Chapter 20: Good Luck

    While Li Yifeng was getting ready for bed, his phone buzzed with a message notification. He picked it up and saw that the 500 yuan from selling the in-game item had already been credited. He couldn’t help but smile a wide grin.

    As he climbed up to his top bunk, he glanced over at his older sister, who had already fallen asleep, perhaps worn out from the day’s activities.

    He, too, would probably sleep very well tonight.

    The next morning came, and the game’s prize-drawing event would have to wait because Li Yifeng had to go out to check his exam results. He hoped to remain at the top of his class, which would secure him a scholarship.

    “Do you want me to go with you?” his sister asked.   

    “No need,” he replied.

    At his age, it would be embarrassing to show up with his sister, even though he knew his friends would likely appreciate her presence because of her beauty.

    Thus, he didn’t want his sister to become eye candy for his friends.

    Fortunately, his sister nodded and didn’t insist on coming along.

    After Li Yifeng left, Li Yifei made a list of personal items she needed to buy. Once done, she headed to the nearby supermarket.

    In the past, buying these things was as easy as pointing out which collection she wanted and swiping a card. Household necessities were always taken care of by the maid, and she never had to prepare anything herself.

    But now, she had only 300 yuan.       

    After calculating the cost of everything she needed, she found that it would total almost 200 yuan.

    The money she earned, though seemingly easy to make, was just as easily spent.

    No wonder Grandma Li was so strict on spending money.

    Running a household wasn’t a simple matter, and her own necessities alone were costing her this much.

    While she considered choosing discounted items nearing their expiration dates, she didn’t want to risk it since everything has a shelf life.

    In the end, Li Yifei spent nearly 200 yuan on essentials, leaving her with just over 100 yuan in her pocket.

    Back home, after organizing her purchases, she sat at the dining table, resting her chin on her hands, pondering how to make money over the school break.

    Working part-time wasn’t something she was skilled at yet, and her family still seemed concerned, so she couldn't do that for now.

    She began thinking about her skills.

    She was good at many things, but none seemed practical in her current situation. While she could speak and read English well enough, taking on translation jobs wasn’t feasible since her writing skills weren't strong.

    And although she excelled in math, she wasn’t a university student who could tutor elementary or high school kids. Her awards weren’t recognized, so she wasn’t very credible despite being the top student in her class last term.

    Lost in her thoughts, she was startled by the sound of the front gate opening. She glanced over and found that it was her brother who was just back home.

    “How did it go?” Li Yifei asked.

    “As expected, I ranked in the top three,” he replied.

    “And did you get the special scholarship?”

    “Yes.”

    The two siblings exchanged satisfied smiles.

    Li Yifei never imagined she would end up in this situation, where even small amounts of money had to be prioritized.

    "I also bought duck noodles for lunch."

    Unlike Grandma Li, Li Yifei didn’t complain. After all, an army marches on its stomach. Eating something nice was a good idea, even if she couldn’t figure out how to make more money just yet. At least her brother had secured a scholarship.

    "And I got ice cream, too," he added.

    "Wow, that’s a lot. Do you think Grandma will complain if she finds out?"

    "Then you better finish it all before Grandma comes home."

    Li Yifei laughed at his reply.

    "Don’t worry, you can count on me."

    Although the duck noodles from this shop weren’t as good as the ones by the Han River she had yesterday, they were still satisfying. The taste wasn’t bad either, and it was nice to occasionally eat something besides Grandma Li’s stir-fried vegetables or scraps of meat.

    Lately, they'd had enough money to afford roast duck and fried chicken, which was a relief.

    Otherwise, Li Yifei would probably have an even slimmer figure by now.

    After eating, Li Yifei offered to wash the dishes for her brother.

    "You treated me, so I’ll take care of the cleaning."

    Her brother didn’t object. After finishing his meal, he went straight to the computer, probably to play a game.

    Li Yifeng, however, couldn’t help but glance over to see how his sister was doing with the dishes. He still felt a bit worried about her dishwashing skills. It was no surprise that Grandma and their mother often hovered nearby when she did the dishes.

    Sometimes, he even saw the plates slip a little in her hands, which made him nervous. But dishwashing was a basic chore in every home, so his sister would just have to keep practicing.

    When his sister finally finished the dishes, he called out,

    "Sis, come draw a prize for me!"

    His sister came over without hesitation and grabbed the mouse, clicking the button to start the prize draw. Li Yifeng watched the computer screen, feeling anxious.

    The result of the draw left him stunned.

    He couldn’t believe his eyes. His sister had just won the ‘Wishful Staff’, an item that could grant any wish once. Though it was a one-time-use item, it was incredibly powerful, a rare and highly coveted item in the game.

