Chapter 13: Great Fortune
From childhood to adulthood, An Yi had never been carried on someone’s back like this before. Even that time by the swimming pool, when Huo Beixing had hoisted him onto his shoulder—a gesture that was extremely common between fathers and children when they were young—An Yi had never experienced that either. At first, when Huo Beixing insisted on carrying him to breakfast every morning, An Yi had found it a little hard to get used to. But after a while, he adapted. A human-powered vehicle, and free at that, so right now he was sleeping soundly on the man’s shoulder, completely out cold.
Huo Beixing was strong. Carrying An Yi felt no different than carrying a backpack. Then, right in front of all the Huo family’s eyes, he took him away.
“The An family’s adopted son has some skill.”
“They really do seem to have a good relationship.”
“They may be close now, but that doesn’t mean things will still be the same once Huo Beixing is no longer foolish.”
“No one can say what’ll happen then.”
When Huo Xiao came out and saw this scene, his gaze was full of admiration and respect. In this family where everyone followed rules and lived stiffly, the only one who could still act however he pleased was Huo Beixing. No matter what state his mind was in, he had never changed. He was always true to himself.
By the time they got back from the Huo family’s main residence, it was already one or two in the morning. An Yi forced himself to stay awake long enough to change out of his clothes and take a shower. Only then did he collapse onto the big bed and bury himself in sleep.
He felt that one night at the Huo family residence had been more exhausting than living through three full days. Even the shower had not managed to wash away the sleepiness. The little frog touched the bed and instantly fell into dreamland.
Just as An Yi was accusing Old Man Duke Zhou of having put too many pieces on the chessboard, a piano tune rang out.
An Yi looked at Duke Zhou, who was dressed in ancient robes, and said eagerly, “Brother Zhou, pretty trendy of you, huh? Even listening to modern music.”
Duke Zhou: …
Just as An Yi waited to hear how the other man would respond, Duke Zhou slowly opened his mouth.
“That’s your fucking phone.”
And then… then he woke up.
The ringtone was blaring by his ear. Staring up at the ceiling, he craned his head and glanced outside at the sky, which was only just beginning to brighten.
An Yi: 🙂
Might as well just die.
It was now five in the morning. Afraid of waking Huo Beixing, An Yi took his phone and went into the bathroom. The caller ID on the screen read:
Universal Super Beauty
An Yi narrowed his still blurry eyes and answered.
A woman’s voice came from the other end. “An Yi, don’t forget about the brand selection this afternoon at two. Remember to bring your design drafts. I already had Lin Jiu find people to rush the sample outfit. This is the first time our studio has ever gotten a chance like this. Even though there are a lot of competitors, I have confidence.”
Her tone was full of passion, and An Yi gradually woke up as well. Excited, he asked, “Confidence that we’ll stand out?”
Gu Lingling said, “No. Confidence that we won’t come in last.”
An Yi: …
Well, the mindset was still good.
The girl on the other end was called Gu Lingling. She was one of the main figures in An Yi’s studio. The studio had three core members in total: Gu Lingling, Lin Jiu, and him.
Because there were only three of them total.
Too poor to even hire a cleaner. 🙂
The three of them had started the studio two months ago. They were all ambitious young people who loved the design industry. Their heads got hot all at once—no, that was wrong—the three of them hit it off immediately and decided on the spot to build a studio, working hard and striving forward for their dreams.
Although the An family could have provided An Yi with many connections and resources, An Yi did not want to rely on them to take shortcuts. He wanted to depend on his own ability and truly accomplish his ideals for real.
Even if the An family could have pushed him up within the design circle, they could not give him the understanding of the industry or the polishing that came from actual work. It was like a bitter piece of chocolate: no matter how sweetly you wrapped it, inside it was still bitter. Some things, if you did not experience them yourself, you might never truly understand them in your whole life. No matter how complicated or muddy the path was, he did not want to be pale and empty on paper.
