Chu Qianli’s eyes widened in shock. “Really?”
Tan Muxing nodded. “Really, look, it’s written online. Bears can’t eat chocolate.”
Chu Qianli leaned in to read the text on his phone and found that it did indeed say that bears could get food poisoning from chocolate. Her face filled with curiosity as she asked, “What kind of bear is a Bichon bear?”
“Uh…” Tan Muxing’s gaze flickered evasively. “It’s just a kind of bear that can’t eat chocolate.”
“Oh, I see.” Chu Qianli didn’t know much about bear species, so she simply assumed it was some special kind.
Although Tan Muxing managed to brush off her concern with the “Bichon bears don’t eat chocolate” excuse, Chu Qianli still frequently tried to feed him and would often watch him eat, which put quite a bit of pressure on him lately.
The expert advisory team stayed in the area to rest and recover while handling the remaining work. Once everything was settled, they all boarded a plane back to Beijing.
Inside the cabin, Pan Yicheng sat next to Yu Yi. Looking back at the two high school students, he glanced at Tan Muxing’s fixed left arm and let out a bitter laugh. “What a situation this is—going on a trip and ending up injured. I’ll have to visit your parents another day to apologize.”
When Tan Muxing was hospitalized, Pan Yicheng had already called his parents to explain the accident.
“Professor Pan, it’s fine. Actually, I used to take some training courses for weight loss, and I got a few bumps and bruises back then too…” Tan Muxing said in a quiet voice. “As long as Grandma doesn’t find out, it’s okay.”
Since childhood, Tan Muxing had a unique physique that made it impossible for him to lose weight. His parents and uncle had even sent him to special training programs, but his grandmother was strongly against it, believing it was too dangerous. She always insisted there was nothing wrong with being chubby, so the whole thing was eventually dropped.
“You had special training for that?” Pan Yicheng was surprised. “But you really have been losing weight fast lately.”
Hearing this, Chu Qianli immediately showed a distressed expression and asked worriedly, “When will the in-flight meal be served?”
At that moment, Tan Muxing’s heart nearly stopped at the mention of food. “…”
Yu Yi smirked and gloated, “Professor, with just one sentence, you managed to hit both of their sore spots.”
A little while later, the in-flight meals arrived. Chu Qianli eagerly asked, “Xingxing, do you want the chicken meal, the beef meal, or both?”
“…Is there an option to have neither?” Tan Muxing weakly reminded her, “I just ate at the airport, actually. I’m not even hungry yet.”
“It’s not okay to work overtime, but it’s totally okay to eat when you’re not hungry.”
“…”
Staring at the beef meal in front of him, Tan Muxing finally couldn’t hold back and asked softly, “Do you think it was better the way it was before?”
She kept trying to feed him, almost like she preferred how he used to be.
Chu Qianli was momentarily stunned before shaking her head. “Honestly, you’re fine either way. What matters is that it’s your own choice.”
“If it’s not something you chose for yourself, then no matter what others say, it’s not good,” Chu Qianli said, lowering her gaze. He had lost weight due to his injury, which made her naturally hope that he would recover and return to full health.
“I don’t think I’ll be able to go back anytime soon,” Tan Muxing thought for a moment before adding, “But maybe in the future, there will be a chance.”
Now that he was by her side, he would have to rely on his strength, so there was no way to guarantee he would gain the weight back.
“When in the future?”
“When everything is over, maybe I’ll naturally return to how I was.” Tan Muxing smiled. “You can see for yourself when the time comes.”
Once she escaped her predetermined fate, they could return to their normal lives too.
Chu Qianli understood the hidden meaning behind his words. Her heart felt tight for a moment before she softly replied, “Okay.”
The next second, she perked up again and started encouraging him to eat. “Well, you still have to eat now! The best time to feed a star was ten years ago. The second-best time is now!”
“…I don’t think that famous quote was meant to be used this way.”
The two had been away for quite a long time, and upon returning to Beijing, they inevitably had to face their families’ affectionate inquiries.
Tan Muxing’s injury and subsequent weight loss caused quite a stir in the residential compound. His grandparents took turns making nourishing soups and meat dishes, practically serving him a gout-inducing feast every day. Their relentless feeding efforts even surpassed Chu Qianli’s attempts.
At this point, Tan Muxing seriously doubted whether he would ever gain the weight back after everything was over. More than anything, he had been force-fed to the point of trauma and needed time to recover from his psychological aversion to eating. The overwhelming love from his elders left him feeling helpless and utterly trapped.
Meanwhile, at her family’s villa, Chu Qianli also received an enthusiastic welcome from her relatives. Even He Yuanyang made a special trip to celebrate her return from the business trip. They gathered for a lively family dinner, eagerly listening to the young troublemaker’s tales of adventure.
