Chapter 60: Going Out for a Feast

Back home, Jiang Zheng began his dedicated writing routine. He hardly left the house, staying in his room with single-minded focus on his work. This state persisted for three days.

His parents grew a bit anxious. Previously, Jiang Zheng was the sort who couldn’t stand being at home; whenever he had free time, he’d be itching to go out. They had often told him to spend more time at home and not always think about running outside. But now that Jiang Zheng was finally staying in, the couple found themselves worrying.

That evening, they came home early from work and called Jiang Zheng out of his room. They had no idea what he was up to, and Jiang Zheng had never told them about his novel writing. He was still a student, and in his parents’ eyes, nothing was more important than his studies. If they knew he was writing novels, they would only see it as a distraction and lecture him endlessly. To avoid this, Jiang Zheng said nothing.

Seeing his parents come home early, Jiang Zheng felt puzzled. "Mom, Dad, why are you back so early today?" he asked.

"We didn’t have much to do today, so we finished up early," his father replied.

Jiang Zheng didn’t think much of it; his parents’ work hours were flexible, and as long as their tasks were done, coming home early was not unusual.

"So why did you call me out?" Jiang Zheng asked.

"You’ve been back for several days, and we haven’t had a proper family meal," his father said. "Today, I’m taking you both out for a feast, and then maybe we’ll catch a movie together."

His mother chimed in, "Your dad is really going all out today—he’s dipping into the private savings he’s been keeping for over half a year."

Jiang Zheng replied, "Mom, Dad, I think eating at home is fine. No need to go out. We can use the money to buy good ingredients and cook ourselves—it’ll be even more enjoyable."

He didn’t want to go out; these days, he was focused on building up his drafts. Only at home, with dedicated writing time, could the power of his system’s skill truly shine. Excluding eating, resting, and exercise, Jiang Zheng could churn out eighty to ninety thousand words a day—a staggering pace, like a human typing machine.

Crucially, even with such volume, he maintained the quality of his chapters. That was the most impressive part.

Normally, most people could manage eighty to ninety thousand words a day if they were just typing, but the real challenge lay in plot and style. Writing a novel means constantly advancing the story while thinking ahead. Ordinary writers often get stuck, slowing their pace to a crawl, sometimes writing only a few words in hours. Even when thinking about the story beforehand, difficulties inevitably arise when writing. If the pace picks up, the mind struggles to keep up with the plot.

But none of these problems existed for Jiang Zheng. As soon as he started writing, inspiration flowed and his prose remained steady. With the “Tentacle Monster” skill, his typing speed became astonishing, so eighty to ninety thousand words a day was no problem.

He was preparing for a big launch, so he was stockpiling drafts. Only with enough material could he confidently explode onto the scene. Tomorrow was the official launch date—he had no desire to go out now; he wanted to maximize his stockpile.

However, hearing Jiang Zheng’s reluctance, his parents’ expressions changed.

"Son, it’s just a meal—it won’t take much time," his mother said. "Look, your dad’s being generous for once. If you don’t go, I won’t get to enjoy it."

Jiang Zheng replied, "Then you and Dad should go out for a candlelit dinner, enjoy some time together."

"My husband and I have had enough ‘together time’—I’m sick of it," his mother said.

His father nodded vigorously at her words, but caught her gaze, and suddenly she stomped hard on his foot.

His father grimaced in pain.

"Dad, what’s wrong?" Jiang Zheng asked with concern.

"Your father’s just feeling some discomfort in his mouth, so he’s moving it around," his mother said.

"Yes, my mouth hurts—just a little discomfort," his father echoed quickly.

Jiang Zheng saw right through it. What mouth discomfort? Such a flimsy excuse, and his dad played along so seriously—no doubt he’d just been put in his place by Mom again.

Sometimes, Jiang Zheng suspected he was just an unexpected addition to their lives.

"So, son, are you coming?" his mother pressed.

"Let’s go. If I don’t, my mouth will start hurting again," his father said.

Jiang Zheng couldn’t help but smile.

"Alright, let’s go," he agreed.

Writing was important, but it wasn’t everything. At worst, he could make up for lost time by working late into the night.

"Go change your clothes quickly, we’re leaving soon," his mother said.

Jiang Zheng nodded and went to his room to change.

……

The county town wasn’t big; the main urban area could be walked end to end in a day. In Jiang Zheng’s memory, the town was still the old version, filled with childhood recollections. But time marches on, and the county couldn’t remain as it was in his mind.

"It’s developing so fast now," Jiang Zheng sighed.

"The XC District is newly built, with a commercial plaza—it’s the liveliest place now," his father said.

Compared to the old town, this commercial plaza was favored by the young and far more bustling. Here, dining, entertainment, and shopping were combined. Such plazas were common in big cities, sometimes even underused, but for this small county, it was the first of its kind, bringing many new things.

The three arrived at a Western restaurant in this area. "I’ve heard this place is really good," his father said. "Lots of people come here to eat, so we arrived early to get a seat."

Jiang Zheng glanced inside; the décor of the restaurant was indeed impressive.

"Dad, you like Western food?" Jiang Zheng asked.

"Not so much like—just curious. Never tasted this foreign stuff, so today’s a chance to see what it’s like," his father replied.

The three entered, and though it was still early, the place was already busy. Led by a server, they found a table and sat down.

His father looked over the menu, then handed it to Jiang Zheng and his mother. "You two can order," he said.