TGA Chapter 58

A bit of social reality-checking can be beneficial for a child’s growth—this was Tan Muxing’s takeaway after accompanying Chu Qianli to her interview.

In the past, Tan Muxing had to coax and cajole Chu Qianli into studying, often resorting to frequent compromises and signing countless unequal “treaties” just to get her to muster some motivation. He Shichen never had the patience for such tasks, always waiting until Tan Muxing had done the heavy lifting. He would appear just long enough to explain a problem and then vanish instantly, as if afraid Chu Qianli might drag him into something.

In the “Magic Card Squad,” apart from the equally restless Qiu Qingkong, the rest of the group were all working to push Chu Qianli to study. Even Qi Yan occasionally stepped in. Despite their collective efforts, the results had been minimal.

However, after her encounter with Pan Yicheng, Chu Qianli had a complete change of heart. She began studying furiously, completely overturning everyone’s previous impression of her.

Tan Muxing clearly remembered Chu Qianli once saying that she could only learn quickly when the subject was related to stars.

After meeting Pan Yicheng just once, she decided that obtaining a university degree somehow fell under the category of “star-related.” It was clear she had been deeply shaken by the encounter with the professor of classical studies.

In the classroom, Chu Qianli was slumped over her desk, scribbling on a test paper. Though she was clearly exhausted and had lost her drive, she stubbornly clutched her pen, determined to press on, solving one problem at a time.

“Good job,” Tan Muxing said as he returned to the classroom and placed a cup of milk tea and a straw on her desk. Noticing the fatigue on her face, he added with concern, “It’s great that you’re working hard, but don’t push yourself too much. Don’t let the interview get to you.”

Chu Qianli absentmindedly touched the milk tea while self-hypnotizing: “It’s not uncomfortable, I’m not uncomfortable. It’s perfectly normal for them to require a bachelor’s degree. This means more people are properly understanding these things. It’s no longer about sect inheritance or knowledge monopolies. It shows that society is progressing, that the times are developing. I’m not uncomfortable…”

Tan Muxing marveled in admiration, “I didn’t expect you to look at things from this perspective.”

Chu Qianli lazily replied, “Isn’t that just the astrologer’s job? If I feel uncomfortable, I change my perspective. I’m pretty good at deceiving myself.”

Tan Muxing: “?”

Chu Qianli continued, “If I don’t do well on an exam, it just means there’s room for improvement. If I’m at rock bottom, then luck is about to come. If I lose money out of the blue, it’s just a small expense to avoid a disaster. Anyway, there’s always another side to explain things…”

“Fate is determined by heaven, but luck is in one’s hands. If I don’t start thinking this way soon, I’ll miss even more opportunities!”

Tan Muxing laughed, “I was worried you might feel discouraged, but it seems I’ve tried to challenge your professional skills with an amateur approach.”

He should’ve known that, although she rarely faced setbacks, her ability to handle pressure and regulate her emotions was far beyond ordinary.

Chu Qianli stared at him, pondering, “If you plan on comforting me with some small gifts, I can pretend to feel disappointed, and we can follow the usual routine.”

“But you’re not really disappointed?”

“I can still eat when I’m not hungry, and I can still work overtime when I’m not busy.”

Tan Muxing: “…”

He pushed the milk tea toward her, declaring with righteousness, “There’s no reason to work overtime when it’s not needed.”

After that, the two spent a quiet period in campus life, mostly occupied by their study time.

After talking to Pan Yicheng, Chu Qianli felt a bit emotional. Perhaps large projects really were more effective than solo fortune-telling. It might even change her destined fate. However, such opportunities were rare, and being anxious about it was of no use.

It was like everyone knew that a degree from Tsinghua or Peking University would make it easier to find a job, but is it that people don’t want to attend? No, it’s just that they can’t get in.

Chu Qianli had originally thought she wouldn’t see Pan Yicheng again until after the college entrance exam, but unexpectedly, one day, she received a phone call from him. She and Tan Muxing exchanged looks and realized that her desk mate had also received a call.

The weather was warm and sunny.

Chu Qianli and Tan Muxing arrived at the office building once again. They entered the elevator together, both puzzled as they went to meet someone.

In the office, when Pan Yicheng saw the two of them enter, he greeted them with a big smile: “Come, come, sit down, sit down! What would you like to drink? Tea, purified water, or should I go next door and grab some juice?”

Tan Muxing had never been to an interview before. This was his first time meeting Pan Yicheng, and he immediately felt a bit uneasy. He politely said, “Purified water is fine. Please don’t go to any trouble.”

