After Rebirth, I Became A Millionaire

On the first day of school, the teaching assistant called me out in front of everyone, "Erica Contreras, there's an issue with your financial aid application. Come here and fill it out again."

I had heard that the financial aid process was supposed to be discreet out of respect for students' dignity.

I never expected to be called out on the first day in front of all the students and teachers.

With everyone staring, I flushed red and hurriedly filled out the form. The teaching assistant took it from me with a look of disdain on her face. "If your family is struggling, you should be out working to help them. Do you really think someone like you can afford an expensive school like this?"

"Look at you, all scrawny and dark, like a rat. You should find someone to marry while you're still young so you can earn some dowry for your parents...

"People should know their place. Kids these days are so selfish, never thinking about their parents. How many empty bottles do you think your family has to collect to pay for your education..."

Laughter erupted around me.

In my previous life, I was timid and weak because of my poverty, too scared to fight back, so I endured their rounds of humiliation.

I thought my compliance and obedience would grant me peace for four years in college.

Instead, it made them bolder.

I tried my best to please the teaching assistant, but my designs were plagiarized, my thesis was attributed to someone else, and even my internship opportunities were stolen.

I grew more and more selfconscious and timid. Later, I met a jerk who, with a bit of kindness, made me believe I'd found salvation, and my life spiraled into the abyss.

This time, I wouldn't endure it.

Facing the teaching assistant's incessant rant, I clenched my fists.

"You're right, ma'am. With your big heart, I should definitely learn from you!"

I emphasized "big heart," and her face changed immediately.

"Erica, I'm doing this for your own good. Do you still want financial aid for the next few years?" she threatened.

I was no longer afraid. "Ma'am, I was complimenting you. Do you think I shouldn't call you bighearted or shouldn't say I want to learn from you?"

She was stunned by my retort, and her face turned pale.

If not for the crowd of teachers and students, she might have exploded on the spot.

Sensing the situation was escalating, someone came over and managed to defuse it, persuading her to leave.

I knew we'd be enemies from now on.

After the morning classes, it was lunchtime.

I went to the cafeteria alone, got the cheapest two vegetarian dishes and a bowl of free soup, and found an empty seat.

At the start of the semester, I had little money and needed financial aid to cover my tuition.

Suddenly, someone sat down next to me and pushed a meat dish in front of me.

"Just veggies won't do. Erica, I ordered too much food. Can you help me finish it?"

I looked up to see Joel Stephens, the heartthrob of our department.

Joel sat next to me, his attractive eyes sparkling with a hint of a smile.

I straightened up abruptly, my right hand clenching involuntarily.

In my previous life, Joel stood up for me when others mocked and excluded me, confessing his feelings to the ugly duckling that I was.

Just when I thought I'd found true love, willing to endure the exclusion and mockery, I found out I was just a punishment for a lost bet between Joel and his friends.

The punishment was to pursue the poorest and ugliest girl in school.

And I was that girl.

I vividly remembered the day the bet was revealed. Joel looked at me with utter disdain.

"Erica, do yourself a favor and look in the mirror. You're broke and shabby. How could I ever like you? Every second with you makes me sick!"

Laughter surrounded me, but I only felt my heart shatter.

The memory brought a flash of hatred across my eyes.

I picked up my tray. "Sorry. That's filthy."

Ignoring Joel's stunned expression, I walked away, feeling an incredible sense of relief.

Back from the dead, my first challenge was still the same: I'm broke.

Even with four years of foresight, everything needed money to start.

So, not long after school started, I went back to my old trade—collecting recyclables.

I needed to accumulate my initial capital through recycling.

The amount of recyclables in a university was astounding, and the surrounding shops, stores, and delivery stations provided a huge opportunity. If done right, the profit could be unimaginable.

Thanks to my mom, who also collected recyclables, I knew a bit about it.

I used this semester's living expenses to rent a small room offcampus dedicated to storing the recyclables.

