Chapter 11:
Chapter 11: Repay Kindness with Gratitude
"Huh?"
A soft exclamation interrupted Chen Mo's thoughts.
Since Chen Mo had organized the library, there had been noticeably more people coming to borrow books. However, most of the students only briefly searched for some materials before quietly leaving, without staying too long.
Chen Mo, who was reading "Application Techniques for E-Rank Skills," was interrupted and couldn't help but raise his head.
However, when he saw the visitor, he couldn't help but be stunned, then showed a look of surprise, quickly standing up from his seat.
"Tutor."
The visitor was none other than QingHong.
"Loulan told me that she hired an administrator to take care of things here and hasn't come over for a while. There have been quite a few changes here. Could it be that she was talking about you?"
She looked Chen Mo up and down.
Chen Mo felt a little embarrassed.
Since arriving at the academy over a month ago, he had gradually understood the habits of the disaster world and had adapted to life here. He knew that many natural disasters in this world looked down on long-term employment relationships.
After nodding, Chen Mo respectfully said, "What books do you need? I'll help you."
"Hehe, no need. I'll just browse around."
Tutor QingHong waved her hand and went deep into the library to browse.
At least from her expression, it seemed that she did not discriminate against Chen Mo's work as a library administrator.
But at this moment, Chen Mo's heart was like an ant on a hot pan.
It wasn't that he was afraid of this tutor.
Although Tutor QingHong could be strict at times, most of the time she was impartial.
Perhaps because she had taught too many starving ghosts, she had seen through the ups and downs of life. This temporary employment relationship at the academy, in the eyes of tutor QingHong, was still acceptable, after all, they were just a group of starving ghosts trying to make a living.
Apart from abhorring parasites, this tutor had not shown any obvious likes or dislikes.
What really made Chen Mo restless at the moment was that he realized that this might be his chance, a real chance to get close to the tutor and change his fate.
He didn't have the resources to bribe like those adult starving ghosts.
However, after more than a month of accumulation, Chen Mo had accumulated 28 points of disaster contribution points. He had spent a few points in between when he couldn't resist, but these contribution points were probably still negligible in the eyes of the tutor.
He wasn't even qualified to try to get close.
As for trying to get close, if he did it too rashly, it might backfire in his face.
There were countless students brought out by her, and a new batch every hundred days. There were countless scoundrels trying to get close during this period.
But for Chen Mo personally, this might be his only chance to change his fate during his time at the academy.
This time, it was the tutor who took the initiative to come over and greet him, not him.
This objectively created an opportunity for Chen Mo.
The difference is akin to a man and a woman meeting for the first time. If, under the same circumstances, a man tries to get close after learning about a woman through various means, compared to getting to know each other by chance, the latter will undoubtedly greatly lower the woman's guard.
If he could seize this opportunity to get closer to each other, his situation at the academy might be completely different.
And this difference could ultimately be the difference between life and death later.
It was precisely because this opportunity was so precious that it made Chen Mo restless, not daring to speak rashly.
He had to find a suitable excuse, an excuse that the tutor could not refuse.
Chen Mo had never been so anxious before.
A book once said.
In one's life, there are often only a few opportunities, but successful people actually only need to seize one or two of these opportunities. Whether one can seize the opportunity depends not only on personal choice but also on fate.
Seizing the opportunity is the way to the sky, failing to seize the opportunity is to remain unknown.
Tutor QingHong naturally didn't know about Chen Mo's complex psychology at the moment.
After searching for a while on the back shelves, she finally found the books she was interested in.
She was about to put away these books and take them back to the office to read slowly when she found that after Chen Mo had organized the library, the atmosphere here had improved significantly.
She remembered that before, every time she came here, the bookshelves were very messy, and the reading desks were old and would make a creaking sound when students moved, making people feel irritable, and there was no water facility.
This made her take a closer look at Chen Mo.
She remembered that when she was still a starving ghost, she often came here to read, to find knowledge to deal with the starving ghost trials. So she sat down at the library to read.
"Phew."
Seeing this, Chen Mo breathed a sigh of relief.
Then he seemed to make a decision.
After quietly leaving the library, Chen Mo quickly ran to the cafeteria and came to the consumption area window.
It was a light brain device, facing various recipe menus on the light screen. Chen Mo finally gritted his teeth and opened the intermediate recipe option.
"A cup of sugar-free fresh milk coffee, a high-quality nut pastry, totalling 12 contribution points. Do you confirm (yes/no)?"
"Yes."
Even though it pained his heart, Chen Mo still agreed.
It's worth noting that in the past month, he had only bought a few basic ingredients when he couldn't resist.
But Chen Mo had no regrets.
He remembered when he was in the second year of high school, his friend Wu Huiteng was pursuing a girl and told him that spending a hundred yuan to pursue a girlfriend, having a lunch and two Haagen-Dazs ice cream balls, would have completely different effects.
Women are emotional creatures, and their way of thinking is completely different from men's.
Comparing it to now.
Just 12 points, used to bribe Tutor Qing Hong, the response from Chen Mo was probably just a cold laugh, but if it was a cup of high-quality coffee and a delicate pastry, the effect would be completely different.