Chu Qianli responded, “I’ll have juice.”

“Okay, let me see if I can find some snacks. I’ll bring some over in a bit.”

Pan Yicheng was warm and hospitable, which made both of them feel a bit puzzled.

After the three of them sat down, Pan Yicheng asked after their well-being and inquired about their academic performance, before finally getting to the point: “By the way, outside of studying, would you be interested in joining some projects? Maybe some extracurricular development?”

Tan Muxing asked in confusion, “Extracurricular development?”

Pan Yicheng nodded and glanced at their expressions, tentatively saying, “Yes, I currently have a project in hand, mainly in a certain area in the West…”

Before he could finish, Chu Qianli realized what he was implying and exclaimed, “So you’ve already decided on someone for the position! This is outrageous!”

Pan Yicheng quickly waved his hand, explaining, “No, no, no, it’s not like that. You’ve misunderstood…”

“Then how did this project come to you? Last time, you said you couldn’t decide.”

Pan Yicheng sighed deeply, looking somewhat numb as he helplessly explained, “Last time I couldn’t decide, but things need to be done, and eventually, it came back to me.”

“I thought I was just doing an interview for a consultant position, but somehow I ended up being pulled into it.” Pan Yicheng regretfully slapped his leg. “I should have been more careful.”

Pan Yicheng carefully explained, and after some discussion, Chu Qianli and Tan Muxing understood the full story.

The project team initially thought the work was complex and the problems were daunting, so they planned to hire an outside expert with a large fee. They invited Pan Yicheng for an interview as a consultant, but after several rounds of screening, they had no results, and could not find a suitable candidate.

“Knowing fortune-telling doesn’t mean you know feng shui, and knowing feng shui doesn’t mean you know religion, and knowing religion doesn’t mean you know politics. After all these circles, no one was perfect, and nobody dared to make a decision about who to give five billion to.”

They hadn’t found the right person, but the work had to continue. It couldn’t come to a halt.

The person who originally suggested recruiting with a high fee had looked down on Pan Yicheng, always insisting that outside experts were better than the team’s own members. But now, after looking around, they realized that Professor Pan wasn’t bad. Before, they thought he wasn’t impressive, but now they realized their mistake.

“Didn’t realize how capable he was until we compared. Let’s just let Old Pan take over!”

Pan Yicheng never expected that after all the interviews, it would be him who would step in. It turned out that the fool was himself.

Chu Qianli asked, “So does this mean five billion goes to you?”

Pan Yicheng laughed, “If there really were five billion, would it come to me? If they were going to give me five billion, it would be because I’m in a tough spot, and it would be my responsibility to take it on. Normally, I have to focus on my work, but in critical moments, I’d have to make sacrifices for the greater good. Otherwise, too many wrongs will lead to disaster!”

Tan Muxing admired, “Professor, you’re very eloquent.”

“I’m different from the people outside. There’s no way I’d get that much money. If I did, how could I decide to work with me…” Pan Yicheng sighed. “At least the workload is halved, but I still have to form a team.”

Chu Qianli suddenly realized, “I get it now. Professor Pan wants us to work for free for you!”

She had already predicted that she wouldn’t make this money, but now Pan Yicheng was asking them to join, and the result was obvious.

“How can you say that? This is a service to the people.”

“Then it’s just working for free for the people.”

“Well, that’s better than working for free for outside bosses!” Pan Yicheng said seriously. “Besides, I’m not randomly looking for people. You see, I didn’t call anyone else. I considered your special situation, especially since you’re in a rush…”

Tan Muxing froze for a moment and then looked at Chu Qianli, suddenly realizing something.

Chu Qianli calmly said, “No, you see, we’re students, so we should be easier to fool. You’re a professor, so you’re best at this.”

Pan Yicheng hurriedly said, “No, no, it’s not working for free, not at all! I’ve thought it through. We just talked about your academic performance, and you’re in the stage of preparing for university. This is a national project, so there are some policies. I’ll get them to help with the application. Working on this won’t delay your studies. There will be special admission conditions later…”

Chu Qianli turned to Tan Muxing and said, “See, it’s the professor’s usual trick. Social people don’t fall for these things.”

Tan Muxing thought for a moment, his face showing hesitation, and he quietly said, “But I think the conditions are still good. It might be a higher chance than just applying by yourself.”

Chu Qianli was deeply hurt: “…”

Last time, Tan Muxing was too shy to tell the truth. Chu Qianli was a bit far from the university where Professor Pan worked, and it wasn’t just about studying for the college entrance exam. Others had been preparing for ten years, and the effort wasn’t the same.