Initially, I only collected around the school.

During that time, I got a lot of disdainful looks.

Whenever the teaching assistant saw me, she would pinch her nose and avoid me.

"Wow, you're really following in your family's footsteps and collecting trash even at school. Erica, why are you even in college? Just focus on collecting junk."

I ignored her every time.

I knew that until I became strong, everything I did would be looked down upon.

My roommates also refused to share a room with me, claiming collecting recyclables was too dirty.

Juliette Hoover, the richest among them and the head girl, threw my things out of the dorm.

"Erica, you better not come back. We don't want to be laughed at for living with someone who collects trash. Besides, what if you bring back germs?"

In my past life, even though I didn't collect recyclables, they still ostracized me.

Especially Juliette and the teaching assistant, who openly plagiarized my designs, stole my thesis, grabbed my internship opportunities, and mocked me like a clown.

I leaned in and whispered to Juliette, "Aren't you into Joel? How about a bet on who he'll end up with? The loser publicly apologizes and calls the winner 'Daddy'."

Juliette laughed, "Erica, have you lost your mind from collecting trash? Fine, I'll be waiting for you to call me 'Daddy'!"

She prided herself on being fairskinned, beautiful, and rich, confident Joel would never choose me over her.

I smiled and dragged my luggage to my rented room outside.

In my past life, I couldn't even dream of being with Joel.

But now, knowing Joel's bet, I was sure to win.

If he could use me for a bet, why couldn't I turn the tables?

As for Juliette, who stole my designs, thesis, and internship, I couldn't wait to hear her call me 'Daddy' in front of everyone.

Two months later, with some money saved, I expanded my business.

I rented a larger house, bought a tricycle, and started covering a wider area for recyclables.

The profit from recyclables was substantial, and by the end of freshman year, I had saved a significant amount of money.

During the last class of freshman year, everyone discussed their summer travel plans and made plans with friends.

After a speech, the teaching assistant approached and mocked me, "Erica, you've been so selfreliant, collecting trash for a year. I suppose you don't need financial aid anymore?"

This was her way of telling me that if I didn't obey her like the other students, running errands for her, she'd find ways to make my life difficult, starting with canceling my financial aid.

I turned my back on her, giving her no chance to speak further, and she stormed off in anger.

After she left, Joel came in.

In front of everyone, he held a bouquet and approached me.

"Erica, do you have plans later? I'd like to take you out for dinner."

I knew his friends were peeking from outside the door, and Juliette, who had been chasing Joel, was also watching.

Oblivious to the truth, Juliette sneered, "She doesn't have time; she's busy collecting trash. Joel, what's with your taste? Shouldn't you get your eyes checked?"

To spite Juliette, I took the flowers from Joel. "I don't have other plans."

Joel's eyes lit up with joy, and he glanced smugly at his friends outside. "Shall we go then?"

As we left, I hooked my arm through Joel's and said to Juliette, "Jealousy makes you ugly."

Juliette's face turned pale.

This was just the beginning. The real show was yet to come.

I wasn't going to let any of those who caused my downfall in my past life go unpunished.

Once we were offcampus and out of sight, I let go of Joel's hand and changed my demeanor.

"I suddenly have something to do. Let's have dinner another time."

Joel was taken aback by my sudden change but quickly caught on. "You did that to spite Juliette, didn't you?"

I knew that if I immediately agreed to be Joel's girlfriend to win against Juliette, he would lose interest soon.

Just like in my past life, once he made me fall for him and won the bet, he dumped me instantly, holding Juliette's hand the next moment and mocking me for being delusional.

I wanted both Joel and Juliette to lose their bet miserably.

This act had to continue.

I said coolly, "I admit I accepted your invitation just to spite Juliette. I won't just fall in love with anyone. I only like those who are genuinely kind to me. Sorry, even though you're a great guy, I have no feelings for you."

For someone like Joel, a rich boy who was used to getting his way, a challenge was enticing.

