C2 A Skill Point Supermarket Appeared in His Mind

When Fong Chao heard the voice, he was momentarily taken aback. Shaking his head, he wondered if he was experiencing auditory hallucinations. The voice seemed so eerie on this moonlit night.

Surveying his surroundings, Fong Chao confirmed that he was alone; there was no enchanting voice or woman speaking Mandarin nearby. He then made his way to the western annex.

The annex was split into two sections by a partition wall, with two doors leading in from the outside. Fong Chao occupied one of the rooms, while the other housed his two older sisters, Fong Fanghua and Fong Fangli.

Pushing open the slightly ajar door, Fong Chao entered his room.

"Click!"

The light in the main room flickered on.

His mother's voice called out, "Is that you, Chao?"

"Mom, it's me. I'm back. Go back to sleep," Fong Chao replied, his voice quivering.

In his past life, his mother had succumbed to stomach cancer in the autumn of 2015. Hearing her voice now brought on an overwhelming sense of nostalgia, and tears streamed down Fong Chao's face.

Oh, Mom! Mom!

He silently repeated in his mind.

Memories flooded in like a burst dam.

In his former life, he had been a complete failure, a failure beyond redemption. If history were to repeat itself, his future would be fraught with hardship.

He had to repeat a year of middle school before he could attend the top high school in his county. It took three attempts at the college entrance exams before he was admitted to a community college in his province.

College coincided with a surge in university enrollment that no longer guaranteed job placements, leaving him anxious about his career prospects. After much struggle, he landed a job at a small company. Dissatisfied after two years, he hopped from job to job.

It wasn't until he was thirty, with financial support from his parents and sisters, that he managed to buy a modest house in Yuzhou, settle down, and get married.

But life continued to challenge him.

Following the birth of his child, his parents moved in to help with the baby. However, his mother and wife constantly clashed, turning the household into a battleground.

For several years, he and his wife had become like strangers under the same roof, barely speaking to each other. They stayed together only for the sake of their child, avoiding divorce.

Their home lacked harmony.

His career was also unfulfilling.

He found himself struggling at the bottom rungs of society.

But then, tragedy struck.

In early September 2015, his mother was diagnosed with late-stage stomach cancer at the hospital.

The cost of treatment was going to be astronomical, and Fong Chao had only a few thousand yuan in his bank account.

The evening he learned of his mother's illness, he and his father sat on the curb, drinking without any food, each holding a bottle of Old Village Chief liquor.

Before they were drunk, neither had spoken a word.

After Fong Chao emptied his bottle, he turned to his father and said, "Dad, maybe I should sell the house to pay for Mom's treatment."

His father shot him a stern look and retorted, "What are you talking about? Your mother is sixty-eight, and her disease is terminal. There's no cure! Why waste the money? I'll tell her the diagnosis and let her decide for herself!"

With that, his father finished his drink, got up unsteadily, and headed home.

Watching his father's retreating figure, Fong Chao wept uncontrollably by the bustling roadside, like a lone wolf in despair.

His father shared the diagnosis with his mother.

The following day, he said to Fong Chao, "Son, it's time for you to see your mother off on her final journey."

"Dad, what do you mean?" Fong Chao asked, stunned.

"Your mother wants to go home. She wishes to pass away in our house, where she can find peace," his father explained.

"Dad, why say such things? Even if we don't opt for surgery, we could still try herbal treatments," Fong Chao suggested.

"Son, come back. I'm not feeling well, and I probably have only a week or so left. If you want to honor me, stay with your mother during her last days," his mother interjected, her face radiating a serene smile.

Fong Chao returned home with his parents.

In the crumbling old house, his mother had gone without food or water for seven or eight days. Then, on the eighth morning, she passed away.

Fong Chao understood that his mother didn't want to be a burden to him, so she chose to end her life by fasting. This decision left him overwhelmed with guilt. He considered himself the most unfilial son in the world.

After arranging his mother's funeral, he returned from his hometown only to sink into a state of despair.

Subsequently, he was let go by his employer.

Then, his wife asked for a divorce and took their child with her.

Finally, after a night of heavy drinking, he found himself back in the year 1990.

The past was too painful to revisit...

"Creak!"

The main room's door swung open, and his mother stepped out.

Fong Chao snapped out of his reverie, tears streaming down his face. He clenched his fists. Given this second chance by fate, I refuse to let tragedy befall me again!

Absolutely not!

"Chao, you seem off," his mother's voice floated in from outside. "If something's bothering you, talk to me. I'll help you through it, okay?"

"Mom, it's nothing serious. I just got chased by some dog, and I'm still a bit shaken up. That's why I'm not feeling great. You should get some rest; we have an early start tomorrow," Fong Chao replied.

"Some dog? How could it be so vicious? To think it dared to chase my Chao! I'll take care of it with a shovel tomorrow! Now, you should get some sleep," his mother said before she went back inside.

"Dear host, did you hear me? The Supermarket is now open. Please come and have a look!" While Fong Chao was lost in his thoughts, he suddenly heard that melodious and attractive voice in his head again.

"Who's there? Who's speaking?" Fong Chao shivered and asked.

"Host, there's no need to be afraid. I'm the VIP manager of your Supermarket. Congratulations, you've been granted access to a Supermarket with skill points," the charming voice explained.

"A Supermarket with skill points? What's that?" Fong Chao inquired, puzzled.

"Welcome to a unique establishment, a store that specializes in the sale of various skill points. Our inventory includes writing, foreign languages, medical expertise, painting, music, kung fu, invisibility, clairvoyance, puppet technique, and more. With sufficient Karma Points, you can purchase any of these skills right here. But don't just take my word for it, come and see for yourself!" The charming voice invited. As Fong Chao's perspective shifted, he found himself gazing at an exceptionally beautiful building.

Suspended above the edifice was a sign that read: Supermarket of Skill Points.

As the doors swung open, a graceful and stunning woman dressed in a sleeveless red and white floral qipao greeted him warmly, "Esteemed guest, please enter!"

Her complexion was luminous and fair, her eyebrows arched delicately like willow leaves, and her large, almond-shaped eyes sparkled with life, making her exceptionally beautiful and approachable.