I'm Just Getting Your Luck - Chapter 10

“You’re definitely going to suffer a lot in life!”

She’d actually won something!

Maybe spending more time around Zhou Chenyi really had changed her luck.

Yingyu opened the delivery bag — inside were fever meds, cold meds, stomach medicine, and… a rose so battered and squashed it was nearly unrecognizable.

But since when did cake shop prize draws come with millet porridge and steamed buns?

So thoughtful.

Yingyu happily unpacked the food, took a photo from every angle, and sent it to Long Qiuqiu.

As for that “Z” in her WeChat contact list…

Yingyu hadn’t accepted the friend request yet. She typed seriously:
[Who are you?]

The reply came almost immediately:
[Zhou Chenyi]

Zhou Chenyi?!

Yingyu accepted.

While sipping her porridge, she asked him:
[What’s up?]

There was no response for a long time.

By the time Yingyu had finished the porridge and was leaning against the window eating mango cake, he finally replied.

Z: [Last month’s data procurement costs were abnormal. When are you sending me the supplementary explanation for the cost fluctuation?]

Yingyu (GoodHardWork): [I’m not in Finance. Did you message the wrong person?]

Z: [Aren’t you an accounting assistant?]

Yingyu: [I’m Yingyu!]

[Angry kitten.jpg]

A smile tugged at Zhou Chenyi’s lips before he even realized it.
WeChat popped up:
[The other party has withdrawn a message.]

“Feeling better?”

He typed those three words, deleted them, retyped them — but in the end, didn’t send anything.

Instead, a long voice message from Yingyu arrived.

Zhou Chenyi put on his Bluetooth earpiece. Yingyu’s sickly, soft voice filled his ears:
“Zhou Chenyi, do you remember that raffle you made me join last night? I actually won something! It’s the first time in my life I’ve ever won a prize! They sent me fever meds and so much food — I’m seriously so lucky. I even saved you a piece of cake. I’ll bring it to the office tomorrow.”

No need.

Z: [Alright. Rest up. Come back to work soon.]

Always with the work… Yingyu wrinkled her nose and set the phone down.

—

It was back to the usual workday.

At lunch in the cafeteria, Yingyu got her favorite — a heaping bowl of spicy hot pot — and found a quiet corner to eat.

As soon as she looked up, her colleague Ah De placed an apple in front of her.
“One apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

She blinked. Then another apple appeared. Then another.

Before long, her table couldn’t even hold all the apples. Her supervisor solemnly handed her one too.
“Take care of yourself. The company needs you, our little gear in the machine.”

Yingyu looked totally baffled.

Zhou Chenyi showed up late. Employees avoided him like the plague.

When he saw the mountain of apples in front of Yingyu, he raised an eyebrow.
“Is it Christmas Eve or something?”

Yingyu shook her head. “I have no idea. Want an apple?”

“Eat your food first.” Zhou Chenyi cleared a space for his tray and sat down across from her.

His long legs stretched beneath the table, clearly too tall for this cafeteria furniture.

Does he have to eat here?

Zhou Chenyi caught her look.
“Company policy. I have to eat in the cafeteria twice a month.”

To understand the people.

Yingyu nodded. Makes sense.

If that was the reason, then she was starting to understand the flood of apples earlier.

“Have you tried the side dishes upstairs in the cafeteria?” she asked.

“Second floor? Too lazy to go up.”

So — no, he hadn’t.

“I’ve had them,” Yingyu offered her review. “Salty. Everything tastes the same. Last time I even got a potato with dirt on it.”

Zhou Chenyi, mid-bite into a potato: “…”

“Ever taken the company shuttle?”

“?”

“I took it once. If you miss the 5:30 bus, the next one’s not until 9:30. Way too big a gap, right?”

Yingyu did her best to recall everything their colleagues had complained about that one lunchtime — blending it naturally into conversation.

But just as she finished her last point, she realized Zhou Chenyi had already put his chopsticks down and was leaning back in his chair, watching her.

“Are you done?” he asked.

Yingyu shrank back like a startled quail. “…Yeah, all done.”

Now he understood why everyone had been gifting her apples.

“You’re not eating anymore?” she asked when she saw him getting up.

“Not hungry. Need to go deal with something.” He picked up both their trays. “Bring your bribe and come to the office.”

Yingyu, arms full of apples and with more stuffed in her pockets, obediently followed him.

A few days later, the company launched a new platform called “Sunshine Million” — a place for employees to submit feedback and suggestions. It was directly managed by the CEO’s office, with monthly public updates on issue resolutions.

Thanks to Yingyu, “Peaceful Month” started 200 days early.

—

Yingyu snapped a photo of little Zhou Fan holding an apple and sent it to Zhou Buping.

GoodHardWork: [Ping-jie, I’ve picked up Fanfan already.]

Fanfan’s Mom: [Thank you so much~ The driver had something come up, and Fanfan insisted on seeing you. Sorry to trouble you.]

GoodHardWork: [Not at all, I love spending time with him.]

She put her phone away and held Zhou Fan’s hand as they blended into the bustling traffic outside the kindergarten.

Zhou Fan went to an international school — foreign teachers, and plenty of blond-haired, sharp-featured parents picking up their kids.

Yingyu remembered how she’d once completely botched a translation for Zhou Chenyi and wished she could bury herself underground.

“Monster-sis, wanna go see Xiaobai? He’s being discharged today. The doctor said I can take him home.”

