The "So Poor All They Have Is Money" Family

As a renowned institution of higher learning in the Star System, Seven Luminaries Academy far surpassed the schools in Trade District 10, whether in its layout or its resources and facilities.

It had a well-guarded research and technology zone, expansive outdoor training areas, a City That Never Sleeps for leisure and entertainment, and a Trade Zone divided into countless categories... It had everything, like a perfectly functioning system.

The Teaching Zone was closest to the landing port, and a huge residential area lay right beside it, with clusters of both high-rises and villas. According to the Qiyao Handbook, the Academy assigned students their dormitories rather than letting them choose freely. Of course, the planet also had many high-end residential and office complexes available for rent. Whether you could rent one depended on your own means. Money was the least of it; the real obstacle was the access restrictions on Qiyao Cards. Unless your card had been upgraded to a certain level, you could forget about renting any of those buildings.

The planet was centered around the Teaching Zone, with the entertainment, training, and trade zones distributed around it. Xilin didn't go to the Teaching Zone. He would tour the planet first, then head straight there to register. According to the map, the first major stop on the Global Train was in the Trade Zone.

Perhaps because it wasn't rush hour, there were only a few people scattered around the train, some sitting in their seats with their eyes closed, asleep. Judging by the badges on their chests, they were all third- or fourth-year students.

At Seven Luminaries Academy, the curriculum was divided into seven levels. The first four years were compulsory, and students could only apply to graduate after their fourth year. Of course, those who were interested and had good enough grades could choose to continue their studies. The benefits for students who continued their education at Seven Luminaries were quite generous. The reason there were no fifth- to seventh-year students on the train was that the Academy provided them all with private cars, which were far more convenient than trains or taxis.

During their conversation aboard the Transport Aircraft, Xilin had learned that Kangman had chosen the four-plus-three track, an integrated program combining regular and advanced studies. This track was only available to Special Recruits, who enjoyed different benefits from other students. The Qiyao Cards Xilin and the others had received were at the lowest, Crimson Level, while Kangman's was a level higher, Orange Level. His card was also easier to upgrade than the others'.

Hearing the announcement of the train's stop, Xilin slung on his backpack and got off. The moment he stepped onto the platform, he felt as though he'd entered another world. He'd already read about the Trade Zone in the Qiyao Handbook, but seeing it in person was far more striking.

This place was like a vast commercial empire.

The Trade Zone before him seemed to be formed from a crisscrossing maze of bustling commercial streets. Flying cars rushed back and forth overhead, and crowds of people chatted among themselves. Was this really just an academy? How was it any different from the bustling commercial street he'd seen when he went to the planet in the D Star Zone to find Aifulan?

Flashing signs and notice boards guided visitors, while huge Light Screens periodically appeared in midair, playing advertisements. One showed a fifth-year student holding up a device and explaining its functions... Ads like these were everywhere, covering a wide range of products, from basic daily necessities to Flying Skateboards and cars. The dazzling images were so captivating that people could hardly look away.

Xilin glanced casually at the shops on either side and could tell that none of the goods were ordinary. Otherwise, no one would dare display them in a commercial street lined with high-end merchandise. Xilin had some savings on his card, but after looking around, he realized he still couldn't buy much here. Fortunately, he didn't need some of the items yet.

Xilin went into a department store and bought some necessities. Afterward, he wandered into a street of stalls. Though they were all selling odds and ends and had no proper storefronts, the vendors were students in their second to fourth years. Most of what they displayed were spoils they'd picked up during off-planet training or course assessments.

Some were little trinkets, purely decorative items for dorm rooms. They were a mixed bag, but fun to browse. There were also plenty of good finds, including rare metal and energy blocks. Selling through a large store meant paying a commission, so many students chose to handle the sales themselves.

"Hey, take a look! We found this big conch shell when we went to Hailan Star last month. If you blow on it, you can hear the sound of waves. Look at that color..."

