Ghost Exorciser: Is Loved By All
Chapter 657: Bad luck

Yu Holea gave him a reassuring look. "Hey, relax. I’m just going to check. If they’re innocent, no harm done."

Before Nan Kelin could protest, Yu Holea knocked on the door firmly. The sound echoed down the empty hallway.

A moment later, the door creaked open, and a warm, familiar face peeked out.

"Nan Kelin!" Mrs. Chu’s face lit up as soon as she saw him. She was a short, cheerful woman with kind eyes and a warm smile.

"It’s been ages! Come in, come in! How’s your mom? You’ve grown so much!"

Nan Kelin forced a smile, his nerves making it hard to act normal.

"Hi, Auntie Chu," he said softly, glancing at Yu Holea.

Mrs. Chu’s eyes flicked to Yu Holea, and her smile faltered slightly.

"And who’s this young lady?" she asked curiously.

Nan Kelin hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to introduce her.

"Uh... she’s a friend," he finally said.

"Actually, Auntie Chu, do you mind if we come in? I need to talk to you about something."

Mrs. Chu nodded, stepping aside to let them in.

"Of course, of course. Come on in! It must be something important if you came all the way here."

Yu Holea followed silently, her sharp eyes scanning the apartment.

As soon as they entered, she glanced at the glowing thread, which stretched toward a closed door down the hall.

She raised an eyebrow at Nan Kelin and smirked.

Her silent message was clear: See? I told you so.

Nan Kelin frowned but said nothing.

He wasn’t ready to accuse Mrs. Chu of anything, not without proof.

The living room was cozy and neatly decorated, with soft cushions and a faint smell of jasmine tea.

Mrs. Chu bustled around, bringing a tray of tea and snacks.

"So, what brings you here, Nan Kelin?" she asked, pouring tea into delicate cups.

Nan Kelin cleared his throat, trying to sound casual. "I was just in the neighborhood and thought I’d drop by," he said.

"How’s Wugao? I haven’t seen him in a while."

"Oh, he’s doing well," Mrs. Chu said with a proud smile.

"He’s been busy with work but he’s home today. He’s resting in his room now."

Nan Kelin nodded, taking a sip of tea to calm his nerves.

"That’s good to hear," he said. Then, after a pause, he added,

"Have you... ever heard of something called luck-swapping?"

Mrs. Chu tilted her head, her brow furrowing in confusion.

"Luck-swapping? What on earth is that?"

Nan Kelin felt a wave of relief wash over him.

Her reaction seemed genuine, and he wanted to believe her. "It’s just something I heard about recently," he said quickly.

"Some kind of superstition, I guess. People say you can swap your bad luck with someone else’s good luck."

Mrs. Chu laughed softly, shaking her head.

"Oh, don’t believe in such nonsense, Kelin. Luck is just luck. You can’t go around swapping it like trading cards."

If Nan Kelin hadn’t seen the ghost just moments ago, he might’ve nodded and agreed.

But now, he wasn’t so sure.

He glanced at Yu Holea, who stood quietly, her arms crossed, her sharp gaze fixed on the hallway.

Just then, the door to one of the rooms opened, and a young man stepped out, rubbing his eyes sleepily. His hair was messy, and he wore a casual T-shirt and sweatpants.

"Nan Kelin?" Chu Wugao said, his voice groggy. He gave a lazy smile.

"Hey, man. Long time no see."

Nan Kelin stood up, a little surprised.

"Hey, Wugao. I didn’t know you were home."

Chu Wugao nodded, leaning against the doorframe.

"Yeah, just catching up on some sleep. Been working late nights."

Yu Holea’s eyes narrowed as she watched him.

The golden thread was now faintly visible, stretching from Nan Kelin to Chu Wugao and then disappearing into Wugao’s room.

"Interesting," Yu Holea muttered under her breath.

If Chu Wugao was the one who was stealing Nan Kelin’s luck then, the golden thread should have ended at Chu Wugao.

Nan Kelin noticed her intense gaze and quickly turned to Chu Wugao.

"So, uh, how’s everything been? Business going well?"

Chu Wugao shrugged, his smile widening.

"Yeah, it’s been great, actually. Business is booming. Ever since that accident, it’s like my luck turned around completely."

Yu Holea’s eyes flashed, and she stepped closer.

"Accident?" she asked, her tone sharp.

Chu Wugao glanced at her, slightly puzzled.

