Chapter 334 The Orphanage's Lies: The Handsome Flower Boy 34
Lu Jinnian suddenly realized that he seemed to have everything he needed.
With everything provided by her mother, her standard of living far exceeded that of ordinary people; it could even be described as a life of abundance.
He has effortlessly obtained all the things he used to want.
He used to say all sorts of nice things and go to great lengths to get a little benefit from others. In Lu Jinnian's mind, that was an exchange, not a deception.
Anyway, the exchange was not easy. He didn't want to smile at some people, but he had to, and he had gotten used to it.
Human habits can be formed and guided, just like in some experiments on mice.
When you can get benefits every time you use sweet words and tell lies, that's a positive incentive, and you'll get used to it over time.
But what he got in return for his sweet words now seems insignificant. What can't you buy with a thousand yuan?
He lived in this world for fifteen years, and apart from the care he received from the orphanage, he earned everything else on his own.
In Lu Jinnian's view, how could this not be considered a form of self-reliance?
Some people rely on physical labor, some on mental labor, but he relies on his verbal skills.
They all earn their wages through their own labor.
Lu Jinnian dared not disobey Shen Ci's wishes. His eyes were still a little red, and this time he was truly anxious and afraid.
His nose stung with a soreness, and he was filled with fear. He wondered if his mother would do the same thing to that person and throw him away, since he had done something wrong.
While lost in thought, Lu Jinnian shopped at the department store, trying to complete this arduous task.
He hasn't earned a thousand yuan in all these years, so he's not good at spending money.
He was always good at sweet talk and could make everyone happy, but when facing his own mother, he couldn't say anything nice or tell a lie.
He lacked nothing, but he had to complete the mission, so he could only buy whatever was expensive.
At the stationery and musical instrument counter, he bought a set of high-end drawing instruments, which was incredibly expensive for a student—120 yuan a set.
He bought an 80-yuan Hero 100 gold pen and a pair of shoes he had seen others wearing before from the sports equipment counter.
A pair of Warrior brand high-top basketball shoes costs 35 yuan, which is equivalent to a month's salary. A brand new volleyball cost another 28 yuan.
Why is spending money so difficult?
Lu Jinnian went up to the second floor and hesitated between the fabric and ready-made clothing counters. He didn't know much about fabrics, but he didn't want his mother's hard-earned money to go down the drain.
I could only buy the expensive new items. I spent nearly 200 yuan on clothes and also bought a very sturdy cowhide backpack from the leather goods counter.
He bought a sturdy one so he wouldn't have to replace it again and could use it for many more years. It cost him ninety-five yuan. He planned to replace the backpack that Shen Ci had bought for him when he got back.
That way, he can keep the first schoolbag his mother gave him safe and sound.
He also bought several kilograms of high-end candies and chocolates that he would never normally even ask about. These were gifts from people who had pursued him before, and he had tasted them.
I spent over sixty yuan on candy, and bought several kilograms of it. Then I went to the Overseas Chinese Store's special section and used the remaining money to buy a transistor radio, which cost another ninety yuan.
Lu Jinnian seemed to lose his way amidst the colorful and dazzling array of goods on the counters, constantly buying things that he considered very expensive.
Although he felt he didn't need these things, he had to spend the money now.
Every time he spent money, he felt no joy in shopping or receiving gifts; instead, he felt numb and uncomfortable from having to complete a task.
The emptiness in my heart is growing deeper and deeper.
The money in my hands keeps decreasing, but the burden in my heart is getting heavier and heavier.
Finally, with only a few small bills left in his hand, Lu Jinnian, carrying large and small bags and covered in cash, went to the counter to settle the last bill.
His heart was as weary as his body; there was no joy, only the exhaustion of a battle, his body weary and worn out, like a tree.
He walked up to Shen Ci, who had been silently following behind him, protecting him from a distance, and said in a hoarse voice with his head down.
"Mom, the money's all gone."
Her eyes were still red, and her tone carried a hint of grievance and confusion.
A long-standing pattern was forcibly broken, and for the first time, he discovered that spending money was such a painful thing.
He was constantly rewarded with small favors from childhood by being sweet-talking, which made him feel that getting benefits with just a few words was an easy and pleasant thing.
Many of those items were not cheap, and he felt reluctant to buy them himself, but he readily accepted them as gifts from others.
That would be a disservice to someone's good intentions.
Looking at Lu Jinnian's current state, she saw him looking like a wilted eggplant, which was exactly the effect she wanted.
Lu Jinnian is like a miser, only taking in and never giving out. He uses emotions to take advantage of others, which seems reasonable at first glance, as it was given to him by others. However, it cannot stand up to scrutiny.
His views on wealth and money are distorted.
Shen Ci was relieved that she hadn't arrived too late, and there was still a chance to turn things around.
Lu Jinnian was carrying a lot of expensive things, and he was afraid that he would be robbed when he walked on the street, but these things might not be what he really liked or wanted.
He stood before her like a little dog soaked by the rain, his eyes red and his expression aggrieved. Shen Ci's ruthlessness turned into helplessness.
The key to educating children is not how severe the punishment or how profound the memory, but whether the child truly understands.
However, most East Asian parents don't know how to educate their children; they only know how to discipline them.
It's almost done.
She asked Lu Jinnian to spend money not to make him feel guilty, but to let him know that he could easily have everything.
Shen Ci did not take his things, but calmly looked at him.
"Little New Year, tell your mother, after spending so much money and buying so many things, are you happy now?"
How does it feel to own them?
Lu Jinnian was stunned for a moment, then looked down at himself. His body, hands, arms, and neck were covered with bags.
No, I'm not happy.
Mom, I feel terrible inside, like there's a stone stuck in my throat.
He would rather have nothing than have his mother treat him this way.
"It's good that you feel uncomfortable!"
Shen Ci reached out and wiped away the tears that were about to spill from the corners of his eyes. After all, he was still just a child.
"Mom just wants you to experience what it truly means to have something, and the weight of possession."
He was so tired from carrying all that, so Shen Ci helped him sit on a rest chair to unload the goods.
"Think carefully about the benefits you used to get by having to smile, say nice things, and even pretend to like people you didn't like."
A piece of candy, a notebook, or even a watch you don't really want.
Are they worth sacrificing your true emotions and going against your own will to obtain? Do you really want them?
What could be more valuable than your true joy?
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