Chapter 2: Money Is Needed for Fame, and People Must Be Collected
Zhou Rui felt as if he were on a roller coaster, his mind spinning as he almost entered a moment of enlightenment.
The system was like a beacon of hope, solving his most urgent concerns.
Although the novice reward wasn't immediately spoon-fed to him, it at least gave him a clear direction.
Sure, he could copy songs, invest in stocks, speculate in cryptocurrencies, or exploit other quick paths to wealth. These were the conveniences of being reborn, but they weren't his ultimate goal in life.
He could do all of that during college—or even as a factory worker or an unemployed wanderer.
But now that he had a choice, why not aim higher? Why not secure a better starting point, a more comfortable identity, and a more fulfilling life?
Did he really need to fail the college entrance exam, get his legs broken by his mother, and shout, "Thirty years in Henan, thirty years in Hebei!"?
No.
He quickly set a short-term goal for himself.
I must obtain the "Student Master" entry! I must retake the college entrance exam—and excel this time! I need a higher starting point in life!
Standing nearby, Li Wenqian looked at the dazed Zhou Rui and asked curiously, "What's wrong, Zhou Rui? Did you forget something? Or not finish your homework?"
Zhou Rui snapped out of his thoughts. He still wanted to explore the system before heading into school. The papers in his bag were already completed—filled with his original answers.
He pulled out the math test paper that Li Wenqian needed and pointed to a nearby breakfast shop. "There's still half an hour before school starts. Copy it there. It's safer, and you can have breakfast while you're at it."
Li Wenqian's eyes lit up. She thought Zhou Rui was being thoughtful. How did he know I didn't eat breakfast?
Zhou Rui ordered two bowls of soy milk and two fried dough sticks from the shop owner. Sitting down, he pulled out an English test paper and pretended to review it. In truth, he was studying the system.
The "Life Entry Synthesis System" turned out to be quite simple in its functionality.
It allowed Zhou Rui to acquire "entries" to strengthen himself—similar to a video game mechanic.
The system was like a magical device that could grow and stack abilities infinitely.
Entries could range from basic traits like [Light as a Swallow], [Infinite Strength], and [Absolutely Calm], to skills like [Boxer], [Composer], or [Acting Master].
There were even more abstract entries like [Trendsetter], [Craftsman], and [Aquaman].
In this world of infinite possibilities, there was nothing Zhou Rui couldn't imagine—and nothing the system couldn't provide.
Rather than calling them "entries," they were more akin to talents. Each entry granted corresponding abilities, enhancements, or even completely new knowledge.
The system was simple, clear, and immensely powerful.
Most intriguingly, matching entries could be synthesized into higher-level, rarer ones.
For example, his current [Student] entry, a white-tier talent, provided minor boosts to learning ability, slightly reduced physical fitness, and greatly increased gastrointestinal adaptability.
(Something strange definitely got mixed into that last part…)
Meanwhile, the green-tier [Absolute Musical Sense] was an upgraded version of the white-tier [Absolute Pitch]. It allowed Zhou Rui to quickly and accurately identify nuances in pitch, melody, and even arrangement.
Even if he didn't consciously try to memorize a song, as long as he recalled it in his mind, the entire melody—along with all the musical details—would come rushing back. Music had patterns and rules, after all, and he could now grasp them intuitively.
Of course, this was a sensory talent, not an intellectual one. Zhou Rui could hear and remember music effortlessly, but expressing it systematically—or composing his own—still required basic music theory knowledge. Luckily, learning would now be much easier.
The possibilities of the entries seemed limitless, leaving him to wonder if they could even unlock supernatural powers.
The [Absolute Musical Sense] from the novice gift pack was a key to earning his first pot of gold, but there was no rush. The real lifesaver was the synthesis path the system had revealed:
[Student] + [Self-Disciplined] = [Student Master].
This was exactly the clarity and direction he needed to succeed.
That's the term [Student] + [Self-Disciplined], which can be combined into [Student Master]!
It's impossible to screw in the screws. The only way is to become a Student Master and get into a better university than in your previous life!
But, I wonder—will two months be enough for him to turn things around?
To obtain new entries, you need to treat the target as a "task" and place it in one of the three blank task columns in the system.
After adding the task, Zhou Rui could accumulate "experience points" by taking actions that align with the task's definition, ultimately earning the entry.
