Chapter 10, The Smiling Youth

It is of no use. The merits are insufficient, it is not our turn, and even if we buy the winning number, it will change. Chen Wenjin does not want his father to waste money; he himself has not yet figured out why the number would change.

"You know, I have never been an optimistic person," Chen Wenjin said seriously as he looked at Hui. "We agreed that if you have a necessary reason in the future, do not lie. Don't make me wait for half a year. I will not retaliate against you or harm you; on the contrary, being deceived may lead to resentment."

Chen Wenjin let out a sigh of relief, happily returning to his room to sleep. Suddenly, he heard his father calling out. Upon opening the door, he saw Chen Zhu counting one thousand yuan from his wallet. Chen's mother, anxious, scolded, "Why are you giving him so much money when he is so young? Just give him ten yuan to eat two bowls of rice noodles!"

It's all about gains and losses, isn't it? I know your biggest regret is that... what was his name again? Chen Wenjin truly couldn't remember that person anymore. Hui immediately hugged his arm and said softly, "It's Liu! You've even forgotten his surname and still feel jealous! That was all back in elementary school. I've told you a few times about my crush on him, and you still remember it! Now that we are together, the situation is completely different!"

Seeing that her plans could not succeed, Chen's mother, lacking a better alternative at the moment, had no choice but to withdraw

Oh... Chen Qian paused for a moment and suddenly said: "Brother, could you lend me fifty yuan?"

As the candle turns to ash, the tears begin to dry; the flame of the candle burns too briefly, akin to the many love affairs that yield no results. Chen Wenjin would certainly not explain why he is concerned about the peach; engaging in the topic of Hui is itself unwise.

I was just about to tell you... Chen Wen prepared it this morning, and immediately took out the lottery ticket that won the third prize and handed it over, saying: "Suddenly, I heard that voice again at noon, saying that some blessings are profound and shallow, and that someone had accumulated great merit temporarily, so the lottery numbers changed, and I was given a few new ones. I was curious and asked why I could only win the third prize. It said that some people win the lottery due to blessings, while others have blessings mixed with misfortune. There are many people with high merit ahead in line for the first and second prizes, so I could only be given more numbers for the third prize."

Chen Wenjin secretly sighed, recalling that Taozi had once been harmed by A Bao in his memory. He had originally considered avoiding their acquaintance, but unexpectedly, a series of events occurred ahead of schedule, even the timing of Taozi and A Bao's meeting was altered, which was originally expected to happen about five or six months later.

... would think of those! Huì said irritably: "Not today. My dad is at home, and he is also unwell."

Although he found the peach more beautiful, he preferred Lin's temperament. Moreover, Di, who paid attention to clothing and appearance, quickly assessed the stark difference in family backgrounds between the two beauties. From clothing and shoes to accessories, watches, and bags, everything was not on the same level. Therefore, he felt more favorable towards Lin, believing they had more in common. Thus, following A Bao's lead, he boldly said: "Hui, you are really not a good friend, hiding a friend like the beautiful Lin and only willing to introduce her today!"

While sitting in the car, he suddenly remembered that he is now a teenager, and what does he have the most of? Time! Why is he in such a hurry to get home? Is he anxious to report the lottery situation to his father, Chen Zhu?

"In fact, they are aliens. They are afraid that Dad won't accept it, so they say they are deities." Chen Wenjin thought that Chen Zhu had no other choice, and Chen Qian could not be led onto the 'path of faith' because of his nonsense. "Tomorrow, I will take it from under my mouse pad, and your swimming plan for next week will be perfectly fine."

Peach was clearly visiting for the first time; the music inside and the crowded people made her feel quite uncomfortable. Abao noticed this and took on the role of a protective escort with great enthusiasm. As for the occasional use of his arm to clear a path and the subtle changes in his pace to take advantage of the situation, that was simply Abao's usual practice.

When will the lottery winnings be enough to buy a counterfeit car? Chen Wenjin pondered that in this day and age, there are more people than cars on the roads, and not driving is simply a waste. In the future, driving will be slower than riding a bicycle, making self-driving a torment. As for buses and subways during peak hours, they are even more crowded, reminding him of the painful experience of being crammed into a train for three days and nights during his childhood

Chen Wenjin silently gazed at the candlelight on the table. After a while, Hui could not help but ask him: "What is it?"

