On New Year's Day, Liu Chen woke up at six in the morning. She had a rare day off and didn't rush to get up. Instead, she decided to use up the two thousand four hundred and sixty lottery tickets she had saved up for nearly two months.
This was partly to prepare for the upcoming final exams, and partly because she wanted to win more money. She hoped to buy a couple more apartments in Beijing before the purchase restrictions there took effect.
And also…
She wanted to buy apartments in Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Hangzhou.
These were cities where one would have to pay social security for several years to even qualify for buying property, but now, with just money, she could buy them.
"Start the lottery!"
With a thought in her mind, the familiar roulette wheel appeared before her eyes, displaying the number 2460 in the center.
The wheel began to spin rapidly, and countless prizes flashed by:
"Received 1100 yuan in cash."
"..."
"Received +1 Memory, current Memory 75 (65+10)."
"Received pink nails."
"Received one upgrade opportunity for an airplane ticket, which can be used to upgrade the current ticket."
"Received +1 Cold Resistance, current Cold Resistance 56 (55+1)."
"Received +1 Cold Resistance, current Cold Resistance 57 (55+2)."
"Received a good luck bracelet, which grants +2 Luck for 24 hours upon use."
"Received a good luck ballpoint pen, which grants +2 Luck when used."
"Received a pair of pink ear warmers with 30-degree constant temperature."
"Received a white leather sofa from Mecamome."
"Received a princess bed from Mecamome."
"Received a TV stand from Mecamome."
"Received a wardrobe from Mecamome."
"Received a carpet from Mecamome."
"..."
"Received a non-stick cookware set of three pieces."
"Received +1 Cold Resistance, current Cold Resistance 58 (55+3)."
"Received a perfect spot-removing cream set of three pieces."
"Received a super sunscreen (60g)."
"Received +1 Memory, current Memory 76 (65+11)."
"Received +1 Cold Resistance, current Cold Resistance 59 (55+4)."
"Received an LV handbag."
"Received an LV travel bag."
"Received a Miumiu pink short-sleeved shirt."
"Received a Miumiu blue denim skirt."
"Received a voucher to increase the number of sales assistants."
"Received +1 Cold Resistance, current Cold Resistance 60 (55+5)."
"Received a Junior Recruitment Sticker, which grants one junior employee within 24 hours of use."
Liu Chen was carefully looking at her prizes when the pointer suddenly stopped on an area that felt as thin as a line. Immediately, a golden firework display erupted before her eyes.
A piece of A4 paper with gold lettering on a white background appeared before her. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
After the fireworks display ended, Liu Chen finally saw the title written on it.
"Starch Sausage Recipe (Good)."
A recipe for grilled sausages?!
Her eyes, which had been half-closed as if she wasn't fully awake, were now wide open.
As the saying goes, a dealer who doesn't aspire to open a factory and produce products is not a good salesperson.
In 2008, food factories were not as strictly regulated as they would be later, requiring various permits and licenses. At the time, Liu Chen had only dared to think about signing an exclusive agency with Wang Dong. Opening a factory was something she wouldn't have dared to imagine, as she had no experience in product research and development in her previous life.
Her wish to study Food Science and Engineering was also driven by a desire to understand food production better, so she could anticipate the vast market for semi-processed foods in the future.
And now, she had drawn a starch sausage recipe? And it was rated as 'Good' by the system?!
"Hahahaha!!!" Liu Chen laughed so hard she rolled around on the bed. Liu Fang heard the commotion. "If you're awake, get dressed and come out for breakfast! Remember to turn off the air conditioning, and wear more clothes. Staying in an air-conditioned room for too long can cause nosebleeds!"
Liu Chen stuck out her tongue. Perhaps it was the recent increase in her cold resistance, but the air-conditioned room felt a bit stuffy now.
She fetched the remote control that she had placed by the window last night, turned off the air conditioning, and opened the window a crack, leaving the gauze screen closed for ventilation.
Perhaps because her cold resistance had reached an acceptable level, Liu Chen was only wearing a short-sleeved shirt under her down jacket. When she moved her arms, they didn't feel as restricted as when she wore both thermal underwear and a sweater.
No wonder Ren Mo, that young man, was so cold that he started drinking hot water, yet stubbornly refused to wear an extra layer under his down jacket. It turned out that wearing just a short-sleeved shirt under a down jacket offered so much freedom.
Liu Chen's down jacket was zipped up high, so Liu Fang didn't notice. Once they got into the car and the air conditioning was turned on, Liu Chen felt so warm that she unzipped her down jacket. Liu Fang glanced over, and her brows immediately furrowed.
She opened her mouth to speak but suddenly remembered the principal's words at the high school mobilization meeting about being more tolerant and understanding towards the children. She silently closed her mouth.
So, shortly after Liu Chen got out of the car, her mother wrapped a scarf around her neck. The scarf carried the faint scent of her mother's Herbal Essences Rose shampoo.
It lingered longer than perfume.
As she returned to Phoenix City after a five-month absence, Liu Chen looked at the tall buildings with elevators standing from the outside, and in a daze, she recalled the envy she felt passing by those developments in her previous life.
Five months after her rebirth, the houses she had once considered unaffordable for a lifetime were now not only bought but also renovated, and equipped with underfloor heating, something she had never experienced before.
A smile never left Liu Chen's lips.
However…
Seeing her aunt and Wang Dong getting out of a car in the distance and walking towards her, Liu Chen couldn't help but turn to her mother and ask in confusion:
"Oh? Aunt is here too?"
Liu Fang was putting her car keys into her large black leather bag. Hearing this, she replied without looking up, "She's here to look at the renovation, just like us. Wang Dong, knowing that Hu Min and we are close, specifically bought their wedding house near us. He was worried your aunt might think his house wasn't in a good location, so he even bought two apartments, putting your aunt's name on one of them, saying it was notarized.
He said the property is split half and half. Now that your grandmother is in a nursing home, she took out her household registration book and said she wanted to get married to Wang Dong.
I persuaded her for quite a while before she agreed to let them talk it over. If they're sure and decide to get married, we'll have all the necessary procedures, including a wedding ceremony. Don't try to fob me off with that 'elopement wedding' nonsense.
I don't care about that. This girl I've watched grow up since she was little, I want to see her walk down the red carpet in a beautiful wedding dress."
By the time she finished speaking, Wang Dong was already quite close to Liu Fang.
He had heard about seventy to eighty percent of what she said but showed no signs of anger. Instead, he looked earnestly at his aunt and said, "What others have, my Minmin will have, and what others don't have, my Minmin will also have!"