Chapter 238: Home and Hopes

Just after nine in the morning, Lin Zheng Ran brushed his teeth and freshened up in the bathroom at home.

This past week, he’d focused on treating Jiang Jingshi’s illness. Thanks to the System, even without sleep, he felt no real fatigue and no dark circles under his eyes. Still, a good night’s rest always helped relax his mind and body.

He felt completely refreshed.

With Jiang Jingshi’s issues sorted, he could finally take those three little girls—Lily, Heqing, and Wen Wen—on a trip. It was perfect timing after a busy week.

While brushing, Lin Zheng Ran glanced at his phone for the time, spat out the toothpaste foam, and rinsed his mouth.

His mom, Lin Xiao Li, and dad, Lin Ying Jun, weren’t working today; they sat on the sofa watching TV.

Lin Xiao Li wore comfortable home clothes and leaned against her husband, holding a plate of cherry tomatoes and munching on them one by one.

Lin Zheng Ran asked, “So, Mom and Dad, you’re not working today? Taking a break?”

Lin Xiao Li chewed a cherry tomato and replied unhappily, “What break? Your dear mom here is unemployed, out of a job.”

She pouted.

His dad said, “I’m on my day off.”

“Unemployed?” Lin Zheng Ran asked, puzzled.

Lin Ying Jun chimed in, “Your mom’s nail salon shut down. Seems the owner lost big in the stock market and dragged the shop down with it. Oh well, unemployment isn’t the end; she can take some time to rest and not rush into another job.”

“Stock market bankruptcy? That’s bold.”

His mom puckered her lips and leaned on her husband, her face clouding over as she talked about work.

“Sure, it’s rest, but we can’t just stop earning. Your dad’s salary is what it is. We’re not starving, but living off savings isn’t sustainable.”

Lin Ying Jun looked at his wife and said, “Come on, it’s not that dire. We’ve got a few hundred thousand in savings; that’s enough for you to relax for a while.”

Lin Xiao Li turned and asked, “What about Zheng Ran? Won’t he need money for a car or a house? That eighty or ninety thousand won’t go far. Do you even know how much houses cost in the city district these days?”

“Why rush?” Lin Ying Jun shrugged.

“Mainly, Zheng Ran’s just turned eighteen, and we’re not that old. He’s got years before settling down. By then, buying a car or making a down payment won’t be an issue. Besides, our family’s expenses are just those two things; everything else is cheap.”

Lin Xiao Li frowned while chewing her cherry tomato, her voice slowing. “Are you sure Zheng Ran will wait that long to get married?”

His dad faltered, and they both turned to Lin Zheng Ran.

Lin Zheng Ran grabbed a cherry tomato from his mom’s plate and ate it. “Don’t worry about the car or house; I’ll handle that myself. You two just use that money for fun and treats.”

Lin Xiao Li pointed a finger to remind him, “Zheng Ran, money isn’t easy to earn, you know! The world’s complicated!” She thought for a moment,

“But my Zheng Ran’s so talented; I bet you’ll land a great job. Maybe even become a leader and pull in three to five thousand a month—or even seven or eight thousand!”

She beamed with joy. “Then you’d be rolling in it! How much would that add up to in a year? With bonuses, you could hit a million—total life winner!”

Lin Zheng Ran thought to himself that he could probably earn that in a few hours. Emmm, lately Zheng Shi Company was buzzing, so he might make even more than that in the same time.

Lin Zheng Ran suggested, “Mom, if you still want to run a nail salon, how about I fund it for you? You could be your own boss.”

His parents both looked at Lin Zheng Ran.

Lin Ying Jun asked, “Fund it? Do you have that much money?”

Lin Xiao Li set her cherry tomatoes on the table and sat up straight. “That’s right, Zheng Ran, what have you been up to lately? You haven’t been home for days and won’t tell us what you’re doing. It feels like you’re hiding something shady.”

“Shady? I’d never do anything like that,” he said, exasperated.

Lin Xiao Li stared at her son, eyes narrowing. “No illegal stuff, okay!”

“Of course not. It’s just the usual things—helping Lily, Heqing, and Wen Wen with their occasional competitions.”

Lin Xiao Li said, “Well, that’s not illegal. You’ve been doing that since you were little.”

Lin Zheng Ran smiled.

“So, how much money do you have now?” His dad asked curiously. “Lily seemed pretty popular recently, right? Though her buzz dropped a bit since she skipped performances for exams.”

“I don’t know the exact amount, but it’s definitely enough. Funding a shop for Mom wouldn’t be a problem.”

Lin Xiao Li was surprised. “Your own money, and you don’t even know how much? Do you have three or five thousand?”

“Probably.”

“Hmm? Ten thousand?”

“Probably.”

“Hmm?! Fifty or sixty thousand!”

“Probably.”

“Really? How much exactly?”

“I really don’t know the details, but it’s more than enough.”

Lin Xiao Li’s expression turned odd. “Zheng Ran! Don’t exaggerate! Is fifty or sixty thousand that easy to make? I’m not some naive girl; I know the world!”

Lin Ying Jun didn’t take it too seriously either. After all, they always figured their son was great in many ways, but earning big money was still a stretch for someone his age—though a little extra was fine.

He thought for a moment:

“No matter how much you earn, just promise us it won’t affect your studies. If it does, forget it. Money’s important, but not the most important thing!”

Lin Zheng Ran said, “Don’t worry, Dad.”

Lin Ying Jun looked at his wife. “Opening a nail salon isn’t a bad idea. You’ve always wanted to, and you’ve got years of experience.”

Lin Xiao Li stroked her chin, frowning in thought. “I did say that before, but the nail business is cutthroat now—nothing like the old days. Lately, I’ve been thinking of trying something else.”

She picked up her phone from the coffee table and pulled up an online job posting.

“You two know about this? Our city’s got this super popular company blowing up—Zheng Shi Company. They do social media stuff on a huge scale. Their music branch is hiring makeup artists, and I want to apply. I’ve always wanted to get into makeup.”

“Makeup artist?” Lin Ying Jun took his wife’s phone and checked the salary and benefits. It looked impressive, even generous.

“But do you have the skills? The requirements seem strict—they want real expertise.”

Lin Xiao Li said confidently, “Why wouldn’t I? When I did nails, I chatted about this all the time. I’m professional, you know! Don’t underestimate your wife!”

“As if I would,” Lin Ying Jun chuckled. “You’re the toughest one around—Zheng Ran doesn’t even compare!”

Lin Xiao Li said proudly, “Well, not quite—Zheng Ran’s still sharper than me.”

Lin Zheng Ran leaned over and saw that the music company his mom mentioned was Zheng Shi Music.

The one where Lily worked.

That could work. If his mom was interested, she could give it a shot; she picked up new things quickly.

Lin Xiao Li laughed. “Maybe I’ll go for the interview?”

No sooner had she spoken than a knock echoed at the door.

Lin Zheng Ran heard it and went to answer. To his surprise, Pan Lin and Jiang Jingshi stood there.