Upon hearing the reward, Lin Yang's expression froze for a moment. Was the system paying this much attention to detail? He had to admit, the rewards were exactly what he needed.
However, if he brought it up now, would it come off as inappropriate to Shu Mengyao? Maybe it was best to wait until the time came when she actually needed it.
He decided to put the reward aside for the time being.
"Lin Yang, did you secretly become a chef when you were in school?" Shu Mengyao blinked her eyes, asking out of the blue, which caught Lin Yang off guard.
"Why would you suddenly ask that?" Lin Yang didn't know whether to laugh or cry. The idea that he might have been a chef during school was something he hadn't even considered.
"You cook so well," she said earnestly. "And you've managed to save up enough money right after graduation to buy a house and a car. You must've been a really skilled chef, right?"
Shu Mengyao looked at him with wide eyes, hoping for praise.
Lin Yang couldn't help but chuckle and ruffled her hair.
"I wasn't a chef," he replied with a smile.
This time, it was Shu Mengyao's turn to be surprised. "Then how did you have so much money?" she asked. She knew that although her family was wealthy, fresh graduates were usually broke.
Her only close friend kept saying that college graduates were cheap labor, earning barely enough to cover rent and food. They certainly didn't have money for cars and houses.
She had always thought that after graduation, life would be tough, so she was always worried about money, afraid that she would burden Lin Yang. But Lin Yang seemed different from others.
"Well, I guess I was lucky," Lin Yang said casually. "I did a little bit of small-scale investing during my school years and made some money." He couldn't exactly say that all his money came from the system.
"Oh, I see," Shu Mengyao nodded, still not fully understanding but impressed nonetheless. "You're really amazing."
She'd often heard her father talk about investing, but she never understood much of it. Now, hearing Lin Yang talk about how he was able to buy a car and a house through investing during his college years, she was in awe. Even though the house and car weren't the best, combined they were worth over two million. That was no small amount.
When she tried renting an apartment and looked for a part-time job herself, she realized that making money was no easy feat. Lin Yang, however, had managed to do it while still in school.
"By the way, Mengyao," Lin Yang continued, "I'm thinking of calling my parents."
"Since we already have a baby, I think we should let them know."
"When they come over, they can take care of the baby, and we'll go get our marriage certificate. How about it?"
It was still awkward to bring it up when they were in the hospital, but now that they had their own home, things felt different.
"You want to meet my parents?" Shu Mengyao's eyes flashed with a hint of panic. Although she was beautiful, smart, and came from a good family, she still felt a bit nervous about meeting Lin Yang's parents.
It felt like she was the shy daughter-in-law about to meet her in-laws. She was so nervous she could barely breathe.
"Yes," Lin Yang replied with a teasing smile. "Don't tell me you're not willing to walk this path with me?"
Shu Mengyao quickly shook her head.
"No, it's not that."
"I'm just a little scared," she said, looking down. "Do you think your parents will dislike me? Will they think I…"
She didn't finish her sentence, but Lin Yang understood. They hadn't even gotten their marriage certificate yet, and they already had a baby. Parents would likely be resistant to such an arrangement, and Shu Mengyao was probably worried about that.
He still remembered the blossoming plum flower and knew that Shu Mengyao was a good girl.
"Don't worry," Lin Yang reassured her gently. "My parents are really nice. And you're so beautiful and sensible, they'll definitely like you."
His voice was soft and soothing, as if he had a magic power that calmed her anxiety and fears.
"Okay," she said softly, signaling her agreement. She wasn't just willing to meet his parents; she was also willing to marry him, even without a fancy ceremony. As long as it was with Lin Yang, it didn't matter.
Seeing Shu Mengyao nod, Lin Yang stood up and made the call.
"Son, how have you been lately? Have you found a job?" came his father's concerned voice on the other end.
"Today's Saturday. What job are you looking for? Are you out of your mind?" his mother scolded, catching Lin Yang off guard.
"Right, I almost forgot," he said with a smile as he listened to his parents bicker.
"Mom, Dad, there's something I need to tell you."
"Something serious?" his father asked. "Are you still looking for a job? Or are you planning to come home and live off us?"
His parents sounded confused by his tone.
"I'm a father now," Lin Yang said, taking a deep breath. He felt a bit of pressure as he shared the news with them.
After he spoke, the line went silent for a long while. It was so quiet that the sound of a pin dropping would have been audible. His parents seemed to be processing the news.
Clearly, this was a lot to take in.
"Son, did you get the girl pregnant?" his father's voice finally broke the silence. "What's she saying about this?"
"We'll take responsibility for this," he continued, his tone serious. "As a man, you need to be responsible."
After what felt like an eternity, his father spoke again.
"Yes, son, if the girl wants to keep the baby, we'll help raise it. Your mother and I both have jobs, and we've saved some money. It's enough to support you two."
His mother chimed in, fully on board with the idea.
Lin Yang was deeply moved by their response. His dad was a university professor, and his mom was a government employee. While their salaries weren't high, they managed their money wisely, always saving instead of spending recklessly. Now, they were willing to use that savings for their grandchild.
"Mom, Dad, the baby's already born. It's twins, a boy and a girl."
"Don't worry, I've made some money already. You won't need to contribute."
"I just wanted to let you know."
"What? The baby's born already? And it's twins, a boy and a girl?"
"When did this happen? Where are you guys? We're coming over now!"