Luck Ch.10

Chapter 10: Flying Great Dane

Qin Yan was woken up by noise.

Even in his dream, he could hear Jiang Feng cursing at Jiang Chi.

The gray velvet curtains in the room blocked the light very well. As he reached up to pull them open, Qin Yan felt pain all over his body.

He had been hitting the punching bag for two hours yesterday, and now his arms felt like they were filled with lead, so heavy that he could barely lift them. After a whole night of fermentation, the consequences of overtraining at the boxing gym yesterday were fully reflected in the pain in his muscles.

The penthouse apartment had high ceilings, and the spiral staircase was long. Qin Yan’s waist and legs ached, so he walked very slowly.

But he still had to go downstairs to mock Jiang Chi. Yesterday, after tiring himself out on the punching bag, he had hidden behind it to slack off, and Jiang Chi had taken pleasure in his exhaustion, even daring to mock him for being weak and frail.

Who could train on a punching bag for two hours and still look unfazed, with stamina like Jiang Chi’s?

“How come you still need to extend your graduation after finishing your undergrad?” Qin Yan walked slowly, but his voice was tinged with impatience. “Before transmigrating, wasn’t the plan to go straight to a PhD, Dr. Jiang?”

Jiang Chi lifted his eyelids and gave Qin Yan the middle finger.

Just then, the electronic lock made a ‘beep’ sound and turned open.

Jiang Feng pushed the door open. “By the way, Jiang Chi, that card will only be unlocked after 24 hours, so you should use this one for now.”

Jiang Feng looked up and happened to bump into Qin Yan, who was limping down the stairs.

Jiang Feng: “…”

Jiang Feng glanced at Jiang Chi, and saw the middle finger that Jiang Chi hadn’t put down.

Jiang Chi: “…Just leave the card at the door.”

Jiang Feng’s expression changed several times as he looked at Qin Yan, then at Jiang Chi. In the end, he didn’t say anything else.

Qin Yan nodded slightly, unsure why Jiang Feng’s face looked so strange, and greeted him in a friendly manner: “Mr. Jiang.”

Jiang Feng responded, polite as ever, “Hello.”

Jiang Chi hadn’t done anything wrong, so he wasn’t flustered in the least. He calmly pulled out some coffee beans from the cupboard and poured them into the coffee machine.

The bitter aroma of the coffee spread through the air.

Amid the sounds of the coffee being stirred, Jiang Chi heard Jiang Feng say, “You should change the password to your door; I’ll knock next time I come over.”

With his back to Jiang Feng, Jiang Chi waved his hand, “OK.”

The security door closed again, and Jiang Feng left.

Jiang Chi took two glass cups and asked Qin Yan, “Cold or hot?”

“Cold, with milk and sugar.”

Jiang Chi took the cups and went to the fridge to scoop out ice. “What do you want to eat? The hotel is delivering something.”

Qin Yan wasn’t very hungry since he’d eaten a lot last night. “Anything is fine.”

Jiang Chi glanced at Qin Yan.

“Anything is fine” — it was a standard Ji Yu-type answer. Such vague responses made it difficult to understand Ji Yu’s true preferences, but this wasn’t a problem for Jiang Chi.

The book clearly stated: Ji Yu liked to eat red bean paste buns.

Cold on the outside, but with a preference for sweets, this contrast was quite interesting. Many novels had similar settings, so Jiang Chi remembered this detail well.

Jiang Chi ordered food on his phone, then turned back to continue preparing the coffee, tossing in two extra cubes of sugar into one of the glass cups. He even used cream to draw a smiley face on top.

A rather ugly white smiley face floated on the coffee.

Without changing his expression, Qin Yan took the glass cup and took a sip.

So sweet.

His tongue even ached from the sweetness, was Jiang Chi trying to pour the whole sugar jar into it?

Qin Yan didn’t realize that Jiang Chi had added two extra cubes of sugar to his cup and thought Jiang Chi simply liked his coffee that sweet.

When Jiang Chi went to the bathroom to freshen up, Qin Yan poured out half of the overly sweet coffee and added some plain coffee to balance it out, finally getting a cup of coffee that tasted normal.

The hotel staff had already placed the food on the table.

The eight-treasure porridge, red bean paste, and char siu pork… the sugar content in this breakfast alone was enough for Qin Yan’s weekly intake.

Qin Yan filled a bowl of plain porridge and drank it slowly, occasionally picking up a small dish with his chopsticks and putting it into his mouth. There was no sound as he chewed and swallowed.

He lowered his eyes slightly, sitting upright, his movements refined and graceful, like an aristocrat from ancient times.