Lin Moyang is quiet and gentle, and Taozi prefers to lower her head, likely due to her limited interactions with people like A Bao, which instills a sense of fear in her

Chen Wenjin had originally made up his mind that in the next lottery draw, he would carefully ponder why the numbers that were clearly destined to win had changed

Hui noticed that Chen was particularly focused on the peaches today, and couldn't help but secretly pinch his arm and lean in to say: "Aren't they beautiful? Aren't you envious of Abao?"

Chen Zhu originally prepared a belly full of accusations, but upon seeing that lottery ticket had indeed won, he was left with nothing but unwavering belief in Chen Wenjin's words. Unable to contain his curiosity, he pressed on: "Did the deity say they would provide you with winning numbers again? If so, we should buy more then, and we could win too"

Tomorrow morning, I will go to my aunt's house and return to school at noon. Hui did not ask directly, but Chen remembered that she would accompany her every time, so he said: "See you tomorrow afternoon"

On the coffee table lay the lottery tickets, and Chen Zhu called out to turn on the light, immediately striking the tickets with his finger and questioning: "Is this the number given to you by the divine?"

"... Can I borrow fifty yuan from you to buy a lottery ticket?" Chen Wenjin replied irritably, "I think it would be better if I kept it to buy the lottery ticket myself, and after winning, I can give you one hundred yuan."

Chen Wenjin took a taxi back; now that he had money in his pocket, he habitually did not want to spend time on transportation

Hui's school is located in a residential area. As Chen Wenjin walked through the entrance of the community, he saw a dazed young man sitting outside a shop. When their eyes met, the young man smiled, but his facial muscles were very uncoordinated, making the smile appear quite strange

Chen Wenjin would always respond with a smile, then look away and continue on his way

How about going to the movies tomorrow? Chen Qian feels that she is clearly wealthy now

Well, that works too! Chen Qian is not greedy; she would be very satisfied to receive one hundred yuan.

"Stop scheming elsewhere! Aren't you tired? I need to save up to buy lottery tickets; if I win, I can contribute more without any issue." Chen Wenjin understood his mother's thoughts clearly and directly exposed them, saving a lot of unnecessary words.

The expected answer; Chen Wenjin also knows this, but he was provoked by the youth and tried to ask.

Why think about such sad questions? Hui does not like it; she currently only enjoys the atmosphere of eternity. Chen Wenjin's attitude seems to reflect a lack of assurance and confidence about the future, which only makes her feel more anxious and unsettled.

She has already begun to plan how to arrange this unexpected windfall

Abao and Di were in high spirits, while Chen Wenjin merely wore a smile, secretly preferring to go to the cinema. If it weren't for the fact that staying at home was too dull in this era, he wouldn't have bothered to come out at all

It is said that the opportunity has not yet arrived, and he is unwilling to reveal his title. Seeing Chen Zhu looking troubled, Chen Wenjin stifled a laugh and pretended to ponder seriously, saying: "Why not invite the Supreme Old Lord?"

"Stop talking nonsense! What kind of deity! You just went out wandering, afraid your father would hit you, and casually made up a story. Coincidentally, you really won a prize. When your father asks again, you will definitely say that the deity hasn't reported the dream yet to evade responsibility!" Chen's mother insisted on not believing it, but in reality, her disbelief was justified; she just couldn't imagine that Chen Wenjin would acquire extraordinary black technology from an alien civilization.

The next morning, Chen Zhu went out. Chen Mu knocked on the door early and called out to Chen Wenjing, saying: "Your dad has gone out, I need to go buy groceries, and my salary hasn't been paid yet, can you lend me two hundred yuan first?"

Chen Zhu was very pleased and turned back to his room. Shortly after, Chen's mother came to knock on the door. Chen Wenjin knew her intention and directly said: "There is no money! Furthermore—dear mother, the price of rice noodles has increased; ten yuan can no longer buy two bowls!"

"What do Taoist immortals eat if they do not burn incense?" Chen believes this is not appropriate; having a clear ritual of worship and incense burning is more reassuring. Otherwise, how can one's intentions be expressed? How would the immortals know?

