Two notification sounds in quick succession made Charles gasp in surprise. Luck was definitely on his side today!
Standing alone on the sidewalk, he couldn't help but smile at his phone. The name "Tomson Riviera" was legendary—everyone had heard of it countless times. It was the epitome of luxury homes, with even the cheapest unit costing over ten million.
And now, he owned a penthouse duplex there, which was surely worth much more than the average unit. Tomson Riviera was the most famous development in Huahai City, located by Riverside Avenue. It spanned over 20,000 square meters, with a total building area of more than 115,000 square meters. It consisted of four luxurious riverside residences and eleven high-end clubs.
The tallest building had over forty floors and Charles didn't know that the unit he chose was the most luxurious and expensive, often referred to as the "king of the building."
In comparison, the other item seemed quite ordinary, though for most people, it was still an unimaginable figure.
Charles then looked down at his chest, waiting for the property deed to appear, just like it had yesterday. He was curious about how it would materialize and didn't want to miss the chance to see it happen.
Minutes passed and Charles's eyes started to ache from staring, but nothing appeared.
"Maybe it's not showing up because I'm watching it too closely?" he wondered aloud.
He lifted his head, rubbed his stiff neck and silently cursed himself for being so silly.
He deliberately avoided looking at his chest, waiting for a few seconds, but there was still nothing there. He was dumbfounded.
"What's going on?"
Just as he was wondering, his phone buzzed, catching his attention.
"The property deed and shopping card have been placed in the user's backpack, please check. Reminder: The shopping card's password is the last six digits of the card number and it will disappear after today. Please use it promptly."
Charles was stunned. He quickly took off his backpack.
Opening it, he found the red property deed and a shopping card.
He pulled out the property deed and saw his name, Charles Mathews, listed as the owner.
His fingers gently traced over it, feeling a slight thrill. A man's success is marked by having a house and a car.
Now he had a house and a luxurious one at that. As for the car, he believed it wouldn't be long.
"Hmm? Better use the shopping card first, since it's only valid today."
As a thrifty and responsible man, he had to be smart with his resources.
Nine years of mandatory education taught him not to waste a penny.
Charles casually hailed a taxi.
"To Grand Shopping Mall, please!"
After giving the driver the destination, Charles fell into thoughts. "Hmm? For an ordinary person, spending five million in a day would be quite challenging, but am I just an ordinary person?"
After thinking for a while, Charles was filled with excitement. After all, he used to be a rich kid and when it came to spending money, he was top-notch.
He already knew how he was going to spend it. As the saying goes, "Clothes make the man." So, clothes were his first choice, brands like Brioni, Armani, Zegna, Ferragamo, Connolly and Versace—he was familiar with these luxury men's brands.
His background as a rich kid was going to be really useful now, but, just spending on clothes wouldn't be enough to use up five million.
Next up were the quintessential items for a man: watches and wallets. They truly reflect a man's success and are a lifelong romance for men.
Thinking of watches, Charles touched his wrist, recalling his first watch, a gift from his father on his eighteenth birthday.
Patek Philippe, the most famous brand in the watch industry, had an ad that many people mocked: "You never actually own a Patek Philippe, you merely look after it for the next generation."
Arrogant and bold, he had liked it because of that ad. Back then, his father gave him an entry-level watch, which he later sold. But this time, he could buy a real collector's piece.
Thinking about it brought a smile to his face. Just then, the taxi driver noticed his smile.
"Young man, are you off to meet your girlfriend?" the taxi driver couldn't help but ask. Ever since Charles got in the car, the driver had wanted to chat, but Now, he finally found an opening.
"I bet you are, with looks like a star, you must be going to see your girlfriend," the driver continued, not waiting for Charles to respond.
"Uh, thanks, but I don't have a girlfriend!" Charles replied with a smile.
"No worries, with your looks, finding a girlfriend should be a breeze!" the driver chuckled, "but heading to Grand Shopping Mall, that's a shopping paradise. Not everyone can afford to go there, you must be young, wealthy and talented!"
Even after realizing he might have overstepped, the driver wasn't embarrassed.
"Uh!" Charles couldn't help but feel a bit shy at the compliment.
"You're too kind, sir!" he replied, then turned to his phone and transferred half a million to his mom's account.
He hadn't forgotten about the millions in debt his family owed, if only the shopping card could be converted to cash, he would have cleared the debt by now. But he was confident that with his mutated online shopping system, he'd pay it off soon.
Just seconds after the transfer, his phone rang, seeing his mom's name on the caller ID, he wasn't surprised. He knew this would be her reaction; swipe right to answer.
