1RomanceEB Chapter 9 Oh, it's so cold.
Chapter 9 Oh, it's so cold.
Su Yu finally understood life. These days, working yourself to the bone to get rich is just paying rent for living; true wealth is always something that God forces into your arms.
On the fifth day after his rebirth, the convenience store was as hot as a steamer in the afternoon. Su Yu was lounging behind the checkout counter, slacking off, his eyes wandering aimlessly, when he bumped into a man in a suit who came in to buy water. He couldn't remember what the man looked like, but he immediately noticed the black line on the man's back—it was cracked.
It wasn't a figure of speech; a real crack had opened, and white mist was seeping out along the fissure, looking just like a pressure cooker leaking steam. Su Yu had lived two lives, and this was the first time he'd ever seen something like this "burst out of its tube." His hand trembled, and he almost dropped the barcode scanner.
The man paid and turned to leave. Su Yu ripped off her apron and rushed outside.
Boss Park yelled from behind, "Where are you going? You're at work!"
"My stomach hurts! I can't hold it in anymore!" Su Yu said without even turning his head.
The boss had just pointed to the restroom in the shop when he vanished without a trace.
The midday sun was so scorching it could melt a person. Su Yu trailed behind at a comfortable distance, taking leisurely steps like an old man taking a stroll after dinner.
After following for twenty minutes, Su Yu watched the man turn into an old alley and disappear into an old office building with peeling paint. Standing downstairs, Su Yu looked up. The curtains on the third floor were drawn tightly shut, and the black line looked like a snake about to die, twitching and twitching in the window crack.
He wasn't planning on going upstairs. What's the rush? What's meant to be yours will come to you tonight, no need to fight for it.
At eight o'clock in the evening, Su Yu left work on time. Instead of going back to the leaky semi-basement where you could raise fish, he squatted downstairs in the office building, lit a cigarette, and slowly smoked it.
He hadn't taken more than a few puffs when the third-floor window was suddenly flung open by the wind. An uproar erupted inside; the man's furious roar rattled the window frame: "Where did you hide the money! Tell me!"
Su Yu was too lazy to watch the drama unfold; his eyes were only on the teetering black line. The next second, the black line snapped completely. Something wrapped in white mist surged out, spun in the air, and landed precisely at his feet with a "thud."
A black briefcase.
He bent down and lifted it; it was heavy, like carrying a solid brick. The zipper was stiff, so Su Yu ripped it open. A sea of green US dollars, stacked neatly in bundles. No need to count, just looking at the thickness told him—one million US dollars.
Su Yu remained unusually calm, zipping up his jacket and tucking it under his arm, his steps unhurried. His heartbeat was as steady as if he were going downstairs to throw out the trash. Upstairs, the two were still arguing heatedly, completely unaware that the family fortune they had fought so fiercely for had quietly become someone else's possession.
Back in the semi-basement, Su Yu tossed his briefcase onto the bed and opened it again to confirm. It wasn't a dream, not a hallucination. He casually picked up a bundle of bills and brought it to his nose; the distinctive smell of fresh ink from the new banknotes assaulted his senses.
He hadn't stolen, robbed, cheated, or swindled anyone; he'd just been quietly squatting for a while, and suddenly, a windfall had fallen right into his lap. He carefully slipped the briefcase into the deepest part of the bed, his movements as cautious as if he were hiding some contraband. Kim Min-joon had been completely focused on Choi Eun-jung lately, coming home late every night and collapsing into bed immediately. Even if a mountain of money were piled up in the house, he wouldn't notice.
The water droplets on the ceiling were still dripping, annoying others, but Su Yu found the sound rather pleasant. Lying on the bed, staring at the yellowish water stains on the ceiling, she couldn't help but sigh.
In his previous life, he lived for thirty-six years, and his bank account balance never exceeded five million Korean won. Reborn just five days ago, he has already leaped to a height that most people could never reach in a lifetime.
A slight smile played at the corners of his lips, not an unbridled elation, but rather a ridiculously exhilarating sense of satisfaction. Indeed, the happiness of the wealthy is so simple, unpretentious, and utterly mundane.
