They're already in university, and the primary school system is only just starting out?

"Son, try this braised pork rib. Mom specially picked out the best ribs to make for you!" Lin Xiaoqi deftly picked up a fragrant piece of pork rib and put it into Chen Lin's bowl.

On the table, besides braised pork ribs, there were steamed catfish, stir-fried green beans, and a tomato and egg drop soup with shredded pork, a table full of food.

Chen Xian remained quiet, simply removing the fish bones from his son's fish and placing the fattest and most tender piece of fish belly meat on his plate.

The family sat together, enjoying this long-lost warmth.

"Eat more. Look at you, you must not have been eating properly at school. Your face has gotten so thin." Lin Xiaoqi said as she piled food into Chen Lin's bowl.

Chen Lin was both amused and exasperated. He was clearly much stronger than before thanks to the "Little Champion" award, so why did his mother always see him as malnourished?

While we were eating, the old standing air conditioner in the living room suddenly made a "clicking" sound, and then the sound of the air blowing became louder, like a car engine roaring.

Lin Xiaoqi was startled by the noise and couldn't help but complain, "Listen to this broken air conditioner. It's been around for a long time, and the cooling effect is getting worse and worse. Not to mention, it's so noisy, it's giving me a headache."

She sighed, reverting to her thrifty housewife persona: "I went to the mall the other day, and these days, decent air conditioners easily cost several thousand yuan, which is too expensive. This one still works, so I'll just make do with it for now."

Chen Lin listened to his mother's complaints and silently picked at the rice in his bowl.

Around 10 p.m., Chen Lin finished showering and lay down on his familiar and soft bed in his bedroom, letting out a comfortable sigh.

He opened his mobile banking app and began to review his income over the past period.

After receiving the title of "Little Singer," she competed with senior Song Cheng for the first time and received over two thousand yuan in tips. During her final resident performance, the atmosphere and emotions were spot-on, and she received an unprecedented three thousand yuan in tips.

I made two consultations on Xianyu (a second-hand marketplace app), one for 880 and the other for 2000, totaling 2880.

The two offline consultations I did for Shen Yan cost 1,500 each time, so the two consultations would cost 3,000.

Finally, there was also the "meeting gift" from General Peng, five thousand yuan.

All things considered, my income during this period has reached about 16,000 yuan. Adding to the more than 29,000 yuan I saved from part-time jobs, my total account balance has now reached more than 45,000 yuan.

Looking at that number, Chen Lin felt much more at ease.

He recalled his mother's complaints about the old air conditioner at the dinner table, and the reluctant expression on her face.

Most of the older generation are like this, always trying to save money on themselves.

If I directly discuss replacing the air conditioner with them, my parents will definitely disagree, thinking it's a waste of money.

It seems we'll have to act first and inform them later.

Chen Lin made up his mind to buy the air conditioners tomorrow and secretly install them for them.

The next day, Sunday, early in the morning.

As soon as Chen Lin came out of the bedroom, he saw that his parents were already dressed and carrying insulated lunch boxes and a bag of fresh vegetables, looking like they were about to go out.

"You're awake?" Lin Xiaoqi said with a smile when she saw him. "Breakfast is on the table, soy milk and steamed buns. Mom heated them up for you, remember to eat. Your dad and I are going to your grandparents' house to cook them a meal."

"Okay," Chen Lin replied.

"Do you have any plans for today? If you're not going out, I'll come back and cook lunch for you," Lin Xiaoqi asked again.

"I made plans with my classmates. We're going out to play all day. They don't need to worry about me at noon or in the evening," Chen Lin casually made up an excuse.

"Okay, then take care of yourself and don't stay out too late."

After giving them a few words of advice, the parents left.

Chen Lin finished his breakfast at a leisurely pace, put his phone and keys in his pocket, and went out, heading straight for the largest home appliance store in Jiangdu City.

As soon as you step into the store, a strong blast of cold air hits you, instantly dispelling the outdoor heat.

As soon as Chen Lin appeared, his aura as a "little Casanova" was particularly noticeable in an environment full of female shop assistants.

"Hey! Handsome young man! Want to look at air conditioners? We have the most complete selection of brands here!" A woman with curly hair was the first to rush over.

"Handsome guy, check out our Geshang! It's the latest model, and the soundproofing is excellent!" Another woman in a business suit followed closely behind, enthusiastically trying to pull him along.

"Little brother, come over here, let me introduce you to the best value for money!"

A group of female shop assistants, whose average age appeared to be over thirty, suddenly unleashed an astonishing fighting spirit, instantly surrounding Chen Lin and chattering away as they promoted their own products.

