0094: Definitely Not Picked Up Off the Street

He had intended to get in touch sooner, but the WeChat friend request did not go through until the next morning.

"Is this Xu Lin?"

"It is."

"Sorry, I went straight to rest after work yesterday. I didn’t look at my phone, and I slept until now."

"No problem. Serving the public is hard work."

"It isn’t hard. Should we talk in person, or chat on the phone?"

"Let’s meet and speak properly."

"All right. I’ll tell Wanwan first."

"Sure."

Xu Lin could only smile wryly. This older sister was truly afraid of having any contact with him, as though her best friend would be displeased if she found out. Was he really that kind of person?!

So long as it wasn’t one of the twelve zodiac slots, Xu Lin absolutely would not lay a single finger on anything. He could not promise undivided devotion, but at the very least he would treat all twelve with due propriety.

Twelve was hardly realistic, of course; it was the stuff of daydreams. Still, that did not stop him from taking a few bites of the peach.

After waiting half a minute, the other party sent a voice message saying that half an hour later, he should come to her at the gym on Spark Street.

A gym... Come to think of it, why had he not thought of going to a gym back then? Next time, he would mention it to Chu Fengyi. Finding a more professional place to train would not be a bad idea.

After tidying up a little, Xu Lin was ready to leave. Just as he was about to shut down his computer, QQ flashed. It was his editor, Lan Ou.

Lan Ou: "At the start of the month, do you want to go premium?"

"Do you mean this week? Then it can’t make the Three Rivers feature?"

Lan Ou: "No. By the time you hit Three Rivers, you’ll still be in the free period. How about going premium before the major recommendation?"

"Of course. It’s already 280,000 characters."

Lan Ou: "Then I’ll file it. This book is genuinely well written. It’s opened up a new path, though it’s still rather niche."

"After all, it’s not like fantasy or immortal cultivation, which are easier to promote through the usual channels."

Lan Ou: "Still, I believe the results will be good. What surprises me most is your age. You’re actually still a minor, and the contract even has a guardian section."

"I’ve got a bit of talent."

Lan Ou: "That’s not just a little talent. No need to be modest, but keep working hard. A lot of authors become instant sensations with one book, and then lose the ability to keep growing afterward."

"And I’m grateful for all your recommendations along the way."

"Good. Remember to stockpile manuscripts. If school leaves you short on time, keep the reserve smaller, but don’t rush yourself."

"Got it."

After closing the window, Xu Lin suddenly realized something: time really did fly. It was already nearing November, and the year itself was drawing to a close.

With a sigh, he put on a thicker coat and headed outside, only to be stopped by Li Yuan, who had just returned from her night shift.

"Mom, what is it? You’ve just gotten off a night shift. Why aren’t you sleeping?"

"Where are you going?"

"I’ve got something to do."

"Going to see a girl?"

"It is a girl."

Xu Lin had no reason to hide it.

"Oh ho, Xu Lin, I haven’t talked to you about this lately, and you’re getting more and more outrageous."

"How am I outrageous?" Xu Lin asked, completely lost. He sat down beside Li Yuan.

"You already have so many girls around you, and all of them are decent. Don’t keep trying to bring even more home for your poor old mother."

"Haha, how could I be that capable? They’re all just friends. My heart is devoted to studying now!"

Xu Lin looked at his mother, but she merely rolled her eyes. At that moment, he also noticed things he usually paid no attention to.

His mother was aging. His parents had not had him especially early; when she gave birth to him, she was already twenty-five. Now she was forty-two.

Compared with before his transmigration, she looked somewhat younger now, but wrinkles had already begun to appear at the corners of her face.

Her back was no longer as straight as it once had been, and fatigue had become more and more evident.

Thinking back to his past life, when he had drifted aimlessly even after graduating from university, he suddenly felt that without the money from the demolition compensation, his parents’ life would probably have had nothing to rely on because of him.

At once, guilt rose in him. Li Yuan felt the change in her son as well and took his hand.

"What’s wrong? I just said a few words and you’re unhappy already?"

"I’m not unhappy. I just suddenly feel that you’re both getting older, and I should work even harder."

"Good. Don’t just talk about it. Study properly, get into a good university, and make your mother truly happy."

"Of course. I can even bring you a few more daughters-in-law."

