Chapter Three: This Is a Fake Second-Generation Heir

After entering the dormitory building, he sat down on the first step of the staircase, quietly waiting for someone fated to cross his path.

It wasn't long before he heard footsteps coming from upstairs. At the same moment the footsteps sounded, Chen Qi swiftly slipped into his actor’s persona, feigning the exhausted helplessness of a drunk, laboriously supporting himself on the stair rail as he made his way up.

Luck was on his side: the student coming downstairs happened to recognize him.

With this classmate’s help, he soon “found” his way to his own dormitory.

There was only one bed left inside, which made him breathe a quiet sigh of relief.

He thanked the classmate, then lay on the bed for a while, pretending to rest. Only when he was certain the other had left did he get up, lock the door, and begin to curiously inspect the dormitory’s environment.

Back on Earth, he’d already spent two years working in society, so returning to a college dormitory didn’t move him much.

He washed his face simply, took out his important documents, and checked his assets.

Other than the roughly one thousand yuan in his phone, he had a bank card with a little over nine thousand yuan inside.

That was all he possessed.

Looking at the small string of numbers in his mobile banking app, Chen Qi wore a complicated expression.

This so-called second-generation rich… what a joke!

He lay back on the bed, filled with mixed feelings, and opened the system’s virtual interface, carefully checking through the resources inside while searching things on his phone.

But after a few attempts, he nearly lost his composure.

This lousy phone’s speed was abysmal—it was even slower than the IE browser he’d once used.

Unable to help himself, he checked the phone’s information and discovered it was released five years ago.

So, conservatively, the one in his hand must have been in use for at least three years.

Somehow, he kept feeling that something was off.

A phone used for three years?

Not only that, the dorm didn’t seem to have any high-quality clothes. More importantly, after searching deliberately, he didn’t even own a computer!

He was starting to suspect he was a fake second-generation rich kid.

His family had only just gone bankrupt days ago—so why did it feel like he’d never been wealthy at all?

Where had things gone wrong?

Was it possible that he’d always kept a low profile, living as an ordinary student?

After thinking it over carefully, Chen Qi felt this was actually quite plausible. If so, it was a good thing for him now.

If he’d been ostentatious before, that would have been a nightmare for him!

Looking at the sluggish phone, Chen Qi felt utterly dejected and could barely keep his eyes open.

If only he could afford it, he’d have replaced it on the spot.

The efficiency was just dreadful!

Maybe… he should find a way to make some money and improve his life a bit?

Like, selling a song or something?

But then, how was he supposed to get in touch with those big celebrities? He couldn’t just show up at a film studio and try his luck, could he?

After a moment of thought, he opened his phone and registered an account on the largest job site, casting a wide net by submitting several resumes.

Because of the resources in the system, all his applications were for jobs related to the entertainment industry—advertising agencies, video platforms, TV stations, anything he felt capable of handling.

After all, he wasn’t really looking for a job; he just wanted to get closer to those celebrities through their platforms.

Once he’d sent out the resumes, he forced himself to calmly compare the differences between Earth and this world.

After some research, he discovered that some resources in the system also existed here—like the "Three Hundred Tang Poems," the four great classical novels, and thousands of years of history and culture.

For him, that was good news. With a similar cultural background, he would be able to live comfortably in this world without worrying about exposing any flaws.

…

The next day.

Chen Qi woke up early, carrying only a few necessary documents as he left the school.

To his horror, just as he was nearing the school gate, a voice called out from behind.

“Chen Qi?”

Hearing the voice, Chen Qi nearly burst into tears.

Even getting up this early, he still ran into someone he knew?

He turned around stiffly and saw a middle-aged man in a tracksuit.

Now who was this?

Judging from the man’s attire and age, he was probably a teacher out for a morning run.

“Sir,” Chen Qi bowed politely to him.

He had to admit, he was gambling.

“You’re leaving?”

“Yes.” Chen Qi was anxious, silently praying the man wouldn’t ask anything he didn’t know.

“Staying in the capital, or…?”

“I’m staying in the capital.”

“That same place you interned before?” At that, Chen Qi relaxed a little.

The teacher evidently didn’t know him well.

“No, I found another company,” he replied.

“Oh, all right. Work hard,” the teacher said, waving and jogging off.

Chen Qi nodded politely and hurried away.

He swore he wouldn’t set foot here again for several years at least.

It was terrifying!

Good thing he had a strong heart, otherwise he’d be headed straight to the hospital.

…

After leaving the school, he went straight to a nearby real estate agency.

He needed to find a place to stay first.

Strictly speaking, he should have confirmed his workplace before finding a place to live, so he could choose somewhere closer to work.

But unfortunately, he had no choice now.

With his meager savings, renting something even halfway comfortable in the suburbs would be a feat, never mind the city center.

But so be it. He wasn’t too concerned—he just needed a place to settle for now. This was only a temporary arrangement, not a long-term home.

Once he made some money, he’d definitely move somewhere better.

“Sir, would you prefer to share an apartment or live alone?” The agent was a young-looking guy.

Chen Qi glanced at him, half-serious, half-joking: “If I share, can I choose my roommate?”

To his surprise, the young man nodded earnestly. “Of course. Do you want a male or female roommate? Married or single? Pretty or charming? Young or mature?”

“…?” Chen Qi’s eyes widened in astonishment. “The service is that personalized now?”

“Well, the market’s tough. We have to be flexible,” the agent replied with a modest smile.

“Does such detailed service really help business?”

“Not only does it help, it makes things more expensive,” the young man said bluntly.

“Hah…” Chen Qi chuckled and sensibly abandoned his little fantasies. “I prefer peace and quiet—living alone is best.”

“All right.” The young agent brought him to the computer and began recommending properties he thought were suitable.

With little money and only planning to rent temporarily for two months, Chen Qi didn’t have many requirements. Still, not wanting to treat himself too poorly, he eventually chose a small apartment with a passable environment—just over thirty square meters, compact but with everything necessary, and reasonably convenient transportation.

After visiting the property in person, Chen Qi made his decision, signed a simple contract, and paid two months’ rent.

As the agent explained, since he was only renting for a short two months, the rent was a bit higher.

A bit over seven thousand in total.

Chen Qi had never lived in the capital before, and he knew nothing about the prices here, so he had no idea if this was normal.

But that wasn’t his main concern right now—he paid promptly.

Looking at his bank balance of three thousand, Chen Qi felt no turmoil at all, not even the slightest pressure.

He was, after all, a transmigrator—having faced life and death, why worry about money?

Just as he was about to go to the downstairs convenience store to buy some daily necessities, a call from an unfamiliar number came in.

Chen Qi had a hunch and answered quickly. “Hello?”

“Hello, is this Mr. Chen Qi?” The voice on the other end was friendly.

“Yes.”

“Hello, this is Blueprint Advertising. We’ve received your resume. Are you available to come in for an interview this afternoon?”

“Yes, I’m available.”

“Great, I’ll send the interview time and address to your phone shortly.”

“Thank you.”

After hanging up, Chen Qi checked the time—it was already past eleven.

He wasn’t surprised to get an interview call so quickly; clearly, his alma mater had given him a significant boost.

After all, it was a top-three national university.

Soon after, a text message arrived on his phone.

The interview was set for 2 p.m.

He looked up the address sent by the company, finding it was nearly two hours away from his place.

He grabbed a quick lunch at the convenience store downstairs, hailed a taxi, and headed straight there.

On the way, he searched for information about the advertising company and found it was quite large—reputable and well-known in the city.

What struck him even more was that, on his way to the company, he received two more calls for interviews.

In moments like this, he truly felt the advantage of a good degree.