The encounter with the mysterious man left Ye Xia with a restless energy. The card felt like a live wire in her pocket, a tangible link to a realm of power far beyond the petty dramas of school and her treacherous family. She spent the evening researching, using the basic VPN she'd purchased to access financial news and society columns, trying to find a face that matched the one she'd seen. She found nothing. A man with that level of presence would surely be notable, unless he belonged to a class so elite they operated entirely in the shadows.
She forced herself to focus. The man was a potential long-term piece on the chessboard. Her immediate concern was the 50,000 RMB quota she faced every day and the need to grow her personal wealth.
The [Basic Financial Analysis] skill allowed her to see the Sohu opportunity with crystal clarity. The stock was undervalued. The company's shift to mobile was indeed a potential goldmine. But to buy it, she needed a brokerage account, and she was a minor. It was a significant hurdle.
The next day, after wasting her quota on a ridiculously overpriced piece of jewelry she immediately stored away, she used her new knowledge to research workarounds. She discovered that with a parent's signature, a minor could have a custodial account. That was impossible; Ye Zhentao would never agree, and if he knew she had money, he'd find a way to seize it.
There was another, riskier option: an offshore account, which was complex and far beyond her current means. Or, she could find an adult she could trust to act on her behalf. The list of people she trusted was exactly zero names long.
Frustration gnawed at her. She had the knowledge and the plan, but the system's rules and her own circumstances were creating a bottleneck.
At school, Liang Rui made a direct approach. It was unprecedented. He usually acted as if she were invisible. He cornered her by her locker, his handsome face arranged in a smile that didn't reach his cold eyes.
"Ye Xia," he said, his voice smooth. "Wanwan tells me you've come into some funds recently."
Ye Xia shut her locker slowly, turning to face him. The sight of him, so close, triggered a visceral reaction. The memory of water filling her lungs was so intense she almost gasped. She clutched the strap of her backpack, her nails digging into her palm, using the pain to anchor herself.
"That's one way to put it," she said, her voice thankfully steady.
"My tutoring venture is gaining traction," he said, oozing confidence. "I'm looking for a final investor. A silent partner. For 50,000 RMB, I can offer a 10% stake. It's a generous offer for someone with… limited experience."
The arrogance was breathtaking. He was offering her a pittance of a stake in a small-time school project, all but demanding her money. In her past life, she would have sold her soul for this attention.
She met his gaze, and for the first time, she didn't see the object of her pathetic affection. She saw a young, ambitious shark, already honing his skills at using people.
"Thank you for the offer, Liang Rui," she said, layering her tone with a polite indifference she had learned from the etiquette skill. "But I'm not interested in the education sector at this time. My investment strategy is focused elsewhere."
Liang Rui's smile vanished, replaced by a look of stunned confusion. No one, especially not Fatty Ye, spoke to him like that. "Your… investment strategy?" he repeated, as if the words were in a foreign language.
"Yes," Ye Xia said. She reached into her backpack and pulled out the book on technical analysis she was currently reading. "I'm exploring equities. The potential returns are far more compelling."
She turned and walked away, leaving him standing speechless by the lockers. The victory was small, but it was sweet. She had rejected him. She had positioned herself as his equal, if not his superior, in financial acumen. The rumor mill would have a field day.
Later, while wasting her quota on a set of expensive golf clubs (she didn't play golf), an idea struck her. The system required her to waste money on non-appreciating assets. But what about services? What about… information?
She rushed to the library and used one of their computers to search. Could she pay for a consultation? Hire a lawyer? The system's rules were vague on services. She decided to test it.
She found the website of a prestigious legal firm and booked a one-hour consultation with a corporate lawyer, specializing in trusts and minor's assets. The fee was 5,000 RMB. She used the system's card to pay.
[Transaction approved. 5,000 RMB spent. Remaining quota: 45,000 RMB.]
It worked! Services were considered a valid form of wasting! This opened up a world of possibilities. She could waste money on expert advice that would actually help her.
