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0.16% Reaching the age of thirty, my income randomly doubled / Chapter 1: Chapter 1: The Down-and-Out Middle-Aged Man
Reaching the age of thirty, my income randomly doubled Reaching the age of thirty, my income randomly doubled

Reaching the age of thirty, my income randomly doubled

Author: Desolate Toad

© WebNovel

Chapter 1: Chapter 1: The Down-and-Out Middle-Aged Man

Capital City.

Outside the fifth ring, the vegetable market.

The cold wind howled accompanied by several pig cries, making the crowded market entrance particularly lively.

Chen Pingsheng smoked a pack of Laobaisha cigarettes costing four yuan and fifty cents, exhaling rings of white smoke, and soon a few fashionable aunties gathered in front of his tricycle.

The wholesale price was 15 yuan per kilogram for durians, selling for 16.80, yet they still complained about the cost, haggling down by ninety cents.

Well... Selling one was better than none.

"City management is coming, run!"

"Damn, didn't they just come yesterday? Why are they here again today?"

Just as he was preparing to collect money through a scan, he took off on the tricycle.

If he were caught for running late, half a month's labor would be in vain.

He didn't know when this village bruiser, once a notable figure in school, had turned his life into such a mess.

Luckily, he married early, and his wife was five years younger than him; although they had no house or car, at least they had a small warm home.

Thus, life as a drifter in the north wasn't so lonely.

After parking his tricycle, he used the key to open the door with a creaking sound.

Behind the door hid a little baby girl who rushed towards him as soon as he entered, clinging to him like a small pendant.

Chen Pingsheng picked her up in one swoop and pinched her little nose. The baby girl was too adorable. No matter how hard life was outside, it was worth coming home to see her.

This was his five-year-old daughter, Chen An'an.

"Chen Pingsheng, you've come back just in time."

In the small living room, on the couch sat an elegant city beauty with wavy curls.

She crossed her arms and legs indifferently, clearly not bearing good news.

"Sister-in-law, when did you come over?"

"Hmph." Song Wu snorted coldly, paying no heed to his pleasantries, straightforwardly said, "I came to ask you to let my sister go."

"What do you mean by that? I don't understand what you're saying."

Chen Pingsheng's face changed, but Song Wu didn't care about sparing his feelings. "Don't play dumb with me. My sister has been with you for six years, from marriage to now. Does she have any of her youthful radiance left? Ever since she's been with you, has she even had one good day?"

"Being pregnant, she still had to wash dishes for money, and less than a month after giving birth to An'an, she was working two jobs."

"Six years."

Song Wu became more agitated, "In all this time, my sister could only live with you in this dark, tiny rental. Chen Pingsheng, if she hadn't chosen you, would she have needed to live like this?"

Chen Pingsheng's breath faltered, his gaze shifting constantly, his emotions running high.

At that moment, he simply couldn't refute.

Perhaps everyone would think it was his laziness that caused this.

On the contrary, he was industrious, leaving home before dawn and returning very late at night.

Recalling his early days in Capital City, he had no education or particular skills.

Under the scorching sun, he had carried cement and bricks at construction sites for a year; later, hearing that truck driving was lucrative, he toiled away in various places.

Now, driving a tricycle and selling durians irregularly, even though it wasn't respectable, he still managed to clear ten to twenty thousand a month.

But, what use was that?

Just like his sister-in-law said, even with his income, ten years without eating or drinking wouldn't be enough to make a down payment on a place inside the third ring of Capital City.

When would such days end?

An'an still needed schooling, and they had elderly to care for at home; whenever the night grew deep and quiet, he would recall the promises he once made.

Wanting to provide a carefree life for his wife by thirty, yet lacking the capability.

Wanting to make his parents proud, yet utterly failing to do so.

Life, it crushed not just his back, but also those once cherished ideals.

Song Wu had insulted him in many horrible ways, but she never criticized him for laziness.

She just hated her sister for choosing a man without education or decent background during her most beautiful years.

If only I had listened to my parents and married someone from the city, my income might not have been as high as that of Chen Pingsheng, but my life would have been remarkably stable.

There's no avoiding it in the face of these sky-high cement houses, a single house can crush the unremarkable lives of ordinary people.

Chen Pingsheng fell silent, and Song Wu stomped off in a huff.

When his wife returned, she even brought a bouquet of flowers.

Once upon a time, his wife was the "white moonlight" for many, beautiful, pretty, gentle, and kind.

