Chapter 46

Lu Lu rode the motorcycle all the way back to her uncle Ma Lizheng's home in Jin Qiao Ma Jia Village. Upon arrival, her uncle said, "Go in slowly, I have something to tell you."

She knew there were things her uncle wouldn't dare to say in front of her aunt, so she was used to it and asked, "What is it, Uncle?"

"I heard your brother got into trouble and is now in the detention center. This time it's quite serious, and he might be sentenced to prison," her uncle said with a bitter expression.

"Ah?" Lu Lu's face turned pale, "Then, then what about me..." This made her extremely nervous because she knew she would be eighteen by the end of the year. According to her uncle's promise to her grandmother, he would raise her until she turned eighteen, and then she would be sent back to the Lu family. Her aunt had reminded her of this countless times. If it weren't for this agreement, her aunt wouldn't have agreed to let her uncle take her in.

At this moment, if her brother were to be sentenced, the Lu family would lose its mainstay. Relying solely on an eighty-year-old grandmother and herself, they wouldn't even be able to ensure a basic living, let alone support her education.

In fact, her uncle's family wasn't well-off either. Her aunt worked in a clothing factory in the village, earning the minimum wage. Her uncle was a farmer, and her cousin, with a low level of education, had no significant achievements after getting married and worked temporary jobs to make a living. Her cousin's wife stayed at home to take care of the children and didn't work, often speaking coldly to her, as if the family's poverty was due to her extra mouth to feed.

Lu Lu's only relative in this family was her uncle. If it weren't for the money he secretly saved from fishing and selling it at the market, she wouldn't even be able to afford tutoring fees.

Growing up enduring all sorts of hardships, Lu Lu developed a strong and resilient personality. She studied hard to get into a top university, aiming to achieve success and repay her uncle's kindness, and to make her aunt and cousin's wife look at her with respect.

But now, she saw that even basic living was a struggle. If she returned to the Lu family, she would have to take care of her frail and sick grandmother. How could she think about studying or going to university when she didn't even know where the money for food would come from?

"Don't worry," Ma Lizheng comforted her, "Don't tell your aunt about this yet. I'll take this time to talk to her and try to get her to agree to support you through high school. It's only another half a year, and she will definitely agree. Once you get into a good university, I can convince her to help you. By then, you'll be older, and you can work part-time to finish your studies."

Although Ma Lizheng said this, he wasn't confident. The family's finances were controlled by his wife, and if he didn't secretly save some money, he wouldn't even be able to afford Lu Lu's tutoring fees. His wife knew about this but turned a blind eye, not wanting to be too harsh on the orphaned child. She was tough in words but soft in heart. Over the years, although she was unwilling, she never deprived Lu Lu of food or clothing. However, the family was very poor, and her grandson was about to start kindergarten, adding another expense. Continuing to support Lu Lu was no easy task.

"Xiao Bao is going to kindergarten soon, and my aunt has been worrying about the tuition," Lu Lu said, her lips pressed together. "I was planning to move back to the Lu family during the summer, but I didn't tell you. But who would have thought... Uncle, it's not your fault that my brother got into trouble. You don't need to take the blame. You've raised me, and I will remember it for life. I... I can't stay here anymore. If I do, it will not only tire you out but also bring unrest to the family."

"Lu Lu..." Ma Lizheng called out, his voice complex, but he didn't know what to say, only sighing heavily.

"Don't say anything more, this is probably my fate," Lu Lu said with a bitter smile. "My brother is in prison, and my grandmother needs someone to take care of her. I must go back; I can't abandon her for my own sake."

Ma Lizheng couldn't hold back his tears. The fifty-year-old man silently wept, sniffing hard. "Don't worry, I'll still go fishing when I have time and send you the money. You can also come to my place for food; we have plenty of rice."

"Okay," Lu Lu nodded, her lips pressed even tighter. She held back her tears, "I'll pack up and leave tomorrow."

"Why such a hurry?" Ma Lizheng asked anxiously. "You haven't been back in years. How can you adapt so quickly? Take some things with you tomorrow, and I'll go with you to see your grandmother. Your brother has been away for a long time, but your grandmother has been living well on her own. You can visit her more often and get used to the environment. Why not stay at my place until the end of the year?"

