Plans Over Takeout
| September 26, 2023 - 8:10 PM
Lin pulled out her phone, scrolling through takeout options as she and her mom walked across the dimly lit parking lot.
"I'm starving," she muttered, thumbing past pictures of steaming dumplings and sizzling stir-fry. "What do you want? Noodles? Dumplings? Hotpot?"
Helen sighed, rubbing her temple. "You don't even cook anymore, do you?"
Lin smirked, barely looking up from her screen. "Why would I? I can order in ten seconds and get better food than either of us could make."
Helen gave her a pointed look. "Speak for yourself. I can still cook."
Lin chuckled. "Sure, Mom."
Helen huffed but didn't argue. "Fine. Dumplings and soup."
Lin tapped in the order, moving as efficiently as ever. "Done. Should be ready by the time we get home."
Her phone buzzed just as she hit confirm.
Dad.
She answered, putting him on speaker. "Hey, Dad. You eat yet?"
"Haven't had time." His voice crackled through the line, tired but steady. "Got a rush job at the shop. I'll be here a few more hours."
Helen stopped in her tracks, arms crossing. "Richard Zhang, you better not be skipping dinner again."
Lin bit back a smile. Her mother's "mom tone" was in full effect.
"I'll eat later," Richard said, unfazed. "Gotta finish up this transmission. The kid who owns it looks like he'd cry if I don't fix it tonight."
Helen rolled her eyes. "Let him cry."
Lin snorted. "Mom, you can't say that."
Helen ignored her, pressing on. "You work too much, Richard. This isn't normal."
Richard sighed. "It's not that bad."
"It is."
Lin tapped her phone, already opening a delivery app. "Dad, what do you want to eat?"
"I told you, I'll eat later—"
"Yeah, yeah. Pick something or I'm sending you that weird fusion sushi you hate."
Silence. Then a reluctant, "…Beef noodle soup."
Lin smirked, placing the order. "Done. Should be there in twenty."
Helen shook her head, but there was fondness behind her exasperation. "Honestly, Richard."
"Love you too, honey."
Lin grinned. "Alright, Dad. Go back to making teenagers cry. Your food's on the way."
"You're both too much," Richard muttered, but there was a warmth in his tone before the call ended.
Helen sighed, shaking her head. "I swear, that man's going to work himself into an early grave."
Lin pocketed her phone. "Not if we keep feeding him."
Helen huffed, but her lips twitched. "Come on. Let's go home."
| September 26, 2023 - 8:45 PM
The apartment smelled like steaming dumplings and broth as Lin spread out the takeout containers on the dining table.
Helen sat across from her, sipping tea, already bracing herself for whatever plan Lin was about to drop.
Lin took a bite of a dumpling, then got straight to the point.
"Mom, what's the budget to fully set up a proper clinic?"
Helen blinked. "At the farm?"
"Yeah. The whole thing—equipment, tools, better facilities. What are we looking at?"
Helen leaned back, thinking. "Well, just an upgraded operating table alone could be twenty grand. If we want new diagnostic tools, ultrasound, anesthesia machines—at least fifty grand. Maybe more."
Lin nodded, making a mental note.
That was doable.
She could make that money back fast.
Helen narrowed her eyes slightly. "Why?"
Lin smirked. "Because I found our first business expansion."
| September 26, 2023 - 9:00 PM
She pulled out her phone and flipped through images—the ones she had saved earlier.
Ponies.
Donkeys.
Rabbits.
Hamsters—the edible kind.
She slid the phone across the table. "Petting zoo and riding business. Plus, we breed and sell livestock."
Helen stared at the screen, her expression unreadable.
Lin took another dumpling, chewing casually.
Then Helen sighed deeply, rubbing her temple.
"Lin," she muttered. "You're really serious about this, aren't you?"
Lin grinned. "Completely."
| September 26, 2023 - 9:15 PM
Helen was still processing the ponies and edible hamsters when Lin casually swiped to the next set of images.
Luxurious canvas tents.
String lights wrapped around trees.
Cozy outdoor fire pits.
Glamping.
Lin tapped the screen. "We add this to the farm."
Helen raised an eyebrow. "Camping?"
Lin smirked. "Not just camping. Glamping. Think high-end tents, comfy beds, private fire pits, catered food. Families would pay good money for a rustic, Instagram-worthy experience—especially if we package it as a birthday destination."
Helen leaned in slightly, scrolling through the images. "So… instead of some cold, uncomfortable tent in the dirt, they get a nice setup?"
Lin nodded. "Exactly. Parents will book it because their kids get to play with the animals, ride ponies, and have a farm-themed party. We offer food, activities, and 'rustic charm'—without the actual suffering of real camping."
Helen took a slow sip of tea. Lin could see the wheels turning.
"Okay," Helen said carefully. "And how much would this cost to set up?"
Lin shrugged. "Depends on how fancy we go. We could start small—a few tents, a central dining area, a fire pit. Maybe a converted barn for indoor events."
Helen hummed. "And what's the competition like?"
Lin smirked. "Almost nonexistent in our area."
| September 26, 2023 - 9:30 PM
Helen set down her tea.
"…People would actually pay for this?"
Lin grinned. "Mom. They pay thousands to sleep in treehouses and overpriced yurts. We can absolutely make this work."
