I'm your partner, not your boyfriend.

The road seemed to have been paved long ago, just waiting for her to walk it.

Wen Dai couldn't understand what kind of twisted sense of humor God, as the audience, had, nor did she want to.

She was still a little dazed when she was invited to sit in the small hall. A paper cup filled with warm water was handed to her, and Wen Dai nodded and thanked him.

"What about fortune? You only mentioned 'misfortune' just now, what about fortune?" The Taoist priest sat down in the chair unhurriedly. Judging from his expression, he seemed very interested in Wen Dai's thoughts, his gaze sweeping over her face.

"The same applies," she said succinctly.

Wen Dai raised her water glass to her lips and took a small sip of warm tea. Her throat, now moistened, opened up: "Actually, I think there's no need to dwell on so much. Does it really matter what it means? When you reach the end of your life and look back, you'll naturally understand. Knowing the道理 (principles/truths) is useless; you still have to walk your own path. Even if you know the道理, you'll still stumble and fall."

The man sitting diagonally across from her was intrigued, his eyes fixed on her face with interest. "You're so young, how do you know so much? It's remarkable to have such insight at this age."

She threw him a statement, and Wen Dai scoffed, "What does cognition have to do with age?" She kept her words stuck in her throat, offering no explanation, and lowered her gaze to the gently rippling water in her glass.

She was like a ripple that was spread out; no matter how hard she tried to move, she was forced to let herself be pushed along.

As it turns out, her past proactive approach to pursuing things didn't yield the same results as her self-destructive behavior.

"I really like your temperament, young lady. Let's get to know each other. My name is Chen Wenkang. Can we add each other on WeChat?" Wen Lang's voice matched his appearance perfectly. The man took out his phone from his pocket, opened WeChat, and added Wen Dai as a friend by scanning a QR code.

On the way back, she got into the Rolls-Royce again, but this time she sat in the passenger seat.

The car interior seemed to be filled with the faint scent of incense from a temple. Chen Wenkang gripped the steering wheel, unusually talkative: "Wen Dai is a nice name. The surname Wen is quite rare. Speaking of which, I had an old classmate with the surname Wen. We were very close in high school, just the two of us hanging out together. It's a pity we eventually went our separate ways. I went abroad for university. Back then, there weren't all sorts of social media platforms like there are now. Being so far apart, it was hard to meet again. Even now that I'm back in Lizhou, I don't know where he is. We're worlds apart."

"Oh..." Not taking his words to heart, Wen Dai simply played the role of a straight man to keep him from getting bored.

“I have a son who is a few years older than you. If there’s a chance, I’ll introduce you two to each other. His mother is a Buddhist, so I secretly helped him convert to Taoism. His mother doesn’t even know he’s become a Taoist priest.”

The nerves in her mind suddenly tensed up. Wen Dai recalled the images that the immortal had just sent her and connected the various clues. She unconsciously sat up straight, turned her face to look at Chen Wenkang, and asked hesitantly, "Uncle... what's your son's name?"

Just then, the red light ahead turned on. Chen Wenkang stopped and turned to look at her. Under her anxious gaze, he gave her his answer: "Chen Sizhe, the 'Si' in 'scholarly,' and the 'Zhe' in 'good deeds leave no trace.'"

"He's a lawyer. You've probably heard of the Sizhe Law Firm, right? He's a partner there."

-

The aroma of instant noodles wafted through the living room; the container was already saturated with broth, and the soft, sticky toppings were piled up at the bottom.

However, the owner remained standing on the balcony without turning around.

"How many!?"

Wen Dai had one arm bent and resting on the windowsill, an incredulous expression etched on her face. The phone she was holding displayed Chen Sizhe's name, and the call was dragging on.

Unlike her shock, Chen Sizhe's attitude was nonchalant, his tone completely flat: "One hundred thousand." His tone was as if he were saying ten dollars.

With her eyes wide open as if she couldn't close them, Wen Dai swallowed hard, feeling a little smug, and murmured, "Your luck with money is just too good, isn't it? You can just casually take on a job worth 100,000. All the big shots are coming to you."

"...Stop talking nonsense, are you free to go? If you are, I'll book the tickets. It's a 9 a.m. flight to Hengcheng on Saturday."

"go!"

"A fool wouldn't make money if he could," Wen Dai thought. After hanging up the phone, she quickly ran back to her bedroom and packed her luggage, along with the ritual implements and talismans she would be using.

She only ate the instant noodles that had been left on the table until they were cold, so she couldn't taste the coldness.

