Ch. 41You Spent Ten Thousand on Getting Me an Identity?
Summary: Chapter "You Spent Ten Thousand on Getting Me an Identity?"
1. Key Plot Points and Events
- After the identity documents are processed, Qubi reveals the cost was 100,000 Magic Coins (not 10,000 as Chen De initially assumed), including a "special expedited package."
- The package covers more than just identity credentials—it includes a complete background: visa, school admission notice, airline ticket records, immigration records, and transfer paperwork (a "one-stop service").
- Chen De confronts Qubi about the expense, but Qubi justifies it as "supply and demand" and claims a 30% discount from the original 150,000 price.
- Chen De calls Jiang Ping via text, claiming she's "going abroad" with little notice.
- She asks Qubi to send the final text for her (to avoid revealing the truth), then requests her phone number be changed the next day—free of charge, a rare gesture from Qubi.
2. Character Developments
- Chen De (Su Xi): Experiences an emotional rollercoaster—shock at the cost, grudging acceptance, and deep grief over severing ties with her old identity. Her reflection in the locked phone ("An unfamiliar face") drives home that she is now permanently disconnected from "Chen De." She shows growth in pragmatism (bargaining, accepting reality) and vulnerability (her hesitation when messaging Jiang Ping).
- Qubi: Despite being sarcastic and business-like throughout, Qubi shows a rare soft side—offering to perform the free number change and quietly assisting Chen De when she struggles to type a reply. Her brief moment of silence when Chen De is distressed is notable.
3. Significant Themes
- Identity and self-loss: Chen De is forced to confront that "you and your past self have nothing to do with each other anymore." The new identity (Su Xi) is complete but utterly foreign.
- The cost of a new life: The literal expense (100,000 coins) symbolizes the heavy price of starting over—financial, emotional, and relational.
- Cutting ties: The farewell text to Jiang Ping represents Chen De's deliberate break from her old life, made more painful by her lie ("There's no time… I'll contact you after I get there").
- Acceptance and agency: Chen De has no real choice in most of this, yet she can choose how to respond—she accepts the cost, asks for the number change, and moves forward.
4. Character Interactions
- Chen De & Qubi: Dominated by verbal sparring. Qubi's deadpan teasing ("A magical girl lecturing me on gender, who is more absurd?") contrasts with Chen De's exasperation. The dynamic shifts slightly at the end when Qubi offers the free service, showing an unspoken care beneath the bickering.
- Chen De & Jiang Ping: One-sided in this chapter (text only). Jiang Ping is frantic and confused ("???" "Are you serious???"), while Chen De is distant and evasive. His final reply—"Let me know when you get there"—and Chen De's lie highlight the emotional weight of severing a friendship she can't explain.
- Chen De & herself: Internal conflict is strong—she types and deletes messages, avoids looking at her reflection, and seeks reassurance ("Will I still be called Chen De in the future?"). This self-confrontation is the emotional core of the chapter.
Overall: A transition chapter focused on closing Chen De's old life and embracing the new one—expensive, painful, but necessary. Qubi's rare kindness and Chen De's reluctant acceptance set the stage for her new life as "Su Xi."