The return journey had been arranged by the school beforehand. It was a one-step bus ride that covered everyone's means home.
Xero's house was the furthest away so he was the last to be dropped off.
The school had paid the driver an extra income fee to bring every student safely home. So although the journey was long, he didn't complain since he would be able to pay rent tonight.
When the driver had stopped before Xero's house to drop him off, he stared at the family's small villa, which was like a club in a deserted island, and he couldn't help sighing for Xero in his heart!
Poor boy!
Nowadays, housing prices weren't that expensive, but his family couldn't even afford a house in the downtown school district? Wouldn't it be a lot of effort to get to school?
The driver did some quick calculations in his head. Even taking the fastest spirit bus, it would take three hours to get there... that's six hours back and forth! It was so much effort for this kid to go to school everyday, he definitely wasn't getting enough sleep! No wonder he has such a poker face!
Xero was indeed a little tired... from sitting in the bus all day, if he was jogging home, he would been at his destination a lot sooner!
With a drained heart, he sighed and stretched as he prepared to get off the bus. While he was at the front doors, the driver called out to him. "Student!"
Xero looked back, "???"
The middle aged driver put a hand in his pocket and brought out his wallet. He then took out a five hundred yuan bill and stuffed it in Xero's hand. "Listen. I'm only a workman. But given your circumstances, this really isn't easy for you! This uncle doesn't have that much money, but take this as my goodwill!"
"...."
Xero stood by the road, with the money bill in his hand as he watched the bus recede further in the distance.
...
By the time Xero got home, the hallway was dark; there was only soft light and TV noises from the living room. Hearing it, Xero knew that Mother Zhang was watching her favourite show, The Story of Yanxi Palace. The story follows Wei Yingluo, a clever and determined young woman who enters the Forbidden City as a palace maid. Her main goal is to uncover the truth behind her sister's mysterious death, which she believes was connected to palace politics...
Mother Zhang had already watched this show before; the late night shows were all just replays... she was initially waiting for her beloved son to come home.
But in the end, she had fallen asleep unable to resist any longer.
When it came down to it, Lin Mei was a normal person; although her body had went through some refinement stages, in the end, she was just a beautiful, middle aged woman who couldn't compare with a female cultivator.
Lin Mei was on the sofa, her mouth tilted upward slightly. It looked like she was having the dream of her life. She was lying under a blanket; Zhang Wei must have seen her and laid the blanket on her.
Xero looked at the clock — it was one o'clock in the morning.
He raised his hand and made a spirit light around her and Lin Mei was instantaneously teleported to her room.
After that, Xero went up the stairs to the second floor. After being away for four days, his heart was aching for his small bedroom. The Zhang couple's master bedroom was in the third floor, in which Xero had teleported her to. Apart from his bedroom, Father Zhang's study and research room was in the second floor.
At that time, the light in the study room was on, meaning that Zhang Wei was still in there.
Instantly Xero knew... Father Zhang had writer's block yet again!
For professional web-novelists, inspiration was key. Although Father Zhang wasn't that quite educated, webnovels were different from literature; one could always gain feedback and improve especially after reading plenty of novels. After being in this industry for more than five years, Father Zhang's writing style wasn't all too shabby but still unique. But at his current level, he wasn't writing tens of thousands of words like he used to before, he was struggling to even write the plot of his stories.
Xero didn't know what it was like to suffer writer's block. But it was most likely like kidney stones!
Writers' looked for inspiration here and there, including from drinking and smoking, but Father Zhang's way was different. In order to overcome writer's block, he would join some live streaming platforms to connect with females so that they'll give him ideas.
Father Zhang's full name was Zhang Wei. To become closer to these female broadcast hosts, apart from using a portion of his author's earnings to buy gifts, he had even created a playful nickname for himself, Zhang Zai...
Obviously, Mother Zhang wasn't aware of this. Or else, Father Zhang wouldn't live to see the birds chirp tomorrow... and to ensure that Xero stayed quiet in the matter, he inconspicuously raised his monthly allowance which was an Einstein move...
Maybe it was because of his four hectic days outside — but now that Xero had some peace and quiet to himself at night, he was in good mood, relaxing on his bed. He was curious to see what his dad was talking about.
Xero was sure that Han Jue had infected him, since had never been the curious type.
He sat upright. And looked in the direction of the study room which was just next to his room, his pupils formed a small radiant, glowing star. Very quickly, the wall became transparent, allowing him to look clearly at Father Zhang's computer.
Xero glanced at the name of the live stream that Father Zhang had entered: "Your Sun, My Bloom." Next to the name, a smaller print, was the female broadcast's ID: Little Yun Duo.
Xero was surprised that he had heard this name before. She was one of the hottest live streamers in Yunzhou Nation! Widely loved by fans around the globe for her fresh and pretty face, and her wise responses to love from lonely men.
Glancing at ranking list of her fans, Xero found out that Father Zhang was top five! Moreover, he was also a guardian angel! Five hundred thousand fan points in a month... which meant that he at least spent thirty thousand yuan on her!
If Xero sent a screenshot to Mother Zhang now... Father Zhang would be reduced to ash...
But for the sake of family harmony, Xero again refrained from saying anything.
It was clear that Father Zhang was famous in this livestream. The moment, he joined, the chat room's system immediately displayed his name in bold letters: [Little Yun Duo's guardian, Zhang Zai has joined the livestream!]
Currently, the livestream chat was empty, it was break time, so she had rushed to the bathroom.
In the live stream, it was the guardian's privilege to talk to the female host directly.
Glancing around the empty room, Zhang Wei straightaway put his headphones on and cleared his throat.
And then... a flirtatious voice that Xero had never heard before filled the air.
The voice made Xero shudder.
"Little Yun Duo is Streaming! Yes, yes, yes, it's Zhang Zai~"
Xero: "..."