Night had quietly fallen. The entire city of Yangcheng was enveloped in lights, presenting a bustling scene.
Lin Feng checked the time. It was getting late, and it was time for him to leave. Although he desperately wanted to stay and continue looking after the babies, his clothes and textbooks were all in his dorm. Moreover, seeing that Zhang Yuxi showed no sign of asking him to stay, Lin Feng knew this matter couldn't be rushed.
If I want to truly become Zhang Yuxi's "husband," I still have a long way to go!
On his way back to the dorm, Lin Feng took out his phone and called his parents.
"Hello, Mom!"
"Feng, why are you calling at this time? Have you had dinner?" Mrs. Lin's gentle voice came from the other end of the line.
Lin Feng laughed, "Mom, I ate a while ago. Is Dad there with you?"
"Yes. Are you out of money? Your dad and I..." Mrs. Lin's voice sounded somewhat embarrassed.
His current parents were not his biological parents. Mr. Lin had previously failed in a business venture and was saddled with a huge debt. He could only manage a small business to get by, and even supporting himself was a struggle. That was why Lin Feng had taken a part-time job at a bar right after high school to earn his college tuition. Once in college, he delivered takeout whenever he had spare time and never once asked his family for living expenses.
Lin Feng didn't blame his parents; he only blamed himself for not trying hard enough. But now, with the system, these issues would no longer be a problem.
"Mom, I have money. Don't worry," Lin Feng said with a smile. "I'm calling because I have a friend who got married and had quadruplets. She doesn't know what to name the kids, so she asked me for suggestions. But I'm also at a loss, so I thought I'd ask you if you have any nice names..."
He started to feel a little guilty as he finished.
"Your friend?"
"This friend you're talking about... it couldn't be..." Upon hearing Lin Feng's words, Mr. Lin quickly grabbed the phone and spoke pointedly.
"Dad, what are you thinking!" Lin Feng broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly changed the subject. "That friend of mine is just my roommate, Liu Bo. You've met him before. Anyway... just pretend you're naming your own grandchildren, quadruplets at that. What names would you give them?"
If it weren't for Zhang Yuxi's insistence on secrecy, he might have confessed right then and there.
"Naming... I'm no good at that. You should ask your mother!" Mr. Lin said, handing the phone back to Mrs. Lin.
Mrs. Lin took the phone, pondered for a moment, and then continued, "Since they're quadruplets, you can't just choose names carelessly. They must have auspicious meanings; otherwise, it wouldn't be good for the children..."
"Yes, Mom, you're right," Lin Feng nodded in agreement.
"If they were my grandchildren, I'd name the girls Lin Tuantuan and Lin Yuanyuan, and the boys Lin Pingping and Lin Anan," Mrs. Lin said without a moment's hesitation.
"Tuantuan and Yuanyuan, for 'reunion,' and Pingping and Anan, for 'safe and sound,'" Lin Feng murmured, recognizing the meaning instantly. "Those are really good names!"
He touched his nose. It seems Mom has been eager to have grandchildren for a while; she even had the names ready. However, they probably didn't know that the "friend" Lin Feng was referring to was actually himself!
Thinking of this, Lin Feng chuckled awkwardly. "Alright, Mom, you two get some rest. I'm going to hang up now!"
"Wait!" Just as Lin Feng was about to hang up, Mrs. Lin suddenly stopped him, changing the subject. "Feng, look, even your roommate has kids now. When are you going to get a girlfriend? I'm telling you, you can't just bury your head in books in college. You should use this time to sort out the important things in life. Once you're out in the working world, it'll be much harder to find a girlfriend..."
Hearing this, Lin Feng laughed it off perfunctorily. "Mom, there's no rush for that!"
Mrs. Lin had always been worried about him finding a wife. She was well aware of their family's financial situation and believed that if she could help Lin Feng settle down and get married early, his future burdens would be lighter.
However, Lin Feng didn't need to find a girlfriend anymore. His life had already skipped the dating and marriage stages, jumping directly to raising children. He didn't know whether to feel happy or worried about it.
"What do you mean there's no rush!" Mrs. Lin chided. "You're not getting any younger, and you're still loafing around! No matter what, you have to get this marriage business settled before you graduate!"
"If you need money, you have to tell us, you hear?"
"Your father and I just found new jobs and we'll be starting soon. We can give you money then!"
"Okay, okay! I know!" Lin Feng replied dismissively.
Why are all mothers in China such expert naggers? he wondered. It wasn't just his own mother. His roommate Liu Bo was also constantly being pressured by his mother to get married, to the point that he was almost depressed. After all, Liu Bo was a die-hard otaku who only wanted to spend his life with his 2D "waifus." He had absolutely no interest in real-world women.
"Xiao Feng, I feel like you're brushing me off," Mrs. Lin said, sounding a little displeased with his impatient tone.
"No, Mom, I've just got something to do! I'm hanging up now!" Riding his electric scooter, Lin Feng suddenly spotted a newly opened jewelry store next to the university. An idea sparked in his mind, and he hurriedly ended the call.
"Hey? You brat..."
Before Mrs. Lin could finish, Lin Feng had already hung up and was walking into the jewelry store.
"Welcome, sir! How may I help you?" A beautiful sales associate immediately greeted him as he entered. She looked very young, perhaps twenty-five or twenty-six, and was wearing a white shirt, a black short skirt, and her hair in a ponytail.
"I want to buy a necklace!" Lin Feng said, pointing at the display counter.
"Of course, sir. This way, please!"
The sales associate glanced at Lin Feng's sportswear and youthful appearance, guessing he was a student from the university nearby. With that in mind, she led him toward one of the standard counters.
"Sir, all of our jewelry here is officially authorized by Cartier and guaranteed to be genuine. Since you're buying a necklace, I'm guessing it's a gift for your girlfriend, right?" the sales associate said, trying to build rapport.
Lin Feng simply nodded, his face impassive.
Seeing this, the sales associate's face lit up. "Please, take a look. Do any of these styles catch your eye?"
Lin Feng looked at the array of necklaces in the display case, a troubled expression on his face. He didn't know much about jewelry, but he had at least heard of the Cartier brand.
Noticing his indecision, the sales associate took out several necklaces and placed them on the counter before him. "Sir, I think any of these would be very suitable for your girlfriend."
Lin Feng glanced at them, then shook his head. He remained in front of the counter, his eyes slowly scanning the display. Suddenly, a shell-shaped necklace in a corner of the case caught his attention.
He pointed at it and asked, "How much is this one?"
"Sir, you have excellent taste!" the sales associate said with a professional smile. "This is from our latest Ocean Series, launched this season. It has a very unique design and is perfect for a lady to wear! Moreover, this necklace is a limited edition, so the price is a bit higher. It's thirty-eight thousand, eight hundred."
That is a bit expensive... Lin Feng thought, momentarily surprised. I figured a necklace would cost ten thousand at most, but this one is nearly forty thousand. If the system hadn't just given me one hundred thousand, I couldn't afford this even if I sold myself! But when I think about how Zhang Yuxi was pregnant for ten months to give me four adorable babies... this amount of money is nothing.
With that thought, Lin Feng nodded decisively. "Alright, that's the one. Please wrap it up for me!"