Jiang Yue didn't trust elevators.
Not because she was claustrophobic, but because if there was a one in a million chance of an elevator malfunctioning… her cursed existence practically guaranteed her to be the one in that million.
Unfortunately, she didn't have a choice today.
The company was hosting a high-profile evening event on the 40th floor, and she had been "volunteered" by Assistant Chen to help escort Li Zhenkai.
To her this was the best opportunity to cling to her luck battery like her life depended on it. (Which, it did.)
The moment the doors closed behind them, she muttered, "This feels like a bad idea."
Li Zhenkai glanced down at her. "Are you always this dramatic?"
"Yes," she said seriously. "But statistically, enclosed metal boxes are"
The lights flickered.
Jiang Yue froze.
"…That's not good," she whispered.
Then the elevator jolted violently, throwing her forward straight into the zhenkai's chest.
She clung to him like a panicked cat.
There was a loud clang, and the elevator shuddered to a dead stop between floors and the lights went out, it was dark and there was only the sound of their breathing and jaing yue's panicked heartbeat in the thin air..
Jiang Yue's voice was as audible as a squeak. "Oh no. Oh no no no no—"
"Calm down," Li Zhenkai's deep voice rumbled in the dark, steady and unbothered.
"How are you calm? We're in a coffin suspended by cables that probably hate me personally!"
He didn't answer. Instead, he shifted slightly, and she felt his hand wrap around hers,.firm, grounding and warm.
For a second, her panic short circuited, and so did her brain at the moment..
"…Are you holding my hand?"
"So you don't pass out," he replied evenly.
The system chimed:
[Luck Boost Detected: +20%. Fatality Risk Down to 50%.]
Her jaw dropped. "Holy—wait, it's working! You're my lucky charm in physical form!"
"Please stop saying that," he muttered, tired of hearing her say it in deferent form while they all stand with the same meaning..
But he didn't let go, she didn't want to either.
Meanwhile, at the Event
Lin Meiyu was smiling like a cat with cream puffs .
Her little sabotage plan was simple: lock Jiang Yue in a supply room before the event. Humiliate her. Make Zhenkai see how clumsy and useless his new "assistant" really was.
But when she casually asked an employee, "Has anyone seen Miss Jiang?" the reply made her smile freeze.
"She's in the elevator," the employee said. "With CEO Li."
Lin's perfectly manicured nails dug into her palm.
"Together?"
"Yes. Been stuck for a while now."
Lin's eye twitched.
This was not part of her plan.
Back in the Elevator of Doom
Jiang Yue sat on the floor now, still clutching Li Zhenkai's hand like it was the only stable thing in her cursed universe.
"This is how I die," she whispered dramatically. "In a box. With an iceberg. My parents will be so proud."
"You're not dying," Li Zhenkai said flatly.
"Oh really? Because every time I think I'm safe, something tries to kill me. Last week it was a falling bucket. Yesterday it was a car that almost jumped the curb—"
"And yet," he interrupted, "you're still alive."
Her breath caught.
The way he said it calm, matter of fact, like it was an unshakable truth, made her stupid heart trip over itself.
The system dinged.
[Affinity Increase: Iceberg CEO +5.]
[Luck Boost Maintained.]
Before she could respond, the elevator groaned. Sparks crackled overhead.
Jiang Yue yelped and squeezed his hand tighter.
And then… his thumb brushed over her knuckles. On a small, steady motion.
Her heart did not just skip now, Nope. Must be low oxygen.
"…Thanks," she mumbled.
He didn't reply. But in the darkness, she could've sworn his grip tightened just slightly.
Twenty minutes later, the doors were pried open by building maintenance. Jiang Yue stumbled out first, hair a little wild, still clinging to Li Zhenkai's sleeve.
The entire event hall turned to look at them.
Including Lin Meiyu.
Who looked like she had swallowed a lemon.
Li Zhenkai didn't even glance at Lin Meiyu. Instead, he calmly handed Jiang Yue a glass of water and said, "Stay near me. Elevators hate you."
She blinked. "Did you just, did you just admit I'm cursed?"
He sipped his drink. "I admitted nothing."
The system dinged.
[Affinity Increase: +1.]
Lin Meiyu's hands curled into fists.
And then, to make matters worse, Jiang Yue accidentally which was totally normal for her luck, walked straight into one of Lin Meiyu's "sabotage decorations," knocking over an ice sculpture.
The sculpture crashed… right onto Lin Meiyu's designer heels, splashing cold water all over her dress.
The crowd gasped.
Lin Meiyu screeched.
Jiang Yue froze. "…I didn't do that on purpose."
Li Zhenkai glanced at the disaster, then at her.
And for the first time ever…
He smirked.
Just barely.
"Stay close," he murmured, low enough for only her to hear.
Jiang Yue's brain short-circuited.
The system exploded with notifications.
[Luck Surge! Fatality Risk Down to 45%.]
[Iceberg CEO Affinity: +7.]
[Achievement Unlocked: Elevator Trauma Bond.]
Meanwhile, Lin Meiyu stood there drenched and trembling with rage, silently declaring war.
Jiang Yue, still gripping Li Zhenkai's sleeve like a lifeline, just grinned.
For once…
She was winning.