Chapter 9: The unlucky one is her Big Brother!
After Dong Yuxuan logged off Star Net, he found a stick and poked, poked, poked at the precious flowerpot.
"Are you crazy?! Aren't you afraid of damaging the roots?!"
"Oh my heavens! You've truly lost your mind. This couldn't possibly be something that swindler master of yours taught you, could it?"
"If your IQ is low, don't come out and make a fool of yourself. You don't deserve the surname Dong!"
Dong Yuxuan carefully replicated his master's movements, then finally let out a sigh of relief, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
Facing a thousand fingers pointing at him, a surge of heroic spirit rose in his heart, possessing the wisdom of "everyone else is drunk, only I am sober."
"How can you common mortals know the power of a master! Hmph, just wait, with master's guidance, I will definitely pass this assessment."
"Heh heh, indeed a master, a master among swindlers! When the time comes and you don't pass the assessment, don't go crying to your Big Brother! Don't try to use backdoors!"
Dong Yuxuan scoffed and pouted. With his master around, would he still need to use backdoors?!
Having a star dust Plant Controller as a master was the biggest backdoor!
…
People are just like that; no pressure, no motivation.
After two consecutive days on Star Net, earning enough star coin to pay off the debt, Lin Xiaohe decided to take a day off and just lie at home for a day.
The Lin Family expressed their hundred percent support for this.
Grandma Lin personally brought nutrient solution and purified water to Lin Xiaohe's bedside, ensuring her granddaughter could reach them with just an arm's stretch.
"Lin Xiaohe, should I get you a potty?" Grandma Lin affectionately stroked Lin Xiaohe's head.
Earning forty thousand star coin in two days, oh my, there's no child in the entire village as promising as her!
So what if she didn't get into university?
Lin Xiaohe must be exhausted.
It was all their fault as elders, being useless and burdening the child.
Grandma Lin turned her head away, secretly wiping tears from the corners of her eyes.
Lin Xiaohe was delighted, she also thought she was amazing: "Thank you, Grandma, no need. Where are Big Brother and Second Sister?"
Why didn't they come over to show her some concern?
Lin Xiaohe secretly chided herself, she was truly spoiled by the Lin Family, actually becoming arrogant due to their pet.
Xin Bao was lie on the window, its two small leaves vigorously pulling at the window.
It liked making money, it liked going online. If it didn't go online for a day, it would feel itchy all over!
Grandma Lin watched Xin Bao, worried it might open the window and fall out, while answering Lin Xiaohe's question.
"Your Second Sister took the money to pay off the debt. Your Big Brother went with her."
"Oh."
It was understandable, Lin Xiaohe magnanimously forgave them.
Unbeknownst to them, the brother and sister, who had almost been marked down by their little sister, were about to go their separate ways as soon as they arrived at the government affairs hall bus stop.
Lin Jingqiu pointed at the wound on Lin Chiyang's mouth and asked him if he still wanted to go boxing.
Lin Chiyang ran a hand through his hedgehog-like hair and shook his head: "No more. These past few days, Lin Father's gaze has been getting stranger. I suspect if I get injured again, Lin Father will definitely cry."
He'd go again once his injuries healed.
He looked at the graceful Lin Jingqiu and said: "The landfill is too chaotic, and the family's debt has been paid off, so don't go there anymore."
Lin Jingqiu shook her head, pointed at herself, then at Lin Chiyang's chest.
Lin Chiyang raised an eyebrow, irritably running his hand through his hair, and snapped: "Earning money is a man's business. You just take good care of the family! If Lin Xiaohe wants to retake the exams, I'll find a way to earn money. This black boxing competition's championship prize is fifty thousand star coin! I've made it into the top sixteen."
The sixteen-to-eight competition was scheduled for a week later, by which time his injuries should have healed.
Lin Jingqiu didn't like to hear that and turned to leave.