Chen Lin was so overwhelmed by the scene that his scalp tingled. It took him a lot of effort to squeeze out of the encirclement formed by the older women and aunties.

He took a breath, looked up, and noticed a young female shop assistant standing behind a brand booth not far away.

She seemed to be frightened by what had just happened and stood there somewhat at a loss.

Chen Lin looked her over carefully.

The girl didn't look much older than Chen Lin. She was wearing a well-fitting work uniform and had a soft, oval face with features that resembled those of the Korean actress Han Hyo-joo.

Chen Lin noticed that she also had a very good figure; her fat seemed to be stacked in the right places, outlining the work shirt with just the right curves.

Chen Lin glanced at the name on her employee badge: Xu Ning.

He thought to himself, since he was only buying one air conditioner anyway, and it didn't matter who the salesperson was, he might as well find someone pleasing to the eye.

He composed himself and walked over.

"Hello, could you explain it to me?"

Xu Ning was in a daze when she suddenly heard a clear male voice, which startled her.

When she saw Chen Lin's handsome face smiling at her, her face immediately turned red.

For some reason, from the moment she saw the boy walk in, she felt her heart beat a few seconds faster.

Seeing her colleagues rushing forward like hungry wolves, she, being introverted and a little shy, didn't dare to join them.

"Ah, yes, that's fine," she stammered, her voice a little soft, "but, but I haven't been here long, and I'm not very familiar with the work yet..."

"It's alright," Chen Lin smiled. "I just want to see the air conditioner. You can lead me over there first."

Chen Lin originally had plenty of money and wanted to directly replace his home's central air conditioning system with a high-end one worth over 20,000 yuan, getting it done in one go.

However, after listening to his idea, Xu Ning earnestly reminded him: "Sir, if it is an old house that has already been renovated, installing central air conditioning will be very troublesome. It will require re-installing the ceiling, drilling many holes in the walls to run pipes, which is a huge project and will also cause serious damage to the original decoration."

Chen Lin thought about it and realized that it made sense, so he gave up the idea.

He followed Xu Ning to the area with floor-standing air conditioners, and his eyes immediately locked onto a Midea air conditioner with the most stylish appearance and the strongest sense of technology.

"This is one of our higher-end floor-standing models," Xu Ning introduced softly. "It costs 12,800 yuan. Its advantage is its exceptionally quiet operation, reaching as low as 20 decibels, making it almost inaudible. It also uses a full DC inverter system, which is more energy-efficient than regular air conditioners, and supports remote control via mobile WiFi..."

"That's it." Chen Lin made the decision without hesitation after hearing it.

He went straight to the cashier, swiped his card to pay the full amount, and then paid an extra 500 yuan for express service.

"Could you please arrange for installation to be done today?" Chen Lin handed Xu Ning a form with the address and phone number written on it.

After Chen Lin left, the group of older women who had been surrounding him immediately surrounded Xu Ning.

"Xiao Xu, you're amazing! You closed such a big deal without making a sound!"

"Who's that handsome young man? He bought an air conditioner worth over ten thousand yuan without batting an eye. Is he some naive rich kid?"

"What kind of rich kid buys an air conditioner on their own? It looks more like a college student who just struck it rich!"

Xu Ning blushed deeply from their gossip, and clutching the completed prescription, she ran away like a frightened little rabbit.

Chen Lin returned home and lay down on his bed. Not long after, his phone vibrated.

He picked it up and saw it was a WeChat friend request from someone named "Xu Ning".

He clicked "accept".

Xu Ning's message came quickly: "Hello Mr. Chen, the installation technician has already set off and should arrive at your home in about half an hour."

The doorbell rang precisely at 1:30 p.m.

Two workers in work clothes carried the brand-new indoor and outdoor air conditioner units upstairs.

They worked swiftly, dismantling the old unit, drilling holes, and installing the new one in one go. In less than an hour, the air conditioner was installed, and Chen Lin turned it on, and it quietly delivered cool air.

"Young man, do you still want this old air conditioner? If not, we'll help you carry it down. Just give us three hundred yuan." One of the older workers wiped his sweat and asked with a smile.

"Didn't I already pay 500 yuan for express delivery?" Chen Lin asked, somewhat puzzled.

"That 500 is the money that forces us to come today," the technician explained. "Replacing old appliances is a separate service and will be charged separately."

Upon hearing this, Chen Lin smiled and said, "No need, I can do it myself."

The two masters exchanged a glance, both revealing disbelieving smiles.

