Just as Shane was searching for relevant products on Temu...
Knock, knock, knock...
Someone rapped on his wooden bedroom door.
Shane glanced at the alarm clock on his desk. It was already past ten o'clock at night.
"Who is it?" he asked, a bit surprised.
Lip and Ian didn't usually knock so politely.
As his voice faded, Fiona's tired voice came from outside: "Shane, it's me. You awake? Can I come in?"
"Yeah, come in." Shane said.
The door was pushed open, and Fiona walked in, looking exhausted.
She pulled over the only other chair by the desk and sat down, leaning forward slightly. Her eyes were full of concern as she looked at him.
"Shane, tell me the truth. What happened to you this morning? I felt like you were... off all day. I can't put my finger on it, but something feels different. You can talk to me about anything, you know that, right?"
At the same time, another wave of memories about family dynamics flooded Shane's mind:
In the Gallagher house, as Lip grew older, his genius and arrogance started to show. He had a sharp tongue. Whenever Fiona tried to talk to him about family issues, Lip's prickly words usually ended in a shouting match, and the conversation went nowhere.
Ian was even more reserved than the original Shane, hiding his thoughts deeply because of his hidden sexuality in a not-so-friendly neighborhood.
The original Shane Gallagher, because of his Asian heritage and being the only one with a different mother, had always played the role of the quiet observer in the family.
But precisely because of Shane's silence and lack of aggression, Fiona felt the least pressure talking to him.
Original Shane didn't talk much, but when Fiona needed to vent or ask for an opinion, he would listen quietly and occasionally offer a piece of advice. Unlike Lip, he wasn't explosive and wouldn't lash out when emotional.
So, in this poverty-stricken household, Fiona subconsciously felt closest to Shane. He was the brother she could communicate with most smoothly.
There were many things she couldn't say to Lip, Ian, or even Veronica that she would bring to Shane, even if all she got in return was an "I get it" or just quiet companionship.
Right now, looking at the worry in Fiona's eyes, Shane could feel that her concern was genuine.
He put down his pen, turned his body slightly toward Fiona, and tried to make his expression look natural.
"Fiona, I really..." Shane organized his words.
"I admit, this morning was a little weird. I had a very... very realistic nightmare. When I woke up, I couldn't tell the difference between reality and the dream for a second, so I overreacted."
Shane pointed to the notebooks on the desk and continued:
"It might just be lack of sleep, plus a headache, and these damn homework assignments making me irritable. You know, writing this crap for these idiots is an insult to my intelligence."
He blamed all his abnormal behavior from the morning on sleep deprivation and the lingering effects of a nightmare.
Fiona studied Shane's face carefully, seeming to judge the truth of his words.
She saw the slight bloodshot look in his eyes (the mental strain of transmigration meant he really hadn't rested well) and accepted his complaints about doing homework—it fit the mindset of a South Side teenager perfectly.
Finally, the tension in Fiona's shoulders relaxed a bit. She reached out and gently placed her hand on Shane's.
Shane could feel the roughness of her palm, calloused from years of menial labor.
"Okay, I believe you. But Shane, remember," Fiona looked him straight in the eye, serious.
"We are family. No matter what happens, no matter what problems you have—if you're getting bullied at school, or... or if you're confused about something... anything, you can tell me. I'm always on your side. We'll figure it out together, okay?"
This clumsy but firm support warmed Shane's heart, but it was also mixed with a twinge of guilt for deceiving her.
He squeezed Fiona's hand back, nodded, and said:
"I know, Fiona. I... I'm fine, really. If I need anything, I'll definitely tell you."
Hearing his assurance, a relieved smile finally appeared on Fiona's face.
She stood up and ruffled Shane's hair (a gesture that made her feel like the big sister taking care of her little brother again).
"Sigh, I know... I know you've faced a lot of unfairness here because of your background and looks. Sometimes I feel really sorry that I couldn't give you better..."
Fiona's words triggered more subtle memory fragments in Shane's mind:
The original owner had faced exclusion and provocation in school and the community because of his Asian identity and his overly striking mixed-race face.
But the original Shane had a ruthless streak in his bones. He didn't submit. Instead, relying on sheer willpower, he trained himself to fight. Anyone who dared to bully him, he would fight them to the bitter end (with Lip and Ian backing him up), making people afraid to mess with the Gallaghers easily.
Later, he and Lip often helped some of the less malicious thugs with homework or tests, and over time, things smoothed out.
"No, don't say that, Fiona," Shane interrupted her, his tone sincere. "It was really just a headache. I'm good now."
Fiona looked into his eyes, searching for anything else, but finally chose to believe him. She patted Shane on the shoulder.
"OK. Just tell me if anything comes up." She hugged Shane tight.
"Go to sleep early. You skipped school all day today; you have to go tomorrow."
"No problem." Shane nodded.
Just as Fiona turned to leave, Shane suddenly spoke up, his voice firm.
"Fiona."
"Yeah?" Fiona looked back.
"I'm going to make our family rich."
Fiona paused, looking at her brother's unusually serious face under the dim light. All the grievances she'd suffered at work that day, all the worries about the family's future, were gently smoothed over by that sentence in this moment.
A gratified smile appeared on her face, tears glistening in her eyes.
"OK," she nodded vigorously.
"I'm waiting for that day. When it comes, I'm going to buy so many new clothes and bags!"
"No problem," Shane replied with a smile. "You can buy as much as you want."
They joked for a moment longer before Fiona left the basement, her mood significantly lighter.
After the door closed, the smile on Shane's face slowly faded.
The fitness influencer plan required a knowledge reserve. He had to start studying, converting the future knowledge from the system into his own.
Shane was a man of action.
Let's do this!
He immediately started searching for relevant books in the system.