Elementary Schoolers Agree to Fight

The Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, Shen Qiong was slowly peeling an apple...

"Shen Qiong, it's done!" Gu Liming exclaimed excitedly.

Shen Qiong glanced at the guy. "Done with what? You look so happy, did you win the lottery?"

"Heh heh, I didn't win, but this feels even better than winning the lottery," he said with a smile.

"Remember that nerdy student with glasses from last time? The one you said had talent for singing."

Shen Qiong suddenly stopped, surprised. "Don't tell me your plan worked?"

"Of course! Who do you think pulled this off? He's a campus celebrity now. I even had the girls from their school's radio station play his song." Gu Liming was quite pleased with his clever move.

Shen Qiong gasped. "Whoa, you went that big?"

He knew people had confessed their love over the campus radio before. It was huge! The whole school knew, and that student definitely got lectured by the teachers afterward.

But the effect was undeniable!

Such a bold move was probably something only his good friend could come up with.

Seeing Gu Liming's proud expression, Shen Qiong wanted to tease him. "Confess and you'll be treated leniently, resist and you'll be treated harshly. Spill it! How did you sweet-talk the girls from the radio station?"

Gu Liming poured himself a cup of tea, took a sip, and chuckled, "What? Jealous?"

"Pfft, you're hitting on high schoolers," Shen Qiong scoffed.

"Hey, hey, what are you talking about! It's just normal socializing," Gu Liming protested.

Who would believe that "normal socializing", Shen Qiong rolled his eyes and glared at him.

Just then, a tall, thin, and very fair-skinned man walked in and called out, "Excuse me, is Master Shen here?"

Ren Tianxue, who was organizing guest information by the door, looked up at him. "Fortune telling requires an appointment first, sir."

Xu Ruifeng chuckled, "I came here by reputation, but not for fortune telling."

Shen Qiong pursed his lips and called out, "Speak!"

Concise and to the point, Shen Qiong was gradually developing a habit of being as sparing with his words as possible when it came to guests.

Xu Ruifeng looked at Shen Qiong in surprise, a strange expression flashing across his face, before smiling. "I'm here to discuss a business deal with the Master."

Shen Qiong looked at him amusingly. Approaching a fortune-telling Master to discuss business? That's quite an idea.

"We have a student at our school named Fang Yongkang, I wonder if the Master remembers him," Xu Ruifeng said heartily.

Shen Qiong and Gu Liming exchanged a look, then asked in surprise, "What about him?"

"It's like this, student Yongkang's sudden success is largely due to the Master's help. The Master has a discerning eye for talent, and I was very impressed when I found out. After all, I studied art myself and I know how much courage it takes to pursue this path."

Shen Qiong remained silent. He had seen all sorts of people and his ability to read people was at least passable. This man, despite praising him, had a tone and expression that betrayed him.

Is this guy just trying to butter me up? What's his real motive?

Xu Ruifeng continued, "Our school has many talented students who, due to various reasons, are afraid to pursue what they love. Most of them fear they lack talent or confidence."

"But now that Master Shen has appeared, I firmly believe there are many more talented students like Fang Yongkang who are being overlooked. Perhaps Master Shen can tell their fortunes and give them confidence?"

Shen Qiong calmly took a sip of his tea and smiled faintly, "That's because he already had musical talent. I just told him he was suited for singing."

"Exactly. I'm not asking for much. As long as you tell students who come for fortune telling that they are suitable for painting, that's enough," Xu Ruifeng finally revealed his ambition.

Shen Qiong frowned. "If they genuinely have talent in that area, then of course it's possible."

"Hahaha, whether they have talent in that area or not is up to Master Shen to decide, isn't it?" Xu Ruifeng looked at Shen Qiong with a wide smile, believing he had made himself clear enough.

To his surprise, Shen Qiong flatly refused, "No, we must be truthful."

Xu Ruifeng's expression immediately darkened, but he quickly suppressed his emotions and smiled, "I understand, I understand. The Master won't be shortchanged. For every student from our school, it's five hundred."

He smiled at Shen Qiong, thinking, Five hundred isn't bad, is it?

Shen Qiong, who was drinking tea, suddenly spurted it out with a "Pfft," spraying it everywhere. He suppressed a laugh and glanced at Gu Liming, signaling if this guy had lost his mind. Five hundred yuan to buy me off?

Gu Liming looked at Xu Ruifeng like he was an idiot, thinking, Even a rich guy offering five hundred thousand couldn't get Shen Qiong to budge, and you think you're hot stuff with five hundred?

Xu Ruifeng noticed their odd looks and chuckled awkwardly, "Is that not enough?"

"Hahaha, brother, you're hilarious," Gu Liming couldn't help but laugh. "Five hundred? Are you sure you're not joking?"

"Cough cough..." Xu Ruifeng usually received red envelopes of two to three thousand yuan from students he tutored. He reluctantly relented, "Then a thousand, a thousand should be fine, right?"

Shen Qiong, tea still in his mouth, nearly bent double with laughter. You can always find clowns, no matter the time.

Xu Ruifeng was now annoyed. He felt he had been generous enough and offered a decent price. Did they expect him to break the bank?

"Fine, you name your price then," Xu Ruifeng said coldly.

Gu Liming raised his hand, spread his palm, and smiled, "That number would be more like it."

"Five thousand...?" Xu Ruifeng exclaimed, his eyes wide.

Shen Qiong shook his head, still chuckling. This guy really didn't do his research on me at all.

"Five thousand? Don't be silly. For five hundred thousand, Master Shen might consider it. Remember, consider it," Gu Liming said with a shrug and a smile.

Xu Ruifeng was stunned, as if struck by lightning. He felt utterly humiliated. Fifty thousand? What a joke! If not, then forget it. This is clearly a trick!

"You..." He pointed a finger at Gu Liming, then glared at Shen Qiong in anger and cursed, "You're insulting me!!!"

Shen Qiong frowned, shaking his head with a wry smile. He truly didn't mean it that way.

However, in Xu Ruifeng's eyes, Shen Qiong's expression was one of looking down on him. Xu Ruifeng immediately exploded with rage, "Fine, fine, fine, you guys are so great! A charlatan, a con man who makes a living by fooling people, you really think you're some big shot, huh?"

"Alright! You don't want to accept my goodwill, is that it! Fine! Just you wait! I've got it all noted down!!!" Then Xu Ruifeng turned and left in a huff.

Gu Liming deliberately raised his voice, "Oh my, have a good trip!"

Shen Qiong chuckled, "Don't you think he looked really familiar just now!"

"Familiar?"

Shen Qiong mimicked the tone of elementary schoolers arranging a fight, shouting, "Fine! Wait for me at the school gate, if you don't show up, you're a little dog!!!"

Gu Liming cooperatively patted his chest, pretending to be scared, "Oh my, I'm so scared!"

"Hahahaha..." The two of them laughed until their stomachs hurt.