The streetlights buzzed overhead, casting long shadows on the pavement as Xu Jie walked home alone.
Xu Jie's house was tucked away at the edge of a cramped residential district—low-income housing that looked worn from weather and time. Rust clung to metal gates. Paint peeled off in patches. The hum of television sets seeped through thin walls.
It wasn't much, but it was home.
Xu Jie pushed the gate open and entered the modest two-bedroom apartment. The air smelled of laundry detergent and instant noodles. A woman stood by the stove, her frame slender, her back slightly hunched. Her hair was tied in a messy bun, and she wore a faded apron.
"Xiao Jie, you're back?" his mother called out without turning.
There was warmth in her voice—but also exhaustion.
"I'm back," Xu Jie replied softly, slipping off his shoes.
She turned around then, her eyes scanning him carefully. "You're limping. What happened?"
"Just… PE class. Fell a bit." He forced a smile.
She frowned, walking over and checking his arm. Her fingers were calloused from years of factory work, but her touch was gentle. "You have to be careful, ah. If something happens to you, what will I do?"
He wanted to say, Then why were you the only one who ever cared if something happened to me?
But he didn't.
Instead, he looked at her deeply—this woman who carried both fear and love in her eyes. Xu Jie had never wanted to cause her pain. And now that Xu Ning stood in his place, he wouldn't either.
That night, after dinner, Xu Jie sat at the small desk in the shared room. The textbooks were heavy with notes, filled with scribbles he barely understood. The real Xu Jie had struggled in school—not because he was stupid, but because survival left little space for dreams.
Xu Jie opened the books anyway.
The words swam before his eyes, but he read them. Again. And again.
Not because he had to pass. But because he needed a plan.
I need money. Fast. But I can't just rely on studying for years before earning.
He leaned back, staring at the cracked ceiling.
What can I do that's fast, legal, and within reach?
The answer came in fragments—school trends, things he overheard, the part-time jobs students took, and the rumors that some of them sold game accounts, notes, or even handmade crafts online.
Then the idea struck: customized class notes and cheat sheets—not for cheating, but for the lazy, the busy, the forgetful. Xu Jie may not have been top of the class, but Xu Ning? He could build systems and strategies. And this was just the beginning.
Not just notes—premium academic guides. Simple, clean, digestible. Designed for students who wanted to look smart without trying hard.
And the key to good business? Presentation. Exclusivity. Timing.
He would sell bundled note packs for 25 yuan per subject weekly—complete with highlighted formulas, diagrams, and summary questions.
And that wasn't all.
Earlier at school, he overheard girls from another class talking about a new trend: capsule toys, pastel correction tapes, and limited edition anime merch.
So Xu Jie spent an hour searching online wholesalers and secondhand community apps. He placed an order—carefully selected items that looked expensive but cost just a few yuan each in bulk.
Initial investment: 200 yuan.
He took it from the small savings Xu Jie had stashed in a side drawer—money meant for emergencies or exam prep. Xu Ning figured this counted as both.
The next morning, the school grounds were already alive with chatter, laughter, and taunts.
Xu Jie stepped into class, eyes scanning the room. As usual, the bully was already there—Qian Bin—loud, smug, and surrounded by his hyena-like friends.
Xu Jie didn't look away.
He walked past Qian Bin, just brushing his shoulder enough to be noticed.
"Yo, trash finally grew a backbone?" Qian Bin smirked. "Careful, Xu Jie. Don't trip again and cry for your mommy."
The class laughed.
But Xu Jie smiled coldly.
"Bin-ge," he said, loud enough for others to hear. "Still stuck repeating the same jokes? I'd offer you some new material, but I doubt your brain could memorize more than three lines."
The laughter shifted tones.
Mockery turned to surprise.
Even Tang Rui, who sat by the window flipping through a book, glanced over.
Qian Bin's smirk froze. "What did you say?"
Xu Jie leaned in slightly. "I said if your insults were worth anything, you'd have graduated to something better than playground-level trash talk by now."
Gasps. Chuckles.
Qian Bin's face turned red.
Xu Jie turned away before he could react, sliding into his seat—right next to Tang Rui.
She didn't look at him.
But she did speak. "You'll get beaten up if you keep talking like that."
Xu Jie smirked. "Let them try. I'm used to pain."
A pause.
Then, softly, she said, "It's still better not to invite it."
It wasn't concern, not fully. But it wasn't mockery either.
And that was progress.
The first period bell rang, and classes began. Xu Jie listened—really listened—for the first time. While the teacher droned on about history, Xu Jie's mind raced.
He discreetly scribbled notes, not just on the topic, but how the teacher explained it. The flow. The phrases repeated. The emphasis.
By lunch break, he had a pattern.
And during lunch, he approached a few classmates—ones who always copied homework or whispered during tests.
"Want help remembering the important parts of today's lecture?" he offered casually. "Clean notes. Focused summaries. Just twenty-five yuan per subject. Thirty-five if it's science or math."
They laughed.
But when he handed over a sample, one of them raised an eyebrow. "You wrote this?"
"Let's just say I'm improving," Xu Jie smiled.
By the end of lunch, he had three pre-orders.
That wasn't all.
He opened his bag during break and quietly showed a small display box filled with capsule toys, LED pens, cute keychains, and anime badges.
"Imported," he said. "Limited stock. Ten to twenty-five yuan, depending on the item."
A few girls squealed softly. One boy bought two items on the spot.
His first week's stats:
Notes sold:
6 customers bought 1 subject = 6 x 25 = 150 yuan
4 customers bought full subject packs (3-subject bundle) = 4 x 70 = 280 yuanTotal from notes: 430 yuan
Item sales (capsule toys, LED pens, anime badges):
Bought in bulk at ~5 yuan each, sold for 18–25 yuan
20 items sold = 400 yuan total
Expenses:
Printing: 50 yuan
Merchandise purchase: 200 yuan
Packaging materials: 20 yuanTotal costs: 270 yuan
➡️ Net Profit: 430 + 400 - 270 = 560 yuan
When school ended that day, Xu Jie walked home again—tired, but not defeated.
That Friday, he handed his mother a small envelope after dinner.
She blinked. "What's this?"
"Just… money. For groceries. Or that new rice cooker you've been eyeing."
She opened it and gasped softly. "Xiao Jie… where did you get this?"
"I helped a few classmates. Some side work. Nothing illegal."
Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. But when she saw the honesty in his, she slowly nodded. "Don't forget your studies."
"I won't," Xu Jie said. "I'm just making the most of what I've got."
As she went to put the envelope away, Xu Jie sat back and allowed himself the smallest of grins.
Xu Jie never got to do this in his life.
But I will.
For him.
And this time, it wasn't just about fulfilling a regret.
It was about building something worth living for.