Chapter 7

 Episode 7: Gulf War (3)

"As soon as you transfer your affiliation, your bonus will be deposited into your U.S. account. It's 1.4 trillion won, so that's 140 billion. With four people, each will receive 35 billion."

"You, that's a substantial amount."

"This is the last time I'm giving out bonuses like this. From now on, our team will have differentiated bonus payments. I'm also planning to recruit more people, so you'll need to compete fiercely."

The original method was not to give a lot of food to the caught fish.

I intend to change the bonus payment method by giving more to capable individuals and less to those who do less work.

"When you say differentiated payment, does it depend on performance?"

"That's right. So, everyone, work hard."

"I'll stake my life on it!"

Everyone's expressions changed.

Indeed, money alone is enough to move people.

"Now, shall we make plans for the next investment?"

"What are your plans for this investment? I've pre-selected promising investment opportunities."

Team Leader Hwang Junghoon must have a lot of free time these days.

After making a fortune with crude oil, he probably didn't have much to do. Still, he continued futures trading within the limit I set, as he didn't want to incur losses. During his spare time, he must have conducted research.

"I see that Team Leader Hwang has removed crude oil from his portfolio."

"We're in a war whose end we don't know. I anticipate that the oil market will be in a state of stagnation for the time being. I've concluded that it's not profitable to invest in the oil market under these circumstances."

Everyone nodded in agreement with Team Leader Hwang's words. Not only them, but I assume investors worldwide share a similar opinion.

"But I feel like I might have one more opportunity."

"When you say opportunity, are you anticipating another surge in oil prices?"

"Do you really think oil prices will rise further from here? They're already insane."

"Well, how do you plan to invest in oil then?"

"Just like the Japanese economy was a bubble, I believe the current oil prices are also in a bubble, don't you think?"

"True, but the bubble won't burst until the war ends."

"The moment the United States takes the lead, the war will end in the blink of an eye. And the bubble in oil prices will collapse even faster than it rose."

"Gulf War was a war that showcased the dazzling firepower of the U.S. Air Force. Iraq was completely overwhelmed by the tremendous firepower, and contrary to everyone's expectations, it ended rather quietly."

Of course, very few people made such predictions.

Team Leader Hwang Junghoon was no exception.

"The United States has already recorded a defeat in the Vietnam War. It won't be easy to end the war with just the U.S.'s quantity and firepower."

"But Vietnam was a civil war. Is this war a civil war?"

"No, it's a war between nations."

"Then, can Iraq conduct guerrilla warfare like Vietnam due to the presence of jungles?"

"There can't be jungles in the Middle East."

"Just saying that this is a war that can be finished by firepower alone. It's also a perfect stage for the United States to showcase its firepower."

It was an entirely reasonable fact.

However, doubts about the U.S.'s military power had arisen at this time due to the lingering disgrace of the Vietnam War. Furthermore, Iraq had been in an 8-year-long war with Iran. So, it was somewhat natural to expect that this war would also be prolonged.

"So, do you expect oil prices to drop, Sir?"

"Of course. Because the war will end quickly. And it's not like there's a problem with oil supply right now."

"That's true."

"So, what's there to think about? The moment the news of the U.S. joining the war comes out, place a short sell order for crude oil."

"Are you suggesting we use leverage again this time?"

"Of course!"

The team members were in a panic.

As securities professionals who were well aware of the risks of leverage, fear quickly permeated them.

"Do you not know the heart of a beast? I don't understand why you're so afraid."

"But as you said, if the war doesn't end quickly, we'll lose our entire investment."

"Then we'll make it back. Remember, this isn't a company that prioritizes stability like Taewoo Securities. I'll take responsibility for all the risks, so all of you think about how to maximize your profits."

"Understood. We'll prepare a proposal for executing a crude oil short sell."

Team Leader Hwang Junghoon, surprisingly, quickly agreed.

Thanks to him having already delivered significant profits twice, trust in me had grown.

"Perhaps the United States joining the war will only be possible next year, so don't rush. In the meantime, get accustomed to the U.S. atmosphere and make some investments here and there. You can't just let 2 billion dollars sit idly in your bank account."

"I'll start with conducting research first."

Team Leader Hwang Junghoon gathered the team members.

He efficiently instructed them on the necessary research.

He must have chosen the people well.

Becoming the CEO of the best investment company in Korea wasn't just a coincidence.

