"Jessica!"

I lowered my head and called out.

"You're here!" Jessica Jones leaned against the door, looking at me, suddenly furrowing her brows, a hint of confusion flickering in her eyes.

After not seeing him for several days, why did it feel like this young man was so different from her impression, especially with that air about him, which seemed to have changed remarkably?

"Thompson, it's only been a few days, and you've become much more handsome!" she said with a playful tone, smiling.

I scratched my head awkwardly, "Jessica, please don't tease me."

"I'm serious; it seems like you've even become fairer."

Jessica Jones approached, bringing a rich fragrance with her. She leaned in closer, staring intently at me.

Her charming face was so near that I could feel the aromatic breath escaping from her slightly parted red lips, warm and slightly intoxicating.

"Indeed, you have become fairer. Could Hannah really be telling the truth?"

"What truth?" I was taken aback.

"The beauty cream! Yesterday, Hannah told me she bought a box of beauty cream from you, said to be a family formula. At first, I didn't believe it, but looking at you now, I'm starting to believe it."

I expressed understanding with an "Oh," only then realizing.

That Hannah surely referred to Sarah Garcia. It was not surprising they knew each other since they lived in the same neighborhood.

"Yes, there's such a thing. Hannah just bought ten boxes!" I said, "But, it seems you have such great skin, Jessica, you don't really need this beauty cream."

Jessica giggled, "Thompson, I didn't expect you to be such a smooth talker, a little rascal."

After a pause, she was surprised, "Hannah bought ten boxes? It must be really effective! Do you have more? I'd like to try a box."

"Sure! I'll deliver it this afternoon."

"How much for a box?"

"Well..." I hesitated a bit, "Five thousand, but the first box is free. If you want more, I can give you a discount, Jessica."

"Five thousand?"

Jessica's eyes widened in disbelief, her beautiful eyes round with astonishment.

At that moment, she felt it was absurd, almost thinking Charlie was joking. A handmade beauty cream intending to sell for five thousand was simply preposterous.

Was she out of her mind, or was this young man?

"Did Hannah really...buy it? For five thousand?" Her tone was somewhat strained.

"Yes! If you don't believe it, you can ask Garcia."

Staring at me for a long time, Jessica let out a wry smile, "I believe you. Afternoon, bring me a box. I want to see what miraculous effects this beauty cream has."

"Alright!" I agreed.

After delivering the packages, I went to buy some cigarettes and liquor for Uncle Brown, telling him I met someone useful and earned some money.

Then I returned home and started making the beauty cream, delivering a box to Jessica.

The very next morning, I received a call from Jessica, praising the miraculous effects of the beauty cream and ordering several more boxes. Jessica, who owned a factory and was quite wealthy, certainly didn't lack money.

For the next few days, I delivered parcels during the day, made medicine, and practiced some cultivation at night.

With two doses of Nourishing Spirit Liquid each day, my cultivation advanced steadily yet rapidly. However, cultivating like this was costly, as the materials for one dose of Nourishing Spirit Liquid were roughly about fifteen thousand, totaling thirty thousand for two doses.

It was basically burning money!

And by making medicine every day, I accumulated quite a bit of three types of medicine. I also thought up ways to improve the packaging, making it look more aesthetic and grand.

About five to six days later, I received a call from Mr. Jay.

"Thompson, do you have more medicine to deliver? Those who've tried it are pushing me like crazy, driving me insane, especially the demand for aphrodisiacs."

After the call, I went to Azure Vista Pavilion, delivering ten bottles of aphrodisiacs, twenty bottles of weight-loss pills, and ten boxes of beauty cream, earning another 410,000.

"Thompson, my friends, after hearing about you, are eager to meet you and get acquainted. What do you think?"

"Well..." I was a bit hesitant.

"Aw, what are you hesitating for? My friends have some status, and getting to know them would be beneficial for you."

I thought it over and agreed.

"Great! It's settled then. Tomorrow night, I'll take you to meet them."

"By the way, remember to dress well. Thompson, you've earned so much. Why not buy yourself some nice clothes? As they say, clothes make the man. You can't be going around in shabby attire."

"Alright!"

I scratched my head and agreed.

Leaving Azure Vista Pavilion, I felt a bit dazed, as I never bought myself nice clothes before. Thinking it over, I rode my tricycle to the city center and arrived at Summit Plaza.

This Summit Plaza was the most upscale shopping venue in the city, hosting numerous brands, with clothes that cost thousands to tens of thousands, beyond the reach of ordinary consumers.

As I stepped through the doors of the plaza, I drew numerous peculiar glances, some even disdainful, full of contempt.