"You've got a good eye, underclassman. We dug this alloy ore up during our field training. Our instructor said the proportions of the key metals in it are nearly perfect. It's extremely useful for forging and repairing weapons, and for modifying parts for armored aircraft..."

"..."

Looking around, Xilin saw vendors of all sorts. Some were probably setting up stalls for the first time and still seemed shy, while others were clearly seasoned hands. Their sales pitches and endless patter were practically identical to those of veteran street vendors.

The girls who were handy had processed their materials a little, making them look surprisingly appealing. At least three times as many people were crouched in front of the pretty girls' stalls as at the others. The pretty-girl effect was undeniable.

While Xilin was browsing one stall, someone suddenly darted over to the neighboring one. He looked about Xilin's age, with messy hair and a tank top, baggy floral shorts, and a pair of woven straw sandals. He was waving a fan made from folded leaves. Xilin had just seen the same kind of fan at a stall specializing in leaf products.

The newcomer squatted in front of the stall, fanning himself with one hand while fiddling with the trinkets on display with the other, apparently inspecting their materials or checking that they were intact.

But Xilin noticed that the vendor behind the stall he'd been browsing changed expression several times when he saw the newcomer. He opened his mouth, but still said nothing.

For a moment, the vendor seemed ready to pack up and run. That piqued Xilin's curiosity, so he quietly stayed to watch.

The vendor at the neighboring stall didn't react at all. He cheerfully explained the items' materials and where they came from.

And then came a truly brutal haggling session. Xilin watched the poor vendor's eyes slowly shift from cheerful, upward-curving arcs to sorrowful, downward-curving ones. He was so frustrated he couldn't even work up the anger to say, "Forget it, underclassman. Since you're a freshman, you can have it for free. Consider it a gift from an upperclassman."

"Don't do that. I don't even know you. Why would I accept a gift from you? Besides, if you don't take some money, my conscience will bother me."

Conscience... Did he even have one?

The price had been haggled down from 500 Star Coins to 50. The vendor was practically in tears. He'd tried to give the item away just to get the guy to leave, but the guy still refused.

The man reached into his shorts pocket and pulled out a wad of 1,000-denomination Star Coins. He frowned, then reached into his other pocket and pulled out a Qiyao Savings Card and several VIP cards from luxury shops in the Trade Zone's central district. After rummaging through both pockets for ages, he finally fished a 50-denomination coin out from some corner.

"Here, fifty. I didn't take advantage of you." The man smiled, looking utterly harmless.

The vendor's face looked like he'd been constipated for ages. Xilin felt pained just watching him.

That wad of 1,000-denomination Star Coins had to be worth at least 20,000. And those cards? You couldn't get them without spending millions. Yet here he was, squatting like some penny-pincher and haggling down to fifty, then acting like a good person. Xilin thought that if he were the vendor, he'd kick the guy hard.

Watching the man walk away, the poor vendor raised a trembling finger and pointed at his loathsome back. For a long moment, he couldn't get a word out.

Xilin heard the vendor at the stall he'd been browsing pat the man, whose finger was still trembling in the air, and comfort him. "Don't take it to heart. That guy has a weird hobby. You're not the only one who's suffered."

"That bastard... Who is he, anyway?"

"Honestly, I only found out yesterday by chance, when I overheard a teacher talking. After I learned the truth, I wanted to bang my head against a wall."

"Tell me!"

"His name is Andrelara Long."

"...That surname sounds familiar..." The poor vendor furrowed his brow again and again, then suddenly widened his eyes. "Andrelara... Is... is that the family known as 'so poor all they have is money'?!"

"Yep."

"..."

A thud as someone hit the ground.

Xilin smiled and shook his head as he walked away.

The Andrelara Family was even more famous across the Star System than the Daongs Family. In terms of wealth, the Daongs weren't much poorer, but the Andrelara Family's reputation originated from an occasion when its head complained about being poor at the birthday banquet of an old general in the Star System. The general had teased him, saying, "That's right, you're poor—so poor all you have is money."

And so the "so poor all they have is money" family became famous across the Star System.