If I hadn't paved the way in advance, it would have been Hwang Junghoon, who was destined to become the CEO of an independent investment company.

In other words, I took his opportunity.

As a result, I had to provide him with an even greater opportunity to accumulate substantial wealth.

* * *

A few days later,

I was focused on my SAT studies with the help of an admissions consultant. Additionally, I received assistance from an essay expert and worked on writing an essay every week. It was an incredibly busy time, and my dedicated team was just as busy.

"It seems like you've all been through a lot. Are you all very busy?"

"...Sir, the saying 'it's hard once you leave home' finally makes sense to me now. Without being able to use Taewoo Securities' system, it's an enormous effort just to gather small pieces of information."

"Why are you making such a long story out of something simple? Just ask me to hire some employees."

"Yes! We need more staff."

"In that case, hire around 50 people. If you promise them the best treatment in the industry, you'll get plenty of applicants."

"Is that really okay? If you mention the best treatment in the industry on Wall Street, a salary in the tens of millions is the minimum."

A salary in the tens of millions?

Have they already forgotten that they received tens of billions in bonuses? Well, they were working for a mere 20 million won in salary just the day before yesterday.

"As long as we hire capable talent commensurate with their salary, that's enough. Bring me their resumes as soon as you receive them."

"Are you planning to hire them yourself, Sir?"

"They say talent is everything, and personnel management is everything else. You can't just hire anyone. Oh, and ask them to include a photo on their resumes."

Attaching a photo to a resume is illegal in the United States. However, I needed a photo to verify detailed information.

"I'll consult with a lawyer to make sure there are no legal issues before we receive the resumes."

"If we receive the resumes through our Korean subsidiary, it shouldn't be a major problem."

"We'll proceed that way."

There are plenty of people who want to break into Wall Street. However, the barrier to entry on Wall Street is high, and without being top-tier elite, it's impossible to surmount that barrier. Talented individuals who possess the necessary skills but have been unable to break through the high wall of Wall Street will undoubtedly abound.

My thoughts were accurate. Within just half a year of its establishment, SVAE Investment Company received quite a number of resumes.

"Sir, 130 people have applied so far. Here are the resumes and photos."

"More people applied than I expected. How many people do we need to run the company properly?"

"At least 10, and the more, the better."

"Leave the resumes and go."

I pushed the resumes aside and focused on examining the photos. You can learn more detailed information from photos than what's included in a resume.

"Definitely, Wall Street is different. Everyone here has quite impressive basic skills."

Most of the applicants possessed work skills at least above a B-level in one or more areas. However, I intended to make SAVE Investment Company the world's top investment firm, so I needed individuals with a minimum of A-level skills.

"Oh! Analytical skills are A-level! We should hire someone like this right away. Math is A-level? Since investments involve numbers, math skills are necessary. Let's hire this person too. Oh, another A-level!"

As expected, people need to play in deep waters. After playing for several hours in front of Taewoo Securities, I finally managed to reel in three people with A-level work skills.

On Wall Street in the United States, A-level people were abundant. There were a whopping 20 of them! However, it was hard to find individuals with S-level work skills.

There was just one person with S-level skills, but the abilities were somewhat ambiguous.

"His people skills are S-level. How can I make use of this?"

Whether there's a place to use it or not doesn't matter much. If someone has S-level work skills, you should hire them first and then see.

"It's not like you can just let someone like that go to waste!"

I organized 21 resumes and handed them to a team leader. He confirmed the number of resumes and then spoke up.

"First-round qualifiers? I will proceed with the second interview here."

"What kind of interview do you want to conduct? Just hire all of them."

"Are you saying all 21 of them? The current office space is too small for even 10 people."

"Then find a new office space. Or maybe buy a building."

Team Leader Hwang Junghoon's gaze changed as he looked at me. Even without saying anything, his eyes seemed to convey, "As a third-generation chaebol, you may not realize how valuable money is!"

"No, I earn money by the billion, so buying a building is no big deal."

"First, I'll extend the office space by contracting the office next door. And if next year's oil investment is successful, I'll consider buying a building at that time."

"Go ahead and do that. You can't just buy any building, so work hard in the meantime."

"But really, you're planning to hire over 20 people without any interviews?"

"Do we really need interviews? We can figure it out by observing them."

"All right. I'll send out the acceptance notifications right away."

"Take your time because we can't start working until the office expansion is completed."

