Computer, oh computer

The cousin her father mentioned was the son of Second Uncle Lin Jiahua—Lin Bing and Lin Guo. Lin Xia’s father had eight siblings; Lin Jiagui was the seventh in line, the fourth among four brothers. The eldest was Lin Jiarong, the second was Lin Jiahua, the third was Lin Jiafu, and the fourth, Lin Xia’s father, Lin Jiagui. Together, their names formed “Glory, Prosperity, Wealth, and Honor.”

The Lin family had tilled the land for generations, and their hometown bore a resplendent name—Golden Village. Yet, despite the name, their livelihood depended on farming, and their days were far from luxurious. When Lin Jiagui was young, it was a time of abundance, and so Lin Xia’s grandmother bore eight children—“Glory, Prosperity, Wealth, and Honor.”

In the Lin family, sons were valued far above daughters. After Lin Xia was born, her grandfather didn't care much for this granddaughter, and so she went nameless until she was two years old. Lin Xia’s mother, uneducated but pragmatic, simply combined her husband’s surname with her own—Lin Xia. Later, when Lin Hui was born, her grandfather eagerly arrived, bestowing a slew of grand names like "Lin Yaozu" and "Lin Guangzong." But Lin Xia’s mother had her own principles: son or daughter, both were flesh and blood. With a decisive gesture, she named her son Lin Hui.

Of course, this was something Lin Xia’s mother revealed to her later. It was fortunate that her grandparents passed away when Lin Xia was still young, otherwise she might not have shown them much affection. After all, what was wrong with being a daughter? Daughters could hold up half the sky!

After Lin Jiagui called his second uncle’s eldest son, Lin Bing, the whole Lin family realized that the fortunes of the fourth branch had changed—Lin Jiagui’s family had become the pride of the clan. All of this stemmed from having a remarkable daughter. At such a young age, she earned more than the adults did in a lifetime. They couldn't help but wonder why other people's children were so capable, while their own seemed lacking.

The boys in the family were already thirteen or fourteen, yet none were as accomplished as Lin Xia. Of course, doubts aside, business had to be handled. When Lin Bing received his fourth uncle’s call, he naturally took care to help with house hunting, and his impression of Lin Xia changed considerably. He and his wife’s annual income barely reached half a million, while their young cousin could earn several million alone—an embarrassment for the adults.

The Lin family had produced a remarkable figure in the previous life: Second Uncle Lin Jiahua’s eldest son, Lin Bing. Back then, while Lin Xia was still in high school, he had purchased a 100-square-meter apartment in the precious real estate of Shenzhen. The Lin Jiahua family had struggled more than Lin Xia’s, scraping together funds to support two sons through school. Eventually, the eldest son lived up to expectations and made a name for himself; the younger son was admitted to the Computer Science department at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in W City, and after graduation, landed a coveted job at Huawei in Shenzhen.

Before Lin Xia was reborn, the greatest pride of the Lin family was Second Uncle’s two sons. In that small town, the average annual income was barely ten or twenty thousand, and few could save money. So Second Uncle’s sons were figures to be admired. It was for this reason that Lin Jiagui placed such importance on his daughter’s education, hoping his children could make their own way in the world. Unfortunately, until Lin Xia’s rebirth, she had only disappointed her parents. But, thankfully, this new life was just beginning—everything was still possible.

Turning the pages of the family album, Lin Xia felt a warmth inside. No matter what, she would ensure her parents lived well. As she looked toward the future, the phone rang. Lin Xia picked up, and Sister Meow’s sly voice came through the receiver: “Xiao Lin, where’s this month’s manuscript?”

Lin Xia played innocent, gazing upward. “Sister Meow, didn’t I submit one already?”

“I’m talking about the manuscript for the latter half of the month. You only sent one this month, hmm?”

“I understand, I’ll write it right away!”

“Hmph, you’d better hurry. Only a week left.” Meow sounded displeased. “You used to be diligent, but now you’re dragging your feet. Let me tell you, competition in this field is fierce. Writers born in the ’80s and ’90s are emerging everywhere. If you don’t push yourself, you’ll be left behind!”

“Yes, yes, Sister Meow, I promise I’ll submit it tomorrow, absolutely…”

“Hmph, I know your family is busy house hunting. Fine, I’ll give you an extra day, but I must see your manuscript the day after tomorrow. Don’t miss a word.”

“Okay, Sister Meow, love you the most, mwah~”

“You shameless thing, always so sweet-talking. Anyway, I have business to attend to, hanging up now!”

“Mm, bye-bye, Sister Meow.”

After hanging up, Lin Xia let out a sigh, closed the photo album, took a deep breath, steadied herself, and resignedly began writing by hand.

Oh computer, when will the family finally buy a computer? Thinking of the latest Dell laptop she had in her previous life, Lin Xia was deeply frustrated…

Handwriting was simply unbearable, truly unbearable!