Chapter 22: The Manuscript Payment Arrives, Delighting Nan Li

"Hurry, hurry! It's only a few minutes until ten o'clock."

In the study, Nan Li shooed Zhou Chen out of his chair and sat down herself, her eyes locked intently on the laptop screen. Ever since Zhou Chen told her a few days ago that his royalties for the previous month might hit over 300,000, she had been in a state of constant excitement.

It was no wonder. Although Nan Li was currently an acting director—considered high-level management within the group—her monthly salary was just over 30,000. That was a figure she had only achieved after more than a decade of hard work. To suddenly hear that her husband, writing a novel for the first time, could earn over 300,000 in royalties in his first month of publication—how could she not be thrilled?

This excitement had lasted for several days, during which Zhou Chen had truly been experiencing the "pain and pleasure" of it all. It wasn't for any other reason than the fact that Nan Li’s excitement manifested as physical stamina at night. She hadn't let him rest for a single day, leaving him exhausted to the point where he had been showing up to work with dark circles under his eyes, his spirit flagging.

Nan Li, on the other hand, had become increasingly radiant, walking with a spring in her step. She had even managed to completely crush Tian Yulan in several work-related confrontations. There was a saying: "Only a worn-out ox exists; there is no such thing as a plowed-out field." This was truly a piece of timeless wisdom. It was the first time Zhou Chen had regretted not putting his attribute points into physical constitution; otherwise... well, it was hard to say.

"Husband, is it really going to be over 300,000?" Nan Li asked again, refreshing the author dashboard while seeking confirmation.

Zhou Chen replied with a helpless smile, "It's real. I was being conservative with my estimate—it'll only be more, not less. Don't worry."

Although his novel hadn't been published at the beginning of the month, it had been live for over twenty days, during which he had updated more than 600,000 words. During this time, he had done nothing but work and write. The household chores were handled by Nan Li and Mi Tao’s mother, and even Huanhuan and Chaochao were Nan Li’s responsibility; the most he did was bathe with Chaochao.

When it first launched, he had over 10,000 initial subscriptions. By the end of the month, thanks to his frantic update schedule, he had broken into the top five of the bestseller list, holding steady. His average subscriptions had reached an astonishing 30,000—even on the Qiyue website, he was among the fastest-growing authors.

Naturally, this led to a surge in royalties. In the first month, he had made over 10,000 just from reader tips, and based on his own calculations for the previous month, he would receive at least 300,000. It exceeded his own expectations, and this was just the beginning; the royalties for May would likely be even more staggering.

Receiving the confirmation, Nan Li’s smile widened. If it were true, it would be equivalent to nearly a year of her salary. But her happiness didn't stop there. Beyond the royalties, the Bitcoin investment they had made was also performing well. With a principal of 900,000, they had already earned 300,000, and Zhou Chen had said it would continue to rise, potentially even doubling. They were just an ordinary family—what could make them happier than earning money?

Nan Li kept refreshing the page, muttering to herself, which made Zhou Chen smile bitterly. Looking at her like this, who would guess she was a group executive? She was no different from a little girl—both funny and adorable.

"Ah! It's out!"

Nan Li suddenly let out a shriek that startled Zhou Chen, then she stared at the screen. "One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, hundred thousand!"

"Ah!" Nan Li jumped up from the chair, grabbed Zhou Chen’s shoulders, and shouted excitedly, "Husband, husband! Over 400,000! Over 400,000! You are just too amazing..."

"Mwah! Mwah!"

Zhou Chen’s arms were sore from her grip, but he was equally surprised. His previous estimate of 300,000 had indeed been too conservative. Reaching over 400,000 was faster than making money from Bitcoin.

"Alright, enough with the excitement. It’s just over 400,000. This is only the beginning; there will be plenty of days to celebrate in the future."

Nan Li gave him a charming, provocative glance before staring at the screen again. "Husband, when will this royalty be paid out?"

"The twelfth."

"That’s still over a week away."

"What’s the rush? It’s not going anywhere."

"Husband, we have to celebrate today! Congrats to my husband for making the big money!"

Nan Li was genuinely happy. Ever since she had thought about improving their family's living conditions, she had been planning ahead. Now, seeing how profitable Zhou Chen’s writing was, she naturally began to envision their future. As long as they worked hard enough, they would certainly be able to provide Huanhuan and Chaochao with a good life.

"Alright, no problem. Didn't Huanhuan say she wanted to go to the Fairy Tale Restaurant? We’ll go there today, and tomorrow we’ll go to the amusement park for a full day of fun."

"I’m going to go tell Huanhuan and Chaochao. They’ll be thrilled when they hear."

Watching Nan Li hop out of the study like a little girl, Zhou Chen’s face was filled with a happy smile. He had now fully integrated into this family as a husband and a father of two.

"Daddy, Daddy!"

Before long, Huanhuan came rushing over, beaming. "Daddy, Mommy said you made a lot of money and are taking us to the Fairy Tale Restaurant and the amusement park. Is that true?"

"That’s right. Do you want to go?"

"Yes, I do!"

"Chaochao wants to go too!" Little Chaochao came toddling over.

"Alright, we’re all going. Mommy and Daddy are taking Huanhuan and Chaochao together."

"Daddy, I also want to buy a doll."

"Fine, we'll buy one."

"Daddy, I want a lollipop."

"Fine..."

"Fine what? No more lollipops. You’ll ruin your teeth."

"Can't help it, honey. Mommy says no, so Daddy doesn't dare buy it."

"Okay..."

The family of four changed clothes and prepared to head out. After the meal, Huanhuan would have to come back for her lessons. She had tutoring sessions on Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings, and Chen Xiaoqin would arrive right on time.

Over the past ten days or so, Zhou Chen had gotten to know Chen Xiaoqin a bit. She was indeed a very honest girl, never late or leaving early, and she was very diligent during class. Once, Zhou Chen saw her notes—they were densely packed and incredibly detailed.

Chen Xiaoqin was also very patient. Huanhuan had a poor foundation, and she always started from the basics without ever losing her temper. Although she was a bit reserved, she got along very well with Huanhuan. Huanhuan, who used to hate tutoring, hadn't shown any aversion over the last ten days and was instead studying quite seriously with Chen Xiaoqin.

This situation put Zhou Chen’s mind at ease. What he had feared most was that Huanhuan wouldn't want to learn and would act out in class. Now, it seemed that although Chen Xiaoqin was still a college student, she had a knack for teaching.