TGA Chapter 41

Chu Qianli and the others worked all night and only managed to select one person—Shi Cheng, who was soon to be renamed Shi Bude.

Other than the trainees with issues uncovered during the background check, all the male group members would be sent to the talent show. Qiu Qingkong kept Shi Bude’s profile aside, planning to pay close attention to the growth of this future “money tree.”

Qiu Qingkong sighed. “Out of so many people, only one worked out. Should I start considering a career change too?”

Tan Muxing quietly muttered, “But you have so many people every year. Getting even one success off the assembly line isn’t bad.”

Chu Qianli chimed in, “It’s normal not to find anyone exceptional. From all the star charts I’ve seen, there are very few that are either extraordinary or abysmal. Most people fall into an average pattern.”

Qiu Qingkong asked worriedly, “Teacher, is my star chart bad? Am I doomed to misfortune and bankruptcy in the second half of my life?”

Chu Qianli reassured her, “Don’t worry. Anyone who has the leisure to complain about their miserable fate is already out of the extremely bad category. Truly bad charts belong to people who don’t even have time to lament their fate.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because they don’t live long enough to lament their fate,” Chu Qianli mused for a few seconds before adding, “According to some theories, a star chart isn’t meant to be labeled as good or bad. But every chart needs time to manifest. For some people, their lives are so short that their charts never fully unfold. That’s what you’d call an extremely bad pattern.”

“So stop fretting. If you feel life is hard, you’ve already surpassed quite a few others.”

Qiu Qingkong half-understood, half-didn’t.

The three of them found a nearby restaurant for a late-night snack and chatted about other topics, officially wrapping up their work for the night.

Although Chu Qianli hadn’t performed a formal debut ceremony, her astrological background checks were clearly more effective. Qiu Qingkong handed over the information for the staff to investigate and soon kept her promise by transferring the payment—and even paid taxes on Chu Qianli’s behalf.

Back at the classroom, Chu Qianli looked at the numbers in her account and marveled, “Little Qiu’s becoming more and more professional!”

Qiu Qingkong replied, “Well, the scrutiny’s been pretty strict lately, so I just handled it all at once.”

Since Chu Qianli and the others had spoken with the company’s trainees and Qiu Qingkong was closely following the talent show’s developments, the three of them would occasionally watch the program in their free time.

Chu Qianli, who had never watched a talent show before, stared at the bizarre initial performances and asked, puzzled, “So what exactly are people competing for here? You said popularity has nothing to do with talent, so what are the criteria for judging?”

Tan Muxing objectively replied, “The capital power behind them.”

Qiu Qingkong countered, “No, no, no, it’s not all about money. A good sense of humor matters too.”

Chu Qianli, as a villager, was increasingly puzzled: “?”

Chu Qianli suddenly realized, “Is this show selecting wealthy crosstalk performers? Then I qualify too?”

Before the talent show began, Shi Bude successfully changed his name. He went straight to the recording session with his new name, which sent his teammates and talent managers into fits of laughter.

The trainees from the same company never expected Shi Cheng to change his name. They sighed, saying, “Brother Shi has it tough. I thought background checks filtering you out was bad enough, but now I’m not sure if changing your name is worse!”

“Brother Shi Cheng, what was the company thinking when they picked this stage name? Your original name was at least better-sounding, wasn’t it?”

“It’s Shi Bude now! Call me Shi Bude!” Shi Bude corrected them seriously and waved it off, saying, “Hey, you guys don’t get it. A master calculated this for me. It’s a blessing from the heavens, not something everyone can have.”

Later, Shi Bude asked around and realized he was the only one who had to change his name that day. Not everyone was blessed with this “opportunity.”

“Wait, I don’t even want this kind of blessing…”

The mentors watching the initial performance were equally confused. They hadn’t planned to mention Shi Bude, but his name intrigued them so much that they couldn’t help asking, “Why are you called this name? What were your parents thinking?”

One mentor even gestured exaggeratedly, playfully making a stopping motion and joking, “Shi Bude? As in ‘can’t do’?”

A teammate quickly answered, “He wasn’t called this before the show. Our company hired someone to calculate it for him, and he actually went along with it!”

“Does your company have a grudge against you?” the mentor asked blankly. “I thought stage names were supposed to sound good.”

Shi Bude hurried to defend Chu Qianli, explaining, “No, no, the master said changing to this name would make me popular. It’s meant to help me out. She doesn’t have any ill intentions…”

The mentor, seeing how deeply he believed this, teased, “Have you ever thought that some things are just superstitions? The master might be messing with you.”

Shi Bude argued confidently, “Then why mess with me and not others? I don’t have anything special to offer. Messing with me doesn’t benefit her either!”

The mentor laughed, “If you have nothing to offer, why are you even in this competition?”