    Even players who spent money for in-game draws had only a 1% chance of getting it and buying it directly would cost a fortune. Recently, the game admins had been giving out special items. He wasn’t sure if it was for an anniversary event or not.

    Even if they were giving the item out, the odds of winning something like this were still incredibly slim. Yet, his sister had just won it with a single click.

    He had struck gold again.

    "Sis, you’re really lucky!"

    Li Yifeng exclaimed, his voice brimming with excitement. Li Yifei smiled, feeling happy to hear the compliment.

    "That’s great! Now you won’t have to spend money on these items or grind for hours doing quests just to get them."

    "Exactly, and I can sell it for a high price too!"

    His sister didn’t seem surprised at all that the item could be sold, which took Li Yifeng aback. Then again, for people their age, if it wasn’t about fashion, it was about games. So, maybe it wasn’t so odd that she knew.

    "Really? That’s amazing!" she replied.

    "Sis, you know that item I sold yesterday? I got 500 yuan for it," he said proudly.

    "Wow, that’s wonderful! How about today’s item?" she asked.

    "If I put it up for sale, I’ll definitely get more than I did yesterday," he said confidently.

    This time, his sister’s face lit up with excitement. She teased him, saying,

    "In that case, you’ll have to give me a commission for drawing the prize!"

    Naturally, since he had only gotten such a great item because of his sister, Li Yifeng immediately replied,

    "I’ll split it 50-50 with you."

    His sister gave him a touched look.

    Li Yifeng grinned widely in return and immediately posted the item for sale. But then his sister asked,

    "Aren’t you going to regret it?"

    "Nope. This is why I play the game."

    "Ah, that's great.”

    As Li Yifeng finished posting the auction, Li Yifei got up and opened the fridge to grab a cup of ice cream. This sweet treat was perfect for a girl, even though it was a regular brand and not as tasty as homemade ice cream. Given their current financial situation, it would have to do.

    After a while, her brother went to the bathroom, and when he returned, he immediately sat back down, staring at the computer screen, likely wondering how much the ‘Wishful Staff’ he got today would sell for.

    Li Yifei couldn’t believe her luck in drawing these game prizes, but she was now helping her brother earn some extra cash. She had to admit, she loved seeing the joy on his face when things went well.

    If she thought back to the memories of the body’s original owner, it had been a long time since the siblings had gotten along this well. Maybe their differing interests had caused them to drift apart without realizing it.

    "Sis, sis, come look at this!"

    Her brother called out, snapping her from her thoughts. With ice cream in hand, Li Yifei walked over to her brother, who seemed eager about a successful sale.

    "How much did you sell it for?"

    "Come see it yourself."

    Li Yifei leaned in to look at the computer screen, and the number she saw made her gasp. She was amazed, the gaming world was really bigger than she thought.

    The auction price was 2,000 yuan.

    That was no small amount of money.

    She stood there in shock, staring at the screen alongside her brother, trying to find her voice. Finally, she managed to say,

    "Got any more prizes for me to draw?"

    Li Yifei didn’t want to get ahead of herself, but recently, her luck had been remarkable. First, she always won prizes from the claw machines, and now she had helped her brother score two great items in two days. The fact that he could sell them only confirmed how valuable they were.

    "Tomorrow, sis. But for now, should I leave it for auction or sell it right away?"

    Li Yifeng asked, equally excited.

    "Hmm, maybe you should close the auction and start another?" she echoed thoughtfully.

    "Okay, I’ll close it now. Better to take the money in front of us."

    Li Yifei nodded in agreement. Although they didn’t know how high the price might go, both siblings agreed that the current amount was more than enough.

    After closing the sale, it didn’t take long before a payment notification popped up on his phone. Li Yifeng checked it, and then showed the amount to his sister. Li Yifei’s eyes widened just as much as her brother’s— it was 2,000 yuan!

    "I’ll transfer half of it to you."

    Li Yifeng said generously.

    "No need," Li Yifei responded, even though deep down she wanted the money. Still, she couldn’t help but do what an older sister should.

    But her brother didn’t listen and transferred the money into her account right away, prompting Li Yifei to hug him affectionately on the spot.

    After she let go, her brother excitedly said,

    "Sis, let’s test your luck again!"

    "How? Is there another prize to draw?"

    "Nope, but I’ll have you sign up for an account so you can also play the game and draw prizes," he explained.

    Li Yifei was thrilled at the idea. Maybe gaming prizes could replace her old claw machine habit. During this school break, she and her brother might end up saving so much that their grandma, parents, and everyone else would be completely shocked!