19: Chapter 19 Confession

The bell for the last class of the afternoon rang, and the classroom instantly descended into chaos.

Chen Fan immediately packed his things and headed out of the classroom.

After returning to his rented room, he packed his computer, keyboard, and mouse into his laptop bag. He planned to take them home.

Since buying the computer, Chen Fan hadn't brought it home. Although he brought his phone home every week, he had kept it hidden from his parents.

If his parents asked, he would have to explain the source of the money used to buy the computer and phone.

He didn't want to hide the fact that he was earning money by writing novels, but he was afraid that the few thousand yuan in royalties from the previous month wouldn't be very convincing.

"Mom, I earned a few thousand yuan writing novels."

If he said that, Wang Mei would definitely follow up with questions: What kind of novel? Where did you write it? How did you earn it? Were you scammed?

Explaining it was too troublesome; it was better to say nothing for now.

But now it was different.

Nearly a million in royalties.

This number was convincing enough.

Chen Fan zipped up his backpack and stood at the doorway, looking around the rental room. A ten-square-meter room with a bed, a desk, and a chair—it couldn't be simpler.

Having lived here for so long, it was time to move to a new place.

Locking the door, he carried the laptop bag and walked towards the bus station.

Half an hour later.

Chen Fan had already boarded the bus from the county to Kong Township.

Holding the computer in his arms, watching the various scenes flashing by outside the window, Chen Fan's mind was full of thoughts.

He didn't know how his parents would react when they saw he had earned nearly 1 million. Would they cry with joy, or would their faces be filled with pride?

The forty-five-minute journey passed in a flash.

When the bus stopped, Chen Fan got off with his laptop bag.

Arriving at his front door, he pushed open the red gate.

In the living room, his parents were sitting on the sofa talking about something, looking a bit worried.

Seeing Chen Fan return, smiles instantly appeared on the faces of both Wang Mei and Chen Jianjun.

"Xiao Fan is back." Wang Mei hurried forward to greet Chen Fan.

"Put your things down first and have some water," Chen Jianjun also said.

Wang Mei took the laptop bag from Chen Fan's hand. "What is this you're carrying? It's quite heavy."

"A laptop." Wang Mei was stunned for a moment, then looked up at Chen Fan, her tone rising slightly: "Where did you get a laptop?"

Chen Jianjun also looked over, his eyes filled with a bit of confusion.

"I earned the money writing novels."

"Writing novels?" Wang Mei looked incredulous. "What kind of novel can you write?"

To Wang Mei, her son was just an ordinary high school student. How could he write novels, let alone earn money from them?

"Mom, don't worry, let me explain it to you both properly."

Chen Fan pulled Wang Mei to sit down in front of the coffee table, looked at them both, and said solemnly,

"For the past few months, I've been writing novels. The kind online, called web novels."

"Novels?" Wang Mei frowned. "How much money can you earn writing novels?"

Chen Fan didn't answer directly but took the bank card out of his wallet and placed it next to his phone.

"Everything I earned last month is in here."

Wang Mei and Chen Jianjun exchanged a look; clearly, they hadn't processed it yet.

"How much money?" Chen Jianjun asked.

Chen Fan looked at them and said calmly: "980,000."

The living room was quiet for a few seconds.

The expression on Wang Mei's face changed from confusion to shock, and then from shock to disbelief.

"How... how much?" Her voice was trembling a little.

"980,000." Chen Fan repeated. "After taxes, it's already in the account."

Chen Jianjun stood up, then sat back down, staring at the bank card for a long time, as if he wanted to see right through it.

"Xiao Fan, it's not that your mother and I don't believe you, but the number you mentioned is truly a bit outrageous."

Chen Fan understood their reaction. Both were ordinary rural people who had no idea that one could earn money by writing novels online, let alone that much.

"Mom, Dad, let me show you something." Chen Fan opened his computer and showed his parents the royalty data from his Qidian author backend.

Then he also showed them the balance on his bank card via text message.

Seeing the nearly 1 million figure on the computer and phone, the two believed it a little more, but there was still some concern on their faces.

Seeing his parents' expressions, Chen Fan said calmly: "Mom, Dad, let's go to the county town early tomorrow morning and check the balance at a bank branch. You should believe it then."

By this point, Chen Jianjun and Wang Mei were 99% convinced, but the remaining 1% could only be fully resolved by seeing the bank card balance.

"Okay, your dad has nothing going on tomorrow. We'll head to the county first thing in the morning," Wang Mei said decisively.

"Let your dad see your phone." Chen Jianjun looked at the phone in his hand.

Chen Fan handed it over.

Chen Jianjun took the phone and flipped it over a few times: "This phone wasn't cheap, right?"

"1,500."

"1,500?" Chen Jianjun clicked his tongue. "You kid, your phone is better than the one I use."

Chen Fan took the phone back and smiled: "Dad, I'll get you a better one when we go to the county tomorrow."

Chen Jianjun waved his hand: "If it works, it works. Why change it?"

Although he said that, there was still a hint of expectation in Chen Jianjun's eyes.

...

The next day.

The family of three got up early.

After a simple breakfast, they prepared to head to the county town.

Chen Fan noticed that both Wang Mei and Chen Jianjun had faint dark circles under their eyes.

He remembered hearing voices from the next room before going to sleep last night, muffled and lasting until very late. It seemed the two of them hadn't slept all night.

After eating, the three of them went out and boarded the bus to the county. There weren't many people on the bus; Chen Fan found a window seat, and Wang Mei and Chen Jianjun sat behind him.

Not long after the bus started, Wang Mei's head began to nod. Before long, she fell asleep leaning against the seat. Chen Jianjun also closed his eyes, his breathing gradually becoming steady.

"Mom, Dad, wake up." He shook his sleeping parents awake. "We're at the county town."

Wang Mei opened her eyes and looked outside in a daze: "We're here?"

"Yeah, get ready to get off."

Chen Jianjun rubbed his eyes, yawned, and stood up to stretch his neck.

The bus door opened, and the three of them got off.

The December morning was a bit cold. Wang Mei tightened her coat, looking at the streets of the county town, suddenly feeling a bit nervous.

"Um... where is the bank?"

Chen Fan pointed ahead: "It's just a few minutes' walk."

Wang Mei nodded and followed him forward.

After walking a few steps, she suddenly grabbed Chen Fan's sleeve and asked in a low voice: "Did you bring that card?"

"I brought it, don't worry."

Chen Jianjun snorted from the side: "We're already at the bank door, and you're still asking."