Finding a good teammate really makes things much easier. Normally, she's lucky if she can get a few orders worth a thousand yuan, and sometimes she even loses money. It's true that having a Taoist name makes it easier to attract customers.

Why doesn't she become a Taoist priest?

"Maybe I should become a Taoist priest too."

Wen Dai didn't give up on this idea until Saturday, and she followed closely beside Chen Sizhe, pulling her suitcase.

Because of the height difference, she had to jog twice for every step he took forward. It was a bit frustrating, but she could bear it. She raised her face to face the man's chin and a corner of his profile, "Chen Sizhe, do you need a junior brother? Does your master need a disciple?"

After his ticket was checked by the staff, Chen Sizhe entered the VIP lounge by himself. Wen Dai, who was left behind, surprisingly didn't complain, after all, she was the one who had freeloaded. She strode over to the sofa next to Chen Sizhe and sat down, leaning against him, her peach blossom eyes wide and clear. "Didn't you hear me? Why aren't you responding?"

"How did you know I'm a Taoist priest?" Chen Sizhe crossed his arms and leaned lazily on the sofa, his fox-like eyes closed.

Instinctively, Wen Dai almost let the words "Your dad told me" escape her throat, but she stopped herself in time and replied without changing her expression, "I guessed. I just felt that someone like you would most likely not spend money to study civil law, and it's unlikely to be passed down in the family."

A cold snort escaped from the man's nostrils as he rested, his eyelashes remaining perfectly still; he was in a state of extreme relaxation, or perhaps he was utterly exhausted.

His weary voice drifted out: "No way, don't even dream about it. There aren't many people like you... who are related to spirits and don't have prejudices. There are plenty of people in the Taoist temple who are into it. If you went there, ha—you'd turn it into a complete mess. It's already messy enough as it is. I don't like the other people in the temple, and you won't like them either." Surprisingly, Wen Dai wasn't bothered by his sarcastic remarks. This feeling of being pulled into his camp was quite unique.

"Oh." Having harbored this idea for two days, Wen Dai was not particularly bothered by the rejection. Bored, she picked up a pear from the fruit plate and tossed it in her hand. Finding someone she could chat with, she couldn't resist saying, "But what's the point of giving so many rich guys all at once? What kind of ritual is it? It can't be the kind that prolongs life, can it? I can't do that."

Chen Sizhe felt that the creature beside him was not human, but a pearl bird that had come to life.

He clicked his tongue, slowly opening his closed eyes. His watery gaze swept over the childish boy beside him tossing pears. "You've been reading too many novels, haven't you? You're in this line of work yourself, don't you know that prolonging life is impossible? I don't deny that there might be people in this world who could do it, but the risks are huge. How many people would dare to do it? If it were really that easy, how come all those emperors in ancient times who pursued immortality died?"

"It's just a ritual to exorcise evil spirits and bring the deceased back to the right path. Stop letting your imagination run wild."

...

The generous boss booked a high-end hotel for Chen Sizhe and Wen Dai, the only seven-star hotel in Hengshi, and the room was a luxury suite.

The understanding boss even called Chen Sizhe to say that he couldn't personally pick them up because of work, so he specially arranged for a driver to take them back to the hotel from the airport. He also said that since they had flown over, they would definitely need to rest for a day first, so the exorcism task was scheduled for tomorrow.

Wen Dai and Chen Sizhe's rooms are right next to each other, and they can meet each other's eyes if they look at each other from the balcony.

She walked over and placed her hand on the wooden railing, leaning slightly forward, her expectant eyes gazing at Chen Sizhe overlooking the city. "Hey, what are your plans for today? You're not planning to just stay in the hotel and rest until tomorrow, are you?"

The tentative question was directed at the lawyer-turned-Taoist. Chen Sizhe rested his elbows on the wooden railing, tilted his head to glance at her, and said in a cold tone, "Otherwise what? Otherwise, do you want me to go out with you? Please make sure we understand our relationship. I'm just your partner, not your boyfriend. I don't provide companionship services—I don't offer free companionship services. I've said it before, I charge eight thousand per hour."

Unscrupulous merchant.

Wen Dai felt a sour taste in her mouth listening to his words; she wanted to take back all the praise she had given him before! She had even considered treating him like a close friend!

"...Go if you want, then you can sleep in the hotel. I'm going to experience the vibrancy of this city." She braced herself against the wooden railing and turned to enter the room.

She clearly remembered what she had packed in her suitcase before coming, but she still opened it with a "knowing the answer" attitude, and then stared at the rough clothes inside. Wen Dai pulled out the cardigan and jeans draped inside, and after rummaging around a bit, a shirt and sweatshirt popped out.

