C11 The Ancient Diary of a Beauty

The study door creaked open as Evelynn peeked inside, her eyes landing on Liang Mu. Noticing that he had already set everything up, she entered with a beaming smile. "Ah, I didn't expect Young Master Liang Mu to be all prepared."

Evelynn twirled a lock of hair by her ear, her smile unwavering. Her attire was more relaxed compared to the professional OL outfit she wore initially, suggesting she had come directly from home. The uniform's allure was gone, replaced by a comfortably mature charm, though it seemed lost on Liang Mu.

"You're late," Liang Mu remarked, sparing Evelynn only a brief glance before returning his attention to the tarot cards before him.

Evelynn, realizing her playful act had no effect, rolled her eyes discreetly. "Young Master Liang Mu, there's nothing left for me to teach you."

Liang Mu paid her no mind, his focus on the tarot card's patterns, interpreting the foretold meanings.

Accustomed to Liang Mu's cool demeanor, Evelynn leaned in close to him, also studying the tarot cards without concern for modesty. She had long understood that in Liang Mu's presence, gender distinctions were irrelevant.

The knight depicted in the tarot cards offered Evelynn a courteous bow before continuing on his journey with the scepter in hand.

"The Six of Wands, it seems Young Master Liang Mu's divination is poised for success," Evelynn quipped. "Could it be about that girl? The Six of Wands signifies not just achievement but also the maturation of the spirit."

Unaffected by Evelynn's banter, Liang Mu neatly arranged the tarot cards and looked at her, indicating they could begin the lesson.

Confronted with Liang Mu's earnest expression, Evelynn sighed and touched her forehead, acknowledging there wasn't much left for her to impart.

Evelynn's divination skills paled in comparison to her sister, a Ravenclaw graduate, and Sibyl Trelawney, a Gryffindor alumna. While her sister became the divination professor at Hogwarts, Evelynn managed the family shop in Diagon Alley, her talents lying elsewhere.

Liang Mu was well aware of the situation. When he first learned of it, he couldn't help but sigh. It was hard to believe that the unkempt Sibyl had a sister like her.

Liang Mu wasn't easily deceived by Evelynn's demeanor. Through extensive interaction, he had come to realize that Evelynn was quite the drama queen, with a strong desire to perform and a sharp mind. Her presence indicated she had something valuable to impart.

Evelynn, noticing that Liang Mu wasn't duped, smoothed out her furrowed brow and said, "I have to hand it to you, you little rascal. You don't understand women at all. Watch out, or you might end up without a girlfriend."

Despite her biting words, Evelynn honestly pulled a book from her waist pouch and handed it to Liang Mu, "This is my great-grandmother's diary, a treasure coveted by every fortune-teller. I've brought it for you. What do you think?"

Liang Mu didn't turn his nose up at the battered, yellowed, and musty-smelling book. He had encountered many such books with a distinctly wizardly feel, but few had captured his interest. This one, however, was different, as Liang Mu noticed a prompt on the interface.

Item: Cassandra Trelawney's Diary

Level: Blue White

Type: Knowledge Book

Effect: After reading, you will live through Cassandra Trelawney's experiences, increasing your divination accuracy by 5% and efficiency in learning divination skills by 5%.

Price: Owned by Evelynn. Not player-owned and non-tradable.

Origin: Harry Porter

Note: Peeking into a girl's secret diary is not the act of a gentleman.

Alert: The item is sealed and can only be opened with a Trelawney family female's lip print.

Liang Mu glanced at the cover, which bore no title but featured a lip print that was strikingly fresh compared to the worn edges of the book—as if it had just been kissed—and the print was eerily familiar.

He looked up at Evelynn, who was covering her mouth and watching him intently. Evelynn's face was lit with a triumphant, mischievous grin, her eyes gleaming with a "beg me" challenge.

Liang Mu, of course, would never coerce a lady. He had no claim to the book, and as a disciple of human teaching, he would never impose undue hardship on anyone.

He placed the book back in front of Evelynn.

"It's very precious. Keep it."

With those words, he turned his attention away from Evelynn and picked up a nearby magical tome to compare it with his own knowledge.

His previous tarot readings weren't about romance, as Evelynn was the only woman he had encountered in many days.

Liang Mu's divination was straightforward: he wanted to know what would happen if he stirred up trouble at Hogwarts.

Unlike joining the trio of heroes, Liang Mu's brand of trouble would be independent and separate from their group.

He had braced himself for grim predictions, such as a 30% chance of being manipulated and then killed by Lord Voldemort, another 30% chance of being covertly eliminated by Dumbledore, 20% by the players, and a 20% chance of causing successful mayhem.

However, the tarot cards suggested a high probability of reaping benefits from his actions, and this outcome was consistent across three separate readings, leaving Liang Mu perplexed.

What preoccupied him even more was the Six of Wands that Evelynn had interpreted earlier, symbolizing the maturity of the soul.

Did Liang Mu, who had lived for countless years, still lack spiritual maturity?

Aside from those ancient schemers, he considered himself as pure as a child compared to the human society's heavyweights.

Could he be susceptible to Lord Voldemort's temptation? Liang Mu recalled the Soul Artifact's enchanting powers, the mesmerizing mirror, and the possibility of being subjected to Dumbledore's memory charms and personality reconstruction.

The more he pondered, the more daunting the possibilities seemed. He resolved to acquire additional magical artifacts and potions as a precaution.

Evelynn, momentarily thrown off by Liang Mu's actions, scowled as her little scheme unraveled, feeling quite displeased. She glanced at Liang Mu, only to find his gaze obscured by the book.

A smile crept onto Evelynn's face as she quietly stood up, intending to give Liang Mu a playful scare as recompense. She imagined his startled reaction would be quite amusing.

The thrill of the idea grew within her, but she managed to stifle her laughter, craning her neck to stealthily watch Liang Mu.

Excuse me!

Reading expressions is a skill every merchant should possess, and as a fortune-teller, Evelynn certainly had her accomplishments in this area. Upon noticing Liang Mu's expression, she quickly abandoned her initial thoughts and gracefully returned to her seat.

It would be the death of her!