I'm Just Getting Your Luck - Chapter 19

Must we get married?

Zhou Chanyi didn’t stay long that night—he left after a short while.

Before leaving, he took the suit from the windowsill with him.

It was clearly deformed but he still wore it.

“Sew for three years, patch for another three,” Zhou Chanyi said she didn’t understand thrift. Even if the seams split, it was still wearable.

Maybe Zhou Chanyi had some sort of peculiar preference.

Either way, Yingyu considered her debt for the suit paid. Debt-free, she felt lighter. She reopened “The Tamer’s Guide to Trainers” and continued studying it, moving forward with her luck-enhancing plan.

After a morning of effort, Yingyu felt recharged.

Just when she was fretting over having no outlet for her talents, a message popped up in the department group chat:
[Team-building tomorrow—company is organizing a mountain hike.]

Spring was in full bloom, and the peach blossoms on Jincheng Mountain were flourishing. It had become a new trendy check-in spot.

Yingyu, full of confidence, packed her gear and headed to the foot of the mountain on time.

Zhou Chanyi came light, not even bringing a bottle of water. He figured with so many vendors on the trail, he wouldn’t die of thirst.

With Hexini and the others all present, the first reminders were safety precautions, followed by encouragement to help each other and showcase the company’s strong team spirit.

Hexini, ever the icebreaker, joked, “Some of you might not know this, but our Zhou General Manager was the runner-up in last year’s Jincheng Climbing Festival! If anyone needs help during the hike, don’t hesitate to find Zhou GM!”

Zhou Chanyi adjusted his sunglasses modestly:
“It’s not a big deal. Northern Province full marathon champion, third place in the rock climbing league, and runner-up in the snowboarding competition—I haven’t even mentioned those. If you need help, find me. Climbing this mountain is a piece of cake.”

The crowd of colorful employees: “…”

Bro, your awards are literally plastered all over our office corridor. Even the dogs passing by know!

Yingyu, being new, really didn’t know Zhou Chanyi was that impressive.

And she had brought… kind of a lot of stuff today.

Dragging a large suitcase up to him, Yingyu asked,
“Can you carry this to the top for me?”

Zhou Chanyi, who had decided last night to become Yingyu’s life mentor—a warm-hearted big brother doing his best to help her—hesitated.

But…

Looking at the massive 28-inch suitcase, Zhou Chanyi had a bad feeling:
“…You’re bringing a suitcase to a hike?”

“These things are important. I have to bring them,” Yingyu said seriously. “You must take it to the top. They’re very important to me.”

She and Long Qiuqiu had spent all of last night planning. The suitcase was filled with carefully prepared essentials.

Everyone was watching. Zhou Chanyi couldn’t really argue.

He lifted the suitcase—and almost fell backward on the spot.

“What the heck is in this thing!?” Zhou Chanyi’s veins popped as he struggled to drag the suitcase up a few dozen steps.

“I told you it’s important. You’ll understand once we reach the summit.”

Thanks to Zhou Chanyi, they had already fallen to the back of the group. Yingyu, with her small backpack, walked briskly ahead. She turned and called,
“Hurry up! We need to make it to the top before sunset!”

A suitcase on a hike was already absurd—but this suitcase had to weigh at least 70kg.

Hexini, seeing Zhou Chanyi drenched in sweat, offered to help carry it. But Yingyu quickly stepped in:
“A man can’t say he’s not capable! Zhou GM can totally do it alone. Go Zhou GM!”

Zhou Chanyi, his hair dripping, groaned,
“I’m not capable. Hexini, help me.”

“No way! Helping him would be an insult to his pride!” Yingyu pulled Hexini away. “Let’s just cheer him on instead. Encouragement is more useful than assistance for a stubborn man!”

The book said—enduring hardship was key to success, and for a stubborn man, encouragement was his fuel station.

“Go Zhou GM! You can do it, Zhou GM!”

Hexini, half-confused, began chanting with her. Coincidentally, a nearby group of college students passed by and, being cheerful and enthusiastic, joined in.

It spread like wildfire.

The whole mountain echoed with “Zhou Chanyi’s” name.

