LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 17:
Chapter 17: Shortcomings:
Lin You suddenly recalled the glimpse of the future he had seen during his brush with death. Those brief moments had stretched endlessly, feeling like half a lifetime. Everything and everyone connected to him replayed as though he were still alive, recreating the events of his life.
And in that vision, there was this fat boy—Zhang Xi.
In that life, Zhang Xi had said the same thing to Lin You.
Grateful for Zhang Xi’s kindness, Lin You had agreed to work at the Sihai Restaurant to earn a much-needed 1,000 yuan. But just as he was about to head to the restaurant the next day, Lin Shengnan and Lin Shiyan had stopped him. Their interference, intended to mock him, had inadvertently saved his life.
The following night, Sihai Restaurant suffered a massive explosion and fire. The death toll had been unknown, as was the cause of the fire. However, one thing Lin You remembered clearly was that Zhang Xi’s parents perished in the accident.
The aftermath was devastating.
Sihai Restaurant, once worth hundreds of millions, had all its assets allocated to compensate the victims. Overnight, Zhang Xi became an orphan, losing his family and fortune. Without money or a home, he soon dropped out of school, grew thin and frail, and eventually disappeared from Lin You’s life.
Breaking out in a cold sweat, Lin You looked at Zhang Xi and said urgently, “Fatty, do you trust me?”
Zhang Xi, still grinning and expecting praise, softened his expression and nodded. “Of course, I trust you. You’re the only person in class who doesn’t mind me eating during lessons. Besides my dad, you’re the most trustworthy person in my life.”
Lin You’s voice turned solemn. “Good. Listen carefully. Call your dad immediately and tell him to cancel all the wedding banquets scheduled for tomorrow. No one should stay in the restaurant. Just close it.”
Zhang Xi stared at him, stunned.
Then he chuckled nervously. “Are you kidding me? We’ve already collected deposits, bought the ingredients, and sent out the invitations. How can we cancel now?”
His tone turned playful. “If you don’t want to help, I’ll just ask someone else. I’ll only need to pay them 300 yuan, haha.”
At that moment, two female classmates walked by, one of whom Zhang Xi had a crush on.
Spotting her, Zhang Xi immediately abandoned Lin You and rushed toward the girls, leaving behind a strong smell of sweat.
Before leaving, he called back, “Oh, I know you haven’t had breakfast yet. I left something for you in your desk drawer!”
Lin You stood there, feeling helpless.
How could he explain the situation to Zhang Xi?
Even if he tried, would Zhang Xi believe him? Would anyone?
The whole thing seemed too absurd, even to himself. Perhaps he was overthinking it.
Shaking his head, Lin You walked back to the classroom.
Morning reading time had begun, and most students were already seated.
As he approached his desk, Lin You found the steamed buns and soy milk Zhang Xi had left for him. He held the breakfast in his hands, pondering.
If he couldn’t change the future, he might as well make the best of the present.
After all, he thought, no one is a god. You can’t alter someone else’s destiny, just as you can’t change how the Lin family views you no matter how hard you try.
Originally, Lin You had planned to use online publicity to turn his master into an internet celebrity and make Dinghui Temple famous. Fame would bring fortune, he believed. However, encountering Zhang Xi had triggered fragmented memories of his possible future, making him reconsider.
Even if the outcome was uncertain, it didn’t hurt to try warning someone.
Lin You pulled out his phone and sent a WeChat message to his master, Xuanzhi.
Xuanzhi’s path to becoming a monk hadn’t been born of enlightenment or disillusionment with worldly matters—it was a career choice. He had attended a Buddhist college in university, making him a well-educated monk with a knack for embracing modern ideas. Over the years, he had even started a Weibo account, sharing Buddhist teachings, though his posts garnered little attention. Occasionally, he posted short videos, but the response was similarly underwhelming.
Lin You’s message read:
“Master, please post on Weibo that there will be an explosion at the Sihai Restaurant at No. 28 Xiangcheng Road around 9 p.m. tomorrow. Warn people to stay away and avoid entering the restaurant.”
Lin You figured if nothing happened, no one would take the post seriously—it would be buried in Xuanzhi’s nearly non-existent online presence. But if an explosion did occur, the prediction could go viral, attracting attention and traffic far beyond what hiring actors for promotional videos could achieve.
Initially, Lin You had planned to ask Zhang Xi and a few classmates to act in videos for Dinghui Temple. However, with the schoolwork piling up and the long trip to the temple, it didn’t seem feasible. Besides, Zhang Xi was likely to follow in his father’s footsteps, becoming a chef and inheriting the family business.
After sending the message, Xuanzhi replied with a simple “Oh,” showing neither curiosity nor concern. Lin You didn’t dwell on it.
Turning his attention to his studies, he opened his physics textbook.
His grades were lopsided—he excelled in chemistry, mathematics, and Chinese, often scoring near perfect marks, but physics was his Achilles’ heel. Consistently scoring around 40 out of 100, physics kept him from ranking in the top five at school.
Determined to address his weakness, Lin You delved into his physics problems.
To his amazement, questions that had stumped him before now seemed simple.
Skeptical, he pulled out an old mock exam paper and worked through it.
After checking his answers, he scored a perfect 100.
Ecstatic, Lin You couldn’t contain his excitement.
Had his rebirth somehow unlocked a latent talent for physics?
With newfound confidence, he smiled.
Fixing his weakness in physics would undoubtedly propel him ahead of Lin Tianyang.
Even though Tianyang attended an elite school with top-notch resources, Lin You was now certain he could rank among the top ten in the province.