Liu Kaijia couldn’t comprehend He Shichen at all. His disdain for Chu Qianli was genuine, his aversion to mysticism was genuine, and his purely profit-driven logic was also genuine. So why had he suddenly taken such drastic action?
Banging on the car window, Liu Kaijia tried to reason with him. “If you think she’s annoying, then we’re on the same side! Why are you doing this!?”
“Shut up. Just listening to you fortune-tellers makes me uncomfortable,” He Shichen said, his eyes dark and brooding. “With even a little bit of talent, you all think you’re untouchable.”
Liu Kaijia’s expression turned strange. “…You really hate her, huh?”
Liu Kaijia had no idea what He Shichen had experienced to harbor such suppressed anger, projecting it onto all mystics and rejecting them outright.
He Shichen had always enjoyed smooth sailing in life. He believed his efforts always yielded results, and his abilities and insights far surpassed his peers. Yet, there were two things that left him deeply unsettled: the stain of his switched identity and the existential challenge mysticism posed to his worldview.
He could sometimes come to terms with the former, but he still couldn’t accept the latter. If mysticism was truly that powerful, wouldn’t everyone just study it? What purpose would other fields of study serve?
If Chu Qianli hadn’t experienced the identity-switching incident, she wouldn’t dare to provoke He Shichen so easily. Instead, she would act like she did with Qi Yan—being slightly more cautious, keeping a low profile, and avoiding conflicts with someone as lucky as him.
This was because people like him have immense confidence in their abilities and harbor a strong sense of skepticism, making it hard for things like mysticism to shake their beliefs. Fate is determined by heaven, but fortune is created by oneself. Some people can go their entire lives without believing in mysticism and still succeed—this is the reason why.
Chu Qianli’s constant mutterings and fortune-telling at home made He Shichen feel that all fortune-tellers behaved the same way, seemingly capable of predicting everything.
Initially, He Shichen didn’t plan to detain Liu Kaijia, fearing that the latter might have some backup plans. His original intent was to make a carefully thought-out move. But when he realized that Liu Kaijia didn’t even calculate his own trip before heading out, he couldn’t fathom why the man dared to be so arrogant.
He Shichen decided on the spot to take down Liu Kaijia.
Being a meticulous and suspicious person by nature, He Shichen often concocted elaborate palace-intrigue scenarios in his mind even when no one was plotting against him. So when faced with someone like Liu Kaijia, who indeed harbored malicious intentions, He Shichen’s wariness kicked into overdrive.
Using the excuse of a broken car lock, he calmly executed the entire process step by step, ultimately having Liu Kaijia detained by the public security authorities.
If Liu Kaijia had been on his own turf, he probably wouldn’t have been detained so easily. But in a place like the capital, teeming with hidden talents and complex networks, even his sect couldn’t exert its influence immediately. As a result, Liu Kaijia was genuinely taken into custody.
He Shichen was still outside consulting with a lawyer and asked, “How long can he be sentenced? Is life imprisonment possible?”
The lawyer was sweating profusely, shocked at how ruthless He Shichen was, and hurriedly explained, “He’s only being charged with instigating attempted theft. Life imprisonment is absolutely out of the question.”
Hearing that a severe sentence was not possible, He Shichen was clearly dissatisfied. “He’s already hiring people to steal. Who’s to say he won’t hire someone to commit murder in the future? How can you let him go?”
“No, no, hypothetical future crimes don’t count under the law.”
“Tsk, I should’ve gathered more evidence.”
“…That would be entrapment.”
Chu Qianli also hadn’t expected that the next time she’d see Liu Kaijia, he’d be on his way to being detained.
The two managed to exchange a few words before Liu Kaijia was sent to the detention center. Desperate, he clutched at straws and even sought help from Chu Qianli.
“Young lady—no, young master! Please talk to your family. Can’t you let this go?” Liu Kaijia pleaded anxiously. “After all, we’re colleagues in this field. There aren’t many people studying Ziwei astrology these days. Strictly speaking, your grandfather and I are from the same lineage!”
