Starting from Ainz Ooal Gown, simultaneously traveling through time

"Lu Mingfei, you stop right there!"

At the entrance to the literary society's activity room, Lei Lin grabbed Lu Mingfei, who was trying to sneak inside again.

"Brother Lei... Brother Lei..." Lu Mingfei shrank back, forcing a smile, "What a coincidence?"

"What's so coincidental? I deliberately waited for you here." Lei Lin released his grip and looked him up and down.

"Tell me, what's going on with that [Ricardo Lu] on 'Pili Pili'? He updated on time for three consecutive months, rain or shine, so why did he suddenly 'go on hiatus, with no return date in sight'?"

Lu Mingfei's eyes darted away as he kicked a pebble at his feet. "I'm just... a little tired. I want to rest. Playing games and recording videos every day is really exhausting..."

"Tired?" Lei Lin crossed his arms, a half-smile on his face. "You? Lu Mingfei? You think playing games is tiring? Do you even believe that yourself? Who was it that stayed up all night to beat the game and was still full of energy the next day, bragging to me?"

Lu Mingfei opened his mouth, but didn't say anything.

"You're not the kind of person who loses interest quickly," Leylin said, his tone softening, but his gaze remained sharp.

"If you can persist for more than three months, it means you are serious and even enjoy it. If you suddenly give up, there must be external reasons."

He paused, staring at Lu Mingfei's increasingly uncomfortable expression: "Did your aunt say something again at home?"

Lu Mingfei's body stiffened slightly, a subtle reaction that did not escape Lei Lin's notice.

"As expected." Leylin sighed.

"Did she see you making money? Did she take the money away? And said some...unpleasant things? Like, calling you a lazy bum, or...did she include me in her insults?"

Lu Mingfei suddenly looked up, his face filled with shock, as if asking, "How did you know?"

"Judging from your expression, I can guess pretty much what's going on." Leylin shook his head. "Tell me the truth, don't try to fool me."

Under Lei Lin's unquestionable gaze, Lu Mingfei stammered, but eventually recounted in detail how his aunt discovered the money that night, how she scolded him, how she forcibly "kept" it, and his uncle's helpless silence.

After saying that, he lowered his head, like a quail soaked by the rain.

"So, she not only illegally appropriated your earnings, but also launched a personal attack against me, right?"

Lei Lin concluded calmly, but Lu Mingfei inexplicably felt the temperature around him drop two degrees.

"No! Big brother, Auntie... she's just sharp-tongued, but actually, she's not that bad..." Lu Mingfei hurriedly waved his hand, sweat beading on his forehead.

"That money... she said she was keeping it for me, afraid I'd squander it... and besides, she's raised me for so many years, it hasn't been easy for her..."

"She'll support you?" Lei Lin raised an eyebrow.

"If I remember correctly, your parents have always sent back enough living expenses regularly, possibly even more than the average family."

"What your aunt did was more of a 'receiving' than a 'supporting' thing, and as for 'keeping' it..." Lei Lin snorted.

"You probably know that's like throwing good money after bad, right?"

Lu Mingfei pursed his lips and remained silent.

He knew, of course, that the money would most likely never be returned to him.

He understands things clearly, but when it comes to resisting or arguing, he can't do it.

It was a mixture of cowardice stemming from being dependent on others, a lingering longing for the concept of "family," and a habitual conformity formed after long periods of denial.

"Big brother..." His voice was a little hoarse.

"I know you mean well, but... but she is my aunt after all. I don't want to make a big deal out of this, and I don't want... I don't want you to get into trouble because you're helping me."

"Forget it, I won't update the videos anymore, anyway... anyway, I won't make a lot of money."

"Forget it?" Leylin looked at his submissive attitude and was a little angry, but more than that, he felt helpless.

He understood the reasons behind Lu Mingfei's personality, and that it wasn't something that could be changed overnight.

"Lu Mingfei, do you think I'm angry simply because she took your money or cursed at me?"

Lu Mingfei looked up blankly.

"I'm angry because she's breaking your wings and telling you that flying is wrong."

Lei Lin's tone turned serious: "You earned your money honestly and legitimately through your own abilities, gained recognition, and found something you enjoy and are good at. Isn't that incredibly rare?"

"But she dismissed everything without even asking questions, extinguishing your little flame in the most brutal way. This time it was a video, but what about next time? And the time after that?"

"Do you want to live your whole life under her disapproval and control, until one day even your own glimmer of light is completely extinguished?"

Lu Mingfei was stunned; Lei Lin's words struck him like a hammer blow.

He always felt that he had just been "scolded again" and "lost money," but he never thought about it from this perspective.

"Then... what should I do?" he murmured, a hint of helplessness in his voice.

"First, resume updates," Leylin said decisively.

"That's your account, your achievements, your 'career.' You can't give it up just because of someone else's unreasonable interference. Secondly, about the money..."

He hesitated for a moment, then said, "It's unrealistic to demand it back right now; it might only make your situation at home worse. Let's keep this in mind for now, but I can talk to your aunt."

"Talk? How can we talk?" Lu Mingfei was startled. "Brother, don't do anything reckless! Hitting someone is illegal, and murder is punishable by death!"

He recalled the "dangerous" impression Leylin had initially given him, and immediately imagined all sorts of bloody scenes of gang negotiations, turning his face pale.

Looking at his terrified expression, Lei Lin was both amused and exasperated: "What kind of police dramas are you watching all day? I'm talking about a serious, legal 'talk'!"

"For example, they could visit you at home as your 'partner' and the person in charge of the website, explain the nature of your work, your legal income, and your future prospects, and try to gain their understanding, of course..."

Lei Lin's eyes turned slightly cold: "If talking to her nicely doesn't work, I don't mind using something else, a legal method that might make your aunt uncomfortable, to make her understand that interfering with someone's legitimate work and defaming someone comes with consequences."

"Don't worry, it's absolutely a civilized method."

Lu Mingfei was skeptical: "Really...really just talking? Civilized methods?"

"Otherwise what? Who do you think I am? A gangster boss or a serial killer?" Leylin flicked his forehead in annoyance.

"It was my fault for scaring you the first time we met, but have I ever hurt you or cheated you? Have I ever broken any promises I made to you? Can't you even have a little basic trust in me?"

Lu Mingfei touched his forehead where he had been flicked and thought back for a moment. Indeed, aside from the initial shock of their first encounter, this "Brother Lei" had treated him with utmost kindness and consideration afterward.

Giving him opportunities, providing a platform, offering a share of the profits, and even coming to confront him when he hesitated and asking him why—how does he seem like a bad person...?

"I...I understand." Lu Mingfei finally nodded slowly, a hint of determination in his eyes.

"I'll keep updating the videos, but as for the visit... Brother, how about we hold off for now? I'm afraid my aunt might say something unpleasant and offend you..."

"You bumped into me?" Leylin laughed and patted him on the shoulder.

"What kind of situation haven't I seen? Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. All you need to do now is go back to your computer, pick up the update schedule you missed, and leave the rest to me."

Looking into Lei Lin's calm and reliable eyes, Lu Mingfei felt as if the heavy weight in his heart had been lifted a little.

He nodded vigorously: "Yes! Thank you, brother!"

"What are you thanking me for? Get back to work."

Lei Lin waved his hand, watching Lu Mingfei finally straighten his back a bit, while he touched his chin and began to think about how to conduct a "friendly and effective" home visit.

He needs to keep that domineering aunt in check, but he can't let things get too tense and put Lu Mingfei in a difficult position... Hmm, he needs to plan this out carefully.