21: Chapter 21 Buying a Car for Chen Jianjun

Chen Fan had long anticipated they would ask this.

He walked in between them, speaking as they went:

"Dad, Mom. Listen to me."

He paused, organizing his thoughts.

"My grades weren't great to begin with, you both know that. Even if I didn't write novels, with my current grades, at best, I'd only get into a vocational college."

Wang Mei wanted to say something, but he raised his hand to stop her.

"Even if I got lucky and made it into an undergraduate program? After four years, I'd graduate, find a job, and earn a few thousand a month. If I worked my whole life without eating or drinking, how much could I save? One million? Two million?"

He looked into their eyes.

"What about me now? Last month's royalties were 980,000. Next month will be about the same. By the time this book is finished next March, I'll have an income of nearly one million every month."

He paused, his voice softening slightly.

"Dad, Mom, have you calculated it? What I earn in this one year is equivalent to what others earn in a lifetime."

Wang Mei stopped walking, stunned in place.

Chen Jianjun also stopped, his gaze drifting into the distance, lost in thought.

In reality, Chen Fan had understated it.

Besides royalties, there would be manga adaptations and physical publications later on, which would be another source of income. Moreover, after the book finished, there would still be hundreds of thousands in royalties every month—those long-tail subscriptions would be enough to support him for several years.

But he was afraid they wouldn't be able to digest all of that right now.

"Then you..." Wang Mei finally spoke, her voice a bit hoarse, "Are you not planning to go to school anymore?"

Chen Fan shook his head: "Of course I am. I'll finish this novel by February next year. By then, I'll devote the remaining time to studying hard and striving to get into an undergraduate program. Your son here is even planning to find a pretty girlfriend in college."

Wang Mei was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter through her tears and slapped his arm.

"You brat, I'm being serious."

Chen Jianjun suddenly spoke up from the side: "Alright then, you brat are much more capable than your old man now."

Chen Fan turned his head and saw his father's face wearing a smile, his eyes reflecting complex emotions—gratification, pride, and a little something... indescribable.

"Dad, what are you saying." Chen Fan scratched his head.

"The truth." Chen Jianjun walked forward with his hands behind his back, "When I was your age, I was still farming at home, not earning a single cent. You, on the other hand, earn more in a month than I have in half a lifetime."

Wang Mei chimed in from the side: "How much did you actually earn in that half-lifetime?"

Chen Jianjun glared at her: "I was just using a metaphor."

Wang Mei laughed and didn't say anything more.

Chen Fan walked between them, listening to their bickering, and suddenly felt a warmth in his heart.

In his previous life, he always felt he wasn't good enough and had caused his parents to worry for half their lives.

In this life, he could finally make them proud for once.

After the issue was laid out, both of their faces were filled with smiles, as if they had grown a few years younger.

"Dad, Mom. I want to discuss something with you."

Wang Mei turned her head: "What is it?"

Chen Jianjun also stopped and turned to look at him.

"I want to..." Chen Fan paused, "I want to buy an apartment in the county town."

Wang Mei was stunned: "Buy an apartment?"

"Yeah." Chen Fan nodded, "I'm writing a book now, and I need a quiet environment at night. The rental is too small; I can't even fit a computer desk. Besides, constantly renting isn't a long-term solution; it's better to just buy one."

Chen Jianjun frowned: "How much would a house in the county town cost?"

"I've looked at a few, for about 100 square meters, it's around 150,000 to 160,000."

"150,000 to 160,000..." Wang Mei gasped.

Although she had just seen a balance of 980,000, when it really came to spending over a hundred thousand on a house, she still instinctively felt a pang of heartache.

Chen Jianjun didn't speak, remaining silent for a moment.

"Have you thought this through?" He looked at his son.

"Thought it through." Chen Fan nodded, "Once I buy the house, I'll live in the county town. If I occasionally want to return to the village, I can go back for a few days. The most important thing is that Mom can cook for me. Look at how skinny I've gotten from eating outside food."

Chen Fan said, gesturing to his slightly thin arms.

Wang Mei opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but swallowed it back.

It was mainly Chen Fan's last sentence that really struck a chord with her.

How could food from outside compare to home-cooked meals? The child was eating in the school cafeteria every day, and who knew what he was eating when he went back at night? How could he not get thin?

She carefully scrutinized Chen Fan—he did seem a bit thinner; his cheeks weren't as round as before.

"Alright then." She suddenly spoke, her tone much firmer than before, "Then we'll buy it, and Mom will go cook for you."

Chen Jianjun was stunned on the side: "You're actually going?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Wang Mei glared at him, "Our son eats in the cafeteria every day, can you be at ease with that?"

Chen Jianjun was choked up, opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything.

Chen Fan held back his laughter on the side, but felt warm inside.

He knew his mother too well. She might hesitate about other things, but once it came to "cooking for her son," she was more proactive than anyone.

"Then it's settled." He pulled his sleeve down, "I'll go look at houses later, pick one close to school, so it's convenient for me to go to class."

Chen Jianjun patted him on the shoulder.

"It's your own money, you decide." He said, "We have no objections."

"Also, I plan to buy a car for my dad."

Chen Jianjun was stunned.

"What?" He thought he had misheard.

"Buy a car for you," Chen Fan said with a smile, "Haven't you always wanted a car? Once you have one, it'll be much more convenient to go back to the village or return to the county town."

"Then what kind of car are you planning to buy?"

"Dad, you choose it yourself, something around 150,000."

"I don't want it." Chen Jianjun refused almost instinctively, "It's too expensive, an apartment in the county town only costs a little over a hundred thousand."

As he spoke, he waved his hand, his tone full of heartache: "Your money didn't just blow in on the wind; you earned it writing until midnight, why buy a car? My motorcycle is just fine, I've managed for so many years."

Wang Mei listened from the side, wanting to say something, but swallowed it back.

Chen Fan looked at his father's expression, feeling a bit amused, but also a bit sour.

"Dad, listen to me." He slowed his speech, "Buying a house is one thing, buying a car is another; they are two different things. Even if I buy the house, you'll still have to ride your motorcycle back and forth every day. How cold is it in winter? What about when it rains? Even if you can endure it, what about Mom?"

Chen Jianjun opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything.

"Besides," Chen Fan added, "Your son earns nearly a million a month now, is it excessive to spend 150,000 on a car? If you don't choose, I'll choose it for you, and one day I'll just buy it and park it right in front of the house."

Chen Jianjun didn't speak again.

He stood there, looking at his son, his eyes very complex.

Wang Mei finally spoke up from the side: "Alright, alright, if our son is buying it for you, just accept it, why put on an act? Later, when we drive back to the village, it'll be so convenient."

Chen Jianjun glared at her but didn't refute.

After a long while, he suddenly asked: "150,000... what kind can you get for that?"

Chen Fan smiled.

It was a done deal.