Part of the reason was also that An Yi did not want to become someone like the village chief’s son—someone who relied on family power to manipulate and rob others.
Everyone’s hard work should be acknowledged, yet power could strip all of it away. He hated that. Deep down, he simply could not accept it.
That had been his nightmare, and it was the nightmare of many others too.
If he entered the design world under the identity of an An family son, and now with the added backing of the Huo family, his road ahead would be who knew how much smoother. But that kind of smoothness would not come from his own ability, so An Yi did not want it.
Within the studio, their job titles ranged from chairman to janitor, covering every possible role. As for chairman, they rotated the position: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday belonged to Gu Lingling; Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday belonged to An Yi. Lin Jiu was a little unreliable, so he only got Sunday.
Lin Jiu had protested on the spot. The two of them each got three days, so why did he only get one?!
Gu Lingling had replied, “It’s already generous that I left you one. At first, you weren’t going to get any. Do you know why you were allowed one day as chairman?”
Lin Jiu: “Why?”
Gu Lingling: “Because of my kindness.”
Lin Jiu: …
She is literally ICU-ing me.
When they received the brand selection invitation card, the three of them had been excited for a long time. They immediately began designing clothing based on the brand concept the company had provided. The selection was taking place this afternoon at the brand company’s office building.
Holding his phone, An Yi said, “Got it. I won’t be late. Where are we meeting before we go?”
Gu Lingling replied, “In front of a café. I’ll send you the address in a bit.”
Then she hung up.
An Yi looked at the time on the screen. Five ten.
The day’s plan begins in the morning. If he was up this early, there were plenty of things he could do.
An Yi pushed open the bathroom door, walked to the bed, threw back the blanket, and with a smooth whoosh slipped right back under it.
For example, go back to sleep.
An Yi: peaceful little frog.jpg
Maybe because Huo Beixing had also been tired from socializing the day before, today he delayed the breakfast-carrying schedule a little. It was not until nine in the morning that he finally carried An Yi downstairs from upstairs.
At the breakfast table, An Yi briefly told him that he was going out this afternoon.
Huo Beixing looked at him and asked curiously, “Where?”
An Yi bit into a sandwich and said, “To work. I’ll probably be back tonight.”
Huo Beixing gave a little “oh.”
He had a combat class this afternoon too, and had originally wanted to bring his wife along to the training gym. He often saw other people bringing their girlfriends or wives there to watch them box, and he wanted his wife to watch him too. For a moment he felt a little disappointed. Looks like it would have to wait until next time.
After breakfast, An Yi went back to the study and organized his design drafts, staying there until a little after one in the afternoon. Only then did he come out. After getting dressed properly, he walked downstairs and found Huo Beixing watching television—still that same Runaway Bride, Where Are You Going?
The male lead wore an arrogantly seductive expression, grabbed the female lead, and ran freely with her across the grass. Then they ran into a sea of roses, and in a voice as pretentious as if he had the mumps, he said, “Do you like them? I planted these roses specially for you.”
The woman covered her mouth excitedly and looked at him with deep emotion. “Oh my god, this is so romantic. I’m simply the happiest person in the world. Thank you for giving me roses. I’ve never seen roses before.”
An Yi silently slipped past from the side, then looked at Huo Beixing sitting there completely absorbed in the scene. The little frog stepped forward and gently touched him.
Pulled out of his Mary Sue fantasy romance, Huo Beixing looked up at An Yi with clear peach blossom eyes.
An Yi cleared his throat. “Um, I’m heading out to work. Is there anything you want? I can bring it back for you after I get off work.”
Last time Huo Beixing had gone out, he had brought back the relative-sized big frog for him. Since people should return courtesy when courtesy is given, this time that he was heading out to work, it was his turn to bring something back for Huo Beixing.
Huo Beixing said, “I want a rose.”
The corner of An Yi’s eye twitched.
Huo Beixing added, “I’ve never seen a rose before.”
An Yi: …
Then what exactly was that huge patch in the garden, fake or what?!
