Chapter 9: The Protagonist's Money-Making Plan
Just as Wen Jing was lost in her reverie, an annoying voice interrupted her.
"Wen Jing, I can't solve this math problem. Can you help me?"
Wen Jing turned and saw a chubby boy's face.
This boy was Chen Zishi, a fat kid with average looks and poor academic performance.
Wen Jing didn't want to deal with Chen Zishi. She wrote down the solution method and handed it to him, telling him to figure it out himself.
"I'm studying now," she said curtly.
Chen Zishi, feeling embarrassed, walked away.
He returned to his seat dejectedly.
"Fatty, do you like her?" Chu Bai, his deskmate, teased.
"No way, don't talk nonsense," Chen Zishi immediately denied.
"Stop pretending, I can tell."
"Keep it a secret, don't tell anyone," Chen Zishi pleaded.
"Don't worry, I'll share a secret with you too. I like Xu Muyan, so now we're even."
"It seems we're in the same boat," Chen Zishi sighed.
"We're not the same. I'll definitely win over Xu Muyan; she'll be my girl sooner or later," Chu Bai said confidently.
"Look at Wang Haoran and Xu Muyan always discussing study problems together, laughing and chatting. They might already be sparking something. You might not have a chance," Chen Zishi glanced at the handsome boy and the beautiful girl at the far seats.
"Wang Haoran is just a coward. I'll expose his true nature soon. Xu Muyan won't bother with him after that," Chu Bai said bitterly.
"Wang Haoran is indeed annoying, always making Wen Jing give up her seat and disturbing her studies. You go ahead and chase after Xu Muyan; I'm rooting for you," Chen Zishi agreed, also disliking Wang Haoran.
"Thanks. If Xu Muyan becomes my girlfriend, I'll make sure she speaks well of you in front of Wen Jing. With their relationship, you'll have a better chance with Wen Jing too," Chu Bai patted Chen Zishi's shoulder.
"Good brother, remember what you said!" Chen Zishi was instantly excited, his goodwill towards Chu Bai greatly increased.
Men's friendships can develop quickly over such matters.
Xu Muyan and Wen Jing were not only deskmates but also very close friends, often seen together around the campus.
Xu Muyan's words carried significant weight with Wen Jing.
"You need to pay Fan Jian, Fan Tong, and Qin Shousheng thirty thousand yuan for medical expenses. That's a substantial amount. Your parents will be furious. Have you thought about how to explain it to them?" Chen Zishi asked, now more concerned about Chu Bai's troubles.
"I have a plan to settle it myself during tomorrow's break," Chu Bai said quietly.
"You're not planning to rob someone, are you?" Chen Zishi was shocked.
He knew Chu Bai's family was not well-off.
"Of course not. I plan to... win," Chu Bai said mysteriously.
"Gambling? That's unreliable. Haven't you heard the saying 'nine out of ten gamblers lose'?"
"Nine out of ten lose, but there's still one who wins. I'm that one in ten, and I'm absolutely sure of it. I just need more capital," Chu Bai said, glancing at Chen Zishi. "Do you have any money to lend me?"
"I have a thousand."
"Wow, you're rich!"
"Not really. My family's financial situation is quite average. This is my savings from scrimping and saving for over half a year. I planned to buy a nice gift for Wen Jing's birthday this month."
"Loan me the money to get me through this, and I'll repay you before Wen Jing's birthday."
"Alright, but you must repay me on time."
"Don't worry, I'll definitely repay you. If I don't, you can cut off my head and use it as a stool," Chu Bai vowed.
---
The school day finally ended.
At the school gate, students were heading home in various ways.
Some rode bicycles, others took the bus, and some were picked up by private cars.
A Rolls-Royce Cullinan parked at the school gate, attracting a lot of attention.
Wang Haoran got into the Cullinan under the envious, jealous, and admiring gazes of many boys and the adoring, fascinated looks of many girls.
"Master, should I take you straight home?" the driver, a man in his forties, asked respectfully.
"Take me to the nearest private detective agency first," Wang Haoran said.
The driver was surprised but didn't ask questions and started the car.
Don't ask about things you shouldn't. He had been a driver for the Wang family for almost ten years and understood this principle well.
Soon, the Cullinan stopped in front of a modest detective agency.
Wang Haoran walked in alone.
He found the relevant person in charge and handed over a simple dossier.
The dossier, of course, was about Chu Bai, containing his photo and home address.
The photo was taken by one of Wang Haoran's lackeys.
The home address was copied from the student registration records.
"Follow Chu Bai and report his movements in real-time."
That was Wang Haoran's request.
Initially, the detective agency refused, claiming they were a legitimate business, not paparazzi.
However, when Wang Haoran offered three times the usual fee, they immediately changed their tune and accepted the job.
The so-called three times the fee was only thirty thousand yuan.
For Wang Haoran, a rich second generation, it was pocket change.
After leaving his phone number, Wang Haoran left the detective agency.
The detective agency immediately began their work.
---
Night fell.
In the Wang family villa.
In the lavishly decorated dining room, Wang Haoran dined alone.
The table was covered with over a dozen dishes, all prepared by a five-star hotel chef.
The taste was impeccable.
Several servants stood by, ready to attend to any of Wang Haoran's needs.
Wang Haoran was filled with emotion.
In his previous life, he was dirt poor. This luxurious life as a young master was something he could only dream of.
Now, this dream had become reality.
His adoptive parents weren't home, which was a relief for now. Wang Haoran wasn't sure how to face them yet.
In his previous life, he was an orphan. After crossing over, he suddenly had parents but no emotional connection to them.
His adoptive father was a big business owner, managing the family's various industries, and was always busy.
It was common not to see him for one or two months.
His adoptive mother was a wealthy socialite with her own company, also very busy.
In her rare spare time, she frequented high-end beauty salons for treatments.
In his memories, Wang Haoran had very few interactions with his adoptive parents.
They felt guilty for their absence and tried to make up for it by indulging him unconditionally.
They would give him anything he wanted.
In the original storyline, Wang Haoran initially fought the protagonist alone. Later, the entire Wang family, including his maternal relatives, joined in, all because of this unconditional love.
But then again, isn't this the usual trope for villainous rich second-generation characters?
Imagine a scenario where the rich kid wants to harm the protagonist, and the parents say, "You unfilial child! How can you do such a bad thing? Stop it right now, or you're no longer my son!"
If that were the case, how would the story progress?