The new living arrangement quickly became unbearable for Zhao Min. He was grateful for the safety and the salary, but he had lost his personal freedom. He was never alone, and his primary shadow was no longer his boss, Han Yue, but her mercurial younger sister, Han Qing.
Han Qing treated her proximity to Zhao Min as a matter of life and death, which, in the context of the System, it was.
During the day, in Han Yue's massive office, Han Qing sat on the sofa, usually sketching or watching dramas on her tablet. But she watched Zhao Min more closely than the screen. If he stood up to get a glass of water, she would immediately stand up too, staying exactly ten feet away.
One afternoon, Zhao Min went to the restroom. When he opened the door, Han Qing was standing right outside, her arms crossed.
"Where were you going?" she demanded.
"The restroom, Qing," Zhao Min said, trying to keep his voice calm.
"You took too long," she accused. "I felt a flicker of pain in my knee. You can't let your mind wander, Min! You have to stay focused!"
Zhao Min felt a flash of anger. "I am a person, Qing, not your personal health monitor! I have reports to read and work to do. I need space!"
Han Qing's face crumpled immediately. Tears welled up in her eyes—tears that Zhao Min knew were genuine. She clutched her side.
"Don't yell at me! My chest hurts! If you don't like me, the sickness will come back, and I will die! Please, Min, just be kind to me! I can't help it!"
Zhao Min immediately regretted his anger. He saw the genuine terror in her eyes, a terror rooted in the near-fatal pain she had experienced. He walked over and gently put a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm sorry, Qing," he said softly. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I know you're scared. I promise, I won't let anything happen to you."
The sincerity of his apology and the warmth of his touch immediately stabilized her. Her pain vanished.
[Good Luck Conduction System]
Target: Han Qing. Affection Level maximized at +80 (Dependent Devotion).
LUCK FLOW: Stable.
That evening, the tension escalated at the penthouse. Han Yue had come home late, exhausted but triumphant, having secured another large deal based on the minor luck surge from that afternoon.
"The deal is signed," Han Yue announced, dropping her briefcase. "We can finally pay off the bank."
"That's great, Ms. Han," Zhao Min said sincerely.
Han Qing, however, was in a demanding mood. She walked up to Zhao Min and took his arm, refusing to let go.
"Min, Han Yue and I are going to the company's private resort this weekend," Han Qing announced. "It's a beautiful place, very relaxing. We're going to spend the whole weekend together."
Han Yue's sharp demeanor returned instantly. "Qing, that is a business trip. Mr. Zhao is accompanying me to review the property's financial structure. You are not invited."
"But I have to go!" Han Qing insisted, tightening her grip on Zhao Min's arm. "If he leaves me for three days, I'll get sick again! I need him! You saw what happened!"
Zhao Min, feeling trapped between the two powerful sisters, tried to pull his arm away. "Qing, please, let go. I'm going for work."
Han Qing suddenly spun to face her sister, tears streaming down her face. "You don't care about me! You only care about your money! He's mine! He's my cure!"
"He is a Partner in my company, Qing! He is not your property!" Han Yue shouted, exhausted by the day and the constant drama.
In her anger, Han Yue made a crucial mistake: she directed her negative emotion not at Han Qing, but at the Luck Conduit she was trying to protect. She showed possessive greed and jealousy over his presence.
Han Qing immediately gasped, her body locking up again, the pain returning instantly. She collapsed, clutching her side.
"Han Yue!" Zhao Min yelled, dropping to his knees beside Han Qing. "Qing! What did you do?"
Han Yue stared in horror. The illness had returned because she had shown selfishness and anger regarding Zhao Min's time. She was being punished immediately.
Zhao Min gently lifted Han Qing and held her close. He looked at Han Yue with a mixture of fear and disappointment.
"You have to be gentle with her," Zhao Min whispered, his face filled with worry for the sick girl in his arms. "She is scared and fragile. We have to be kind."
His gentle touch and worried, selfless focus on Han Qing immediately calmed the System's response. The pain receded, and Han Qing settled, safe in his arms.
Han Yue watched the scene: her sister, dependent and fragile, being comforted by the handsome, kind man she desperately needed to secure. She knew, with chilling certainty, that her company's stability was completely dependent on her sister's happiness and Zhao Min's kindness.
She slowly walked over and placed a defeated hand on Zhao Min's shoulder. "You are right, Mr. Zhao," she conceded, the fight leaving her. "I apologize. Qing... you will be accompanying us to the resort. And you will be polite."
Han Qing smiled, a small, victorious smile against Zhao Min's chest. She had won. She had solidified her position as the New Guardian of the Luck Conduit.