Chapter 12

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Sleeping talisman and calming talisman?
Qiu Changsheng was stunned; from the merchandise to the owner, this stall seemed utterly unreliable.
Yet sometimes, the body is more honest than the mind.
Just after Chu Ning quoted the price, Qiu Changsheng immediately asked, "What’s the difference between these two talismans?"
"The difference..." Chu Ning pulled out a sleeping talisman and placed it to Qiu Changsheng’s right. "This one guarantees you’ll sleep for three days and nights straight—no ghost could wake you."
Qiu Changsheng twitched the corner of his mouth. His emotions were conflicted, but surprisingly, he felt tempted after hearing that.
Still, because Chu Ning had said no ghost could wake you, Qiu Changsheng pinched the bridge of his nose and asked again, "What about the calming talisman?"
"The calming talisman makes sure you fall asleep soundly, sleep deeply, and wake naturally." Chu Ning placed the calming talisman to Qiu’s left, cleared his throat, and deliberately emphasized, "This one sells for two thousand."
Qiu Changsheng had no shortage of money.
He wasn’t bothered by Chu Ning’s pointed emphasis on price, but he was skeptical about talismans in general. He even doubted whether his insomnia was driving him mad. So deep down, a small voice kept nudging him:
Why not try it? What if it works?
Qiu Changsheng: "Are you sure you’re not lying?"
His gaze fixed on the calming talisman, unaware that his inner scale was already tipping. He continued, "You didn’t tamper with this yellow talisman, right? How do I use it?"
Qiu Changsheng had seen news reports about scammers who sold talismans by soaking them in special potions or sprinkling them with phosphorus powder to fake ghostly flames during exorcisms.
If this vendor did the same, Qiu would turn and walk away immediately.
"I’ll give you a chant. Just recite it three times facing the talisman." Chu Ning ignored Qiu’s wary look and smiled, "Mr. Qiu, would you like one?"
Qiu Changsheng was cautious: "Give me a calming talisman first."
He hesitated, then added, "I’ll use it right here."
Chu Ning was a little surprised, glanced at the sky, and said, "You really want to sleep here? That’ll be an extra space fee."
"How much extra?" Qiu took a black card from his pocket and calmly said, "No problem, I have money. Swipe as you like."
"Sorry, no card reader here." Chu Ning stared at the black card several times, envious. Then he deftly pushed a QR code forward, "Please scan and pay two thousand three hundred."
Qiu Changsheng: "...Okay."
After paying, Qiu picked up the calming talisman on the left. As soon as it touched his palm, a gentle warmth flowed through his limbs and bones. In a brief moment, his whole body was filled with a lazy comfort, as if basking in the warm spring sun.
Unable to resist, Qiu closed his eyes. It had been so long since he felt this relaxed.
"Mr. Qiu, Mr. Qiu?" Chu Ning called several times before Qiu opened his eyes. He teased, "You’re already falling asleep just holding the talisman without reciting the chant?"
A flash of embarrassment crossed Qiu’s face, but he also found the talisman strangely mystical. To feel such a clear effect just by touching it was unheard of.
He thoughtfully rubbed the talisman and said, "Little boss, teach me the chant."
"Sure, but you have to take off your Buddhist bracelet first." Chu Ning pointed at Qiu’s wrist. "Otherwise, you won’t be able to sleep."
Qiu hesitated but finally removed the bracelet, asking in a low voice, "Is there really something wrong with it?"
Chu Ning said, "Crush one and you’ll know."
Qiu pinched his brow, struggling, "…Forget it. I’ll try after I wake up."
When a customer refuses to face the truth of being sabotaged by a friend, Chu Ning didn’t push it and earnestly taught Qiu the chant.
Qiu learned quickly, memorizing it in two minutes. To be safe, he called his company assistant over, briefly explained the situation, then eagerly recited the chant three times with the talisman.
After three times, under the assistant’s hesitant gaze, Qiu nervously watched the vermilion ink on the talisman fade. Shocked, he yawned lazily. Then he could think no more, succumbing to sleep, his whole body collapsing onto the table.
Even the assistant’s expression turned strange. He murmured, "Mr. Qiu really fell asleep..."
As if to match the surprise, Qiu snored loudly on the table.
Assistant: "..." Damn.
