The air in the night was heavy with dampness, wrapping around Lin Feng's body like a ghostly shroud. The one ceiling fan in his small dormitory room groaned as it whirled, accomplishing nothing to displace the heat of summer.
The screen of his phone lit up in the dimness, brightening his fatigue-worn features.
¥870.
Not exactly much.
But more than ¥0.
Lin Feng leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. Just a week ago, he had barely been able to afford a proper meal. Now, thanks to his part-time café job, essay-writing hustle, and tutoring, he had managed to crawl away from rock bottom.
Still, it wasn't enough.
It was never enough.
The reality of his situation hadn't changed—he was still poor.
His rich friends continued to ridicule him for wearing cheap clothes. The classmates who spent exorbitant amounts on lattes from him at the cafeteria still barely recognized his presence. His dorm mates still whispered about how he never invited himself out to eat with them, or on excursions.
"Pathetic. Can't even eat real food."
"Perhaps he should quit. What's the use of remaining if he can't keep up?"
Lin Feng's fists curled into tight balls.
One day.
One day, they would regret ever looking down on him.
A Daily Grind
The following week was a blur of exhaustion.
6:00 AM: Wake up.
7:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Classes.
12:30 PM - 6:00 PM: Café shift.
7:00 PM - 10:00 PM: Library, tutoring, essay-writing.
10:30 PM - 1:00 AM: Researching business ideas.
Every day, he pushed himself to the limit.
There was no time for rest, no room for distractions. While his classmates drank at bars, played games, and dated beautiful girls, Lin Feng was hustling for every single yuan.
By the end of the week, his earnings had increased.
Café work: ¥360
Essay writing: ¥850
Tutoring: ¥300
Total balance: ¥3,880.
For the first time since coming to university, he felt a small sense of control.
He wouldn't go hungry this month.
He wouldn't have to pretend he wasn't hungry when his friends ordered food.
But this was just the beginning.
Seeking a Smarter Path
Lin Feng stared at the Investment System interface, its blue glow flickering in the dim room.
[Investment System]
Milk Tea Shop Expansion – ¥500 (10% monthly return)
Available Balance: ¥3,880
He could invest more, but something held him back.
The more he studied finance, the more he understood: cash flow was king.
If he tied all his money into investments, he'd be left with nothing to cover emergencies or new opportunities.
He needed liquidity.
He needed a way to scale his income.
That's when he stumbled upon an idea—flipping second-hand electronics.
His First Business Deal
Late at night, he scrolled through student forums where people sold their old gadgets.
A listing caught his eye.
[FOR SALE] iPhone X – ¥1,200
Good condition, minor scratches.
No charger included.
Lin Feng's pulse quickened.
A quick check showed that similar phones were being resold for ¥1,500-¥1,600.
A ¥300-¥400 profit margin.
His fingers moved quickly.
Lin Feng: "Is the phone still available?"
Seller: "Yeah. You interested?"
Lin Feng: "Would you take ¥1,000? I can meet you tonight."
Seller: "¥1,100, final price."
Lin Feng: "Deal."
At 8:30 PM, Lin Feng walked to a convenience store near campus.
A student around his age stood by the entrance, shifting nervously. When he spotted Lin Feng, he let out a relieved sigh.
"You Lin Feng?" the guy asked.
Lin Feng nodded. "You brought the phone?"
The seller pulled out an iPhone X, handing it over.
Lin Feng inspected it carefully under the store's fluorescent lights. No cracks, just minor scratches. It was in good condition.
He pulled out ¥1,100 in cash and handed it over.
The seller grinned. "Pleasure doing business."
Lin Feng just nodded, his mind already calculating the next step.
Flipping for Profit
Back at his dorm, Lin Feng cleaned the phone, took high-quality pictures, and posted his own listing.
[FOR SALE] iPhone X – ¥1,550
Excellent condition.
Battery health: 88%.
No charger included.
Two hours later, his phone vibrated.
Buyer: "Hey, still available?"
Lin Feng: "Yes. You interested?"
Buyer: "Would you take ¥1,500?"
Lin Feng: "Deal. When do you want to meet?"
At 10:00 AM the next morning, Lin Feng met the buyer at a campus café.
The guy barely negotiated—he just wanted a cheap iPhone.
Lin Feng took ¥1,500 in cash and handed over the phone.
¥400 profit in less than 24 hours.
And he could do it again.
Scaling the Business
One deal wasn't enough.
Lin Feng reinvested immediately.
Another second-hand phone—bought for ¥1,400, sold for ¥1,800.
Another—bought for ¥1,200, sold for ¥1,500.
By the end of the week, he had completed four transactions.
Deal 1: ¥1,100 → ¥1,500 (+¥400 profit)
Deal 2: ¥1,400 → ¥1,800 (+¥400 profit)
Deal 3: ¥1,200 → ¥1,500 (+¥300 profit)
Deal 4: ¥1,500 → ¥1,900 (+¥400 profit)
Total profit: ¥1,500.
And the best part?
He didn't have to work extra hours to make this money.
His income was no longer tied to his time.
The Road Ahead
Lin Feng sat on his bed, staring at his phone screen late at night.
His balance now read ¥5,380.
He took a deep breath in.
No more skipping meals.
No more humiliation at being broke.
No more letting people walk all over him.
This wasn't the end.
This was just the start.
And soon he would turn the tables on everyone who ever looked down on him.