Chapter 9: Spending Money Carefully

The warm sunlight streamed through the massive windows of the library, casting a gentle golden glow on Feng Nanshu's soft, flowing hair and thick eyelashes.

She sat upright, composed, and tranquil, looking obedient and well-behaved.

Delicate fingers held the corner of a book page, turning it gently, while her bright eyes radiated purity.

After finishing that page, she picked up a shrimp chip and crunched on it, making a crisp sound, then continued flipping to the next page.

After several cycles of this, the bag of shrimp chips gradually emptied.

It wasn't until Feng Nanshu reached for the last piece that she realized it, then lifted her head towards Jiang Qin.

"I won't eat anymore. You finish them."

Feng Nanshu's eyes sparkled with delight as she pinched the last piece and ate it, then turned to the next page.

Jiang Qin stared at her for a while, realizing that Feng Nanshu was indeed serious about lending him money.

But why did it feel so absurd?

Shouldn't there be some kind of IOU for this?

At the very least, she should ask me what it's for and when I can repay it.

Jiang Qin possessed the soul of a 38-year-old uncle, and for someone as pure as a high school student, he should have been able to see through it at a glance. However, he genuinely couldn't comprehend Feng Nanshu's actions.

But that was normal. He hadn't had any contact with rich women before he was reborn, so it wasn't surprising that he couldn't understand.

Maybe all rich women were like this.

At 4:30 in the afternoon, Feng Nanshu suddenly inserted a bookmark into the book, straightened her skirt, and placed the book back on the shelf.

She left at the same time every day, and it was clear that security was tight.

However, this time, before leaving, Feng Nanshu paused for a moment, then turned around and waved goodbye to Jiang Qin.

She's not that aloof after all...

Jiang Qin watched her leave and then turned to look out the massive window. Through the glass, he could see the black Bentley parked downstairs.

done.me

The driver, wearing white gloves, had already opened the door and was waiting respectfully, while the bodyguard stood on the side of the door, looking serious and alert.

Feng Nanshu left the library quietly, got into the car without a word, and disappeared into the streets before dusk with the roar of the engine.

"The Golden House and the Beautiful Lady are actually the same person."

"..."

"Suddenly, I'm a bit hungry. Let's go home first."

Jiang Qin picked up the book "Soft Rice Guide" and placed it back on the shelf, then rode his bike back to Hongrong Garden on North Second Road and bought a tray of small steamed buns at the entrance of the community.

Today was Wednesday, a workday.

Mrs. Yuan Youqin works at the government guesthouse, while Mr. Jiang Zhenghong works at the Health Bureau, so there should be no one at home now, and they can only make do with some small steamed buns.

However, after eating so much takeout and instant noodles in his previous life, Jiang Qin no longer had any dietary restrictions. He didn't have any excessive demands on the quality of food.

Moreover, the taste of this bun shop was indeed good, with thin skins and generous fillings. Ten years later, they even opened multiple branches.

Jiang Qin picked up a bun from the plastic bag, took a bite, and it was still warm and oily, with the same old recipe and a familiar taste.

The only difference was that the weather was too hot now, and eating two of them made him break a sweat.

Jiang Qin tied the plastic bag and planned to eat more at home.

At 7:00 in the evening, night quietly descended.

Mr. Jiang Zhenghong returned home carrying two plastic bags, changed his slippers, and sat down on the sofa.

His forehead was covered in sweat, he was out of breath, and he urgently asked Jiang Qin to pour him some water.

"Dad, where did you go? Why are you so tired?"

"Your mom said the vegetables at the South Village market are cheap, so I rode my bike for forty minutes and bought a bunch, all the ones you like."

Jiang Qin placed a glass of water in front of him. "Isn't it just a few cents cheaper? Is it worth the effort? Are we that poor?"

Mr. Jiang Zhenghong took a sip of water and let out a satisfied "ah." "It's not about being poor. You're going to college soon, and after that, you'll get married. There will be more expenses in the future. Wherever we can save, we should save. We can't be extravagant anymore!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the door creaked open again.

Mrs. Yuan Youqin entered with a shopping bag from the department store, looking extremely happy and humming a tune.

Seeing this scene, father and son couldn't help but exchange glances.

"What did you buy?"

"Our colleague, Ms. Xu, said the department store has a half-price sale on woolen coats and I got a great deal!"

Mr. Jiang Zhenghong widened his eyes, "A woolen coat? How much did you spend?"

Mrs. Yuan Youqin revealed a proud expression, "It was originally 888 yuan, but now it's only 488 yuan."

"Dad, isn't this what you said about not being extravagant with money?" Jiang Qin was shocked.

"This extravagant woman, it's the hottest part of summer, why did you buy a woolen coat?"

"Do you even understand? If it weren't for the sale during the hottest time, when else would it be discounted?"

Mr. Jiang Zhenghong assumed the authority of the head of the household. "Jiang Qin has finished his college entrance exam, and once his results come out, we have to host a banquet and pay his tuition. There are plenty of expenses to consider."

Yuan Youqin changed her shoes and walked into the living room. "Wasn't that exactly what I said? Also, did you go to the South Village market as I asked?"

"Of course, I went. I calculated it, and the vegetables at the South Village market are much cheaper than the store downstairs. This time, I saved over twenty."

"So, we saved 320 today?"

Mr. Jiang Zhenghong's mind took a while to process. "Where did that 320 come from?"

Mrs. Yuan Youqin lifted the shopping bag in her hand. "I bought a coat that was originally 888 for 488. Isn't that a savings of 320?"

"You Youqin, I have to say, your spending habits are clearly wrong."

"Jiang Zhenghong, in all the years we've been married, I hardly ever buy clothes. Just one woolen coat, and you're complaining?"

Jiang Qin watched with amusement from the side, finding this long-lost family dispute heartwarming.

Dad was still in his prime, strong and healthy, without graying hair at fifty-three, and without secretly taking a Didi ride until he passed out in the car to earn a down payment.

Mom was still young, still loved beauty, and when she had some extra money, she went shopping at the department store, without being afraid to buy even meat to save money.

This was definitely one of the things he found most enjoyable after being reborn.

However, he realized that he was being too smug while watching the show, and soon the trouble was brought to his own head, receiving simultaneous disapproving glances from his parents.

"Jiang Qin, why are you laughing? Do you also think I shouldn't have bought this woolen coat?" Mrs. Yuan Youqin's expression softened, and her gaze became gentle in an instant.

"That's my good son! Don't learn from your dad, always penny-pinching."

"Where am I penny-pinching..."

Mr. Jiang Zhenghong's voice weakened, clearly lacking confidence. But when he turned around, he found that his wife had already opened the shopping bag, and inside were rolls of toilet paper.

"What's this?"

"It's from the guesthouse's inventory. The management said we needed to replace all of it, so I brought some back. Did you think only you knew about being frugal?"

Yuan Youqin said without a trace of kindness and then headed into the kitchen.

Mr. Jiang Zhenghong was dumbfounded, thinking that she was using him as bait for enforcement!