"Young man, don't try to be a hero," the younger mechanic patted the old air conditioner. "This thing is really heavy; it was a struggle for both of us to lift it down. These days, college students aren't exactly in great physical condition."

Chen Lin didn't waste any words with them. He walked directly to the old air conditioner that was about the same height as him, bent down, grabbed the groove at the bottom with both hands, and lifted it up casually.

The next second, to the astonishment of the two workers, he lifted the 150-pound cabinet air conditioner as easily as if it were a styrofoam box.

He didn't even take a deep breath as he steadily carried the air conditioner down the stairs, finally placing it at the entrance of the first-floor hallway. The community would then send someone to collect it.

When he clapped his hands and returned upstairs feeling relaxed, the two installers were still standing there, looking at him as if he were a monster.

Around 4 p.m., Chen Xian and Lin Xiaoqi returned home chatting and laughing, carrying the leftovers that their grandparents had packed up.

However, as soon as the door opened, Lin Xiaoqi's smile froze.

"What's going on here?" she asked, pointing to the brand-new air conditioner in the living room, her voice trembling.

Chen Lin was lying on the sofa playing on his phone. Hearing this, he sat up and said calmly, "Oh, they got a new air conditioner."

"A new air conditioner?" Lin Xiaoqi rushed over and circled the new air conditioner. When she saw the "Midea" logo on the unit, she gasped, "How much did this cost?"

Chen Xian also came over. Unlike his wife, he didn't make a fuss. He simply adjusted his glasses and asked in a deep voice, "How much did you pay for it?"

"Twelve thousand eight," Chen Lin answered truthfully.

"What?! Twelve thousand eight?!" Lin Xiaoqi's voice instantly rose eight octaves, probably audible throughout the entire building. "Where did you get so much money? Didn't you tell me and your dad how much you earned from all those part-time jobs? Did you spend it all? Are you completely broke?"

"There's still over 30,000 yuan left," Chen Lin said casually.

These words were like a bucket of cold water poured into boiling oil, causing Lin Xiaoqi to explode on the spot.

"Over thirty thousand?!" Her face turned deathly pale, and her voice began to tremble. "Chen Lin! Tell me honestly, did you get involved in some illicit loan scheme?!"

Chen Lin sighed helplessly; he knew this would be the outcome.

Without offering any further explanation, he unlocked his phone, opened the bank app, and displayed the clear account balance page to his parents.

Lin Xiaoqi and Chen Xian were stunned when they saw the number "￥32XXX.XX".

Shock, disbelief, followed by a deeper sense of unease.

"Son, where did this money come from?" Chen Xian's expression became extremely serious.

Chen Lin put away his phone and calmly began his explanation.

"The first big sum came from my singing at the bar." He opened his WeChat chat history with Brother Wang and showed them the several large donation records. "Didn't I tell you guys that my singing has improved a lot? Last time our bar had an event, the response was great, and in just one night, the customers gave us more than three thousand yuan in tips."

Lin Xiaoqi looked at the transfer records with a mixture of belief and doubt.

Chen Lin then opened the Xianyu app and clicked on his own shop.

"Another part comes from the money I earn by providing math consultations online."

Chen Xian leaned over to take a look, frowned, and said, "Doesn't this show that only two orders have been sold? That's only a little over two thousand yuan in total."

"These two orders are from individual customers," Chen Lin had already prepared his explanation. He cleverly omitted Shen Yan's part and directly brought up President Peng's case. "Some time ago, a design institute in Shanghai encountered a technical problem with their project and happened to find me on Xianyu (a second-hand marketplace platform). I helped them optimize a calculation solution, and the effect was particularly good."

He paused for a moment, then dropped the most crucial information: "Later, their boss really appreciated me. In order to establish a long-term cooperative relationship with me, he specially sent someone to Tianjin to find me. Upon meeting me, he gave me a deposit of five thousand yuan as a 'meeting gift'."

After hearing these words, the worry and doubt on the parents' faces were gradually replaced by an indescribable shock.

They stared blankly at their son, as if they were meeting him for the first time.

Can you get thousands of dollars in tips for singing all night?

Can an online consultation really get the boss of a big company to send someone to deliver money?

This sounds like something out of a fairy tale.

However, the transfer records and chat screenshots on the phone cannot be faked.

After a long silence, Chen Xian was the first to come to his senses. Looking at his son's calm and confident face, the shock in his eyes slowly faded, replaced by an unprecedented, shining admiration and pride.

He could see that his son had truly grown up.

Lin Xiaoqi finally recovered from the huge shock. She looked at the quiet yet powerful new air conditioner in the living room, and then at her calm son. Her eyes inexplicably reddened.