At the dinner table, Chu Qianli leaned forward, vividly recounting, “Back then, the sky was full of vultures. Just as everyone was at a loss, I took action—quick as lightning! And in an instant, the vultures flew away!”
Yu Xin played along, asking excitedly, “Really?”
He Yuanyang was quite surprised. “There were vultures over there?”
“I’ve never seen one before,” He Zhenghe remarked with a smile.
He Shichen, however, was skeptical. “You took action? But last time, when a stray cat hissed at you, you made a point of taking a detour around the entrance.”
Given that Chu Qianli’s combat skills were inferior to even some animals, He Shichen naturally found her story dubious and suspected she had embellished it.
Chu Qianli, annoyed by his remark, shot back, “People who explode glass cups in the kitchen have no right to speak!”
“…”
Having his past blunders brought up, He Shichen gave her a sidelong glance and said indifferently, “I was actually planning to give you something since you’re back.”
Even though Chu Qianli had been working far away in the Gobi Desert, He Shichen had been diligently transferring her money on time, fulfilling his duty as an older brother.
Hearing this, Chu Qianli instantly changed her attitude. She sat up straight and obediently asked, “What did you prepare for me, Brother?”
He Shichen sneered, “Gold. But you might not want it.”
“I want it, I want it! Why wouldn’t I? Even putting aside the gold itself, I must accept the heartfelt sentiment behind it!”
He Shichen placed a heavy package on the table. It was wrapped in thin paper, making it impossible to see what was inside.
“What’s made of gold?” Chu Qianli examined it for a long time but couldn’t figure it out.
“It’s paper gold.”
“Ohhh, that sounds fancy. Can paper gold be physically traded now?”
Curious, Chu Qianli eagerly unwrapped the package, only to find that it wasn’t gold at all. Instead, it was a thick stack of booklets—the topmost one labeled “Mathematics Mock Exam Questions.”
Chu Qianli: “?”
He Shichen calmly explained, “There’s a house of gold in books. Finish these, and you can physically trade for real gold.”
Faced with the mountain of test papers, Chu Qianli felt utterly defeated. “…Brother, even financial scammers wouldn’t come up with something like this.”
This was some kind of cursed paper gold!
Although Chu Qianli had an advantage due to her special project admissions policy, she still had a minimum score requirement to meet.
He Shichen had gathered all kinds of mock exams from their school and compiled them into a full set, just waiting for her to return so he could cram-feed her with knowledge!
From that moment on, Tan Muxing was force-fed food, and Chu Qianli was force-fed knowledge.
Both of them suddenly found themselves desperately wanting to return to the project team rather than face their current lives. However, Pan Yicheng did not give them a chance.
Before long, the expert advisory team wrapped up their work. They sorted and submitted all the data and materials collected along the railway line, leaving only the long-term task of actual railway construction.
Yu Yi and the other temporary recruits were also released. After months of grueling work, they were finally free to return to their respective fields.
Pan Yicheng smiled kindly. “Good luck with your college entrance exams, kids. See you at university!”
Chu Qianli: “…Will I still have to work for the professor after getting into college?”
Pan Yicheng was unbothered by her teasing and replied warmly, “Of course! Even to work for me, you’ll need at least a bachelor’s degree.”
Chu Qianli: “?”
She turned to Tan Muxing and wailed, “Xingxing, did you hear that…?”
Tan Muxing quickly comforted her, “Alright, alright, it’ll be over soon.”
Since both of them were entering university through a special talent program, they would still be in contact with Professor Pan even after the project ended. However, in the months leading up to the entrance exam, they were buried under an overwhelming workload, cramming as much practice as possible for the crucial test.
After returning to Beijing, Tan Muxing didn’t go back to school. He stayed home to recover from his bone injury while also preparing for the exam. Chu Qianli would occasionally visit the compound to study with him.
The blazing summer arrived, and the school gates swarmed with people.
Qiu Qingkong was already outside, holding a bouquet of flowers in anticipation. Having completed her university applications, she had little else to do and, after not seeing her friends for a long time, had arranged to pick up Chu Qianli after the exams.
During their senior year, Chu Qianli and Tan Muxing were often away from school due to their special talent project. Even their Magic Card Girl squad activities had been put on hold.
Today was the last day of exams.
The sun shone brightly, and the school gates swung open. Students streamed out one after another, meeting up with friends and family, expressing their joy at finally being free.
Standing on tiptoe, Qiu Qingkong scanned the crowd. Soon, she spotted Chu Qianli coming out, chatting and laughing with someone beside her. She immediately started waving enthusiastically.
Qiu Qingkong bounced up and down. “Teacher, teacher! Over here!”
“Little Qiu—” Chu Qianli had finally survived the grueling college entrance exams and was thrilled to see her student. She excitedly ran toward her.