I had to strike a balance, not pushing him away completely or making it too easy.

Sure enough, Joel's interest was piqued. "Don't worry, Erica, my feelings are genuine. If you don't believe me, I'll prove it with my actions."

Seeing the determination in Joel's eyes, I knew the fish was on the hook.

During the summer break, I didn't go home. Instead, I embarked on a major venture.

In my previous life, poverty drove me to work harder in my major. My designs were the best in the class, and I even worked parttime at a design company, gaining some experience.

This time, I invested all my earnings from collecting recyclables into starting an advertising design business. I hustled to get clients, did the designs myself, and worked with printing companies, focusing on business with colleges.

Thanks to the knowledge from my previous life, my first project—a promotional booklet for a university—earned me a solid 4,000 dollars.

I quickly built on this success by recruiting a few talented college students specializing in different areas—design, client acquisition, networking, etc. I even bought equipment and worked together with them, leveraging information gaps, and soon took over design and promotion projects for various universities in the area.

Luckily, my frequent parttime jobs in my previous life helped me meet these capable and kindhearted partners.

This time, I approached them in advance, and together, we formed a small advertising office.

By the time the new semester started, I had made a fortune. I no longer needed to collect recyclables and had successfully transitioned into advertising design.

Earning money wasn't enough; I also needed to improve myself in other ways.

With enough money, I began focusing on my appearance.

Joel Stephens and Juliette Hoover thought I was the poorest and ugliest in the school. I would show them who the real fool was.

In truth, I was never ugly. I had nice features, but working parttime under the sun damaged my skin. Poverty also prevented me from dressing well, making me stand out as the ugliest among the vibrant college students.

In this life, I would play to my strengths and avoid my weaknesses.

During the summer, I enrolled in etiquette classes to cultivate my taste and even squeezed in oneonone dance classes to learn some routines.

Soon, my taste and temperament improved significantly.

Money gave me confidence. I dressed stylishly and applied tasteful makeup. By the time the new semester began, I showed up on campus, leaving everyone stunned. They barely recognized me.

Joel saw me from afar and was stunned. "Erica, is that really you?"

Juliette, on the other hand, angrily dragged her friend away. "Does a toad think she's a swan just by putting on a coat?"

I'm running my own small advertising business, and with an improved demeanor, along with a generous hand, those who once mocked me quickly flocked to flatter me.

Threads on the school forum even detailed my transformation from a trash collector to a successful student entrepreneur, gossiping about my rumored relationship with Joel.

Many people seemed to only now realize that the girl they once unanimously deemed the ugliest in the school, once stripped of those illfitting, dull clothes and unflattering hairstyles, actually had very striking features, even rivaling the most beautiful girl in the class, Juliette. With a bit of grooming, my bright eyes and radiant smile shone through.

Now, my photos frequently appeared on the "campus crush" wall, causing a stir each time.

This truly validated the saying: the harder they mocked me back then, the harder they praise me now.

Despite all this, I didn't let it get to my head.

I knew everything I achieved was due to my own efforts.

Only when you become good enough will the world be kind to you, and better things will be attracted to you.

No one was more upset about my transformation than the teaching assistant.

She despised me the most, and now that I was on par with the rich students she favored, she was even more caustic in her words.

"Erica, don't think you can do whatever you want just because you're now popular on campus. As a student, grades are what matters. If you spend all your time running that ad shop, when will you study? If you fail this semester, I'll make sure you don't get your diploma!"

She was already threatening me. I wasn't going to back down. "What if I pass and even become top of the class?"

She probably didn't expect me to challenge her headon, let alone aim for the top.

She sneered, "You think you can beat Juliette? If you top the class, you can have my job!"

I scoffed, "That's unnecessary. If I don't top the class, I'll obey you for the next two years. But if I do, you have to publicly apologize for your past actions."

A bystander posted our exchange on the school forum, and everyone was eagerly waiting for the outcome.

