Volume One, Chapter One: The Goddess of Fortune

“Chen Hao, you’ve been absent from work without reason for three days. You’re fired!”

As Chen Hao walked out of the company, his boss’s voice echoed relentlessly in his ears.

He had worked tirelessly and diligently for three years to reach his current position—a monthly salary of twenty thousand, annual commissions over a hundred thousand. This was the dream achievement for many young people, and now, in an instant, it was all gone? Was he to return overnight to the days before his liberation?

While on a business trip, his mother’s illness worsened and she passed away suddenly. He rushed back to arrange her funeral, having called the office manager in advance to request leave. Yet, when confronted, the office manager claimed to the boss he had never received Chen Hao’s call.

It felt as if someone was deliberately sabotaging him.

Without a job, how could he support his beloved and her family?

It was over—utterly over.

The shrill ring of his phone pierced the silence. He glanced at the screen; it was his girlfriend, Zhao Yali.

“Chen Hao, get back here immediately!”

Her stern reprimand shot through the receiver. Before he could ask what was wrong, Zhao Yali hung up.

Terrified, Chen Hao hurried to Zhao Yali’s home.

“Yali, what did you want to see me about?” He spoke as he entered, moving toward Zhao Yali.

Before he could reach her, Zhao Yali’s mother, Wang Su, pushed him away and scolded, “Don’t bring your bad luck into our home. Stay away from Yali.”

“Yes, Auntie,” Chen Hao replied, shrinking back, helpless before his future mother-in-law.

Wang Su pointed at him and continued, “We called you here today to tell you: Yali has decided to break up with you. Your relationship is over. Don’t bother her again.”

It was as if he’d been struck on the head. For three years, he had devoted himself to caring for every member of the Zhao family, pouring his entire annual income into their lives. Now, all he got in return were the words “break up.”

He pleaded with Zhao Yali, “Yali, if I’ve done something wrong, I can change. Please don’t do this.”

Zhao Yali answered firmly, “No. I’m deeply disappointed in you. Three years, and you haven’t improved at all. You can’t give me what I want.”

Chen Hao felt as if darkness had swallowed him whole. Everything had happened so suddenly. He had given everything he had—what more could Zhao Yali possibly want?

He hadn’t yet recovered from the grief of losing his mother, had just been fired, and now even his beloved was abandoning him. Misfortune never comes alone, indeed.

He could only beg, “Yali, I’ve been so good to you. Why do you want to break up? Please, don’t.”

“You loser, you’re unemployed and you still dare to speak,” Wang Su sneered, pointing to Zhou Shao at the side. “The Zhou family is worth hundreds of millions. Zhou Shao can help Yali turn her milk tea shop into a chain. Could you do that? What have you given her these years?”

Chen Hao was bewildered. He had just discovered he’d been fired, yet the Zhao family seemed to know even before he did. He defended himself, “I handed all my income to Yali—hundreds of thousands a year. I’ve done my best.”

Zhao Yali’s younger brother, Zhao Haizhou, pointed at him and lashed out, “You pauper! How can you compare with Zhou Shao? You think a measly few hundred thousand is something to brag about? Only Zhou Shao is worthy of being my brother-in-law. Get lost.”

Chen Hao’s worldview was shattered. For three years, he’d scrimped and saved, giving everything to the Zhao family and serving them with utmost care—only to be told he wasn’t fit to be their son-in-law.

Zhou Shao stood, walked up to Chen Hao, and whispered in his ear, “Green turtle, you’ve been with Yali for three years and never even held her hand. Me? I sleep with her whenever I please. Whenever I need her, she strips down and serves me. You know what? Yali is really tender—she drives me wild.”

He lingered, then added, “Oh, and by the way—I made sure you got fired. The boss is my uncle. One word from me, and he had to do it. Your rice bowl? I smashed it. Are you surprised?”

Chen Hao had always refused to believe Zhao Yali was involved with Zhou Shao, but hearing it from Zhou Shao himself, he had no choice but to accept reality.

For three years, he had been nothing but the Zhao family’s cash machine. Zhao Yali wouldn’t even let him hold her hand, while she slept with Zhou Shao—and Chen Hao had been completely oblivious. His heart ached with betrayal.

Moreover, he was infuriated to learn that it was Zhou Shao who had orchestrated his dismissal. All his efforts had been undone by this scoundrel.

Unable to bear it any longer, Chen Hao angrily shoved Zhou Shao aside.

Zhou Shao deliberately fell onto the sofa, whining to Wang Su, “Auntie, look at Chen Hao. I was just concerned about him, and he attacked me.”

Wang Su strode over and slapped Chen Hao hard across the face, scolding, “You reckless fool! How dare you lay a hand on Zhou Shao? Are you looking for trouble?”

“I…” Chen Hao tried to explain, but Zhao Yali’s brother, Zhao Haizhou, refused to let him speak, kicking him in the stomach and cursing, “What ‘I’? You little bastard, loser, idiot.”

Chen Hao lost his balance and fell toward Wang Su’s altar.

With a loud crash, his head struck the altar.

“My Lucky God!”

Seeing the Lucky God statue fall from the altar, Wang Su shrieked and lunged for it, hoping to catch it—but it was too late.

She had spent ten thousand yuan at the temple for the statue, had it consecrated, and worshipped it daily. Now, it toppled from the altar, landing heavily on Chen Hao’s forehead.

With a sharp thud, the Lucky God shattered to pieces.

Blood gushed from Chen Hao’s forehead, and he lost consciousness.

Furious, Wang Su kicked him twice in the stomach and cursed, “You damned thing, you broke my Lucky God. You deserve to die.”

Zhao Yali was terrified. She quickly grabbed her mother’s arm. “Mom, don’t! If you kill him, we’ll be responsible.”

Wang Su pointed at Chen Hao lying on the ground and spat, “He deserves to die.”

In a haze, Chen Hao found himself in a strange place. It seemed like another world—surrounded by emptiness.

He wondered if he was dead.

Suddenly, a door of light appeared before him. A deep voice sounded from beyond, “You’ve finally arrived, Chen Hao.”

They knew him? Chen Hao struggled to his feet, approaching the door of light, his heart filled with confusion and anticipation.

The door slowly opened, revealing a mysterious world.

Suddenly, an old man with a white beard stood before Chen Hao, pointing at him and cursing, “Good grief, how could the dignified Lucky God choose a useless loser like you? Is it fun being a lapdog? Does getting bullied feel good? Damn, do you even still have your balls? If you think they’re unnecessary, I’ll cut them off for you.”

He stabbed straight to the heart. The old man’s words were brutally harsh.

Chen Hao retorted angrily, “None of your business. I do as I please.”