Rahul's hometown of Nashik wasn't far from Mumbai; it only took a few hours by train. He set off at noon and arrived by the afternoon.
As soon as he stepped out of the railway station, he hailed an auto-rickshaw and headed straight to the older residential colony where he grew up. He bought some fresh fruit at the neighborhood gate, carried it upstairs, and opened the apartment door with his own key.
Rahul hadn't told his parents he was coming back this time; he hadn't even mentioned that he had successfully sold the Mumbai flat.
Hearing movement at the front door, Rahul's mother walked out of the living room. Seeing her son suddenly standing there, a look of absolute, pleasant surprise filled her face.
Having not seen him for six months, she was stunned. How had her son become so incredibly handsome?
It really is our family's genes! she thought proudly.
"Rahul! Why are you back?" she exclaimed, hurrying over. "You didn't even give us a heads-up! Have you eaten? Should I make you a plate of hot poha?"
She was already turning toward the kitchen as she spoke.
Rahul placed the fruit on the dining table and waved his hand. "Ma, don't bother, I've already eaten. Where's Papa?"
"Your papa went to the industrial estate to work his shift as a security guard," his mother said, her smile faltering slightly. "He has nothing to do at home after retiring. He says earning a little extra money will help share some of your financial pressure."
"Ma, tell him to stop working so hard; he has high blood pressure!" A look of genuine heartache crossed Rahul's face.
He pulled out his wallet, retrieved the new debit card containing the house sale proceeds, and placed it firmly on the table.
"Ma, the flat in Mumbai has been sold. This card has 40 Lakhs on it. You take it. I want you both to stop working so hard. Just stay home, watch your TV serials, and relax."
Seeing the card, his mother immediately became anxious. "Rahul, no! Keep this money for yourself. Didn't you say you wanted to start a YouTube business? Keep this for your entrepreneurship. We support you!"
"Your papa and I can't just sit still anyway. If we suddenly have nothing to do, we'll feel useless. While we still have our health, let us provide a safety net for you!"
Her tone was heavy, filled with a mother's heartache. She knew it wasn't easy for her son to struggle alone in a massive city like Mumbai. There was no telling how much hardship he had endured, all because she and his father couldn't afford to give him a wealthy head start.
"Ma, stop worrying about me," Rahul said gently. "I can't say my business is a massive empire yet, but I already have over half a million followers across the internet! Your son is officially a popular influencer now."
Hearing this, the worry lines on his mother's face visibly relaxed, and she couldn't suppress a huge, proud smile.
"Really? Half a million? My son is a star!" she beamed. "I have to call your papa and tell him to buy some good sweets on his way home from work. We have to celebrate!"
Looking at his excited mother, Rahul felt a renewed surge of determination. He absolutely had to make this vlogging career a massive, undeniable success.
"What kind of videos do you film?" she asked, buzzing with energy. "Tell me your channel name. I watch YouTube and Reels every day; I'll go like all your posts right now!"
Rahul told her his channel name: "Rahul: Citizen of the World."
"Okay, but Ma, whatever you do, do not forward my videos in the extended family WhatsApp group. Some of our relatives can't stand to see us doing well."
"Don't worry, I know exactly what I'm doing. I haven't spoken in that toxic group for months," she scoffed. "I remember perfectly well how they used to look down on us. Now that my son is successful, they'll surely try to cling to us again. I won't give them the chance!"
Rahul chuckled, glad she was on the same page. "I'm going to go unpack in my room."
"You don't need to tidy up in there. I sweep and dust it every other day; it's spotless! Now put that bank card away!"
Rahul carried his backpack and pushed open the door to his childhood bedroom. The small room still had the exact same layout. His old books and action figures were still on the desk, and the faded MS Dhoni poster was still taped to the wall.
He hung his clothes in the wardrobe, placed his laptop on the desk, and fell into deep thought.
The malicious comments under his recent videos and the toxic words of the homebuyer's fiancée earlier that day resurfaced in his mind. Maybe he should start a live stream tonight to chat directly with his netizens. He could ask them which country they wanted to see him visit next.
It was time to set off on a new journey. But first, he needed to post the final edited video of the twins to generate maximum hype before going live.
Just as Rahul was about to click 'Publish', his mother suddenly burst through the door, her face glowing with an almost comical level of shock and joy.
"Rahul! My dear boy!" she yelled. "You encountered such a miracle in Bangladesh, and you didn't even call to tell me?!"
"This young girl really wants to spend 1.5 Crores just to marry you?!"
Seeing how incredibly excited she was, Rahul smiled. It was good to see the gloom left by Ananya's family completely erased from her face.
"Ma, don't get too excited. It was just a gesture."
His mother's voice went up an octave. "1.5 Crores?! My goodness! Why is the woman giving the man a dowry over there? Rahul, she is wonderful. Look at those big eyes and that smile; she's a total beauty! Quick, tell me—did you agree to her proposal?"
Rahul saw his mother staring intently at the video of Samina on her phone screen, grinning from ear to ear.
"Ma, no, I didn't agree."
"You didn't?!" His mother stepped forward and pressed the back of her hand against his forehead. "You don't have a fever! Why on earth didn't you agree to such a golden opportunity?"
Suddenly, a realization struck her. "Wait, is it because they want you to be a 'ghar jamai'? A live-in son-in-law?"
"Listen, if you really like her, having a foreign daughter-in-law and living there isn't a bad thing. Your papa and I support you! It'll just be a bit more of a hassle for us to fly over and visit. I just don't know if we'd get used to the spicy food over there."
Rahul laughed, feeling a wave of helplessness. What 'ghar jamai'? "Ma, please stop stressing. I filmed those things to show you I'm doing fine. Your son is very popular now; shouldn't I take my time and choose carefully?"
His mother laughed until her eyes crinkled. "Alright, alright, I won't bother you anymore. I have to hurry and call your papa. Our son is a superstar!"
She rushed out of the room like a happy whirlwind. Rahul shook his head, smiling.
Later that evening, after Rahul uploaded the final video of Anisha and Anika, his father rushed home from his shift. He had bought premium ingredients and sweets, and was busy in the kitchen helping his wife. Their loud, joyful laughter drifted into Rahul's bedroom.
"See? I told you his good looks come from me!" his father's voice boomed proudly.
Rahul had a wonderful, hearty reunion dinner with his parents, spending hours chatting with his father about his future travel plans.
Finally, he returned to his room, set up his phone on a tripod, and started a live stream.
The title of the broadcast was simple: "Which country should I go to next? The choice is yours!"
Expert Guide Follow-up:
Rahul is finally live with his massive new audience! How should the voting go? Should he let the chat randomly decide his fate (leading to a wild, unexpected destination), or should a massive donation from a familiar username in Dhaka suddenly sway the vote toward a specific country?