Some were waiting to see me fail, while others, fed up with the assistant's bias, supported me.

I ignored it all.

In my previous life, I studied hard to escape poverty and secure a better future, consistently topping my class.

In this life, I downplayed my abilities initially to avoid the same fate of having my designs plagiarized. I kept my grades average on purpose.

Now that I was forced to reveal my true capabilities, topping the class would be a breeze.

Hearing about my bet, Joel came to comfort me. "Erica, we all know Juliette's level. Don't let the assistant get to you. Apologize to her, or you might really not get your diploma!"

Juliette, on the other hand, was smug. Her head was held high all the time.

Last time, I had overshadowed her in the class beauty contest.

This time, she was ready to crush me with her academic prowess, and she was strutting around with a newfound swagger.

I pushed Joel away. "We'll see who has the last laugh."

As I juggled studying and running the ad agency, the campus Independence Day Gala finally arrived.

In my previous life, the gala was a painful memory. Juliette closed the show with a sensational dance that drove the crowd wild. At the end of her performance, she turned the spotlight on me, dragging me onto the stage and announcing that I would also perform a dance for Joel despite my complete lack of experience.

I was thrust onto the stage in front of a jeering crowd, feeling like a clown. Amid the laughter, I saw Joel and Juliette standing together, sharing a private joke. Juliette playfully punched Joel's arm and leaned on his shoulder, laughing as he smiled at me and said, "Erica, you prepared a dance for me? Let's see it! Don't let me down!"

The laughter grew louder.

"What dance could she possibly do? Does she think she's Juliette? Her family collects trash…"

"Look at her, trying to perform. She should be hiding in a hole instead…"

"Going out with Joel? He wouldn't even hold her hand. If I were her, I'd just disappear…"

Amid the mockery, the lights suddenly went out. I scrambled off the stage, nearly tripping, and I fled the scene.

This time, I knew history was about to repeat itself, but I was going to rewrite it.

Before the event, I approached the organizer, offering to sponsor the gala with the condition of adding a performance.

After I came into money, I didn't become arrogant. Instead, I frequently helped others and sponsored various events, which earned me a great reputation and made me wellacquainted with the event organizers.

Adding one more dance performance was no problem for them; they agreed without hesitation.

I hired a professional dancer to perform a dance that mirrored Juliette's. I remembered the dance Juliette performed in the past life, so I had the dancer learn and modify it, giving it a new name.

The new dance was scheduled as the penultimate act. When it was performed, it was a hit—a stunning, energetic display that left Juliette's routine in the dust.

Watching from the audience, I relished every change in Juliette's expression—from initial confidence to shock and, finally, to anger and retreat. She had been waiting by the right side of the stage for her turn.

If it had been in my past life, with no professional dancers among the college students, Juliette's highenergy dance would indeed have brought the house down. But with a professional routine preceding hers, she now appeared out of place, like a poor imitation.

She would embarrass herself.

If she didn't go on stage, however, it would damage her reputation and blacklist her from future major events, making it impossible for her to stand out in the future.

As Juliette's turn came, the host, unaware of the earlier dance's impact, continued to urge her to go on stage.

Juliette's face changed colors like a painter's palette. Under the pressure from the crowd, she reluctantly took the stage and performed her routine in a rush. As predicted, the anticipated excitement and climax didn't materialize.

The audience, having just witnessed a dance spectacular, found Juliette's performance to be a poor imitation. Booing erupted.

"What was that? It's just like the earlier dance."

"Yeah, it's nowhere near as good as the previous dancer…"

"Juliette, the 'beauty and talent' of the design department? She's not as pretty as Erica, and her talent isn't impressive either."

The audience booed and demanded Juliette leave the stage. Juliette, caught in a moment of embarrassment, stood there helplessly, her face going from flush to pale, much like how I had been during my forced performance.

She cast a pleading glance at Joel, unaware that Joel's feelings for her had changed. My onagain, offagain relationship with Joel had only deepened his interest in me, leaving him little time to pay attention to Juliette.

