"What did you say?" Lana Miller’s voice rose an octave. "Say that again?!"
"I said, if you two go back to work at that factory tomorrow, I’ll go back to my company and hand in my resignation," Wendy Lynch repeated. Her tone was completely even, yet carried an unshakable resolve.
"Are... are you out of your mind?!" Lana trembled with anger. "Do you have any idea how good your current job is? People would kill to get in! And you’re just going to quit? What do you think a job is? A joke?!"
"I’m not joking," Wendy said, meeting her mother’s furious gaze. "Why do you think I work so hard to make money? Isn’t it so you two can live a good life and enjoy your retirement?
"But if you’re working in such a dangerous place every day, I’ll be constantly on edge! I’ll be terrified of getting a call from the factory. I’m so scared you’ll end up like my friend’s mother! When I think about that, I can’t even focus on my work! What’s the point of keeping my job then?
"No matter how much money I make, it can’t buy your safety. That makes the money nothing but a pile of scrap paper!
"If that’s how it’s going to be, I might as well quit my job and come back to spend more time with you!"
These words instantly silenced them both. They had always thought their daughter had grown up, established her own career, and had a bright future ahead of her. They never expected that in her heart, their safety was actually more important than her own prospects. It was so important that she was willing to give up everything for it.
The hand Lana had pointed at her daughter trembled in mid-air, but she couldn’t scold her anymore.
Gordon Lynch opened his mouth, initially intending to say something harsh. But seeing his daughter’s red eyes and her do-or-die stubbornness, all the words caught in his throat. He silently lit a cigarette and took a deep drag. The only sound left in the living room was his heavy breathing.
He knew his daughter’s temperament well. Wild horses couldn’t drag her away from a decision once she made it. Seeing her stance today, he knew she was dead set on this. Either they quit, or she quit. It wasn’t really a choice at all.
Through the swirling smoke, Gordon’s gaze turned complex. There was helplessness, heartache, but also a sliver of fatherly pride.
"Sigh..." After a long while, he stubbed out his cigarette and let out a long breath. "Alright."
He looked at his wife, then at his daughter. "Don’t push the kid anymore. We’ll quit the job.
"Honestly, over the past two years, I’ve felt my energy lagging. I’m always zoning out, especially when working overtime at night to meet quotas."
Hearing this, Lana was instantly startled. She slapped Gordon’s arm hard. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?! Why didn’t you tell me you were zoning out during night shifts? The machine you operate is a twenty-ton hydraulic press! If you make a mistake, your whole hand could be crushed off!!!"
Knowing he was in the wrong, Gordon gave a sheepish smile. "I didn’t have a choice, did I? When the factory calls for overtime, everyone does it. I can’t be the only one asking for special treatment. So I thought about it, and our precious daughter has a point. Safety is the most important thing. If an accident were to happen, we’d be in real trouble."
Listening to her father, Wendy immediately realized that the person injured in the future email was most likely him.
Even though she had used her own job as a bargaining chip to force her parents’ hands, she didn’t feel guilty. Just like with the burned child at the scenic spot, even if she saw the future, she could only try her best to prevent it. She couldn’t guarantee that an accident absolutely wouldn’t happen.
Her parents were getting older; their reflexes and stamina were bound to decline. In a factory full of metal parts and high-speed machinery, it would only get more dangerous for them. She could indeed change the future based on the emails, but you could never be too careful.
Wendy walked over to the sofa, crouched down, and rested her head on her mother’s knees. "I know I’m being selfish, but I’m just so scared."
Lana stroked her daughter’s hair, sighing as she muttered, "How did I end up giving birth to such a stubborn girl..."
The family standoff finally came to an end in compromise and tears. After dinner, the atmosphere at home finally softened. Since they had decided to quit, they needed to consider their future path.
"Are we really going to open a shop?" Lana was still a bit hesitant. "I heard from others that the storefronts right outside our community gates cost over ten thousand a month just for rent. Maybe we shouldn’t open it right by the entrance?"
Wendy waved her hand dismissively. "Our community alone has over a thousand households. It’s the largest in the area. A rent of ten thousand really isn’t that expensive. Besides, the most important thing about opening a shop is the location. If the location is bad, you’ll struggle to make money no matter how cheap the rent is!"
Wendy seemed highly enthusiastic. She pulled out her tablet and started searching for franchise information on chain convenience stores. "We won’t open a mom-and-pop shop where we have to source our own goods. We’ll open a franchise right away!
"Like EverGood or 7-Eleven. They have mature supply chains and management models. We just need to put up the money and handle the daily operations. It’s completely hassle-free!
"I’ve done the math. The franchise fee, security deposit, store renovation, and the first batch of inventory—everything combined will be a little over three hundred thousand. Even if the rent requires a three-month deposit and one month upfront, the total investment won’t exceed four hundred thousand. The remaining hundred thousand can be used as working capital!"
Watching their daughter swipe across the tablet, analyzing the pros and cons point by point, Gordon and Lana leaned in to look. They were completely out of their depth and their heads were spinning, but seeing their daughter’s driven demeanor, their internal anxieties gradually faded away. Perhaps a change of lifestyle wouldn’t be so bad. After all, who didn’t dream of being their own boss?
The three of them discussed it for the entire evening. From location scouting to brand comparisons, all the way to dividing up the labor, they grew more excited the more they talked. Planning for the future dispelled the gloom of their forced resignations. It wasn’t until late into the night that Gordon and Lana finally yawned and returned to their room to sleep.
Wendy also returned to her own room. Lying on her familiar bed, smelling the scent of sunlight on her quilt, she felt like this thrilling day was finally coming to an end.
She had finally resolved the biggest crisis. As for whether spending money to open a shop for her parents would result in a loss, Wendy didn’t care about that at all. With the future emails in her possession, making money was actually quite simple. Just like this time, she had easily raked in five hundred thousand in just a few days. Even if the shop really did operate at a loss, it wouldn’t leave a dent in her finances.
She let out a long sigh and closed her eyes.
Just as she was about to fall asleep, her phone screen lit up.
It was exactly midnight.
[You have a new email from October 8th, 2025.]
Wendy’s heart skipped a beat as she tapped to open the email.