"I'm serious, Zhu Sister. If you need all of it, take it. I don't care."
Feng's voice was calm, but firm. He wasn't just saying it to impress her—he meant every word. In his eyes, money wasn't the ultimate goal. It was just a tool. A means to an end.
After all, he wasn't an ordinary teenager. He was someone reborn with knowledge of the future, an edge over time itself. With the flood of business opportunities he remembered and the help of the favorability system, making money wasn't hard. It was just a matter of when.
What truly mattered was how that money was used.
To him, ten million yuan wasn't nearly as valuable as the look on Zhu Sister's face when she smiled again.
"Feng, don't say that." Zhu Sister looked overwhelmed. "How could I accept your money? It's not right. It's your money, you earned it—well, you won it, but still. That's your fortune."
She handed the lottery tickets back to him, her expression serious. "You should keep these safe. Talk to your parents tomorrow, get the money transferred to a bank account, and don't waste it on something stupid, okay?"
Feng laughed and shook his head. "But Zhu Sister, didn't you say Auntie Liang still needs money for her recovery and follow-up checkups? She can't be left alone yet, can she?"
He paused, then leaned in slightly with a boyish grin. "Besides, I haven't told my parents about the winnings. You think I can just walk up to them and say, 'Hey Mom, Dad, I accidentally won over ten million yuan. Cool, right?'"
Zhu Sister blinked. "Wait—you haven't told them?"
"Nope." He leaned against the garden gate with a smug look. "So… why don't you go collect the prize for me? You can help me keep it secret for now. I'll say the ten thousand yuan is your reward for handling it."
Before she could protest again, he stuffed the small plastic bag with the four lottery tickets back into her hands.
"This—Feng, this is too much. I… I can't."
"You can, and you will." Feng winked. "You're the only person I trust with something this big. Plus, you said it yourself—Auntie Liang needs help. Consider this… my way of helping."
Zhu Sister stood still, the tickets crinkling slightly in her grip. The night breeze played with her hair as she looked down at the small fortune she now held. Her expression was unreadable—somewhere between disbelief, anxiety, and… something warmer.
"Anyway, Auntie Liang's stable now, right? She can manage herself for a bit. So tomorrow, head into the city, collect the prize, and deposit it somewhere safe."
Feng turned to leave, then suddenly stopped and looked over his shoulder with a mischievous sparkle in his eyes. "Oh, and one more thing, Zhu Sister…"
"What?" she asked cautiously, still dazed by the entire situation.
"Remember what you said earlier?" he grinned. "That if I offered ten thousand yuan, you'd marry me instead of that guy?"
Her eyes widened. "I—what?"
"Well, technically, I've already offered more than that," Feng teased. "So, does the offer still stand?"
Not waiting for her response—perhaps wisely—he dashed off with a cackle, sprinting back to his house as if he'd just stolen something. His laughter echoed in the yard, boyish and light.
Zhu Sister stood in the same spot, frozen.
She stared at the bag in her hand like it might explode, and then at Feng's retreating figure.
Her heart was racing.
This kid… was no longer just a kid.