Read Novel Full Chapter 55 - Fifty Cents
**Chapter 55: Fifty Cents**
Translator: Namizaki
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Ge Fangyu mustered his courage and stepped forward, snatching the 500-yuan note from Chi Zhongqiao and forcibly shoving the 5-yuan note into his hand. “The production team said we’re supposed to exchange them.”
Clutching the 5-yuan note, Chi Zhongqiao suddenly smiled. While mentally sticking pins into a voodoo doll, he said amicably, “Brother Fang, I think your 500 yuan will be gone as soon as you step outside…”
Ge Fangyu wailed, “Stop talking!”
Chi Zhongqiao’s Koi luck was truly unpredictable, sometimes acting like a magpie bringing good fortune, other times like a crow’s curse.
Cut off mid-sentence, Chi Zhongqiao, clutching the 5-yuan note, glanced at Ge Fangyu. “You’re cursed.”
What could five yuan even buy? Maybe a popsicle for each of the five guests?
Chi Zhongqiao slumped in despair. Ge Fangyu shamelessly sidled up to him, but Chi Zhongqiao shoved him away. “Stay away from me! Don’t infect me with your bad luck.”
Ge Fangyu persisted, “We need to stick together! Fei Zheng, how much did you get?”
Fei Zheng unfolded his note. “About the same as Teacher Chi— 15 yuan.”
Chi Zhongqiao froze at being called “Teacher Chi.”
It was only then that he belatedly realized he had truly become famous.
The nickname “Teacher Chi” had initially been used by only a few as a joke. But after the release of <Campus Prince and Campus Belle>, numerous film reviews praised Chi Zhongqiao’s acting skills, gradually imprinting on the public the impression that “Chi Zhongqiao is a great actor.”
Especially after a five-minute scene featuring Chi Zhongqiao was turned into a GIF, with some calling it “a textbook example of acting with the eyes,” the nickname “Teacher Chi” began to spread.
As Chi Zhongqiao’s fame soared, “Teacher Chi” had become a common term without him even noticing.
Without even realizing it himself, he now stood on the cusp of becoming a top-tier star. His meteoric rise had naturally set him apart from other young idols.
When the public mentioned Chi Zhongqiao, their first reaction wasn’t about his good looks, but about his acting skills and reputation as a serious actor.
Yet his popularity was undeniable, and in terms of status, he was already one of the most promising young actors.
Fei Zheng’s “Teacher Chi” was well-deserved.
Chi Zhongqiao replied, “We’re all in this together now. We’re family.”
He pushed past Ge Fangyu and stood beside Fei Zheng.
At that moment, the remaining two guests hurried over.
<The Secret to Getting Rich> had a total of five regular guests: Ge Fangyu, Chi Zhongqiao, Fei Zheng, Xu Heng, and Liu Wanjun. Among them, Chi Zhongqiao, Ge Fangyu, and Fei Zheng were actors, while the other two were Xu Heng, a singer, and Liu Wanjun, the host.
Xu Heng was the champion of a popular music talent show and was steadily rising to become a young superstar. Liu Wanjun, on the other hand, was a rising star being heavily promoted by a local television station.
Xu Heng rushed to the box, his eyes gleaming with excitement. “Is this the draw box?”
Before he could even finish the question, his hand was already reaching in. The girl beside him, about to speak, bit her tongue in surprise, tears welling up from the pain.
Xu Heng pulled out a slip of paper.
Chi Zhongqiao currently had the lowest Start-up Funds, making him the most curious about everyone else’s.
He pushed past Ge Fangyu, who was blocking his way, and sauntered over to strike up a conversation. “Hello, I’m Chi Zhongqiao. I absolutely love your new album! Could I get an autograph later?”
Xu Heng: “Brother Qiao! What a coincidence! I’m a huge fan of your <Campus Prince and Campus Belle>!”
The two exchanged glances, realizing they were both engaging in mutual flattery. They immediately hit it off, showering each other with compliments and praise.
While they were busy with their superficial exchanges, Liu Wanjun silently drew the last slip of paper.
Chi Zhongqiao finally revealed his purpose: “How much is written on your slip?”
Xu Heng replied confidently, “Fifty cents! What about yours?”
