Don't Report Me

Oubei Middle School, After afternoon classes ended, Fang Bai left the high school section and headed to the adjacent middle school building to find his younger sister.

Without a mobile phone to contact her and no phone installed in the dormitory, tracking someone down was a real hassle. Luckily, he knew which class she was in, and the school wasn't that big—asking a few students would eventually lead him to her.

After more than ten minutes, Fang Bai finally found his sister. In a less crowded spot on campus, he slipped her ten ten-yuan notes, startling her.

"Bro, where did you get so much money again?

It's not that compensation money from the boss, is it?"

Fang Tingting's lips parted slightly as she watched her brother pull cash from his backpack—that small stack must have been around a thousand yuan.

"I already gave the compensation money to Mom and Dad. I've been doing some business in the city and made some cash. Keep this hundred yuan safe so no one with bad intentions eyes it. Buy some clothes and study materials on the weekend, and eat better during the week."

Fang Bai warned her. Too much money was too conspicuous. In these times, petty theft among students was common, and even armed robbery outside the school gates happened in broad daylight.

A hundred yuan was a huge sum. Their parents would give her some too, enough to last a whole semester.

He didn't dare give her large-denomination bills—that would really draw attention.

Fang Tingting knew her brother had only been out of the hospital for a few days and had already earned over a thousand yuan. She found it hard to believe: "Bro, what kind of business makes over a hundred yuan a day?

Selling popsicles? I have a classmate who wholesaled popsicles over the summer and peddled them in the village, carrying a foam box on a bicycle."

"There's a lot you don't know. Just focus on your studies."

He tapped her on the head. "Don't worry, it's a legitimate business, not illegal.

Besides, how much does a popsicle cost? You might not even make a hundred yuan selling them all break."

Thinking about the popsicles that melted before you could eat them, selling fast was fine, but if sales were slow, they'd melt and you'd lose the money.

Fang Tingting cleverly ducked her head, still not quite believing her brother had started a business and made money: "Bro, won't business affect your studies? Do Mom and Dad know?"

"Just take care of yourself. I'll tell them in a few days."

"Oh, okay."

"Let's go. We'll eat outside the school."

"Can't we eat at school? Eating out is too expensive."

Fang Bai really couldn't stomach the school meals. The greens had no oil, stir-fried to a pale yellow, and the meat dishes had no flavor at all. Thirty years from now, even a dog would turn its nose up at them.

Eating out didn't cost much, and now that he had some savings, there was no point in torturing himself. Plus, he could help his sister get some nutrition.

"Quit nagging. Do you want a big meal or not?"

"Of course I do, hehe, but it's not easy for me to leave campus. I'm not a day student."

"Just follow me."

Fang Bai took his sister to the school gate and handed the exit slip to the guard: "Uncle Wang, this is my sister. She's eating dinner off campus, but she lives in the dorms."

The guard glanced at it, surprised to see it was directly approved by the principal, and waved them through: "Little Fang, you two can just go out from now on. No need for an off-campus pass."

His sister, trailing behind Fang Bai, couldn't figure out his slick move: "Bro, how did you manage that? The guard was so easygoing."

"The guard saw your brother's imposing aura and let us through."

"Ugh..." Fang Tingting didn't buy it and stuck out her tongue in disdain.

Once outside the school gate, they quickly reached the rental house. He handed his sister a key: "I rented this place. If you're free on weekends, you can come over. I'm usually here.

Wait for me here after school in the afternoon, and we'll have dinner together.

If I'm not around, I've probably got something going on. I'll leave a note on the table, and you can handle dinner yourself."

Fang Tingting took a look around the rental. She was starting to believe her brother about the business. Upstairs, there were three bedrooms and three beds, but only one had bedding and a mattress.

Fang Bai washed his hands and face, then took his sister to a small restaurant nearby for dinner.

He ordered two meat dishes and one vegetable, plus two bowls of rice.

The food was pretty good, and the siblings ate with relish. The only thing that pained his sister was the price—it cost as much as two weeks of her meal allowance.

"Bro, eating like this every day is way too extravagant, isn't it?" After the meal, Fang Tingting licked her lips and asked.

"It's fine. We're both skinny as sticks. Studying needs nutrition, and your brother makes money fast."

Fang Bai waved dismissively. This was just a small restaurant, not a fancy hotel every day.

If he couldn't even manage this, his rebirth would be a total failure.

Seeing the happy expression on his sister's face as she ate, Fang Bai felt a real sense of accomplishment.

After dinner, Fang Bai took his sister to buy some daily necessities, including bedding and a mattress for the other bed. On weekends, she could sleep here too—the rental had three bedrooms upstairs.

As night fell, his sister returned to school, and Fang Bai went back to his place to shower and start reading.

When he had time, he planned to go to the bookstore and buy more test papers to practice. The materials the teacher provided were still a bit outdated.

Following the study methods of top students from later eras, for subjects like math and physics, doing practice problems was one of the best ways to improve grades.

The next morning, Fang Bai didn't go to school for class.

After two classes passed without Fang Bai showing up, Li Hui went to the homeroom teacher's office during the break after second period and found the homeroom teacher.

"Li Hui, what is it?"

"Homeroom Teacher, Fang Bai didn't come to class today."

"Mm, got it. Go back to class." Zhan Feng waved Li Hui off when she heard this.

Sometimes, she did appreciate students who liked to tattle like that.

But Fang Bai's case was different. He'd already told her yesterday that he might not come today, and she'd agreed.

Fang Bai had the Principal's approval, so he didn't need the teacher's permission.

The fact that he'd voluntarily asked her for leave showed he still respected her as his homeroom teacher.

The next class was Class One's English lesson.

When the bell rang, Zhan Feng stepped up to the podium, swept her gaze across the students, and said, "Let me start with something. It's about classmate Fang Bai not attending class this morning."

Hearing the homeroom teacher say this, Li Hui felt a smug thrill: Fang Bai, get ready for her wrath!

"It's not just this time—it might happen often. Fang Bai's situation is different. He has my permission to attend as a day student, and the Principal's approval too.

So, don't make a fuss if you see him skipping class."

After saying that, Zhan Feng began the lesson.

Li Hui was a bit surprised and disappointed by her words. When he saw her glance his way, he couldn't help lowering his head, thinking she wasn't too pleased with him. At the same time, he felt a twinge of jealousy toward Fang Bai. Why did the school let him be a day student? He's the only one in the whole school!

What gives him the right?!

Fang Bai had no idea a classmate had ratted him out. Today, he was looking for Master Chen to discuss finding equipment.

Buying equipment wasn't easy—it was more like a lucky find. Fang Bai didn't pin much hope on this route.

He found Master Chen and talked it over. If there was any news, and if Master Chen saw he wasn't home, he could just slip a note through the door crack.

For any successful deals, Fang Bai would give him a commission. Even if nothing came of it, there'd be a little compensation for the trouble.

Last night, he checked his Golden Finger and saw that his network count had increased by one—the second contact being Oubei Middle School's Principal.

Of the three Golden Fingers, the Index Finger was the hardest to upgrade, followed by the Ring Finger for connections, which needed twenty contacts to reach level two. Last was the Middle Finger, requiring a net worth of one hundred thousand.

Fang Bai already had over ten thousand in wealth, so he felt the upgrade wasn't too far off.

For his next money-making move, he wasn't counting on lucky equipment finds.

So, he planned to go after foreign junk next, or else approach his father-in-law and use his past-life experience to become a valve middleman.

These three paths were his money-making routes before the college entrance exam. What about after?

Or aside from these three?

He'd thought about it, but had a few half-baked ideas.