Chapter 4: Things That Bring Bad Luck

Pei Heng wanted to offer an explanation, but considering that this "fairy sister" had just shattered the bulletproof glass of his car window with a few softly whispered incantations, he felt a lingering suspicion that she was far more powerful than the master he had previously consulted. It made sense, too—how could an ordinary person be this incredibly beautiful?

"What do you mean by that?"

Seeing Pei Heng’s humble demeanor, Jiang Zhiyue felt a surge of relief. Compared to the Jiang family, who always lectured her with disdain whenever she tried to warn them, communicating with this man was a breath of fresh air.

Earlier, by the glow of the car’s headlights, she had caught a clear look at his face and silently cast a reading. He possessed the physiognomy of immense wealth and extraordinary luck—a person whose only life struggle should be dying with money still left in his bank account. This was truly bizarre. In two lifetimes, this was the first time she had ever doubted her own professional judgment. In principle, someone as inherently lacking in virtue as him should never have been granted such a prosperous life by the Heavens. Thinking of her own past life, where she had accumulated merit and done good deeds only to end up destitute in this one, she felt a stinging sensation in her nose. The chasm between people was truly insurmountable.

Seeing the girl’s eyes turn slightly red, Pei Heng grew anxious and raised his hands in surrender. "Wait, wait! Are you going to cry? Don't cry, fairy sister! I won't ask anymore, I promise. My mistake, it's my fault."

Jiang Zhiyue was struck by his silliness and managed to swallow her tears. "Can you let me see that protective amulet again?"

Pei Heng quickly pulled it from his pocket. "Here you go, fairy sister."

After examining it repeatedly under the car’s lights, Jiang Zhiyue had her answer. She carefully chose her words. "Have you ever heard of the Eighth Pawnshop?"

"You mean that legendary pawnshop that can trade for anything?"

"Exactly!" Jiang Zhiyue held the amulet out. "This charm of yours does indeed have the effect of 'ensuring safety'."

Pei Heng breathed a sigh of relief, but then Jiang Zhiyue continued, "Normal protective amulets are crafted by high-level practitioners; they contain powerful energy that can shield the wearer from a calamity. The higher the master's cultivation, the stronger the energy. But this amulet? I don't feel a shred of energy in it."

Pei Heng was shocked. "Could it be fake? That shouldn't be. It was crafted personally by the Abbot of Qingyun Temple. Besides, you just said it really does provide protection."

"Who told you that anything that 'ensures safety' is a proper protective charm? Let me put it this way: the Eighth Pawnshop can trade your lifespan, luck, or senses for whatever you desire. This charm is similar. It secures your safety by extracting something else from you to offset the calamity."

"However, just by looking at this object, I can't determine exactly what it is taking from you."

Hearing this, Pei Heng dared not look at the charm in his hand. He was silent for a moment before whispering, "A deal with the devil?"

"Well, you’ve got a knack for summarizing things, brother. Yes, that’s exactly what it is. Even though you lack virtue and are plagued by bad luck, your face shows that the Heavens intended for you to be crippled, sick, lonely, or short-lived, but never poor. If it’s just siphoning off your wealth to offset your misfortune, that’s just 'losing money to avoid disaster,' which isn't a big deal for you. But what I fear is that this thing isn't just taking your wealth."

Pei Heng felt the object in his hand suddenly become a hot potato. To avoid accidents, he rarely went out, so his parents had always been the ones to personally request these charms; he knew nothing of the specifics. But the fairy sister’s words forced him to be vigilant. As the saying goes, it is better to believe it exists than to assume it does not. Being able to live this long was largely because he knew how to listen to advice.

"What do you think I should do? If it’s just losing money to avoid disaster, I can handle that."

Having secured his promise, Jiang Zhiyue’s eyes sparkled. Fate was truly marvelous. As long as she latched onto this wealthy patron, what did the Jiang family matter? They were just a bunch of stingy, stubborn blockheads!

"Don't worry, don't worry. Our meeting today was fated. Let me craft you a new protective amulet, and for now, stop wearing this one. As for what exactly it's taking from you, we'll have to ask the person who requested it."

"Alright!" Pei Heng felt his face grow hot. If she wanted to ask the person who requested the charm, didn't that mean she would have to come to his house to meet his mother? He would have to prepare properly.

As they spoke, several black cars arrived from the distance. Remembering that her belongings were still at the Jiang residence, she dropped Pei Heng off at a private hospital and then "borrowed" one of his cars to return to the Jiang house. She had saved two yuan on bus fare—she really was a little genius!

The driver dropped her off outside the residential complex, and she walked in. To her surprise, she ran into something ominous the moment she reached the door. And it wasn't just an insult; it was truly bad luck. Jiang Chen, who had been arrogant and abusive toward her just last night, was now gently holding the hand of a beautiful girl as they walked toward her.

At the sight of her, the tenderness in his eyes instantly turned to shards of ice. "Jiang Zhiyue, how do you still have the face to come back?"

Jiang Zhiyue snorted, not even sparing him a glance, and turned her gaze toward the girl he was holding.

Jiang Chen pulled the girl behind him and threatened, "What kind of mischief are you trying to stir up now?"

"Hey, this is your Jiang family home. What could an outsider like me possibly do?" Jiang Zhiyue spread her hands innocently.

"Hmph, it's good that you know your place."

"Brother Chen, what's wrong? Did something happen?" The girl behind Jiang Chen spoke. Her voice was soft, weak, and boneless, making Jiang Zhiyue shiver. Only then did she notice that the girl’s eyes seemed unable to see anything.

"It's nothing, just ran into a blind servant from the house. Don't worry about her. Come, let me take you inside. You can stay at my place for as long as you like. My third brother is a famous doctor in the country; when he returns, he will definitely be able to cure your eyes."

"Really? Can my eyes really be cured? I'm so happy, Brother Chen, thank you."

The girl's sweet, delicate voice seemed to strike every chord in Jiang Chen's heart. A pure-hearted, rebellious youth like him was helpless against such fragrant, soft-spoken girls. His entire face and neck flushed red. He didn't even bother to continue his confrontation with Jiang Zhiyue and led the girl into the house.

Since she was planning to switch patrons anyway, Jiang Zhiyue didn't pay much attention to the matter. It was just a wandering soul with an unfulfilled wish, not a malevolent spirit. At worst, she’d lose some yang energy; it wouldn't kill her.

She didn't really have many belongings. When she first arrived at the Jiang family, the parents and brothers had actually been quite good to her, which was why she had been a "sucker" for them for so long. But it was a pity—no matter how well they treated her, it could never compare to a single word from their adopted daughter, Jiang Qingyan.

Jiang Qingyan had claimed that Jiang Zhiyue only got close to the family because she was after their money. So, to "test" her, the parents had moved all the limited-edition princess dresses they had prepared for her into Jiang Qingyan’s room, and the pocket money they gave her wasn't even a fraction of what Jiang Qingyan received. They wanted to test whether she would still accept them as family if they didn't provide her with material wealth.

What a load of nonsense—talking about "feelings" instead of money, and waiting for her to pass their "assessment" before restoring her status and treatment as the eldest daughter of the Jiang family. They were a family of lunatics.

What she wanted to say now was that the three-year period had passed, and not one person in the Jiang family had passed *her* assessment. It was she who no longer wanted them to be her family. Having too many people around was just a hassle; being alone was far more comfortable.