Fanfan’s soft little voice made it impossible to say no. So, among a sea of luxury cars, Yingyu hopped on her electric scooter and took him to the pet hospital.

As soon as they walked in, she saw Zhou Chenyi — with Xiaobai, the white cat, curled up on his lap still receiving an IV drip. He’d just finished a call.

“Took you long enough.”

Zhou Chenyi didn’t seem surprised to see her. He rubbed Fanfan’s head.
“He insisted on having you pick him up, huh?”

Xiaobai was still on the IV, and Fanfan wandered off to watch a parrot getting a checkup.

Yingyu nodded and sat next to Zhou Chenyi.

The hospital had given Xiaobai a bath. The cat’s long fur lay smooth against Zhou Chenyi’s black jacket — softening his usual sharp and cool look into something strangely gentle.

Just to look at, though.

Without even glancing up, Zhou Chenyi said, “The last person to stare at me like that wanted to submit a report. You too?”

Yingyu: “…It’s after work hours!”

“So you’re allowed to openly ogle your boss after hours?”

Zhou Chenyi shifted in his seat, raising a brow. “You’re getting bolder.”

“…Narcissist.” Yingyu muttered, burying her face in her phone.

Zhou Chenyi tilted his chin and noticed a very familiar chat avatar on her screen.

NoClinic: [Grape’s been in a bad mood lately. If you have time, maybe come keep her company?]

GoodHardWork: [Try showing her a video of handsome guys dancing. She usually likes that.]

GoodHardWork: [By the way, the cake shop downstairs launched a new item. I’ll bring you some to try next time.]

NoClinic: [Thanks.]

[Transfer: 500]

His own chat with Yingyu was still stuck on:
[Rest up. Come back to work soon.]

Zhou Chenyi was now caught between:
A cat that watches videos of muscle men dancing,
and how close these two had gotten to casually chatting.

“Dancing? What’s so great about that?” He watched Yingyu continue forwarding dancing clips to Jiang Jiuji. “Do you actually like that stuff? Could you please raise your taste level? Don’t drag down the company’s image.”

“Nooo, everyone in the department likes it.” Yingyu didn’t even look up.

“Men who randomly strike up chats with you aren’t up to anything good. Be careful.”

“Why are you so hostile toward Dr. Jiang?”

“Why do you trust he’s a good guy?”

“Because… you’re his friend,” Yingyu looked at him seriously. “If you’re a good person, then your friends must be too.”

The warm air in the hospital was a little too strong. Zhou Chenyi’s face flushed from the heat. He lowered his hat brim to hide his eyes and rested his hand awkwardly on his thigh.
“Stop sweet-talking me.”

“I mean it,” Yingyu said earnestly. “You’re really a good person — not cold at all. Nothing like what people say.”

“…Cold? Who said that? What did they say?”

“Um… I really should get going. Still have laundry to do.”

“Sit down.” Zhou Chenyi reached out and grabbed her wrist. “Talk. If you don’t tell me, you’re not going home tonight.”

Under pressure, Yingyu explained that people at work said he didn’t allow leave for family emergencies.

She smelled a sharp burnt odor. Uh-oh — she’d just ignited Zhou Chenyi’s kitchen of rage.

Yingyu muttered under her breath, “You wouldn’t drop it, and now you’re mad… What do you want me to do?”

Zhou Chenyi gritted his teeth. “His so-called life-threatening family surgery was his cat getting neutered! Right after a shareholder meeting, I showed up with ginseng and he took me to a pet hospital! How is that my fault?!”

“Of course it’s not. I knew there had to be some misunderstanding.”

Yingyu tried to console him, but it didn’t really help. No matter what she said, he ignored her.

When he finally dropped her off at her building, all he said was a cold:
“Get out.”

Still, she chirped, “There must’ve been a misunderstanding. I know you’re not cold-hearted. Who else would save a fox, or let a cat nap on their lap for half an hour without moving? Everyone’s really misunderstood you. I’ll clear things up at work tomorrow.”

Zhou Chenyi’s fury burned brighter. “Don’t bother. I am cold-blooded.”

“Don’t be mad~ Angry people get wrinkles. You’ll age faster.”

“Oh? So now I’m old?”

“No no no! I meant you’re in your prime — aging gracefully! Even if you were old, you’d be a handsome silver fox!”

Still pissed.

According to The Care and Feeding of Humans, when people are in a bad mood, give them sugar.

Yingyu happened to have a bar of chocolate in her bag.

Zhou Chenyi turned toward her just as she gently pushed a square of chocolate to his lips with her pale fingertips.

His brain short-circuited. He stared at her.

Yingyu smiled. “That’s dark chocolate — not sweet, huh?”

Zhou Chenyi chewed it in a daze as it melted in his mouth.

Whoa, Yingyu thought. The burnt smell is gone! Sugar really works!

“You want more?” She held the chocolate bar, ready to break off another piece to feed him.

Zhou Chenyi grabbed the whole bar and scarfed the rest down in a few bites.

“That good?” Yingyu bit into the last square in her hand, and her face instantly scrunched up. “Ugh, this is so bitter. How can you eat this?”

“Bitter?” Zhou Chenyi could still feel her fingers on his lips.

“It’s 100% cacao paste.” Yingyu drank some water and tried to flatter him. “But hey — enduring hardship builds character. It’s what makes a man great. With all the suffering you’re bound to endure, Zhou Chenyi, your future is going to be amazing!”

Zhou Chenyi: “…”