The process of expanding our workforce was nearly complete. With 21 new hires plus the existing 4 employees, we now had a total of 25 staff members.

We still had a shortage in numbers, but that's because our company name hasn't spread widely yet. It will resolve itself with time. We'll continue to make successful investments.

* * *

Time passed quickly in the United States. Twenty-four hours in a day were never enough, as I relentlessly prepared for exams like the SAT, language proficiency tests, and essays, under the supervision of a consultant who arrived at 5 AM.

In the meantime, 1990 turned into January 1991. Today was January 17, the day the infamous Desert Storm operation began.

"Are we ready?"

"I've mobilized all our employees to start oil futures short-selling."

I visited SAVE Investment Company after a long time. On days like today, even reading books didn't help.

"If the U.S. military gets involved, oil prices will plummet. Let's make just double our investment and get out."

"But if oil prices suddenly surge, the $2 billion collateral could be liquidated in an instant."

"That won't happen, trust me."

For this futures trading, we used full leverage again. Every single employee was trembling at the thought that the profits they had made could turn into bubbles at any moment.

Would it make any difference? We had already placed our bets, and all we could do now was wait for the results. So, I turned on the TV.

"The Gulf War news is about to break."

"Isn't information related to the war classified? Will it be breaking news?"

"The government will promote it extensively. They want to showcase the strength of the U.S. firepower."

Before the conversation could even finish, a breaking news report was issued.

"The world's first stealth fighter, the F-117, penetrated the heart of Iraq, while B-52 bombers and Tomahawk missiles reduced the central part of Iraq to rubble."

Iraq, which had fought an eight-year war with Iran, ended the war with a ceasefire but was essentially declared the winner. Despite suffering significant losses in the prolonged war, Iraq had stockpiled a substantial amount of military equipment.

Now, in just one day, the heart of Iraq turned into a wasteland. The central part of Iraq was turned into ruins with various types of bombings, and as soon as this news spread, oil prices began to fluctuate.

Chapter 6

 Episode 6: The Gulf War (Part 2)

After starting my new life, I visited my grandfather's study every day. It was a way for me to make up for the filial piety I hadn't properly shown in my previous life. The reason I relentlessly earned money and studied was to protect the group and my family.

So, I searched for my grandfather's study. However, when I arrived, there was already a guest inside, engaging in conversation with my grandfather.

"Minjae, you're here? It's been such a long time. I wouldn't even recognize you if I saw you on the street."

The person warmly welcoming me was Chairman Jang Soo-young, the president of Taewoo Construction. He was one of the founding members of Taewoo Group and was known as my grandfather's right-hand man. He was not only highly regarded by my grandfather but also had immense loyalty towards him.

However, he was also the person who had pushed Taewoo Construction into bankruptcy proceedings when the foreign exchange crisis hit. He didn't consider me suitable to be the chairman and chose to leave on his terms, believing his abilities were far superior to mine.

As a result, Taewoo Construction was separated from Taewoo Group. Ten years later, Taewoo Construction had risen to 37th place on the corporate hierarchy list and had secured the top spot in terms of construction contracts.

When you looked at the results alone, Chairman Jang Soo-young's decision seemed to be the right one, as he had saved Taewoo Construction. However, from my perspective, it felt like he had taken the cream of the crop, Taewoo Construction, and left the rest.

Did Taewoo Construction survive solely because of Chairman Jang Soo-young's abilities? It was also thanks to the fact that Taewoo Construction, created by my grandfather, was inherently exceptional. After the foreign exchange crisis, half of Taewoo Construction's employees left for other jobs, and former Taewoo Construction employees occupied the positions of CEOs in renowned construction companies.

They called it the "Construction Officer School." It was a nickname for Taewoo Construction because so many exceptional employees came from there.

With such exceptional employees, Taewoo Construction would thrive no matter who was at the top.

I stared at Chairman Jang Soo-young with fiery eyes. My grandfather seemed to have misunderstood my intentions. He probably thought I couldn't remember Chairman Jang Soo-young.

"Hehe, Minjae, do you remember? This is Mr. Jang Soo-young."

"You are an adult now. I remember changing your diapers."

Well, for now, Chairman Jang Soo-young hadn't betrayed me. I forced my facial muscles to smile as much as possible.

"Of course! Hello," I replied, doing my best to be polite.