Having found such a woman, he always thought that he must have saved the Milky Way in his past life.

Song Yanxi was only twenty-five now, and although she had already had a child, she still maintained a great figure with a slim waist, perky buttocks, long legs, and delicate facial features.

Unfortunately, since marrying him, she had never bought a decent cosmetic product or worn a branded coat again.

The once stunning girl, now simply handles the spoon with bare hands, casually ties a low ponytail with a few strands of hair out of place at her temples.

"Bang..." The door shut, and Song Yanxi changed into her five-year-old white cotton shoes.

"Mom, auntie came by."

Chen An'an ran and threw herself into her arms, and Song Yanxi, smiling faintly, lifted her up.

Chen Pingsheng had made dinner, as usual, one meat dish and one vegetable; his family lived exceptionally frugally.

All for the sake of setting up a small home in the Capital City sooner.

Song Yanxi put her bag on the table, and upon opening it, there was half of a roast duck and some spicy chicken feet.

"Wow... today we have extra dishes."

Little An'an clapped her small hands in joy, and Song Yanxi, patting her head, brought over a small stool for her to sit down.

"Pingsheng, today is our sixth wedding anniversary," she mentioned.

No wonder she spent money on these things; it turned out to be their wedding anniversary. Normally, he would have been very happy, but now it was hard for him to muster a smile.

Six years had passed, and not a single goal had been achieved; the happy life he wanted to provide for his wife was nowhere in sight.

"Why aren't you saying anything? Did my little sister say something unpleasant again?"

Song Yanxi frowned slightly, put down her chopsticks, and grabbed his hand.

Chen Pingsheng didn't want to explain too much on this topic and simply made an excuse, "No, it's because I saw on the weather forecast that it's going to rain tomorrow. You know, once it rains, I can't go out to make money with my tricycle."

"If you can't go out, then you can't go out," she said softly.

"You haven't had many days off this year; it's a good opportunity to take An'an out to play in the rain and stop moving other people's houses for a while."

She was as gentle and kind as ever, and the more she was like this, the more Chen Pingsheng felt ashamed.

But that was all he was capable of.

Besides doing physical labor and selling durians, he could only dream about starting a business like the young people at night before he went to sleep.

Life doesn't allow it.

Approaching middle age, thinking that this might be his future made him even more anxious.

"I can't rest when we still haven't got a house," Chen Pingsheng shook his head.

Song Yanxi pursed her lips, intending to say something but ultimately remained silent.

She had seen it today; the price of the small apartment she liked had gone up again.

They were almost able to afford the down payment, but now they were short again.

There was no use complaining about their lives; he was already tired enough.

At night, when it was time to rest, Song Yanxi carried Little An'an to the small bed next to hers, tucked her in with a thick blanket, then carefully and quietly lay down next to him.

Chen Pingsheng felt her warmth and tried hard not to let the tears at the corner of his eyes roll down.

He had thought about it; maybe they should just go back to his small hometown in the countryside, build a big house, and live a simple life.

Just live like that for a lifetime.

But deep inside, a voice always told him, a man, at the very least, must let his wife and children have the life they desire.

Running away, how long can it be evaded?

"Ding~"

In his drowsy mind, a sound echoed, unclear what it was; he could only check it out tomorrow.


Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Double Income

"That crow's mouth, really.

Yesterday, just babbling and it actually started to rain.

His house is located outside the fifth ring of Capital City, near the sixth ring in Beixin'an Urban Village, comprising a bedroom, a living room, and a small kitchen.

The rent is fifteen hundred a month.

Three entrances in and out, in the third ring that would be a sky-high priced Siheyuan, but here in such an Urban Village, it's basically the rental habitat for outsiders like them.

Just this set of courtyards houses over ten families, and many were introduced by him.

The heavy rain poured down relentlessly, and Song Yanxi got up early to wash up and cooked a big pot of noodles, with two steamed eggs on the side.

Chen An'an was still in kindergarten, and now that it's the holidays, she's become quite fond of sleeping in.

Lethargically dragged out of bed by her mother, her eyes were only half-open, her little eyelids fluttering, almost falling back to sleep without care.

"Pingsheng, if you're free later, take An'an out to play, okay?"

The sleepy Chen An'an's eyes, upon hearing of going out to play, lit up brighter than anyone's.

What a pity, even if it rained, he still had to go out and earn money.

