Chapter 32 Gratitude to Parents

Zhang Peng said with a smile:

"Then we'll head off to practice dancing first. Brother Chen, you go ahead and ponder your grand stock market plan."

"Once you win the bet, you've got to treat us to another good meal!"

"When the time comes, we'll help you stir things up and make the department beauty and Teacher Liu fulfill the wager!"

"Hahaha, alright, no problem."

Lin Chen laughed at his words, and much of his previous gloom dissipated.

"Then we're off, Brother Chen!"

The three waved and laughed softly,

walking together toward the dance studio. Before leaving, they didn't forget to turn back and give Lin Chen a few more reminders.

Watching the three walk away, the smile on Lin Chen's face gradually faded, and his gaze became determined.

The bet had been made, and the rumors had spread; now, there was no turning back.

By the end of this semester, he had to increase his stock capital tenfold—not just to avoid social death, but to prove himself.

To live up to his own confidence, and for those who trusted and supported him.

Lin Chen took a deep breath and turned toward the dormitory,

the sunlight spilling over him and casting a long shadow, his eyes filled with resolve and confidence.

This time, he would definitely win.

As soon as he stepped into the dorm, Lin Chen closed the door behind him and tossed his backpack onto the back of his chair.

Before he could even catch his breath, his fingers instinctively pulled out his phone.

The moment the screen lit up, a hint of softness flickered in his eyes. Without hesitation, his fingertip tapped the pinned 'Mom and Dad' chat box and pressed the call button.

The moment the call connected, his mother's familiar and warm voice came through the receiver,

carrying a bit of smiling reproach that instantly dispelled his exhaustion from the day:

"Son?"

"School hasn't even officially started for a week, and you already miss your mom?"

The corners of Lin Chen's mouth curled up, his voice becoming light and soft,

yet an imperceptible bitterness was hidden deep in his eyes.

In his past life, even years after graduation, he hadn't been able to give his parents a good life.

Now, living a second life, this desire to show filial piety to his parents was so urgent it was almost overflowing.

"Mom, I'm calling because I miss you,"

He paused, deliberately suppressing the surge of emotion in his heart,

"I'm doing fine at school. I just wanted to ask, is everything okay at home lately?"

"Are you and Dad both healthy and strong?"

"We're fine, we're fine,"

His mother's voice grew even more gentle, her tone full of concern,

"Everything at home is smooth. Your dad and I have no problems."

"But what about you? Are you used to living at school?"

"Is the cafeteria food to your liking?"

"Do you have enough living expenses?"

"If it's not enough, just tell me. I'll send you more. Don't deprive yourself."

Listening to his mother's rambling reminders, Lin Chen's nose felt a bit stingy.

His parents were like this in his past life too; even if their own lives were tight, they always wanted to give him the best.

He gripped his phone and asked softly:

"Mom, where's Dad? Isn't he nearby?"

"He's here, he's here,"

His mother's voice gained a bit more laughter, and the faint sound of clinking dishes could be heard on the other end,

"He just got home from work. After eating, he took the initiative to go to the kitchen to wash dishes, saying he wanted me to rest for a bit."

Lin Chen took a deep breath and adjusted his tone,

deliberately making his voice sound relaxed and natural, as if he were talking about a trivial matter:

"Mom, I have something to tell you. Don't be too surprised."

His fingertips exerted a bit of pressure as he calculated his wording.

He knew his parents were honest, hardworking farmers who had spent their lives toiling and had never seen so much money.

If he directly said he won a grand prize, it would probably scare them.

Furthermore, he didn't want his parents to think he was showing off; he simply wanted them to lay down their burdens and enjoy life.

Images flashed through his mind of his parents riding their electric scooter before dawn every day, braving the freezing wind and sweltering heat to go to the city for manual labor.

Their home wasn't too far from the city, but the round trip still took over an hour,

and they never stopped, regardless of wind or rain.

The family's conditions weren't great; they still lived in an old house, and the furniture consisted of old items used for over a decade.

But his parents always kept the best for him. Their life was plain, yet full of warmth.

In his past life, seeing his parents' aging faces and the thick calluses on their hands, his heart was full of guilt, yet he was powerless.

Now, he finally had the ability to change all of this.

"Mom, the day before yesterday, I casually bought a lottery ticket at a shop near the school,"

Lin Chen's voice carried a hint of deliberately feigned casualness,

"I didn't expect such good luck. I won a grand prize, and the prize money after taxes is two hundred thousand."

"In a moment, I'll transfer a hundred thousand into your savings account. I'll keep the remaining hundred thousand for myself."

"It's enough for my tuition and living expenses for all four years of university. You won't have to worry about my tuition anymore."

The other end of the phone went silent instantly,

followed immediately by his mother's hurried and excited voice,

carrying a hint of disbelief and a touch of panic:

"What?!"

"Won a grand prize?"

"Two hundred thousand?"

"Son, you aren't lying to Mom, are you?"

"This is no small matter. Don't joke with me!"

Listening to his mother's trembling voice, Lin Chen felt a warmth in his heart and quickly reassured her:

"Mom, I'm not lying to you. It's true. All the procedures are finished, and the money is already in my card."

"I'll transfer it to you in a bit. You'll know when you get the text message."

"Okay, okay, Mom believes you, Mom believes you!"

His mother's voice carried an uncontrollable sob. Then, he heard her shouting toward the kitchen, her voice changing pitch,

"Husband!"

"Come here! Come here quickly!"

"There's good news! Huge news!"

Lin Chen held the phone, quietly listening to the footsteps on the other end, and his father's slightly hurried voice:

"What's wrong, what's wrong?"

"Why are you in such a rush? What happened?"

The next second, the phone was taken by his father. His father's slightly raspy but concern-filled voice came through the receiver:

"Son? What's wrong?"

"Your mom said there's good news. What good news?"

Hearing his father's familiar voice, Lin Chen's eyes turned red instantly, and his nose felt a sharp sting.

The guilt and regrets of his past life all surged into his heart at this moment.

In his past life, after he graduated, his salary wasn't high, and he met that selfish and unreasonable wife.

Not only was he unable to show filial piety to his parents, but sometimes his parents even had to worry about him and even subsidize him.

He had thought countless times that if only he had money, he could make it so his parents didn't have to work hard anymore and could properly repay them for raising him.

But it wasn't until his rebirth that this wish could be realized.

He suppressed the emotions in his heart, making his voice as steady as possible, yet it still carried a faint, imperceptible sob:

"Dad, it's me. I won a lottery grand prize. I got two hundred thousand, and I'm going to transfer a hundred thousand to Mom's bank card in a bit."

"The remaining hundred thousand is enough for my tuition and living expenses for four years of university. You won't have to worry about my tuition and living expenses anymore."

He paused, then added with emphasis, his tone full of hope and instruction:

"Dad, you and Mom shouldn't go to the city for heavy manual labor anymore. It's too hard and unsafe."

"You're not young anymore. Stay home and rest well, take care of your health. As for money, you have me now. I can support you."

On the other end of the phone, his father went silent.

Lin Chen could clearly hear his father's heavy breathing and suppressed sobs.

After a long while, his father finally spoke, his voice incredibly raspy yet full of relief and emotion:

"Mhm, good. Good son, truly a good son to your parents..."