Although they didn’t buy the put chai ko, Gu Xicao did manage to buy a bit of pork at the butcher’s stand. The pork cost only a one yuan, which the butcher sold to them without fuss because they were just two kids.

Gu Xicao carried the small piece of pork as she walked back home with Lin Yuan.

Their home was a public housing unit called Ziwei Building in Hung Hom, Mong Kok. The elevator was narrow, and each floor housed dozens of families. Many of these homes were subdivided flats, where a single apartment was split into three or four smaller units. The average living space was less than 48 square feet—about four square meters.

When Gu Xicao and Lin Yuan stepped out of the elevator, they immediately ran into some uncles and aunties playing mahjong in the corridor.

“Hello, Uncle Liu.”
“Good day, Mrs. Lam.”

The two greeted the neighbors politely.

Mrs. Lam had her hair clipped back, permed into a fluffy style. A cigarette dangled between her fingers. She noticed the siblings returning and casually said, “Good, good, you’re back. The landlord was just asking about you.”

Lin Yuan gasped, panic written all over his face.

Gu Xicao squeezed his hand reassuringly and smiled at Mrs. Lam. “Thank you, Mrs. Lam. I wish you good luck and big winnings today.”

Mrs. Lam’s face lit up with a broad smile. “The fortune-teller said I’d strike it big today!”

Gu Xicao chuckled inwardly—fortune-tellers lied nine times out of ten. But she held back her skepticism, pulling Lin Yuan along as they returned to their tiny home.

The flat was cramped and oppressive. The entrance doubled as a kitchen, with a bathroom next to it. Inside was a single space that served as both a living room and bedroom, complete with a bunk bed.

This was the precarious space Gu Xicao and Lin Yuan called home—where eviction always loomed as a possibility.

Lin Yuan, clearly anxious, busied himself cooking as he asked nervously, “Sister, what are we going to do? The landlord is definitely here for the rent. We don’t have enough money.”

Gu Xicao felt uneasy too.

But she couldn’t let it show. As the older sibling and an adult, she needed to stay composed. If she panicked, it would be over for both of them.

“Don’t worry, your sister has a plan. Just focus on cooking while I count how much money we have.”

“Okay,” Lin Yuan said obediently, not pressing further.

Gu Xicao crawled under the bunk bed, lifted a loose floor tile, and retrieved a biscuit tin hidden there. Pouring out its contents, she carefully counted the cash. Including today’s earnings, they had a total of 435 yuan.

This amount wouldn’t be enough to satisfy the landlord.

To be fair, their landlord wasn’t a bad person. She had already allowed them to delay rent for a month and hadn’t yet demanded payment for the current month.

But if they were evicted, they’d be out on the street.

Staying in a hostel wasn’t an option either. Hong Kong’s booming tourism industry had driven up prices. Even a shared dorm bed cost over 30 yuan a night per person.

As she fretted, a chime suddenly echoed in her mind:

[Alert! Your landlord Mrs. Leung’s grandson went out an hour ago, got into a car accident, and is now in critical condition at St. Mary’s Hospital!]

Gu Xicao froze for a moment before muttering in exasperation, “System, don’t you have other melons? For example, melons that can make me rich instantly?”

[Nope. If I had those, I’d want them for myself.]

“…”

Damn it. Why was the system so crude yet so logical?

Suddenly, a loud knock came at the door.

“Knock, knock, knock!”

Mrs. Leung’s voice boomed from outside. “Xiao Gu, I know you and your brother are in there. Open up! Open the door!”

Lin Yuan paused mid-stir, cold sweat forming on his forehead. He looked toward Gu Xicao, his face pale with fear.

She gave him a calming wave, put the money away, and opened the door. The iron gate clanged as it slid open.

Mrs. Leung, an elderly woman with a perpetually stern expression, wasted no time. “Xiao Gu, I won’t repeat myself. I’ve already let you delay a month. If you don’t pay, you’re moving out tomorrow.”

The commotion drew the attention of nosy neighbors, who peeked their heads out to watch.

Forcing a smile, Gu Xicao said, “Mrs. Leung, we know how tough it is for you. How about this: we’ll pay 420 yuan now and settle the rest later. Does that work?”

Mrs. Leung frowned, hesitating for a moment.

Her gaze shifted between Gu Xicao and Lin Yuan before she shook her head resolutely. “No. If you can’t pay the full amount, just pack up and leave. I’ve been more than patient.”

“Please, Mrs. Leung, give us a little more time,” Lin Yuan pleaded desperately. He turned off the stove and rushed over to beg.

Mrs. Leung glanced at his thin frame and the pitiful meal of wilted greens and minced meat cooking in the pan. She wavered but ultimately remained firm. “No. I’ve already waited long enough. If you can pay, we’ll talk. If not, just go.”

“Mrs. Leung!”

Panic surged in Gu Xicao’s chest. With nowhere else to go, she had to think of a way to convince her.

Suddenly, inspiration struck. “How about this—what if I read your fortune? If it’s accurate, will you give us a few more days?”

“Fortune-telling?”

The neighbors chuckled from their doorways, amused. A family of five burst into laughter, their voices echoing down the hall.

“Xiao Gu, when did you become a fortune-teller? Why didn’t we know?”

Mrs. Lam joined in, grinning. “Don’t joke around, Xiao Gu. You’re too young to know anything about divination. If you can’t get the money, don’t joke with Mrs. Liang.”

“Exactly,” someone else added. “Fortune-telling? That’s even funnier than the jokes in the Lucky Draw magazine!”

Mrs. Leung stared at her incredulously.

Even Lin Yuan was startled. “Sister, since when do you know how to read fortunes?”