Chapter 22 went too far

Ling Wei's loud sneeze interrupted the system's reflections.

She rubbed her nose, preparing to grab some clean clothes and take a hot shower to get rid of the chill.

Just then, a rustling sound came from the bed opposite. Qi Mo, with messy hair and sleepy eyes, poked his head out.

"Weiwei? You just got back?" Her voice was hoarse as she looked blankly out the window at the dark night sky and the torrential rain. Suddenly, she woke up with a start. "It's already the middle of the night?! I... I've been sleeping since noon?!"

Ling Wei sighed and rubbed her forehead in exasperation.

She was truly impressed by her roommate; ever since she met Qi Mo, she had been in a state of detachment.

My freshman year was alright, but since the start of my sophomore year, I haven't had many days where I'm truly sober; I feel like I'm in a state of "mild poisoning."

But only on stage and in front of the camera can she switch modes instantly, her acting talent and focus are terrifyingly strong.

The acting professors doted on her, and therefore usually turned a blind eye to her behavior.

"That damn talent monster!" Ling Wei scrambled onto Qi Mo's bed (their dorm had bunk beds with desks underneath), and angrily rubbed her face. "Aaaaaah! I need to work even harder!"

Qi Mo, whose face was suddenly covered in his roommate's enthusiasm: "???"

=============

Life seemed to be on fast-forward.

Ling Wei thrived in the directing department. Her short films, with their unique cinematic language and delicate emotional expression, won first place in two consecutive school competitions. Even several high-ranking professors in the department remembered this talented and hardworking student who had transferred from the acting department.

She was like a highly efficient sponge, absorbing knowledge rapidly and growing quickly.

Meanwhile, the Lu brothers seemed to have gradually gotten used to a certain routine.

Lu Yan would still carefully read Ling Wei's notes, which were filled with fragments of her life, every time she transferred or made a payment, and would occasionally reply with a short "hmm" or "received".

Even after she mentioned staying up all night editing videos, she proactively sent me a link to an article about eye care and cervical spine maintenance.

The relationship warmed up subtly at a slow and steady pace.

Lu Zhao continued his trainee career while also fulfilling his duties as a "servant for six months".

Although Ling Wei ordered him around less frequently afterward, the peculiar pattern between them—one daring to order him around while the other complained and completed the task—had become established.

He seemed to have gotten used to being ready to respond to some ancestor's sudden whim during training breaks.

Finally, Ling Wei achieved the top score in her major, bringing her first semester after changing majors to a perfect close and starting her winter break.

New Year's Eve, the Ling family.

Although it is not as spacious and bright as it used to be, the small rental room is clean and spotless, with bright windows and clean furniture.

A new "福" (good fortune) character hangs on the wall, and the paper-cut window decorations were made by Ling's mother herself, exuding a strong festive atmosphere and a tenacious spirit of never giving up.

In the small living room/dining room, the warm yellow light dispelled the chill of the winter night.

Several plates of delicious-looking dishes were already laid out on the table, and the kitchen was still bustling with activity.

Wearing an apron and with fine beads of sweat on his forehead, Ling's father poked his head out of the kitchen and called out in a strong voice, "Wife, just wait a little longer, the last dish, your favorite sweet and sour fish, will be ready soon!"

Although Ling's mother, who had just recovered from a serious illness, was still a little pale, she was in good spirits. She smiled and responded, carefully adjusting the spacing between the bowls and chopsticks on the table.

Finally, the last dish of fish was served, and the family of three sat down properly.

Ling's mother cleared her throat, her face showing a rare sense of ritual: "Alright, let's begin the family year-end report!"

Ling's father immediately straightened his back and started chattering away:

"Reporting to the leader! I haven't been idle after the liquidation! With the connections I've built up and my understanding of the market, I'm now working as a consultant for a technology consulting company."

I mainly help small startups with their business plans, review contracts, and mitigate legal risks. While the income isn't as high as before, it's stable, flexible, and I can work from home, which is convenient and takes care of me!