It turned out that five yuan wasn’t the smallest denomination. Chi Zhongqiao held up his slip: “I got five yuan.”
Xu Heng looked envious. “That’s so much! Is fifty cents supposed to buy me spicy noodles?”
The girl beside them dryly interrupted, “If two people are working together, they have to exchange their slips.”
Liu Wanjun instinctively tightened his grip on his slip.
Xu Heng exclaimed, “What luck! Wanjun, how much did you get?”
Liu Wanjun pursed his lips. “Fifty.”
The girl announced, “Now, please come up with your slips to collect your start-up funds.”
Xu Heng eagerly walked over to exchange slips with Liu Wanjun. The five participants lined up to receive their funds. Ge Fangyu grinned widely as he accepted five pink bills.
Chi Zhongqiao clutched his five yuan, ruthlessly shoving aside Ge Fangyu, who was trying to show off his own stack of bills.
Enjoy your bragging now, Chi Zhongqiao thought. It might not last.
Liu Wanjun silently retreated to the back, avoiding the camera angles.
At that moment, the host revealed a letter: “Now, let’s announce this week’s keyword. Xiazhou City is renowned for its rich history and vibrant cultural atmosphere, so this week’s keyword is— Culture. Brothers, use your start-up funds and follow the clues on your slips to find the rest of your resources. Here’s a hint: They’re all shops.”
“And finally! Pay attention! All resources and start-up funds are up for grabs!”
Clues? Up for grabs?!
The contestants pulled out their slips. Sure enough, a line of bold black text was hidden within the decorative pattern at the bottom. It was quite conspicuous, but the other four contestants had been too focused on the amount at the top to notice it earlier.
Ge Fangyu panicked. Damn it! I threw my slip in the trash after exchanging the money! And…
Faced with the predatory gazes of the other four contestants, he took a step back.
Damn it, now everyone’s staring at me!
The girl announced, “The competition begins now!”
Ge Fangyu shouted, “Wait! My clue is in the trash can—”
But no one paid him any attention except the two contestants eyeing his 500 yuan. The rest immediately left the hotel, rushing toward their start-up funds.
Chi Zhongqiao’s clue was “Ink Drop—The Allure of Words,” which left him puzzled. But he remained calm. As he walked out, he said, “Let’s not go for our own funds yet. I remember Brother Fang’s clue. Let’s check his first.”
Chi Zhongqiao patted his pocket. He only had five yuan, not enough for a taxi. “Brother Fang’s clue is ‘Oven Duck—A Century of Tradition.’ That must be the famous Peking Duck from Xiazhou. ‘A Century of Tradition’ probably refers to a century-old restaurant. Let’s ask around.”
He asked several passersby and received the same answer multiple times. He immediately prepared to head there. “It’s a bit far, but let’s go check it out anyway.”
A girl he had asked earlier was still standing nearby. Overcoming her shyness, she offered, “I can take Qiao Bao… Brother Qiao there. My car’s right here.”
Chi Zhongqiao immediately accepted. “Thank you.”
The staff member hurried to stop him. “No, no, you have to get to the shop through your own efforts. You can’t just use your face.”
Chi Zhongqiao retorted, “I didn’t just grow up looking like this! Isn’t maintaining my appearance an effort? Isn’t doing my makeup effort? Isn’t working out to stay in shape effort?”
He twisted logic to suit himself, then demanded validation, turning to the girl who had offered him a ride. “Am I right?”
The girl, a devoted fan, was completely smitten. “Everything Qiao Bao says is right!”
The staff member stared in disbelief.
What kind of twisted logic is this? And why does it sound so convincing?
Seizing the moment of his hesitation, Chi Zhongqiao and the girl slipped into the car.
The staff member shouted, “Wait! Those are the game rules…”
Chi Zhongqiao yelled back, “Your rules have loopholes! Go back and fix them!”
With that, he ducked back into the car, and the girl in the driver’s seat immediately started the engine.
The century-old Peking Duck restaurant everyone was talking about was located on Shuitang Street, just a ten-minute drive away.
As Chi Zhongqiao got out of the car, he pulled a chocolate bar from his pocket, handed it to the girl, and thanked her profusely.
The staff member, who had finally caught up, was on the verge of tears. “Teacher Chi, our program doesn’t allow outside food.”