Of course, this is just the first step to success.
Giving without asking for anything in return is either sincere or deceitful.
Tutor Qing Hong must also understand this point. Without a suitable reason, it might also backfire. Chen Mo still needed a reason that the other party could not refuse.
After a while.
A cup of fragrant milk coffee, with a cat pattern drawn on top, and a soft nut pastry emitting an enticing aroma.
Fortunately, it was not mealtime now, otherwise, it might have attracted a lot of attention.
After all, for starving ghosts, buying food of this level was too extravagant.
Carrying the pastry and coffee, Chen Mo hurriedly ran towards the library.
He had never been so nervous before, fearing that he was too slow and the tutor had already left, but also fearing that he was too fast and accidentally wasted these precious ingredients.
Finally.
When Chen Mo, who had been nervous all the way, returned to the library and saw the familiar figure, he breathed a sigh of relief, trying hard to calm his breathing. He walked slowly to the side of the mentor, placing the coffee and pastry in front of her.
"Mentor, here is your coffee and pastry." The aroma of coffee and pastry caught the attention of the mentor. She frowned slightly. Her gaze moved away from the books, looking at Chen Mo with surprise, sizing him up for a moment, showing a pensive look.
"This kind of thing, you shouldn't be able to afford. You are really generous," she said with a sneer. "Come on, what's the matter?"
Seeing the mentor's expression, Chen Mo did not doubt that this would be the calm before the storm. When she drove Du Qingqing out of the classroom, she had the same look. If he were to act rashly, he would be in trouble.
The mentor chuckled inwardly. This little guy, does he really think that a small favour like this can move her? She can't see through his intentions? He’s really naive.
"Mentor, do you remember that day?"
"Hmm?" Qinghong was somewhat surprised, as the situation was different from what she had imagined.
Qinghong had already made up her mind that no matter what this guy asked of her, she would respond in the most severe way, then splash the coffee on him and let him give up his unrealistic fantasies.
Unexpectedly, the other party showed complex emotions of remembrance and gratitude. This puzzled her.She didn't expect the other party to show a complex emotion of nostalgia and gratitude.
This left her a little confused.
Keeping her composure, Qinghong raised an eyebrow.
"What did I forget?"
Chen Mo made an effort to smile.
"For you, it might just be a trivial matter, just the first day of school, giving a starving student a small pack of cookies. But for me, it was a lifesaving grace."
Huh?
With Chen Mo's reminder, she remembered.
She had indeed given him a small pack of leftover cookies out of curiosity about his attributes.
"When I was very young, my mother taught me, ‘If you receive a drop of water from someone, you should repay it with a spring.’ Yes, these foods are indeed not something I can afford now. It's my half month’s wages here, but I don't expect to repay your kindness for this. I just want to show my gratitude as much as possible."
That small pack of cookies from back then had indeed left a lasting impression on Chen Mo, and his gratitude towards Qinghong was sincere, from the bottom of his heart. He had indeed thought about how to repay her, but he had never thought it would be in this situation.
Qinghong lowered her head upon hearing this.
"So that's it."
Her initial suspicions and the other party's gratitude formed a strong contrast.
Feeling unjust towards a good person made her feel guilty.
This kind of guilt was somewhat similar to the story of presenting a pear to a beggar.
After sipping the milk coffee, she had never thought it would be so deliciously sweet, to the point that even her rock-solid heart couldn't help but be moved.
Quietly, Qinghong raised the coffee. "A drop of water in need shall be returned with a burst of spring in deed."
"Mentor, if you need anything, please let me know." Chen Mo left at the right time.
Qinghong's heart was in turmoil. On one hand, she felt guilty for wrongly accusing a good person. If she were just a bystander, or if it happened to an "NPC" in the mission world, as a natural disaster, she would not feel this way.
But the incident happened in the disaster world, and it happened to her, which made her heart uneasy.
On the other hand, there was the gratitude from the other party. She had casually thrown away the leftover biscuits, even forgetting about them, yet the other party was willing to repay her with half a month's work income. This was especially precious in an interest-ridden world and where the strong were king.
Time passed.
The library closed at six in the afternoon. Before Chen Mo could speak, Qinghong stood up and passing by Chen Mo, casually asked, "I remember you have the talent of stone skin, right?"
"Yes," Chen Mo responded.
"Good." Qinghong nodded. "Since you have the talent, it's a waste not to develop it. Don't just focus on developing your psychic abilities; you should also develop your physique. You need to survive to become stronger. Come to my office in the evening. If I have time, I will give you some guidance on cultivation techniques."
Without waiting for Chen Mo's response, she left the library quickly.
"Thank you, mentor." Chen Mo murmured softly, his mood equally complex. Like Qinghong, he felt ashamed of his previous dirty thoughts, calculating the gains and losses of repaying kindness with interest.
But he was also grateful that he had seized this opportunity and changed his destiny.
"A great man acts in chaotic times with integrity. Even in adversity, he should be humble and await the right time. He should not struggle against fate."
After checking the library one last time, Chen Mo locked the doors and left.
(End of chapter 11)
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