Shi Bude replied, “I’m here to sell things for the company.”

Everyone looked surprised, not understanding what he meant, including his teammates, who gave him puzzled looks.

“Sell things? Sell what?” The mentor raised the sponsor’s drink on the table and joked, “Are you here to sell drinks?”

“No, that’s not from our company.”

“Then what are you selling?”

“Should I start selling now?” Shi Bude was startled, not expecting the mentor to give him the spotlight. In a flash, he perked up, pulled over a teammate, and started energetically promoting.

He began rattling off, “Super team leader Zhou Qingyang, skilled in singing, dancing, and songwriting. He’s the company’s longest-training ace who’s been unlucky and hasn’t debuted yet. High cost-performance ratio! Clearance sale! If he doesn’t get popular, crowdfunding for contract termination is recommended—guaranteed to be worth it!”

“Face of the group Li Hongliang, young but skilled at rapping. A born performer—can be a vase or a fighter. What more do you want? An unbeatable deal!”

“Main vocalist Liu Xie…”

Shi Bude spoke so fast, without pausing to breathe, that everyone in the room was stunned, not knowing how to interrupt.

The mentor, still recovering, watched in awe as Shi Bude went on to introduce several more people, seemingly planning to talk non-stop from start to finish.

“Alright, alright, stop! Are you here to sell your teammates?” The mentor, overwhelmed and dazed, asked, “So, what are you good at? Why didn’t you introduce yourself?”

Shi Bude answered, “Oh, I want to go into sales, but I don’t sell fake goods. Once I’m done selling them, I’ll leave.”

Mentor: “?”

[Good grief, good grief, this talent show even includes a salesperson!]

[I’ve seen people sell out teammates in games, but this guy literally sells his teammates!]

[Shi Bude’s a decent guy—knows he’s not good at much and has integrity about not selling fake goods.]

[I’m laughing so hard. Shi Bude? My gosh, I’ll remember him after just one episode. This script is solid.]

[Company: Did I tell you to sell them? Who gave the tenant permission to sell the landlord’s house?]

Shi Bude gained a wave of attention during his initial stage performance. Thanks to the buzz around his name, he showed signs of becoming a breakout star, further cementing his faith in Chu Qianli’s words.

He knew he’d never have gotten screen time otherwise. Being mocked for his name turned out to be an advantage—wasn’t that proof his name helped him?

Of course, Shi Bude didn’t dare get cocky. He remembered the master’s words: he’d get popular for just over a year, but if he failed to transition afterward, his career would immediately plummet.

In the dormitory, other trainees from different companies heard about Shi Bude’s story and envied him. “Why didn’t our company hire someone to calculate our names? Did the master say if you’ll debut?”

“Isn’t this a guarantee that he’s destined to debut?”

“Do you have the master’s contact info? I want a reading too!”

“No, actually, the master advised me not to become a boy band idol. She said I wouldn’t make it in this field.” Shi Bude sighed deeply. “Apparently, she’s a friend of the company’s higher-ups and only came because they begged her. She initially declined for a long time.”

“Why did she decline?”

“When the company asked her what I should pursue, she said as long as it’s not boy bands, I’d be fine.”

“But didn’t your company still send you here?”

“That’s why she declined for so long, isn’t it?”

“……”

[The master: What bad luck.]

[I’m dying laughing. I can completely picture the master’s despair: Help me, help me, help me!]

[Are you sure the master named you Shi Bude? Maybe she watched your performance and screamed, ‘Can’t do it!’]

[The master: You don’t need a reading to know boy bands won’t work! Can’t you see it for yourself?]

[Ah, I get it now. The master named you Shi Bude to warn the audience: DON’T! It’s like holding up a sign saying, ‘RUN AWAY.’]

Shi Bude became a bizarre talking point on the show. His high online buzz contrasted sharply with his half-hearted attitude toward debuting.

According to him, the master predicted he’d only stay popular for a year or so. He needed to pivot during that time. However, a boy band debut involved a two-year contract, severely limiting his ability to adapt.

Shi Bude never pressured fans to vote for him, but he was extremely passionate about product placements. As long as he could sell something, he would never miss the opportunity.

One time, the trainees didn’t want to disturb Shi Bude while he was sleeping and tried to film a promo for the sponsor without him. Unexpectedly, this roused Shi Bude, who leaped out of bed like a spring-loaded fish!

The trainee holding the drink stared at Shi Bude in shock and said, “Brother Shi, you practiced until midnight yesterday. Why not rest a bit longer? I can handle filming this alone…”

Shi Bude shook his head vehemently. “No, no, no! Sleeping isn’t as important as selling. This isn’t just an ad; this is my dazzling future!”

