Many children bring happiness, a shameless start

When Lip returned home, he noticed that sweat had completely soaked through his clothes, pants, and socks. He smelled as though he'd just crawled out of a sewer.

Without hesitation, he made his way to the bathroom for a thorough shower.

The hot water washed over his body, cleansing the grime. The warmth spread from his skin into his capillaries, making his blood flow faster, and every cell in his body seemed to come alive. His blood and energy flowed freely, relaxing his body and mind.

Just as he let out a deep breath, a familiar, gentle female voice suddenly echoed in his mind:

[Dear host, you still have a top-level lottery ticket that you haven't used. Would you like to use it now?]

Lip paused, remembering the lottery ticket he'd received from the system. He had completely forgotten about it after being so caught up in his "unswerving loyalty".

But now that he remembered, he couldn't resist the temptation.

"Yes!" he answered, eager to see what his luck would bring.

[Congratulations to the host for obtaining Bruce Lee's peak martial arts inheritance.]

"Whoa!" Lip exclaimed inwardly. He could hardly believe his luck. To win the martial arts inheritance of his idol, Bruce Lee, was beyond anything he had expected!

The system had gifted him not just martial arts moves, but a full repertoire of skills and practical knowledge, all in an instant. It was like watching a movie in his mind, and Lip couldn't help but try out a few moves, practicing them in his head as he stood in the shower.

Half an hour later, Lip emerged from the bathroom, his head held high and a confident smile on his face. Carl, who was in the middle of peeing, froze when he saw Lip.

"What the...?" Carl muttered to himself, clearly taken aback. "Why do I feel like Lip suddenly looks taller... and there's something... dangerous about him now?"

Carl shrugged it off, muttering that he must still be half-asleep, and went back to his room.

Lip didn't think much of it and continued getting dressed. As he put on his clothes, he caught a glimpse of Carl's surprised expression.

"Wow," Carl commented, unable to hide his shock. "I can't believe how different you look."

Lip just smiled and gave Carl a friendly pat on the head before heading downstairs.

Feeling great, Lip started preparing breakfast for the family.

The sound of Fiona's loud yawn echoed through the house as she made her way downstairs, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

"Are you... Lip?" she asked, blinking to focus.

Lip rolled his eyes playfully. "Who else would it be?"

Fiona's eyes widened as she took in his new appearance. "Wait... you've gotten taller! And... you're way more handsome. What happened?"

Lip chuckled at Fiona's excitement, feeling a warm glow inside. "Well, you know, I'm going through adolescence. Growth spurts like this can happen overnight. It's kind of like 'women's transformation,' you know?"

Fiona nodded thoughtfully, seemingly convinced by his explanation.

"Oh, right," Lip said, pulling a fifty-dollar bill from his pocket and handing it to her. "Here's my earnings from tutoring yesterday. Use it for the weekend, and I might bring someone over to the house."

"A girl?" Fiona asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah," Lip confirmed with a grin.

"Wow, so many?" Fiona teased, flicking the money before looking at Lip with a smile. "Well, I'll make sure we have plenty of food. But first, I'm going to get you some shoes that actually fit."

Lip smiled warmly at her. "Don't worry about it. I've got some pocket money. I can handle it."

"Alright, I trust you," Fiona said, beaming with a proud smile before pulling Lip into a hug.

She turned and headed upstairs to get ready while Lip continued to cook.

"Knock, knock." There was a sudden knock on the back door.

Lip raised an eyebrow and opened the door to find Steve standing there.

"Hey, Philip!" Steve greeted, raising a hand.

Lip nodded, acknowledging him. "Hey."

"You not going to school today?" Steve asked, looking a little confused.

Lip shrugged. "I am. But my tooth's bothering me, so I might head to the doctor after school."

"Wisdom tooth?" Steve asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nah, I think it's just a cavity," Lip replied, flipping bacon in the pan. "Families like ours usually have to eat cheap, sugary food, so tooth decay is pretty common."

Steve leaned in, looking excited. "Let me share a little-known fact with you—don't chew on just one side of your mouth, because it'll mess up your jaw, and eventually, even your posture and your... well, your butt!"

"Really?" Lip raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Yep! Proven by osteological research," Steve said with a grin.

"I didn't know you were such a medical expert!" Lip teased, giving Steve a playful wink.

Steve froze, feeling like Lip had seen right through him. His heart skipped a beat. He had said too much.

"Uh..." Steve stammered, clearly trying to recover. "I just... wanted to share some knowledge."

"No worries," Lip replied with a grin. "I don't really get it, but I think you're a good guy. Want some breakfast?"

"I'll take a plate," Steve said, relieved.

Not long after, the rest of the Gallagher family came downstairs, and the six of them, along with Steve, sat around the dining table. Carl and Debbie were full of questions for Lip, and Steve answered each one with humor and patience.

After breakfast, Lip grabbed his bag and headed out to school. Before leaving, he borrowed a pair of scissors from Carl, a strange but necessary item for his day.

As he neared the school, he saw a group of notorious gangsters gathered around someone outside the school gate. A crowd had gathered around, watching. Lip's curiosity piqued.