Chu Qianli and Liu Kaijia had once faced off in a match of wits at the Qi family’s birthday banquet. At least that had been a normal professional rivalry. She’d never heard of someone getting sent straight to the police station over a disagreement.
Chu Qianli looked troubled. “Master Liu, why did you provoke my brother of all people? I don’t even dare to openly divine at home. I only sneak in a few calculations when he’s not looking. How could you show off in front of him?”
“You’ve caused me so much trouble. He just gave me a harsh scolding, saying I was associating with shady characters. He’s even docking my allowance!” Chu Qianli sighed deeply. She had originally planned to flaunt her award in front of her “money printer” brother, but instead, she was met with a severe reprimand.
Liu Kaijia, locked in the room, wailed in frustration, “Look at the two of us now—who’s worse off? You’re just losing some allowance, while I’m about to be detained, and they’ve even confiscated my phone!”
Chu Qianli sighed, “Uh… well, I don’t have any say at home either. The main issue is that you left evidence behind. Didn’t you check the almanac before going out?”
“Who calculates everything they do every day? That kind of thing is exhausting and hard to keep up with!”
Chu Qianli was surprised. “I calculate everything every day, and honestly, it’s not that draining.”
Liu Kaijia felt utterly defeated by her show-off remark and snapped in exasperation, “Fine, fine, you’re amazing. Now just tell me what to do!”
Chu Qianli frowned. “Well, I’m not an expert on detention procedures. Why don’t you contact your sect? You seemed quite influential at the banquet; surely your sect has connections?”
“I already messaged my master, but my phone’s been taken, so I can’t see his reply!”
“In that case…” Chu Qianli hesitated, “I can’t do much else for you, but I can calculate your master’s thoughts. Just give me a few random numbers, and we’ll see what happens.”
Liu Kaijia hesitated for a few seconds. Unable to think clearly under the circumstances, he reluctantly gave her some numbers. “Thirteen, fifty-two, two hundred ninety-three.”
Chu Qianli performed a quick divination on the spot, contemplating for a while before sighing. “Your master seems to have heard the news, but it doesn’t look like he plans to bail you out. In fact, he seems to think you’re more trouble than you’re worth. Judging by this… hmm…”
Liu Kaijia panicked. “Why won’t he help me!?”
“Think of it like this: in any project, there’s always a scapegoat. If it goes well, the credit goes to the boss; if it fails, the blame falls on the subordinates. That’s pretty much the gist of it—get the idea?” Chu Qianli awkwardly explained. “I won’t spell it out too much; otherwise, it’ll seem like I’m stirring the pot.”
“…” Liu Kaijia wanted to accuse Chu Qianli of misreading the situation, but when he considered Master Wan Ketian’s personality, her reading actually seemed spot-on.
Realizing he had become a disposable pawn, Liu Kaijia slumped in defeat and murmured, “I should’ve seen this coming. Everyone always said my master only kept me around because I was obedient, but I didn’t believe them. I was his direct disciple… I didn’t expect this…”
Chu Qianli tried to comfort him. “It’s okay; everyone encounters a lousy boss or two in their life. I see that your luck isn’t completely hopeless. Once you’re out, turn over a new leaf, believe in science, and stop indulging in superstitions. You’ll still have a bright future!”
Liu Kaijia grumbled, “But why does your brother hate fortune-tellers so much? I never even read his fortune!”
“Oh, he scolds me every time I bring up the topic at home…” Chu Qianli muttered. “You practically walked into a minefield.”
At that moment, He Shichen entered the room. Seeing the two chatting away, he said coldly, “How is it you have something to say to everyone? If you’re so free, go do your homework. I noticed you haven’t done a single question since coming back from playing!”
Chu Qianli was promptly dragged away by her “money printer” brother. Before leaving, she shouted back, “Remember to turn over a new leaf, obey the law, and don’t mess with muggles again!”
Watching Chu Qianli unable to resist her brother’s authority, as though she were a chick caught by an eagle, Liu Kaijia felt a chill.
Even someone as gifted as Chu Qianli, capable of peering into the mysteries of heaven, was not immune to being controlled by circumstances.
