0038: A Journey Through the Market

The next morning, Xu Lin rose from bed after only four hours of sleep, preparing to exercise—after all, whether it was a holiday or not, he had to keep up his routine.

Staying up late or being on break was no excuse to skip his workouts. There were so many people who wished they had the time to exercise; he ought to cherish the opportunity even more.

His physical fitness had already reached 4.3, and that was just after four or five days of training. He was determined to raise it to the average level for an adult man.

Stepping outside, he was greeted by a group of elderly men and women from the neighborhood, and Xu Lin waved his arm in return.

He hadn’t really known many families in the complex before, but through his morning workouts, he’d come to know a whole group of old men and women.

“Not going to school today?” one of the elders asked.

“No. Where are you off to, Grandpa Qin?”

“Going to buy some groceries.”

“Do we still have a market nearby?”

“No, just the one up north. But I’m just taking a stroll and picking up a few things along the way.”

“Oh, then I’ll be off.”

“Take care, be safe.”

“Will do.”

Leaving the neighborhood, Xu Lin looked at the north-south road. His original plan was to run to the southern park, make a loop, and come back.

But there wasn’t much meat or vegetables left at home, and what Chu Qingchan had said yesterday was right—he hadn’t really ever cooked a meal for his parents. Even after he’d learned to cook in his previous life, he’d never once prepared a dish for them. Since he’d only need to visit Mr. Guan in the afternoon, why not showcase his culinary skills for lunch today?

Having made up his mind, Xu Lin changed direction and ran north.

Although Lingshui was a small city, its residents placed particular importance on breakfast—even more so than lunch or dinner.

As a result, the breakfast industry in Lingshui was thriving, with a wide variety of options. Xu Lin hadn’t run far before the smells made him hungry rather than tired.

He spotted a sign that simply read “Fried Dough Sticks and Soy Milk,” and slowed his pace. He wasn’t particularly craving fried dough sticks, but rather, his attention was caught by a young girl waiting quietly under the sign, out of place in the morning bustle.

As he walked closer, before he could reach her, he heard a voice from behind in the queue, “Young man, get in line!”

“I’m not here to buy anything, I’m looking for my girlfriend,” Xu Lin replied offhandedly, prompting the figure ahead to turn her head.

A pair of clear, beautiful eyes met his, and her face flushed instantly. Several people around them glanced over, making Xu Lin a little embarrassed as well.

“Xu Lin, are you talking nonsense again?” she asked.

“Hey, Class President Ji, when have I ever talked nonsense? Where’s this ‘again’ coming from?”

Ji Yun glared at him and turned away.

“How come you’re up so early today?” Xu Lin asked.

“My parents need to go back to our hometown for something. Their bus is at 7:30 this morning—I couldn’t let them leave without breakfast, could I?”

“I didn’t expect our Ji Yun to be so thoughtful.”

“Who’s ‘our’? There you go again with that nonsense. Xu Lin, I should go have a chat with your parents!” she shot him another glare.

“Great, great, does this count as meeting the parents? Fast forward to getting engaged and married after graduation?”

Ji Yun took a deep breath. She felt she’d underestimated how thick-skinned Xu Lin had become.

“By the way, have the test results come out yet?”

“No, they’re grading this morning.”

“How do you think you did this time, Class President?”

“Just about normal. But you, Xu Lin—don’t get complacent even if you make the top fifty. Sometimes a single point can mean ten or even a hundred places in the rankings.”

“I know. Which university do you want to go to?”

“As an ordinary student, of course I’d like to get into Qingda or Jingda. But whether I can or not is another matter. Personally, I’d like to find a university I like that’s close to home.”

“Close to home?”

“Yeah. Since I was young, I studied hard mainly to make my parents happy. I know it doesn’t sound great, but that’s the truth—I don’t actually love studying all that much.”

“But when I see my good grades and the smiles on their faces, I feel my efforts are worth it.”

