“Mr. Michael, let’s finalize this case. Tomorrow, we’ll prepare the contract for you.”

The manager, all smiles, saw the foreign clients off as they got into a taxi.

After the taxi drove away, the manager finally let out a sigh of relief. Wiping the sweat off his forehead, he turned to Zhou Xiufang and said, “Xiufang, you did a great job today. If it weren’t for you helping out, I couldn’t have understood those foreigners’ accents at all.”

Zhou Xiufang smiled politely. “Manager, your English is already excellent. Those two Americans were probably of Italian descent, and Italian accents are hard to understand—even for Americans.”

“Really? Haha, no wonder I couldn’t make sense of it!”

The manager felt much better.

He nodded approvingly. “Our company made the right decision hiring you. With this deal secured, I’ll make sure to put in a good word for you with the higher-ups. Let me tell you something—but keep it to yourself.”

Zhou Xiufang’s face showed curiosity.

The manager continued, “The company is planning to transfer me to the headquarters in the U.S., so my position here will soon be vacant. The higher-ups are considering either you or Kevin for the role. Kevin has been with the company for many years and has strong connections, but you have an edge—your education is higher, and you studied abroad in the U.S. If you’re interested, I can help you secure it.”

Zhou Xiufang’s heart skipped a beat, and she was overjoyed.

She had been with the company for nearly a year and had successfully managed several projects. Yet, due to her youth, she was often sidelined by Kevin.

Tonight’s event turned out to be a stroke of luck. Without it, she might have missed this golden opportunity and delayed her career growth by years. Kevin, who was always envious and spiteful, would have certainly made things difficult for her.

“Thank you, Manager! No matter the result, I’ll always remember your kindness. Oh, by the way, my father is sending me some items soon. He heard you like cigars and insisted on sending a box of Cuban cigars for you. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Wow, that’s too generous of him.”

Cuban cigars were all the rage, a symbol of wealth often showcased on TV. Hearing this, the manager was clearly tempted.

“It’s nothing. You’ve always looked out for me, so this is just a small token of appreciation from my family,” Zhou Xiufang replied with a smile.

In her heart, she marveled at the accuracy of the fortune teller’s prediction. She had barely put aside her emotions, and already a great career opportunity had come her way.

Late at night, Mrs. Leung returned home, exhausted. Upon hearing her footsteps, Gu Xicao opened the door and greeted her.

“Landlady.”

“Oh, it’s you, Xiao Gu. Why are you still up so late?”

Rubbing her tired eyes, Mrs. Leung looked at her tenant.

“I was waiting for you. Here’s the rent for two months. I’m sorry it’s been delayed for so long,” Gu Xicao said, pulling out an envelope and handing it to her.

Leung was stunned for a moment and then said, surprised, “Why the rush? I wasn’t pressuring you. You and your brother have it tough. You should hold on to this for now.”

“Don’t worry, Landlady. Business has been good lately. I’ve earned some money by fortune-telling, so please accept it.” Gu Xicao firmly placed the envelope into Leung’s hand.

Leung looked at the envelope, then at Gu Xicao, feeling a pang of guilt. “Alright, I’ll accept it. I’m sorry for earlier.”

“It’s no trouble. We’re the ones who should apologize. You’ve helped us so much. By the way, Landlady, Xiao Yuan only has an ID card. Is it difficult to get him into school here?”

Aside from paying the rent, Gu Xicao’s other purpose tonight was to find out how to enroll Lin Yuan in school. After all, a ten-year-old spending his days helping her at the street stall wasn’t ideal.

The original host had fled to Hong Kong as a stowaway and had no relatives. If not for Lin Yuan’s mother taking her in, she would have been left to fend for herself.

Out of gratitude, she felt it was her duty to send Lin Yuan to school.

“That’s easy. The principal of Deng Jialin Primary School nearby was a friend of my late husband,” Leung said with a laugh. “At the end of August, I’ll take you to complete the enrollment process. There’s no tuition fee, just a term fee of 300 yuan, which includes one meal.”

Three hundred yuan per term was manageable.

Gu Xicao nodded. “That would be a huge help. Thank you, Landlady.”

“No trouble at all. But there’s something I’d like to ask of you,” Leung said hesitantly, her face showing a hint of unease.

Gu Xicao immediately caught on. “Is it about your grandson, Jiabao?”

“Yes! That rebellious boy is such a headache. He’s no good at school, and now he’s at an age where he doesn’t know what to do with his life!” Leung sighed, her brows furrowed in frustration.

Gu Xicao understood. Among public housing residents, Leung’s family was relatively well-off, with several units generating rental income. Combined with her fish ball business, she earned thousands each month.

However, using this money to fund Jia Bao’s university education was a pipe dream. First, Jiabao’s grades weren’t good enough to pass even preparatory courses. Second, tuition fees at universities in Hong Kong were exorbitant, costing tens of thousands per term—an amount most families simply couldn’t afford.

Gu Xicao smiled and said, “Landlady, your grandson Jiabao is actually quite smart. If he doesn’t want to study, he could try something else. I’ve noticed he likes watching TV and movies. Why not let him try acting?”

“Acting?” Leung was momentarily stunned. “With Jiabao’s looks, he can act?”

Gu Xicao’s lips twitched. Only a real grandmother could be so blunt about her grandson.

“Actors don’t necessarily need to be handsome. What matters most is their appeal to the audience. If you trust me, you can have your grandson try auditioning at TCB.”