Zhou Chanyi’s throat was dry like sandpaper. He deeply regretted not bringing water. And even more, he regretted making the team-building activity a hike.

Would a simple dinner not have sufficed?!

Spending normal time around Yingyu made him forget her bizarre tendencies.

He regretted it.

Deeply. Massively. Immensely.

At last, just before sunset, Zhou Chanyi reached the summit.

The other employees had long gone down for dinner under Hexini’s lead.

Zhou Chanyi gulped down three bottles of water. He was panting like a bellows, arms so sore he could barely lift them, legs heavy like lead. He lay on the ground, unmoving and unbothered about appearances.

To hell with being a warm-hearted mentor. To hell with being her life coach.

Let Yingyu do whatever she wanted—just stop torturing him.

Yingyu breathed in the fresh mountain air, excitedly shouting into the sky and listening to the echo. Once she was done, she approached Zhou Chanyi for business:
“Zhou Chanyi, do you have anything you want to say to me?”

…Here we go again.

Zhou Chanyi closed his eyes and pretended to sleep.

Yingyu called his name a few more times and even poked his arm. Still no response.

A kind passerby saw this and said,
“This young man isn’t dead, is he? Miss, you better give him CPR before it’s too late!”

Dead?

Yingyu panicked.

She hadn’t realized how fragile humans were. What was light for her had been too heavy for him.

“Zhou Chanyi? Zhou Chanyi? Don’t die! I—I haven’t even dual-cultivated with you yet. Hang on, I’ll save you!”

Her voice trembled, and a few hot tears fell on his face.

The lie had gone too far.

Zhou Chanyi twitched a finger and instinctively tried to speak, but Yingyu suddenly pressed him to the ground, cupped his face, and urgently kissed his lips.

“Yingyu, don’t—!”

With his last strength, Zhou Chanyi turned his head. Yingyu’s lips landed on his ear instead, and she even blew air into it.

His ears turned bright red—maybe from the breath.

“Zhou Chanyi, you’re awake?” Yingyu’s face was still tear-streaked. She hugged him tightly. “Wahhh thank goodness you’re okay! I thought I’d have to go to the underworld to drag you back. I really don’t want a ghost marriage with you!”

Zhou Chanyi coughed from being hugged too tightly. His last hug must’ve been in kindergarten. He froze, unaccustomed to the intimacy.

But Yingyu, still clinging to him, babbled on. Eventually, he relaxed and patted her back stiffly:
“There, there. I’m fine. Stop crying. You’re acting like I actually died.”

“Don’t say that!” Yingyu pulled away and said seriously, “Stand up and jump three times.”

“I really can’t get up. Please let me go.”

“Then—” Yingyu slapped his lips three times.

Zhou Chanyi’s expression froze. “Why’s your hand covered in sand?!”

“Oh, I built a sand sculpture of you earlier. Forgot to wash my hands.”

“YINGYU!!”

Zhou Chanyi rinsed his mouth repeatedly with bottled water and wouldn’t let her come within three meters of him. Yingyu stayed at a distance, bored, and started sculpting figures in the sand again.

There were thirty minutes until sunset.

The wind turned chilly, and Zhou Chanyi saw Yingyu take out a rectangular heater from her suitcase.

No power? How would it work?

Then, she pulled out a portable generator.

…No wonder it was so heavy!

The small heater began to emit warmth. Yingyu sat happily in front of it. She continued unpacking—picnic mat, folding chair, gas stove, wine, blankets… one after another.

Well-prepared indeed.

Zhou Chanyi rubbed his sore shoulder and was about to head over.

Just then, a man in simple hiking clothes walked up to Yingyu.

“Aren’t you afraid of fire? Why are you using this?”

Yingyu looked up and saw Yu Chaonan, her eyes lighting up.
“Chaonan-ge! Why are you here?”

Yu Chaonan sat in the other chair and lit the gas stove Yingyu couldn’t figure out.

After adjusting the heat, he smiled gently:
“Your father said you came to the human world. I didn’t expect to run into you here. How have you been?”

It was the first time someone had asked her that.

