The Opportunity to Become Rich Overnight: How He Seized His Destiny

Chapter 3

"Lu Yuan, where are you? Hurry up and get to class! It's Management—don’t be late!"

A message from Zhang Hui flashed across Lu Yuan’s phone.

Their management professor, Mr. Zheng Gu, was known for his acerbic demeanor and intolerance of tardiness. Legend had it that three strikes and you’d automatically fail.

Lu Yuan didn’t dare delay. Clutching a large plastic bag, he dashed toward the lecture hall, skipping even a quick trip back to his dorm.

"Permission to enter?"

Despite his rush, he was still late.

Standing at the doorway, Lu Yuan felt every eye in the classroom fix on him.

For a full thirty seconds, Mr. Zheng continued lecturing without sparing Lu Yuan a single glance, ignoring him entirely. The silence stretched, thick with awkwardness.

"Lost track of time scavenging? Are you even aware you’re late? What are you—a student or a vagrant?"

Finally, Mr. Zheng adjusted his glasses and unleashed a barrage of insults.

The questions weren’t meant to be answered. They were meant to humiliate.

The class erupted in laughter.

Everyone had noticed Lu Yuan’s plastic bag. It was hard to miss. Inside it was a million yuan, but in Lu Yuan’s worn clothes, carrying a bag like that made him look like a scavenger.

"Go on, open it up! Let everyone see what treasures you’ve ‘collected,’" Mr. Zheng sneered.

Another wave of laughter swept through the room.

"No need."

Lu Yuan responded calmly.

Despite being a professor, Mr. Zheng looked down on poorer students while ingratiating himself with the affluent and well-connected. Lu Yuan despised this duplicity.

"Fine, take your ‘treasure’ and sit down! Remember, two more late arrivals and you won’t pass this class. Pathetic—poverty and failure go hand in hand!"

Lu Yuan obeyed without a word, taking his seat as classmates eyed his bag, some whispering and snickering.

He rested his head on the desk, too exhausted from the day's events to pay attention.

The beauty of college was that no one cared if you tuned out, as long as you weren’t disruptive.

Just as he was about to doze off, someone nudged his arm.

It was Li Mengyao.

"Are all of these yours?"

She pointed to the plastic bag, which had somehow been opened, exposing stacks of cash.

Gone was the cold disdain from their breakup. Her face now held an alluring interest.

A surge of revulsion rose in Lu Yuan. Without a word, he grabbed the bag and walked away.

"Darling! Darling!"

Li Mengyao called after him in desperation.

That word made him hesitate. It had been her endearing term for him the night they became a couple. When a woman called you "darling" like that, it stirred a man’s deepest desire to protect her forever.

He stopped and turned.

Laughter echoed in his ears.

Startled, he realized he hadn’t left his seat at all; he’d merely stood up. The bag was still beside him, unopened. Li Mengyao hadn’t spoken to him at all.

It had all been a dream.

But Li Mengyao was indeed calling, "Darling."

Only, she wasn’t addressing Lu Yuan. She was looking at a boy by the door, holding a bouquet of blue roses.

As he watched, Lu Yuan felt a pang.

It was Du Liang—Li Mengyao’s new boyfriend.

Du Liang wasn’t particularly handsome, with rough features and a stocky build, but his clothes were all top brands: Levi’s, Louis Vuitton.

He was wealthy, and known as the "Prince of the Chinese Department."

Lu Yuan pieced together what was happening.

Class had ended, and Du Liang had come to pick up Li Mengyao. She had called him "darling," a title that felt all too familiar, making Lu Yuan instinctively stand up.

Seeing him standing there, his classmates burst into laughter.

Everyone knew about Lu Yuan and Li Mengyao’s breakup.

"Oh, I was calling my boyfriend! Why are you standing up?"

Li Mengyao laughed as she clung to Du Liang’s arm, her voice dripping with disdain as she noticed Lu Yuan’s dumbfounded expression.

"Kid, you mess with Yaoyao again, and I’ll make sure you regret it!" Du Liang threatened, gesturing aggressively.

To him, Lu Yuan was inconsequential.

Not only did Du Liang have money, he was from Jinling, with connections to the local underworld. He frequently mingled with gang leaders and had no qualms about showing off.