Seeing Juliette's desperate look, I mimicked her previous behavior and deliberately rested my head on Joel's shoulder. Juliette's face darkened immediately.

The next moment, Juliette grabbed the microphone and adjusted her expression. "I heard Erica also prepared a dance. Would you like to see Erica perform for us?"

Juliette looked at me with a vengeful glare, clearly hoping to see me fail. The audience erupted with excitement, calling my name and urging me to go on stage. My name had frequently appeared in the campus news and forums, making me one of the most talkedabout figures of the year.

Some acquaintances knew that I came from a scavenging background and had never received any dance training, so they tried to help me out.

Unlike last time, Joel didn't join the cheerers either but tried to pull me away, "Let's go. There's no need to emba—"

He didn't finish his sentence, but I could tell he meant I would make a fool of myself. To him, having someone from a background of picking up trash dance was like asking Anna Pavlova to feed pigs.

I smiled, shrugged off Joel's hand, and took the stage alone. "Guess I'll make a fool of myself then!"

I had the sound technician play some classical music and performed a little ballet dance. During the summer, I hired a oneonone instructor to learn this dance just for this moment.

Wearing a flowing white dress, I danced gracefully, creating an ethereal presence. After being bombarded by highenergy dance routines, the sudden shift to a classical dance captivated the audience.

The room fell silent, the lights dimmed, and I spun in the center of the stage, my white dress fluttering.

When the dance ended, the audience was silent for a few seconds before erupting into thunderous applause. I heard cheers and saw the excitement on everyone's faces.

I even noticed Joel's eyes widening with joy and disbelief. I knew this moment would become a new legend about me at the university.

Backstage, Joel rushed in, ignoring the other people present, and hugged me tightly. "Erica, you've totally blown me away! Anything else I should know about you?"

When Joel entered, Juliette's face lit up, but her hope was soon crushed, replaced by a look of rage. I didn't push Joel away and deliberately said, "Joel, you asked me to be your girlfriend. The answer is yes."

Joel was initially taken aback but quickly erupted with joy. Juliette, on the other hand, looked devastated.

I brushed past Joel and leaned into Juliette, whispering, "It's time for you to pay up on our bet. I'm eagerly waiting for you to call me 'Daddy.'"

Juliette's face darkened with anger.

As expected, Juliette tried to weasel out of it. She denied ever making the bet and refused to apologize publicly or call me "Daddy."

That was fine with me. I knew from my previous life that Juliette would try to avoid her promises. My goal was to make her uncomfortable. I had plenty of opportunities to deal with her later. Most importantly, her denial meant she couldn't complain to Joel about our bet, so I wouldn't need to waste time explaining things to him. After all, if Joel didn't experience the same pain I had before, it wouldn't be true revenge.

After the Fourth of July festivities, my reputation surged across campus. Almost no one remembered the old story of Erica Contreras, the student who got by on financial aid and collected recyclables for a year. Now, whenever my name came up, it was met with awe and praise.

But I didn't let it go to my head. I remembered my humble beginnings and the painful end of my previous life. Now, I was using my foresight to improve myself and raise my family's living standard. Every step I took, I made sure to be grounded and steady.

By evening, I declined Joel's invitation and hurried outside with some cat food, heading toward the southeastern part of the campus.

The area was still undeveloped and desolate. No one knew that six months ago, I spent nearly all my savings to buy up this wasteland. Even fewer knew I had been taking care of a few stray cats here.

When I arrived, I was surprised to see a guy squatting in front of the stray cats, placing food on the ground. Did someone else know about this place and come to feed the cats?

As I approached, I was surprised to find it was Duncan Mathis.

I was even more taken aback. Like I said, I had become one of the campus celebrities, and Duncan, a senior in the computer science program, was another. Rumor had it that he came from a wealthy background and spent most of his time working on apps outside of school. I never met him in my previous life and had only seen his photos on bulletin boards around campus.