"Yeah, I had a car accident a few months ago. Totaled my car, but I walked away without a scratch. Guess I’m lucky, huh?"

Nan Kelin swallowed hard, glancing at Yu Holea, whose expression had grown serious.

"Very lucky," Yu Holea said softly, her gaze piercing.

Chu Wugao’s smile faded slightly, sensing the tension.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, looking between Nan Kelin and Yu Holea.

Nan Kelin hesitated, unsure of how to respond.

Yu Holea crossed her arms and leaned against the wall, her voice calm but firm.

"Let’s just say we’re here to figure out why Nan Kelin’s luck has taken a nosedive while yours seems to be skyrocketing."

Chu Wugao frowned, confusion and a hint of defensiveness creeping into his expression.

"What are you talking about? I haven’t done anything."

Yu Holea’s eyes narrowed.

"Maybe not on purpose," she said, her voice low. "But luck doesn’t just swap itself. Something happened, and we’re going to find out what."

Yu Holea stepped forward, her tone serious.

"Chu Wugao, have you done any rituals recently? Or maybe received a gift, like a charm or a talisman?"

Chu Wugao’s brows furrowed, his playful demeanor fading.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, his voice sharp. "What do rituals or talismans have to do with anything?"

Yu Holea crossed her arms.

"It’s simple," she said.

"Someone swapped your luck with Nan Kelin’s. That’s why your life’s been smooth sailing while he has been a nightmare."

Chu Wugao blinked, stunned. He turned to Nan Kelin.

"Is this true?" he asked, his voice low.

Nan Kelin nodded slowly, his face pale.

"Yeah," he whispered. "It’s true."

Chu Wugao’s face darkened, his mind racing. He stayed silent, trying to piece things together.

Suddenly, Mrs. Chu, who had been quietly listening, spoke up. "Wugao," she said hesitantly, "didn’t your girlfriend give you that talisman a while back? She asked for your birthdate too, remember?"

Chu Wugao’s head shot up, his expression grim. "Yeah... she did," he said slowly. "She said it was for good luck. I didn’t think much of it."

Yu Holea’s eyes narrowed. "Can I see it?"

Chu Wugao hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Sure, hang on," he said, disappearing into his room.

When he returned, he was holding a small, folded talisman. The paper was yellow with strange red symbols drawn on it. He handed it to Yu Holea, who unfolded it carefully.

As soon as she saw the symbols, her expression turned dark. "This is definitely a luck-swapping talisman," she said, her voice low. "But there’s something odd about it."

Nan Kelin leaned closer, his heart pounding. "What do you mean?"

Yu Holea tapped the talisman with her finger. "This talisman was used to swap your luck with Chu Wugao’s," she said. "But here’s the strange part- you never had bad luck to begin with. This bad luck belongs to someone else..."

Chu Wugao’s eyes widened.

"What do you mean? If it’s not my bad luck, whose is it?"

Yu Holea studied the talisman, her brows furrowed in concentration.

"That’s what’s weird," she said. "This talisman swapped Wugao’s good luck, but it didn’t just grab bad luck from nowhere. It had to come from someone else first."

Chu Wugao’s face paled.

"So, someone dumped their bad luck on me before it got passed to Kelin?"

Yu Holea nodded.

"Exactly. This talisman worked in two steps: first, someone else gave you their bad luck. Then, when your luck got swapped with Nan Kelin’s, he ended up with all the bad luck while you got his good luck."

Mrs. Chu gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. "Oh, Wugao! Who would do such a thing?"

Chu Wugao ran a hand through his hair, looking stressed.

"I don’t know," he muttered. "My girlfriend said the talisman was supposed to bring me good fortune. She didn’t mention anything about swapping or bad luck."

Yu Holea tilted her head, her sharp eyes glinting. "What do you know about her?" she asked. "Did she get the talisman from someone else?"

Chu Wugao hesitated, his jaw tightening. "She never said where she got it," he admitted. "She’s into spiritual stuff—fortune-telling, charms, all that. She probably thought it would help me."

Nan Kelin frowned. "Do you trust her?"

Wugao’s eyes flicked to Nan Kelin, then away. "I... don’t know anymore," he said quietly.

Yu Holea tapped the talisman again, her tone firm. "We need to talk to her," she said. "This talisman didn’t just appear out of nowhere. Someone made it, and they knew exactly what they were doing. We need to find out who."