Everything I bought on online shopping platforms was genuine.

Although he had never been to this Western restaurant before, he knew that it was really expensive. Just ordering a few random dishes for two people would cost more than 200 yuan. Now there were four of them, and judging from the way the other three dads were rubbing their hands together, it seemed like they were going to have a big meal. He only had 440 yuan left after deducting the private room fee. It felt like it wasn't enough, and he would have to pay extra.

Of course, he didn't go in the end. After all, Lin wasn't going to be fooled. What was that Western food anyway? It was smelly and sour, definitely not tasty.

That's right, that's the reason he used to persuade the three of them to leave. What kind of family would send four people out for a Western meal, especially when the food wasn't exactly respectable?

The last group of four went to eat barbecue, which cost 520 yuan. Lin Mo even had to pay out of pocket. If he had known it would turn out like this, he would have preferred to eat that stinky Western restaurant.

There was nothing he could do; these three probably hadn't eaten enough at lunch. If it weren't for the fact that he was the one who called Lao Wan out, and that the two girls were just a chance encounter, he would have thought that these three had conspired to deliberately lose some money to him and rip him off.

Logically speaking, a barbecue for four people, including two girls, shouldn't cost more than 500 yuan in their county. But with Lao Wan leading the way, they deliberately chose the more expensive options.

Roasted pigeons cost 45 yuan each, and each of them had one, which came to almost 200 yuan. Moreover, there wasn't much meat on them, and the taste was really just so-so.

They ordered a few more things, which led to this situation. The three of them ate until they were stuffed and very satisfied. Even Wang Shanshan and the other girl felt that they hadn't lost out, but had actually gained something. They were quite happy.

Lin Mo just smiled helplessly, but he wasn't angry. After all, he wasn't short of money now. He just found it quite interesting.

After dropping off the three people at home, Lin Mo drove back.

During the Chinese New Year, the starting fare for taxis is already 15 yuan, and they don't even use the meter. It often costs 20 yuan or more. Take it or leave it.

It's the first day of the Lunar New Year, so it's normal for prices to be a bit higher since people give up their rest time. They're counting on making money during the last month of the lunar year and the first day of the Lunar New Year.

That's why he chose to send all three of them back; otherwise, he would have let them take a taxi home themselves.

When Lin Mo got home in the evening, it was almost eight o'clock. He opened the door, peeked in, and saw his father and mother sitting happily on the sofa watching TV. He felt much relieved, as it seemed that what happened this afternoon was over.

"Dad, Mom, I'm home!!" Lin Mo greeted them with a smile as he entered the house.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Min, the mother, glared at him and spat, "You're back, so why are you shouting so loudly? You're only coming back so late during the New Year. Do I have to give you an award?"

Lin Mo:
I came back so late, isn't it because of you, old man?

However, he only dared to think these words in his heart, but he would never dare to say them aloud. Just look at how his father has managed all these years to know.

"Son's back! Have you eaten?" Old Lin stood up and asked with a smile.

Lin Mo nodded: "I've eaten out. How was the battle today?"

"I won, I won another 50! Winning money on the first day of the Lunar New Year is a good omen! Hahaha!" Comrade Lin laughed loudly.

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Mo's phone vibrated. He picked it up and saw that it was a message from his old comrade, Old Lin, sitting in front of him.

[Son, give Dad another 100. If you lose, don't let Mom know!]

Seeing this, Lin Mo couldn't help but roll his eyes at him. Sure enough, being stubborn is every man's talent, and the fisherman is the most stubborn of them all.

But for the sake of a harmonious family atmosphere, he didn't care about the 100 yuan; a harmonious family brings prosperity.

If he wins money, he'll definitely be happy. But if he loses, coupled with the stupid thing the father and son did this afternoon, he'll just be asking for trouble.

With the hundred yuan in his pocket, Comrade Lin straightened his back instantly, as if he had really won money.

"Alright, since you've finished eating, that's fine. Son, are you cooking again tomorrow? I bought some more groceries this afternoon," said Zhou Min, the mother. The meal at noon today had truly amazed the two elders, and they naturally wanted to try it again.

Seeing this, Lin Mo quickly waved his hand: "No, Mom, just eat something simple tomorrow. I'm tired enough cooking every day!"

"Alright, you and Dad stay here, I'm going back to my room to rest!"

After saying that, he ran into the bedroom and soon lay down on the bed.

I have to say, this Lunar New Year's Day was quite eventful. First, there were all sorts of New Year's greetings. At noon, I became a procrastinator at home. In the afternoon, I was kicked out of the house. I chatted with my classmate for several hours about gossip. I won at cards, but I still had to pay 80 yuan out of my own pocket for dinner. You could say I had quite a life.

Liu Ruyan has been quiet these past two days, not saying much, and Miss Yuan is similar. After all, it's the New Year, and everyone has their own relatives and friends to maintain, catch up, and reconnect.

If this is the case for ordinary families like his, then it goes without saying that families like Liu Ruyan's and Miss Yuan's are even more so.

The only group that seems relatively active is Li Shiya's work group.

The four of them—Sichuan girl Wang Chu, class monitor He Xiaoyue, and herself—talked with the air of a forty-person team, generating over a thousand messages.

Of course, Miss Yuan would occasionally pop up and send out red envelopes or something, so it was quite lively.

Lin Mo scrolled through his phone for a while, sent two random messages, and told Liu Ruyan that he was going to rest early.

I stayed up all night yesterday, and I haven't had a moment's rest today either, so I'm naturally a bit tired.

The next morning, at eight o'clock, the family was having breakfast in the living room.

Thanks to the ginseng powder, the family of three looked younger and younger, and a good night's sleep allowed Lin Mo to fully recover.

“Son, you and your dad should go over there as soon as possible. After you’ve finished paying respects at your grandparents’ graves, come back quickly. Let your dad walk over there by himself. You and Mom will have lunch at your uncle’s house,” said Zhou Min, the mother.

Hearing this, Lin Mo nodded: "Okay, Mom!"

As they spoke, Lin Mo looked at his phone, somewhat absentmindedly.

At this moment, the screen prominently displays today's shopping page.

[Biohazard Grenade; same as in CF (Crossfire), can deal massive damage to zombies, but is useless against non-zombie creatures, at most it makes a sound; ¥58]

[Super Seven Wolves snap pops, 24 pieces per box; their deterrent effect in the Yunnan border region is no less than that of a real hand grenade; ¥0.45]

【3D Eight Horses Sterling Silver Engraved Edition: ¥9.8】

[Hair removal cream; apply to the area where hair removal is needed, painless hair removal in 3 seconds, does not damage the skin: ¥4.3]

Seeing these options, Lin Mo couldn't help but feel conflicted. Should he choose his favorite toy cannon or the mythical beast version of Emperor Ruyan? It was such a difficult choice!
One was a toy he liked, and the other was a secret ointment that could help his girlfriend evolve into another form. He then sent a message to his girlfriend.

[Sister Ruyan, do you like white tigers?]

Liu Ruyan: [Gong Baiwan? Forget it, he's too stupid.]

Lin Mo:
(End of this chapter)