"Lin Yi… what do you mean by that?"
Lin Yu's brow was deeply furrowed.
He had sensed something off about what Lin Yi just said.
But he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was.
Lin Dazhi and Liu Hongmei also looked at him with strange expressions.
Lin Yi smiled. "Hm? I mean exactly what I said!"
"Lin Yu, you're not planning on abandoning Old Lin in his old age once you've made it big, are you?
He poured half a lifetime's savings into you, after all!"
"All his hopes are pinned on you. No matter what happens in the future, you should be the one to take care of Old Lin. Right?"
Lin Yi's words made Lin Yu's expression darken, his brows furrowing deeply.
Lin Dazhi, on the other hand, nodded in agreement.
The whole reason he had poured his life's savings into Lin Yu was precisely because he believed Lin Yu had a brighter future than his own biological son, Lin Yi.
To put it bluntly, it was an investment—a gamble.
He had staked all his savings and the happiness of his later years on Lin Yu alone.
The moment Lin Dazhi's gaze slowly shifted to Lin Yu, Liu Hongmei seemed to notice something was amiss.
She quickly said, "Xiaoyi is right. Xiaoyu will definitely take care of us in our old age, right?"
Lin Yu frowned slightly and glanced at Liu Hongmei.
Liu Hongmei quickly shot him a meaningful look, and understanding dawned on Lin Yu.
He nodded repeatedly and said with a deeply emotional expression, "Of course! Dad has done so much for me. How could I be the type to forget my debts? In the future, once I get into a Martial Arts University, I'll definitely bring Mom and Dad… We'll all go live in the New District together!"
As he finished speaking, Lin Yi glanced at him with a smile.
Even though Lin Yu hadn't mentioned him once, Lin Yi wasn't the least bit angry. Instead, he encouraged him, "It's good that you have such ambitions. This way, Old Lin can rest easy…"
Then, Lin Yi lowered his head and continued eating.
He completely ignored the astonished looks from Lin Dazhi and Liu Hongmei.
Lin Yi proceeded to eat three consecutive bowls of rice, finishing with a satisfied burp.
He had basically polished off all the dishes on the table by himself.
"I'm full. I'm heading out for a bit, might be back late!"
Setting down his chopsticks, Lin Yi walked straight out the door.
He changed his shoes, opened the door, and left.
He was now desperate to go find that Dog Demon.
Tonight was the last day before the mission deadline.
If he still couldn't kill the Dog Demon, the mission would be a failure.
He had heard from Wei Nan before that failing a Demon Hunting mission would result in a deduction of Demon Hunting Points.
Although he didn't know what these so-called Demon Hunting Points were, Lin Yi still hoped to complete his very first Demon Hunting mission successfully.
And get that 15,000-yuan reward.
Right now, he really needed that money…
The moment the door slammed shut with a BANG, Lin Dazhi finally snapped back to his senses, glancing at Liu Hongmei with a hint of astonishment in his eyes.
"Lately, Lin Yi has changed so much, it's like he's a different person…" Lin Dazhi said, finding it strange.
Liu Hongmei nodded as well. "It is strange. Especially his attitude, it's always… hard to describe…"
Lin Yu glanced at them with a smile. "Dad, Mom, what's so strange about it? He's finally seen the light. He wants to mend his relationship with us so he can rely on me for a better life in the future!"
"Think about it, the situation is already set in stone!"
"I heard the registration for the senior year Martial Arts exam closes next Wednesday. Today is Thursday, tomorrow is Friday, so how many days are left? Our family isn't paying, so how is he going to come up with the thirty-thousand-yuan registration fee?"
"Besides, taking a step back, even if he did register, what good would it do? With his level of talent, do you think he could pass? His future is completely bleak… So, his change in attitude is just him trying to suck up to me and latch onto my coattails!"
It was as if Lin Yu had seen right through Lin Yi's thoughts.
After hearing his analysis, Lin Dazhi and Liu Hongmei found it very reasonable and nodded frequently.
"Xiaoyu's analysis is good. That's probably it!"
"Looks like that kid still has a brain. He understands what he needs to do now!"
Lin Dazhi even nodded with a hint of gratification.
A glint flashed in Liu Hongmei's eyes. "Old Lin, I see they don't have many days left until graduation. Why don't you go ask around tomorrow and see if you can find a job for Lin Yi in advance? That way, he can start working right after he graduates."
"You think I haven't thought of that? I've already asked around. A loader at a delivery company. The base salary is 1,500 a month, plus commission. It's tiring, sure, but he's still young. A little hard work won't hurt him!"
"I've heard people say that if you're willing to work hard and endure hardship, earning three or four thousand a month is no problem!"
Old Lin's words made both Liu Hongmei's and Lin Yu's eyes light up.
Wages in the Old District were generally not high.
Unless it was for a special position, the base pay for ordinary jobs was very low.
When Liu Hongmei and Lin Yu heard that he could earn three to four thousand a month, for a family like theirs, it was undoubtedly a significant income.
Liu Hongmei's face flushed as she turned to look back at Lin Yu.
"That's wonderful! With Lin Yi's income, I can switch our Xiaoyu to medium-grade medicinal soups to build up his strength!"
As soon as she said this, Lin Yu glanced at Liu Hongmei.
"Mom, a lot of my classmates aren't using medicinal soups anymore. They're all taking Qi Replenishing Powder…"
"Qi Replenishing Powder? That stuff is expensive! I asked about it before. A single bottle of low-grade Qi Replenishing Powder costs two thousand yuan, and one bottle only lasts a week…"
That comes out to eight thousand yuan a month.
For a family like theirs, that was completely unaffordable.
In response, Lin Yu just smiled. "Mom, once Lin Yi starts working, can't his salary pay for my Qi Replenishing Powder? If it's not enough, you and Dad can just cover the rest, right?"
"Don't worry. Once I get into a Martial Arts University, I'll take you with me to enjoy a life of luxury.
I've heard the living conditions in the New District are so much better than in the Old District!"
"Especially after you get into a Martial Arts University, the school gives you a monthly stipend, provides housing and jobs for your family—base salary starts at five thousand, and the work is super easy…"
"Even the stipend from the school is several thousand a month, and it can keep increasing based on your performance. The good days are just ahead!"
Lin Yu's speech got Lin Dazhi and Liu Hongmei all fired up.
It was as if the good life was right before their eyes, just within reach.
After a long moment, Lin Dazhi nodded. "Alright, it's settled then. After Lin Yi starts working, we'll switch Xiaoyu to Qi Replenishing Powder to properly build up his strength!"
"Our family's future, all our good days, will all depend on Xiaoyu…"