We agreed not to date, so why are you crying now that I've become the richest man?

"Five thousand."

Ye Chen looked at the money on the table.

"Mom, we don't need that much, three thousand is enough."

"Take it." Chen Xiulan's tone was firm, brooking no refusal.

"Buy a computer with 3,000, and use the remaining 2,000 to buy a new phone."

Chen Xiulan pointed to the old Nokia phone on the coffee table.

"Your old phone's buttons are all worn down. You're going to college in a big city soon, so you can't let your classmates look down on you."

Ye Jianguo chimed in from the side.

"Your mother is right. You need to be well-equipped when you go out. Our family can't let you suffer any grievances outside."

Ye Chen looked at the fifty banknotes on the table.

Some are old, and some still have creases.

This is the hard-earned money that my parents have worked day after day on the assembly line.

He reached out, took the money, and clutched it in his hand.

The banknotes felt rough to the touch, yet they were surprisingly heavy.

Ye Chen made a silent vow in his heart.

He was determined to provide his parents with the ultimate life of the wealthy.

"Okay, I'll go buy it this afternoon."

After finishing his meal, Ye Chen returned to his room.

He carefully placed the five thousand yuan into the drawer.

Then take out a plastic bag from the bottom layer.

Inside was the lottery ticket for Portugal's 7-0 victory.

The "reason" for buying a computer has been found.

Next, it's time to bring out the real big money.

One o'clock in the afternoon.

Ye Chen, carrying an old backpack, boarded the bus to the city.

Municipal Sports Lottery Center.

Second floor prize redemption area.

Ye Chen pulled down the brim of his baseball cap and walked to the counter.

The female staff member behind the counter was casually manicuring her nails.

Ye Chen handed the lottery ticket and his ID card through the window.

The female staff member didn't even look up; she simply took the lottery ticket and scanned it on the machine.

"drop."

The barcode scanner made a crisp sound.

A string of numbers popped up on the screen.

The staff member's hand, which was about to type on the keyboard, froze in mid-air.

She stared intently at the screen for a full three seconds.

Then he suddenly looked down at the lottery ticket in his hand.

Match: Portugal vs. North Korea.

Score: 7-0!

Amount: 20,000!

The news about that game a few days ago went viral throughout the entire sports lottery center.

Everyone knew that a shocking upset of 7-0 had occurred, and countless veteran bettors lost everything, lining up on rooftops in despair.

Someone actually won?

Or should we bet on a single score?

They even bet 20,000 yuan?!

She suddenly looked up and gazed at the people outside the window through the glass.

Wearing a white short-sleeved shirt, faded jeans, and carrying an old backpack.

His hat brim was pulled low, making him look like an ordinary, impoverished college student.

With that kind of outfit, how could they possibly spend 20,000 yuan to bet on such an upset score?

The staff member swallowed hard, and his fingers began to tremble noticeably as he typed.

"Before tax... 1.2 million."

"Deduct 20% personal income tax."

"After tax, the amount received is 960,000!"

She pushed the receipt out the window, her voice filled with undisguised shock.

"The amount is correct. Please sign in the bottom right corner."

Ye Chen picked up the pen and signed his name.

The handwriting flows smoothly and powerfully.

There was none of the ecstasy or hand trembling that an ordinary person experiences after winning a big prize.

They were as calm as if they had come to retrieve the pocket money they had left there.

Two minutes later, the China Construction Bank card was withdrawn.

Ye Chen put the card into his bag, zipped it up, and turned to go downstairs.

As soon as I stepped out of the office building, a wave of heat hit me.

My old Nokia vibrated in my pocket.

SMS notification tone.

Ye Chen took out his phone and pressed the view button.

【建设银行】您的尾号7788帐户于6月25日14时30分收入人民币960,000.00元，当前余额1,007,002.50元。

Ye Chen glanced at the long string of zeros on the screen.

He turned off the screen and put the phone back in his pocket.

One million.

This is just a small fulcrum for him to leverage his future business empire.

Ye Chen didn't go home, but went straight to the city's largest science and technology plaza.

He needs a top-of-the-line mobile workstation to write code and seize the opportunity presented by the mobile internet boom.

We arrived at the entrance of a top-tier computer brand store.

Just as Ye Chen was about to go in, he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure standing in front of the secondhand computer counter next to him.

Shen Anran.

At that moment, she was standing awkwardly in front of the counter.

The boss was a greasy, middle-aged, overweight man, who was trying to persuade her with spittle flying everywhere.

"Young lady, this machine may be secondhand, but its performance is absolutely top-notch. I'll give it to you for four thousand yuan, it's a bargain!"

Shen Anran clutched the hem of her clothes, her voice soft and timid.

"But... this computer's graphics card is an old model from several years ago, it's not worth four thousand yuan at all."

The boss's expression changed, and he roared fiercely.

"What do you know? I say it's worth it, so it's worth it! If you can't afford it, don't block the way!"

Shen Anran was startled and took a half step back, her eyes slightly red, making her look pitiful.

Ye Chen stepped forward and slammed the lid of the secondhand computer shut with a "snap".

"Boss, isn't it a bit unfair to bully high school students?"

A sunny and cheerful voice rang out in the bustling computer mall.

Shen Anran suddenly turned around.

His eyes were wide open behind his black-rimmed glasses.

"Ye Chen?"

Ye Chen smiled brightly at her, revealing his neat white teeth.

"What a coincidence, you're a top student."

He turned to look at the boss, his smile fading.

His gaze became extremely deep and cold, carrying an oppressive aura of a superior.

"The motherboard is refurbished, the cooling fan is covered in dust and yellowed, and the hard drive has been powered on for over 10,000 hours."

"You're selling this electronic waste for four thousand?"

"Believe it or not, I can make a phone call and have the Industry and Commerce Bureau investigate your supply channels?"

Ye Chen's tone was calm, yet every word he spoke was piercing.

With the added confidence of carrying a million in cash, his aura completely intimidated the boss.

The boss felt uneasy under his gaze, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

"You... if you're not going to buy it, fine, let's go!"

The boss quickly put the computer away and sheepishly sat back down in his chair.

Shen Anran breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Ye Chen gratefully.

Today she was wearing faded skinny jeans and a simple white shirt.

Although dressed simply, her slender waist and budding curves were perfectly outlined.

Her long, straight legs are even more captivating.

"Thank you, Ye Chen," she said softly, a hint of hesitation in her eyes.