Qiu hadn’t slept well for three years; no one knew how long this nap would last. Chu Ning, thinking of today’s earnings, generously ordered two takeout sets and messaged his younger brother to come study and eat.
The assistant stayed by Qiu’s side, noticing the Buddhist bracelet Qiu had taken off and placed on the table. He frowned and tried to put it away, but Chu Ning stopped him, "Don’t touch it."
Assistant said, "That’s Mr. Qiu’s Buddhist bracelet."
Chu Ning said, "That bracelet hides ghosts. No wonder Mr. Qiu hasn’t slept for years—it’s the culprit."
The assistant froze halfway, suspicious, "No way?"
"Why not try touching it yourself?" Chu Ning shrugged jokingly, "But if it haunts you and kills you, don’t come looking for me."
Assistant: "..."
A cold wind seemed to sweep down his back, making him shiver.
After the scare, he prudently didn’t touch it again, though his eyes kept darting to the bracelet with doubt.
…
The night breeze was cool. Qiu slept deeply while the assistant briefly left to buy a blanket, leaving Chu Ning happily eating the warm takeout.
He finished quickly, then pushed the wheelchair to throw out the trash. At that moment, his phone started vibrating nonstop.
Chu Ning curiously unlocked the screen and saw multiple messages from Chu Mingming.
"Bro! The popular post from today got deleted. Someone anonymously reported you to the school leaders!"
"They say the campus post is your deliberate hype, causing unfair competition within the creative market!"
"They want the school to shut down your stall!"
"…"
Anonymous report?
When Chu Ning returned to his stall, quite a crowd had gathered, making the scene look lively.
Ji Wenbin, who had come to stir trouble before, stood at the front with his arm in a cast, smugly side-by-side with the school leader.
Since Chu Ning’s ominous prediction that he’d have bad luck, Ji Wenbin at first thought it was a scare tactic. But in the following days, his luck truly plummeted: major work errors causing his company millions in losses, and even a falling object broke his arm while walking on the street.
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His new girlfriend, whom he barely got hold of, broke up with him because of this. Ji Wenbin’s resentment towards Chu Ning grew exponentially.
Of course, Ji Wenbin didn’t believe Chu Ning truly had prophetic powers—he just thought he was going through a streak of bad luck.
For nearly half a month, besides thinking about how to change his fortune, he mostly plotted how to get revenge on Chu Ning.
And today, his chance arrived!
Due to multiple anonymous complaints, the school’s Director of General Affairs came to inspect the creative market. This director, Mr. Kang, was in his forties, with a square face and a stern demeanor.
Mr. Kang stood in front of the stall, glanced at the man sleeping on the table in a suit, assumed he was a passing office worker resting, and didn’t wake him.
After looking around and seeing no stall owner, he asked nearby students, "Where’s the person in charge of this stall?"
"Maybe they heard a leader was coming to check and got scared off, haha."
"They were just here eating… now suddenly gone."
"Director Kang, is the school really going to shut down this stall? I still want to buy dolls tomorrow!"
"The forum says it’s all a scam, just a waste of money. You still want to buy? Silly!"
Hearing this, Director Kang furrowed his brow but didn’t respond.
Ji Wenbin stood beside him, fanning the flames: "Director Kang, did you hear that? Some students here really need to be controlled! You’ve seen that post from today, right? So many students brainwashed by the stall owner’s hired trolls, actually believing a cheap wool doll can help them sleep! It’s even more ridiculous than my grandma’s foot massage insoles curing stomach ulcers! Absurd!"
He got so worked up he spat while talking: "And about the stall owner’s identity, Director Kang must’ve heard. A rich playboy—do you really believe he’s capable? In my opinion, students like this are a menace and should be expelled!"
Director Kang’s frown deepened, interrupting: "Manager Ji, if the student has a real problem, the school will handle it according to rules."
In other words, the school’s affairs are not for an alumnus to meddle in.
Ji Wenbin’s expression faltered slightly. He laughed awkwardly, explaining, "I’m just looking out for the younger students. Besides, I’m here representing Mr. Chu to discuss funding the creative market, so naturally I care."
Director Kang responded with a curt "Hmm."
Just then, Chu Ning returned from throwing out the trash.
Director Kang’s gaze landed on his wheelchair and paused: "You’re in charge of this stall?"