“Teacher, your hair has gotten so long,” Qiu Qingkong exclaimed, surprised at Chu Qianli’s changed appearance. She then glanced around in confusion. “Huh? Where’s Tan Muxing?”
Chu Qianli and Tan Muxing were practically inseparable. They had clearly been taking the exam at the same venue, yet now they weren’t together.
Chu Qianli was puzzled. “Xingxing is right here.”
Qiu Qingkong: “…Is this some kind of ghost story?”
Tan Muxing quietly raised his hand. “I’m here.”
Qiu Qingkong still had the image of pre-injury Tan Muxing in her mind. Naturally, she had completely overlooked the person with a normal build standing before her. Now that she took a closer look, she was utterly stunned.
Eyes wide with shock, she blurted out, “Dude, WHO ARE YOU?!”
Tan Muxing hadn’t returned to school after his injury, so no one in their class had seen him. They had no idea he had changed so much.
Feeling awkward, Tan Muxing explained, “I lost a little weight from the project…”
Qiu Qingkong: “A little? This isn’t ‘a little’—this is billion with a human radical!”
Chu Qianli said sadly, “The great white bear has become skin and bones due to ecological deterioration. Protecting the environment is an urgent matter.”
“Teacher, don’t make that face…” Qiu Qingkong looked at Tan Muxing and said firmly, “Please, you must tell me where the project is. Whether I get into college or not doesn’t matter. The key is that I just want to lose some weight!”
The three of them reunited at the school gate, laughing and chatting as they caught up. Qiu Qingkong talked about her university applications, Chu Qianli shared stories about the project, while Tan Muxing quietly listened, feeling as if he had returned to his high school days.
Qiu Qingkong said excitedly, “What should we do after lunch? We could watch a movie, go sing karaoke, or attend an astrology lecture.”
Tan Muxing said, “I’m fine with anything.”
Chu Qianli asked, “What astrology lecture?”
“It’s a lecture given by a foreign astrologer who flew in from abroad. I think it’s organized by some astrology association,” Qiu Qingkong said as she posted the lecture details in the group chat. “I attended one last time. The speaker was a foreigner, and the entire lecture was in English, but there was a translator.”
Chu Qianli nodded in understanding. “Oh, then it’s probably very basic.”
“If you don’t want to go, teacher, we can just go to karaoke instead. I’ll book a private room,” Qiu Qingkong said as she searched for nearby KTV places.
Chu Qianli casually flipped through the astrology lecture materials, scanning through them quickly, but then she came across a familiar-looking image and slowly stopped her finger.
Tan Muxing noticed her silence and curiously asked, “What’s wrong?”
Chu Qianli rubbed her chin and said hesitantly, “I feel like I’ve seen this picture somewhere before.”
Chu Qianli wasn’t interested in the astrology lecture itself, but the hand-drawn patterns on the promotional poster caught her attention. The poster was beautifully designed, yet it gave her an inexplicable sense of déjà vu.
Tan Muxing, being skilled at drawing, observed for a moment and suddenly understood. He gestured with his hand and said, “If you mirror flip it, it looks a lot like your tarot cards.”
Tan Muxing had seen the Red Crystal Tarot before, and the hand-drawn patterns on the promotional poster shared similarities with the tarot card designs. However, the ones on the poster appeared simpler and rougher.
Chu Qianli suddenly realized it too. She quickly pulled out her deck from her bag and carefully compared the two.
Tan Muxing was surprised she had it with her and asked in astonishment, “…You brought your cards to the college entrance exam?”
Even though she couldn’t bring them into the exam hall, she had still carried them with her.
Chu Qianli righteously declared, “How can a warrior go to battle without their weapon?”
Tan Muxing: “?” But the college entrance exam doesn’t require that kind of weapon, does it?
After closely examining the Red Crystal Tarot and the promotional poster, Chu Qianli confirmed that Tan Muxing’s observation was correct. The designs did share common elements.
She had been completely uninterested in the astrology lecture before, but now her curiosity was piqued. She quickly asked, “Xiao Ke, what is this lecture mainly about?”
“You suddenly changed your mind?” Qiu Qingkong was startled, then frowned in distress. “Hmm, how should I describe this lecture…”
Seeing her hesitation, Chu Qianli asked in confusion, “Is it hard to describe? Was the lecture not good?”
Qiu Qingkong said, “I don’t know if it was good or not. I just know I slept really well. The moment the speaker started talking, I got sleepy.”
Chu Qianli: “?”
Astrology apprentices were still just apprentices. Qiu Qingkong had never truly advanced in her studies—if she couldn’t learn properly under Chu Qianli, there was no way she would understand an external lecture.
I am just a novice translator and Chinese is not my native language. I try my best to translate the chapters as accurate as possible.
If there are any mistakes then kindly comment and remind me. Your support means a lot.
