Chapter 2: Written as Middle-Aged Comeback, Read as Youthful Takeoff
Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Written as Middle-Aged Comeback, Read as Youthful Takeoff
Cheng Lu stared at Zhang Yan in sheer disbelief. She had already shown him immense mercy by leaving some leeway, merely suggesting they postpone the wedding.
Using a breakup as the ultimate nuclear threat had always been her exclusive privilege. To have her ordinarily obedient boyfriend beat her to the punch today infuriated her to no end.
"Zhang Yan, you better know what you’re saying! Don’t you dare regret this!"
But Zhang Yan was done indulging her. "Of course I know what I’m saying. Just looking at you makes me sick."
"You!" Cheng Lu shot to her feet in a rage. Her expression fluctuated for a long moment before she forced herself to calm down.
"Zhang Yan, I’ll go back and try my best to talk to my mom about the money, though I doubt the outcome will change. You’re not thinking rationally right now. We’ll pick this up tomorrow. By then, you better have figured out how you’re going to apologize to me. Hmph."
Without waiting for a response, Cheng Lu turned and marched away, not once looking back.
She hadn’t actually wanted to compromise like this, but time was of the essence. She needed to get married immediately.
She was already pregnant, and she had no idea who the father was. It was likely a consequence of that night she had too much to drink at the bar not too long ago.
Zhang Yan didn’t waver in the slightest at her softened tone. A man’s awakening often happened in a single instant.
Letting love rot his brain was truly terrifying. The thought of the alternate future where he had been kept in the dark for sixteen years sent a violent shudder down his spine!
Thank goodness he cut his losses in time. None of those things would happen now. He would just treat the future shown by the system as if he had read some messed-up Korean comic.
"From now on, I’m locking my heart away. I’ll be a son of a bitch if I ever fall in love again!"
His gloomy mood didn’t last long, because the system’s notifications arrived!
[Congratulations to the host for successfully breaking free from emotional interference and making the right decision.]
[Task completed. The System has been successfully activated!]
[Host: Zhang Yan]
[Age: 38]
[From this moment on, the system will assist you in your midlife comeback, salvaging your regret-filled life.]
[This sum of money is only the beginning. Go and enjoy yourself. Compensate yourself for all these years of arduous struggle.]
Immediately after, his phone chimed with a text message.
[Your debit card account ending in 2447 has received a UnionPay deposit of 3,000,000.00 RMB. Balance after transaction: 3,004,977.50 RMB (Bank of China).]
"So much money... it actually came through!"
In the future shown by the system, all the money Zhang Yan would earn over the next dozen years, combined with his parents’ life savings, didn’t even amount to two million. Yet now, just by making a decision that altered his miserable destiny, he had earned three million in one go!
Did an ordinary person even have this much disposable income in their entire lifetime?
He hadn’t yet suffered any of the hardships mentioned by the system, nor had he encountered any of its listed regrets!
Midlife comeback, my ass! I’m taking off right here in my prime!
Having suddenly become a millionaire, Brother Tongzi had even told him to go enjoy himself. However, when Zhang Yan thought of his parents’ sacrifices in that non-existent future, a sharp sting of sorrow hit his nose. He planned to use this money to properly repay his parents first.
DING!
[The child wishes to provide, but the parents are no longer around. As a middle-aged man facing parents whose health is failing, you are filled with guilt.]
[You remember their youthful dream of traveling across the country’s magnificent rivers and mountains, and you swear to make their dream come true!]
[Task: Fulfill Your Parents’ Dream]
[Parents’ Travel Fund: 5,000,000 RMB]
[National Tour Guide Package x1]
(Note: The package includes perfect itinerary planning, a tour guide acting as a full-time caretaker throughout the trip, and other services.)
"Brother Tongzi is truly considerate. This feels just like having my wishes granted."
Zhang Yan no longer had to worry about how to repay his parents—at least for now. After all, their dedicated travel fund was even larger than his initial reward.
Essentially, this trip would allow them to stay in the best hotels, eat the most expensive meals, and buy whatever caught their eye along the way.
Brother Tongzi worked incredibly fast. Less than half an hour later, a phone call came through.
"Hello, may I ask if this is Mr. Zhang Yan?"
"Speaking."
"We are Dream Fulfillment Private Customization Services Ltd. We’ve received your order and will complete all the itineraries for your review within one day. Does that work for you?"
"No problem."
"Let me just confirm your parents’ address and contact number..."
The representative was highly professional and swiftly confirmed all the details in a clear and concise manner.
"Then, we will be sure to take excellent care of your parents and perfectly fulfill their dreams. Goodbye, Mr. Zhang. Have a wonderful day!"
Hanging up the phone, Zhang Yan felt a heavy weight lift off his chest.
His parents were still relatively young and in good health, but thinking of how haggard and perpetually depressed they had become in that non-existent future made him desperately want to see them.
He decided to leave right away. Now that he had money, he didn’t need to hesitate. He decided to splurge and booked the most expensive luxury private car back to his hometown.
This was his first time using a luxury ride service. The app’s interface not only allowed him to select the car model but also his preferred driver, even offering options for professional skills like English proficiency.
Moreover, there was absolutely no wait time for this kind of luxury service. Barely a few seconds after he placed the order, someone accepted it. A moment later, his phone rang.
"Hello, sir. I am your DiDi Luxury chauffeur..."
"You can be here in three minutes? Alright, just come directly to my location."
A few minutes later, a white BMW 530Li pulled up in front of him. The driver stepped out personally to open the door for him.
"Sir, are you the passenger with the phone number ending in 6391?"
"Yes."
After getting in and settling into the backseat, he noticed a small basket offering two types of premium mineral water he had never seen before. There was also a pleasant floral arrangement displayed on the center console.
"Voss?" Zhang Yan picked up a bottle and looked it up online. It really wasn’t cheap.
As they drove, the chauffeur thoughtfully asked if the air conditioning temperature and the music were to his liking, reminding him that there were free beverages and snacks inside the armrest console.
Compared to those cheap ride-hailing cars that always had a lingering strange smell, this was leaps and bounds better.
He could only conclude that you got what you paid for. The service was indeed spectacular.
His hometown was only seventy kilometers away from the city center, so it took just over an hour to arrive. When it was time to get out, the chauffeur again kindly came over to open his door.
"Take care, sir. We look forward to serving you again."
"Will do, thanks."
When he walked into the house, his parents were deep in discussion about something, their brows tightly furrowed.
"Mom, I’m home!" Seeing his parents, Zhang Yan felt an overwhelming sense of warmth.
"Oh, Yan, why are you back? Your dad and I were just planning to go to the city in the next couple of days. How are the wedding plans going?"
Zhang Yan first took a careful look at his parents. They still looked vibrant and healthy.
After all, he had made them proud by getting into a good university. His parents could hold their heads high among their neighbors and relatives, and they had lived quite comfortably these past few years.
"The wedding is off. Cheng Lu and I broke up."
"What?" His mother was clearly startled, and his father stood up at the news.
"What happened, Yan? Did you two have a fight? Is it... a money issue? Don’t worry, we still have some savings at home. Even if we have to sell the shirts off our backs, we’ll make sure you can afford this wedding!"