A young man, no older than twenty-one, lay in quiet slumber within the confines of a spacious, well-appointed room.
The soft hum of the air-conditioner filled the air as a thick duvet cocooned him in warmth.
Heavy curtains, drawn tight, shielded the room from the morning sun, allowing only a faint glow to slip through the edges.
Brrring!
Brrring!
The sharp vibration of his phone shattered the silence, its alarm persistent and unforgiving.
He stirred, turning groggily beneath the covers before reaching out with a sluggish hand.
With a tap of his finger on the 'Stop' button, the piercing sound was silenced, returning the room to its former hush.
Groggily rubbing the remnants of sleep from his eyes, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and rose.
With a languid yawn and a satisfying stretch, he made his way to the window and pulled the curtains apart, finally granting the morning sunlight permission to flood the room.
"Another perfect day"
He murmured, voice still laced with drowsiness.
Yawning once more, he returned to his bedside, picked up his phone, and glanced at the screen.
8:00 AM, the time boldly displayed.
With a casual swipe, he unlocked the device.
After idly browsing through a few apps, he connected it to the charger and made his way into the bathroom.
The first thing to greet him in the bathroom was his own reflection, cast upon the large, pristine mirror above the sink.
Standing at six feet one, he bore a face that could be considered above average, neither strikingly handsome nor forgettably plain.
His jet-black hair matched the dark hue of his eyes, lending him an air of quiet intensity.
Smooth skin and neatly trimmed hair added a subtle edge to his charm, enhancing his overall appearance without drawing too much attention.
After a brief glance at his reflection, his gaze shifted downward as he leaned toward the sink.
He reached for his toothbrush and toothpaste, beginning his morning routine with practiced ease.
A few minutes later, he stepped into the shower, allowing the water to wash away the last traces of sleep.
Ten minutes passed before he emerged from the bathroom, steam trailing behind him, a towel wrapped securely around his waist.
He approached his wardrobe and sifted through an array of neatly arranged clothes.
After a moment's deliberation, he selected an outfit and dressed with casual efficiency.
Turning on his heels, he made his way to the kitchen.
The space was well-equipped, boasting nearly every essential, a gas cylinder, an oven, a microwave, and a full set of plates and utensils.
It was the kind of kitchen that revealed much about its owner.
Anyone who glimpsed it would immediately label him a foodie.
And they'd be right.
Yet, despite his evident passion for food, not a trace of excess clung to his frame.
His body remained lean and defined, thanks in no small part to the private gym built into his apartment.
He opened the fridge and retrieved some leftovers, which he promptly warmed and ate in silence.
After finishing his quiet meal, he rose from the table and returned to his room.
There, he picked up his phone and the car key resting beside it.
The time now read 8:30 AM.
Without wasting another moment, he headed for the door.
As it closed behind him with a soft click, rows of apartment units, identical to his own, stretched along the hallway.
He made his way to the elevator and pressed the button for the garage.
A minute later, a sleek Mercedes-Benz pulled out of the underground lot, its engine humming softly.
He drove without pause, cutting through the streets with practiced ease, until he reached his destination.
After parking, he stepped out of the car and made his way forward, towards a lecture hall.
As he walked through the corridors, heads turned in subtle admiration, drawn by the crisp elegance of his attire and the fresh, alluring scent that lingered in his wake.
After ascending a few flights of stairs, he arrived at a door near the end of the hallway, the entrance to his next lecture.
The moment he stepped inside, a wave of sound rushed to greet him.
Conversations buzzed across the vast room as students chatted, laughed, and settled into their seats.
Before he could even choose a spot of his own, a familiar voice rang out above the noise, calling his name.
"Ethan! Over here!"
He turned instinctively at the sound.
It was Logan, a close friend, waving him over with a smile on his face.
Ethan shifted direction and strolled over to where Logan sat.
"You're early"
Logan remarked, raising an eyebrow.
"Didn't expect you to show up ten minutes before lecture starts"
As he spoke, he adjusted his posture, moving his bag to free the seat beside him.
"I'm usually early, bro"
Ethan replied with a smirk as he took the seat.
"You make it sound like I'm always late or something. Besides, this is university, no one's handing out medals for attendance. It's the results that count"
With that, he pulled his phone from his pocket and tapped the screen, eyes scanning through notifications.
"Stop taking subtle jabs at me"
Logan said with a scoff, clicking his tongue.
"Not all of us are nonchalant, lazy smartasses who breeze through every course without breaking a sweat"
Ethan chuckled, but before he could respond, Logan shifted the topic.
"So, since you're here early, I'm guessing you didn't write a single chapter yesterday for your novel?"
He said, giving Ethan a side glance.
"Your fans might just devour you alive at this rate"
Ethan simply shrugged.
He was an author, but not just any author.
He was a Webnovel writer with thousands of loyal fans following his story online.
And truth be told, he was a notoriously lazy one.
Despite barely managing to upload twenty chapters a month, his readers flooded him with praise and virtual gifts, enchanted by the originality and allure of his storytelling.
"It's not that I'm lazy"
Ethan said, eyes still fixed on his screen as his thumb casually scrolled.
"It's just… this university eats up so much of my time, I barely get the chance to write anything for my readers"
Logan squinted at him, unimpressed.
"You barely attend class, bro. How exactly is school draining your time?"
"You wouldn't understand"
Ethan replied flatly, offering no further explanation.
Logan raised a brow, then chuckled.
"Alright, fine. So, tell me then… what are you planning for the next chapters?"
He asked, a playful smile forming on his face.
Logan, too, was a fan of Ethan's novel.
But instead of downloading the app, paying for a subscription, and reading it like any dedicated reader, Logan had found a much more efficient way to follow the story: he simply read the chapters on Ethan's phone, never spending a dime.
A true friend, right?
Just as Ethan opened his mouth to respond, the clock struck 9:00 AM.
The door to the lecture hall swung open, and the professor entered, signaling the start of class.
Two hours passed in a haze of monotony, with neither of them leaving their seats.
Finally, the lecture ended, and the clock read 11:00 AM, nearly noon.
Stretching and groaning, Ethan and Logan stood, gathering their things before making their way downstairs to Ethan's car.
"Where are you headed?"
Ethan asked, glancing at Logan as he slid into the driver's seat.
Logan raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean, where am I headed? We're going to the same place. We've got another class at 11:30, at the other building"
Ethan reclined in his seat, nonchalantly fastening his seatbelt.
"I won't be attending. I'm done for the day"
Logan sighed dramatically.
"I swear, you're the laziest smartass I've ever met in my life"
Ethan chuckled but said nothing.
"Well, it's true that only results matter"
Logan continued,
"And not how many classes you attend. So, based on that logic, just take me to my hostel"
Ethan shook his head in silent amusement, knowing exactly what his friend was doing.
Logan had simply seized on his earlier words as an excuse to skip the lecture.
With a shrug, Ethan pressed a button to start the car.
The engine hummed to life, and he pulled out of the parking lot, heading in the direction of Logan's hostel.