Pan Yicheng noticed them whispering to each other and asked, “So, what do you think?”

Chu Qianli asked suspiciously, “So, does that mean we’re directly admitted?”

Pan Yicheng shook his head, “No, no! That’s not allowed! It’s all according to the rules. It’s just a reduced score! Maximum, it’s just lowering the requirements!”

“This is a huge gap! Whether it’s one point or ten, it’s still lowering the score. The difference is too big.” Chu Qianli grabbed Tan Muxing, speaking assertively, “Besides, my desk mate could get in on his own. He doesn’t need that score, right?”

Tan Muxing panicked, “I didn’t say—”

“Yes, it’s relevant!” Chu Qianli insisted. “Forget it, just let me handle the bargaining. You don’t need to say anything. Just sit there quietly.”

“…”

Chu Qianli and Pan Yicheng then went on to discuss the project details, and they finally agreed to push for it within the limits, but they also had to finish the responsibilities assigned to them in the project.

“I’ll have them draft the contract later. You can take it home and discuss it with your families before signing it. Once the details are finalized, you can’t just leave halfway. If you do, you’ll be held accountable.”

Pan Yicheng could lead the application process, but they couldn’t just take the reduced score and run. There were contractual conditions in place, and if they didn’t fulfill the project, it wouldn’t be valid.

The three of them settled on the terms, and the matter was concluded.

Pan Yicheng took out two stacks of resumes and handed one to Chu Qianli and one to Tan Muxing, saying, “Let’s get to work. These are the people I’ve screened who seem reliable. Call them and see if they’re interested.”

“Are you interested in working for free?” Chu Qianli sarcastically remarked, “Professor Pan, you just said you didn’t call anyone else, that you didn’t just randomly pick people…”

“I really didn’t call anyone else. I only called you guys!” Pan Yicheng replied.

“…And then we’re supposed to call others?”

Tan Muxing didn’t complain. He obediently took the resumes and went outside to make the calls.

Only Chu Qianli and Pan Yicheng remained in the room, and a sudden silence fell between them.

After a while, Pan Yicheng looked at the closed door and casually said, “Actually, your classmate doesn’t have to go. He’s in his third year of high school and doesn’t need the extra points. We still need to fly out, so it might be a bit of a waste of time for him.”

Tan Muxing wasn’t even involved in metaphysics; he was only here because of Chu Qianli.

“It’s fine. He’s the guardian, so he must go,” Chu Qianli said as she casually flipped through the resumes, lowering her head. “And trying to persuade him not to go won’t work. He’ll just feel bad, so it’s better not to say anything.”

She had once tried to get Tan Muxing to forget, but he had resolutely shaken his head. Now, persuading him was pointless.

“Does he know about you?”

“Mm.” Chu Qianli nodded, pausing for a few seconds before adding, “To be honest, aside from blood ties and karma, the only person who still values me is him.”

If you removed all the relatives, she had few connections with others, and most of them were tied to metaphysics. This was why she sometimes seemed indifferent to life and death; she benefited from her talent, and there was no reason she shouldn’t accept the consequences.

Everything had two sides. Without this kind of thinking ability, she couldn’t delve into astrology.

But now, things were different. She didn’t know how to repay him, but she couldn’t disappear either.

Pan Yicheng advised, “Don’t say that. It’s all interconnected. You can’t pull out the steel bars of a building and then evaluate the building in isolation; they’re part of a whole.”

Chu Qianli didn’t dwell on the topic for long. She began squatting in the corner, making a phone call. The resumes had already been screened by Pan Yicheng, and she was curious to see Mei Rujing’s information. She quickly scanned through the other’s experience and found out that Mei Rujing was a legitimate heir of the Plum Blossom Heart School of divination, practically from a metaphysical family. Her resume was quite impressive.

Chu Qianli inwardly sighed, even the most prestigious families couldn’t survive the public exams and were unable to make it work.

“Hello, good afternoon…” Chu Qianli dialed the number, but before she could introduce herself, Mei Rujing immediately recognized her identity.

“Is it you?” Mei Rujing didn’t seem upset. She appeared to be outside in a noisy area and curiously asked, “How did you get my number?”

Chu Qianli didn’t expect such a quick response and hurriedly explained, “Ah, big sister, here’s the thing…”

Mei Rujing understood the situation, fell silent for a moment, and then directly said, “So you’re just trying to get free labor? If there’s no money, I won’t go. Don’t talk to me about faith.”