Chi Zhongqiao feigned innocence. “Don’t blame me! You never said anything about that!”
“So you admit you did it on purpose just now?!” The staff member demanded.
Chi Zhongqiao smiled at him and slipped into the Peking duck restaurant.
The restaurant’s owner was a middle-aged woman named Li, who looked quite feisty.
Chi Zhongqiao gave her a shy smile. “Hello, Sister Li. I’m Chi Zhongqiao, and I’m here to…”
The owner laughed heartily. “Don’t call me ‘Sister’! My son is about your age! I know why you’re here. If you want resources, go cut up those ducks first.”
She led Chi Zhongqiao into the kitchen, where he washed his hands under the watchful eyes of the Chef and the owner. Five roasted ducks lay before him.
“Cut them into pieces this small,” the owner said with a smile. “If they’re not up to standard, you’ll pay for them.”
Chi Zhongqiao clutched the five yuan in his pocket, suddenly realizing he might have made a mistake.
“Call me when you’re done.” The owner said, leaving the kitchen.
The Chef standing beside Chi Zhongqiao was a young apprentice.
Chi Zhongqiao took a roasted duck from the rack. The lifeless bird lay on the cutting board, its eyes staring blankly. Chi Zhongqiao felt utterly lost.
“Little Master,” he asked for help, “how do I cut this?”
The Chef’s face flushed red. “It’s actually quite easy, just like cutting a duck at home…”
Chi Zhongqiao picked up the knife beside him. With his handsome features, he looked out of place in the kitchen, and the incongruity only intensified when he held the knife.
The cameraman quickly repositioned himself to film Chi Zhongqiao head-on.
Chi Zhongqiao’s expression turned serious. Though he hadn’t cooked in a long time, he sometimes helped Lu Yuzhou by washing vegetables and chopping ingredients.
Despite his appearance suggesting he’d never set foot in a kitchen, his knife skills proved surprisingly adept as he expertly carved the ducks.
After successfully slicing five ducks, Chi Zhongqiao glanced at the time, worried Ge Fangyu might arrive soon. Forgetting his initial satisfaction, he hurried to find the owner.
The owner inspected the cuts—remarkably uniform—and with a wave of her hand, granted Chi Zhongqiao his start-up funds: Another letter.
Chi Zhongqiao pocketed the letter and waited until he left the roast duck shop to open it. Inside, there was no money, only a cryptic phrase.
Puzzled, Chi Zhongqiao decided to focus on finding his resource first.
“Ink Drop…”
Chi Zhongqiao pondered. “Could this be some kind of amateur calligraphy club?”
He asked several passersby, but all shook their heads, claiming ignorance. Just as Chi Zhongqiao frowned in frustration, he spotted a child wearing a short-sleeved shirt printed with the characters “滴墨”1tln:滴墨~ Dī mò~ Ink drop.
He immediately approached. “Excuse me, ma’am, could you tell me how to get to the Ink Drop Association?”
The child’s Mother, visibly nervous under the filming cameras, said, “The Association? I don’t know about that, but I do know the Ink Drop Training Center. Just go straight ahead to the four-way intersection and turn left.”
Chi Zhongqiao replied, “…Okay, thank you.”
After the Mother and child had walked away, Chi Zhongqiao murmured, “A Training Center, huh…”
Just as Chi Zhongqiao turned the corner at the four-way intersection, Ge Fangyu, having finally shaken off Fei Zheng and Xu Heng, waddled into the Peking Duck restaurant.
Moments later, Ge Fangyu was unceremoniously ejected, clutching a crumpled note. He stared at the camera in disbelief. “Where’s my resource?!”
Meanwhile, Chi Zhongqiao, the note tucked safely in his pocket, had already stepped into the Ink Drop Training Center.
The center exuded a scholarly atmosphere. The building’s soundproofing was poor, and the faint murmur of a Teacher’s voice could be heard.
Chi Zhongqiao instinctively lowered his voice as he approached the reception desk. “Hello, I’m Chi Zhongqiao, a participant in <The Secret to Getting Rich>. My note says I can claim a resource here. Is this the right place?”
The Receptionist nodded quickly. “Yes, it’s the second classroom on the left on the second floor.”