Lin Chiyang called after her: "After you pay the fines and taxes, don't wander off, wait for me to pick you up. I'm going to buy nutrient solution for Lin Xiaohe, I'll be back soon."
He wasn't entirely at ease with Lin Jingqiu; his second sister was strikingly beautiful and couldn't speak, attracting many men since childhood.
His excellent fighting skills were honed on these very men.
Lin Chiyang watched Lin Jingqiu; she only needed to cross one more road to enter the government affairs hall.
Just then, the bus he needed to take arrived at the stop.
Lin Chiyang withdrew his gaze, swiped his card, and boarded the bus.
He was going to the Liantong Grand Supermarket in the bustling district, where the universally renowned Xinghui Life nutrient solution was sold.
The entire planet was covered in Xinghui Life advertisements, and their newly launched strawberry-flavored nutrient solution was said to simulate 80% of a real strawberry's taste, making it widely popular.
Lin Chiyang's steps were light and joyful; he imagined Lin Xiaohe drinking the strawberry-flavored nutrient solution, then sweetly calling him Big Brother, and praising him a few times.
Oh boy, his mouth would be grinning all the way to the back of his head!
As soon as he entered the Liantong Grand Supermarket, Lin Chiyang headed straight for the Xinghui Life counter: "How much is the strawberry-flavored nutrient solution?"
"Second-grade is 500 star coin, first-grade is 1000 star coin, and special-grade is 2000 star coin."
"What?! That expensive?!" Lin Chiyang was stunned.
Their family sold one catty of stardust wheat for 8 star coin. The lowest-grade nutrient solution sold for 10 star coin per tube, with discounts for bulk purchases.
This strawberry-flavored nutrient solution actually sold for 500 star coin! That was enough to feed a family for three or four days!
Lin Chiyang was a bit reluctant, but thinking of Lin Xiaohe's pained expression when drinking nutrient solution, he steeled himself: "Give me four tubes!"
One tube each for his little sister and second sister, one tube for their Lin Father and mother to share, and one tube for their grandparents.
As for himself, he was a big man, he didn't like sweet stuff.
Lin Chiyang unconsciously licked his lips, tucked the four tubes of nutrient solution close to his body, checked the time, and quickened his pace towards the bus stop.
His second sister was still waiting for him at the government affairs hall.
When he was still five hundred meters from the bus stop, Lin Chiyang's intuition was screaming in alarm.
He changed his stride, and the next second, his arm stung, followed by a tingling numbness that spread from his arm throughout his entire body.
After a dizzying spin, he collapsed to the ground.
The four tubes of nutrient solution on his chest were crushed, pink liquid gushed out, and the scent of strawberries lingered.
At the same time, Lin Jingqiu was cornered.
She was less than 100 meters from the government affairs hall; if it were a normal person, screaming for help at this moment would surely attract the guards from the government affairs hall.
But Lin Jingqiu was mute.
Her mouth opened and closed, but aside from hissing sounds, she couldn't utter a single word.
Her eyes filled with tears, she curled her body, desperately protecting her wristband.
No!
This was the money her family had painstakingly earned, it was the hope that her family could continue to live in the city!
Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely could not be stolen!
Her eyes bloodshot, she let the punches and kicks land on her body, letting them tear at her clothes.
Only one thought filled her mind: no one could steal these star coin!
…
The sky gradually darkened, and Grandma Lin occasionally looked through the window towards the end of the path.
Lin Xiaohe got up and sat at the table.
Lin Father absentmindedly sharpened a file: "Lin Xiaohe, are you hungry? I'll get you some nutrient solution."
The Lin Family was poor, only eating two meals a day.
Lin Xiaohe was still growing and got hungry quickly.
Lin Xiaohe shook her head: "I'll wait for Big Brother and Second Sister to come back."
"Xin Bao?"
Xin Bao's two small leaves formed an "X" shape, indicating that it also wanted to wait for its older brother and sister to return.