Yingyu’s heart ached:
“Pretty good. How about you? Where’s Tao-jie?”

She had known Yu Chaonan for three months. He had always been gentle and caring. Then one day, she saw him and Sister Tao holding hands and laughing in the forest.

She’d hidden at the street corner, heartbroken. Long Qiuqiu told her it was just the end of a crush—it would pass.

Yu Chaonan was as gentle as ever:
“We broke up a while ago. I’m a partner at a law firm in Jincheng now. Come visit when you can.”

Broke up?

Yingyu said nothing, but he could read it in her eyes.

He removed his scarf and wrapped it around her windblown hair.
“Don’t look at me like that. Breakups are normal. Haven’t you dated anyone and broken up before?”

Yingyu lowered her head:
“I’ve never dated anyone.”

“So, just an ambiguous thing then?” He nodded toward Zhou Chanyi. “That guy’s been staring at us—do you know him?”

“Yes, he’s my boss. I’ve been trying to touch him for good luck, but he’s super guarded and won’t let me.”

Yu Chaonan laughed:
“You still believe that stuff? You’re still so cute.”

“You don’t believe it?” Yingyu told him about Xiao-jie winning 500,000 after starting a relationship.
“It’s real! Ever since I met him, my luck’s improved—my tires haven’t blown once! That used to happen all the time.”

Yu Chaonan chuckled along, then asked:
“Do you know what 攻略 (capturing or wooing someone) means?”

“He touches me, I touch him, we dual-cultivate to change our fortunes.”

“That’s the idea. Among us yokai, touching, grooming, and bug-catching are all normal among friends or family. But humans aren’t like that.” The soup was boiling. He turned the heat down. “Among humans, those things are reserved for couples—people in romantic relationships. Dual cultivation? Usually, you’d have to be married.”

“Must we get married?”
Yingyu asked suddenly.

“You don’t have to. Relationships now are pretty open. You can sleep together and still be friends the next day. If you don’t get married, there’s no legal responsibility.”

That was a lot of new information for Yingyu to process. Yu Chaonan changed the subject to lighter topics. He also mentioned Xiao-jie had invited him to the wedding, and he’d pick her up so they could go together.

Yingyu had prepared a clear broth hot pot, and there were two dipping sauces.

She hesitated for a moment, then handed one to Yu Chaonan.

“That’s mine.”

Zhou Chanyi’s unfriendly voice came from behind Yu Chaonan.

“GM Zhou,” Yu Chaonan put down the bowl and politely extended his hand, “I’m Yu Chaonan from Shoucheng Law Firm. It’s a pleasure.”

“My hands are sore from carrying the suitcase. Can’t shake.” Zhou Chanyi walked past him and plopped into the chair.
“I carried all this up here. If you want to eat, you need my permission.”

“What’s your deal? Chaonan-ge is my friend,” Yingyu glared, then got up apologetically. “Chaonan-ge, take my seat. I brought plenty—we can share.”

Zhou Chanyi crossed his legs, smug:
“I don’t like eating with strangers.”

“You just had dinner with me last night! Why can’t you eat now?”

“You’re not a stranger. You’re my employee.”

“Zhou Chanyi!”

Yu Chaonan chuckled and pulled Yingyu back:
“It’s okay. I have something to do. Let’s have a proper meal next time. You two enjoy.”

“You’re leaving already?”

“Yeah. I’ll pick you up this weekend. See you.”

Yu Chaonan walked away. Only when he disappeared into the stairway did Yingyu sit back down.

Zhou Chanyi had reheated the pot and waited for her to return before picking up his chopsticks.

The beef was a bit overcooked, but he was starving—it still tasted good.

“Eat slower. No one’s taking it from you.”

“How do you know? Maybe another Yu Chaoxi, Yu Chaodong, or Yu Chaobei will show up.”

He kept eating, but after a long silence from Yingyu, he felt uneasy. He licked his lips:
“Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“I’m watching the sun.”

She glanced at her phone. Only three minutes left before sunset.

Bathed in the glow of the setting sun, Yingyu rested her chin on her hand and softly asked:

“Zhou Chanyi, have you ever liked anyone before?”