She held her cell phone out and huffed, give me your WhatsApp. Keith smiled and
reached into his pocket. His phone was one of the oldest models, and he should have
upgraded it years ago, but he didn't have that option.
He'd never had the money for luxuries like brand new cell phones. Aerie didn't seem to
care about the model of Keith's phone at all, though. She added him on WhatsApp while
sneaking furtive glances at Keith's face.
The next time I'll treat you to a meal, she muttered, followed by bye as she ran away
again. Keith looked at her back and then looked down at his phone. A faint smile
appeared on his lips.
After adding his new attribute points to his dexterity, Keith could clearly feel that his
speed had increased by another point. He made his way to the bank to deposit the
$20,000 check. He'd been awarded after the bank robbery.
He kept some of the cash on him, and the rest he put into the account linked to his
Google Pay app. $20,000 wasn't that much money, but it felt like a lot to Keith. He stood
outside the bank and hesitated for a moment.
Instead of going directly to the academic bookstore, he wandered over to the nearby
mall. That morning, he had discovered just how awesome the instant memorization skill
was. He didn't need to read a whole book word for word.
All it took was a split-second glance at the page, and he could clearly recall the words in
his mind. He was like an enhanced scanner. As long as he scanned it, everything would
be recorded.
Because of that, he didn't need to spend money all kinds of textbooks and practice tests.
All he had to do was spend a little time in the campus bookstore skimming the relevant
texts. With the money he would save on books, he decided to buy a new cell phone.
Not to show off or anything. It was just that his current phone was almost obsolete. A
central mall in Summerfield was a pretty high-end affair, and it was already crowded
with shoppers when he got there.
Keith was making his way over to the phone counter when he did a double-take. The
small group he'd just passed was actually some of his high school classmates. A young
woman with heavy makeup scoffed at a guy in basic clothes.
Oh my God, Will. Why would you buy this for your girlfriend? Is she seriously going to
walk around with a $200 cell phone? Another plainer-looking girl changed her expression
immediately, but the man called Will replied, Really, Harper, what do you care what
phone I buy for my girlfriend? What, you think you're better than us because your
boyfriend's got a little money? Harper wrapped her hands around the arm of the stout man standing next to her. She said proudly, I didn't say that, but if I pulled like a random
lipstick from my bag, I bet none of you could afford even that.
She giggled as she spoke, as if she'd just cracked a hilarious joke. Will's pride flared up
at her snide remarks, and he turned to the salesperson at the counter. Give me the new
iPhone Max.
I want to check it out. The salesperson blinked at him, but didn't hesitate. Will looked at
the iPhone box in his hand.
The price tag said $1,600. For a moment, he didn't say anything. $1,600? For such a
young man, it was indeed a big number.
Seeing his face, Harper sneered and said, Check it out, please. You're seriously acting
like you have the money to buy this, but you still want to look at that crappy $200
phone? Harper's boyfriend mirrored her smug expression. He looked at Will with disdain,
but when he turned to Will's girlfriend, his gaze lingered a little too long.
Will's blood surged inside him, and he couldn't control himself. There was no way he
could afford this phone. But looking at his girlfriend's despondent face and Harper's
contemptuous gaze, Will was determined to find a way.
If he left empty-handed, he didn't know how he would face himself, let alone his
girlfriend. The commotion had attracted the attention of the other people in the store.
They looked at Will with eyes full of disdain and pity.
A few broke out in whispers, quietly mocking the poor guy who had lost his reason due to
impulsiveness. Hearing the whispering around him, Will clutched the box in his hands
tightly. He felt his eyes turning a little red.
But just as his helplessness threatened to overwhelm him, a calm voice spoke up from
behind him. Don't buy the phone for you, Will. The voice wasn't loud, but it carried
clearly through the quiet store.
The crowd turned in shock, and Will turned with them. Keith! He yelled in surprise. The
two of them had been close in high school.
They'd been best friends since 10th grade. But after graduation, they became busy with
their own lives and started to drift apart. Keith smiled and nodded.
I owe you $2,000, right? I might as well pay you back now. You do? Will was perplexed,
but he stopped talking when he caught the look Keith was giving him. Keith walked over
to the counter and smiled.
We'll take it. The salesperson looked at the smiling young man.