Later, Liu Kaijia cooperated with authorities, confessing to his crimes and admitting he was acting under someone else’s instructions. He hadn’t actually discovered Chu Qianli’s identity and didn’t need the Haomen Compass; all the information had been provided by Wan Ketian.
However, Wan Ketian was no longer in the capital, making it difficult to pursue the matter further. Combined with the fact that Liu Kaijia’s charge of instigating theft was ultimately unsuccessful, the case was brought to a close.
Of course, Liu Kaijia still had to spend some time in detention. After being released, he could no longer return to his sect, a consequence of his confession, plea for leniency, and exposing his sect. However, he could relocate elsewhere to live. After all, Chu Yilie had left back then, and Wan Ketian still hadn’t been able to find him.
Yu Xin and He Zhenghe were deeply shaken upon hearing about the incident. Thinking from an ordinary person’s perspective, they didn’t associate the matter with conflicts between metaphysical sects but rather believed Liu Kaijia and his group to be local criminal gangs.
He Zhenghe said angrily, “I’d like to see who dares cause trouble in the capital! Even CEOs of listed companies aren’t as arrogant as they are!”
Yu Xin tried to reassure her daughter. “Qianli, don’t be afraid. The crackdown on organized crime is very strict these days. People like them won’t be able to stir up any trouble.”
He Shichen remarked coolly, “Why would she be afraid? From what I see, she’s the boldest one of all, sitting there chatting with them like it’s nothing.”
Chu Qianli: “…”
After being reprimanded by her entire family, Chu Qianli felt utterly wronged and voiceless. Thanks to Liu Kaijia tarnishing the reputation of mystical practitioners, she couldn’t even leave the house and was constantly monitored while doing homework.
She was now thoroughly annoyed by incompetent peers in her field. Historically, astrologers and mystics being persecuted was largely due to such troublemakers. Why couldn’t they learn to be more discreet in modern society?
Originally, Chu Qianli wanted to go out with Tan Muxing for an appraisal, but now she couldn’t even come up with an excuse to leave. She could only have Tan Muxing bring the appraisal results to her house.
Inside the villa, Chu Qianli cheerfully introduced the house as she gave a mini tour. “Over here is Auntie Li’s room. She’s in the kitchen cooking now. And in the yard, that’s my golden armillary sphere…”
As Tan Muxing came to “visit,” he quickly interrupted her and said, “It’s fine, we can look around later. Should I go say hello to your uncle and aunt?”
“They’re at work, and my brother’s in class…” Chu Qianli’s eyes lit up as she suddenly realized something and exclaimed with joy, “Oh, does that mean I can sneak out today?”
Tan Muxing shook his head. “He Shichen texted me this morning and said you’re not allowed to go out and should stay home doing homework.”
Chu Qianli froze in shock and said, “I was wondering why he agreed so easily. Turns out he just had someone else come supervise me!”
He Shichen didn’t refuse Tan Muxing’s visit. He probably calculated that he had class and arranged another “watchdog” to ensure Chu Qianli stayed on task.
Tan Muxing scratched his head awkwardly and timidly asked, “Did you buy something again recently? He seemed… unhappy when he messaged me.”
“He won’t let me go out, and I’m so bored at home. What else can I do but shop?” Chu Qianli complained. “I only bought a little ruby like you mentioned. I wanted to study what corundum really is.”
Tan Muxing: “…” That use of “only” is quite something.
Tan Muxing, still baffled by how his casual comment led to such strange ideas, began to reflect on his actions. Since the two became friends, Chu Qianli had expressed interest in a large courtyard in a scenic area, purchased a golden armillary sphere, desired antique paintings, and now started researching rubies. No wonder He Shichen suspected it all stemmed from Tan Muxing’s influence.
At the table, Auntie Li brought over fruit and drinks for the two, made some small talk, and then returned to the kitchen.
Tan Muxing retrieved the red crystal Tarot cards and the compass from his bag, along with the appraisal results, and handed them back to her. “I had someone at my mom’s company do the appraisal. So far, we only know that the Tarot cards are indeed from the 18th century, but the compass predates them by even more—it might be from the Ming dynasty.”
