The rain had stopped by the time Lin Yi returned to the dorms.
He parked his bicycle near the rusting rack outside the boys' dormitory building. The plastic bag of bottles still hung from the back wheel—a reminder of who he was just hours ago. He grabbed it anyway. He wasn't ready to let go of his old self… not yet.
The building smelled like old socks and instant noodles. Paint peeled from the stairwell walls, and the flickering hallway light buzzed like an angry mosquito. Lin Yi climbed to the third floor, carrying his bag with practiced silence.
Room 307. He pushed the door open gently.
Inside, his three roommates were gathered, playing mobile games and cursing each other's gameplay. The room was cramped—barely enough space for four people. One bed creaked every time someone moved. The shared bathroom door didn't lock. The walls were covered with scribbles and motivational posters that had long lost their glue.
"Yo, Lin Yi," one of the boys called out without looking up. "You finally done collecting trash?"
Zhang Chao, the loudest of the group, chuckled. "How many bottles this time? Gonna treat us to a feast of… spicy sticks and boiled eggs?"
The others laughed.
Lin Yi set the sack of bottles down quietly in the corner and offered a small smile. "Maybe next time."
"Doubt it," Zhang Chao smirked. "Can't even afford hot water, much less snacks."
Lin Yi didn't respond. He walked over to his creaky desk and sat down. While his roommates argued about game kills and who owed who instant noodles, he opened his phone and tapped into the system interface again.
[System Wallet Balance: ¥59,622]
[Available System Actions:]
– Dorm Upgrade (Basic Level) – ¥1,000
– Dorm Upgrade (Private Room) – ¥10,000
– Dorm Upgrade (Luxury Suite) – ¥50,000
– Auto Tutor App (Intelligence Boost) – ¥5,000
– Basic Investment Pack – ¥10,000
– Skill Learning Pack (Business) – ¥8,000
His fingers hovered over the "Dorm Upgrade (Private Room)" option. It would be easy—one click and he'd finally have peace, a place of his own.
But… he held back.
Not yet.
He needed to stay hidden. The system was his greatest secret, and if he started living like a young master overnight, people would grow suspicious. The last thing he wanted was to attract attention before he was truly ready.
Still, he needed a small improvement. Just enough to help him without drawing eyes.
He tapped Dorm Upgrade (Basic Level).
[Confirmed. Initiating Upgrade…]
A slight hum pulsed through his ears. He looked around.
Nothing happened.
But when he opened the drawer at his desk, he found it perfectly organized, with a new stainless-steel thermos tucked neatly inside. His sagging mattress had suddenly firmed up beneath him. The broken bulb overhead no longer flickered. Even the stale smell seemed to vanish slightly.
A notification appeared.
[Upgrade Applied: Bed Comfort +30%, Desk Storage Enhanced, Basic Sleep Aid Field Activated]
Lin Yi's shoulders relaxed. He didn't need to show off to feel rich. This was enough—for now.
Across the room, Zhang Chao scoffed. "Hey Lin Yi, your shirt looks new. You sell extra bottles today or something?"
Lin Yi glanced down. He was wearing the clean black hoodie the system gave him earlier.
"Someone donated clothes near the cafeteria," he lied smoothly. "I got lucky."
Zhang snorted. "You and your trash-picking luck."
The others laughed, but Lin Yi's mind was elsewhere.
He pulled up the Auto Tutor App in the system again.
Description: Grants increased retention, accelerated learning speed, and mental clarity while studying. Duration: 3 hours.
Cost: ¥5,000.
This time, he didn't hesitate.
[Auto Tutor App Activated – Timer: 3:00:00]
A cool sensation washed over his forehead. His thoughts sharpened. The messy textbooks on his desk suddenly looked like puzzles waiting to be solved.
He picked up his Programming Fundamentals book and started reading. Line by line, the concepts began to click. Algorithms that once confused him now made sense. He opened his laptop and began writing code—real code. Efficient, clean, logical.
Time flew by.
While his roommates ranted about their match losses, Lin Yi finished three chapters and solved every exercise at the end of each section.
[Intelligence +2]
[System Remark: Host is now 25% above average student capability in major field.]
At midnight, he finally stood and stretched. His back no longer ached from the chair. His brain, though full, felt focused—not fatigued.
He lay down, staring at the ceiling as the rain outside slowed to a drizzle.
The world still saw him as poor Lin Yi, the bottle picker. His ex-girlfriend was probably still laughing somewhere with that rich boy.
But they didn't know.
None of them knew.
And that's exactly how he wanted it.
For now.