I've Got You Right Where I Want You

The next morning, Shen Qiong opened his shop again. A crowd had already gathered outside. Some had come to have their fortunes told, while others were there to apply for jobs.

Shen Qiong hadn't scheduled any fortune-telling appointments for the morning. These people were all just trying their luck, so he sent them away and told the job applicants to stay.

Someone wanted to make a good impression on Shen Qiong and was the first to step forward and introduce himself.

"Good morning, Master Shen. I'm—"

Shen Qiong raised a hand to stop him. He logged into WeChat and found the man's profile at a glance under "People nearby." None of his Skill Values were above 40. Shen Qiong rejected him outright.

"Next! Sorry, but becoming my assistant takes a bit of fate, too. Unfortunately, you and I aren't destined to work together today," Shen Qiong said.

The man wanted to keep making his case, but the other applicants pushed him aside.

"I, I'll go..."

Shen Qiong looked up. He recognized the guy. He opened his profile from the list of people he'd already greeted. "Forget it. You can hold your liquor, but you're not right for our shop."

"Next. You there—introduce yourself."

"I... I'm... called..."

A stutterer was applying for the job, too? Shen Qiong kicked him right out the door.

At last, someone with an impressive gift of gab introduced himself at length.

Shen Qiong looked at his profile with delight. The man had good speaking and communication skills, both with scores of 50. Unfortunately, there was one serious drawback: his Health Value was only 60.

"Listen, I'm glad you came to apply, but you look weak, your eyes are dull, and your palms are dark. You clearly have a health problem. I suggest you go to the hospital and get a thorough checkup."

The man left the shop looking disappointed, muttering, "How could this happen? Could it be that leftover food I ate yesterday was bad?"

Just then, Ren Tianxue arrived at the entrance of the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion in high heels. If her dad hadn't forced her to come, she really wouldn't have wanted to.

She walked into the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion with a stern expression, prompting a wave of chatter from the people around her. The applicants Shen Qiong had just turned away stared in shock. "Damn, is she here to apply to be Master Shen's assistant, too?"

She stood at the entrance to the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion like a stunning sight, drawing the eyes of most passersby.

Shen Qiong looked up from his tea and suddenly spat it out with a "pfft," spraying tea all over the floor. How could it be her?

Ren Tianxue (within 100 meters). Her profile picture was unmistakably that of a natural beauty. Her fair skin had a rosy glow, and she looked utterly pure.

Age: 21. Health Value: 88. Height: 167. Luck Value: 7 (Chance encounter with a benefactor).

Communication: 65. Eloquence: 62. Financial Management: 58. Learning: 58. Fertility: 55...

By the time he'd read this far, Shen Qiong's mind was filled with lewd thoughts. This girl had quite the sex drive!

Seeing Shen Qiong's awkward expression, Ren Tianxue frowned and asked, "Am I really that scary?"

Shen Qiong hurriedly wiped the tea from around his mouth and smiled. "You just caught me off guard with how beautiful you are."

Her eyebrows lifted slightly, and she said nonchalantly, "My dad spoke with Master Shen on the phone yesterday. I'm here to apply for a job." She didn't want to be Master Shen's assistant anyway, so she had no intention of being nice to Shen Qiong.

Shen Qiong immediately thought of the father who'd been so eager to recommend his daughter. Could she be that man's daughter?

He'd had a fairly good impression of the father, but seeing Ren Tianxue's sour expression put him in a bad mood. He gave a flat, "Oh."

"You..." Ren Tianxue glared at him. "Is Master Shen here? If he isn't, I'll head back."

A faint curve lifted the corner of Shen Qiong's mouth. "I'm Master Shen."

She suddenly remembered her dad saying that Master Shen wasn't very old. With a doubtful look, she asked, "You are?"

"The genuine article," Shen Qiong replied with a faint smile, crossing his legs.

"Fine, then. I'm here to interview for the assistant position." She found a seat and sat down without asking.

Everyone who came to interview begged for a chance, but she acted as if she couldn't care less. Shen Qiong's brows drew together. "You can leave."

"Huh?" She stared at Shen Qiong in astonishment. "Why?"

"No reason. You can't even manage a simple smile. What makes you think you can be my assistant?" Shen Qiong shook his head.

He regretted it, of course. Her looks and Skill Values both met his requirements, but he couldn't stand Ren Tianxue's attitude.

The people Shen Qiong had rejected earlier watched with amusement. "Master Shen really is Master Shen. He actually turned down such a beautiful girl outright."

"Yeah! What a waste!"

"He should at least ask her a couple of questions and give her a chance to show what she can do."

Ren Tianxue didn't want to work for him, either, but she still felt she couldn't just swallow the insult. She hadn't even said anything yet. Why was he telling her to leave?

"Are you sure?" she asked, unwilling to accept it.

Seeing her expression change, Shen Qiong's lips curved slightly. Now that was more like it. She was finally acting like someone who'd come to apply for a job.

"All right, then. Give me a smile," Shen Qiong said, deliberately teasing her.

She bit her lower lip and managed to force out a strained smile.

"Okay, okay, that's enough!" Shen Qiong said with an amused, helpless smile. "A melon forced from the vine isn't sweet. You have good speaking skills, and your ability to learn is decent, but I never force anyone. You can go." He deliberately pointed out her strengths.

She stared at Shen Qiong in surprise. Why did he know she was good at speaking when he hadn't asked her a thing?

"I also know you're twenty-one this year, and that you have some experience with financial management," Shen Qiong said with a knowing smile, as though he'd seen right through her thoughts.

Ren Tianxue froze. She hadn't even handed in a résumé! How did he know so much?

The onlookers outside laughed. "I've heard Master Shen is good at reading people and telling fortunes, but this is the first time I've seen it for myself. Just look at that girl's shocked expression. The master must have guessed right."

"Seriously? No wonder he took one look at me earlier and kicked me out. He must have seen right through me!" the man said with a wry smile.

"Heh, this is getting good. That girl's fallen for Master Shen's act."

Ren Tianxue swallowed. The biggest reason she hadn't wanted to work for Shen Qiong was that she didn't believe in any of this. But now she thought something strange was going on. She really had made some money this month investing in funds—enough to buy makeup. But she hadn't even told her dad. Only her best friend knew. How could he know?

Was he just guessing? How could his guesses be so accurate?

Seeing the girl staring in stunned disbelief, Shen Qiong nodded in satisfaction. He held out an olive branch with a smile. "There's a three-day trial period with no pay. Once you're hired, you'll get ten thousand a month."

He muttered to himself that ten thousand was plenty. He was only offering that much because of her looks and abilities.

She hesitated, eyeing the guy who was only a few years older than her with curiosity. She suddenly realized she knew far too little about him. She should've done more research before coming.

By now, Shen Qiong's uncanny abilities had captivated her, and she'd forgotten that she'd originally only meant to stop by before heading home.

"I'll think about it..."

Shen Qiong took a leisurely sip of tea. He knew he'd achieved the effect he wanted. Besides, he'd already been confident she'd have good luck, judging by her Luck Value. And she was due to meet a benefactor. If he wasn't mistaken, that so-called benefactor was him.

He gazed at the beauty in front of him with an amused smile and thought, I've got you right where I want you!