Helen exhaled, looking at the screen again.
"…Alright," she muttered. "I'll admit it's interesting."
Lin leaned back, victorious.
| September 26, 2023 - 9:45 PM
Lin swiped to the next set of images—tall, beautifully designed walls covered in ivy, wildflowers, and soft lighting.
Helen raised an eyebrow. "Now what am I looking at?"
Lin smirked. "The farm's Instagram wall."
Helen gave her a flat look. "You're building a wall for… pictures?"
Lin leaned forward. "Mom, listen. Every trendy destination needs a signature photo spot. Somewhere families, influencers, and tourists take pictures to show they've been there."
She flipped through the concept designs:
✔ High stone walls with rustic wooden accents.
✔ Strategically placed greenery and climbing vines.
✔ Soft, warm lighting to make photos look amazing at any time of day.
✔ A scenic background that blends into the farm aesthetic—not just a random wall.
Helen crossed her arms. "So you're saying… people will come to the farm, take pictures in front of a wall, and post it online?"
Lin smirked. "Exactly. Free advertising."
| September 26, 2023 - 9:50 PM
Helen sighed, rubbing her temple. "You really thought this through, didn't you?"
Lin took another sip of tea. "Of course. A well-designed space isn't just for function—it's for branding."
Helen shook her head, but Lin could tell she was impressed.
"…You're impossible."
Lin grinned. "And profitable."
| September 26, 2023 - 10:05 PM
Lin was mid-dumpling when her phone started buzzing.
She glanced at the screen. Lily.
Lin smirked, already guessing what this was about.
She answered. "You better not be calling to cry about your date."
| Call Connected – 10:06 PM
Lily's dramatic sigh came through immediately. "Forget the date, Lin. We lost the lottery."
Lin bit back a laugh. "No kidding. You know the odds of winning, right?"
"No, Lin, we were one number off."
Lin paused. "…Wait. What?"
Lily groaned. "The office pool. We had 15639760394. The winning number was 15639760399. One number. One. Number."
Lin took a slow sip of tea, hiding her smile.
Because she had picked the winning numbers herself.
Lily continued, dramatic as ever. "Do you know what that means? That means we were this close to walking out of that stupid office forever!"
Lin hummed. "Tough break."
Lily groaned again. "I can't believe this. I was already mentally quitting. Ugh. I don't want to go to work tomorrow."
Lin leaned back, amused. "Well, look on the bright side. At least you still have your fancy date tonight."
Lily grumbled. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. I'll call you later."
| Call Ended – 10:08 PM
Lin set her phone down, her smirk widening.
Her bank account was about to look very different.
| September 26, 2023 - 10:15 PM
Lin locked her bedroom door. Checked it. Checked it again.
Only when she was sure she was alone did she move.
The paper bag in her hands was plain, ordinary—unremarkable to anyone who didn't know what was inside. But Lin knew. And she treated it accordingly.
She carried it across the room, crouching by her bed. With a practiced motion, she lifted the wooden frame, fingers finding the subtle grooves she had carved out years ago.
A hidden compartment. Small. Secure.
It had been for emergency cash.
| September 26, 2023 - 10:20 PM
Lin worked quickly, but not carelessly.
The gold coins slid into place beside her firearm, and extra ammunition. Everything tucked away, organized, and ready to grab at a second's notice.
Gold – secured.
Guns – accounted for.
She took a slow breath. This was just the start.
Lin closed the compartment, slid her bed back into place, and stood.
Every instinct she had—every hard-learned lesson from two years in hell—told her she was on the right track.
Move fast. Plan ahead. Never get comfortable.
| September 26, 2023 - 10:30 PM
She sat at her desk, the glow of her laptop cool and sterile against her face.
The official lottery website loaded. She clicked on "Claim Your Prize."
Her fingers moved without hesitation.
Winning Ticket Number: 15639760399
Name: Lin Zhang
Preferred Payout: Lump sum
No installments. No waiting years for small payouts.
She wanted all of it. Now.
She double-checked everything. Triple-checked.
Then, finally, she hit SEND.
| September 26, 2023 - 10:35 PM
Lin leaned back, stretching, rolling her shoulders.
Within the next 24 to 48 hours, she would be a multi-millionaire.
Her lips curled into a small, private smirk.
Let the real work begin.
| September 26, 2023 - 11:00 PM
Lin sat in the dim glow of her laptop, eyes sharp, mind running a hundred calculations at once.
She pulled up a list of solar energy suppliers.
Goal: Full off-grid capability.
Requirements: High-capacity solar panels, battery banks, backup generators.
Budget: $150,000
Lin placed the order.
| September 26, 2023 - 11:30 PM
Next—heavy machinery.
She scrolled through agriculture equipment dealers, checking specs and prices.
One compact tractor – $45,000 (For small-scale farming, hauling materials.)
One full-size tractor – $85,000 (For major land clearing and soil prep.)
Excavator – $95,000 (Because digging by hand was not an option.)
ATVs & utility vehicles – $20,000 (Fast movement around the property.)
Total? $245,000.
Lin placed the order.
| September 26, 2023 - 11:40 PM
Lin sat at her desk, fingers tapping against the keyboard, the glow of her laptop screen reflecting in her eyes.
She wasn't sleeping tonight.
Too much to do.