But since he had named a specific item, An Yi did not refuse. After work, he would stop by a flower shop and buy some for him.
After changing his shoes, An Yi said, “Then I’m heading out.”
“Wife!” Huo Beixing called after him.
An Yi turned around. “What is it?”
Huo Beixing looked at him with a bit of worry, reminding him, “Don’t drink dirty water, okay?”
A few days ago, the male lead in Runaway Bride, Where Are You Going? had drunk dirty water and ended up in the ICU.
An Yi: …
Who would drink it?!
Only after An Yi promised him again and again did Huo Beixing finally relax enough to let him leave, terrified that if An Yi drank dirty water, he would end up wife-less.
An Yi took a car to the place Gu Lingling had sent him. The moment he got out, he saw Gu Lingling standing by the roadside, waving at him. After paying the fare, An Yi got out holding his precious design drafts.
Today, Gu Lingling was wearing a red dress. Her thick black hair had been curled into big waves, and her makeup was exquisitely done, giving her a poised and elegant air.
But there were red veins in her eyes, clearly showing she had been busy with a lot of things for today.
When An Yi walked over, he looked around. “Where’s Lin Jiu?”
Gu Lingling said, “I just asked him. He’s almost here.”
An Yi understood. While waiting for Lin Jiu, he took out the design drafts and looked through them together with Gu Lingling.
Just when the conversation was halfway through, the two of them noticed an extra pair of shoes on the ground before them. It should have belonged to Lin Jiu. The two raised their heads together.
A rainbow stabbed straight through their retinas and nearly blinded them both.
Fuck, where did this non-mainstream creature come from?!
Lin Jiu walked over carrying the garment bag, with a head full of seven-colored auspicious clouds. Looking at the two of them, he said, “I’m here.”
Gu Lingling: “Who—who’s talking?”
An Yi: “No idea.”
Lin Jiu: “Hey!!!”
Lin Jiu was one year younger than An Yi, twenty-two this year, and stood at one meter eighty-one, so he was not short.
Looking at his dazzlingly cool styling, the two of them genuinely wished they did not know him. Lin Jiu’s hair color was so eye-searingly bold that passersby were all glancing in their direction.
Gu Lingling looked at him and wished she could just yank all that hair right off his head. “Why did you dye your hair like that?”
Lin Jiu touched his hair, sounding perfectly natural. “Doesn’t anyone doing art need a little color on their head?”
Gu Lingling shot back, “Whose head has seven colors on it?!”
Instantly, Gu Lingling’s temples started throbbing in anger. Aside from his chunibyo tendencies, the most unreliable thing about Lin Jiu was how random and freewheeling he was. Today was such an important occasion, and he had shown up with rainbow hair. Anyone looking at them would think their studio specialized in non-mainstream aesthetics!!
But right now was not the time to argue. They were about to head to the brand company building.
The three of them bent slightly, draping their arms over one another’s shoulders to form a small circle, heads pressed together and facing down. Gu Lingling said seriously, “This is the first time our Pink Crystal Girl’s Heart has ever participated in a selection…”
Hearing that toe-curlingly embarrassing name, Lin Jiu interrupted, “Wait. What is Pink Crystal Girl’s Heart?”
Gu Lingling looked at him like he was stupid. “Obviously our studio name.”
Lin Jiu immediately rose up in indignation. “Impossible! It’s clearly called Universe Number One Cool Squad.”
Gu Lingling took a step forward. “What cool squad? It’s obviously Pink Crystal Girl’s Heart.”
An Yi: “Don’t fight, don’t fight!”
“It’s Universe Number One Design House!” Lin Jiu turned to An Yi. “An Yi, tell us what our studio’s name is.”
An Yi went quiet for a few seconds, then slowly said, “…Free Soaring Mighty Eagle.”
Gu Lingling: …
Lin Jiu: …
One studio, three names.
Each of the three of them had apparently come up with their own. They had all assumed the other people knew, but none of them did. You could say they had tacit understanding, yet somehow they also did not. No tacit understanding, yet somehow maybe still a little.