"You've really grown up. I heard you passed the high school qualification exam."

"I'm currently studying for my university entrance exam."

Why did my grandfather invite Chairman Jang Soo-young over?

 Passing the high school qualification exam might not be a big deal, but when I do it, it's special. I'm my grandfather's grandson, after all. To show off their remarkable grandson, they probably invited him and gave him a chance to boast.

"A new star is born in Taewoo Group. Minjae takes after his grandfather, and he's very smart."

"Work and study, you know how miserable it is to do just that all day long. But he's pushing me so hard to let him start working with me. He wants to work for Taewoo Group as soon as possible."

My grandfather's lips constantly turned upward. Even though he was making grumbling sounds, he would burst into laughter during the conversation.

"One day, I want to work for Taewoo Group as soon as possible."

"Hehe, you're very diligent."

"I also want to study at the best universities in the world, not just any university."

"You mean the universities in the United States?"

"Yes. I want to go to Harvard or Stanford. To do that, I believe I need to study in the United States rather than Korea."

"Hehe, you're only 17 now. It's too early to live alone in the United States."

Did I behave like a child? Even if I become an adult, my grandfather still thinks of me as a child.

"My grandfather says that living in the United States is necessary for global expansion. Besides, many of my friends have been studying in the United States since elementary school."

"Are you so eager to leave your grandpa?"

My grandfather only has a son who has

 passed away. So he was probably worried about losing me, his only grandson, as well. To alleviate such concerns, I laid out several conditions.

"Taewoo Securities employees will come with me."

"Oh, you mean the team you formed? I've heard they haven't returned to Taewoo Securities yet, but relocating those employees to the U.S. subsidiary is not a big deal. What are you going to do with those employees?"

"I'll be responsible for them. Grandfather, you manage thousands of employees; I can't be less capable than you and struggle with only three people, right?"

"Hehe, you're as stubborn as ever. Well, you are my grandson. You're not really doing anything bad by going to the U.S. Besides, saying you're going to study and not do anything bad is no reason to stop you."

"Thank you, Grandfather."

Before my grandfather could change his mind, I quickly embraced him. I knew that my grandfather wouldn't just let me go. He would probably send some of the secretarial employees as my protection. I can accept that.

* * *

Chairman Kim Taejoong's office.

The chief of staff had placed a list of about 20 names on the desk.

"They are all proficient in English and have backgrounds in special forces or national representatives."

"Having all 20 seems excessive. Let's send about five."

"I will take care of that."

"And don't make the protection too obvious. If my grandson finds out he's being watched, he might not like it, right?"

"Unless it's an urgent situation, I will advise them to observe discreetly."

Chairman Kim Taejoong's grandson, Minjae, had a reputation. This became even more pronounced after passing the college entrance exam.

"And what about the Taewoo Securities employees? Are they not expressing any grievances?"

"It seems like Lord Minjae is taking good care of them. When I asked if they had intentions of going to the U.S., they said they would leave immediately."

"Employees who were initially investing large sums at Taewoo Securities but then switched to investing with my grandson's money must have felt quite trapped. Nevertheless, they seem to be good-natured employees."

Chairman Kim Taejoong didn't overly monitor his grandson. That's why he was unaware that his grandson had made a substantial sum in just a few months. Especially because the connection with the American Paper Company had been severed, finding out this information would require a lot of resources and time, so he didn't see the need to give specific instructions.

And now, it was even more difficult to find out. Team leader Hwang Junghoon had set up a corporation himself, severing all ties with Taewoo Securities.

"And we've also finalized hiring the home tutor. We received a definite response from the most renowned admissions consultant in the U.S., and we have hired three private tutors."

"If he is admitted within three years, they will each receive a substantial bonus. Additionally, for each year the process is shortened, we will provide an extra bonus."

Chairman Kim was prepared to wait for three years. It seemed that Minjae was planning to attempt college admissions as early as next year, but no matter how intelligent he was, he knew that finishing a three-year program in one year was a formidable challenge.

"I will convey this to them. And as for the house, it's in one of the safest areas in New York."

"I'll go bankrupt educating my grandson. Hahaha."

"Lord Minjae is an exceptionally skilled person. I assure you, he is better than anyone I've seen."

The chief of staff was not one to mince words. He might not be the most eloquent speaker, but he didn't flatter or obsequiously agree with everything. Chairman Kim was well aware of this, and his laughter only grew louder.

