Where Was the Money?

Wang Xiaoliang looked at the words in the Book of Fate,

lost in thought.

He silently repeated the line, "Navigate the world with a keen eye for opportunity, and wealth can be sought," dozens of times. The more he repeated it, the more boundless wisdom he sensed within it.

Wasn't it simply telling him to look at the world in a different way?

To trade his complaints and confusion for eyes that knew how to spot opportunities.

To learn, live, observe, and think. As long as he did not violate his conscience or moral principles, he could try anything that created value and brought in money.

He could earn money any way he liked, as long as it was clean.

As soon as that thought took shape, Wang Xiaoliang felt strength flood his whole body.

It was a grounded strength, a certainty that came from within.

He felt he had finally grasped it, finally understood.

He was eager to keep reading.

He rubbed his hands excitedly and, with even greater anticipation, turned another page.

New words appeared before his eyes.

Fifth Art of Fate-Changing: The past has passed; the future has yet to come. Matters have their order; face them one by one. Guard against greed.

Wang Xiaoliang froze.

It was only a short passage, and he recognized every word, yet together they drew him into even deeper thought.

The past has passed...

Did that mean he should let bygones be bygones?

His failed exam results flashed through his mind, followed by the countless days and nights he had wasted on games, his parents' disappointed sighs, and, most of all, his third roommate's smiling face and his resolute leap.

Those memories tied his heart in knots and filled him with fear of the future.

The future has yet to come...

Did that mean the future wasn't here yet?

What did that mean? Wasn't a person supposed to plan for the future?

But when he thought about it carefully, hadn't his recent state been caused by excessive worry and fear about the future?

He had feared being unable to find a job, being left behind by society, disappointing his parents... Far from motivating him, this way of "preparing" for the future had trapped him completely in a mire of worry. Unable to move, he could only numb himself with games.

If his third roommate's death had not jolted him awake, he would probably still have been sitting in his dorm chair, agonizing and hiding in a virtual world, afraid to face reality.

Matters have their order; face them one by one.

He understood that line.

He needed to sort things by importance and urgency, then tackle them one at a time.

Guard against greed.

The final words were a warning.

He must not get greedy and try to achieve everything in one leap, doing it all at once.

Wang Xiaoliang put those lines together, turning them over in his mind again and again, savoring their meaning.

A clear chain of logic slowly formed in his mind.

Past failures and mistakes had already happened and could not be changed, so there was no reason to keep fearing them and wearing himself down.

Future challenges and uncertainties had yet to arrive, so there was no reason to worry excessively or let his imagination run wild.

What mattered most now was seeing the problems in front of him clearly, sorting out his priorities, and then focusing his energy on solving them one by one.

He must not take on too much or rush ahead recklessly.

This... wasn't this an action plan tailor-made for him?

What was his biggest problem right now?

His failed courses! The fact that he couldn't get his diploma!

As for employment, that was something to consider only after he had his diploma.

First the resits, then a job!

That was what "matters have their order" meant.

Previously, he had fallen into the trap of "greed." He had wanted both to graduate smoothly and to land a good job straightaway, only to buckle under the enormous pressure and accomplish nothing.

He had figured it out!

Wang Xiaoliang felt as though everything had suddenly become clear, and his whole body relaxed.

He let out a long breath, as if an immense weight had lifted from his shoulders.

That was what he would do!

One thing at a time.

First, pass his resits and get his diploma on schedule.

As for finding a job, he would deal with that once he had his diploma. Even if it meant starting later than everyone else, so be it. Being late was better than losing his chance altogether because he could not graduate.

The next morning, Wang Xiaoliang climbed out of bed at first light.

He did not touch his computer again. After a quick wash, he grabbed his textbooks and revision materials, ate breakfast, and headed straight to the library.

A hint of chill still lingered in the early spring air on campus, but sunlight was already spilling eagerly across every tree-lined path.

With final exams approaching, the library grew more crowded by the day.

By the time Wang Xiaoliang arrived, nearly half the seats were occupied.

He walked briskly to a spot by the window, set down his books to claim a seat, then took an old textbook from his backpack and placed it on the empty seat beside him.

He was saving that seat for Li Jun.

Although things had turned ugly between them yesterday-enough to call it a falling-out-the brotherly bond they had shared since freshman year still remained in Wang Xiaoliang's heart.

Saving him a seat had been entirely instinctive.

He sat down, opened his books, and forced himself to settle into studying.

