"Your finger is bleeding. I happen to have a band-aid here. Stick it on now, and when you get home, rinse it with antiseptic."
"It's fine, just a tiny scratch."
Only now did Xu Lin notice a very small cut caused by the fish gills.
"Just put it on; I have several here."
"Okay, thanks, Auntie."
Xu Lin took one and applied it to his finger, then waved and left.
After browsing the vegetable market for tens of minutes, he came out with a bunch of items. He once again felt the pressure of having low physical strength.
Right, he has no strength! Carrying this load home, his arms might fall off. There is no choice; he has to go to the street and hail a cab.
There was no online taxi booking service now; it would emerge a couple of years later and gradually spread. In this small city, it might take 4–5 years.
Can he jump in and reap some benefits now? Although he didn't travel back to the 80s or 90s, there are still some money-making opportunities available.
This was a good chance. Additionally, the Huang and Lan takeout businesses, although established, were just starting. Regarding investment matters, he didn't understand them.
Simple agency work, however, he can manage. Linshui City got agents in 2017, and nearby cities also recruited agents around 2016.
If he could secure an agency, it would be great. Forget about the general agency; he can't even think about it. It is already arranged, and he didn't have the financial strength to be an agent.
An agent also needed financial backing. It is 2013 now, and by 2016, when they start recruiting agents, if he has the financial capacity, he can give it a try.
However, a lot could change in three years. He can't predict his situation by then.
Thinking about ways to make money, he left the market and saw the same woman again, who also noticed him.
"Young man, are you buying so much stuff?"
"Yeah, having a family gathering. I want to show off my cooking skills."
"Not many guys cook now, and how many young girls can cook? I've been married for 25 years, and my husband has never cooked for me once."
"My dad doesn't cook either, and he can't make anything taste good. My mom won't let him cook."
"Young man, where is your home? My daughter is coming to pick me up; I can give you a ride."
"No, I'll just take a taxi back."
"That won't do. You helped me catch the fish, and I haven't thanked you yet."
"It was just something I did casually. I live nearby."
"Well, it's on the way. Why waste money on a taxi?"
"Thank you then, Auntie. I live in Jinxiu Mansion."
"That's convenient; oh, here comes my daughter."
Following the kind aunt's gaze into the distance, Xu Lin saw a familiar white Passat approaching.
A chill ran down his spine. Could this be happening every day by coincidence?
He glanced at the aunt who was smiling gently, finally realising where this familiar feeling came from—it was Teacher Su's real mother!
The white car stopped by the side at this moment, the window rolled down, and Su Qingwan's beautiful face appeared. Xu Lin wanted to slip away quickly.
"Mom, just put the things in the back seat... Xu... Xu Lin?"
"Xu Lin?"
Hearing her daughter say this, Mother Su also turned her head to look at Xu Lin, then glanced at her daughter.
"Acquaintance?"
"Yeah, an acquaintance."
"Su Qingwan, is he just an acquaintance?"
Instantly, Mother Su became serious. Su Qingwan immediately smiled apologetically at him.
"Speak."
"He... is my boyfriend."
"Auntie, I..." Xu Lin took a deep breath, not knowing what to say. After all, as soon as Su Qingwan appeared, he knew he was going to face this.
Since Su Qingwan couldn't tell the truth, he could only be a student. But if he said that, it would directly expose the fact that she does not have a boyfriend.
She can tell the truth later, but having just talked to her parents, he is now a convenient shield. It is the right time to use it.
"Get in the car first. Unexpectedly, such a coincidence. Let's talk."
"..."
Helplessly, Xu Lin got into the car, and Su Qingwan kept thinking about what to say. For a moment, the air seemed to freeze.
"Cough!"
"Mom, caught a cold?"
"Su Qingwan, don't talk for now. Just drive your car."
"Alright."
"Xu Lin, right?"
"Yeah." Just a moment ago, you were calling me 'young man.' Now it's Xu Lin, huh?
"What a coincidence! I originally wanted her to bring you home to meet, but she said you were busy with work and had been out recently. Unexpectedly, we meet today."
"Yeah, I was supposed to be back the day before yesterday, but there were some things on the way that delayed a day, and I only arrived in Linsui last night."
Xu Lin thought about the pre-arranged content with Teacher Su. His identity was just a high school graduate, nothing special, an ordinary worker. This way, it would be easier to find a reason to break up later, and her parents wouldn't be too concerned.
Indeed, he had just returned to Linsui. Yes, that matched. Nothing seemed problematic.
"I heard from Su Qingwan that you work in copywriting."
"Yeah, in the past few years, with the rise of many video streaming platforms, there have been a lot of advertisements. I work as a scriptwriter for those ads."
"Recently, the online dramas do have 30-second ads; it does affect the viewing experience."
"Yeah, that's the one." It would be better to say that a few years later, ads would become even longer, and 90 seconds wouldn't be considered rare.
By the way, there's this small website that had no ads, but after going public, its stock was doing well. He could invest in it.
Unconsciously, Xu Lin found another relatively trouble-free way to make money. Suddenly, he felt that being a reborn person meant never starving, no matter what you did.
"Are your parents locals?"
"Yeah, they are locals."
"When did you and my daughter meet?"
"Last year, just when I started working, Teach. Qingwan needed to create advertising slogans and short videos for an event, and she found our company."
"Where is your company located?"
"Just in the commercial district next to Tangli."
"You have to commute back and forth."
"Not too far, just a little over an hour."
"Do you have a car?"
Xu Lin heard this and knew it was the beginning—one of the ultimate questions a mother-in-law has for her son-in-law.
"No..."
"Do you have your own house?"
"Yes."
"The house belongs to your family."
"Yes."
"How's your income now?"
"Around 4k per month." The average income in Linsui was about 3k, so claiming 4k wasn't an exaggeration.
"Do you have any plans for the future?"
"Well, it's just me in my family, and my parents have worked hard. I plan to work hard and hopefully buy my own house and get married."
Although it might sound like he was just appeasing his potential mother-in-law, this was indeed Xu Lin's plan. He wanted to save money for his university education, for buying a house, and for getting married.
It might seem a bit lacklustre compared to other transmigrators who become bosses or wealthy individuals, but he preferred steady and gradual growth.
After listening, mother Su fell silent for a few seconds and then said, "You are quite sincere. You've been honest about everything. But you are younger than my daughter. Are you really confident in taking care of her, both in life and emotionally?"
"Do you want me to tell the truth?"
"You can say it."
"To be honest, I think I can. Maybe I'm not there yet with telling lies, but I want to become someone who can take care of her!"
Xu Lin said it firmly, and mother Su took a deep breath.
"Living a simple life is not bad, but young man, you have to continue to strive and prove it with practical actions."
Hearing the change in Mother Su's address, Xu Lin breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, he could relax and lean back in the chair.