0087: But I like it.

It was nearly ten o’clock by the time he got home, and Teacher Su had dropped him off before heading straight back herself.

When he stepped through the door, the house was quiet. Only Xu’s father was sitting on the sofa, staring at his phone.

Could it be that his mother had thrown him out because of that hidden stash of money?

Thinking this, Xu Lin sat down beside him, prepared to comfort his old man properly.

But the other man began by saying, “Xu Lin, you’re sleeping on the sofa tonight.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Qingchan and Ji Yun are staying in your room for the night.”

“Ji Yun didn’t go home?”

“She said nobody was at her place today, so your mother kept her here.”

“Fine, but what are you doing here, then?”

“Waiting for you, of course. I’m going back to sleep now.” With that, he stood and walked toward the bedroom.

“And the thing about your hidden money—Mom didn’t ask you about it?”

“Nope. We’re doing just fine. Be good and sleep here. I’m off.” Smiling, he slipped into the room.

Xu Lin instantly felt like the clown in the story was none other than himself. He had intended to comfort his father, only to end up on the sofa instead. He suspected he was more familiar with that sofa than with his own bed.

He rose, went to his bedroom door, and knocked. “Are you in there, you two?”

“Xu Lin? You’re back? Need a blanket?” The door opened at once, and Chu Qingchan poked her head out. Xu Lin nodded and was about to go in.

“Miss Ji is asleep.”

“Miss Ji? You’re being awfully affectionate.”

Xu Lin pouted, but inside he was delighted. You sisters of the twelve signs must stick together.

“After all, my real sister isn’t very cute.” Chu Qingchan complained about her own sibling with a cool expression.

“From the outside, she’s still pretty cute. But when we’re thirty or forty, she won’t still look exactly the same, will she?”

“Maybe.” She turned to fetch a blanket. “I’ll get one for you.”

“Just take a thin one. It’s in the second shelf of the wardrobe.”

“No. I’m afraid you’ll catch a cold again.” Remembering how Xu Lin had looked the last time he was ill, Chu Qingchan was still shaken.

“I’m as sturdy as a horse now. Don’t worry.”

“All right, I’ll get it. But Xu Lin, where did the study materials on your computer go?”

“Damn, why are you still thinking about study materials? I deleted them.”

“I was afraid you might develop some strange tastes.”

“Impossible. Rest assured.”

Xu Lin took the blanket back to the living room, then found something to nibble on before washing up. By nearly eleven, he was lying on the sofa.

He casually opened his phone and saw that familiar pink app.

At this point in the year, long-form video was still the age of the moment. But in a few years, the short-video era and the age of fast traffic, impossible to judge as wholly good or bad, would arrive.

That was also an opportunity to make money, big money at that. But for now, he was still strapped for cash. Money was something nobody could do without—at the very least, one had to eat, had to survive.

To be able to stand upright and earn one’s living for a lifetime would already count as something remarkable. Most people could not manage it.

He also had a short-term plan. Once his novel went on sale and the royalties started coming in, he would first secure the sole agency for the Mala Soup Linshui brand.

That would ease the survival pressure on Bai Xiaoxiao’s family of three. He believed that a proven success story, once tested, could succeed again.

Next year, he would take the Orange Line delivery agency as well. He could stay behind the scenes and need not go in person. After all, next year would be his third year of high school, and university still had to be pursued.

Education was one reason, and also something he had wanted to accomplish since first crossing over here. It was the dream of his parents and grandparents, and it was also the dream of making up for the good university he had failed to enter before his rebirth.

Looking even further ahead, there was investment in Bilibili, investment in short-video platforms—both highly promising. Entering now would cost comparatively little.

As for singing and acting, to be honest, he still wasn’t quite used to them. But helping Chu Qingchan with songwriting was fine; for the short term, what was in his head was still enough.

“Forget it. I’ll wait until the novel goes on sale in half a month and see what the income looks like. Thinking too much about it won’t help.”

He set down his phone and casually opened the system, discovering that his points had risen quite a lot again, reaching over seventy thousand.

Most of them came from Chu Qingchan and Chu Fengyi, who had both broken through forty favorability points. Of course, there were also points from Liu Qinnuan and Ye Qunleng, who had both crossed twenty.

At first he had thought there would be many more of the twelve zodiac girls, but for now it seemed to be the twelve people the system recognized.

There were still five who had not yet appeared. Those who had appeared were Su Qingwan, Ji Yun, Chu Qingchan, Bai Xiaoxiao, Chu Fengyi, Ye Qunleng, and Liu Qinnuan.

They corresponded to the horse, ox, snake, pig, rooster, dog, and rabbit. The ones yet unseen were the rat, tiger, dragon, sheep, and monkey.

He wondered what kind of people they would be. Though he did have an ambition, they all had their own lives, and there was no way he could bind them all together.

After closing the favorability page, he opened the shop. Although more than seventy thousand points was not a small amount, once he saw the prices of the three basic attributes, it suddenly seemed rather little.

His intelligence was a little over six; one increase now required twenty thousand points. His physique had reached six, and there was actually no pressing need to raise it. His charm was at eight, and one point would cost two hundred thousand points. That was terrifying.

As for the weekly refreshed items, those he could still buy.

A random level-one skill could be raised to level two for five thousand. He tapped it directly, and then saw his cooking skill change from level one to level two.

“Hmm… cooking has gone up. Though cooking skill doesn’t seem like it would make much money… no, wait, maybe it really can.”

He immediately opened his account on the small video platform. Although it was now the year thirteen, nearly fourteen, its traffic still could not compare with those top video sites.

But original creators and independent media were slowly beginning to grow. Perhaps he could use this to solve the problem of wanting to do big things without much starting capital.

Making food videos would be pretty good, too, and he wouldn’t need to show his face. That was practically having two identities. Not bad, not bad.

Still, it was a bit ridiculous of him to be thinking about monetizing before even starting. He’d try it after a while and see.

His eyes then moved to the second item: sudden inspiration. What did that even do? He set it aside for now. The third item, the healing orb, cost ten thousand points, and the last one, swimming level two, also cost ten thousand.

He bought the swimming skill right away, to make up for the fact that he was a complete landlubber. In the future, when he went to the seaside or the pool, he would no longer have to be embarrassed.

Still, he had hesitated before: just how effective was this healing orb, really? Right now, Bai Xiaoxiao’s father and mother were both in the hospital.

If this thing actually worked, it would not only save money, but also spare them the aftereffects and pain of surgery and the like. He would trust the system this once.

After clicking purchase, a small green bead appeared in the item slot. Clicking again, a bead the size of a glass marble appeared directly in his palm.

It felt slightly cool to the touch, with nothing particularly special about it. He would test the effect.

He picked up the little scissors beside him, drew in a deep breath, and slowly brought them toward his finger. But at that very moment—

A sound came from the bedroom door. Xu Lin hurriedly set the scissors down and looked over.

Could it be the great star Chu coming for kisses and hugs? I think I’m dreaming...

He muttered to himself, buried his head under the blanket, and left a tiny gap to peek out.

Then he saw a pair of fair little legs, with a small bruise on one knee, walking toward him with pauses between each step.

“No... this is Class Rep Ji Yun, isn’t it?”

Coming to find me in the dead of night? I never expected that this pure-looking young lady with such bright eyes and dark brows would go bad too—and I like it!