Seeing the students’ cautious attitude toward the middle-aged man, Chu Ning guessed his identity and nodded, "Is there a problem with my stall?"
Director Kang said, "Someone reported you for deliberately hyping overpriced goods, disrupting market order, and unfair internal competition. We need your cooperation for an investigation."
"Sure," Chu Ning agreed cheerfully.
He hadn’t done any of those things, and the real culprit was still snoring on the table, so proving his innocence was easy.
But just as he spoke, a voice from the crowd shouted, "Director Kang, don’t you think the stall itself is problematic?"
"Problematic?" Chu Ning recognized the voice—it was the group of fashionable girls who’d visited the tarot stall at noon.
A tall girl stood proudly outside the crowd, sneering, "You’re a fraud spreading superstition!"
Chu Ning stared at the crystal bracelets on her wrist, irritated. Superstition? Aren’t you the ones playing tarot cards?
They didn’t tolerate this kind of hypocrisy in the metaphysics community!
Suddenly Chu Mingming appeared, carrying a backpack near the girls, loudly retorting, "You’re the superstitious ones, yet you report others?"
The girl flustered and hid her hands behind her back, "I didn’t!"
Chu Mingming, tall, looked down at her, "How? Didn’t you go to the tarot shop across the street? Isn’t that a lucky bracelet they sold you on your wrist?"
He thought for a moment, then his eyes changed: "It was you guys, right? Seeing my brother’s stall doing better than the tarot shop, you deliberately reported us to the school!"
The girls stepped back nervously, "No…"
"Besides," Chu Mingming glared and shouted, "Our stall isn’t about superstition. We promote Chinese cultural heritage, understand?"
The girls, guilty, fell silent behind their friends.
Nearby, Ji Wenbin sneered, "A grown man like you only knows how to bully girls?"
His words drew disapproving glances from unaware passersby.
Seeing this, Chu Ning frowned, called Chu Mingming over, then sized up Ji Wenbin with a smile: "Ji Wenbin, how’s it feeling to be unlucky every day?"
Ji Wenbin thought he misheard, face darkened, "What did you say?"
Seeing Chu Ning, he remembered his broken arm and near-death experiences, then turned to Director Kang in anger, "I’m here representing Mr. Chu sincerely to discuss funding the market, yet your student treats a distinguished guest like this? No need to talk about funding anymore!"
Director Kang’s face changed, frowning, "Manager Ji, I don’t know your personal grudges with this student, but funding is official business, so please…"
Ji Wenbin sneered, "I’ll say it plainly: either the school shuts down his stall today and expels him, or no deal!"
Director Kang firmly refused, "No. The student hasn’t committed a major offense. The school has no reason to expel him."
Chu Ning was a bit surprised—he hadn’t expected such integrity from the director and felt a spark of admiration.
Ji Wenbin was utterly defeated by this stubborn old man. He immediately called the principal to cancel the funding project.
The principal, after a brief confusion, called Director Kang for an explanation.
Just then, the man sleeping on the table slowly woke up.
Qiu Changsheng groggily opened his eyes, saw Director Kang, and nodded out of habit.
To his surprise, Director Kang froze.
He rubbed his eyes in disbelief, gasped, and asked in astonishment, "You’re Mr. Qiu, CEO of Changsheng Technology?"
"I am," Qiu nodded, now fully awake.
He rubbed his stiff shoulders, looked at Chu Ning with a hint of respect, and sighed, "I slept well, but it’s too noisy around here."
Otherwise, he could have slept much longer.
Chu Ning smiled, "Glad you slept well, Mr. Qiu."
Qiu Changsheng was a sharp businessman, adept at reading situations. Upon waking, he sensed the tense atmosphere.
Among them, the middle-aged man who recognized him was whispering on the phone, while nearby, a man with a head full of gel stood arrogantly at the stall, looking smug and petty.
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Director Kang’s phone conversation was loud enough for Qiu to catch bits and pieces.
After thinking a moment, Qiu asked Chu Ning with a strange expression, "That man’s company was negotiating funding with your school, but due to a personal grudge with you, he’s trying to back out?"
Chu Ning nodded, looking speechless.
Ji Wenbin clearly intended to use official business for personal revenge. Unfortunately, the school leadership was too upright and refused, so he got angry and blurted out threats.