"Charlie? I just received a transfer of half a million. Was it from you?"
Sure enough, before he could even bring the phone to his ear, his mother's distinctive voice came through.
"Yes, it's from me, Mom!"
"Really? Charlie, how do you have so much money?"
Hearing Charles confirm, his mother sounded worried on the other end.
"I'm telling you, Charlie, don't do anything foolish!"
Charles quickly reassured her, "Mom, just listen to me first!". The line went quiet, as expected.
"Mom, didn't I tell you before? I work as an executive at a company and I often come across a lot of information. So, in my free time, I use that information to invest in stocks, that's how I made so much money. Plus, I've started my own company. So, you and Dad don't need to worry, I'm earning money legally! We'll be able to pay off the family debts soon."
Charles delivered the explanation he had prepared in advance.
"I knew my son was the best!". After hearing Charles's words, Mrs. Matthews had no doubts. After all, Charles had always been reliable since he was young.
Charles smiled at her response, feeling a wave of relief. He could faintly hear his mother talking with his father on the other end and he felt even more grateful for the mutated online platform.
"Alright, just take care of yourself too. Come home for the holidays this year!"
"Yeah! I'll definitely come home for the holidays this year!" Charles promised. Last year, he had skipped the trip to earn a bit more money.
"Alright, alright!" Mrs. Matthews said a few more words before hanging up.
"Aha, I knew it! Young man, you're something special, much better than my son who just plays video games all day," the taxi driver praised as soon as Charles ended the call.
"Everyone has their own path, gaming is becoming a big industry and who knows, maybe your son will become a professional player someday," Charles replied with a smile. After all, everyone likes to hear a little encouragement.
"True! That's what he keeps telling me, I thought he was just making excuses, but since you say so too, maybe I should ease up on him," the driver said, nodding in agreement.
"Uh!" Charles was taken aback, not sure what to say next. He thought to himself, "I was just making conversation, and you took it seriously?"
"But, sometimes a little guidance is necessary, How old is your son?" Charles added, hoping not to mislead the driver.
"Honestly, it's frustrating, my kid's already graduated from college and still spends all day gaming, claiming he wants to be a pro player," the taxi driver said, clearly exasperated.
"Huh? You know, becoming a professional player has age requirements, generally, the younger, the better. The older you get, the fewer chances you have!" Charles advised.
"What? Are you telling me my kid's already past the prime age? No way! If that's the case and he still wants to chase that unrealistic dream, I'm taking away his computer when I get home!" The driver exclaimed, eyes wide with frustration.
Seeing the driver's reaction, Charles couldn't help but silently mourn for the kid he had never met.
Time slipped away as Charles and the taxi driver chatted.
Half an hour later, the car came to a smooth stop by the roadside.
There was a bit of a hiccup when it came time to pay.
The taxi driver insisted that Charles was a good match for his personality and had even helped him with his son's issue, so he refused to take Charles' money.
Charles wouldn't agree to that and after some back-and-forth, the driver finally accepted the payment but insisted on giving a 20% discount.
Unable to refuse, Charles accepted the driver's kind gesture with a mix of amusement and gratitude.
Grand Shopping Mall, one of the top ten shopping centers in Huahai City, was his destination. It was home to flagship stores of luxury brands from around the world. A true hot spot where every inch was worth its weight in gold and a favorite hangout for the wealthy and social media influencers.
The mall was a massive complex that combined dining, entertainment and shopping all in one place. Charles grabbed a quick bite in the area. He wasn't picky about food, but he did have a particular love for spicy dishes—he truly couldn't enjoy a meal without some heat.
After a simple lunch, he headed straight for the mall. Time was limited and he didn't want to waste any of it. This place was truly a shopper's paradise, bustling with people. Handsome guys and pretty girls were everywhere, and social media influencers were a common sight.
After taking it all in, Charles made his way to the clothing section. Here, the crowd thinned out; after all, not everyone could afford to shop in these high-end stores. The entrances of each flagship store were almost deserted, with a few sales associates leaning against the doorways, chatting amongst themselves, they perked up when they saw Charles but quickly lost interest.
In this line of work, having a keen eye was crucial. They were well-versed in luxury brands and seeing Charles dressed in bargain-bin clothes, they quickly dismissed him. Although Charles was easy on the eyes, they were used to seeing good-looking people every day, working here meant they didn't look down on anyone.
Luxury items were not just about the brand; they were about the service, too, however, they didn't approach Charles to offer assistance. Charles didn't mind and continued to browse on his own.