On the Identification and Exposure of Lies (3)

"However, before we proceed to the second part, we need to understand one thing." Dongfang Yi flipped the page of his notebook, scribbled something down, and then showed it to Ichinose.

He tapped the notebook, pointed at the two characters he had just written, and said earnestly: "That is, what is a purpose."

"A purpose?"

Ichinose tilted her head, and a giant question mark seemed to appear above her smooth, long pink hair.

She really was a good student; that habit of being a straight man to a comedian, providing the perfect reaction to the person teaching her, was etched into her bones.

It made one really want to answer her questions and clear up her doubts.

"People have a purpose for everything they do. Just like how you drink water when you're thirsty, go to the cafeteria when you're hungry, or space out when you have nothing to do—these are all our purposes, aren't they?"

"That's true."

"However, the difference between lies and the general events I just mentioned is," Dongfang Yi put down his notebook, "that their purposes are more explicit and detailed. Since Ichinose has been deceived by me, why not take a guess at the purpose of my lie?"

Ichinose frowned and thought for a moment: "I feel... I can't figure it out. Could it be that Dongfang-kun simply wanted to... tease me?"

"Correct, I was simply doing it for the fun of it." Dongfang Yi held his head high and proudly tilted his chin.

"...Dongfang-kun, if you say it so directly, it makes my feelings very complicated."

"Ahem, don't worry about those details." Dongfang Yi's face flushed, "Let's get back to the main point. The goal of calm and independent thinking is—"

"To correctly parse out the other party's purpose during a conversation."

"Just imagine, Ichinose, if you had known before you arrived that I was a guy with a nasty personality who likes to have fun and leaves no flaws, would you still have been deceived?"

"If that were the case..." Ichinose put herself into the scene just now, "Most likely not. But, aren't you adding a few too many descriptors to yourself, Dongfang-kun?"

"Ahem, that's not important."

Dongfang Yi felt like something was wrong. He had the illusion that after he admitted he was doing it for fun, Ichinose's aggressiveness had increased...

How could that be? Ichinose was such a nice person, and she hadn't turned dark or anything.

It must be an illusion.

He threw the thought out of his mind and continued: "So, have you realized, Ichinose? To you, who has now basically clarified my purpose, my lie has collapsed on its own and can no longer have any effect."

"And the goal and direction of what we call calm and independent thinking lies precisely in correctly parsing the purpose hidden behind the other party's behavior and language. This is also the key to our second part."

"I see." Ichinose was lost in thought. She couldn't help but follow Dongfang Yi's line of reasoning and muttered to herself: "Then how exactly can we achieve this?"

"Rome wasn't built in a day, and experience needs to be accumulated over time. If you want to become an expert at seeing through lies, you have to constantly exercise your ability to think in your daily life, constantly construct scenarios for yourself, and from rough to detailed, continuously deconstruct and analyze the driving forces behind people."

"That is also a long-term exercise."

"Of course, let's use the most extensive and common thing as an example." Dongfang Yi finally revealed his true intent, "For instance, a job interview."

"A student council interview?" Ichinose began to subconsciously think about Dongfang Yi's behavioral logic.

"No, we aren't there yet. I'm talking about a real-world job interview."

He turned his head to look across the room, wanting to have Sakura come over to share her experience, but...

Right now, the girl named Sakura Airi was swaying unsteadily.

It seems I overestimated her stamina.

I'd better speed things up.

Dongfang Yi felt a bit helpless. He had to lower his voice and get straight to the point: "For the average person, working to make a living is a necessary means, and the path they take to obtain a job is inseparable from interviews, which also happens to be a high-frequency zone for lies."

"A high-frequency zone for lies?"

"Yes, you have to know that sometimes the interview itself is a lie." Dongfang Yi picked up his notebook again: "For the average applicant, the companies they interview with also fall into two categories."

"Group corporations and small-to-medium enterprises?" Ichinose tried to guess.

"No, it's companies that are short on staff and companies that aren't."

"..." Ichinose felt this explanation was unexpectedly reasonable.

"Think about it, Ichinose. If you were a company that was extremely short on staff—the kind that needs just about anyone—and there was only one applicant, what would you say at that moment?"

"What would I say? Benefits? Or working hours?"

"Those are still too far away for us. I'm talking about the evaluation of the applicant as an individual." Dongfang Yi shook his head.

"I see... Let me think. 'Dongfang-kun, you are very excellent and perfectly meet our requirements'?" Ichinose tried to put herself in the company's shoes.

"No, no, no, Ichinose, that's not enough." Dongfang Yi shook his index finger: "It should be—'Ms. Ichinose, you are the light we have been waiting for. You are too perfect; you are the most suitable candidate for our company. We must give you the absolute top-tier benefits! With you here, I believe our business will surely reach new heights! Please, you absolutely must come work at our company!'"

"Would it really be that exaggerated?" Ichinose was a bit dumbfounded.

"Well, in reality, there shouldn't be a place that desperate." Dongfang Yi shrugged: "But if such a company really exists, before you start, even if you, Ichinose, were a pathetic person who only showers once a year and is a human biochemical bomb once you take off your shoes, in their eyes, you would still be that perfect, one-and-only candidate."

"That does have some truth to it. But Dongfang-kun, I can't just pretend I didn't hear that last part."

"..." Dongfang Yi surrendered at light speed, "Please, by all means, spare me this once."

"I won't mind it, but please remember not to say that to other girls." Ichinose let him off the hook easily, "However, what would it be like if it were a company that wasn't short on staff at all?"

"That's my line to ask, isn't it?" Having been let off the hook, Dongfang Yi perked up again.

"I feel that when it comes to assuming extreme situations, I am far inferior to you, Dongfang-kun."

"...I actually think Ichinose will surpass me very quickly." In order to finish as soon as possible, Dongfang Yi had to continue explaining, "If it were truly a company that wasn't short on staff at all, Ichinose-san would be ruthlessly rejected, no matter how excellent or how much potential you have."

"You would be rejected regardless."