As a child, I loved pretty things and liked pink and delicate colors, so... when did it start? The answer to that question didn't require any thought. Wen Dai's hand drooped to the edge of her suitcase, and a heavy thought returned to her mind.

They left, and she lost the ability to love herself.

Just as Wen Dai was about to fall into a whirlpool of memories, the sudden ringing of the doorbell brought her back to reality.

"Ding-dong—"

She quickly stood up, stretched out her long arm, pulled the lid of the suitcase back and closed it, took a step forward, ran a few steps to the door, grasped the doorknob and opened the door.

Standing at the door was Chen Sizhe, who had just been displaying prices on the balcony.

He's the kind of person who doesn't need to change clothes before going out. He wears a smoky black pullover sweater with a white T-shirt underneath, the edges of which are visible at the neckline. The sweater has a frayed edge design at the hem, a subtle design element. Just like his pants, which are only superior in terms of fit and fabric, they are enough to show his taste and class.

The person's attire when playing a lawyer is quite different from their everyday style.

Wen Dai subconsciously looked down at her clothes—a hoodie set. You could send her to a high school and no one would suspect a thing.

The voice came down from above her head: "Don't you want to go out? What are you standing there for? Let's go."

The drooping, furry head suddenly lifted, Wen Dai's eyes and tone both wary: "I don't have any money. I didn't say I wanted to buy your companionship service. I'm sorry, I can't afford eight thousand an hour. You can't force me to buy something, I'm telling you."

Chen Sizhe's eyelids drooped, his indifferent gaze lingering on her face. After a long while, his unmoved lips parted: "I didn't say I'd charge you. I'm unfamiliar with this place, and out of concern for my partner's safety, I've decided to reluctantly dedicate some of my time."

How could anyone say such despicable things while wearing such an aloof and unattainable expression?

However, his familiar reason stirred up memories of her trip to Wendaikamu Village, where she had indeed relied on his cooperation. If he had stood by and done nothing, she would probably have had to expend a lot more effort.

She still wanted to vent her anger, and Wen Dai dryly uttered, "Hehe."

"Thank you so much, you're such a kind person."

"You're only finding out now?"

She couldn't help but roll her eyes at him, and before letting go of the doorknob, she said to him, "Wait a minute, I'll be right there after I get my things."

The room door closed automatically with a loud bang; if Chen Sizhe had been any closer, it would have hit his nose.

Staring blankly at the door in front of him, Chen Sizhe pressed the tip of his tongue against his cheek. He must have been bewitched to come and keep her company.

With her phone, wallet, and room key in hand, Wen Dai opened the door again. She squeezed out and followed Chen Sizhe down the elevator, still grinning as she said, "Actually, you mainly wanted to go out and have fun yourself, right? Were you just making up an excuse to come with me because you were embarrassed?"

Chen Sizhe ignored her, and his raised chin meant that Wen Dai could only look directly into his nostrils.

Unfortunately, the elevator broke down.

The stuck elevator made Wen Dai feel an urge to question fate. Was her luck number negative?

"No, can the elevators in a seven-star hotel really malfunction?"

Chen Sizhe calmly reached out and pressed the emergency call button. After hearing the hotel staff's formulaic greeting, he said decisively, "The elevator is malfunctioning. We are currently trapped on the fourteenth floor. Please send someone to help us as soon as possible."

He glanced at Wen Dai, who was shrouded in gloom, and said in a nonchalant tone, "Elevators in seven-star hotels aren't perfect. Of course they can malfunction, it's just that the probability is low. But the maintenance staff will arrive soon, and there will be compensation."

The person squatting on the ground said in a muffled voice, "Thank you for your explanation. It makes me realize just how unlucky I am." A sense of panic welled up inside her. Based on past experience, Wen Dai's intuition told her that one misfortune after another was about to befall her.

Sensing a subtle negative energy emanating from her, Chen Sizhe frowned slightly. He glanced at her and said, "There's no need to assume you're in a terrible situation just because of one bad thing. You weren't alone in the elevator; I was there for you."

As Chen Sizhe said, the repair speed of the seven-star hotel was indeed very fast, and they were rescued in no time.

Besides apologizing, the hotel manager who arrived at the scene, after inquiring about their room number, clearly stated that he would send some compensation.

There are gains and losses. The dissatisfaction with fate that had just risen in Wen Dai's chest dissipated slightly. As she walked out side by side with Chen Sizhe, she happened to catch a glimpse of a woman entering the hotel. The child on the woman's back turned his head and made eye contact with her.

His pitch-black pupils almost swallowed the whites of his eyes, and the upturned corners of his mouth revealed a sinister smile.