C9 The Heart of Wisdom

Xin Sicong's eyes welled up as he spoke. He had dedicated eight years to the upscale store, clawing his way up to his current position. The thought of losing this cushy job with its generous salary was unbearable.

"Do you realize the extent of the negative impact your actions today could have on the store?" the store manager reprimanded.

"Manager, I admit my mistake. I'll immediately return the kickbacks and write a five-thousand-word reflection for you. I promise not to repeat this error in the future. Please forgive me," Xin Sicong implored.

"Considering your years of service, I won't terminate you. But there must be consequences—you'll forfeit your entire annual bonus," the store manager declared before turning on his heel and departing.

"Ah?" Xin Sicong collapsed to the floor in disbelief.

As the sales manager, his performance bonus was a significant part of his income. Losing the annual bonus felt like a knife to his livelihood, but he was powerless to change it and resigned himself to his fate.

...

By the time they arrived back at school, dusk had settled in.

The cool evening breeze was soothing.

Guided by the soft glow of the streetlamps, Chiang Hao fished out his keys and unlocked the door to their rented house.

They had chosen a two-bedroom apartment close to school because Tang Qingjing needed a place to live stream.

As the door swung open, a girl with porcelain skin and a chic outfit greeted them. Her plaid shirt sleeves were rolled up, her hair swept back, revealing a smooth, flawless complexion. She wore an effortless smile, reminiscent of the popular internet "matcha sister," yet with an even fresher and more innocent charm.

"Brother, why are you back so late today?" Tang Qingjing asked, her curiosity piqued.

"I landed a big sale today," Chiang Hao replied nonchalantly.

Chiang Hao's ability to peddle goods under the bridge stemmed from his extensive knowledge of Consumer Psychology, Luxury Jewelry Introduction, and Gender Psychology, as well as the real-world skills he had acquired from an old Taoist.

As a child, his poverty led him to seek meals at the homes of villagers. During one of these visits, an itinerant old Taoist took notice of him and decided to impart some of his wisdom.

The old Taoist was a picture of simplicity, his attire frayed and far from the grandeur one might expect of a sage. The villagers were clueless about his real name; they only knew his surname was Gao, so they affectionately referred to him as Old Man Gao.

Despite his unremarkable appearance, Old Man Gao possessed genuine talents. Chiang Hao had only studied under him for two months during a summer break and hadn't mastered the divinatory arts of the God of Alchemy. Yet, the knowledge he gained was ample to navigate a myriad of bizarre encounters.

After those two months of mentorship, Old Man Gao set off to wander other lands. Years passed, and Chiang Hao never saw him again.

"Dinner's ready! Come and eat," Tang Qingjing called out with joy.

Growing up as each other's support, Tang Qingjing had taken to cooking early on. Her home-cooked meals always hit the spot for Chiang Hao.

"Alright, I'm off to eat. You've got a live stream soon, so go ahead and get ready," Chiang Hao said, gesturing before heading to the dining table.

He suspected the live streaming gear would arrive any moment and planned to surprise Tang Qingjing with it later. Since she always primped before her streams, she thought nothing of Chiang Hao's comment and cheerfully went to take her shower.

Soon after, the live streaming equipment was delivered. Chiang Hao stealthily entered Tang Qingjing's bedroom, dismantled her old setup, and installed the latest gear. He then quietly shut the door and slipped out, returning to his meal.

"Ah!"

Within minutes, a delighted shriek echoed from the bedroom.

"Ding! You've given your sister a delightful surprise. Exclamation Point +60."

Peeking out from her room, Tang Qingjing asked the dining Chiang Hao, "Brother, is this your doing?"

"Yeah, what do you think? You like it?" Chiang Hao replied with a nod.

"This equipment is so cutting-edge. Even if it's second-hand, it must've cost a pretty penny, right?" Tang Qingjing inquired, her concern evident.

She was well aware of the challenges Chiang Hao faced in earning money and never harbored any illusions of owning such sophisticated equipment.

"Second-hand? This is brand new; I just finished putting it together for you."

"Wow! This equipment is valued at 48,888 yuan. Did you hit the jackpot?" Tang Qingjing marveled.

As a live streamer, she was acutely aware of the equipment's worth.

And as Chiang Hao's sister, she was even more cognizant of his financial constraints; there was no way he could afford such a setup.

"Don't fret over where the money came from—it's all above board. Now go give it a whirl and see how it performs."

"Okay, I'm off to start my live stream." Tang Qingjing cheerfully made her way back inside.

She was enamored with the new gear and eager to test its capabilities.

Chiang Hao, having finished his meal, grabbed his book and headed to the library to study.

Last semester had been tough; juggling work outside school to pay his bills and a cold during exams led to poor performance and failing three courses. With retakes looming, he was determined not to fail again.

He knew he could pass all his subjects by sticking to the study plan, but with the system now at his disposal, Chiang Hao yearned to invest his time in more meaningful pursuits and sought a faster route.

"System, you're incredible—there must be a rapid learning method you can share."

"Considering the host's current situation, I recommend the talent skill 'Intelligence Gathering Spirit Heart,' available for 670 Exclamation Points."

"Done, I'll take it." Chiang Hao bit the bullet and made the purchase.

Drawing from his experience with acquiring the Flying Dagger, he trusted that the system's products would soon earn him Exclamation Points, ensuring a good investment.

"Ding! Congratulations, host, on acquiring the talent skill 'Intelligence Gathering Spirit Heart.'"

Instantly, Chiang Hao felt a surge of electricity coursing through his body, culminating in his brain, followed by a dizzying sensation that sent him sprawling onto the table, unconscious.

When Chiang Hao came to, half an hour had slipped by. Shaking off the grogginess, he refocused on the book's content and could distinctly sense the knowledge imprinting itself swiftly into his memory, ready for recall at a moment's notice.

Anyone who's been to college knows that professors often highlight key points. Simply memorizing these can earn you a decent grade.

Chiang Hao, armed with his rapid learning skills, swiftly absorbed the essential knowledge from several books. What should have taken days to review was mastered in just thirty minutes, after which he headed back to his rental.

While Tang Qingjing was still live streaming, Chiang Hao, feeling tired, didn't interrupt her and chose to turn in early.

The next day, with no classes scheduled, he didn't bother setting an alarm. But his slumber was abruptly cut short by a persistent knocking at the door.

Annoyed, he recognized it must be his sister and called out, "I don't have class this morning. Leave me alone."

The knocking ceased momentarily, only to be replaced by the sound of Tang Qingjing's sobs.

What was wrong with her today? Had his tone been too sharp?

Opening the door, he found Tang Qingjing with a flushed face, tear-streaked and visibly upset.