“……”

[Shi Bude: You compete in the talent show; I sell products. Together, we have a bright future.]

[But to be fair, the snacks he recommended last time were delicious… even though the dorm manager confiscated my pack.]

[Don’t spend money voting for him; spend it buying his recommended items. He’s genuinely good at endorsements.]

[Also, that hairspray he mentioned? Super effective!]

[I’ve watched him sell products for so long, I’ve convinced myself that the drinks he picks always taste better than the ones other contestants choose.]

[And they’re affordable! Super affordable! His picks are always a bargain.]

On the night of the debut, Shi Bude, despite being a hot topic, didn’t make it into the group. He was so moved he nearly cried on the spot, deciding to ride his newfound popularity and quickly pivot his career.

The company had hesitated initially—after all, they couldn’t seriously make an artist a product pitchman. But then Shi Bude was selected by a lifestyle variety show as a permanent host.

His main role was to recommend high-quality, cost-effective products to viewers and share various life hacks. Each episode also featured celebrity guests, with whom he would exchange useful tips for daily life.

The show, known for popularizing recipes and products, already had a veteran host and was now looking for a younger co-host to balance the team.

With consistently solid ratings and viewership, the show was expected to continue airing for many years. Recording the show also allowed Shi Bude to build industry connections—an opportunity most newcomers couldn’t dream of. If he did well, his career might end up being more stable than being in a boy band.

Shi Bude’s rise to fame even created one of the top ten unsolved mysteries of the talent show: “Who exactly is the master Shi Bude consulted?”

“Since you’re always recommending products, why don’t you promote the master too?”

“I’m afraid the master would find it too unlucky…” Shi Bude fumbled in his pockets and pulled them out to show everyone, saying hurriedly, “Look, I don’t even have a single cent in my pockets. I couldn’t afford the master on my own back then—I was just milking the company’s resources!”

“Wait until I make enough money to buy the company; then I’ll find out the master’s name and recommend them to everyone!”

[Company: ??? Did I hire a master for this?!]

[Master: Please, I beg you all, believe in science. Leave us mystics alone and go bother someone else.]

[The master probably ascended overnight, screaming, “Can’t do this!” as they fled.]

Online, people were frantically speculating about the identity of the master behind Shi Bude. Meanwhile, Chu Qianli, far removed from the internet, was diligently preparing for exams.

In the library, Chu Qianli sneakily checked her phone, only to look up and meet He Shichen’s icy stare. She had no choice but to reluctantly put her phone away and shrink behind Tan Muxing for cover.

Qiu Qingkong, sitting nearby, was focused on her homework, while across the table, Qi Yan noticed the commotion and smiled knowingly as she observed Chu Qianli’s little antics.

The Magic Card Girls Squad had been subdued.

To prevent Chu Qianli from failing and having to retake exams, He Shichen had forcefully joined their three-person group chat, declaring he would monitor them closely until finals were over, at which point he’d leave.

But Chu Qianli didn’t care about the cash machine’s surveillance. She immediately created another group chat with Tan Muxing and Qiu Qingkong.

As long as she was alive, she’d keep forming group chats. How could she let a little thing like this stop her?

When Qi Yan heard about this, she proposed joining the group chat as well. However, her intention wasn’t to monitor Chu Qianli’s studies—she simply wanted to be influenced by the young master’s aura and learn a bit about mysticism.

When He Shichen discovered that Qiu Qingkong had added Qi Yan to the group and learned her reason for joining, he frowned immediately. “Are you deliberately going against me? I want her to focus on studying, and you want to discuss mysticism?”

Qi Yan chuckled. “Not exactly. But if you’re incapable of raising a child, you could consider passing her off to someone else. I think keeping a constant watch on her studies isn’t necessary.”

He Shichen gritted his teeth. “This has nothing to do with the family’s ability. She can stop studying in the future if she wants, but she at least has to complete basic education. That’s the absolute minimum!”

Qi Yan replied, “Generally speaking, middle-class families are the most anxious about their children’s education. Analyzing it this way, I’d say you’re just not rich enough.”

He Shichen sneered. “If we’re just talking about investments, I’m probably better than you, right?”

Qi Yan said casually, “Is keeping an eye on numbers all it takes to make you proud? A lot still depends on connections.”

For some reason, He Shichen and Qi Yan ended up in a debate about education. One side argued that basic education was a must, while the other claimed that it was a standard only ordinary people adhered to—privileged families could provide their children with more freedom.

Tan Muxing tried to mediate weakly. “Let’s not compare family backgrounds or stress over education. Both perspectives make sense.”

Chu Qianli, seeing the two sides at odds, found it thrilling instead of worrying. She egged them on, saying, “Fight, fight—oh wait, I mean, rational debate can drive social progress!”

Tan Muxing sighed. “…”