Chapter 54 - 44: They’re All Salesclerks Anyway
"Son, hurry and try these braised pork ribs! Mom picked out the very best ribs just for you!" Lin Xiaoqi deftly picked up an aromatic piece and placed it in Chen Lin’s bowl.
Besides the braised pork ribs, the table was laden with steamed catfish, dry-fried green beans, and a tomato and egg drop soup with shredded pork. A full spread covered the table.
Chen Xian, a man of few words as always, silently deboned the fish for his son, placing the most tender part of the belly in his bowl.
The family sat together, enjoying this long-overdue moment of warmth.
"Eat more. Look at you, you must not be eating properly at school. You’re so thin," Lin Xiaoqi fretted, piling more food into Chen Lin’s bowl.
Chen Lin didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. ’Thanks to the buff from my "Little Champion" title, I’m way more built than before. Why does Mom always see me as malnourished?’
As they were eating, the old floor-standing air conditioner in the living room suddenly let out a series of strange RATTLES. Then, the sound of the blowing air grew louder, like a roaring car engine.
Lin Xiaoqi jumped at the noise and couldn’t help but complain. "Just listen to that! This piece of junk air conditioner is so old. Not only is the cooling getting worse and worse, but it’s also so noisy it gives me a headache."
She sighed, her frugal homemaker instincts kicking in. "I went to the mall to look the other day. A decent air conditioner costs thousands these days. It’s just too expensive. This one still works, so we’ll just have to make do for now."
Listening to his mother’s complaints, Chen Lin silently picked at the rice in his bowl.
A little after ten in the evening, Chen Lin finished his shower and lay down on the familiar, soft bed in his bedroom, letting out a comfortable sigh.
He opened his mobile banking app and began to take stock of his recent income.
From his first competition against his senior, Song Cheng, after getting the "Little Singer" title, he’d received a little over two thousand in tips. For his last regular gig, the atmosphere had been electric, and the tips had unexpectedly soared to over three thousand.
He’d done two consultations on a flea market app, one for 880 and one for 2,000, for a total of 2,880.
The two offline consultations he did for Shen Yan brought in another three thousand, at fifteen hundred each.
And finally, there was the "greeting gift" from President Peng: five thousand.
All in all, his income over this period was about sixteen thousand. Added to the twenty-nine thousand and change he’d saved up from previous part-time jobs, the total balance in his account had now reached over forty-five thousand.
Looking at that number, Chen Lin felt much more secure.
He recalled his mother’s complaints about the old air conditioner at the dinner table, and the look on her face that showed she was unwilling to spend the money.
’People from the older generation are mostly like that,’ he thought. ’Always scrimping and saving when it comes to themselves.’
’If I talk to them about replacing the AC directly, Mom and Dad will definitely say no. They’ll just think it’s a waste of money.’
’Looks like it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission on this one.’
Chen Lin made up his mind. He would go buy the air conditioner tomorrow and have it secretly installed.
「The next day, Sunday, early in the morning.」
As soon as Chen Lin stepped out of his bedroom, he saw his parents, already dressed and holding a thermal lunch box and a bag of fresh vegetables. They looked like they were about to head out.
"You’re awake?" Lin Xiaoqi said with a smile when she saw him. "Breakfast is on the table—soy milk and steamed buns. Mom heated them up for you, so make sure you eat. Your dad and I are going over to your grandma and grandpa’s to cook them a meal."
"Alright," Chen Lin replied.
"Do you have plans today? If you’re not going out, I’ll come back and make you lunch," Lin Xiaoqi asked again.
"I’m meeting up with some friends. I’ll be out all day, so you don’t need to worry about me for lunch or dinner," Chen Lin said, making up an excuse on the spot.
"Alright. Just be safe and don’t stay out too late."
His parents gave him a few more instructions and then left.
Chen Lin finished his breakfast at a leisurely pace, pocketed his phone and keys, and headed out the door, making a beeline for the largest home appliance mall in Jiangdu City.
The moment he stepped into the mall, a powerful blast of cold air washed over him, instantly dispelling the heat from outside.
The second Chen Lin showed his face, the aura from his "Little Love Saint" title became remarkably effective in an environment packed with female salespeople.
"Oh, hello there, handsome! Looking for an air conditioner? We have the largest selection of brands right here!" A woman with a curly perm was the first to rush over.
"Handsome, come take a look at our Geshang models! They’re the latest release, and they’re especially quiet!" another woman in a business skirt suit followed close behind, eagerly trying to pull him in her direction.
"Come over here, sweetie! Let me show you a model with the best bang for your buck!"
A pack of saleswomen, who all looked to be over thirty, suddenly unleashed a shocking level of competitive energy. They instantly swarmed Chen Lin, cutting off any escape, and all started talking at once to hawk their own products.
The aggressive assault made Chen Lin’s skin crawl. It took every ounce of his strength, but he finally managed to squeeze out of the encirclement formed by the mob of women.
He gasped for breath and looked up to find a young saleswoman standing behind a brand’s display a short distance away.
She seemed to have been intimidated by the spectacle as well, and was just standing there, a little unsure of what to do.
Chen Lin took a closer look at her.
The young woman didn’t look much older than him. She wore a well-fitting uniform, had a gentle, oval-shaped face, and her features somewhat resembled the Korean actress Han Xiaozhou.
Chen Lin noticed that she had an excellent figure, too. It was as if her body fat knew exactly where to go, filling out her uniform shirt to create the most flattering curves.
Chen Lin glanced at the name on her name tag: Xu Ning.
’I’m only buying one air conditioner, and they’re all salespeople,’ he thought. ’It doesn’t matter who helps me, so I might as well pick someone who’s easy on the eyes.’