In the end, because the introduction letter Gu Lingling had prepared listed the name as Pink Crystal Girl’s Heart, the studio name was officially settled as Pink Crystal Girl’s Heart.
Gu Lingling looked at An Yi and Lin Jiu, suddenly noticing something. “Are the things you two are wearing real?”
She meant the watch on An Yi’s wrist and the necklace and earrings around Lin Jiu’s neck—all expensive luxury brands.
An Yi was startled and hurriedly said, “No, they’re fake.”
As he spoke, he quickly took them off. He had almost slipped up there. Lin Jiu hurriedly yanked off his necklace and earrings too, then coughed and said, “Mine too.”
Gu Lingling looked at the two of them and patiently reminded them, “Don’t wear them next time. The biggest taboo in this circle is piracy and fake goods.”
The two of them nodded obediently like little chicks pecking rice.
Definitely.
After unifying the studio name and tidying up their outfits, An Yi and the others began walking toward the brand company building on the central avenue.
Gu Lingling was clearly a little nervous. Along the way she sighed many times. “What if we don’t get selected?”
An Yi opened his mouth to comfort her. “It’s okay. Even if we don’t get selected, it’s fine. This isn’t the only chance we’ll ever have.”
Just then, they happened to spot an old man sitting in the shade by the roadside, wearing round black glasses. Spread out in front of him was a red cloth covered in dense black writing. The only large words that stood out read:
Blind Fortune-Telling
Lin Jiu’s interest was instantly piqued. “How about we go have our luck read for today?”
At least it would be some emotional comfort.
As he spoke, he ran over. The old man said he could tell their luck by drawing lots, only ten yuan.
Lin Jiu immediately paid the ten yuan. Gu Lingling declared that it would count as a studio expense and could be reimbursed once they made money. Then Lin Jiu grabbed the bamboo lot container and started shaking it.
An Yi and Gu Lingling also grew nervous without meaning to, their eyes fixed tightly on the bamboo tube, watching for when it would spit something out.
Soon, one bamboo stick fell out.
Great Fortune.
Lin Jiu snatched it up at once, his face full of excitement. “Fuck, Great Fortune! Our luck today is insane!”
But just as he was about to stand up, he accidentally bumped the bamboo lot tube. It tipped over, and all the sticks inside spilled out onto the ground.
Great Fortune. Great Fortune. Great Fortune. Great Fortune. Great Fortune. Great Fortune. Great Fortune…
The ground was full of Great Fortune slips.
There were no other kinds at all.
The three of them: …
An Yi: Had they just been scammed?
Looking at the ground full of Great Fortune slips, Lin Jiu reacted instantly. “You rotten old liar—”
An Yi hurried forward to stop him, wrapping his arms around him from behind. “Forget it, forget it.”
The old man fumbled around gathering his things, then shuffled away with unsteady steps.
Judging by how he looked, there was definitely no way he was giving the money back. If they made a big scene out of it, they did not have time to stand here arguing with him either. An Yi said, “Forget it. He’s old and blind. Just think of it as charity.”
Who would have thought that the old man then expertly stopped right at a red light with only three seconds left on the countdown. The moment the light turned green, he moved with flying steps and sprinted across the street.
An Yi: …
An Yi: “Scammer! Give us back the money! Return that ten yuan!!”
Lin Jiu hurried to grab An Yi and stop him this time. “Forget it, forget it.”
And just like that, before the studio had even turned a profit, it had already lost ten yuan.
For a moment, the three of them were all somewhat stunned.
Ten yuan.
A giant sum.
Gu Lingling said, “At least it wasn’t spent for nothing.”
Lin Jiu and An Yi: ?
“It did tell us what our luck is like today, didn’t it?” As she spoke, she lifted her face toward the heavens. “Bad luck to the very end.”
“……”
Author’s Note:
Huo Dashan: What if my wife drinks dirty water?
