Chapter 6: The Weight of Reality
The air inside the dormitory was heavy with the smell of instant noodles, sweat, and cheap cologne.
Lin Feng sat at his small desk, flipping through a worn-out economics textbook. The yellowed pages and creased corners told a story of endless rereads—of late nights spent trying to squeeze knowledge from the faded ink. His highlighter, long dried out, barely left a mark as he traced the words.
Outside, laughter echoed through the hallway.
"Bro, let's hit the barbecue place tonight! I'm starving."
"Damn, you're flexing again. Didn't you just drop ¥300 at KTV yesterday?"
"What's ¥300? That's just a bottle of beer."
Lin Feng's grip tightened on his pen.
¥300. That was half of what he made in a day working at the café. It was what he used to survive on for an entire week—carefully rationing instant noodles and cafeteria rice to stretch every yuan.
He sighed and glanced at his phone.
¥5,380.
It was the most money he had ever seen in his bank account.
But compared to the wealth that surrounded him, it was nothing.
Reality Check
The next morning, Lin Feng woke up to the sound of his dormmates getting ready.
Zhao Lei, the roommate with a wealthy background, was fixing his hair in the mirror. He adjusted the collar of his designer polo shirt, then reached for his watch—a sleek Rolex Submariner.
Lin Feng recognized it instantly. He had looked it up before—worth at least ¥80,000.
Just one of those could cover his entire tuition, rent, and living expenses for four years.
Zhao Lei caught him looking and smirked.
"What, never seen a real watch before?" he chuckled, slipping it onto his wrist.
Lin Feng ignored him and turned back to his book.
Zhao Lei's smirk widened. "Oh, right. Guess you wouldn't care. Can't afford one anyway."
His friends laughed.
Lin Feng took a slow breath. Stay calm. Stay focused.
He wasn't going to waste his time arguing with someone who had never struggled a day in his life.
A Simple Luxury
At noon, Lin Feng stepped out of the library and checked the time.
His stomach growled. He hadn't eaten yet.
His usual habit was to head to the cheapest cafeteria on campus, where he could get a basic rice and vegetable meal for ¥6. But today, he hesitated.
His eyes flickered to a small restaurant across the street.
Lan Zhou Beef Noodles.
A steaming bowl of hand-pulled noodles, rich broth, and tender beef. ¥18 per bowl.
For others, ¥18 was nothing.
For Lin Feng, it was a luxury he hadn't allowed himself in months.
But today…
He walked inside.
The scent of spices and simmering broth hit him immediately, making his stomach clench in hunger. He hesitated at the counter, debating whether he should really spend this money.
¥18 wouldn't make him poor. But old habits were hard to break.
"One bowl of beef noodles, extra cilantro, please," he finally said.
Minutes later, he sat by the window, slowly savoring the meal.
The broth was rich and flavorful, warming his stomach. The beef melted in his mouth.
He had forgotten what real food tasted like.
For a moment, he wasn't the struggling student. He wasn't the guy who had to count every yuan. He was just… a normal person, enjoying a meal.
Outside, luxury cars rumbled down the street. Students in expensive sneakers and tailored suits strolled past the window.
Lin Feng's grip tightened around his chopsticks.
One day.
One day, he wouldn't have to hesitate over a bowl of noodles.
An Unexpected Problem
That evening, Lin Feng returned to his dorm and checked his phone.
His latest phone listing—a used iPhone XR he had bought for ¥1,300—had zero buyers.
He frowned. Normally, his listings got inquiries within a day.
He opened his messages.
Buyer: "Hey, I saw your listing, but another guy is selling the same model for ¥1,250. Can you match it?"
Lin Feng clicked on the other listing.
A seller was undercutting him.
Damn.
His plan had been simple—buy low, sell high, and make small but steady profits. But now, someone else was doing the same thing, and they were pricing more aggressively.
Lin Feng exhaled slowly.
He could lower his price to match, but that would cut into his already small profit margin.
Or…
He could add value in a different way.
Instead of dropping the price, he updated his listing.
[FOR SALE] iPhone XR – ¥1,550 (Includes Fast Charger & Free Setup Help!)
Excellent condition.
Battery health: 91%.
Fast charger included (worth ¥80).
Free setup and data transfer assistance.
An hour later, his phone buzzed.
Buyer: "Hey, I saw your listing. Do you still have the iPhone XR?"
Lin Feng: "Yeah, still available."
Buyer: "I saw someone selling for cheaper… but you include a fast charger, right?"
Lin Feng: "Yep. I'll even help you transfer your data."
Buyer: "Alright, I'll take it."
Lin Feng grinned.
No need to lower prices. Just offer something extra.
That night, he met the buyer at a café, sold the phone, and walked away with a full ¥250 profit.
His strategy was working.
But competition was growing.
If he wanted to stay ahead, he needed to start thinking bigger.
A Silent Promise
Lin Feng lay on his bed that night, staring at the ceiling.
The city outside was still alive—car horns, distant laughter, the occasional roar of a motorcycle speeding down the street.
He glanced at his phone.
¥5,630.
Slowly, he was climbing.
But this wasn't enough.
His world was still too small.
If he kept doing what he was doing, he'd make money—but he'd never truly break free from his circumstances.
He needed a bigger plan.
A real business.
One that would let him stop trading his time for money.
He clenched his fists.
No more being looked down on.
No more hesitating over a bowl of noodles.
No more struggling just to exist.
One day, he would walk into any restaurant, any store, any place, and never have to check the price.
One day, the people who ignored him now would have no choice but to notice him.
But for now…
He would keep grinding.
Slowly, steadily—until no one could stop him.