* * *

"Thanks to you, Lord Minjae, we'll be living in the United States. Thank you."

"Because of me, you're going to have a pretty tough time in the future."

We arrived in the United States.

With four stockbrokers, I unpacked our belongings in the mansion.

 Team leader Hwang Junghoon, who had been staying at the hotel, had already arrived at the mansion. As we all finished unpacking and gathered in the living room, he started a brief briefing.

"Following your orders, we sold everything as soon as the oil price hit $30. As expected, we realized a profit of about $2 billion."

"Team leader, are you serious? $2 billion? Are you talking about $2 billion, not $2 million?"

Sung Deokhwanl, a staff member who had supported Hwang Junghoon in Korea, raised his voice. The employees who had supported Hwang Junghoon in Korea didn't know that he had bet so much money.

"That's right, $2 billion. It's an amount close to $1.4 trillion won."

"Ar, are you saying you made $1.4 trillion in profit? Taewoo Securities has never made such a profit in one go."

"Then think of it as a lie. I was going to give a bonus for this profit, but I guess I don't have to."

"No, no! I believe you!"

Money doesn't lie. Sung Deokhwan quickly dispelled any doubts about the bonus.

"Now, you can confidently expect your bonuses. Everyone, transfer to the investment company created by Team Leader Hwang Junghoon."

"All the necessary steps have already been taken. Within this week, all of you will become employees of SAVE Investment Company."

The name of the investment company established in the United States was SAVE. It didn't quite match the name of a company that was making substantial profits through aggressive investments. I chose that name to remind myself that the reason I was making this much money was to protect Taewoo Group and my grandfather.

Chapter 35

 Chapter 35: Wheelchair Drifting?!

As the welcome party of the Game Design School came to an end, the students who were fortunate enough to witness this event left the Science Hall, returning to their dorms. They seemed like migratory birds bringing the news to other students on campus.

Around the same time, the welcome party of the School of Music in the Grand Hall also concluded.

The online broadcast of "University Talent Show" for the preliminary rounds was also nearing its end.

However, as other students engaged in enthusiastic discussions, those who missed the Game Design School's performance tonight understood how much they had missed out on.

Those who attended profited, those who didn't regretted it!

Especially the students who stayed in their dorms to watch "University Talent Show" were filled with regret.

While they could watch "Undercover Trainees" and "In Your Eyes" online later, the more they watched, the more they felt bad about missing the live experience. Even though the video could showcase the holographic effects, it paled in comparison to being there in person.

Soon, the campus forum on the campus network was flooded with discussions about the Game Design School's welcome party, and it completely took over all the sections.

"The Game Design School's party was really fantastic! Where can I watch the recording?"

"People who didn't attend tonight really missed out. I had no idea that the projection equipment in the Science Hall could create such stunning effects!"

"Annoying! I went to the School of Music for its prestigious reputation, but I didn't expect their performance this year to be the same old routine. It's not interesting at all. I wish I had gone to the Science Hall!"

"I'm speechless; I don't know why my brain decided to stay in the dorm and watch 'University Talent Show.' I regret it so much!"

"Can we ask the Game Design School to perform it again? 'Undercover Trainees' and 'In Your Eyes' can be transferred to our student drama society, and they can perform it every now and then!"

"Hurry, the recording of the welcome party is up. Everyone, go and give it a thumbs up!"

"Where's the link? I'm going to rewatch it right away!"

In the backstage of the Grand Hall, Li Zihan looked at the discussions on the campus network with mixed feelings.

He had already felt a sense of disappointment when he performed his act, as he was the last one to go on stage during the latter part of "Undercover Trainees." The audience was engrossed in their phones, laughing away, and hardly anyone paid attention to him.

He was bouncing and jumping on the stage, trying to warm up the crowd, but it was as if he were an unnoticed clown.

However, now, looking at the overwhelming enthusiasm for the Game Design School on the campus network, he suddenly felt a sense of balance within himself.

After all, it wasn't just him who was overshadowed.

Every single performance tonight, including the popular "University Talent Show," had been completely overshadowed.

And from the current trend, it seemed that the hype for this welcome party would continue to spread further. How big it would become, no one could predict.

Li Zihan looked at the rapidly increasing views and likes for the shows "Undercover Trainees" and "In Your Eyes" on the video-sharing platform, and his expression gradually turned into a sardonic smile.