When I close my eyes, all I see in my mind is the image of black lines bursting open. It's like a dried-up riverbed being breached by a flood, with turbulent undercurrents filled with human desires.
I used to only see the thread, but now I understand that when the thread breaks, it's the day fortune arrives. No need to fight or scheme; just wait, and fate will deliver real money to your hands.
The next day at work, Su Yu exuded a low-key arrogance. Relaxed and composed, his aura was completely different from before. Boss Park sized him up for a while: "Didn't you sleep well last night? You look like a completely different person."
"I slept well," Su Yu replied casually, too lazy to explain further.
Kim Min-jun arrived just in time, and as soon as he walked in, he excitedly exclaimed, "Hyung! Choi Eun-jung and I talked until midnight last night, and I feel like this has a chance!"
Su Yu didn't even look up: "Take it easy, it's almost done."
Kim Min-jun suddenly leaned forward, squinting as he looked him up and down, as if he'd sniffed out something fishy: "Hey bro, something's not right! You're definitely hiding something! That shabby smell of poverty is gone, replaced by a smug, wealthy aura that's impossible to hide!"
Su Yu casually pushed a case of mineral water to him: "Stop overthinking and get to work. If you keep gossiping, you won't get any fish cakes today."
Kim Min-jun had no choice but to obediently do his work, muttering to himself that he was certain he had secretly become rich.
In the afternoon, Shirley arrived at the shop as promised. Wearing a floral maxi dress, her long hair flowing over her shoulders, and with light, elegant makeup, she instantly brightened up the small, run-down shop the moment she stood before the counter. She placed a box of seaweed rice rolls on the counter: "My mom made too many; she saved these for you."
Su Yu opened the plate; it was beautifully arranged and even came with dipping sauce. "Thank you for me, Auntie."
"If you want to thank me, go and thank me in person." Shirley leaned on the counter, resting her chin on her hand and laughing. "My mom is always curious and asks me what my Chinese friend who brings me food every day looks like."
"Let's talk about it another time."
"You always say 'another day'," Shirley rolled her eyes at him, getting straight to the point. "I'm making my stage comeback tomorrow, M Countdown starts at 7 PM, you get off work at 8 PM, perfect timing. Are you coming or not?"
In the past, Su Yu wouldn't have dared to even consider skipping work or leaving early, fearing he'd lose his livelihood. Now? With a million dollars under his bed, he wouldn't care about leaving early, or even quitting altogether; he could even buy the convenience store and use it as a warehouse. He looked up at Shirley: "Go."
Shirley was clearly taken aback. She had prepared to use her charm and pleading, but she hadn't expected him to agree so readily. Her eyes immediately curved into a smile: "Then you'd better dress smartly, don't embarrass me."
Su Yu smiled smugly: "With my looks, don't you think I look good in anything?"
Shirley was instantly amused, her ear tips turning slightly red. She got up to leave, but turned back at the door, feigning a fierce expression, and said, "If you dare stand me up, I'll go on stage and call your name, so the whole audience will know you!"
Su Yu said nonchalantly, "Shout whatever you want. I'm not an idol, I'm not afraid of getting into trouble."
Shirley was both angry and amused. As she pushed the door open to leave, she muttered under her breath, "Ugh."
Lying in bed at night, the dripping sound of water continued. A memory from a past life suddenly surfaced. He had once come across a video of a girl being splashed with alcohol at an event; water droplets clung to her cheeks and eyelashes, making her look quite disheveled.
Everyone was waiting for her to get angry, but she just blinked and said softly, "It's so cold." That innocent little expression was unforgettable.
At the time, I only thought this girl had a peculiar personality, so I swiped away without paying attention to her name. Now, recalling it, that face suddenly became clear—it was Cai Xiubin, the girl who owed him 500 yuan a few days ago, blushing and promising to pay him back the next day.
Su Yu rolled over and lay down, a hint of amusement in his eyes. So this was the talented actress who would become a huge star in the future. Without even needing to rely on karmic connections, just from his memories of her past life, he knew how bright Cai Xiubin's future would be. And right now, she was just a shy, timid girl who owed a few hundred yuan.
The huge sum of money lay quietly under the bed; this million was just the beginning.