Mrs. Leung was persuaded by Gu Xicao.

She trusted Gu Xicao completely; everything she said seemed to come true. When it came to something as important as her grandson’s future, who else could she trust?

“Alright, alright! Thank you so much. From now on, you don’t have to pay for water and electricity—I’ll cover it for you.”

Having paid off her rent, Gu Xicao felt unburdened and slept soundly that night.

On the other side, Zhou Xiufang was swamped. She had to juggle calling her family to arrange for items to be sent to Hong Kong and sorting through her work responsibilities. There was no way she would let Kevin snatch the promotion opportunity from her.

The next day, the contract signing went smoothly. The manager praised Zhou Xiufang in front of everyone, leaving Kevin visibly upset.

After work, Zhou Xiufang walked out of the office building, chatting and laughing with her female colleagues. One of them nudged her and said, “Xiufang, your boyfriend is here to pick you up again.”

Following her colleague’s gaze, Zhou Xiufang saw Chen Qun running toward her, and her smile faded slightly.

She had been so focused on work all day that she hadn’t given Chen Qun a second thought.

“Xiufang, I’ve been waiting for you for so long,” Chen Qun said, his face sunburned.

The female colleague teased, “Wow, so devoted, waiting without even using an umbrella.”

Chen Qun chuckled sheepishly. “I didn’t think about it. Besides, waiting for my Xiufang doesn’t feel like waiting.”

“But you already know what time I get off work,” Zhou Xiufang said, frowning slightly.

Chen Qun had done this several times before—coming early to wait for her, which made her feel guilty. But when she thought about it, she had clearly told him her schedule.

If he came early, couldn’t he wait somewhere shaded?

Chen Qun froze, looking embarrassed. “I… I didn’t think of that.”

Sensing the awkwardness, her colleague quickly said, “Well, I’ll get going now. See you tomorrow, Celina!”

Not wanting to make a scene in front of her colleague, Zhou Xiufang nodded. After her colleague left, she turned to Chen Qun.

Chen Qun’s face showed an apologetic smile. “Xiufang, is something wrong at work? Don’t be upset. My mom made dinner, and she’s waiting for you at home. Let’s hurry back.”

Again?

Zhou Xiufang bit her lip. “Sorry, I’m busy tonight. I need to work overtime.”

“Overtime?” Chen Qun was stunned, frowning. “But my family is waiting for you. You can work later. My relatives are all at my house tonight.”

“Your relatives are all at your house?” Zhou Xiufang was taken aback, finding it absurd.

“Yes!”

Chen Qun grabbed her hand. “Don’t worry, they just want to meet you.”

If Zhou Xiufang had been a clueless ABC (American-born Chinese) unfamiliar with life in Hong Kong, she might have been tricked.

However, having lived in Hong Kong for five or six years as a child, and overhearing her colleagues’ conversations, she knew better.

A gathering of relatives to meet the girlfriend? This was clearly a prelude to discussing marriage.

Previously, Celina’s older cousin had complained that when her fiancé didn’t invite her aunts to discuss the engagement, the whole family criticized him for being rude and inconsiderate.

Now, Chen Qun was taking advantage of Zhou Xiufang’s presumed ignorance of Hong Kong customs to pressure her.

“Chen Qun, I think we need to take a break,” Zhou Xiufang said calmly, though anger simmered inside her.

“Our marriage can wait.”

Chen Qun stood frozen, watching in disbelief as Zhou Xiufang pulled her hand away and left. It felt like a thunderbolt out of a clear sky.

That day, business was slow for Gu Xicao.

The reason was simple—she had clearly marked the fortune-telling fee on her banner.

In Temple Street, most fortune-tellers charged 20 to 30 yuan, but her sign boldly displayed 188 yuan. Passersby took one look, rolled their eyes, and walked away.

Wang Laoshi, fanning himself as he sat on a stool, said, “Xiao Gu, your fee is way too high. People see it and leave. I suggest you lower it.”

Gu Xicao, reading a newspaper, didn’t even look up. “That’s the point. It’s better than wasting time with people who ask questions but don’t commit. This way, everything is clear.”

Wang Laoshi shook his head helplessly.

“Master!”

Someone suddenly called out. When Gu Xicao looked up, she saw it was Zhou Xiufang, holding a box of egg tarts.

“It’s you, Miss Zhou,” Gu Xicao greeted her.

Zhou Xiufang smiled. “Yes, I brought you some snacks today. This shop’s egg tarts are famous. Try them!”

“Thank you very much. By the way, how are things with your boyfriend?”

Gu Xicao didn’t stand on ceremony and accepted the egg tarts. They’d make a good snack later.

Thinking of Chen Qun, Zhou Xiufang felt a lingering sense of unease. “Thanks to your advice, I finally saw his true colors. I’ve decided to break up with him and focus on my career!”

“That’s great. Someone as capable as you is bound to succeed,” Gu Xicao said, noticing Zhou Xiufang’s radiant face. Her mood was evidently good, so she added a casual blessing.

“You’re absolutely right! My boss is planning to promote me to manager!” Zhou Xiufang whispered excitedly.

Gu Xicao: “…”

That was fast.

“Well, congratulations.”

Just as she finished speaking, Gu Xicao noticed a man walking behind Zhou Xiufang. Suddenly, the system’s voice echoed in her mind:

“Breaking news! A widower with a child, haunted by strange occurrences at home. Could it be an evil spirit? What’s the truth?”