At that moment, I wore a wrinkled white shirt, faded, somewhat ripped jeans, and worn-out shoes; even my hair was messy.

With such attire, I looked exceedingly poor, while the passing pedestrians dressed fashionably or luxuriously. I seemed quite out of place among them.

"Look, where does this poor guy come from!"

"Hey! A pauper dares to show up in Summit Plaza. Does he even know what kind of place this is? A piece of clothing here would cost him a month's work."

People around whispered to each other, gossiping.

I frowned but said nothing, continuing to walk inside. Looking around, I entered a store.

The salesgirl inside took one look at me and immediately frowned, showing some disdain.

She even seemed a bit derisive, finding it amusing.

With such an obvious air of poverty, how could someone like this have the audacity to enter Summit Plaza, having such thick skin?

As I reached out to touch a suit, she immediately shouted, "Don't touch it carelessly. You can't afford that suit."

I frowned, my face immediately turned cold.

My hand didn't stop, clutching the suit and feeling the fabric.

"Hey! Are you deaf? I told you not to touch it. Didn't you hear me? This suit is expensive. If you get it dirty, can you afford to pay for it?" the salesgirl shrieked, angrily approaching.

I glanced at the tag and sneered, "It's just nine thousand. What's unaffordable about it?"

"Hah! You? That's hilarious. Looking at you, I can tell you're dirt poor. Are you a migrant worker? Still dreaming of buying a nine-thousand suit? Keep dreaming!"

The salesgirl mocked me with a face full of scorn, snatching the suit away.

I squinted my eyes, my expression darkening even more, speaking coldly, "What's wrong with being a migrant worker? Does it bother you?"

"Migrant workers are not welcome here!" the salesgirl snapped, lifting her chin, looking down at me with an attitude of superiority.

I felt a surge of anger building inside me and was about to speak when I suddenly noticed two people entering the store.

A young man and woman, both about seventeen or eighteen, the woman pretty, dressed in a pure white dress with smooth black hair. The man stood tall, handsome, and upright.

The two were holding each other as they walked into the store.

My expression changed instantly. The man was Jason Martinez, and the young woman was Tiffany Wilson, my first love.

...

I frowned, my face darkening.

This Jason Martinez was the mastermind behind my expulsion; a simple fight shouldn't have led to expulsion, if it weren't for this guy pulling strings behind the scenes.

This was what I resented the most.

In contrast, I wasn't that resentful of him for stealing my girlfriend; blame it on my own poverty. This society has always been realistic.

My gaze shifted to the girl beside Jason Martinez, who was lovely.

For a moment, I was dazed; old memories surged like a tide. A bitter smile appeared on my face, but soon, it turned indifferent.

Once, we were intimately close, but now, we're just strangers.

"Hey! Are you leaving or not? Don't just stand there, blocking the way for guests." the salesgirl shouted, looking at me disdainfully.

"I mean, you're a construction worker, aren't you ashamed? What's Summit Plaza? Is it a place for someone like you?" The salesgirl continued to scold, her tone growing sharper and more acrid.

Hearing the scolding, the two of them looked over.

"Where does this construction worker come from, daring to enter Summit Plaza? Don't you feel embarrassed?" Jason Martinez mocked, but didn't recognize me right away.

He looked closely, paused in surprise, and then burst out laughing, "I wondered who it was, turns out it's an old acquaintance!"

At this point, Tiffany Wilson also recognized me, looking a bit unnatural.

Her gaze swept over me, and seeing my shabby attire, she couldn't help but show some disgust.

Jason Martinez laughed and walked over, "Charlie, long time no see! Where are you working now?"

He pretended to act like an old friend, but his tone was somewhat mocking.

"Ah! Right, I forgot, you're a construction worker, probably moving bricks at some site, right? Must be tough!" he said with fake concern, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

I remained silent, my face somber.

"Whoa! Same stubborn temper as before, huh?" Jason Martinez sneered, "I tell you Charlie, people should recognize their own status. A poor guy is a poor guy. Some places aren't meant for a construction worker like you to enter, like here. If you don't want to embarrass yourself, you should get out while you can!"

"Look at your shabby clothes, do you think you belong here? Tiffany, don't you think so?"

As he spoke, he reached out and embraced the girl next to him, taunting me with his gaze.

My face grew colder; suddenly, I sneered, "Eldest Baker Master Martinez, what, you look down on farmers? Weren't your ancestors farmers too!"

"Besides, this is a store, right? Open to customers, who can come in and who can't is unreasonable. I'm standing here, who can chase me away!"

With that, I cast a cold glance at Jason Martinez before turning to the salesgirl.