"No," Lu Lu shook her head stubbornly. She had made up her mind and wouldn't change it easily. "Although my brother was a troublemaker, he could still come home. Now it's different; my grandmother has no one to take care of her, and I can't be at ease. Uncle, please don't argue; I want to go back tomorrow."

Her uncle knew her personality well and didn't try to persuade her further. He sighed and returned home.

While the Ma family in Jin Qiao was filled with sorrow, the Wang family in Shui Qiao Jing Yuan was brimming with joy. Wang Bo announced that he had won a lottery prize and presented his parents with two platinum cards, each containing two million yuan. They were overjoyed, as this was truly a stroke of luck. Their son had said he had good news, and it turned out to be such great news!

After the excitement, they held the platinum cards and asked, "Son, you won the prize, but you gave all the money to us. Aren't you keeping any for yourself?" They thought the prize was five million yuan, so after taxes, it would be four million.

Wang Bo smiled sheepishly, "I received a total of eight million yuan in prize money and kept half for myself. But don't worry, I won't spend it recklessly."

"There's no need to worry," they said, seeing how frugal he usually was. After hearing that he had kept some for himself, they felt at ease and accepted the cards. "It's your prize, and you can do whatever you want with it. We won't interfere. We'll use the money to buy a house for you and save the rest for your wedding."

"Mom, Dad," Wang Bo said, "I gave you each two million yuan as a sign of respect, not to have you spend it on me. You work so hard; with this money, you can quit your jobs and enjoy life at home."

Wang Bo's parents looked at each other and laughed, "Silly child, we are used to working. If you make us quit, we won't thank you; we'll blame you." "We travel a lot and enjoy the scenery; your dad is very happy. Even if you give us money, we won't change," Wang Bo's father said proudly.

Wang Bo's mother said, "I have my skills. If you don't let me work, I'll stay at home, not even play mahjong, and just watch TV all day. Aren't you going to bore me to death?"

She affectionately stroked his head, "When you get married and have children, I can retire and help you take care of them."

From their words, Wang Bo understood that even with the prize money, they didn't plan to change their lives. They would continue to work and travel as usual, living a simple life.

Since they had made up their minds, Wang Bo couldn't do anything but remind them to take care of their health and not to be so frugal now that the family had money. He suggested they buy more nutritional supplements.

Regardless, this was a cause for celebration. His parents discussed where to buy a house as a backup for his future wedding. With this money, they could even consider a villa.

Seeing them sitting on the sofa, discussing back and forth, Wang Bo smiled bitterly and returned to his room. No matter how much money they had, their first thought was always for their child, not for their own enjoyment.

Suddenly, Wang Bo's father opened the door and asked, "Son, do you want to study abroad?" Before, they couldn't afford it, but now with the money, it was a real possibility. So, Wang Bo's parents decided to ask for his opinion first.

"I haven't really thought about it," Wang Bo said after some thought. "I can travel abroad, but I prefer to study at a university in China."

"Alright, when you get into university, I'll take you on a trip abroad!"

"Ah? That would be next year."

"Unfortunately, I want to take you this year, but you haven't taken the college entrance exam yet, and your mother won't allow it," Wang Bo's father whispered.

Wang Bo waved his hand in resignation and started doing his homework. Around eleven o'clock, he checked the time, got into bed, and went to sleep. The Friday system trial was the Heavenly Staircase, and he didn't want to miss the opportunity to earn points.

After entering the dream system, he didn't look at the display screen but went straight to the training ground behind the small door. He climbed the Heavenly Staircase, and because his strength and endurance had improved, his steps were faster, and he didn't feel as tired as before.

He easily earned 10 points and continued climbing. When he reached the 3000th step, he earned another 10 points. However, when he reached the 3500th step, although he wasn't too tired, the time was up, and he returned to reality from the dream.

When Wang Bo woke up from the dream, he felt as refreshed as the first time he climbed the staircase, as if he had breathed pure oxygen. His heart and lungs seemed to have improved. He had a vague feeling that the training ground behind the small door was not just a way to earn points but also a way to improve his physical fitness. Although the effect was not obvious now, if he could persist, his physical condition would improve significantly over time.

With no sleepiness, Wang Bo got up and turned on his computer to go online. As soon as he logged in, he saw someone greeting him.

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