But funding from a big company was not something a petty manager like Ji Wenbin could decide on with a snap of his fingers.
Chu Ning watched coldly, knowing Ji was just waiting for an excuse to back down gracefully—preferably by getting him expelled.
Qiu’s mind turned quickly, and he saw through it in a few words.
Then, looking at Ji Wenbin, he couldn’t help but respect him.
"Brother, who did you offend to have so much bad luck?"
Having experienced the calming talisman, Qiu didn’t think this minor storm would shake Chu Ning.
But...
Qiu thought for a moment, then stood and warmly approached Director Kang. "I heard your school wants to attract investors? If you don’t mind, I’d like to discuss investing with your school as well."
His tone was sincere, not joking.
Director Kang was stunned, barely hearing the principal on the phone, and asked, "Mr. Qiu, you really want to invest in our school?"
"Yes, but some people might not be happy about it." Qiu glanced at Ji Wenbin and smiled, "Still, I think your school is worth investing in."
The calming talisman’s effect had won him over completely. Thinking that Chu Ning, a truly capable metaphysical master, was studying at Tongcheng University, Qiu saw no reason to miss this chance to build goodwill.
Ji Wenbin was unsettled, dumbfounded: "Wait! Our company started this funding negotiation first!"
All eyes turned to him.
Chu Ning coolly said, "But you just said no deal. Now it’s Mr. Qiu who’s first."
Director Kang nodded, agreeing.
Ji Wenbin: "???"
He stared at Qiu, who had inserted himself, and panic rose in his chest, fearing the project was slipping away. He grit his teeth and said to Director Kang, "Honestly, our company has decided to invest ten million in Tongcheng University! Are you sure you won’t discuss?"
Director Kang was shocked: "Ten million?"
Ji Wenbin had to tell the truth, sneering, "Mr. Chu believes Tongcheng University has done a great job cultivating the Chu family’s young master into an outstanding talent, hence this funding project."
Director Kang asked curiously, "The young master Chu is...?"
Ji Wenbin lifted his chin, "Chu Xiuran. Don’t you know him?"
"…So it’s him." Director Kang seemed thoughtful.
Nearby, some students whispered.
"Chu Xiuran? Wasn’t he the student council president for the past three years?"
"I heard he’s handsome, elegant, and has a dramatic background like a novel!"
"The young master recently recognized by a wealthy family, sounds very favored!"
"…Jealous, jealous."
Qiu Changsheng: "…" He didn’t understand.
Clearly, investing in Tongcheng University would boost the company’s reputation, yet it was twisted by a petty manager into a noble donation to honor the alma mater.
Qiu laughed and bluntly said, "Only ten million? I’ll give twenty million."
Ji Wenbin, not knowing Qiu’s identity, thought he was insane and sneered, "You say twenty million, and that’s it? Do you think you’re the boss of the company?"
Qiu: "I am."
Just then, Qiu’s assistant returned with a blanket. Seeing the crowd around the stall, he hurriedly parted the people and entered, spotting the awakened boss and a Chu family company newcomer he had met recently.
"Little Ji, you’re here too?" The assistant casually greeted him, then respectfully approached Qiu, "Boss."
Qiu nodded and lifted his chin to look at Ji Wenbin.
Ji Wenbin: "?"
He belatedly realized Qiu’s identity and immediately went weak in the knees, turning pale with fear.
Meanwhile, the principal, having learned the funding was back on, arrived with a group of school leaders.
Used to big scenes, Qiu engaged in friendly negotiations with the principal and others under Director Kang’s explanation.
Ji Wenbin quietly slipped away.
Soon, the assistant urged the boss to leave for the airport to catch a flight abroad.
"Mr. Qiu, about the funding cooperation..." the principal hesitated.
Qiu smiled, "For follow-up talks, you can contact my assistant. Also, I really admire this little stall owner and have decided to collaborate with him on several projects soon. I hope the school supports his creative stall."
Suddenly addressed, Chu Ning was stunned: "Huh? What cooperation? I don’t know anything about this."
Qiu cleared his throat and said proactively, "Regarding this cooperation, I will personally negotiate with the young gentleman. Please be lenient with me."
Chu Ning: "…"
Now all the school leaders looked at Chu Ning with new eyes.
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