"See? You really are a little flirt. But in the end, you’ll only choose one. Your mother doesn’t care. As long as it doesn’t interfere with your studies, I’m still very open-minded."

"Thanks, Mom."

"By the way, why haven’t Qingchan and Ji Yun come around lately?"

"Chu Qingchan lives right across from Ji Yun. During the day she goes out to study. If you want to chat with her, go find her at night. She’s usually home then."

"All right, I’m heading out."

"Will you come back for lunch?"

"No. I’ll grab something outside. You get some rest. Once your son’s income stabilizes, I won’t let you and Old Xu keep working yourselves so hard."

"Then we’d better keep working too. We can’t retire at forty, after all."

Though she said so, seeing her son so ambitious, Li Yuan could not help smiling.

Xu Lin then got up and headed outside. Li Yuan also rose, preparing to go back to her room and sleep, but the next second she let out a sharp cry of pain.

Xu Lin spun around at once and hurried back to her side, supporting her with a face full of anxiety.

"Are you feeling unwell?"

After just having seen Bai Family’s parents going into the hospital, he was even more afraid of something happening to his own parents.

"Yesterday, when I was riding the bike, I accidentally bumped my leg. It’s a bit bruised. I already put medicine on it."

"Should I take you for an X-ray?"

"No, really, it’s fine. It’s just a superficial injury."

"Then... wait a second, I’m going to get something."

Xu Lin suddenly remembered the bead. He had never used it. Ever since the day it was interrupted, he had put it aside and had not even remembered to test it these past few days.

He took the green bead from a small box in his bedroom and ran to the living room. Li Yuan blinked in surprise.

"What is this?"

"Something very high-tech. If you put it on the skin, it can heal certain pains and injuries."

"My son, you’re at least a high school student. That looks like a scam at first glance. Where did you buy it? Don’t tell me you picked up a glass bead from the roadside?"

"Come on, Mom, you can’t just go picking up things like that. Try it and you’ll know."

Xu Lin crouched down and placed the bead on his mother’s knee. No special effect appeared, and he felt his own nerves tighten. It wouldn’t work, would it?

"There are plenty of fake things like this online..." But before she could finish, Li Yuan’s expression changed.

"It seems..."

"Did it work?"

"It seems like it doesn’t hurt anymore?"

"Try standing up?"

Xu Lin helped his mother to her feet again. Li Yuan nodded repeatedly.

"Good, good. It doesn’t hurt at all. That’s amazing! Where can I buy one?"

"This was given to me by your future daughter-in-law."

"Which daughter-in-law?"

"Haha, Mom, look at you. You were the one saying I’d be exposed, and now you’ve exposed yourself!"

"You brat. If you’ve got the ability, bring them all home and I’d be delighted. Your mother likes beautiful daughters-in-law anyway."

"All right, I’m leaving. I really can’t be late. It’s business, not some visit to a daughter-in-law."

With that, Xu Lin quickly left home, worried that if he arrived late, he would leave a bad impression. After all, he was the one asking for help.

So he hailed a taxi, and about fifteen minutes later arrived at the Pinjili Gym on Spark Road.

Because Linshui was a small place, this gym was one of only three in the city, and it was also the largest.

As soon as he stepped inside, the young woman at the front desk bowed slightly and said with a bright smile, "Hello, sir. How may I help you?"

"Hello. I’m looking for Qin Yunhe, Miss Qin."

"Miss Qin is at the combat ring upstairs. Take that staircase over there and you can go right up. Brother Lei, could you lend a hand?"

"Sure thing."

A young man beside her, wearing a workout tank top and with arms almost as thick as Xu Lin’s legs, nodded and led the way. Xu Lin followed after him.

"First time in a gym, little brother?"

"Mm."

"These days young people all have weak bodies. Your frame’s a bit thin. If you want to train, you can come ask me then. My name’s Hong Lei."

"I’m not trying to sell anything, and I’m not one of the trainers here. I just come here every day. It’s free."

"Then thanks a lot, Brother Lei."

"No problem. But what’s your relationship with Qin Yunhe?" He lowered his voice, his eyes shining with interest.

Well. So that was why he was so enthusiastic. He had been fishing for news about Qin Yunhe all along. Men, indeed.