9 Chapter 8- 1.8

"Vine, right now I see one option to get out of my predicament and I want you to tell me what you think about it, ok?"

After weighing his options for some time Bai AnLing finally spoke, deciding to hear Vine's opinion on how to proceed.

[Of course host! I would love helping you out!]

Vine was glad that its host thought of its opinion as important enough to have asked, consulting with it, so it happily replied. Nodding his head in satisfaction, Bai AnLing revealed his thoughts to his system.

"I was thinking that maybe I can call the bank, using one of the gifts you gave me, to convince them to give me Lin Li's parents unclaimed money. They both should have some money left behind as they were both successful in their fields, don't you think?"

Lin Li's mother, Lin MeiXiu, was a successful artist known for her impressionistic art that moved many people's heart. Her artworks were featured in art galleries around the world and praised by many.

His father, Lin Feng, was a small-time businessman with his own company which imported alcoholic drinks from around the world. Before his death Lin Feng's company was beginning to prosper, as he made some good deals with a first class restaurant belonging to a famous chef.

(AN: though I mentioned the chef, he might or might not appear later in the story. I feel like not everyone have to do something with art in the story world, it's not realistic.)

Thinking about these facts, Lin Li's parents probably had some money left for Bai AnLing to live comfortably for a while, if he manage to get his hands on it.

'Host has a point...The Lin parents really should have some money for Lin Li to claim....'

Vine thought deeply, seeing the logic in Bai AnLing's words.

[I think you are probably right host about the unclaimed money and your plan sounds very logical, too bad the old Lin Li never realized such option exists....]

Both Bai AnLing and Vine felt bad for the original Lin Li, who died without ever realizing he could live any differently then he did, but Vine also felt proud of its host for thinking of such a plan.

'I will surely get your revenge for you lil' Li, just you wait!'

Bai AnLing thought to himself as he tightened his hand into a first.

***

Bai AnLing hung up the phone, a big smile on his face.

"It's done. Both the money and the villa are securely mine now."

For the last hour or so Bai AnLing was on the phone with the bank, trying to convince them to give him the Lin couple's money. Usually you have to go through a lot of procedures and sign a lot of documents before such things can be done, but using Vine's gift of the persuasion skill, he was able to do it on the phone in only one hour.

The effectiveness of the skill impressed Bai AnLing quite a lot, his frustrations dissolving almost completely. Vine was a lot more reliable then he thought.

[That's great host, that means you can get a taxi to the villa!]

Vine was impressed with its host cleverness, using the skill it gave him to its best ability with no difficulty at all.

"Forget a taxi, let's go buy a car! I'm rich now!"

Bai AnLing never had much money in his life, only enough to live comfortably, but not anymore. Apparently the Lin parents were a lot more successful then he thought they were, he was suddenly gaining a small fortune.

[Host I'm afraid Lin Li never had his driver license made, the Shui family never paid for him to learn to drive.]

*Tch*

hearing those words, Bai AnLing clicked his tongue.

"Those Shui people really have no shame, it's not even their money but Lin Li's! They had no reason to stop him from learning to drive! Shameless!"

Having his fantasy of driving his own car crashed, Bai AnLing was very dissatisfied. In his heart he took a note of how the Shui parents shamelessly took that opportunity away from him, swearing to get them back for it later on.

[Host, I took the liberty of calling you a cab. You should take Lin Li's things and go down.]

The system informed, taking liberties in caring for its host.

'I need to keep an eye on host so I can help him in the parts he is crippled in...'

Vine found its host to be unstable emotionally sometimes. Although it knew Bai AnLing was very smart and capable, it felt that he was not completely mature emotionally. A high IQ low EQ situation in a way.

Finally remembering the point of getting a transportation vehicle in the first place, Bai AnLing calmed down.

"Oh thank you Vine, that was thoughtful of you."

He thanked it as he collected the small pile of garbage bags from the floor and the carefully warped artworks as well, before going down 2 flights of stairs to the already awaiting cab.

The taxi driver helped Bai AnLing load everything into the car when one of the artworks warped in cloth slipped from its cover, falling on the asphalt sidewalk.

"Huh!"

Rushing to pick up the falling object, the drivers eyes opened wide as he exhaled in astonishment. He slowly picked up the artwork with excitement in his eyes.

"What is this? So beautiful!"