"Anyway, I'm not the only one who got overshadowed.

"Everyone else who bumped into you will die!"

...

Meanwhile, the cast and crew of the Game Design School's welcome party had entered a state of complete relaxation.

After such a long period of intense rehearsals, everyone's nerves had been on edge. Now that it had come to a successful end, everyone had finally let go and relaxed.

People made different choices; some decided to go out for a celebratory dinner, some just wanted to return to their dorms to rest, and others who were no longer single immediately went out with their partners to have fun while boasting about their firsthand experience of every detail of this welcome party.

As for the biggest hero of this welcome party, Lu Zhixing, he was currently…

…..

Lucky Draw.

In his field of vision, as the Welcome Party concluded successfully, his role as the "humble and vengeful campus superstar" was finally completed.

[Main Quest Roleplay Task 2 - The humble and vengeful campus superstar is completed!]

[Rewards: Freedom to gather materials from this Welcome Party!]

Seeing the reward information appear in his field of vision, Lu Zhixing breathed a sigh of relief.

He had finally completed another roleplay task!

It was a bit unfortunate that the rewards were different this time, as there were no points given.

Last time when he completed a roleplay task, he had 673 points remaining, and even though he didn't draw more, he used some points to gather some necessary materials from the "In Your Eyes" stage. So, he spent more than 200 points.

Fortunately, the role of the "campus superstar" gave a lot of roleplay points, and at this point, Lu Zhixing had reached a new high with 834 points. However, he couldn't break through the 1000-point threshold due to the lack of additional point rewards.

But with the opportunity for "freedom to gather materials," it was still a great deal for Lu Zhixing.

He roughly went through his mind and found that the so-called "freedom to gather materials" was indeed very free. He could essentially transfer the entire Welcome Party, including the model of the Science Auditorium, the holographic projection equipment on stage, the performances by the students at the Welcome Party, and even some scenes from rehearsals and the audience at the event, among other things.

He could also make some modifications to these contents to a certain extent.

For example, he could change the Science Auditorium into a different performance venue. The materials provided three different venue templates that he could easily switch between. He could also freely change the appearance of the actors and the audience, just like the character templates he had seen before. Whether they were randomly generated or freely combined, it was all possible.

However, there was one limitation: the actors and audience he saw were all young people, students in appearance, and there were no character templates for middle-aged or elderly individuals.

In summary, with this reward, Lu Zhixing could comfortably transfer the relevant content from the Welcome Party to the game.

"Let's try drawing two life skills?"

"Just draw twice, even if I don't get suitable ones, I can't draw more. I need to save some points for gathering materials."

Currently, Lu Zhixing had over 800 points, but he couldn't spend them recklessly. Drawing a skill cost 10 points, and the current price for life skills had reached 60 points. He planned to draw twice, spending 130 points, and saving the rest.

If he could draw skills that would be advantageous for the role of a part-timer, that would be better. If not, he had to control himself and not draw again.

[Exchange successful!]

[Life Skill - Burst of Physical Strength: You can burst out with astonishing physical strength in a short period. This skill will not place an additional burden on your body. This skill has a fixed 4-hour cooldown and cannot be eliminated by other skills.]

[Exchange successful!]

[Life Skill - Accelerated Recovery: The speed of your body's recovery is significantly increased.]

"Hmm? Not bad!"

Lu Zhixing carefully examined the descriptions of these two skills. The Burst of Physical Strength was an active skill with a 4-hour fixed cooldown, and it had no negative effects, making it usable regularly. As for Accelerated Recovery, it was a passive permanent effect.

With these two skills, Lu Zhixing could consider doing more physically demanding work, which his small and frail body might not have handled well before.

After obtaining these two skills, Lu Zhixing still had 704 points remaining, and he didn't plan to spend them. He would wait until the completion of the "part-timer" roleplay before gathering materials.

Lu Zhixing walked out of the Science Auditorium and heard a child's voice calling out, "Uncle Lu!"

Lu Zhixing turned to see Cheng Ting waving at him.

"Call me big brother!"

Lu Zhixing corrected the way Cheng Ting addressed him and crouched down to ask, "So, do you like the gift?"

Cheng Ting nodded, "Yeah, I like it!"

Cheng Shu sighed, "Your stage play was excellent, especially the last line, 'His life still has unlimited possibilities, and he has to live an extraordinary life.' I think the child's mother probably thought the same way.

