CHAPTER 142: CHAPTER 142: CONTENT WITH AN ORDINARY LIFE

At dinner, Lin Xiaoyan mentioned to her brother that she had to go on a business trip tomorrow.

Lin Hao heard his sister had to go on a business trip again. He didn’t know what her business trip was about, but he didn’t ask and just reminded her to stay safe.

"Don’t worry, brother."

Lin Hao nodded and then brought up another matter, "Earlier, about the time I got scammed online, the police called me today to understand the situation."

Lin Xiaoyan widened her eyes and looked at her brother, "Did they catch the person?"

Lin Hao shook his head, "No, they just wanted to understand the whole process. They said recently there have been many scam victims, and the amounts are huge, so they’re preparing to educate the public on scam knowledge."

Speaking of this, Lin Hao said awkwardly, "They said they want to use me as a negative example..."

"Hahahaha..."

When Lin Xiaoyan heard they wanted to use her brother’s experience as a negative example to teach the public about scams, she couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

Listening to his sister’s laughter, Lin Hao felt even more awkward and ashamed.

Oh well, it’s his fault for dreaming of getting rich with little skill.

In the end, he got hooked, oh...

Lin Xiaoyan laughed until her stomach hurt, and finally managed to stop. She wiped away her tears of laughter and asked her brother, "Do Mom, Dad, and sister-in-law know about this?"

Lin Hao shook his head, "I haven’t told them yet."

"Tell them, let them have a laugh too. See the embarrassing thing their good son and husband did. Even kids know not to touch gambling or seek cheap gains.

You’re already an adult, yet you can’t even match a child. Look at you now, you’ve almost lost your shorts in the scam!"

Lin Xiaoyan looked at her brother, mercilessly mocking him.

Lin Hao, hearing his sister’s mockery, looked at her in disbelief, "What... what’s gotten into you?"

Lin Xiaoyan leisurely took a sip of her porridge, swallowed, and looked at her brother, "What’s gotten into me? Probably the fact that my brother got scammed out of tens of thousands without a brain!"

Lin Hao: "...... How did your tongue get so sharp?"

Lin Xiaoyan: "If I’m not sharp, I’m worried you’ll forget! Before, considering your feelings, Mom and Dad, and I never said anything harsh to you. Now I see you’re in a good mood, so I’m giving you a bit of a wake-up call, lest you forget the silly things you did!"

Listening to his sister’s words, Lin Hao was unable to regain his composure for a long time.

Growing up, he had never seen this sharp side of his sister, nor had he heard her speak so... venomously!

He seemed to be meeting his sister for the first time, full of disbelief.

At the same time, he felt pricked by his sister’s words.

He regained his senses, smiled bitterly, and promised again and again, that he would definitely never touch those things again, no drinking, gambling, or whoring!

He would focus on work and earn money honestly.

After dinner, seeing her brother looking a bit dejected, Lin Xiaoyan spoke earnestly, "Brother, I’ve always felt that as long as we’re safe and sound, that’s good enough.

We’re not born into wealth and fortune, we’re just ordinary people.

In the country, there are so many ordinary, average people. It’s true, everyone wants to get rich, but where are all those opportunities?

We’re just ordinary people, and accepting ordinariness, living safely and healthily, is quite good too."

"Accepting... ordinariness?" Lin Hao heard this phrase for the first time.

From a young age, due to Dad’s situation, their family moved from the village to the city.

Though back then they rented a place in the city, going to school and living in the city made him feel different from his peers back in the village every time he returned.

Each visit back to the village, the envious looks from his buddies, the amazement in their voices when he mentioned school matters, constantly reminded him that he was different from them.

He successfully got into the city’s middle school, high school, and university...

With each visit back, the praises from village relatives made him gradually forget that he was a village boy, his roots were actually the same as theirs...

Lin Hao looked deeply at his sister, feeling unworthy. His mental resilience wasn’t as strong as his sister’s.

Yes, he’s just an ordinary person, he should accept being ordinary and just strive to live his life well.

He’s not seeking wealth and fortune, just hoping for his family’s safety and happiness.

If Lin Xiaoyan knew her brother was complimenting her mental resilience, she would definitely roll her eyes hard!

What her resilience?!

She was forced into it!

She believed that if anyone had the experience of being chased and hunted by ghosts, they would certainly develop great resilience.

That night, Lin Xiaoyan slept soundly, while Lin Hao stayed awake all night.

Early the next morning, Lin Xiaoyan got up early.

Seeing her brother with dark circles coming out of his room, she raised her eyebrows but didn’t say anything.

Some things, realizing them yourself is far more useful than hearing others say it a hundred or a thousand times.

Lin Xiaoyan quickly washed up, glancing at the time, it was half past seven.

Lin Hao had also tidied up, holding the dog, ready to go to work.

"Yanyan, when are you leaving?"

"I’ll be leaving soon."

Listening to that, Lin Hao looked at his sister, "Do you need me to give you a ride?"

"No need, go to work."

"Alright then."

Lin Hao pondered briefly, then held the dog, opened the door, and prepared to go to work.

As he opened the door, he saw a strange man standing at the doorway, staring at him warily.

"Who are you? Why are you standing at my door?"

He Qi’an had just arrived at Lin Xiaoyan’s doorstep, ready to ask if she’d finished packing.

He had said they’d leave at eight yesterday, and now it was half-past seven. He thought he’d come over and wait for her, not expecting to run into her brother.

He Qi’an put away his phone and greeted Lin Xiaoyan’s brother.

"Hello, I’m..."

"Why are you here so early?"

Lin Xiaoyan heard her brother’s voice and saw He Qi’an standing at the door.

"Brother, he’s my colleague, he’s picking me up for our business trip." Lin Xiaoyan explained.

He Qi’an, hearing Lin Xiaoyan say "colleague," glanced at her, then at Lin Hao, nodding, "Yes."

Listening to his sister, Lin Hao coldly greeted He Qi’an with a "Hello."

His gaze at He Qi’an carried scrutiny.

He felt uneasy about his sister traveling with this man.

"Ready to go?" Lin Xiaoyan inquired.

He Qi’an checked the time, "Mhmm, if you’re ready."

"I’m ready, let’s go." With that, Lin Xiaoyan moved inside to grab her luggage.

Lin Hao followed her inside, dog in tow.

"Don’t move, I’ll get it."

"It’s okay, it’s not heavy."

Lin Hao heard his sister say it wasn’t heavy, and he believed it, lifting it.

Lin Hao: .....

"Not heavy?"

Lin Xiaoyan awkwardly laughed, "I don’t know how long this business trip will be, so I packed quite a bit, hehe..."

Lin Hao: "That’s more than just a bit."

"What! My suitcase is so small, I can lift it. Brother, you’re just too weak!"