown!”]

In the livestream, Chu Qianli froze for a moment, then hesitated. “It’s possible, but it would require a lot of significant life events. Does she have that much information?”

Yahui sneered. “If she gets it right, I’d be shocked.”

[“She does, she does! She posts everything on her Weibo!”]

[“She’s 27 this year, and I remember her birthplace is XX. She wrote her sun sign on Weibo. Let me go check.”]

[“Isn’t it unethical to dig into her private information?”]

[“She’s the one showing it off online. We don’t need to dig for anything. She’s been flaunting her life while studying abroad, but nothing substantial ever happens!”]

Yahui runs her Weibo very flamboyantly, posting everything about her life and completely exposing her private affairs.

With the help of enthusiastic netizens, Chu Qianli quickly learned Yahui’s birthplace and the specific month of her birth. Now she was ready to calculate the exact date and time, and began working seriously.

[“Birth time rectification requires a specific date, right? The month alone isn’t enough?”]

Chu Qianli was completely focused, and replied calmly, “For others, it’s not enough, but for me, it’s enough.”

[“Villainous speech??”]

[“Teacher, I really can’t stand Yahui. Honestly, you’re kind of asking for it too.”]

Chu Qianli chuckled proudly, “Hehe, but I don’t expose my personal information online, so you can’t hit me that way.”

Her words sparked a huge wave of reactions, with netizens mocking and teasing her.

Chu Qianli hadn’t shown her face, so no one could find her.

After a long while, Chu Qianli finally looked up. She had finished checking the data and hesitated. “I think I’m done, but who’s going to verify it? Should I just send it to her directly…?”

[“Read it out loud! I want to hear it!”]

[“Let me see what kind of star chart this person has! Watch how I destroy her!”]

Chu Qianli awkwardly smiled and said, “I’m not sure if it’s a good idea to read it out loud. It’s someone’s birth chart, saying it out loud could be risky.”

It’s fine for an ordinary person to receive someone’s birth chart, but for someone with abilities, it’s a different matter, especially since Yahui has offended so many people in the industry.

Yahui had always been keen to show off on the internet, but she never disclosed her exact birth date, only narrowing it down to a certain month. Clearly, she was being cautious.

In her room, Yahui heard the confident tone of the other person and wasn’t sure whether it was genuine or if they were just trying to impress her with empty talk. She suddenly felt a little uncertain.

[“Why are you worrying about her? Just give the time, stop stalling!”]

[“If you don’t say it, how can we verify it, huh? I promise I won’t do anything bad with the birth chart. Punishing evil and promoting good is not bad, hehe.”]

[“Once you give the birth date, I’ll flood you with gifts. I’ll buy whatever you want.”]

When Chu Qianli said she was going to do Yahui’s birth time rectification, quite a few fellow fortune-tellers gathered to watch the spectacle. They weren’t necessarily supporting Chu Qianli; they just didn’t like Yahui. Now they were clamoring for Chu Qianli to reveal her birth time.

Chu Qianli remained calm throughout, though the netizens kept fueling the fire with their “watching a drama” attitude.

The viewers were frantic, but the person in question remained unfazed.

“I’ll send it to her first and check if I got it right,” Chu Qianli leisurely typed out a message. “If she doesn’t reply, I’ll read it out.”

Chu Qianli slowly sent a message to Yahui on the platform, directly sending the birth time and birthplace.

Yahui picked up her phone and saw the latest message. Her heart skipped a beat, her face turned pale, and she immediately felt a chill run through her limbs.

Other astrologers might have some minute errors in their birth time rectifications, but Chu Qianli’s data was absolutely spot-on.

“She hasn’t replied?” Chu Qianli said with some frustration. “Then I’ll read it out…”

Once Chu Qianli finished sending the message, she was about to speak the birth time aloud, prompting netizens to start commenting.

[“Teacher, you didn’t even wait. She can’t possibly reply right away!”]

The next second, the live stream showed “Yahui Tarot” entering the room. The screen was instantly flooded with gifts, all of the highest-value items, covering the entire screen in a chaotic mess.

The viewers in the livestream were all confused, unsure who the wealthy person throwing all the gifts was.

Chu Qianli, being a new streamer, was bewildered. “Thank you, Yahui Tarot, for the tips?”

“You’re actually watching. Reply to me! Is it accurate or not?”

Yahui frantically typed a comment.

Yahui was in a panic. She hastily wrote: [“It’s accurate, accurate, accurate! Don’t read it out, don’t read it out!”]

If Chu Qianli read it aloud, it would be over.

Yahui had previously offended fortune-tellers of her own level, but now, there were others who might have mentors. Ordinarily, only the month would be hard to guess, but Chu Qianli had ridiculously done it!

Other fortune-tellers, seeing this, panicked. Now they were sure that Chu Qianli’s calculations were correct, and they couldn’t wait to use the star chart to take revenge.

In an instant, countless fortune-tellers who had been lurking emerged with their main accounts and flooded into Chu Qianli’s live stream.

[“Read it! Read it! Read it! It’s just money, who doesn’t have it?”]

[“This amount of money isn’t even enough to buy a cup. Just name your price. How much is her birth chart worth?”]

[“Wow, there’s a fight between rich people on the screen, all these gifts are making my eyes dizzy.”]

[“So many fortune-telling streamers are spying?? I’m throwing out a Pokéball on the spot!”]

Yahui and the other fortune-tellers began competing with gifts. One side was afraid that the birth chart would be read aloud, while the other side demanded that it be read. They started using money to attack, trying to win over Chu Qianli, who had the crucial information.

In the past, everyone could only argue online, but now, the star chart was key information. A small leak could drastically change the situation.

Chu Qianli, facing the overwhelming screen of gifts, calmly advised, “Alright, alright, everyone, stop fighting. We all love astrology and tarot, so let’s have a friendly exchange. No need to keep shouting about fighting and killing…”

Chu Qianli began saying official, diplomatic words, trying to delay the time to reduce the tension and let more gifts flood in.

As long as she talked long enough, the gifts would keep coming.

Tan Muxing, hearing this, suddenly felt that his desk mate radiated a Buddhist-like glow. He suddenly had a deeper understanding of the term “white lotus.”

Maybe she wasn’t pretending to be pure. Her words clearly inverted right and wrong—this was unmistakably a black lotus in disguise.