REBORN RICH WITH A SYSTEM

Chapter 6

“What should I buy?” Raven murmured, staring at the thousand dollars in his hand.

He walked slowly while pondering what gift to give Laila; what came to Raven’s mind was a ring.

Back then, when he and Laila got married, he hadn't given her anything as a wedding gift. In fact, the dowry he provided for Laila was only fifty dollars—and even that had been prepared by Bu Aisyah.

Raven truly regretted everything that had happened. He had wasted decades of his life in the misery of the people he loved.

Thud!

Suddenly, just as Raven was about to step forward, he was bumped by an old cart loaded with junk.

"Hey..."

Raven wanted to curse, but his mouth fell silent when he saw an old grandfather lying on the roadside. The man’s body was weak and trembling.

Raven stepped closer. "Grandpa, what's wrong?"

"I'm hungry."

Raven was startled; it reminded him of his younger siblings back at the orphanage. That morning, they had also complained of hunger. Meanwhile, he had always snatched away the money earned by his wife and mother.

In fact, throughout her marriage to him, Laila hadn't actually received any kindness at all. She had simply surrendered her body in vain to someone like Raven.

"Grandpa, wait here for a moment, okay?" Raven finally said.

The old man didn't answer, merely nodding weakly. His body was extremely frail, and his clothes were tattered and foul-smelling.

Raven bought food at a nearby stall not far from there. He didn't forget to buy basic provisions at the grocery store next to the food stall.

"Grandpa, here is some food." Raven handed the bag to the old man. Perhaps because he had returned from the future to mend his ways, Raven was easily moved.

"Thank you, son. May your livelihood grow ever smoother."

Raven nodded and hurried along; it was getting later in the afternoon. Transportation from his village to the district town wasn't very reliable, and past five o'clock, it would be difficult to find a ride back to his village.

After walking a few steps, Raven remembered he should have given the old man a little money—at least to buy medicine. But when he turned back, the old man was no longer in sight.

Raven was stunned. "Why did he disappear so fast?"

It made very little sense. Given the old man's frail and weakened state from starvation, he shouldn't have been able to vanish that quickly. Strangely enough, there were no crossroads nearby.

So, the old man had simply vanished into thin air.

"Ouch!"

Suddenly, the ring on his finger felt like it was tightening. Raven wasn't used to it yet, and the surprise made him cry out reflexively. A few pairs of eyes shot him cynical looks for shouting randomly.

In an instant, a screen materialized.

[You have performed a good deed by helping someone in distress. You have secured a job at the Bening Group office. Please come there tomorrow and meet Mrs. Mutiara.]

Raven read the message over and over again, and it was real. It was written clearly, right down to the office address provided.

"I got a job?" Raven asked himself.

Immediately, his face lit up. He could envision how their lives would change after this. No more shortages, no more hunger, and he vowed to make Laila, his mother, and his younger siblings happy.

"Laila, we are going to live happily after this," Raven said.

"Raven is home!"

The children of the orphanage cheered happily when they saw Raven return. It was growing dark, and the sun had already set in the west.

The faint sound of the Maghrib adhan drifted from a mosque in the distance. The village atmosphere was completely silent; everyone had retreated into their respective homes to chat with their families.

The village where Raven lived in 2004 was the definition of absolute darkness. During the Maghrib hour like this, it felt quite eerie. The dim twilight gave way to pitch black.

Electricity had not reached the village at all. Every house was illuminated only by kerosene lamps, which left sooty black dust all over the rooms.

Including the orphanage where he lived, only two kerosene lamps were lit to conserve kerosene usage.

Only a handful of wealthy people's homes shone brightly, and even then, they roared with the sound of generators—and they didn't run all night, just for a few hours.

Truly, this life was the exact opposite of the one he lived in the future. There, he was overflowing with wealth, and his house was large and brightly lit.

"Assalamualaikum," Raven said as soon as he reached the front door.

"Waalaikumsalam."

Laila and Bu Aisyah looked hesitant to reply, but they answered Raven's greeting anyway.

It was hardly surprising. For all this time, let alone uttering greetings, coming home without throwing a tantrum was already a miracle. Yet today, Raven suddenly returned with all these bizarre behaviors since midday.

"Sorry I'm late. It was a bit hard to find a ride earlier," Raven said, looking at Laila.

"Yeah." Laila gave a short reply, completely bewildered by Raven's transformation.

She wanted to feel happy, but she was afraid this was just a camouflage; she wanted to disbelieve it, but what Raven had done that afternoon made her rethink things.

In the end, Laila simply remained silent and unmoving.

"Leo, I brought martabak and fried snacks. Take the younger ones and eat up. Don't fight over it, and eat your fill," Raven said, handing two bags to Leo, his eldest brother—wait, youngest brother/the oldest sibling among the kids.

"Okay."

"We're eating again!" shouted several other children, jumping with joy.

Leo, young though he was, was responsible and reliable. He supervised the younger children as they took their food in an orderly fashion, then handed a plate to Laila and Bu Aisyah.

"This is for Mom, Big Sister Laila, and Raven," Leo said.

"Thank you, Leo."

Bu Aisyah and Laila eyed Raven with deep suspicion; of course they were astonished, seeing as Raven had left the house with only ten dollars earlier, yet came back with so much food, including staple provisions.

"Laila, Mom, eat up. This is halal, I didn't steal it. I earned this money honestly," Raven said, offering a piece of sweet martabak with mouthwatering chocolate and cheese toppings to Laila.

"Whose money is this?" Laila asked flatly.

"I got a job. Starting tomorrow, I'll be working in the district town. Don't worry, I won't ever provide you with anything obtained through unlawful means," Raven replied.

Laila didn't take it right away, but Raven didn't give up until she finally opened her mouth and accepted his feed.

The sweetness of the chocolate and the savory cheese melted in Laila's mouth; she had never enjoyed food this delicious before. Unconsciously, tears fell from her eyes out of sheer happiness at being able to taste the sweet martabak she had craved for so long.

Raven took his turn feeding his mother. "I'm sorry if all this time I've only been a burden to you all. I promise, starting today, I will change."

Laila and Bu Aisyah didn't answer, the two of them simply exchanging glances.

Raven then pulled something out of his trouser pocket, took Laila's hand, and slipped a ring onto his wife's finger.

"Throughout the time you've been married to me, I've never given you a gift. This is for you, my love," Raven said, gazing intently into Laila's eyes.