For example, if Zhou Rui added [Craftsman] to his task bar, he would simply need to keep honing his craft to earn the entry and its corresponding bonus. Maybe he would need to grind a piece of iron into a needle.
It sounded a bit intense.
Looking at the three empty task columns, Zhou Rui hesitated for a moment, then decisively placed [Self-Disciplined] in the first one.
Self-Disciplined Person, Progress: (0/100)
Starting today, he would be an extremely self-disciplined person!
Next, he decided to combine the [Xueba] entry to overcome the difficulty of the college entrance exam!
As Zhou Rui was exploring the system, Li Wenqian finished copying the homework. She looked up and saw Zhou Rui deep in thought. For some reason, she couldn't help but steal a few more glances.
What's different about him today? She couldn't pinpoint it, but there was a certain "mature" aura around him.
Maturity is a quality that everyone in society acquires over time, but for high school students, especially boys, it's rare and striking.
It's easy for a high school student to blend into the crowd, but maturity makes one stand out.
Zhou Rui noticed her gaze and glanced at her.
"What's up? Finished copying?"
"I've finished copying," she replied.
"Then eat. Don't skip breakfast. We still have time."
Zhou Rui continued to study the system. This was far more important.
There was no reason to leave the three task bars empty, but they couldn't be filled with random tasks either.
If he hung irrelevant tasks, he would waste space and fail to accumulate experience points. Hanging tasks just for the sake of it would be useless in the long run.
He needed to focus on what he could do right now, while also being forward-thinking and preparing for more advanced entries in the future.
Zhou Rui thought for a moment, then, driven by inspiration, added [Concentration] as the second task.
The task bar could either contain the name of an entry or a similar concept. Once he completed the task, the system would grant the correct entry.
No matter how powerful the system was, he had decided to give it a try over the next two months, so he could face the college entrance exam in the best possible state.
By focusing on intensive study, there was a high probability that he would make progress on his [Concentration] task and earn a new entry.
This was a basic but highly useful skill—one that would benefit him even beyond this stage.
As Zhou Rui was deep in thought, he noticed Li Wenqian staring at him again, her gaze more captivated and serious than before. This girl is really observant. Could she have noticed something off about me? After all, I've just been reborn. Could she have noticed something strange?
"What are you looking at?" he asked, breaking the silence.
"Ah?" Li Wenqian blinked, snapping out of her thoughts. She had been lost in her observations.
Zhou Rui decided to distract her. He glanced at the remaining soy milk and fried dough sticks and said, "Eat the rest. Don't waste food."
Li Wenqian was still distracted, thinking about Zhou Rui's strange behavior. She absentmindedly grabbed another cup of soy milk.
Meanwhile, Zhou Rui was already formulating the third task in his mind. He added [Inspiration] to the third task column.
Since the next two months would be focused on studying, he wanted to channel his efforts in one direction.
Learning required a strong ability to connect different pieces of knowledge, draw inferences, and digest new ideas. This would likely spark moments of "inspiration," which could help him earn the experience he needed.
The three tasks all pointed in the same direction. In the future, all he needed to do was focus on one thing to gain three types of experience!
Perfect!
Zhou Rui was satisfied with the system and felt that his future was full of possibilities.
Since fate had given him a second chance, he would make sure to make the most of it—he wouldn't waste a single opportunity or person! He was going to make money, gain fame, and win over people!
First, he would start by becoming a top student.
He looked at Li Wenqian again. The girl was struggling to finish her second helping of soy milk and fried dough sticks. A layer of white foam rested on her pink lips, and she seemed a little tired.
She didn't really know why she had to eat so much. Maybe it was because she had been caught sneaking glances at Zhou Rui, and now she felt guilty. Subconsciously, she chose to obey Zhou Rui's advice.
"Finished eating?" he asked.
"I'm tired of eating," she replied.
"Then go pick up the bill. We're almost late."
Li Wenqian froze. "Didn't you treat me to breakfast?"
Zhou Rui raised an eyebrow. "Did I say that?"
Li Wenqian blinked in confusion. "Didn't you?"
Zhou Rui smirked. "Besides, I didn't even eat."
Li Wenqian sighed, "You're right… But why do you have a Northeastern accent?"
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
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