System: Master Your Life
Chapter 40: 15 days until the start of school

Chapter 40: Chapter 40: 15 days until the start of school

Xu Lin had no idea his mom was using him to show off.

The summer break after high school graduation lasts three months, which is the longest vacation for most people.

The start of the school term was approaching, with less than half a month left before classes began.

By this time, everyone had already received their university admission letters.

Those who chose to repeat the year had started their senior year studies by early August, preparing for next year’s college entrance exam—three students from Xu Lin’s class were repeating a year.

The majority of the others were looking forward to their exciting university life ahead.

Take Lei Haolong, for instance. He was eager to find a girlfriend during the first semester of his freshman year and start a sweet campus romance.

Every young man or woman harbored similar hopes and expectations.

"What about you, Xu Lin? Any expectations for university life?"

Lei Haolong asked Xu Lin.

"Not really, at the moment."

Xu Lin didn’t feel he had much to say.

"Xu Lin, in the first semester of my freshman year, I’m determined to lose my virginity!"

"What’s wrong with being a virgin? Virgin’s urine can even ward off evil spirits."

"Damn! Xu Lin, you bastard, you don’t know the hunger of a starving man when you’re sated!"

Xu Lin was, as usual, playing games at home today by himself.

During this summer break, he had completed ten major games with full achievements, spending most of his time gaming. He later added a fitness routine to his schedule, sometimes writing to make some money, though he hadn’t taken any writing assignments recently. He wasn’t that interested in writing, finding it mentally exhausting and requiring long hours at the computer banging away on the keyboard, which was also tiring.

Xu Lin didn’t have much perseverance, nor did he possess a strong desire to strive.

He figured that reaching financial freedom in his lifetime was good enough.

Xu Lin had heard that there are three levels to financial freedom: entry-level at 20 million, mid-level at over 60 million, and top-level at 200 million.

He was likely to settle in Jiangdu, an ultra-first-tier city, where he estimated he would need to reach top-level financial freedom to truly relax. After all, in good areas of Jiangdu, even a 100-square-meter apartment started at tens of millions, so financial freedom in Jiangdu had to be calculated in billions.

"Damn, am I thinking too far ahead? Dreaming of financial freedom already."

Xu Lin looked at his current wealth status.

[Wealth: ¥362,836.34]

Dreaming of financial freedom with just a few hundred thousand in savings—Xu Lin felt he was getting ahead of himself.

"Let’s play some games!"

Xu Lin opened an online game.

.

He had finished all the 3A titles he bought and wasn’t interested in other major games, so he turned to this newly released online game.

Character creation.

Male?

Female?

Of course, he played as a female character.

Before long, Xu Lin got into the game.

Having money, he spent a few hundred on a new skin.

While playing, Xu Lin felt a bit empty inside.

Then he realized it was because Yu Xinyan didn’t come today.

Yu Xinyan had gone with her mom to their hometown for her cousin’s school entrance banquet.

Her cousin was two months older than her and also took the college entrance exam this year, getting into Kyoto University, which, alongside Jiangdu University, is one of the top-tier universities in the country. Hence, they were hosting a grand school entrance banquet.

Ordinarily, since Yu Xinyan got into a prestigious school like Jiangdu University, even if they didn’t make it a big deal, there should still be some kind of celebration, even if on a smaller scale.

However, Yu Jianhua and his wife were both government officials, especially Yu Jianhua, who was already a deputy director at thirty-nine, with a promising future under the care of senior leaders, possibly advancing further in the next couple of years.

Hosting a banquet would be risky for him, given the scrutiny at his level—it could lead to trouble if not handled carefully, with many eyes watching his position.

Xu Lin’s mom, Ms. Ren, originally wanted to host a school entrance banquet too, but Xu Lin, being lazy, wasn’t interested in such matters at all and would rather stay home and game, so he declined.

Ms. Ren even mentioned they might receive tens of thousands in gifts at the banquet.

But Xu Lin wasn’t tempted at all now. Earlier, he would have been, but now he could make that money from writing gigs, while a school entrance banquet meant dealing with all sorts of relatives and friends. So he didn’t even consider it.

Lei Haolong’s party was in a few days.

In Xu Lin’s class, with fifty-six people in total, three were repeating a year, leaving fifty-three. Twenty of them were planning school entrance banquets, including a few who got into second-tier universities. Those families were wealthy, though—to them, just getting into university called for a grand celebration, and Xu Lin was considering crashing some meals, hoping to enjoy some gourmet food offered by the wealthy.

The time came to the afternoon.

Xu Lin woke up from his nap and saw a message from his mom.

Turned out, the contract Xu Lin had asked his mom to handle was sorted.

Ms. Ren: "Got the contract ready for you. How do you want to proceed with this?"

Xu Lin explained briefly, selling his outlines and splitting subsequent income 40/60.

Xu Lin: "If it goes well, I can make money lying down, no need to work at all."

Ms. Ren: "Are you sure your outline will guarantee others make money?"

Xu Lin: "In theory, yes. After all, I’ve got some skills now!"

Ms. Ren: "Aren’t you exaggerating a bit?"

Xu Lin: "With a touch of modesty."

Ms. Ren: "Hah! You little brat!"

Although Ms. Ren didn’t openly acknowledge it, she was quite happy about Xu Lin’s change.

One should know what Xu Lin used to do—skipping class to go online, fighting, getting publicly reprimanded by the school...

Once, he put five gangsters in the hospital, narrowly escaping trouble thanks to Yu Jianhua’s help. Plus, those gangsters weren’t clean, so Xu Lin didn’t even have to pay compensation.

But let’s not dwell on that.

Now, Xu Lin had managed to snag a spot in a key university and had some earning potential, and he even acted bravely for a just cause recently.

Ms. Ren felt her son had grown up, like a prodigal son returning home, though he still carried a hint of mischief.

But seeing her son’s growth, she was certainly pleased as a mother.

Ms. Ren thought she had let Xu Lin down all these years, raising him in an incomplete family, presumably leading to his earlier mischief.

Meanwhile...

With the contract in hand,

Xu Lin felt a surge of inspiration.

While starting his usual afternoon workout, he started thinking about the outline simultaneously.

He planned to write a 20,000 to 30,000-word outline.

Then sell it, of course, only to capable writers. For any average author, even the best outline would be a waste of time, bringing no income to Xu Lin. He needed writers with substantial skill, at least those who could turn his outline into notable success so that Xu Lin could receive his share.

Four hours later, Xu Lin finished his workout.

He glanced at his fitness stat panel.

[Physique (91/100): Excellent.]

[Abs: 50/100.]

[Chest: 49/100.]

[Shoulders: 43/100.]

[Back: 45/100.]

[Arms: 46/100.]

[Legs: 44/100.]

[Male symbol: 53/100.]

"Should be about right by the end of summer vacation, with all these stats above 50. Then I can unlock a reward."

Stat levels 50, 80, and 100 each unlock a reward.

In terms of fitness, Xu Lin could unlock three rewards.

Xu Lin was quite looking forward to this.

With only fifteen days until school started, Xu Lin aimed to raise his stats above 50 within this time.

The first reward unlock was just around the corner.