The drivers who had been stopped outside looked rather displeased at the security guard's blatant double standard.
"If you don't need your eyes, donate them! Didn't you see that car's license plate? Sure, the car's cheap, an older model from a few years ago, but that plate is... get it? Wise up!"
The security guard looked utterly scornful. Unafraid of their complaints, he picked his nose as he mocked them.
"The plate... shit, I didn't get a good look, but now that I think about it, it did seem like...!"
"Then never mind. We'll be going. We know when we're beaten. We really aren't in the same league. Sorry for the trouble!"
"Parking outside is pretty nice, too. Lovely scenery. I certainly don't mind!"
Anyone who could afford a car in those days had some connections and clout, as well as a respectable social standing.
They should have been furious at such unequal treatment, but once they learned who the other party was, every one of them immediately changed his tune.
They practically wanted to chase after him and grovel, pouring out one flattering remark after another.
That was the allure of power.
Lin Chao Ci, however, knew nothing about any of this.
The car stopped in front of the teaching building. Lin Chao Ci said a few words to Uncle Li, then went inside. Quite a few students were coming and going.
University courses were easygoing. Apart from a few required subjects, the rest were electives, and there might only be a handful of classes each week. Students with connections could even keep taking leave indefinitely.
Lin Chao Ci could have taken leave, too, and his teachers could hardly tell him what to do. Still, he had come, mainly because he wanted to experience university life again.
After all, before his rebirth, he had spent decades as a corporate drone, working himself to exhaustion. Revisiting his old haunts now was a whole new experience.
Standing outside Business Administration Class One and looking at the familiar classroom, Lin Chao Ci was deeply moved.
He had spent the first dozen or so years of his life studying, chasing good grades and working hard for his future.
In the decades after university, he had toiled for his family, for his livelihood, for a few paltry coins... a lifetime of drudgery.
Thinking it over, university seemed to have been the only relatively carefree stretch of his life.
No early classes, no evening study sessions, and he could even skip class altogether. He could go to internet cafés, go to bars...
Lin Chao Ci composed himself and entered the classroom, at once familiar and unfamiliar, where he saw one "young" face after another.
In his memory, just a few days ago, they had looked old and frail. Now they were brimming with youthful energy again.
A glance around showed that almost everyone had arrived. He had lost touch with many of his classmates after graduation, never to meet them again for the rest of his life amid the vast sea of people.
Quite a few classmates noticed Lin Chao Ci, their reactions a mixture of amazement and admiration.
"Lin Chao Ci actually came to class! Does someone at his level even need to attend? What a surprise!"
"I don't know why, but Lin Chao Ci seems even more handsome than before! More distinguished, more confident, more charming..."
"Powerful background, handsome, good grades, and a decent person, too... what a perfect Prince Charming. If I could be his girlfriend, I'd gladly give up fifty years of my life!"
Quite a few of the girls cast flirtatious glances his way, practically wishing they could keep their eyes glued to him.
They couldn't help it. Lin Chao Ci was simply too perfect.
Whether it was his looks or his personality, his outward appearance or his inner qualities, he was beyond reproach, as close to full marks as anyone could get.
From ninety-year-old grandmothers to nine-year-old girls, who wouldn't like a Prince Charming like Lin Chao Ci?
Lin Chao Ci noticed their gazes but was long accustomed to them. He casually picked a seat near the back.
Almost everyone in the class had arrived, and a short while later, their homeroom teacher came in.
Their homeroom teacher was Wang Erbao. He was in his late forties, with a bulging belly and a bald crown surrounded by a ring of hair. Friendly and always smiling, he got along well with his students.
After entering the classroom, Wang Erbao glanced around. Seeing everyone present, he nodded, cleared his throat, and said, "With the New Year approaching and the seniors graduating, the school has decided to combine those celebrations with its thirtieth anniversary!"
"The school requires every class to put on a performance. It has to be creative, patriotic..."
"If our class fails to complete this task, or botches the performance, you'll probably all fail your finals..."
Wang Erbao's expression was exceptionally stern as he explained the assignment. If this wasn't handled properly, the whole class would be punished.
Losing his bonus would be getting off lightly.
Only after Wang Erbao finished did the students begin speaking.
"Shit! What's the school playing at? Can't they hire people to handle the anniversary celebration instead of dragging us in as slave labor?"
"Damn, they want total amateurs like us to put on a performance? What a joke. And they expect creativity, too..."
"Can you turn it down, Old Wang? Hardly anyone in our class can sing or dance..."
The students looked utterly miserable and dejected. They hated these compulsory assignments more than anything.
"We can't get it canceled. This decision came from the School Committee! You should all understand that once an order has been issued, it won't be changed lightly..."
Wang Erbao shook his head regretfully. He was helpless, too.
"Ugh... we're doomed. Looks like there's no escaping being publicly criticized and failing our exams..."
Many of them sighed, already prepared to "wait for death."
Sitting in the back row, Lin Chao Ci remembered this thirtieth-anniversary celebration vividly.
His classmates had talked about giving up, having no ideas, and simply waiting for their doom.
But once they learned that the criticism and failing grades were real, every one of them turned into a hungry wolf, eyes gleaming as they stayed up all night brainstorming performances.
Everyone worked hard. Those who couldn't sing practiced; those who couldn't dance learned. Things had been lively during that stretch, with chaos breaking out all over the school, the dorms, and the rehearsal rooms.
Unfortunately, even before the dress rehearsal, their performance was still too poor, and the head director rejected it outright.
After all, creating something from nothing in a little over ten days and getting people with no training to deliver a perfect performance was about as difficult as climbing to heaven.
Fortunately, the school had noticed their efforts. Apart from a few classes that had given up early on, the others all received some praise.
Wait, there were so many songs in the years to come. Could I borrow some now? In the future, the rights to practically any song would be worth tens or even hundreds of millions...
Thinking about the performance brought songs to Lin Chao Ci's mind. Those classic hits and viral sensations had been on everyone's lips and remained popular for years. The licensing fees for any one of them could easily run into several hundred million.
Thanks to his improved memory, Lin Chao Ci remembered the lyrics and melodies from his previous life with perfect clarity.
Refuse a gift from heaven, and you'll suffer for it! I'm doing this!
Although Lin Chao Ci's family was wealthy, most of that wealth was tied up in illiquid assets such as antiques, paintings, and calligraphy.
Now the company wanted to invest in Wangzhu, Qiandu, and Soumao... the money they currently had was nowhere near enough.
Lin Chao Ci needed more money.
Besides, the returns on those investments wouldn't come quickly. Dividends would have to wait until the companies turned a profit, but they were only just getting started. What profits could they possibly have...?
Before you continue