"Erica, are these cats yours?" Duncan asked as the strays affectionately rubbed against me.

I was a bit surprised and put the cat food on the ground. "How do you know my name?"

Duncan's voice sounded oddly familiar. Could it be...

I shook my head. He couldn't be that person.

Duncan stood up. "You're one of the campus celebrities now. How could I not know about you?"

I felt my cheeks flush slightly.

To me, these stray cats were like my former self, driven away by poverty and wandering aimlessly. Now that I could help, I wanted them to be well cared for.

After feeding the cats, we packed up and walked slowly along the wasteland. Duncan pointed at the surrounding area and said, "Erica, I'm planning to buy this land with my startup money. If you have enough savings, I suggest you buy a small plot too. According to my dad's inside information, this area will soon be designated as a new economic zone and will face redevelopment."

I told Duncan, "You might need to rethink your plans."

Duncan looked puzzled. "Why?"

I replied, "Sorry, but I've already bought this land."

In my previous life, this plot of land was a barren area so desolate that even farmers avoided it, with vast stretches of it lying unused. However, after a major shakeup in the local government and the arrival of new officials eager to make their mark, the land was designated as a new economic zone. Coincidentally, this piece of land fell within the new zone's boundaries, and once it was included, property values skyrocketed.

This time, I had used the information gap to buy up as much of the land as I could six months ago, waiting for the redevelopment to make a profit. If everything went as planned, I would make a fortune, enough for me and my family to live comfortably for life.

As we reached the school gates, Duncan suddenly said, "Erica, don't get involved with Joel."

After hesitating, he added, "Joel isn't sincere. He's with you because of a bet with someone else."

"I know," I replied calmly.

"Then why are you still—" Duncan began, confused.

Before he could finish, Joel appeared, having come to the gate after not being able to reach me by phone. He ran into us as we were heading back.

Joel wrapped his arm around my shoulders possessively. "Erica, I've been waiting for you. Let's have dinner together tonight."

I pushed Joel's arm away and stepped closer to Duncan, deliberately saying, "I'm afraid not. Duncan and I have some academic matters to discuss. Maybe another time."

In my previous life, even though Joel had become my boyfriend due to the bet, he often used "discussions" as an excuse to leave me and go out with Juliette.

"You and he are in different fields—design and computer science—what could you possibly discuss?" Joel noticed something was off, just like in the past when I questioned him.

I mimicked Joel's previous behavior, feigning annoyance. "If you don't trust me, maybe we shouldn't be together."

Back then, Joel was the one cheating and getting defensive. This time, he was the one desperately trying to hold on.

Joel's face softened immediately. "Go ahead with your discussion. Call me when you're done, and I'll come pick you up."

Not wanting to push too hard, I nodded.

Joel reluctantly left. The scene was identical to my previous life, except the roles were reversed. It was oddly satisfying!

As soon as Joel was out of sight, Duncan leaned in and whispered with a chuckle, "Using me as a decoy, huh?"

I looked at Duncan and said apologetically, "Sorry about that. I won't do it again."

Duncan's eyes sparkled with a smile. "I'm not sure what you're up to, but if you need my help, I'm more than willing to assist."

Shortly after, another piece of gossip spread through the school.

Everyone was talking about how Erica Contreras had supposedly lost her mind and bought a plot of land in the middle of nowhere.

Later, I discovered that the person handling the paperwork when I signed the contract with the original owner was a distant cousin of Juliette's. She inadvertently shared the information with Juliette.

Everyone knew that the land was so remote that even farmers wouldn't want to cultivate it. The original owners had been desperate to sell it, but no one was interested, so it sat abandoned.

No one expected that I would end up acquiring it. The rumor spread that I had lost my mind, and the land would end up being a massive failure for me.

While I was picking up some documents from my teacher, I ran into the teaching assistant. It seemed like she finally had an opportunity to attack me, and her nose was in the air.