Chu Qianli held the compass and was stunned. “This is actually an antique?”
Tan Muxing nodded. “The appraiser said that during the economic boom of the Ming dynasty, the compass-making industry flourished. The craftsmanship back then was incredibly refined.”
“No wonder people want it,” Chu Qianli murmured in awe. “Grandpa didn’t treasure it at all when he used it. I thought it wasn’t worth much.”
Tan Muxing bluntly pointed out, “But you’re equally careless with this Tarot deck. It’s also an antique, and look at how you’ve worn it out.”
Chu Qianli waved dismissively. “Oh, come on. Things are meant to be used!”
“…”
Chu Qianli grew curious. “What about the red stone? What is it?”
Tan Muxing shook his head. “I don’t know.”
Chu Qianli froze in confusion.
Seeing her puzzled expression, Tan Muxing sighed wryly. “I really don’t know. Even the appraiser hadn’t seen anything like it before. We could do an elemental analysis or mass spectrometry to identify it, but they didn’t want to damage your cards, so they didn’t proceed.”
“Actually, it would be easier to analyze the red stone in the compass, but the compass is so intricately made that we didn’t dare disassemble it. It might not go back together properly.”
Chu Qianli grew worried. “Could it be some rare mineral? What if it’s radioactive?”
“It’s unlikely to be radioactive, but the quantity is very small,” Tan Muxing explained. “The appraiser said they’d look up some references. For now, they couldn’t identify it, but maybe they’ll figure it out later.”
The appraiser, who had years of experience in the industry, was genuinely stumped this time.
Chu Qianli found it fascinating that Lyle Gadbury’s red crystal Tarot cards from the 18th century and the Ming dynasty compass from the Hao Sect used the same material. These two items were created in vastly different places and centuries apart, yet they shared an extraordinary connection.
The red crystal Tarot carried the legacy of a mysterious astrologer, while the compass was a token of the Hao Sect’s leader. In hindsight, they both represented a form of inheritance. Could the “seven” she divined before refer to the number of such items?
Chu Qianli fell into deep thought. If she could uncover more of these valuable heirlooms, it might elevate her current skills and increase the likelihood of altering her set path.
However, such items were rare and could not be obtained on a whim.
The summer vacation passed in the blink of an eye. Due to Liu Kaijia’s reckless actions, Chu Qianli had been kept at home since returning from the village. The reason? A pre-senior year student should act like one and not spend every day mingling with “social figures.”
Chu Qianli was forced to spend her summer vacation studying, with Tan Muxing and Qiu Qingkong occasionally visiting to check on her.
Before the new semester began, the family held a formal meeting to discuss Chu Qianli’s target university.
He Shichen didn’t need any guidance from their parents. He had long decided on his goals, leaving Chu Qianli as the only one still undecided.
Yu Xin patiently asked, “Qianli, do you have any idea what major you’d like to study?”
Chu Qianli hesitantly tested the waters. “Is there a major where you don’t have to study?”
He Shichen frowned. “It’s called university for a reason. How can you not study?”
He Zhenghe laughed and suggested, “I heard there are astrology schools abroad. Maybe Qianli could apply to one?”
Chu Qianli immediately shook her head. “No way.”
“Why not? I thought you loved the stars?”
“I do love the stars, but I don’t want to go to an astrology school.” Chu Qianli muttered, “They should be paying me to be a teacher there. Why should I pay them to learn? It’s such a loss. No way.”
He Shichen: “?”
Hearing her arrogant tone, He Shichen dismissed her as simply using this as an excuse to avoid studying. Impatiently, he said, “Dad, stop wasting your breath. She doesn’t understand anything anyway…”
He Zhenghe said warmly, “It’s okay, it’s okay. Nowadays, universities are all about paying to teach yourself. Qianli just hasn’t figured that out yet. It’s no big deal.”
He Shichen: “???” Wait a minute, that logic for parenting doesn’t sound right either!
![Dissatisfied [e-sports]](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/4997572.jpg "Dissatisfied [e-sports]")
