NOVEL NEXT Chapter 19: Chapter 19
Lip bought a lot of food, but when he got home, he discovered something unusual:
It was almost 9 a.m., and no one had gotten up yet.
Even though it was the weekend, this was highly unusual!
"Fiona? Fiona…?" Lip called out several times, but there was no answer.
"What's going on here?" Lip wondered as he headed upstairs to his room.
"Ah~ Lip, you're back!" Karl yawned as he emerged from his room.
"What happened yesterday?" Lip asked, still puzzled.
"When I came home from school yesterday, I saw Steve—he'd stayed over the night before—and Fiona were pulling each other around." Karl continued nonchalantly, "Steve brought a bunch of delicious food and drinks, so we ended up having a little party."
"Ah, I missed that, huh?" Lip chuckled.
"Yeah, it was a shame you weren't here," Karl shrugged. "Fiona asked Steve to stay overnight, though I didn't really pay attention to that part."
"You foodie!" Lip playfully ruffled Karl's hair.
"Steve hung out for a while, then took a call and left," Ian added, walking in.
"Oh, I see," Lip nodded. "That makes sense."
Lip handed Karl and Ian each $10.
"Wow, Lip! You're rich!" Karl exclaimed.
"Well, I made a little money," Lip smiled.
"If you're willing to come out with me now, maybe you can make a few hundred bucks," Lip teased.
"I'll do it right now!" Karl sprang out of bed excitedly but bumped his head on the frame. "Ouch~"
"Hahahaha~!" Lip and Ian both laughed.
"I'm dressed! Let's go!" Karl jumped up.
"Don't rush. I'll make breakfast first, so we can all eat together," Lip said, smiling at his little brother. Karl was always so cute. "Go wake everyone up, okay?"
"Got it!" Karl rushed out of the room, shouting, "Fiona!" as he ran.
After about ten minutes, Lip finished making breakfast. Fiona, Ian, Karl, and Debbie, who was holding Liam, gathered around the dining table.
As Lip placed fried steak, fried cod, grilled hot dogs, vegetable and fruit salad, milk, and bread on the table, everyone stared in awe.
"Lip, where did you get the money to buy all this?" Fiona asked, surprised but also a little serious. "You're not selling flour, are you?"
"I think Lip might've robbed a bank," Karl joked, making a pistol gesture with his hands.
"I still think Lip's being kept by some rich woman," Ian grinned, stuffing an orange into his mouth.
"Maybe it's the female teacher?" Debbie teased, adding to the fun.
"Eeeeeeeeeeah~!" Liam also chimed in, his little voice adding to the playful atmosphere.
"Alright, enough with the jokes!" Lip laughed. "I've been teaching a few people some stuff lately and made a little money."
"Teaching? What are you teaching?" Fiona asked, still puzzled.
"Of course, I'm teaching them how to solve problems!" Lip grinned.
"Tsk~" Everyone laughed in unison.
"Bang~" Lip slammed a stack of money onto the table.
"Fiona, this is $500. Count it carefully."
"What?!" Fiona grabbed the banknotes, eyes wide, and started counting.
After a moment, she looked up at her younger siblings and raised her hands in triumph. "Long live Lip! It's really $500!"
"Mua~" Fiona hugged Lip tightly, a sigh of relief escaping her.
"Hey, don't get too excited. There's only $150 for you," Lip teased.
"Eh?!" Fiona looked at him in confusion.
"The $150 is for you to use however you want. You haven't bought new clothes or shoes in two years," Lip said with a smile. "The remaining $350 is for the family's living expenses. You can manage it however you like."
"But I'd like to make sure Ian, Debbie, and Karl eat better in the future. They're still growing, and I don't want them to be too short!" Lip added with a grin.
"And also, please don't make us live in an ice cave like we did a few days ago," Lip continued with a playful tone.
"You should also think about falling in love, don't forget about yourself for us," Lip said warmly.
Fiona's eyes immediately filled with tears as she fanned her face with the money. "Oh, my goodness! Why am I crying? Happiness comes so suddenly!"
Lip watched Fiona, feeling a warmth in his heart. Sister, he thought, the change has just begun. When I make up for the regrets of you and the older brother-in-law, you'll be so happy.
Fiona rushed to hug Lip again. "Thank you, Lip!"
Ian, Karl, and Debbie followed suit, all gathering around Lip for a big group hug.
Lip opened his arms and embraced them all. "We're family. Don't be so polite," he said, his voice a little thick with emotion. "As long as we stick together and stay friendly, the future will definitely get better."
"Okay, okay, eat quickly, or it'll get cold! I worked hard to make this!" Lip said with a laugh.
The family returned to their seats and started eating.
Lip took a small piece of steak, chewing it slowly and savoring the moment.
After finishing the meal, Lip made an excuse to head out with Ian, Karl, and Debbie.