Volume One, Chapter 20: Luck Value 20?

"Yes," Ye Cheng replied casually, then turned to tease his young nephew.

"Doudou, what are you doing?"

"Writing. Mom said I have to finish before I can eat," Doudou said, looking thoroughly reluctant. He held the pen, but his eyes were fixed on the meat on the table. Especially when Ye Cheng brought over the braised meat, he could hardly contain his drooling.

"How about we stop writing for now and finish after dinner?" Ye Cheng said, patting his head.

Doudou stole a glance at Jiang Yunxiang. She sighed helplessly and said with doting indulgence, "Since your uncle is here for dinner today, I'll let you off. Finish after you eat."

"Yay!" Doudou cheered, slammed his notebook shut, and scurried to the dining table, ready for the meal.

Ye Guowei came out after a quick rinse. Seeing Ye Cheng, he urged, "Ah Cheng is here. Hurry up and eat. Your sister-in-law made some meat today; let's have some together."

"It wasn't just me; Ah Cheng bought a whole bunch," Jiang Yunxiang said, gesturing toward the table.

"Ah Cheng, why did you buy more meat? Didn't you give all your money to me?" Ye Guowei asked, sounding slightly reproachful.

"Well, I earned a bit more from going out to sea today," Ye Cheng replied.

"Then keep it for yourself. Don't give it to us. You need money for your own expenses too," Ye Guowei said, cutting him off before Ye Cheng could even take the money out.

"That's right, Ah Cheng. You need to save some money. We still have some savings to cover that 5,000 yuan debt," his sister-in-law, Jiang Yunxiang, added.

"Brother, sister-in-law, if you had enough money, would Doudou be lacking meat?" Ye Cheng shook his head. These two were truly something.

Ye Guowei’s face flushed; he hadn't expected his younger brother to be so sharp and see right through them.

"You just gave us 1,400 yesterday. Don't keep giving us money. You're not young anymore; you need to keep some for yourself. We'll go talk to them again; we can just delay the payment by three months," Jiang Yunxiang said.

"Brother, sister-in-law, it's better to just pay it off all at once. Why beg others?" Ye Cheng said as he pulled a thick stack of bills from his pocket and slapped them onto the table. "3,600. Add that to the 1,400 from yesterday, and it comes to exactly 5,000."

Ye Guowei was so startled he jumped up from his stool. "This much?"

Jiang Yunxiang was no different; the dish she was holding nearly slipped from her hands as she stared at the pile of money in disbelief. However, they both just looked at it; neither made a move to touch it.

Ye Guowei frowned and looked at Ye Cheng. "Ah Cheng, you... you didn't do anything illegal, did you?"

Jiang Yunxiang looked worried, while only Doudou remarked, "So much money."

Ye Cheng didn't want to over-explain. He went to the kitchen and brought out the rice. "This is money from the sea. I managed to get some abalone and sea cucumbers today."

"Wow, Uncle, you're amazing!" Doudou gave a thumbs up.

"See? Doudou understands. Let's eat. I've been tired all day."

Ye Guowei and Jiang Yunxiang exchanged looks. Eventually, Ye Guowei accepted the money but pulled out 1,000 and handed it back to Ye Cheng. "We still have some savings; we don't need this much."

"Fine, I'll hold onto it then," Ye Cheng said, not refusing, and tucked it into his pocket. Perhaps the sudden influx of cash had been a bit overwhelming for Ye Guowei.

With the money settled, everything else became easier, and the family enjoyed their meal happily.

"Ah Cheng, I went over to your place today. I changed your quilt cover, but the mattress pad was still old. I prepared one for you; take it back and put it on later," Jiang Yunxiang said, pulling a mattress pad from a chest. It was just a simple cotton pad, something Ye Cheng hadn't even thought about.

"Sure, I'll change it when I get back."

"And another thing, your wooden door is falling apart. Let your brother fix it for you when he has some time off."

Jiang Yunxiang rambled on about several small matters regarding Ye Cheng’s home. It was clear that Ye Cheng’s changes over the past few days had shifted her attitude toward him.

Ye Guowei didn't mention these trivial things. While Jiang Yunxiang was clearing the dishes, he leaned in and asked in a low voice, "I heard you and Xiaohu beat up Duan Yong and Yuan Jiansheng last time?"

Ye Cheng sneered. "What, were they in the right? They came to snatch our sea worms; what else was I supposed to do but beat them?"

"We're all in the same village. Try not to fight next time. We have to see each other every day," Ye Guowei advised earnestly. "Also, I heard they might be planning to retaliate against you. Be careful. If they try anything, call your brother. Your brother is strong."

Ye Cheng nodded seriously. "Sure, Brother. Don't worry, I'll definitely call you next time there's a fight."

"What are you two talking about, fighting?" Jiang Yunxiang asked as she walked back in.

"Oh, I saw two dogs fighting at the entrance of the village on my way back," Ye Cheng lied. "Anyway, sister-in-law, I should be heading back."

"Alright, take the mattress pad with you so you can sleep comfortably."

Ye Cheng left his brother’s house, carrying the mattress pad back home to set it up. It was soft and carried a hint of the scent of his childhood.

Before bed, Ye Cheng checked his points. They had reached 80. High-quality goods really did provide better points.

The night passed without incident.

The first thing Ye Cheng did upon waking was check the system.

Luck Value: 20.
Points: 80.

What the hell? 20? It was 80 yesterday, and now it's 20? That's a huge drop. Buddy, are you being a bit too arbitrary? Based on the past few days, the higher the luck, the more he caught. With a luck value of 20, would he even find a piece of trash?

Forget it, maybe he should just take the day off.

There were no breakfast shops in the village, and he was too lazy to go to his brother’s house for breakfast, so he looked around his own room. He actually found a box of instant noodles, the Huafeng brand.

Speaking of Huafeng, it was a classic brand. When instant noodles first appeared, they weren't the "fast food" they were in the future; they were considered high-end delicacies. A single block of noodles cost several yuan, and most people couldn't bear to eat them. Ye Cheng hadn't had them much as a child in his previous life. It wasn't until the low-end Huafeng noodles came out later that he finally had the chance to eat them regularly.

Huafeng noodles had smaller portions, thinner strands, and simple seasoning packets, but for instant noodles, they were enough. Ye Cheng opened two packs and soaked them in a pot of hot water. In two minutes, the aroma of the noodles filled the air.

Ye Cheng carried the noodles out, sat on a small bamboo chair in his courtyard, and listened to the dogs barking in the village. He watched the wisps of cooking smoke rise, seeing dew clinging to the weeds in the yard while unknown insects fed on them. It was a serene and beautiful rural scene. Truly, living a life, sometimes it's better to keep things simple.