During the break, Tan Muxing stole a glance at Chu Qianli, who was sound asleep by the window. Then, he saw He Shichen walking towards them, his face stern, and immediately felt a shock. He had been sitting there unnoticed, but the arrival of Chu Qianli had drawn many eyes toward them.
He Shichen was the top student in the class, ranking among the best in the grade in both academics and social status. Despite turning down the class monitor position, he held great authority in the class. Although most of the students came from wealthy families, He Shichen, as the former heir of the He family, stood out. Aside from his family background, he was exceptional in his own right.
Of course, the current heir of the He family was sleeping right next to Tan Muxing, completely unaware that her predecessor was storming towards her.
He Shichen said in a flat tone, “Excuse me, could you please move over?”
Tan Muxing reluctantly leaned back, feeling awkward, and looked at the scene in front of him.
He Shichen, annoyed, knocked on Chu Qianli’s desk. He noticed that she was sleeping deeply, with no reaction at all, and finally lost his patience. He gave her a hard tap and said coldly, “Wake up.”
Chu Qianli sleepily looked up at him, completely unaware of what He Shichen was so upset about.
Faced with his confused rival, He Shichen wanted to rebuke her for embarrassing the He family, but he had never been one to use harsh words. In the end, he stiffly managed to squeeze out, “The He family has never had anyone like you, a lazy person with no ambition!”
He thought that sounded harsh enough.
His father, He Zhenghe, was exceptionally capable, handling his work during the day and still studying at night. His mother, Yu Shen, was highly educated, and she could critique art eloquently, not a shallow or ignorant person.
He Shichen has always held himself to high standards. In his view, Chu Qianli should also work hard, or how could she manage such a vast family business?
Chu Qianli: “?” What does that mean? No lazy people in the family?
Chu Qianli casually replied, “Oh, now there is one. I’m pretty special, you know.”
He Shichen: “!!?” Are you shameless?
He Shichen had never dealt with troublesome kids like this before. He had no experience in education, so all he could do was sternly warn her, “I don’t want to see you sleeping in the next class.”
Chu Qianli promised, “I won’t sleep.”
He Shichen’s expression softened a little, and he was finally satisfied as he returned to his seat.
Tan Muxing, seeing the conflict settle, breathed a sigh of relief and kindly advised, “It’s not good to sleep in class…”
He was worried about the two He family heirs clashing in public, but their relationship didn’t seem as tense as rumored.
Chu Qianli nodded, “Right, I just slept, so now I should find something to eat.”
Tan Muxing: “?”
Second period: He Shichen noticed that Chu Qianli was eating snacks during class. His mind completely collapsed. He had never seen anyone this outrageous!
Chu Qianli hadn’t paid attention to a single class all morning, and finally, during the lunch break, He Shichen pulled her aside to give her a serious talk.
He Shichen sternly said, “What I mean is, you should do something productive!” Not just sleeping or eating snacks instead of focusing.
Chu Qianli rolled her eyes, exasperated.
Fortunately, the lecture didn’t last long, and others quickly stepped in to defuse the situation. “Shichen, are we going to eat now?”
Since there were others in the class, He Shichen didn’t continue the scolding, deciding to discuss it later in the evening.
Chu Qianli watched He Shichen leave. She propped her head up with one hand and muttered, “Capricorn with a bunch of stars, such a hassle—so dull and lacking energy, and so career-driven…”
He Shichen could just focus on his own progress; why drag her along?
Tan Muxing curiously asked, “Bunch of stars in Capricorn? Is He Shichen a Capricorn?”
Chu Qianli replied, “His sun sign isn’t, but several of his planets are in Capricorn, so his Capricorn traits are very strong.”
Tan Muxing: “Several planets?”
“Meaning his birth chart,” Chu Qianli explained, then casually asked, “Can you give me your birth date, time, and place?”
Tan Muxing blinked, confused. He wasn’t good at refusing people and meekly gave her the information.
Chu Qianli quickly charted his birth chart in her mind. Then she paused, got a piece of paper, and began drawing to calculate it. She looked up at him, surprised, and exclaimed, “You’re quite something! Just like He Shichen!”
He Shichen was the male lead in the novel, and his birth chart was incredibly unique—clearly not someone ordinary.
But Tan Muxing’s birth chart was just as impressive.
Tan Muxing, looking like a big, cuddly bear, panicked and waved his hands frantically. “No way! I’m nowhere near as good as him!”
He Shichen excelled in every way, while Tan Muxing had poor social skills—there was no way they could be compared.
“Having too many good aspects in your chart can make someone weak. You just haven’t found your strength yet,” Chu Qianli explained slowly. “I’m not preaching, just a small suggestion from me as an astrologer—confidence is the first step to your growth.”
Tan Muxing’s birth chart had few squares, but that didn’t mean it would be smooth sailing. Having such favorable conditions could lead to complacency, while important breakthroughs often came in adversity—pain unleashed infinite power.
Chu Qianli’s tone was serious, completely different from her casual attitude earlier in the morning. Tan Muxing felt deeply surprised.