"I heard you used all your savings to buy a piece of land? No offense, but you should know your limits. Don't fantasize about becoming a real estate mogul. You're just a smalltime player!"

I remained calm. "Well, at least I'm not someone who was born with a silver spoon in my mouth but still fixates on the mundane."

The teaching assistant's face darkened again.

After leaving the office, I encountered Juliette and her entourage outside the classroom.

"My dad says that piece of land has been worthless for years. Erica, are you planning to turn it into a recycling station?" Juliette mocked.

"Yeah, you're used to dealing with trash, so maybe you see everything as valuable…" one of Juliette's friends laughed, covering her mouth.

I didn't respond.

Someday, they'll regret what they said and come back begging me.

Under Juliette's dramatic portrayal and smear campaign, the campus forums and social media were abuzz with talk about my purchase of the "worthless" land.

Everyone speculated that I had lost my mind, risking all my assets on a failed investment. Some even started betting on whether I was planning something major or just had a brain freeze.

The topic quickly went viral, topping the campus trending charts.

Even Joel came to see me. "It's okay, Erica. If you're out of money, I'll take care of you."

I wanted to tell him, "I'm not looking for a sugar daddy!"

After sending Joel away, I got a call from Duncan. "There's a lot of talk online about you. Do you want me to help handle it?"

As a computer science major, Duncan could easily manage the online chatter. Although he didn't say it outright, it was clear from my attitude toward Joel that Duncan understood I had my own plans for everything I did.

He would never act on his own without checking with me first.

I declined his offer.

Let the speculation continue a bit longer. Although I never intended to make a big show of it, if Juliette had pushed the narrative this far, I had no reason to end it quietly.

A month later, the news broke that, just like in my previous life, the land was designated as a new economic zone. The value of the land soared, and the compensation was astronomical.

The campus exploded once more.

"I knew Erica was great at turning things around! She's clearly planned something big this time. She's going to be a millionaire…"

"I want to hitch a ride on her success and get rich too. Erica, you're amazing…"

"Not only is she beautiful, but she also dances beautifully and has a great personality. I'm now Erica's number one fan…"

"Count me in. Erica, you're my idol…"

The buzz was so intense that the campus network nearly crashed.

After that, I became a campus sensation once again. My every move was closely scrutinized, as people worried that I might accidentally create the next big financial miracle.

When I ate some street food for a couple of days, a crowd gathered around the vendor, and the vendor happily stayed open for days.

When I took a few walks on a side street, people started connecting it to economic policies and the area's development trends.

Even when I stumbled on the road, people began researching the origins and potential of my shoes.

At the moment, I was too busy to worry about these things. I needed to sign contracts with the staff and receive my compensation.

I called Duncan to join me. If I encountered anything I didn't understand, his social experience would be helpful.

We agreed to meet at the school entrance.

On my way through the administrative building, I ran into the teaching assistant coming down the stairs.

"Sorry, it looks like that land really did turn out to be valuable. Even a smalltime player like me can catch a ride on this success."

The teaching assistant gritted her teeth. "Erica, don't think you can show off just because you've got some money now. Don't forget, we still have the final exams to settle."

I raised an eyebrow and moved aside to let her pass.

I hadn't forgotten. I was still waiting for her to apologize in front of everyone.

After leaving the building and heading toward the campus entrance, I ran into some old dorm mates.

They eagerly invited me to move back into the dorm, saying they had previously been influenced by Juliette and had formed a biased opinion of me.

Left aside, Juliette was glaring at me with hatred.

Hearing their flattery, I knew their attitude had changed only because my situation was now different.

I politely declined but didn't confront them.

People are often attracted to success. I might disdain their behavior, but there was no need to mock them.

"Don't think just because you're on top now, I'll give up! I'm waiting to see who gets the last laugh!" Juliette fumed.

"Throw everything you've got at me," I said, heading to meet Duncan. I had no time to deal with Juliette.