"The bride price is 300,000 yuan, not a penny less!"
"A dowry of 300,000 yuan, not a penny less!"
"I don't care about the money. I just want to know how important I am to you."
"Also, the apartment can't be in your mother's name. It has to be transferred to mine."
In Shen City, at the window seat of the Gray Whale Cafe.
Thirty-eight-year-old Jiang Qin looked at his prospective marriage partner and suddenly felt her face was somewhat unfamiliar.
They had met through matchmaking and had been together for over half a year. As neither of them was young anymore and time was slipping by, they had been discussing marriage lately.
To be honest, Jiang Qin didn't feel much affection for her, and he believed she felt similarly about him.
After all, at nearly forty, was getting married and having children still about love?
It was just about not ending up alone…
He didn't speak, instead quietly sipping water from his cup, his gaze fixed through the glass showcase window, automatically tuning out her voice.
He thought life was quite troublesome.
Because his parents told him knowledge changes fate, he studied hard from a young age, believing he would become rich or eminent, extraordinary in some way.
But only after starting work did he realize he wasn't even an average Joe.
In 2016, when he first entered the workforce, he was hospitalized after being forced to drink by clients, missing the chance to see his grandmother, who raised him, one last time.
In 2019, a project failed spectacularly, and he was blamed. He holed up in his rental eating instant noodles for five months, unable to distinguish between dreams and reality.
His subsequent job was relatively stable, but it was far from where he lived. He worked tirelessly, holding off even going to the bathroom, all to save for a car.
By 2022, he finally bought the car, only to find he couldn't afford the fuel and his health was failing.
After turning thirty, he noticed the rent rising faster than his salary. So, he started saving diligently for a house in Shen City and shared this plan with his parents.
From that day, his parents' table never saw meat again.
But they still couldn't make the down payment. His father, without telling him, worked during the day and drove for Didi [1] at night, almost suffering a cerebral hemorrhage.
Is poverty really related to laziness?
Jiang Qin pondered this question over the years.
He felt he had been diligent enough, truly living up to his name.
But where was the money?
Who was earning the money meant for him?
As a child, his parents earnestly told him that if he was willing to endure hardship, he would surely succeed.
But as he grew up, he realized the truth was, if you are willing to endure hardship, there will always be more hardships to endure.
Now, his matchmaking partner demanded a dowry of 300,000 yuan.
"Jiang Qin, are you listening to me?"
"Yes, I've been listening."
"Then why don't you say anything? I've been talking for so long, my throat is hoarse and you don't care!"
Jiang Qin put down his cup and after a long silence, said, "Maybe we shouldn't get married after all?"
The woman was stunned, then burst into anger: "What do you mean by that?"
"Nothing, just feeling tired and wanting to go home to sleep."
"Jiang Qin, you coward, no wonder no woman wants you at thirty-eight!"
Ignoring her outburst, Jiang Qin walked out of the café, wandering aimlessly along the street.
When he reached a construction site, he saw a banner saying "Workers are superior people." (Communism)
He lit a cigarette, took a couple of puffs, and then burnt a hole in it.
He didn't resent the woman much, even finding her demands reasonable.
After all, she was thirty-five, what's wrong with being practical?
He was just pondering one question.
When will these days end?
People who have never worked preached that workers were superior, but those who have always worked could only nod in agreement, saying "yes, yes, yes."
But where did he resemble a superior person?
In his life, he only ever owned two pairs of AJ sneakers, both knock-offs. Is that what they call a superior person?
As for love?
Jiang Qin wasn't even sure if it existed.
He had been set up several times, met a few girls introduced by friends. Any of them would do, but the saddest part was, they were just passable.
Reflecting on his life, he had too many regrets…
Jiang Qin sighed, took out his phone, wanting to call a friend for a drink, but then saw four text messages.
One was a credit card payment reminder, another a warning about overdue phone bills, one saying "Brother, I'm nearby, no one's home today."
The last one was from his direct supervisor, earnestly saying that the company was not doing well and hoping the employees would voluntarily take pay cuts to help the company through tough times.
Jiang Qin instantly lost the mood to drink, continuing to smoke beneath the construction building.
In this era, if you want to be rich, you absolutely cannot be a worker, because the distribution of resources in society is inherently unfair.
But thinking of his age, Jiang Qin couldn't help but laugh.
At thirty-eight, isn't it unrealistic to start a business?
His back was breaking from these past two years, his cervical spine was problematic, and he suffered more from nerve pain than frequent urination.
Starting a business with this battered body, even if he succeeded, he'd be fifty by then. What's there to enjoy in life?