Chu Qianli sighed, “…I told you, society people aren’t easily fooled.”

“But you can go and have a look. You’re still young and have room for growth. Don’t let the fact that Professor Pan seems poor fool you; he probably has some influence. In this country, just having money isn’t enough, social status matters too…” Mei Rujing said pragmatically, “I’m older now, so I can’t tolerate that kind of thing, but you can use him, get him to pave the way for you!”

“These people might not make much money, but they know the ropes. You haven’t entered society yet, and this could be beneficial for you.”

Mei Rujing was used to living freely, but that didn’t mean she didn’t understand things.

In the office, Pan Yicheng suddenly sneezed and straightened up instinctively. Seeing Chu Qianli turn to look at him, he quickly apologized, “Sorry.”

Chu Qianli looked at Pan Yicheng sitting in the office, then thought of Mei Rujing’s red sports car. She somewhat understood why the latter had made the “poor” comment.

Mei Rujing reminded her, “You can add me on WeChat with my phone number. If you decide to go, just don’t let anyone manipulate you. Don’t listen to them saying it’s an opportunity for growth—like a student being exploited.”

Chu Qianli obediently said, “Okay, I understand. If they talk about growth, I’ll mention money.”

“That’s the way! It’s all about mutual use; no one owes anyone anything!”

Chu Qianli didn’t really believe that Pan Yicheng could fool her, but she didn’t turn down Mei Rujing’s advice. After hanging up, she added her on WeChat with the phone number.

Pan Yicheng rubbed his nose and asked, “How did it go?”

Chu Qianli replied frankly, “No one’s willing to come. There aren’t many fools like Professor Pan.”

Pan Yicheng sighed dramatically, “Ah, I’ve told people before, having faith can sometimes make things worse than not having it. Sometimes you’re restricted in every way, but if you don’t do it, you feel bad inside!”

“Without faith, you have fewer worries, no matter what the belief is,” Pan Yicheng said helplessly. “I just can’t shake off the intellectual vibe. Otherwise, I would’ve quit being a professor and gone out to make big money.”

Pan Yicheng certainly knew that fortune-telling could make money, but his personality made it hard for him to do it. So, he still led the life of a professor, occasionally working for official institutions.

After Chu Qianli and Tan Muxing finished their calls, there were no results. Those with talent didn’t want to come, and those who did had limited skills.

Fortunately, Pan Yicheng had some connections and was familiar with the religious associations, so he managed to form a team, but these people were certainly not up to the standard of the likes of Mei Rujing.

Pan Yicheng remained optimistic, “It’s okay. Quality over quantity. You two are my left and right arms!”

Chu Qianli coolly summarized, “As expected, students are easier to fool.”

Tan Muxing murmured, “…I even think Professor Pan is a bit pitiful.”

Pan Yicheng laughed, “Not pitiful, not pitiful! I’ve already told them, when we three fly over, we must sit in business class!”

Chu Qianli remarked, “But when my dad brought me back from the village, we sat in first class.”

“Ah, well, this time you can try business class. Maybe it’ll be a different experience,” Pan Yicheng said cheerfully as he asked someone else. He turned to a more approachable person, “Muxing, have you ever flown in business class?”

Tan Muxing replied, “No…”

Chu Qianli already understood her deskmate’s family situation. She stirred the pot, teasing, “He definitely always flies first class!”

Tan Muxing quickly waved his hands nervously, “No, no…”

Pan Yicheng agreed, “Exactly, exactly. He looks like someone who’s frugal. Don’t go making things up about him.”

Tan Muxing felt even more embarrassed upon hearing this. He was so ashamed that he couldn’t speak, and for a moment, he didn’t know how to respond.

Pan Yicheng, unaware of his expression, continued chatting, “Maybe they take economy class…”

Tan Muxing hesitated for a moment and replied, “…It really is economy class.”

Chuxianli was incredulous, saying, “No way! You’ve always said you took first class on high-speed trains, don’t just go along with him!”

“The plane really is economy class…” Tan Muxing, facing her skeptical gaze, instantly avoided eye contact and then glanced at Pan Yicheng’s expression. He gritted his teeth and said, “I usually take the family plane… It’s definitely economy class…”

Pan Yicheng: “…”

Pan Yicheng, being an experienced person in society, quickly recovered from his brief lapse in composure and adjusted his tone, saying seriously, “That’s good. You young students, your future is limitless. You should never be deceived by empty promises in your life.”