His tone carried a sense of fulfillment from rediscovering his value: "As for the debt, it is being repaid steadily according to plan!"

When it was Ling Wei's turn, her eyes crinkled into a smile: "I'm reporting! I successfully transferred to the Directing Department and ranked first in my grade this semester. However, during my video shooting practice, I realized that my grasp of the pacing of the plot was still lacking, so I opened an account specifically to make cat meme videos, presenting the novel's story in a fun way, and especially practicing my sense of rhythm!"

In front of her parents, Ling Wei showed no intention of being modest, her proud little nose practically pointing to the sky: "I never thought I was a genius, hahaha! Authors have already approached me to collaborate on book promotions. The earnings aren't huge, but they can help ease some of the family's debts."

Where's the applause?!

Ling's parents clapped enthusiastically, and Ling's father even whistled, "Wow, Director Ling is amazing!"

However, after clapping, Ling's father straightened his expression and said, "Weiwei, I'll pay back the money you borrowed from your classmate. Don't force yourself."

Ling Wei waved her hand: "No, no, I won't force you."

"It's okay, Dad. Momo is fine. She knows my situation and said there's no rush."

She secretly attributed the huge sum of money that Lu Yan had advanced, along with the 100,000 yuan that Qi Mo had lent her, to her "righteous roommate" Qi Mo.

The system whispered in her mind, "You're not being honest. You haven't told your parents about Lu Yan."

Ling Wei: "Ahem, that was a white lie."

If a boy is involved, well... her dad won't be able to sleep tonight.

As for Lu Zhao, I don't know what's gotten into him, but he keeps sending me videos of his training or performances, insisting that I comment on them.

He was born for this job, and his progress was rapid. In the end, Ling Wei couldn't find any real fault with him.

So she could only praise him blindly, without even opening the video. All she had to do was reply with "You were more outstanding than your teammates in this part, and you are more suitable for the center position," and the other side would transfer money to her.

She repaid Lu Yan in installments of one thousand, but earned money from Lu Zhao in installments of three thousand, always with a considerable surplus, which made her feel embarrassed.

But I'm sorry, I still have to earn it.

Ling's mother's gaze swept carefully across the faces of the father and daughter. Seeing that they looked open and honest, not like they were putting on a brave face, Ling's mother finally showed a relieved and gratified smile.

She also briefly described her recovery progress, noting that all her indicators were improving.

Ling Wei immediately cheered and rushed over to hug her mother.

"Alright, alright," Ling's mother said with a smile, patting her on the shoulder. "Let's eat!"

The family happily began to enjoy their New Year's Eve dinner.

At this moment, Ling's father took out some of his treasured wine, poured some for himself and Ling's mother, and said with emotion, "This year has not been easy, but our family has made it through! Thank you, wife, thank you, daughter..." His eyes reddened as he spoke.

Ling Wei was also caught up in the atmosphere and exclaimed, "I want to drink too! To celebrate Mom's recovery! To celebrate my successful major transfer!"

Ling's father was in a good mood and readily poured her a small cup as well.

The system promptly reminded her: "Weiwei, your alcohol tolerance..."

Ling Wei (full of confidence): "It's okay, it's okay! With Mom and Dad here, what could be a problem? Today is a happy day!"

After saying that, she raised her glass and chugged it down with great gusto.

the next day.

Ling Wei woke up with a splitting headache, her hair a mess that looked like a bird's nest.

Memories of last night flooded my mind like a belated tide.

"Aaaaaaahhhhhh—!" Her own sharp scream erupted from the bedroom.

In my mind, the system's voice, weary from a sleepless night, began its long, rambling monologue:

“I’ve said it a long time ago… I’ve said it eight hundred times, Weiwei… ‘It’s okay, it’… You always say ‘It’s okay’…”

Ling Wei opened her phone and saw a series of missed calls, ending with a menacing text message: "Ling Wei!!"

You did a great job!!!

The system chuckled wryly: "Look... this has gone awry..."