Chapter 2: Buying a Lottery Ticket (Part 1)
**06:30 A.M.**
When he arrived home, Thawin saw his mother preparing to go shopping at the market.
Despite being in her forties, his mother still looked remarkably youthful—more like an older sister than a mom. He thought to himself that she must have been stunning when she was younger.
But something felt odd. Neither of his parents looked like ordinary small food-stall owners. His father looked more like a young man in his prime, handsome enough to rival celebrities. *What about my grandparents?* Thawin wondered. Yet strangely, the memories of this body had no trace of relatives from either side of the family. Why was that?
"Oh, Win! Where did you go? I was just about to head to the market—I thought you were still asleep," his mother called out when she saw him step inside.
"I went jogging at the park, Mom."
"What's this? You, exercising? That's rare. What got into you today?"
"I just want to be healthy, that's all. Haha…" He chuckled awkwardly.
As expected, she noticed. The old Thawin had *never* exercised a day in his life.
"Alright, alright. Do you want to come with me to the market?"
"Sure. Let me change first."
"Don't take too long—we'll be late."
"Yes, ma'am!" he replied playfully before rushing upstairs to change and wash up.
**The Market at the End of the Street**
Thawin's eyes wandered curiously as he followed his mother through the bustling market. This was the first time he'd actually experienced it in person. Even though the memories of this body contained plenty of scenes like this, reality was still different.
In his previous life, whenever he needed ingredients, he'd always bought them from supermarkets. It wasn't because he was rich—it was simply because he never had time. As a student, his life was nothing but *study, home, study, home*. After graduation, it became *work, home, work, home*. The cycle never changed, with only the occasional outing with friends.
Here, his job was simple: follow behind and carry the groceries while his mother picked out vegetables, pork, chicken, and other necessities. Along the way, she exchanged greetings with familiar vendors.
"Oh! Kaew, here to shop again? Come take a look—fresh vegetables today! I'll even throw in a little extra for you," a cheerful vendor called out.
Kaew—that was his mother's name.
"You're always so generous, Aunt Hom. Aren't you afraid of losing profit, giving me freebies every time?"
His mother smiled warmly at the vegetable seller as she browsed through the produce.
"It's nothing, just a small gesture for someone I know well," Aunt Hom waved dismissively.
"Thank you, you're too kind," his mother replied.
Then, Aunt Hom turned to Thawin, squinting. "Hmm… say, why does Win look more handsome than usual today? Or am I just imagining it?"
Thawin stiffened. *What do I do? She's staring right at me!* He had never been looked at so directly before.
[Oh my, such a shy boy.]
*Shut up, system!*
[No need to be so aggressive, Host.]
*Is it a crime to murder a system?*
[Uh… well, technically, yes. If you kill the system, you'd have to kill yourself first—since I live inside your head.]
"-_-"
While he was silently grinding his teeth at the damn system, his mother suddenly turned and gave him a long look.
"You know… I think Aunt Hom is right. You really *do* look more handsome today. I wanted to ask before we left the house, but I thought maybe I was just imagining things."
"Uh…" Thawin froze. *Crap, she doesn't know about the system, right? What if they dissect me for research?!*
"But now that Aunt Hom mentioned it, I don't think I was mistaken. So tell me, what did you do?"
"Exactly! You look better than some actors," Aunt Hom added.
"Ah, well… I went jogging this morning, remember? Exercise makes your skin clearer because sweat helps flush out toxins." He rattled off the explanation in one breath.
[Persuasion Skill +0.1%] [Persuasion Skill +0.1%] [Persuasion Skill +0.1%] [Persuasion Skill +0.1%] +++
*Wait, I can level up persuasion like this?!*
"Oh, that makes sense," his mother nodded, satisfied. Aunt Hom nodded along too.
Once she turned back to shopping, Thawin let out a quiet sigh of relief. "Phew… that was close."
"You really are growing into a handsome young man, Win. If I had a daughter, I'd marry her off to you! Too bad I only have sons. Interested?" Aunt Hom teased with a laugh.
"Uh, no thanks! Haha…" He scratched his cheek awkwardly. Even in his past life he'd never had a girlfriend, but he still liked girls!
[Still, going down that route might not be so bad, Host.]
"Shut up!"
[O-okay…]
"Win, are you buying anything? Or should we head home? I've got everything I need," his mother asked.
"I—"
Before he could answer, a translucent screen popped up in front of him.
[**Quest: Purchase 2 sets of first-prize lottery tickets.** Reward: Win the jackpot, gain financial freedom. Punishment: Remain broke.]
His eyes darted around. His mother was still focused on the groceries, and no one else seemed to see the screen. Relieved, he turned back to her.
"Actually, I just remembered I'm out of personal supplies. I'll swing by the 7-Eleven real quick."
"How much do you need?" she asked, reaching for her purse.
"No need, Mom. I've got money."
"Alright, then I'll wait at that drink stall over there." She pointed toward a small shop nearby.
"Let me help you carry these first—"
"It's fine, I can manage. Go on, quickly now, so we can head home soon."
"…Okay. But don't strain yourself, Mom," he said before hurrying off toward the convenience store.