If only he could start over, he wouldn't work at all. If possible, he'd marry a wealthy woman.
If not, then start a business. He believed money can be earned if one forgets their conscious.
Jiang Qin took a deep breath, rubbed his sore neck, and couldn't help but glance upward.
Huh?
What was that dark mass coming straight at him?
"…"
"Administer a shot of epinephrine, quick!"
"…"
"Embrace the Olympics, speak with civility, set a new trend!"
"…"
"Where's Director Liu? Ask if the operating room is available, hurry!"
"…"
"My house is always open, waiting for you with open arms."
Jiang Qin suddenly felt a piercing brightness in front of his eyes, a clamor in his ears, burning heat on his skin, and his mind felt foggy.
Through the haze, he saw a very pretty young girl, probably around seventeen or eighteen years old.
She was wearing a fluffy, floral dress, revealing a portion of her fair and smooth legs, with a pert nose, rosy thin lips, slender and curled eyelashes, and a pair of bright eyes.
Jiang Qin smiled.
In all the years he worked hard for the big boss, changing cars and villas, he had never even dreamed of such a beautiful girl.
Such a pretty girl. A slap would make her cry for a long time, wouldn't it?
"Jiang Qin, I really don't want to date, I'm sorry."
Jiang Qin's smile faded as he realized the girl in front of him was becoming more vivid and clear.
She wore a dress printed with cornflowers, standing gracefully on the red plastic track, slightly shielding her eyes from the sun with her snow-white arms, yet the scorching weather still made the beautiful young girl appear somewhat irritable.
"If you don't say anything, I'll take it as your agreement. We're still good friends, right?"
Jiang Qin's brows furrowed, a hint of seriousness flickering in his eyes.
He knew this girl. Chu Siqi, the most popular girl in his high school class. She must be married now.
Throughout high school and university, he pursued her for seven years, almost driven to doubt his life by her rejections.
Jiang Qin wasn't the type to doggedly chase someone to the point of annoyance.
But the problem was, Chu Siqi constantly involved herself in his life under the guise of friendship, asking him for favors, forbidding him from dating other girls, occasionally giving him hope, a couple of sweet nothings, truly tormenting the young Jiang Qin.
"After my first year in university, I'll consider being your girlfriend!"
"The workload in the second year is too heavy, let's talk in the third year."
"I have too many competitions to participate in during the third year, I don't have time for dating."
Until the second semester of his third year, she came hand in hand with a tall, thin boy, both wearing couple outfits.
That day, she was full of tenderness, her eyes sparkling like starry skies, asking him if he thought her boyfriend looked handsome.
After that, Jiang Qin closed his heart off, never considering dating again, leading to the story of him reluctantly finding someone to marry at thirty-eight.
In 2008, the concept of being a 'spare tire' didn't exist. It wasn't until the internet became widespread that Jiang Qin realized he had been a 'spare tire'.
She only kept him around because she hadn't found someone suitable, fluctuating between closeness and distance, sometimes flirting, sometimes ignoring him.
Plainly put, he was just a tool to pass time when she was bored.
With these memories vividly in mind, Jiang Qin felt dizzy and heard ringing in his ears.
The memories of Chengnan High School, the popular girl from his youth.
Is this… rebirth?
Or a dream?
If this is rebirth, where was the 'ding'? Why isn't it 'dinging'?
Jiang Qin shakily extended his hand, grasping at the air, yet failing to awaken any virtual screen.
Is he a fake reborn person? Not even equipped properly?
"Jiang Qin, did you hear what I said? I really don't want to date right now."
"Okay then. Whatever you wish."
Jiang Qin responded casually and then closed his eyes, trying to see if he could awaken some kind of special ability with his mind. Unfortunately, he failed. There really was no system.
Hearing his straightforward response, Chu Siqi was unexpectedly startled. Jiang Qin's indifferent attitude gave her the feeling of punching cotton, futile and powerless.
"Didn't you hear me? I just rejected you!"
"I heard you, I'm not deaf."
"Then… don't you have anything to say to me?"
Jiang Qin accepted the reality of not having a system, his gaze landing on Chu Siqi's hand: "What's that in your hand?"
Chu Siqi held up the envelope in her hand with a proud look: "This is the love letter you just gave me. I said I didn't want it, but you still gave it to me. Don't write any more next time."
"Can you give it back to me? I need it."
Jiang Qin didn't wait for her consent and took back the love letter himself, then pulled out the page inside, crumpling it into his pocket. He then spread out the envelope on his lap and quickly wrote two lines.
"Don't work at all if you can, marry a wealthy woman if possible.
Money can be earned again, but with no conscience, you can earn even more."