Just watching him was pleasing to the eye.

Jiang Chi was an engineering student. During his graduate studies, he didn’t go into academics but chose a more hands-on engineering direction. He often stayed in factories to test products, eating and living with the workers.

At first, he wasn’t used to it, but later, holding a bowl of instant noodles, anything could become a dining table, and he ate quickly.

By this time, he was already done, but Qin Yan still had more than half a bowl of porridge left.

Although Qin Yan didn’t look at Jiang Chi, as soon as Jiang Chi finished eating and put down his chopsticks, Qin Yan also picked up the napkin beside him and lightly pressed it to the corner of his lips, wiping away an imaginary stain.

Jiang Chi glanced at Qin Yan’s bowl and thought to himself, a cat would eat more than this.

Outwardly easygoing and not picky, but in reality, delicate, hard to take care of, and didn’t even eat properly. How could such a body stay healthy?

Jiang Chi was very concerned about “Ji Yu’s” health.

Although he could prevent Ji Yu from marrying Qin Yan, he couldn’t stop Ji Yu from getting sick. Jiang Chi didn’t know the cause of Ji Yu’s death in the novel, but he couldn’t completely rule out illness as a possibility.

After all, in the novel, Ji Yu was a true “cold beauty with a sickly body.”

His skin “left an obvious red mark with the slightest pinch”; his stomach “would bleed from a few drinks”; his body “often fainted for various reasons.”

The more Jiang Chi thought about it, the more he felt that the “Ji Yu” in front of him was indeed frail. Although tall, his body was light, so light that carrying him felt like lifting only bones. His complexion was unnaturally pale, and the veins on his neck were clearly visible, like the eerie blue patterns painted on white porcelain.

Yesterday, after only two hours of hitting the punching bag at the gym, he was already exhausted. He was truly too weak.

To prevent potential issues, Jiang Chi decided to take him for a check-up today.

“You don’t look too well, and you’ve eaten very little,” Jiang Chi examined Qin Yan’s face. “Is there something wrong with you?”

Qin Yan answered truthfully, “No.”

Jiang Chi hesitated for a moment, quietly thinking about how to take Qin Yan for a check-up without him noticing.

After a long while, he gave up on trying to find a reason. After all, no matter how it was done, suddenly taking someone to the hospital would always seem awkward.

Jiang Chi gave up on making excuses and asked directly, “Do you want to go to the hospital and get checked out?”

Qin Yan looked at Jiang Chi, raising his eyebrows slightly, not hiding his confusion. “A check-up?”

Jiang Chi replied, “I’m worried you might be sick.”

Qin Yan answered, “You’re the one who’s sick.”

From this angle, only Qin Yan’s high nose bridge was visible, with the morning light filtering through the floor-to-ceiling windows, half-light and half-dark, enigmatic.

Jiang Chi clicked his tongue. “I’m not joking. The book says your health is poor. Going for a check-up wouldn’t be troublesome.”

Qin Yan’s thin lips parted slightly, and he said three words: “Troublesome, not going.”

Jiang Chi’s emotions remained stable. He took a deep breath. “Suit yourself.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t suddenly die,” Qin Yan lowered his eyelashes, the long lashes casting a faint shadow of deep blue, his tone even more indifferent than the shadow. “That damn book isn’t trustworthy at all, it’s all nonsense.”

Jiang Chi took another deep breath. “How could that be? It records a lot of major plot points. If used properly, it can definitely help avoid many dangers. Calling it an all-purpose guide wouldn’t be an exaggeration.”

Qin Yan looked at Jiang Chi, slightly raising an eyebrow. “So, you found me based on your ‘all-purpose guide’?”

Jiang Chi nodded, his gaze pure and bright. “Yes.”

Qin Yan’s long eyes curved slightly, fox-like and cunning, and he said meaningfully, “Not bad.”

Jiang Chi leaned back on the sofa. “I need to go home tonight, but I’m free all day. Is there anything you want to do? I can accompany you.”

What does he want to do?

Qin Yan was usually very busy. Every day when he woke up, he faced a packed schedule and countless social obligations. Even his so-called leisure activities were used for networking. He rarely had a whole day with nothing to do.

Now that he had nothing to do, it felt… really good.

He didn’t want to do anything right now, only to lie on the sofa and watch TV.

Jiang Chi was someone who really knew how to enjoy life. The sofa at his home was incredibly comfortable.

The custom-made plush back cushions provided a strong sense of support, and the zero-gravity design completely supported his waist, back, and neck. It felt like floating in the air, or sinking into clouds. Nestled in the soft goose-down cushions, the sore muscles were supported. Not only did the pain in his body greatly ease, but a deeper kind of fatigue seemed to spread from his bones.

