The Lin family's little boy returns to being eight years old, taking his family to new heights.

Li Xinxin stepped forward and said, "Hello, I'm Ju Zi."

The girl's eyes lit up with surprise as she stretched out her small hand, stained with ink. "Orange, hello. My real name is Lin Xi. I'm so happy to meet you. It feels like meeting a pen pal."

"My name is Li Xinxin. I didn't expect you to be so young and so cute."

"Grandma, could you please pour my sister a glass of water? Let's go inside and talk."

Although it was the first time Lin Xi had met this person, she felt a strange sense of familiarity for some reason, perhaps because they had communicated many times before through manuscripts.

Upon entering the bedroom, Li Xinxin saw the table full of books and manuscripts and immediately became certain that this little girl was definitely a kindred spirit.

Lin Xi tidied up the messy papers on the table, and Li Xinxin asked curiously, "Are you writing our manuscript?"

"Haha, no, it was written for an essay."

"Oh? So it will be published later? Luckily I came early, otherwise what if another publisher snatched it up?"

"Hahaha, it's fate, I'm destined to be tied to you all."

"I was right to recognize its value."

……

Although the two had never met before, they chatted like old friends who had known each other for many years. Despite their huge age difference, there was no generation gap between them. They chatted enthusiastically and didn't even notice when Grandma Lin came in to bring water.

"Xiao Xi, it's really cold here. The first thing I did this morning was to go out and buy a thick coat."

"Do you know what we like to do most in winter?"

"what?"

"Having a snowball fight in the snow, eating popsicles in the cold wind, and a little kid sticking his tongue out to lick the door, only to have his tongue stick right to the door..."

"Haha, this sounds both strange and interesting. Do you know what we Southerners like to do most?"

While the two were chatting happily, Lin Guiying had already prepared a meal, setting the standard for entertaining distinguished guests: pork stew, stir-fried pork slices, sweet and sour pork, and stewed goose, the goose of which was freshly bought from someone else...

Before Grandma Lin could call her, Li Xinxin was lured out of the house by the aroma. When she saw the table laden with dishes, she couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

"My goodness, so much food, such a huge bowl, can we finish it all? Xiaoxi, how many people are in your family?!"

"Haha, my dad and grandpa went out to set up a stall. There weren't many people, but there was no waste. If we couldn't finish it, we could eat it again at the next meal."

This is our local custom; when guests come, we prepare lots of dishes, and regardless of whether they taste good or not, we make sure everyone is full.

After everyone sat down, Li Xinxin picked up her water glass and said to Lin Guiying, "Auntie, thank you so much for preparing such a delicious meal for me today. I'm so grateful."

After saying that, she drank it all in one gulp. Everyone could see that although the girl was dressed in rich clothes, she was cheerful and unpretentious.

Lin Guiying couldn't stop smiling. She liked this girl very much; their personalities were compatible. She picked up the serving chopsticks and kept putting food on her plate.

This rule was taught to her by her granddaughter: when guests come, don't use your own chopsticks to serve them food. She thought it made no mistake; it's always good to be hygienic. Who knows if people will find her, an old lady, distasteful?

Li Xinxin was surprised again. Are people in rural areas now paying so much attention to table manners? And there are even serving chopsticks?

When she tasted the food, all she could think was: "Oh my god, how can this dark-colored dish taste so good? Did she have some misunderstanding about Northeastern cuisine before?"

It lacks elaborate plating and colorful garnishes, but the flavors are incredibly rich and delicious.

What should I do? She wants to have another bowl. Is it inappropriate? It's her first time here, and she's already eating so much. Will she be looked down upon?

Before she could finish her dilemma, the boy took her rice bowl and filled it with rice, a full bowl overflowing with rice.

This little boy is so kind!

Ahhh! It smells so good, I can't stop eating it, oh well, let's just destroy it!

Seeing that Li Xinxin was eating with great relish and had a large appetite, Lin Guiying was even happier and specially brought her a plate to serve her some food.

Lin Xi hadn't expected that Ju Zi, who looked so thin and small, could eat so much, almost as much as a man.

After finishing her meal, Li Xinxin smiled sheepishly, "Haha, did I eat too much?"

"To be honest, you have a big appetite, but didn't you see how happy my grandma was? She likes you just the way you are; the more you eat, the happier she is."

"Huh? Why? My brother always says I have no manners when I eat."

"It's a matter of different customs. If guests eat a lot, it means they are satisfied with the food, and they treat us like family. Also, the louder they eat, the better."

"Really? It's completely different from where we live..."

The two chatted from noon until nightfall without realizing it.

When Lin Dayuan and his son returned from packing up their stall, they looked at Lin Xi's bedroom with puzzled expressions, then turned to Lin Guiying and asked, "Who is that person in the room?"

"God of Wealth, the one who pays 500 for a thousand words."

The two immediately covered their mouths, trying to recall if they had said anything they shouldn't have.

After dinner was ready, Li Xinxin looked at the two extra men and slapped her forehead. "My God! What have I done all day? I haven't accomplished a single important task!"

Lin Xi chuckled and pulled her to sit down. "Eating is the important thing. Let's talk about it after we finish eating."

The moment Li Xinxin started eating, she forgot all about her business again.

Her brother could never have imagined that his sister was eating and drinking so heartily at someone else's house, completely unlike the proper lady from a scholarly family.

After a hearty meal, it was so dark outside that you couldn't see the road.

Li Xinxin then pulled out a stack of documents, changed the price from 500 per thousand words to 800 per thousand words, signed her name in a flourish, and handed them to Lin Xi.

"Eight hundred for a thousand words? That's a lot? Wasn't it supposed to be five hundred? Why was it changed?"

Lin Dayuan, who was standing nearby, quickly grabbed his father's chin, as it wouldn't be good to be slapped in front of outsiders. He also grabbed his own chin.

"To be honest, my brother doesn't believe you're only nine years old. He insisted that I come and verify it. If it's true, he wants me to compensate you."

“I understand. There’s no need for compensation. Let’s just stick to what we did before.”

"No, it's good to earn more money."

"Ju Zi, I hope that every penny I earn from writing comes from my own abilities."

Looking at the little girl with incredibly clear eyes, Li Xinxin felt somewhat ashamed of herself.

"Xiao Xi, this is what you deserve. I'm not without my own selfish motives either. This contract is like binding you to the wall. I won't feel at ease until you sign it."

This is my investment. I hope you will go even further in the future, and I hope you will always shine on our platform.

In truth, you're the one who lost out, considering your future value is immeasurable.

Li Xinxin really thought so. Despite her carefree attitude, she was very capable when it came to work. She became the vice president through her own abilities.

"Okay, I'll sign then. Don't worry, I really trust your platform. Who knows how far you two will go?"

Seeing that Lin Xi had signed, Li Xinxin finally felt relieved and handed the document to Lin Dayuan. Lin Dayuan held his right wrist with his left hand and signed his name with trembling hands.

A thousand words cost eight hundred! One word is worth as much as he sells a bowl of spicy hot pot.

After signing the contract, both parties were very satisfied and felt they had gotten a great deal.

It was getting late, and there were no cars in the village, so Li Xinxin and Lin Xi slept in the same room.