"We'll see later, if I don't get any jobs, I'll take her out to play."

After a simple breakfast, Chen Pingsheng rode his small electric scooter and, donning rain gear, dropped his wife off at work first.

She works as a customer service representative at an internet company during the day and sells flowers on a street popular with young people after finishing.

Their combined income wasn't too shabby by the end of the month, clearly, both spouses were striving for their little home.

In the early morning, Capital City was still bustling with people.

Those scurrying about in the rain were workers much like themselves.

After waving goodbye to him, Song Yanxi turned and went to work.

Chen Pingsheng then headed home, recalling the sudden "ding" in his head from the night before.

According to those online novels he had read, this must undoubtedly be the arrival of the Golden Finger that changes fate.

What could it be?

Arriving home, Chen Pingsheng couldn't wait to open the ripple of thoughts in his mind, revealing a line of golden text before him.

First, an introduction.

[Host: Chen Pingsheng]

[Age: 30]

[Level: LV1]

[Today's Income: 0]

[Explanation: Every day based on one's income, there is a chance to win a multiplier lottery, with LV1 having a reward multiplier of 2–10 times.]

Can it really be used like this?

Going by this Golden Finger's explanation, if he earns five hundred today and gets a multiplier lottery, and if it hits 10 times, doesn't that mean it would shoot straight up to five thousand?

Tsk... Excitement, unparalleled excitement.

This Golden Finger was too powerful; with this, he definitely had the chance to strike it rich.

Chen Pingsheng rubbed his hands together and planted a kiss on the expectant face of Chen An'an.

The little one was still holding onto her mother's words about being taken out to play, brimming with anticipation.

Chen Pingsheng wasn't in the mood for that now, but he still consoled her.

"An'an, daddy has to go out and make money now, but once I've earned enough, I'll take you wherever you want to play, okay?"

Chen An'an was a bit disappointed but still obediently nodded her head.

Daddy always said that, yet he never took her out, not even once.

She so wanted to visit those places the other kids talked about.

There was nothing Chen Pingsheng could do, next year she would be starting first grade, and if they didn't secure a house, no good school would be willing to accept a child with a non-local household registration like hers.

Education and real estate are tightly bound together.

For outsiders like them, if they can't buy a house, how can they hope to get their children into a good school?

Chen An'an often stayed home alone, nibbling on snacks when she felt hungry, and she even knew how to cook noodles for herself.

She was so sensible it was heartbreaking.

Chen Pingsheng locked the door and went next door to give a few instructions.

He knew every one of the ten or so families in this courtyard; with the ongoing downpour outside, he definitely couldn't go out to sell durians today.

Just to see if he could pick up a moving job.

Isn't it said that his luck wasn't too bad? As soon as he left the courtyard and went under the old tree, he encountered a gentle, frail young girl holding a large black umbrella.

"Miss, are you new here?"

"Yes."

The girl was pretty, albeit a bit skinny, and had a sweet smile.

Zhao Liying took the initiative and asked, "Big brother, do you live here too? Do you know where I can find movers?"

"Yep, I live just over there."

Chen Pingsheng pointed in the direction of his place and then introduced himself, "I usually sell durian outside, but on rainy days, I help people move. That tricycle over there is mine."

He had bought the tricycle two years ago, and through sun and rain, it had stood out conspicuously by his side until today.

Upon hearing that he was in fact a mover, Zhao Liying felt a small thrill of excitement.

She had just moved herself, previously living even beyond the sixth ring.

After chatting for a while, Chen Pingsheng learned that the girl was actually an actress.

One of those whose names you never hear of, which meant she hadn't been very successful.

That's normal; if an actor were doing well, why would they ever move to a place like theirs?

Chen Pingsheng was not one for pomp and circumstance; he was always sincere with others.

And straightforward when he spoke.

"I have to say, miss, I didn't expect you to be an actress. Well, you'll have to give me an autograph later so that if you become a big star in the future, I can brag about it as my claim to fame."

Zhao Liying smiled so sweetly; her lifelong dream had been to become an actress.

Seeing her with such an optimistic expression, it was hard to imagine she had been an extra for four years."

In other words, they had spent four years without any hope.

The future was unclear, shrouded in uncertainty.

The two hit it off as they chatted, both dream chasers fallen from grace in this big city.

But business still had to continue; Zhao Liying had lived too far away before, it took more than four hours to commute.