Chi Zhongqiao thanked her with a smile and headed upstairs. As he turned into the classroom, he was surprised to see Liu Wanjun already there.
He was sitting at a desk, pen in hand, with a man standing beside him who appeared to be the Calligraphy Teacher.
Chi Zhongqiao was astonished—his note should have only been seen by Ge Fangyu. Why was Liu Wanjun here?
Since it was a classroom with other children present, Chi Zhongqiao suppressed his confusion and signaled to the film crew, “Let’s keep it down.”
He tiptoed over to the only standing person in the room. “Hello, I’m Chi Zhongqiao. I’m here to complete a task and claim resources.”
The Calligraphy Teacher, not particularly eloquent, simply nodded stiffly. “Hello. You’re here for the task? Do you know calligraphy?”
“A little,” Chi Zhongqiao replied.
The Calligraphy Teacher frowned slightly. “There are two tasks: copying a short text within an hour, or teaching a child to write. Since you’re late, you can only choose the latter.”
He scanned the class and beckoned Chi Zhongqiao over to a girl. “Come here.”
Chi Zhongqiao approached.
The Teacher selected the girl with the best handwriting in the class. “Teach her. Just show her how to write the characters for ‘Dao De Jing.'”2tln: Tao-te Ching, classic of Chinese philosophical literature. The name was first used during the Han dynasty (206 bce–220 ce). The title of the Dao De Jing or Tao Te Ching can be translated in many ways, but it is usually given as something like “The Book of the Way and Its Virtue.” Chinese written words are referred to as “characters.” The first character in the Dao De Jing, dao, means “the way ahead” or “the way.” De means “righteousness” or “virtue.”
The Teacher was inwardly reluctant. If it weren’t for the program’s rules, he would have preferred to send Chi Zhongqiao to copy books with Liu Wanjun.
Teach children? How many of these young people even know calligraphy, let alone teach it to others?
Displeased, the Teacher fell silent after giving his instructions, standing to the side without another word.
Chi Zhongqiao pulled up a stool and sat beside the girl. He wasn’t in a hurry, chatting with her while examining the sheets of paper she had practiced on.
The girl timidly greeted him, “Hello, Elder Brother.”
“Hello,” Chi Zhongqiao replied. “I’m Chi Zhongqiao. May I see your calligraphy?”
The girl handed him all her practice sheets.
After reviewing them, Chi Zhongqiao had a good grasp of her usual writing style. He picked up a brush and wrote the three characters “道德经“3道德经~Dao De Jing on a fresh sheet.
“Shall we practice these today?”
Recognizing the girl’s limited wrist strength due to her young age, Chi Zhongqiao kept his teaching relaxed and gentle.
The girl quickly warmed up to him, smiling with pursed lips, revealing two small dimples at the corners of her mouth.
This was hardly surprising. Chi Zhongqiao didn’t have the temperament to be strict with children. Anyone who had seen how he doted on Lu Yuzhou knew he only knew how to spoil kids. Plus, with his handsome looks, who wouldn’t adore him?
The girl was naturally diligent, and her calligraphy skills were already quite advanced for her age, making Chi Zhongqiao’s teaching effortless.
After learning the three characters of ‘Dao De Jing’, the girl couldn’t resist pleading, “Brother, write another one!”
She produced a fresh sheet of Xuan paper, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
Chi Zhongqiao picked up his brush. “What should I write? How about your nickname?”
He wrote “To Little Rose” in elegant strokes, adding a line of blessings beneath.
The girl giggled, drawing the attention of the calligraphy teacher, who had been observing the other children.
The Calligraphy Teacher’s eyes lit up as he spotted the characters on the paper. He strode over, exclaiming, “These characters are beautiful! They have such presence!”
Chi Zhongqiao set down his brush. “Thank you, Teacher.”
The Calligraphy Teacher, deeply passionate about his craft, couldn’t tear his eyes away from the exquisite characters. After admiring them for a moment, he made a startling request: “Could you… give this to me?”
He turned to Chi Zhongqiao, his gaze intense.
The girl immediately threw her arms around Chi Zhongqiao, tears welling in her eyes.
Chi Zhongqiao: “……”
Teacher, you’re really something.
