"It's so close to work, so I just take the bus. Even if I buy a motorcycle, I don't know how to save any money."
I knew Qi Lin bought a motorcycle for 40,000 yuan.
Cabbage felt a little distressed.
Then, she asked Qi Lin, "How are you going to spend the remaining money?"
This is the kind of freedom Qi Lin's family enjoys.
The two elders had no intention of interfering with the money he earned.
Qi Lin smiled and pushed the money toward Cabbage. "I eat and drink at home, so I don't need the money. Give it to mom and save it for me."
"By the way, parents, you can use this money however you want. Buy yourselves some clothes, jewelry, whatever you like."
Qi Wei's eyes lit up. "That's great! I've been wanting to get a new fishing rod for a while."
He reached out, wanting to take some money.
Cabbage was deeply touched that her son had grown up and learned to be filial.
She slapped Qi Wei's hand away and glared at him. "All you care about is fishing! Shouldn't you be more concerned about your son's future wife? No one is touching this money. This is for my son's wife!"
Qi Wei: "·········"
"My dear son, I'll put this money away for now, and later I'll make you something delicious."
Cabbage smiled, hugged the pile of money, and went back to her room.
Seeing his father's longing gaze, Qi Lin found it amusing.
He pulled 10 bills from his socks and handed them over. "Here, don't say I didn't respect you. Use it for cigarettes and a fishing rod."
Qi Wei was stunned for a moment but quickly took the money and stuffed it into his socks.
He gave a thumbs up. "You're better than I am, son. Much better than me."
Xia Jian watched this scene with disgust.
"Socks, really? Why does this money smell like feet?"
Then, Xia Jian stretched out his hand. "I should get a share too. Otherwise, don't blame me if I complain to Aunt."
Qi Lin suppressed his laughter and took out another 200 yuan from his socks. "Here, buy yourself some snacks~"
Before, this guy had the heart of a thief but no courage.
But this time, as Xia Jian happily took the money, Qi Lin mischievously scratched her palm with his fingertips.
Qi Wei woke up early to hide his money somewhere safe.
Xia Jian's pretty face turned red, her eyes glaring at Qi Lin. "You're too much! How dare you take advantage of me!"
If it weren't for the 200 yuan, she would've scratched his face by now.
Qi Lin, enjoying teasing her, suddenly noticed something.
He stared at the top of Xia Jian's head, stunned.
At some point, the golden "D" above Xia Jian's head had turned into a large exclamation mark.
"Interesting. Doesn't an exclamation mark mean my cousin's opportunity has come? Now that I see it, should I take it or let it pass?"
With a playful smile, Qi Lin clicked on the exclamation mark.
Gradually, the exclamation mark expanded into a dialog box.
[Xia Jian is interning at a newspaper as a trainee reporter. Tomorrow is the last day of her internship. According to the newspaper's rules, if she doesn't report on traffic news independently by the end of her internship, she will be fired.]
The message was brief, but Qi Lin was stunned.
"System, doesn't the exclamation mark represent the protagonist's opportunity? Why is Xia Jian's exclamation mark about her getting fired?"
System: "The exclamation mark represents both the protagonist's opportunity and major events or turning points in their life."
Qi Lin fell silent.
Xia Jian's family was of modest means. If she failed her internship, she'd likely have to return to her hometown to find work.
Though Qi Lin and Xia Jian were distant relatives, they had grown close. Their bond was beyond blood ties.
Cabbage often took Qi Lin to visit his grandparents' hometown when he was young, and that's where he met Xia Jian, who was a year older.
Cabbage asked Qi Lin to call her cousin and asked Xia Jian to take care of him.
Xia Jian often brought him on wild adventures in the countryside.
Qi Lin couldn't swim, but one time, he slipped near a wild river and was swept away by the current.
Xia Jian jumped in without hesitation, swam hundreds of meters, and pulled him to safety.
Exhausted, Xia Jian was then carried away by the river herself.
Little Qi Lin was terrified and ran back to the village crying for help.
Luckily, Xia Jian was caught by a dead tree on the shore and rescued by adults.
Since then, Qi Lin willingly let Xia Jian boss him around.
Whenever they had braised pork, he'd give her the lean meat while eating the fatty part.
Whenever he had pocket money, he'd give half to Xia Jian.
When they were young, they even promised to go to the same university and remain best friends for life.
However, Xia Jian got accepted to the Journalism Department at Jiangcheng University, while Qi Lin didn't make it to college and went to a vocational school.
"Why do you look so serious? It's just 200 yuan."
Qi Lin, who had been smiling, suddenly grew quiet, leaving Xia Jian puzzled.
She waved her delicate hand in front of his face.
Qi Lin stared at her intently. "Aren't you tired of pretending to be happy all the time? Or have you never considered me a friend or family?"
Xia Jian panicked as if her heart had been exposed.
"I don't know what you're talking about! You're rambling again. I'm going to help Aunt Lan in the kitchen."
With that, Xia Jian quickly left.
Her internship was nearly over, and she didn't dare to tell her family how slim her chances of staying were.
Unable to establish herself in the big city, she'd have no choice but to return to her small town, defeated.
She didn't want to be a burden to Qi Lin's family, even though they never minded.