Some of the male classmates bristled inwardly at Du Liang’s outburst. Even if they didn’t think much of Lu Yuan, it was still infuriating to see an outsider flaunt his status and date one of their classmates.

"Don’t be angry, darling. He’s just a poor loser," Li Mengyao sneered, her eyes full of contempt, with no trace of the affection they once held.

"Yaoyao!"

Suddenly, a girl stood up, voice indignant. "Yaoyao, you’ve gone too far! I can’t believe you broke up with Lu Yuan—no, you dumped him!"

It was Zhang Xia, a close friend of both Li Mengyao and Lu Yuan.

Back when Lu Yuan and Li Mengyao were dating, the three of them had often hung out together.

"Zhang Xia…" Li Mengyao looked taken aback.

"Yaoyao, I knew you were materialistic, but I didn’t think you’d be this shallow. You dumped Lu Yuan for a guy like Du Liang! Do you not know his reputation? He’s notorious for switching girlfriends every few months. Isn’t it just about money? But did you have to hurt Lu Yuan for that? Do you know how much he cared about you? Do you remember the night he carried you to the hospital when you had a fever? He gave you his jacket to keep you warm, and he stayed outside, jogging in the cold to stay warm while he waited. Later, you wanted porridge, and even in the dead of night, he walked miles to get it for you. You’ve forgotten all that, haven’t you?"

"He genuinely loved you. He worked part-time for over a month to buy you the phone you wanted. I was with him when he got it for you—you should’ve seen his face. He was happier than if he’d bought it for himself!"

"Enough!"

Li Mengyao, visibly flustered, snapped back, "If you’re really my friend, then stop it! Breaking up with Lu Yuan was the right decision. He can work himself to the bone, but so what? It’s still just an OPPO. Du Liang got me an iPhone. I’m sorry, but I’d rather have an iPhone than an OPPO."

"Yaoyao, you’ve changed. You’re all about vanity and appearances now," Zhang Xia said, her tone laced with disappointment.

Deep down, Zhang Xia still cared for her friend, hoping she’d see reason.

"You have no right to lecture me!" Li Mengyao’s voice was sharp. "Don’t think I ever wanted to be your friend. I only befriended you because I thought your dad was a department head, only to find out he’s just an administrator. If I’d known, we wouldn’t have been friends at all. Don’t say another word! From now on, we’re done!"

With that, she clung to Du Liang’s arm. "Darling, let’s go. Don’t let this trash ruin our mood. Tonight, we’re going out for steak, right?"

Head held high, Li Mengyao strode out with Du Liang.

"Alright, enough! They’re gone."

Zhang Xia nudged Lu Yuan. "I know you’re hurting after the breakup. Let’s go out. I’ll treat you to a meal at Baisheng Garden."

Baisheng Garden was one of the nicer restaurants on campus.

"Not today." Truthfully, Lu Yuan wasn’t in the mood after everything that had happened. "Give me a few days—I’ll take you out for Michelin."

"Seriously?"

Zhang Xia’s eyes lit up with excitement.

She laughed it off, assuming he was joking. Michelin-rated restaurants were known for their exorbitant prices. In Jinling, a three-star Michelin restaurant could easily cost over 800 yuan per person.

But in reality, Lu Yuan could more than afford it. He could dine at any elite restaurant globally, three times a day, if he wanted.

"Fine then, I’ll hold you to it! I’ve never been to a Michelin before!" Zhang Xia laughed as she left.

Lu Yuan picked up his bag and headed to the dorm with his roommates, Zhang Hui and Song Chun.

Halfway there, their group chat buzzed.

"Hey, I’m back! Hurry up, everyone, come back to the dorm and eat!"

The message was from Chen Feng.

There were only four members in their dorm group chat, all dormmates of 306.

"Chen Feng’s back? Lu Yuan, let’s hurry and go get the goodies!"

"Wonder what treats he’s brought back this time."

The three of them quickened their pace, eager to reach the dorm.

Chen Feng, though an art major in a different department, had been assigned to their dorm due to limited space.

His department often arranged trips for students to sketch and study around the country, so he was often away for weeks. Every time he returned, he’d bring regional specialties to share.

Bursting into the dorm, Zhang Hui shouted, "Feng, where’s the food?"

He froze mid-sentence.