"I'm home."
Qin Shi adjusted his backpack and headed towards the dilapidated old street, a stark contrast to the brightly lit and bustling Urban Circle.
There's a popular saying in the Tai'an Metropolitan Area.
"East is poor, west is high-end, south is wealthy, north is chaotic."
In the early years, Dangyang East Suburb was the main industrial hub locally, with five or six hundred factories at its peak, employing seven to eight hundred thousand people.
Famous factories like Thundercloud Electronics Factory and the 420 Military Factory were once located here.
Back then, Old Factory Street was bustling during off-hours.
Hundreds of Bird-brand bicycles swarmed in like an army, flooding over the smooth bluestone road.
It was quite a spectacle!
Youths in dark blue and army green factory uniforms were all spirited and lively.
They deliberately pressed their bicycle bells, jingling loudly to attract the attention of street vendors and pretty girls passing by.
But with the new star development after the Great Wilderness, and the shifting of industries, the East Suburb quickly declined.
Within a decade, it had become a rundown area full of old factories and laid-off workers.
"Shi'er, you're back."
"Your sister just came back from grocery shopping. She killed two fish and bought quite a bit of shrimp. You're in for a treat today!"
"Working part-time while studying, such a good kid..."
The neighbors greeted him warmly.
Everyone had been rooted in this Old Factory Street for many years, seeing each other almost daily, forming friendly relationships, and were always ready to help each other out in times of need.
"Thank you, Uncle Li!"
"Uncle Zhang, you're full of energy as always!"
"Grandpa Song, enjoying the cool here? You're listening to the story of Grandmaster Jiang Baichuan battling the Furious Vajra Kou Yunchao, right..."
Qin Shi replied politely, greeting each person.
His home was near a snack street, bustling with people and full of life.
"Hard to imagine, even in the Great Cosmos Era, there are still shantytowns."
Walking into Baogong Street, where the utility poles were tangled with long wires and street lamps flickering amidst small advertisements, revealing rows of low, clustered houses.
Not much different from the urban village Qin Shi had lived in in his previous life.
This shantytown had been slated for redevelopment for years.
But just like Heng Province's annual slogans promising to strive to become one of Dongxia's top ten economic zones,
It was all thunder, no rain.
"Second Brother, how do you always manage to come home right at mealtime?"
As Qin Shi stepped into the small house patched together with linoleum and asbestos tiles, a dim yellow lamp turned on with a pull string, casting a faint light.
A small table, set with two dishes and a soup, a girl with a ponytail was setting up the bowls and chopsticks.
In the narrow kitchen to the right, a tall figure was cooking up a storm, the aroma wafting everywhere.
The first was the youngest, Qin Lan;
The second was the eldest sister, Qin Xiao.
Qin Shi put down his backpack, pretending to be dissatisfied:
"How many times have I told you, just call me 'brother,' drop the 'second'!"
His little sister Qin Lan giggled playfully:
"Alright, Second Brother!"
Qin Shi sighed deeply, full of regret:
"I was planning to use the money I earned from my part-time job to buy you a new Celestial Boat Computer..."
"Hey, Brother! You must be tired from working, let me give you a shoulder massage!"
Qin Lan immediately softened, her youthful and pretty face filled with fawning, like a wagging-tail Hakimi.
"You two miss each other when you're apart, but start bickering as soon as you meet. Such a pair of frenemies. Dinner's ready, wash your hands and eat!"
The tall figure turned around, revealing tanned skin and muscular arms, with short, neat hair.
A denim jacket was draped over a white tank top with a few smudges of grease.
Exuding a strong masculine vibe!
"Sure thing, Big Sis."
Qin Shi and Qin Lan immediately became obedient, responding in unison.
Faced with braised fish, scallion-fried shrimp, and winter melon pork rib soup, the two siblings dug in eagerly, devouring the food.
They usually had to endure the synthetic fast food from the school cafeteria, so they were like starved souls having a feast.
"You two are grown-ups, still fighting over food."
The eldest sister Qin Xiao's eyes were filled with content as the fatigue and hardships from high-intensity work seemed to be wiped away.
"Brother, you rest, I'll do the dishes!"
Qin Lan, still thinking about the Celestial Boat Computer, conscientiously took over the chores.
"Looks like you have some sense."
Qin Shi pulled out his phone, searching through various money-saving groups for coupons, piecing together discounts, and finally sent a group-buy link to Zhou Ning.
[Help me out! It's urgent!]
"You're spoiling Lan too much. She's only a sophomore in high school, does she really need such a good computer?"
Big sister Qin Xiao shook her head:
"Keep it for yourself."
Qin Shi smiled:
"I don't have a knack for mechanics. After the college entrance exam, I will definitely take the martial path. The youngest is different. She enjoys "Mechanical Soul Communication Theory," "Compilers Principles," and "Structural Studies," which give me a headache.
If we cultivate her well, who knows, our Qin Family might just produce a female engineer!"
Qin Xiao's face softened:
"I heard from Uncle Zhou at the billiard hall that he plans to get some Life Force development physical training sessions for Zhou Ning, to prep for the segment exam.
Shi'er, what do you think?"
Qin Shi scratched his head:
"Martial Arts Class, physical training, it's all like those health products constantly advertised on TV—overhyped and under-delivered.
Big Sis, we shouldn't join the bandwagon."
Qin Xiao's expression remained gentle, her voice soft:
"Shi'er, you're worried about money again, aren't you? Don't worry, I've just taken on a big order for a long haul, delivering materials to Yan City.
Here, this is the advance payment I got from Old Chen. Take it! Use it to enroll in a Martial Arts Class or something, you're not bad at studies, you can definitely get into a good university."
Under the dining table, a bundle of thick paper bills was stuffed into Qin Shi's hand.
He instinctively wanted to push it back, but his sister, used to heavy lifting, wouldn't budge an inch.
"We're family, don't be so distant. I've set aside some money for Lan too.
Just focus on your studies. Don't worry, I can support us."
Qin Shi opened his mouth but couldn't make a sound. After a long pause, he finally managed to say:
"Got it, Big Sis."
Qin Xiao looked at her brother, the usual feisty and fierce demeanor all but vanished:
"Shi'er, you always have plans. Here's the money, use it as you see fit."
Qin Shi nodded silently.
He held two stacks of crisp new bills, smelling of fresh ink.
Upon closer inspection, the front featured a banner with a dragon and clouds above, and ears of wheat circling below.
So many hundred-yuan notes of the Dongxia New Currency, fifty per bundle, totaling ten thousand yuan.
Qin Shi knew that driving long-haul trucks paid well, but he also understood the toll it took.
Every time his sister went on a long trip, she would be gone for months, eating, drinking, and sleeping in the truck, constantly on guard against highway robbers and fuel thieves.
The job was extremely risky!
"Most of the gyms or Life Force development training centers in the Urban Circle are all about exploiting people, with exorbitant fees and dubious results."
Qin Shi shared his thoughts:
"I'm planning to try my luck at Sons and Daughters Ninth Middle School. Uncle Zhou recommended a teacher named Liang. According to him, this teacher had participated in the Star Cup and had a high level of Life Force development.
He was sent to teach PE at Old Factory Street after offending someone."
Qin Xiao acknowledged with a hum, indicating her agreement.
In her view, Qin Shi had always been obedient and sensible, with good ideas, smarter than she was, and more reliable than the youngest.
"I'm taking a trip tomorrow. As a student, your task is to study hard. Quit thinking about making money all the time.
I can support you both, and our lives will only get better."
Qin Shi still didn't raise his head, only responding with one word:
"Okay."