Parents' Smiles

Night.

After evening self-study, Tang Jian was stopped by Sun Yiying, who handed him a White Card.

Seeing the string of "$$$$" symbols on the card, Tang Jian's heart skipped a beat, and delight appeared on his face.

It was a white-quality Bank Card, made and issued by the Federal Bank. Its production technology was confidential, making it impossible for ordinary people to counterfeit.

The "$" card pattern seemed to contain a peculiar magic. Even if someone could engrave a similar shape, it would lack the proper essence, would not be recognized by the Star of Glory, and thus could not become a truly usable card.

In a sense, Bank Cards possessed one characteristic of rare cards: they were difficult to produce artificially.

However, these cards were actually easy to obtain and could not be considered rare. One only needed to deposit more than five thousand Federal Currency at a bank to apply for one.

With this card, one could deposit and withdraw money at the bank.

"You money grubber. There are twenty-five thousand Federal Currency in here. You can use it at any store in the Federation with a card reader." Sun Yiying glanced at Tang Jian and smiled.

"Teacher thinks highly of you, but you aren't the only one at our school who has learned a cultivation technique. Several students from wealthy families in the Rocket Class have learned them too. Their card energy is far stronger than yours. If you can catch up to them by the college entrance exam, Teacher will have another reward for you."

Tang Jian gave a bitter smile. "Teacher Sun, the strongest two in the Rocket Class supposedly have card energy above one hundred. The gap is too huge. I can't catch up."

I could catch up, but if I really did, wouldn't that be too shocking?

Sun Yiying rolled her eyes at Tang Jian. "No ambition. I think highly of you, but whether you can earn the reward I've prepared is up to you."

Tang Jian chuckled foolishly. "Teacher Sun, can you tell me what the reward is first?"

Tang Jian liked to weigh the pros and cons before deciding whether to take a risk.

The corners of Sun Yiying's lips lifted. "If you can really catch up to them, you'll have a chance of getting into a prestigious university. The school will give me a generous bonus then, and I can give you thirty percent of it."

Tang Jian felt his blood surge through his body. He was almost excited to death, yet his expression was even more stunned.

Sun Yiying thought that highly of him?

"It's late. Go home." Sun Yiying waved her hand, turned around, and left in her fluttering little black dress.

Tang Jian watched Sun Yiying's departing figure, his brows knitting slightly. After thinking for a moment, he slung on his backpack and headed toward Yang Mao and the others, who were waiting for him by the stairwell.

Sun Yiying thought so highly of him. Was she merely saying it to encourage him, or had she truly noticed something in him?

Could it be that after being reborn, he naturally possessed the aura of a protagonist? That he stood out wherever he went?

Tang Jian could not figure it out. When he reached the school gate, he saw his father, Tang Lin, already waiting there with a glowing face.

"Xiao Jian, Teacher Sun called me today and said you joined the advanced training class she organized? And you even got a five-thousand-dollar bonus?"

"I never imagined my son would have such promise one day. Heaven has truly opened its eyes!"

Tang Jian was speechless.

What did he mean, heaven had opened its eyes?

Looking at Tang Lin's flushed, excited face and the pride in his expression, all of Tang Jian's frustration vanished, replaced by emotion and happiness.

No matter what, if he could make his father feel this proud and happy, then everything was worth it.

In his previous life, only when he became a card master had he changed his parents' fate, allowing them to rise slightly from the lowest rung of society.

But by then, his parents had worked for so long that their health had greatly deteriorated, and they had contracted serious illnesses.

Even after Tang Jian became a card master, he had only been the lowest-ranked kind. There were simply too many places where money was needed, so his parents had not enjoyed much comfort.

In this life, being able to make his parents smile early and hold their heads high made Tang Jian extremely happy as well.

He resolved that he had to grow stronger as soon as possible and let his parents and younger sister live good lives.

On the way home, Tang Lin chattered nonstop. He tried to put on a stern front and warn Tang Jian not to become arrogant over a little success, but pride and excitement kept slipping into his voice, leaving Tang Jian rather helpless.

Once they got home, his mother, Chen Lianrong, naturally pulled him aside for a round of questioning.

When Tang Jian took out the Bank Card, both of his parents revealed proud smiles.

His younger sister, Tang Yueyue, had not gone to sleep either and was happy along with them.

"Brother, I never expected even you could become so promising. In novels, this is called a worthless loser making a comeback."

Tang Yueyue praised him without a filter.

Tang Jian's face darkened. He pinched Tang Yueyue's cheek. "Watch how you talk. Is your brother a worthless loser?"

Chen Lianrong also scolded Tang Yueyue unhappily. "I told you to read fewer novels all day. Now you don't even know how to speak properly? Look how impressive your brother is. His teacher said he can definitely join the Rocket Class's sprint program. Let's see whether you can get into the Rocket Class in high school."

Tang Yueyue pouted, her eyes moistening as she nearly burst into tears from grievance.

"Alright, Mom. Yueyue was joking. By the way, why don't you take the bonus money in this card and use it first?" Tang Jian quickly changed the subject.

Tang Lin's expression turned serious. He pushed away the Bank Card Tang Jian offered him and said solemnly, "I already spoke with Teacher Sun from your class today. Keep the money in the card for yourself. It's only five thousand dollars, and you can decide how to spend it. Eat well, drink well, and buy some review materials."

Tang Jian was stunned. He had not expected Sun Yiying to omit the fact that the card held twenty-five thousand Federal Currency. It seemed she trusted him greatly.

But it made sense.

If she had said she gave him twenty-five thousand Federal Currency, his parents might have found it difficult to accept. It might even expose the secret of the Three-Point-One-Line Technique.

"Brother, you got five thousand dollars. Why don't you give me five hundred? My high school entrance exam is coming up too, so I need to eat and drink well."

The moment Tang Yueyue heard about the money, she was no longer upset. She stared at Tang Jian.

"Stop fooling around."

Chen Lianrong glared at Tang Yueyue, then took five dollars from her pocket and handed it to her. "You're still young, so use small money. The bonus your brother earned is for preparing for his college entrance exam. Don't set your sights on it."

Tang Yueyue pursed her lips, but she still quickly took the five dollars. Then she immediately smiled and went upstairs.

"Mom, Dad, I still need to make cards and cultivate. I'm heading upstairs first." Seeing that there was nothing else to discuss, Tang Jian grabbed his backpack.

"Go on, go on." Tang Lin hurriedly urged him. "Take care of yourself. Don't work too hard."

"Alright."

"Yueyue, your brother needs to study. Don't disturb him upstairs," Chen Lianrong called out as a reminder.

Tang Yueyue lay on her bed as if sulking and huffed, "Got it!" Maybe I really wasn't born to this family!

Tang Jian went upstairs with a smile. He glanced at Tang Yueyue's tightly shut door, shook his head, and entered his own room.

Now that he had shown a little talent as a card cultivator, his parents' attitudes had begun to change.

He had experienced this change after becoming a card master in his previous life, but feeling it again in this life still filled him with emotion.

This showed just how exalted the status of card cultivators was in this world.

After returning to his room, Tang Jian first took fifteen One-Star Blank Energy Cards from his backpack.

He had bought all fifteen cards during dinner with the money his parents had given him.

Making cards himself took time.

But buying cards was far more convenient.

Now that he was about to join the Rocket Class's sprint program, Tang Jian was willing to spend heavily to increase his strength as quickly as possible.