He wanted to continue arguing but then heard her advise to be confident. He quietly muttered, “Well, I’ll take your advice.”
Chu Qianli smiled in satisfaction, “That’s great. Want to go grab lunch?”
Tan Muxing: “Huh? With me? Don’t you want to make some new friends?”
Chu Qianli stood up leisurely, “The stars say we might be able to be friends.”
Tan Muxing’s mood was a bit mixed. He weakly asked, “So you listen to the stars entirely?”
It seemed like Chu Qianli made all her decisions based on the stars, and her approach to him was because of the stars.
Chu Qianli shot him a sidelong glance: “Be confident, the stars just point the way. It tells me who I might get along with, but actual relationships depend on both sides.”
“The stars can help, but people have to work on it themselves. Otherwise, no matter what the stars say, it won’t matter.”
Tan Muxing felt stirred by her words, and although he didn’t fully understand, he was digesting it: “I see now.”
Chu Qianli lazily said, “But I’m still pretty lazy. You put in more effort in this friendship, and I’ll just do a little bit.”
Tan Muxing: “?”
Tan Muxing: “You sound like a fortune teller or a scammer.”
Chu Qianli: “Be confident. Take out the ‘like’ part.”
Tan Muxing: “…”
At the beautifully decorated cafeteria, Tan Muxing led Chu Qianli to her first meal at school. He told her about the school’s special dishes, helped her get utensils, and stood in line to fill her plate. He spoke gently and with great care throughout.
Chu Qianli sighed, “You have a warm, motherly kind of energy.”
Tan Muxing froze when he heard that, his gaze dimming. Then, seeing her completely unashamed, he gathered his courage and said, “I don’t really like being described like that.”
Chu Qianli looked at him in surprise, “Why?”
“Because…” Tan Muxing hesitated for a moment, then quietly said, “Because I like making crafts, and the boys in class say I’m like a girl.”
Wang Zheng and the others often teased Tan Muxing for being effeminate, which made him a little sensitive to certain remarks.
Chu Qianli was astonished. “You make crafts? What kind of things do you make?”
Tan Muxing: “…I make scarves, sew clothes, and other stuff.”
Chu Qianli: “That’s so impressive! You sew them all by yourself?”
Tan Muxing: “Yeah, design and sew them by myself…” He was surprised that she didn’t find it strange. “You don’t think it’s weird that I like to do these things?”
Chu Qianli: “Not weird at all. Being able to make clothes is pretty amazing, and it’s fine to be like a girl.”
**“If someone only has one particular trait, that’s incomplete. It’s like how some people only define themselves by their sun sign but don’t realize that everyone has the power of all twelve zodiac signs within them.” Chu Qianli shrugged casually, “You’re a guy, and you’re just as capable as a girl—this means you’re complete! It’s a compliment to you!”**
Tan Muxing had never heard such an interpretation before. He used to think it was malicious sarcasm, but now she was calling him complete. He paused for a moment, then softly said, “You really know how to compliment people. I’m starting to feel embarrassed.”
They had just met not long ago, and she was already elevating him so much.
Chu Qianli sighed, “This is the fate of an astrologer. When you speak honestly, people think it’s all fake.”
Tan Muxing pursed his lips and said gently, “But you’re not wrong. Maybe we really could be friends.”
She was the first person to say something like that to him, and it even made him start to believe in the stars.
The two of them filled their plates and found an empty table to sit at, starting to enjoy their meal and chat about the little things at school.
The cafeteria was filled with students from all grades, and the group of girls sitting next to them started chatting enthusiastically. Their conversation drifted to Chu Qianli’s ears, clearly and unmistakably.
“But your zodiac signs are really compatible, and you both like each other! It would be such a shame if you didn’t get together!” Qiu Qingkong excitedly encouraged, while searching for something on her phone. “I saw a zodiac blogger say that you’ve got peach blossoms this week.”
Ruan Ya hesitated, a little shy, “Maybe he doesn’t feel the same…”
Qiu Qingkong was even more eager, “Taurus and Virgo are a perfect match!”
Chu Qianli interrupted coolly, “Not necessarily. Don’t make sweeping generalizations.”
Tan Muxing raised his head in confusion at Chu Qianli’s sudden interjection. He didn’t expect her to speak up so suddenly.
The girls at the next table froze. They weren’t familiar with the new student, and they didn’t know how to respond.
Qiu Qingkong lowered her voice to defend herself, “But the internet says Taurus and Virgo are perfect…”
Chu Qianli replied indifferently, “Trusting everything you read online is too careless.”
Qiu Qingkong felt a little scolded, her face turning red. She said, “If you don’t believe in astrology, then fine, but why are you trying to argue with us? We’re just… using astrology for fun.”
“I didn’t say I don’t believe in astrology,” Chu Qianli replied decisively, standing up. She pulled a deck of cards from her pocket and began to shuffle them smoothly. “If you’re going to believe it, at least believe something reliable. Everyone’s situation is different, and general analyses have low accuracy.”