That was not the main issue; the key point was that she lived on the sixth floor with no elevator.

The furniture inside was all accumulated by her over the years, representing the prime of her four years drifting in Capital City.

It also represented her four years of struggle in the entertainment industry.

Chen Pingsheng needed to move all of these downstairs, and he offered her a discounted price of a thousand yuan.

It was a job meant for two, but he could handle it alone.

As long as it meant earning more money, what Chen Pingsheng feared least was hard work.

Not earning money was the real hardship.

"Mr. Chen, shouldn't you find someone else to help?"

Having arrived at her place, Zhao Liying opened the door and was still worried he wouldn't manage on his own, even with her added to the effort.

After all, there was quite a lot of stuff.

Having finally got a job that paid a thousand, how could Chen Pingsheng call someone else? Wouldn't that just be giving away money for no good reason?

"It's okay, I can handle this amount of stuff on my own."

Chen Pingsheng grabbed a moving strap and secured the small sofa first, then carried it downstairs step by step.

If he encountered someone on the way, he made sure to move aside.

In this chilling weather, breaking into a sweat was an oddly refreshing experience.

Making money is never without fatigue.

Zhao Liying helped out as well, but after all, she was a woman and couldn't manage the heavier tasks, so she took care of the lighter items.

After seven or eight trips up and down.

They finally managed to move all the things from the room.

Outside, a heavy rain was still pouring, and Chen Pingsheng carefully covered the furniture with a tarp to keep them from getting wet.

He tried his best to avoid the rain.

He put on a raincoat for himself, and Zhao Liying wore a black one; his tricycle was larger than average, and though noisy, it was manageable on the streets.

Other than the noise, all was well.

The two sat at the front and drove home rumbling along.

They didn't get home until three in the afternoon, and Chen An'an was still locked inside her room.

Hearing someone unlocking the door, she ran over joyfully; she had fixed herself a bowl of noodles for lunch without much oil and boiled an egg.

Knowing her father had returned, she immediately turned off the TV, which was playing her favorite show, Teletubbies.

Then she swiftly arranged her homework on the table, waiting eagerly behind the door.

"Little Ying, this is my home, and you are our neighbor."

As it happened, the room Zhao Liying rented was the one next to theirs that had been vacant for almost three months.

It was also a one-bedroom, one-living room apartment.

Chen Pingsheng brought her over to recognize the place; after all, in the countryside, the relationship between neighbors wasn't as indifferent as in the city.

Some city dwellers live decades without knowing their neighbors' names.

Such a scenario was utterly unheard of in the countryside.

After moving the furniture, Chen Pingsheng brought her over to formally meet.

"Big brother, is this your child? She's really cute."

Chen An'an had her hair tied into a tiny ponytail and had a bit of baby fat with chubby cheeks.

Anyone would say she was super cute.

"Hello, aunty."

Chen An'an's eyes crinkled with her smile. She was quite adept at greeting strangers, not shy in the slightest.

Of course, if her parents weren't present, she would never talk to a stranger.

Zhao Liying took an instant liking to the little cutie.

Chen Pingsheng hadn't eaten all day after doing physical work all morning, and by now, he was really hungry.

He quickly fried a couple of dishes in the kitchen and made a fragrant egg-fried rice with the rice already cooked that morning.

Life was simple.

Since Zhao Liying had just met them, she naturally felt uncomfortable staying for dinner.

Laughing, she said, "Mr. Chen, I really can't thank you enough for today. You have Alipay, right? I'll send the thousand yuan to you."

Of course, he did.

Chen Pingsheng presented his payment code for her to scan.

A "ding" sounded, and a thousand yuan was credited to his account.

[Today's earnings: one thousand yuan]

[Would you like to activate the random multiplier lottery now?]

Once again, a line of golden text appeared in his mind.

Chen Pingsheng was excited; he couldn't wait to see the effect of the Golden Finger.

"Activate."

Two golden dice appeared, bearing only the numbers one to five, without a six.

Chen Pingsheng shouted for it to stop.

The die on the left showed a three, and on the right, the smallest number one, adding up to four.

[Congratulations, Host. You have obtained a random quadruple rate.]

[Four thousand yuan has been credited to your Alipay account, with a balance of four thousand five hundred yuan.]

Tsk... Chen Pingsheng was so excited he nearly jumped three meters in the air.

The Golden Finger was too powerful. With it, would buying a house or raising a child ever be a problem again?


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