When entering the private room, Chen Wenjin saw that Taozi's face was as red as a ripe peach

"If I don't know whether you are reliable, how can I dare to introduce you to each other?" This statement immediately delighted Di, who exclaimed, "What a discerning eye!"

"Why are you still looking back?" Chen asked, having anticipated that she would respond this way this morning; it was a way to ascertain through subtle details whether he still cared for her.

"Open the door! What are you doing with so much money, you little child? I will keep it for you and give it back when you need it later"

Hui was very happy, quickly walked upstairs, and after a moment, turned back. Seeing that Chen Wenjin was still there, a smile of happiness unconsciously appeared at the corners of her mouth, and her bright eyes fixed on him as she asked: "Why haven't you left yet?"

Di understands that A Bao is preemptively declaring sovereignty

Indeed, she went up! Hui returned happily this time, without turning back

Chen was in a great mood and simply handed over the money, saying: "Take it, but don't spend it recklessly! It is originally a blessing bestowed upon you by the immortals, and it cannot be given to you without any sharing. Gambling and drug use are absolutely not allowed!"

Stop it. The twenty yuan you kept for me back then has disappeared, didn't you say so yourself later? The fact that I handed the money to you means I lack the ability to keep it, so how could I possibly make the same mistake again? You should go find Dad to divide the remaining bonus. Chen Wenjin is in need of money to buy lottery tickets now; every time it's the third prize, it takes a long time to win, and if it's only the fourth prize, then it will take even longer.

Isn't this just digging a pit for oneself? Chen Wenjin felt a headache at the thought of the fragrant aroma filling the room. Taoism certainly involves burning incense, which is originally a practice imitated from Buddhism after its localization in the Dragon Kingdom. Taoist practice does not emphasize form but rather truth, so it cannot be forced. For someone like me, who does not originally burn incense, to deliberately do so would not reflect my true self. Every day, I simply engage in quiet meditation before the deity's statue in the morning and evening. This is what the immortals say.

It should have been submitted! Chen's mother said this, but she had already walked away

"Damn! Every time I see this fool, I get annoyed." A Biao was quite disgusted by this intellectually challenged boy

It is evident that Chen Wenjin is not yielding at present; she understands her son's character well. Once the matter is made clear, there is no room for further wasting time. As for the New Year's money, theoretically it should be submitted, but in practice, it may not necessarily be the case. Chen Wenjin uses this as a guarantee, slightly enhancing the credibility index.

Indeed, it is a pity to be harmed by A Bao! If it were you, it would be different, right? Hui still sounds a bit sour; in my memory, she was not like this. Clearly, the situation is special at this moment, and she is in a particularly sensitive and suspicious period.

Chen Wenjin was deeply impressed by this person. It had always been like this; every time he passed by, the child would be sitting outside the shop, watching people come and go. If someone made eye contact with him, he would happily smile.

Chen Wenjin was rendered speechless and let out a laugh. If one were to speak of paranoia, he would admit to having some, but in terms of severity, he felt he could not compare to his esteemed mother. "Absolutely not, otherwise you would take away all the New Year's red envelope money."

"Alright! That's settled, it can't go wrong!" Chen Zhu thought, frowning for a moment, then suddenly his eyes lit up as he had an idea. "Invite all the celestial disciples under the seat of Taishang Laojun back. Since they are destined to be connected with you, later we can set up a cabinet in your room and place the divine statues on it. You must remember to burn incense every day! Daoism also burns incense, right?"

However, for Di, this is entirely superfluous

A Bao, fearing that Hui would undermine the conversation, interrupted and said: "Let's go, let's go, we can talk more inside"

With your words, I feel at ease! Chen Wenjin thought to himself that changing the subject was truly exhausting. He had no interest at all in the youthful games of love; if he had to constantly consider Hui's feelings in such a troublesome manner... he was quite certain that he wouldn't be able to endure it for long, after all, he was no longer a child... Well, she was still a young girl, and it was indeed necessary to be more understanding and accommodating.