His resolve was admirable, but reality was harsh.

Minute by minute, the seats around him filled up. Even the corridors began to fill with people carrying folding stools and memorizing their notes.

Yet Li Jun never appeared.

Wang Xiaoliang's heart gradually sank.

He knew Li Jun would not be coming.

Yesterday's argument might truly have marked the end of their friendship.

A trace of disappointment and irritation crept into his heart, leaving him unable to concentrate on his books.

Worse still, the Book of Fate's line about "navigating the world with a keen eye for opportunity" kept popping into his mind at the wrong moments, like a mischievous sprite constantly tugging at his thoughts.

As he looked around the packed study room, where there was barely any room left to stand, an uncontrollable thought surfaced.

Since I need to "face them one by one," my main task right now is studying.

But...

The Book of Fate also said to "navigate the world with a keen eye for opportunity."

What opportunities could I spot here, in this library?

Once that thought emerged, he could no longer suppress it.

Wang Xiaoliang simply closed his book.

I'll treat it as... a break between lessons, a chance to exercise my business sense.

Right. That's it.

Having found the perfect excuse for his distraction, he began surveying his surroundings with a clear conscience.

At least three or four hundred people sat in the enormous study room.

Everyone had their heads down, studying hard, though some were clearly just looking for a pleasant, shady place for a date.

Where was the business opportunity?

Wang Xiaoliang's mind began racing.

Saving seats for people!

That was his first idea.

Seats were hard to come by now, and countless people got up early and rushed over every morning just to claim one. If he offered a seat-saving service for a small fee, there would certainly be a market.

But he immediately rejected the idea.

No.

If he saved only a few seats, he would barely earn anything.

If he saved too many, he would attract too much attention. Even if the staff turned a blind eye, the students who could not get seats would gang up on him. They might even complain to the university. It would not be worth it.

That would be "gaining wealth with the intent to infringe on others." Though it would not seriously harm any particular person's interests, it would undermine public order and fairness, going against the "Way."

He ruled that option out.

His gaze shifted to the bottles and cups on many students' desks.

Coffee, milk tea, energy drinks... nearly everyone had one.

The weather was getting warmer, and revision took a lot of mental effort. Demand for drinks that kept people alert was enormous.

Selling drinks in the library?

The thought tempted him.

But he soon calmed down again.

No.

Even setting aside whether the library allowed vendors, he would have no advantage.

Delivery services were so well developed now that Meituan and riders could bring coffee and drinks right to the foot of the library building. Students could order with a few taps. Why would they buy from him?

He had nowhere to prepare drinks, no experience, and certainly no way to compete on price.

That path was a dead end too.

Wang Xiaoliang felt a little discouraged.

Apparently, acquiring that "keen eye for opportunity" was not so easy.

As his thoughts wandered, his gaze drifted aimlessly around the study room before finally landing on the empty seat beside him.

The old textbook he had used to save the seat lay there all alone, looking rather unnecessary.

He sighed and was about to put it away when a clear female voice suddenly sounded beside him.

"Excuse me, is this seat taken?"

Wang Xiaoliang instinctively looked up.

One glance was all it took to leave him stunned.

The woman standing before him wore a matching white outfit, her long hair falling over her shoulders. Her face was bare of makeup, yet she looked radiant.

It was Wei Zijin.

The girl he had secretly adored for four years.

Wang Xiaoliang's mind went blank in an instant. Every thought ground to a halt.

He nodded woodenly, then shook his head as if he had suddenly realized something.

Flustered, he reached out and stuffed the book he had used to save Li Jun's seat back into his backpack, stammering out a few words.

"He... he didn't come. You can sit here."

His incoherent words and painfully stiff movements earned him a pronounced eye roll from a girl studying across from him, her expression filled with undisguised contempt.

Wang Xiaoliang's cheeks burned with embarrassment.

Wei Zijin did not seem bothered by his awkwardness. She simply murmured, "Thank you," pulled out the chair, and sat down beside him.

As she moved, a fresh, feminine fragrance drifted into Wang Xiaoliang's nose.

His heart betrayed him, hammering wildly.

He turned stiffly away, pretending to return his attention to the open book before him, but his eyes kept straying toward the person beside him.

He could even feel his ears rapidly growing hot.

Just as his mind was wandering in every direction, the person beside him leaned a little closer. A voice, very soft yet perfectly clear, reached his ears again.

"I know you."

Wei Zijin spoke softly.

"Wang Xiaoliang."