The girls watched in bewilderment as Chu Qianli shuffled the deck, the cards fluttering between her fingers like butterflies. It looked like a special effects scene from a movie.
Tan Muxing was just as surprised, not knowing what she was doing.
“Do you want to know what that person thinks of you? Or how your relationship might develop?” Chu Qianli casually asked Ruan Ya as she shuffled the cards.
Ruan Ya instinctively replied, “Yes.”
Chu Qianli handed the spread of cards toward her and said, “Go ahead, draw some.”
Ruan Ya hesitantly drew three cards and placed them on the table: 6 of Spades, 7 of Hearts, and 4 of Spades.
Chu Qianli glanced at the cards and began to speak with confidence: “In his eyes, you’re very charming, giving him the impression that you’re both smart and hardworking. He really likes you right now, but rushing into a relationship might lead to differences due to academic pressures and reality. You may end up feeling exhausted by future conflicts.”
Ruan Ya’s face fell, “So, does that mean we’re not compatible?”
Chu Qianli shook her head, “No, it’s just a short-term prediction. I’m only giving a suggestion, the choice is still yours.”
Qiu Qingkong questioned, “But how can you prove what you said is true?”
Qiu Qingkong had only seen tarot card readings before, so she was skeptical about using playing cards for divination.
Chu Qianli glanced at her, then collected the three cards Ruan Ya had drawn and casually drew a few more. “After lunch, head to the busiest spot at school. You have a good chance of running into him, and he might confess to you.”
Ruan Ya hurriedly asked, “Where’s the busiest spot at school?”
Chu Qianli raised an eyebrow in surprise, “How would I know? I just got here today.”
She had relied on Tan Muxing to guide her to the cafeteria and was completely unfamiliar with the campus.
Meanwhile, He Shichen was receiving comfort from his friends. Everyone knew about the drastic shift in his relationship with Chu Qianli and understood his complex and confused feelings.
“It’s okay, I can tell she doesn’t fit in with the class. It’s all about networking now. If she’s trying to fit in, it’ll be hard for her. She’s grown up in such a different environment…”
“But isn’t this all because of me taking her place?” He Shichen felt conflicted about Chu Qianli. When facing a threat, he would respond aggressively, but seeing her so helpless and useless, he couldn’t help but feel some sympathy.
In the end, he had taken the resources that should have belonged to her. If she had been born into a wealthy family, she might have had ambitions and aspirations.
He felt torn between two sides: one was the dark, selfish side, and the other was his conscience, filled with self-reflection. He was a complete contradiction.
“Don’t say that. Everyone in the class comes from good families, and I haven’t seen anyone better than you. If you really feel bad about it, just treat her like a mascot. I don’t think she has any future,” one of his friends said.
These were their true thoughts. He Shichen’s value didn’t just come from the He family; it also came from being a strong individual in his own right.
He Shichen felt somewhat better after hearing this, and suddenly, he no longer resisted Chu Qianli as much.
After their private conversation, He Shichen and his friends returned to class. As soon as they entered, they noticed something strange. The usually quiet corner of the room was now crowded with girls. The strange new student, who had been ignored in the morning, was now surrounded and welcomed by everyone.
Chu Qianli and Tan Muxing’s seats were completely surrounded. Tan Muxing looked uneasy, clearly not used to such attention. Chu Qianli, however, was calm, sitting right in the center, surrounded by girls.
Just moments ago, everyone had predicted that Chu Qianli wouldn’t fit in with the class, but now, she was being surrounded like a star!
“What the hell? What are they doing?”
“The new star of the class. You have to wait in line to talk to her now.”
“…”
He Shichen watched this in confusion, completely baffled by what was going on.
Chu Qianli became famous overnight after casually doing a divination during lunch!
Ruan Ya really did find the busiest spot on campus. Near the boiler room, she ran into her crush, and sure enough, he confessed to her. After some consideration, she politely declined, saying she wanted to focus on her studies for now.
Although there was no relationship outcome, the divination was accurate, proving that Chu Qianli really had a skill!
Qiu Qingkong had always been interested in mysticism. She had seen plenty of divination videos online, but none were as accurate and efficient as Chu Qianli’s. She was amazed, “I’ve only seen tarot card readings before. Can playing cards really be used for divination?”
Chu Qianli replied, “Yes, playing cards are closely related to the minor arcana of tarot.”
Curious, Qiu Qingkong asked, “So you use playing cards instead of tarot because playing cards are more accurate?”
Qiu Qingkong noticed that Chu Qianli’s deck of cards was heavily worn, and she speculated that there might be something special about them, possibly a spiritual tool, unlike ordinary playing cards, which explained why they were preserved so well.
Chu Qianli shrugged, “No, it’s not about accuracy.”
Qiu Qingkong was still puzzled, “Then why did you choose playing cards… because they have magic?”
Chu Qianli deadpanned, “They’re cheap, five yuan a deck. It’s market economy, fair and square.”
Qiu Qingkong was left speechless. “So mysterious divination also has to be cost-effective?”
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152