Strange, why does it feel so odd... Chen Wenjin did not know what was happening, but the discomfort suddenly vanished. However, this disappearance did not feel like it had simply ceased to exist; rather, it felt as if something had swiftly moved away.

"Let's go in the morning, I have an appointment in the afternoon." Chen Wenjin thought this idea was good, but Chen Qian pouted and said, "Then let's go next time, I was still thinking about finishing the movie and going shopping."

After walking past, Chen Wenjin suddenly felt a strange discomfort and instinctively turned back, only to see that person staring at him, who then smiled again when their eyes met

Chen Wenjin is no longer a youthful heart, yet he possesses a youthful body. Therefore, when he was sending Hui back home, he asked, "Tonight the clouds are abundant, it seems suitable for a gentle breeze to enter the night. I wonder if the beautiful Hui would welcome this?"

I remembered! Chen Wenjin received the money, not surprised by Chen Zhu's generosity, and certainly not astonished by his mother's stinginess in only distributing ten yuan.

Chen Zhu's demeanor exuded an air of self-evident pride, clearly implying: 'How could I not be your father?'

Father is very considerate Chen Wenjin nodded repeatedly His bedroom only needs to be fragrant without filling the entire room As for the living room it has always been occasionally filled with smoke but it is just the statue that has changed

Tomorrow, tomorrow I will go to bring back the statue of the Taoist deity! Which Taoist immortal is it?" Chen Zhu's face was full of enthusiasm, and Chen Wenjin felt that this reflected the pragmatic style of the Dragon Kingdom people. A deity that has practical effects and benefits is a good deity; isn't this just a manifestation of pragmatism?

At noon, Chen Wenjin met with A Bao, and then they took the bus together to Hui's school

However, this is probably not the only reason

A-Bao was in a great mood and said directly: "So you have a beautiful girlfriend, why didn't you introduce us earlier!"

It was already eleven o'clock at night, but when Chen Wen returned home, his father, Chen Zhu, was indeed still awake

"Then why aren't you hurrying to burn incense and worship the Buddha? Thank the deities for their manifestation!" Chen Zhu immediately became excited, his mind filled with the joy of suddenly becoming wealthy. Chen Wenjin watched, feeling that his excitement was comparable to that of A Bao, so he deliberately made mischief and said: "Father, the one who told me the numbers said he is a Daoist deity, one of the disciples of Taishang Laojun. Worshiping the Buddha might not be appropriate, right?"

"Why would immortals need to eat? If they required food and drink, how come we don't see any falling from the heavens..." Chen Wenjin was interrupted by Chen Zhu, who frowned, clearly unwilling to hear any further impure words, as it seemed disrespectful to the immortals. However, he nodded and said: "Tomorrow, I will invite another statue of a deity to place in your room, so you can meditate in peace every day. The cabinet and the other Taoist deities will remain in the living room, where I will burn incense daily. I have always burned incense; it is a true reflection of myself."

I am wondering if I have harmed a girl by letting A Bao ruin her. Chen recalled the events in his memory and always felt that A Bao's actions towards Taozi were very despicable

Chen Qian woke up early, filled with joy and curiosity, and eagerly asked: "Brother, is it true that there are immortals who send dreams?"

"Then sponsor me to go shopping!" Chen Qian said with great anticipation, but Chen Wenjin replied, "We need to focus our efforts on major tasks recently; it will be easier to discuss sponsorship after some time."

Shopping is not welcome! Chen Wen has never liked shopping. In his youth, he relied on passion to accompany his girlfriend while shopping, but with family, there is no need to be deliberate.

"I am not lying to you, just wait for the next lottery, and I will prove it to you." Chen Wenjin replied from behind the door. With this statement, Chen's mother should have had nothing more to say, but unexpectedly, she muttered outside the door, "Do you think I am as foolish as your father? By the time you spend all the money, you will just get beaten and it will be over. The money will have already been wasted, and it cannot be recovered."

Hui Hefen is a boarding school, located at a considerable distance. Although Chen Wenjin wanted to take a taxi, in the end, he did not. Chen Qian did not provide any financial support either. Before winning the lottery next time, it is better to be frugal.

Why say these things? Hui has no interest in discussing topics such as the possibility of a breakup in the future