Chapter 371: What’s in It for Me?

Gu Fei stared at her for a couple of seconds, then her eyes glinted as an idea suddenly struck. She rested her chin on the table and gazed at Qin Ying with a smile. "I’m the kind of person who doesn’t do things unless there’s something in it for me."

"What good would competing against you do me?"

"Honor?"

"Sorry, but I don’t care about empty titles. Even if you gave me the title of ’Number One Talent in the World,’ it would be meaningless to me."

Qin Ying grew even more furious. "You— How can someone like you, with your looks and your learning, be so unbelievably crass!"

Gu Fei nodded with a beaming smile. "You don’t have to keep reminding me how crass I am. A crass person naturally has crass pursuits. If you have some benefit to offer me, Miss Qin, I might just consider agreeing to a competition with you."

’There was nothing for it. This Miss Qin clearly couldn’t take a hint, so she would have to spell it out.’

Qin Ying froze, her face suddenly flushing beet red. "You want something in return? You’re actually demanding something in return?"

She stared at Gu Fei for a long moment as if she couldn’t believe it, then finally gritted her teeth. "Fine. I have a collection of famous artworks, fine jewelry, and antiques. Name what you want."

Her voice was dripping with sarcasm as she spoke.

Gu Fei wagged a single finger. "I have no need for any of that."

"Now let me think... what do I need?"

She blinked. "Oh, didn’t you just mention that your grandfather is the Mountain Master of Qinglian Academy, Miss Qin?"

"How does this sound? If you can get me an enrollment slot for Qinglian Academy, then... I’ll have that competition with you. How about it?"

Qin Ying asked, confused, "What do you want an enrollment slot for?"

Gu Fei just smiled. "Just tell me if you can get it for me or not."

Qin Ying hesitated. "I... I can’t give you an answer right now. I have to go home and ask my grandfather."

Gu Fei stood up. "Then it’s settled. If you can get me a slot, I’ll compete with you on the day of the Lotus Festival."

Qin Ying was about to agree when she suddenly realized something and sneered, "You’ve got a lot of nerve, Miss Gu."

"How could a single competition possibly be worth an enrollment slot at Qinglian Academy?"

"If you want this slot, you must know what kind of institution Qinglian Academy is!"

Gu Fei paused. "Of course I know. Qinglian Academy is the place every scholar under heaven dreams of attending."

"Its faculty is full of erudite Confucian masters and great scholars."

Qin Ying lifted her chin. "I’ll grant you that you have some awareness."

"In that case, you must realize just how precious an enrollment slot is, don’t you?"

Gu Fei raised an eyebrow. "It’s precious to me, of course. But for you, it shouldn’t be that difficult to obtain."

"But what *you* want—a competition with me—is proving to be quite difficult for you to arrange."

"Therefore, whether it is difficult or not all depends on your decision."

Qin Ying stared at Gu Fei coldly. "Are you aware, Miss Gu, that Qinglian Academy is divided into Class A and Class B? Class A is for those who have already earned the rank of Scholar and are studying to become a scholar. The students in Class B are all commoners with no rank. I wonder which type of slot you’re after?"

Gu Fei, in truth, hadn’t known about these distinctions. The slot, of course, was for Gu Qing.

’The academy Gu Qing attended now was the kind you could get into just by paying. The quality of its instruction couldn’t possibly compare to Qinglian Academy.’

’One only had to think of the university acceptance rates of elite versus ordinary schools in a later age to know how vast the difference was.’

She replied earnestly, "A slot in Class B will be fine."