"Little Ting has finally let go of his emotional baggage, thank you, Xiao Lu."

Lu Zhixing shook his head slightly, "No, I should thank Little Ting. This stage play is not just a gift from me to Little Ting, but also a gift from both of us to all the children."

Cheng Ting happily said, "Uncle, I have a small wish."

Lu Zhixing asked, "Oh? What's your wish?"

Cheng Ting asked, "Uncle, could you play with me in a wheelchair? I want to see you spin in the wheelchair, can you teach me?"

Lu Zhixing's face stiffened, and he instinctively looked around. Fortunately, most of the people who knew him had already left the area, so no one he knew would see him.

"Cough, cough. No problem!"

Lu Zhixing readily agreed.

……

In the evening, Lu Zhixing and Cheng's father and son first arrived at their rented house, took a wheelchair, and then followed Cheng Ting to play in the vicinity. They showcased their wheelchair skills in a less crowded area and explored the nearby night market, tasting some local snacks.

Of course, when Lu Zhixing performed wheelchair tricks, he didn't forget to remind Cheng Ting: "Dangerous moves, children, please do not imitate."

They strolled in the nearby night market until after 10 o'clock, when Cheng Ting reluctantly agreed to go home and rest.

"Goodbye, Uncle! I will definitely remember your words and study hard to try and get first place!" Cheng Ting sat in the car and waved to Lu Zhixing.

Lu Zhixing nodded, "Good, I'm waiting for your good news. Say it again, call me 'Brother'!"

Watching Cheng's car drive away, Lu Zhixing finally relaxed.

This matter has come to a conclusion here, and he can finally get some rest.

However, one thing is worth noting: tonight, while he was playing with Cheng Ting, his "working man" role increased slightly.

Lu Zhixing is not sure if this is because of his actions related to his role as a caregiver (even though he didn't receive payment), or because he went to the night market and food stalls, places associated with working people. In any case, his progress in the "working man" role has increased a little.

At this point, the "working man" role progress has reached 35%, and the cumulative progress obtained is not negligible.

Lu Zhixing estimates that the next two days are the weekend, and if he can intensively play the role of a working man for two days, perhaps the role progress will be completed.

Thinking about this, he called Qian Ziqiang, the courier from Jingxi Express he had contacted earlier, and secured a daily wage job as a package sorter in the warehouse. He will go to the warehouse early tomorrow.

Then, Lu Zhixing, in his wheelchair, prepared to go back and rest.

However, at this moment, he suddenly heard a familiar voice nearby.

"Hmm? What are you guys talking about? The person in front looks a lot like that 'Stranger'? No way, I don't think so. How do you see that?"

In the night market, Xu Jing seemed to have just finished her night run and came here to find something to eat. She held her phone with a selfie stick and was live-streaming.

The night market was bustling with people, and Xu Jing didn't notice Lu Zhixing at first, but the viewers in her live stream chat once again played the role of "sharp-eyed viewers."

When Lu Zhixing had taken the wheelchair earlier, to avoid being recognized, he deliberately changed out of the clothes he wore at the welcome party and put on a hoodie and a mask.

But unexpectedly, even though he was wearing a different color hoodie and mask from when he portrayed the "Big Tree," the viewers in Xu Jing's live stream chat recognized him at a glance!

Of course, Lu Zhixing was not sure if these viewers truly recognized him or were just trying to deceive the streamer.

But regardless, Xu Jing was approaching curiously, holding her phone.

Lu Zhixing felt a slight "gulp" in his heart.

Meeting again! This persistent ghost!

Fortunately, Lu Zhixing is a seasoned pro, and he quickly calms down.

"You want to catch me off guard again? I'm sorry, but I've come a long way since then!"

Lu Zhixing certainly won't give her another chance to capture him. He immediately sways his wheelchair and disappears into the crowd.

"Huh?"

Xu Jing was startled, and she hurriedly followed, unknowingly picking up the pace and breaking into a jog.

But she never expected that even though she was running as fast as she could, the wheelchair was always faster. It not only swiftly maneuvered through the crowd, weaving left and right but also suddenly drifted into a dark alley at one point.

By the time Xu Jing caught up, there was no trace of him.

Lu Zhixing looked back and chuckled to himself, "You think you can catch me? My burst of energy and advanced wheelchair skills aren't for nothing!"

He wheeled away.