Qin Yan’s eyes closed slightly, giving the impression of deep thought, but in reality, his mind was completely blank.

He didn’t have anything he wanted to do.

Since he was young, everything he did was based on what he “should” do. Because his father was irresponsible and incompetent, Qin Yan had been raised to meet the standards of the heir to the Qin family since he became aware.

The Qin family was one of the earliest Chinese expatriate business families to settle abroad. Their ancestors came from a scholarly background, and the traditions of studying etiquette, poetry, and classical texts were deeply ingrained in the family. These customs were both precious and strict, making Qin Yan’s life one that was framed by golden grandeur. He followed the rules and never strayed from them.

Hobbies had to be refined, achievements had to be excellent, and behavior had to be dignified. When walking, even the swing of his arms was measured precisely in centimeters, and every detail of his clothing and tie had to be perfect.

Wherever there were people who knew “Qin Yan,” he felt as if he was encased in armor made of gold—noble, splendid, but heavy and restrictive. His every movement was controlled by invisible rules. This control left him physically and mentally exhausted, with no way to break free.

That nearly perfect behavior had long since become part of every aspect of Qin Yan’s life.

But in front of Jiang Chi, Qin Yan didn’t need to wear the golden mask.

Jiang Chi took him seriously as “the protagonist, Ji Yu.”

With Jiang Chi, Qin Yan could set aside the rules and the mask, like an ordinary person. On a rare, idle morning, he could slump into the sofa and stay still, without needing to maintain any formality or rigorous thought.

Because of the preconceived notion that Qin Yan was Ji Yu, Jiang Chi automatically completed the logical chain, so Qin Yan didn’t need to pretend. Jiang Chi would naturally give rational explanations for his actions in his mind.

At this moment, Qin Yan was simply being lazily relaxed, leaning against the soft cushions and not wanting to move, and Jiang Chi thought that Ji Yu must be too shy to ask him for anything.

Both of them had nothing to do, each occupied with their own thoughts, and their interaction wasn’t awkward at all.

This was how they had been spending time together these days.

Qin Yan liked it.

*

At 3 PM, Jiang Feng sent a car to pick up Jiang Chi and take him back to his parents’ villa.

The Jiang family’s parents lived in a high-end community in the city center. The community was large, with more than 80% greenery, filled with flourishing plants. The overall design adopted a modern Chinese style, with pavilions, kiosks, and stone corridors, all of which highlighted the exquisite nature of the place.

The mansion had spacious front and back yards, hidden within lush greenery, and was right next to the central water system. At the beginning of summer, the lotus flowers hadn’t bloomed yet, but the pond was covered with a blanket of green lotus leaves that exuded a refreshing fragrance.

Though the Jiang family’s villa couldn’t compare to the thousands of acres of estate that the Qin family had in the novel, in the heart of the city where every inch of land is gold, having a standalone villa with front and back yards was no small feat.

The electronic eye recognized the license plate number of Jiang Chi’s car, and the green light representing passage flashed briefly, causing the gate to slowly open.

There was no one in the front yard. The afternoon sun was hot, and the staff were hiding in air-conditioned rooms to cool off.

Under the shade of the trees, a large black Great Dane sat, diligently guarding the house and yard.

Animals have keen hearing, and the Great Dane had already heard the sound of the car engine. It sat up straight under the tree, its erect ears slightly turned back, warily staring at the incoming sports car.

Jiang Chi had always liked animals. He rolled down the car window. “Xiao Hei, come here.”

Although Jiang Chi didn’t know the dog’s name, calling it “Xiao Hei” was never wrong, just like how all cats are called “Mimi.”

The Great Dane stood up, tilted its head, seeming puzzled.

Man and dog gazed at each other from a distance.

After a long while, the Great Dane seemed to finally recognize Jiang Chi. It barked, “Woof!” and wagged its tail vigorously, pacing around in circles.

Jiang Chi smiled and waved his hand. “Come here.”

The Great Dane powered off the ground with its strong hind legs, all four paws leaving the ground as it sprinted towards Jiang Chi.

At the same time, Jiang Chi pushed open the car door and stepped out.

In the security booth, the security guard, hearing the dog barking, came out to check. Just as he stepped outside, he saw the Great Dane leaping towards Jiang Chi.

The security guard’s eyes widened in alarm as he shouted, “Second Young Master!”

Jiang Chi instinctively turned his head.

In the next second, he was knocked to the ground by the flying Great Dane.

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