Chapter 43: The Awakening of the NEET Generation – 1

“Congratulations, Host, for completing the mission. Rewards: gift packs x2, Virtue Points x300, the mission issuer gave a five-star rating, Book Spirit’s comment: ? ‖║║‖‖║‖║‖║║‖‖”

Although Ren Xin couldn’t see exactly what kind of comment Book Spirit Number One had left, she had a strong feeling it was something very rude. She really hadn’t done anything wrong, but this system was honestly a bit ungrateful.

Now she had three gift packs. She might as well open them all at once~

“Heavenly Dewfall x3”

“Guaranteed Exam Pass x1”

“Possesses the spirit of a corporate drudge.”

Ren Xin: “………” How does this thing manage to look so useful at first glance, but turn out to be pointless the more you look?

“Book Spirit?”

“Sweetie, please retrieve the mission memory yourself. Book Spirit is busy at the moment~~”

“Book Spirit Number One, just come out. I already know it’s you.”

“……….”

“Host, I don’t get it. Why am I always the one making up for the Virtue Points you lack?”

Ren Xin grumbled unhappily, “Since you’re following me, you’ll enjoy a good life in your old age. You’ll see. All this unexpected fortune…”

Book Spirit didn’t buy it. So far, it hadn’t gotten any perks. How could it hope for a better future?

It remembered how, when it first encountered this prodigal Host, it had actually felt grateful. Now, it just wished it could go back in time and smack some sense into itself.

It had already achieved a state of perfect composure, yet this ginseng had not only emptied out its secret stash, but also caused it to be directly criticized by higher-ups—accused of failing to instill the correct values in its Host, leading to her reluctance to accept missions. Now it had to atone for its failings by continuing to persevere with this troublesome person.

Book Spirit thought it was being wronged. After all, this ginseng wasn’t an ordinary ginseng. She was a tough nut to crack—Ren Xin.

So stubborn, with not an ounce of cooperation!

Ren Xin had no idea about Book Spirit Number One’s resentment. She was still energetically brainwashing it. “I think the missions you give me are way too hard, and the benefits are lousy. Actually, I feel like I’m getting the short end of the stick just following you around. You must have offended someone by accident, and now you’ve dragged me into it. Come on, how are you going to compensate me?”

Book Spirit Number One fell silent, refusing to speak!

Hmph. Stingy, miserly, not willing to give up a single coin. Don’t think about sharing any future glory with me~

This time, the mission wasn’t about some tangled love or hatred. It was just the story of a NEET who let her parents down and finally woke up to reality.

The original was a college student—the first from her village to ever make it to university. Her parents felt very proud of her and pinched every penny so she could study. A university student from a mountain village was a big deal, but in the city, it didn’t count for much.

Seeing how her dormmates lived—their food, clothes, and spending—she grew increasingly insecure. Over time, she convinced herself she deserved to live however she pleased, buying whatever she wanted, and constantly asked her family for money without a thought for whether they could afford it.

Her parents were already quite good to her. She was their only daughter, and they had no preference for sons over daughters. They just felt that now that their child had succeeded, it was only right for her eating and clothing to improve, and they could just scrimp on themselves so she lacked nothing.

But after a wealthy student casually praised her for her “good taste,” her vanity swelled to new heights, and she became even bolder—constantly asking for more money from home.

When they didn’t give it, she found other methods: maxing out credit cards, taking out loans…

In the end, there was no way she could pay it all back. Terrified, she could only run home, but the debt couldn’t be ignored. Her parents, who had farmed all their lives and had little knowledge of such things, were crushed by the burden of more than a hundred thousand in debt.

Desperate, they sold off their land, but it still wasn’t enough. After all, village land is practically worthless, and tens of thousands remained unpaid. At last, her parents even heard that selling blood could earn money, but it was a drop in the bucket.

Watching her parents grow older day by day, the original character was at a complete loss. She wasn’t a bad kid; the shock of new values had simply led her astray. She’d been the pride of her village—so why was everything different in the city?

Everywhere she went, she lagged behind. She couldn’t eat well, dressed in shabby clothes, and endured ridicule. These were things she just couldn’t accept.

In the end, she fell into despair and took her own life.

Her parents, hair gone white as they buried their daughter, were consumed with grief. After paying off her debts, both of them drank poison and ended their lives as well.

This… it’s hard to say where the real fault lies. It’s not just a matter of poverty or vanity—human weakness and flaws made everything more complicated.

“Mission requirement: Become a daughter who makes her parents proud and allows them to enjoy a peaceful old age!”

— Translator's Notes —

– village land: In China, rural land is owned by village collectives rather than individuals. Farmers only hold 'land-use rights,' which are difficult to sell or use as collateral, leading to the 'worthless' sentiment expressed in the text compared to urban real estate.

– corporate drudge: A translation of 'Shechu' (社畜), literally 'corporate livestock.' It is a popular slang term in East Asia used to describe overworked employees who have given up their personal lives and dignity for their company.

– NEET: In a Chinese context, this refers to 'Kenlaozu' (啃老族), literally the 'tribe that gnaws on the elderly.' It describes young adults who, despite being able-bodied, remain financially dependent on their parents.