The next day, she met with the lawyer, a sharp-eyed woman in her forties named Attorney Li. Ye Xia, using her practiced composure, presented herself as a minor beneficiary of a small trust, seeking to understand her options for independent investment.
"It's challenging for a minor," Attorney Li confirmed. "A custodial account is the standard path. Without parental consent, your options are very limited. You could potentially set up a trust-owned shell company, but the legal fees would be substantial, likely over 200,000 RMB, and it would require a court-appointed guardian for the company, which circles back to the same problem."
200,000 RMB. It was an impossible sum from her personal funds. But from the system's perspective, it was just four days of wasting at her current level. If she could level up again, the quota would increase, making such a fee trivial to waste.
The consultation was a success. She had wasted 5,000 RMB and gained invaluable information. The path was clear, if expensive. She needed to level up the system as fast as possible.
For the next week, she combined her wasting strategies. She bought expensive services—personal training sessions at a top gym (which she attended, secretly beginning her physical transformation), language lessons, more legal consultations. She also continued buying tangible goods, focusing on large, one-off items like furniture, which she had delivered to her storage locker.
Her personal funds grew steadily. 3,000 RMB. 5,000 RMB. Her experience points climbed: 40/200, 70/200.
The changes in her became more noticeable. Her posture was better. Her skin continued to improve. The combination of better nutrition and light exercise was slowly altering her physique. The weight wasn't melting off, but her body was becoming firmer, stronger.
The tension at home reached a boiling point. Ye Meng, infuriated by Ye Xia's unflappable calm and the whispers at school about her "mysterious makeover," decided to take action.
One afternoon, Ye Xia returned from a wasting spree to find her room ransacked. Her cot was overturned, her few clothes strewn across the floor. Ye Meng stood in the middle of the chaos, holding the loose floorboard where Ye Xia hid her phone, books, and the black business card.
"Look what I found, Mother!" Ye Meng crowed as Wang Yan rushed into the room. "She's been hiding things! A fancy phone! And look at this!" She waved the business card. "No name, just a number. She's probably meeting some dirty old man!"
Wang Yan's face was a picture of triumph. "I knew it! I knew you were up to no good! Stealing! Prostituting yourself! You disgusting girl!" She snatched the phone and the card from Ye Meng. "We're calling your father immediately! This ends now!"
Ye Xia stood in the doorway, a cold fury washing over her. They had violated her only private space. They held the two most important things she owned.
But instead of crying or pleading, she smiled. It was a small, cold smile that made Wang Yan take an involuntary step back.
"Go ahead," Ye Xia said softly. "Call him. And while you're at it, call that number on the card. Tell the man who answers that you accused his… associate… of being a prostitute. I'm sure he'll be very interested to hear from you."
The confidence in her voice was absolute. Wang Yan hesitated, the card suddenly feeling dangerous in her hand. The lack of a name was intimidating. What if this was someone powerful?
"You're bluffing," Wang Yan stammered.
"Am I?" Ye Xia took a step forward, her gaze locked on Wang Yan. "That phone and that card are my property. If you do not return them to me immediately, I will have no choice but to contact my mother's lawyer and press charges for theft. And I will certainly inform the owner of that number that you are harassing me. I wonder which one of us has more to lose?"
The room was silent. Ye Meng looked uncertainly at her mother. Wang Yan's face cycled through rage, fear, and calculation. The bluff about the lawyer had worked before. The threat associated with the mysterious card was potent.
With a sound of disgust, Wang Yan threw the phone and card onto the overturned cot. "Keep your trash! But this isn't over, you little bitch! When your father gets home…"
"When Father gets home," Ye Xia interrupted, "you can explain to him why you and your daughter destroyed my room. I believe unlawful entry and destruction of property are also crimes."
She walked over, picked up her phone and the precious card, and calmly brushed past them. "I'll be staying at a hotel tonight. I suggest you have my room restored to its original condition by tomorrow. Or else."
She walked out of the villa, her heart hammering but her head held high. It was the first open declaration of war. She had nowhere to go, but she had money. She used her phone to book a room at a modest business hotel, paying with her personal funds.
She had crossed a Rubicon. There was no going back now.