Many children bring happiness, a shameless start

Chapter 65: Chapter 65



After Lip scanned the room, his eyes filled with gentle resolve, he began to speak.

"As the eldest sister, Fiona has been the cornerstone of this family for years. I think we can all agree on her dedication and contributions."

Everyone in the Gallagher family nodded in agreement.

"So, let's first talk about how we can help Fiona reclaim what she deserves."

The family listened attentively to Lip.

"Lip, you don't happen to have a time machine, do you?!" Fiona joked.

"Sister, have you been watching too many Doctor Strange movies? Of course not!" Lip replied with a sheepish smile. "I'm just saying we need to figure out who can take on what responsibilities moving forward to lighten your load."

"Lip, you've really grown up," Fiona said, her voice full of pride and emotion.

"Sister, I'll be an adult soon. I can't let you handle everything while I sit back and do nothing—that'd make me a giant baby!" Lip chuckled. "I'll start. I've decided to take responsibility for making breakfast on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays."

"I'll handle Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays," Ian quickly chimed in, backing Lip's proposal.

"I can wash dishes and tidy up the kitchen!" Debbie added enthusiastically.

"I'll take care of cleaning my room and gathering all the dirty laundry for the washing machine," Carl said, raising his hand.

"Ba! Ba! Ba!" Liam mimicked Carl, raising his tiny hands and babbling incoherently.

No one understood what Liam meant, but his cuteness earned smiles all around.

"I'll take over dinner duties," Jimmy volunteered with a grin. "I'm not as good a cook as Fiona, but I'll do my best."

"Thanks, brother-in-law!" Carl and Debbie shouted in unison, earning laughter from everyone. Fiona's cheeks flushed red with embarrassment.

"Wow! I've never seen the Gallaghers this united. Is this even the same family I know?" Kevin joked.

"Honestly, this is how it should've been all along," Veronica said, her voice emotional. "As family members, we should step up and take responsibility instead of living off Fiona's hard work and expecting everything to be handed to us."

"Speaking of Fiona, I've got an idea to help her grow," Lip said, redirecting the conversation.

All eyes turned to him again.

"First, let me ask you all: do you think Fiona is beautiful?" Lip asked.

"Beautiful!"

"Beautiful!"

"Absolutely beautiful!"

Not a single person dissented.

"Well then, since Fiona's beauty is undeniable—with her angelic face and stunning figure—why not turn it into an opportunity?"

"Lip, what kind of opportunity are you talking about?" Jimmy asked, slightly concerned.

"Simple: she can become an internet celebrity!"

"An internet celebrity?" Fiona asked skeptically. "Lip, are you joking?"

"Sister, I'm dead serious," Lip said, his tone firm. "With technology advancing so much in the past couple of years, laptops and smartphones have become indispensable. People spend hours online every day, consuming massive amounts of content. And that content divides people into all kinds of niche audiences, each with its own preferences."

"But fundamentally, people are drawn to just nine things," he added.

"What nine things?" the family asked in unison.

"Food, clothing, shelter, transportation, birth, aging, illness, death, and… sex."

The family blinked in surprise at Lip's bluntness, but he continued unfazed.

"The biggest audience is neutral content—things that appeal to a wide range of people. That's where the traffic is." Lip thought back to the thousands of comments he'd seen on fitness influencers, fashionistas, and more before his time travel.

"Lip, you're not suggesting I become a live-streaming sexy girl like Veronica, are you?!" Fiona asked, alarmed.

"Of course not! That's way too lowbrow," Lip reassured her. "Veronica, don't take offense—I'm just speaking practically."

Fiona looked at him suspiciously.

"What I'm suggesting is that you start as a blogger who posts beautiful photos online. Over time, you could expand into storytelling videos and even short films. Who knows? One day, you might even land a role in a movie!"

"Lip, let's be realistic here. Even if I agreed, wouldn't I need to hire a photographer?" Fiona asked doubtfully.

"No need to hire one. I'm your photographer," Lip said, spreading his hands.

"You?" Fiona asked, incredulous.

"I know it sounds unbelievable, but I've got proof!" Lip pulled out his Nokia 5230 from his pocket and scrolled to a folder of photos he'd taken of Mandy, Karen, and Jessica. He handed the phone to Fiona, making sure to hide any inappropriate images in a private album beforehand.

Fiona examined the photos carefully, with Veronica leaning over her shoulder.

"Wow, Lip! These are amazing!" Veronica exclaimed after the first photo. "I didn't know you could take pictures like this!"

"It's not just 'knowing,' it's about being proficient," Lip said, puffing out his chest proudly.

As Fiona kept scrolling, her initial doubt gave way to shock and admiration.

"And these were all taken with a phone. Wait until I get my DSLR this weekend—you'll see what real art looks like!" Lip declared confidently.

"Lip, I had no idea you were this talented," Fiona admitted, her excitement growing. "These photos look as good as celebrity portraits!"

After all, what woman doesn't love to look beautiful? And if that beauty could bring fame and fortune, who wouldn't be intrigued by the idea?

The phone passed from hand to hand around the family, each member impressed by Lip's work. Mandy, Karen, and Jessica looked even more stunning in the photos than they did in real life.

"Fiona, I already have a theme in mind for your first photo shoot," Lip said.

"What's the theme?"

"Wedding dresses."

"Wow!"

Now, not only Fiona but even Jimmy was brimming with excitement. The whole family couldn't wait to see the photos.

"Lip, why wedding dresses?" Fiona asked, curious.

"Haha, well… I figured someone's got to inspire you to tie the knot!" Lip teased.

"Thank you, brother," Fiona said, pulling him into a hug.

As Lip hugged her, he couldn't help but notice one thing—Fiona's figure, though lovely, wasn't as "grand" as Mandy's or Karen's.

Before he could dwell on the thought, the phone rang. Kevin picked it up.

After hanging up, Kevin frowned. "What the hell? The Department of Family and Children's Affairs was supposed to come on Friday, but they just called and said they're bringing the adopted child over now!"

"Alright, $800 is finally here!" Veronica exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "Everyone, hold that thought. We'll continue this later after Kevin and I get back."

With that, Veronica and Kevin hurried off, leaving the rest of the Gallaghers stunned and eager to return to their discussion.


Tip: You can use left, right, A and D keyboard keys to browse between chapters.