After hanging up the phone, Chen Yuanyuan began calculating how she would spend the prize money once she got her share. “He’s already gone to the provincial capital to claim it, so it must be a big prize… probably several million, right? Even if it’s less, I should still get at least 1 million. Then I’ll give Lili 500,000 for her studies, and 100,000 each to Mom and Dad. I’ll still have 300,000 left for myself…” Thinking about becoming rich, she couldn’t help but grin. “Hehehe…”
Then she suddenly paused. “Wait, that’s not right! If I don’t get divorced, wouldn’t all that prize money be mine?” The realization hit her like a spark. “No, I can’t get divorced. I need to find a way to fix things between me and Lin Fan.” With that thought, a plan began to form in her mind.
…
After a busy morning, Lin Fan finally accompanied his father to claim the prize. After deducting 20% income tax, they were left with 1.6 million yuan.
The money would be transferred into Lin Zhigao’s bank account within three working days.
Once everything was done, Lin Fan turned his phone back on and saw a flood of missed calls—all from Chen Yuanyuan.
“What does this woman want now?”
Just then, his phone rang again. It was Fu Ming.
It turned out that after seeing Chen Yuanyuan storm out earlier, Fu Ming suspected he might have said something wrong and hurriedly called to inform Lin Fan. “Brother Fan, Sister Chen came to the company just now looking for you. It seems she didn’t know you went to claim the prize today, and I accidentally told her everything.”
Lin Fan replied casually, “It’s fine, Xiao Ming. I’ll treat you all to a meal when I get back.”
…
So Chen Yuanyuan had found out about the lottery win. No wonder she had called more than ten times in a row.
But it didn’t matter. There was nothing shameful about it.
Besides, from buying the tickets to scratching them and even claiming the prize, it had all been done by his father. Chen Yuanyuan wouldn’t get a single cent from it.
After having lunch in the provincial capital, the father and son boarded the high-speed train back home.
When they returned, Wang Shumei had already prepared a table full of delicious dishes. Seeing them come back, she said excitedly, “Is everything done?”
Lin Zhigao smiled broadly. “All done. From now on, our family’s life will be much easier.”
Hearing this, Wang Shumei’s face also lit up with happiness. She turned to Lin Fan and said, “Xiaofan, quickly go and bring Yuanyuan over. Tonight we’ll have dinner together as a family.”
Lin Zhigao nodded eagerly. “Yes, yes! We should celebrate properly tonight. I’ll even open that bottle of wine I’ve been saving for years.”
…
Looking at the joyful smiles on his parents’ faces, Lin Fan found it difficult to tell them about the divorce.
After all, the greatest wish of parents was for their children to have a happy and complete family.
But after witnessing Chen Yuanyuan’s true nature in his previous life, Lin Fan knew he had no choice.
Better a short pain than a long one. Rather than suffer her torment for years to come, it was better to end everything now.
Taking a deep breath, Lin Fan said seriously, “Dad, Mom, there’s something I need to tell you. I’m getting a divorce from Chen Yuanyuan.”
…
Hearing this, Wang Shumei showed a trace of shock. “Xiaofan, you’re not joking, are you?”
Lin Zhigao also asked in a low voice, “What happened? Everything seemed fine—why suddenly divorce?”
Lin Fan sighed. “Dad, Mom, don’t ask about the details. If two people can’t go on together, it’s better to separate. We don’t have children yet, so divorcing early is better for both sides.”
Seeing the serious look on his face, the elderly couple realized this was most likely true.
Lin Zhigao spoke earnestly, “Xiaofan, you’re already twenty-seven. There are many things you should decide for yourself, and we shouldn’t interfere too much.”
“But marriage is a serious matter. You need to think it through carefully. Don’t let a momentary argument lead to divorce—that would be too rash.”
“Still, whatever decision you make, your mother and I will support you.”
Hearing this, Lin Fan finally felt a weight lift from his heart.
He had expected strong opposition from his parents, after all, divorce wasn’t something honorable and would easily become gossip among neighbors.
But to his surprise, his parents were so understanding. All the words he had prepared to persuade them were now unnecessary.
“Don’t worry, Dad, Mom. I’m old enough to think things through carefully.”
“There’s one more thing I want to discuss with you…”
Then Lin Fan explained his plan to them.
…
“What? Sell our current apartment and buy one in the complex across the street?” Wang Shumei asked, her face full of confusion. “Xiaofan, what exactly are you planning?”
Lin Zhigao also frowned. “You’ve been acting strangely today—first talking about divorce, now asking us to sell our house. Did winning the jackpot make you lose your mind?”
Lin Fan knew he couldn’t explain everything clearly. He certainly couldn’t tell them he had been reborn.
“Dad, Mom, I’ll be honest with you. The complex across the street is going to be demolished!”
“What?” The couple’s eyes widened in shock.
Lin Fan quickly gestured for them to keep their voices down. “Shh, keep it quiet. A classmate of mine who works at the city government accidentally let it slip while drunk.”
“You mustn’t tell anyone, or it’ll cause him serious trouble!”
He had no choice but to fabricate a story about a government insider so they would accept it more easily.
“Xiaofan, can your classmate be trusted? Buying a house is no small matter,” Wang Shumei said anxiously.
Lin Fan patted his chest. “Don’t worry, it’s absolutely reliable. And the demolition will happen in just one month. If it turns out not to be true, we can always buy our original place back.”
“How about this—you sell this apartment, and together with the prize money, we use it all to buy property in that complex.”
“That way, we can earn several million in one go.”
Wang Shumei looked worriedly at her husband. “Old man, do you think Xiaofan’s plan is reliable? Why do I feel uneasy about it?”
It was understandable. She had lived an honest life all her years, and now suddenly being told about a deal worth millions naturally made her nervous.
In the end, Lin Zhigao steadied himself and made the decision. “Let’s trust Xiaofan. The future belongs to the younger generation.”
…
With his parents agreeing to sell the house, the burden in Lin Fan’s heart was finally lifted. They decided to list it for sale the next day.
After dinner with his parents, Lin Fan returned home.
The moment he opened the door, he noticed a faint glow coming from inside. Listening carefully, he could also hear soft, pleasant music.
Someone had broken in?
That was the first thought that flashed through Lin Fan’s mind. He grabbed a vase from the table and cautiously walked toward the bedroom—the source of the music.