“Of course, now I also understand what my parents mean when they say you study for yourself. With good grades, you get into a good university, land a good job, earn more, and live better.”

“But for me, it’s about seeing their happiness. Of course, Xu Lin, I’m just as ordinary as anyone—I know getting into a good university means earning more money, but my parents matter more than that.”

“Hmm, Ji Yun, you actually remind me a lot of her.”

“Who?” Ji Yun’s brow twitched. “Don’t tell me… your girlfriend?”

“Where would I get a girlfriend?”

“Didn’t someone say you’re chasing after a senior?”

Xu Lin coughed awkwardly. She’d guessed right.

“It’s her, but I was just helping her. I’ll explain the details after you’ve had breakfast.”

After Ji Yun bought her fried dough sticks and soy milk, Xu Lin briefly explained Bai Xiaoxiao’s family situation. Ji Yun’s expression turned serious.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have joked about your senior. She’s even better than me.”

“No, she’s just working hard for her dreams.”

“Then help her as much as you can. There’s nothing I can do—I don’t even have much allowance, and she’s better at studying than I am.”

“True. I’m just doing what I can. By the way, with your parents gone, you’re home alone today?”

“Yeah.” Ji Yun nodded, but quickly grew wary, taking a step back. “Xu Lin, we’re not a couple—you better not try anything…”

“I haven’t even said anything yet!” Xu Lin protested.

“Don’t say another word. I’m heading home—they must be getting ready now.”

“I just meant… why don’t you come over for lunch? You’d have to cook for yourself anyway, so why not eat together?”

“Is that really okay?” Ji Yun’s heart started racing again. Wouldn’t that really be meeting his parents, just like he joked?

“Of course! And don’t bring anything—I’ll cook myself. I’m off to buy groceries now.”

“All right…”

“Head back, don’t let your food get cold.”

“You haven’t had breakfast. Have some.”

“No, I’m heading off!” With that, she ran north.

Ji Yun stood there for a couple of seconds, then realized, “Did he just say he’d cook himself? What if it’s some disaster of a meal? Maybe I should bring something, just in case…”

Xu Lin ran for several minutes, stopping and starting, and finally reached the entrance of the market. It was 7 a.m., and the only word to describe the market was: crowded.

But he had to squeeze in—he was already here, and if he went to the supermarket instead, it would cost much more.

In his previous life, Xu Lin had never thought about frugality. But since his rebirth, having seen the contrast between Chu Qingchan’s 230,000 yuan bank card and Bai Xiaoxiao’s family, he’d come to understand the gravity of life.

Not to mention, there were families even worse off than Bai Xiaoxiao’s, but they still worked hard to survive.

This wasn’t about how much money you had, but about your attitude. Of course, if he had money, he wanted his family to have the best—but he couldn’t spend it carelessly.

Entering the market, the earthy smell was even stronger than the scent of fish. He headed straight for the pork section—he’d need pork for several dishes today.

Passing by the fish stalls, he glanced over. The carp looked plump, and he considered buying two, but couldn’t think what to make.

At that moment, he heard an exclamation. A fish had leaped out of a bag, and he quickly grabbed it, pinning it by the gills.

“Young man, quick, put it in the bag,” a middle-aged woman hurried over, opening a bag for him. He quickly placed the fish inside.

“Thank you, young man.”

“It’s nothing, really,” Xu Lin replied, glancing at her. She wore round glasses, wasn’t slim, but her face was well cared for, giving him a sense of familiarity.

“You’ve got some blood on your hands. Boss, let the young man use the tap,” the woman called out.

“Of course—go ahead, wash up. There’s detergent and disinfectant,” the stall owner said.

“Thanks, uncle.” Xu Lin didn’t refuse—he couldn’t go on shopping with fishy hands.

After washing up, he abandoned the idea of buying fish and turned to buy some shrimp, but noticed the middle-aged woman hadn’t left yet.

“Auntie? Is there something else?”