"Heh! Losing your temper, are we? You can't even afford a piece of clothing here, why come in? If you damage something, can you afford to pay for it?"

The salesgirl shrieked.

"Shut up!"

I shouted fiercely, "Isn't it just nine thousand bucks! Open your damn eyes and look!"

I opened my backpack, took out a stack of cash, and flung it at her face.

The salesgirl screamed and took a step back, staring at the thick stack of cash on the ground, dumbfounded. Such a thick stack, it must be ten thousand.

She never expected this seemingly poor boy to carry ten thousand bucks on him.

"It's just ten thousand..." her voice lowered, but still carried some disdain.

To her, the ten thousand must be all the savings the boy had.

"Not enough?" I stretched out my hand, grabbed another stack, and threw it hard, "Twenty thousand, enough now! Not enough? I have more."

I grabbed yet another stack and tossed it, one stack after another, throwing out five stacks in total.

The salesgirl was left disheveled, dizzy and dazed from being hit.

Each of those stacks was ten thousand, making it a total of seventy thousand. This poor boy was actually carrying seventy thousand in cash!

Even Tiffany Wilson and Jason Martinez were stunned.

"Where did this guy get seventy thousand bucks, how is that possible?" Jason Martinez's face turned extremely sour, knowing that Charlie' family was very poor, and since getting expelled, he'd been working.

But working, how could he have possibly saved up seventy thousand in a year?

He had thought Charlie must have had a miserable and poverty-stricken life this past year, and seeing Charlie just now confirmed this thought. But now, Charlie casually tossed out seventy thousand in cash, leaving him dizzy.

Even an average white-collar worker would only earn about the same amount in a year!

With Charlie' limited abilities, how could he possibly earn so much money?

Tiffany Wilson was dazed, she knew Charlie' family's situation best, and thus was even more puzzled.

"Is it enough now?" I sneered, shouting, "Where's your manager? I want to ask how your store does business, allowing a salesgirl to insult customers."

My voice was loud and carried far.

Even passersby outside the store stopped to watch.

"Sir, we sincerely apologize!" A middle-aged woman hurriedly came out of the shop and bowed to me, "You, quickly apologize to the gentleman!"

The salesgirl unwillingly bowed and mumbled, "Sorry!"

I couldn't be bothered to argue with her and stepped forward to pick up my money.

"Sir, as an apology, I'll give you a ten percent discount, how does that sound?" the manager offered.

"Whatever!" I responded indifferently; I wasn't really concerned about such a small discount.

But then Jason Martinez interjected, "Hmph! What's there to be proud of, you're just a laborer, how could you possibly earn so much in a year, you must've done something illegal!"

I snorted, "Which of your eyes saw me doing anything illegal, Jason Martinez?"

"You..."

Jason Martinez flew into a rage, his face turning red, "Charlie, you dare curse me!"

"I'm cursing you, so what, you want a fight?"

"I... I wouldn't stoop to fighting with someone like you, it's beneath me! My uncle is a policeman, I'll have him investigate you thoroughly." Jason Martinez threatened fiercely.

I rolled my eyes, scoffed, and turned to look at the clothes.

I needed to buy something appropriate for tomorrow's gathering.

"Sir, how about this piece, it suits your stature and charisma." The manager followed beside me, occasionally introducing items.

A moment later, I picked one out and entered the fitting room.

I had never worn a suit before, so it took some getting used to. After a while, I finally got it on properly.

I tidied up my messy hair and gazed at the mirror, seeing a completely transformed young man staring back, I was taken aback.

Was this really me?

The well-tailored suit injected new life into my demeanor. If I had been a shabby boy a moment ago, now I had transformed into a young gentleman, entirely different from before.

...

When I walked out of the fitting room, the store manager looked stunned.

Just by changing clothes, the boy in front of her underwent a dramatic change. My tall and straight figure, the crisp suit, and my handsome appearance exuded an aura of elegance and distinction.

Her eyes lit up, and she silently praised him in her heart.

Not far away, Tiffany Wilson's gaze swept over, and she was also taken aback, as if she couldn't recognize me at all.

And Jason Martinez, too, couldn't believe his eyes. Then, his face turned gloomy, and jealousy burned fiercely in his heart.

He had always considered himself extraordinary, believing that he was the best. Facing Charlie Thompson, he always felt an innate sense of superiority, but now, he was being outdone.

Noticing the strange look in Tiffany Wilson's eyes, he grew even more irritated.

"Hmph! What use is a good appearance if you're still a lowly migrant worker? I bet he has the potential to be a gigolo; those rich old women love pretty boys like that."

"Hey, Charlie Thompson, those seventy grand you have, did you earn that by being a gigolo?"

Jason Martinez shouted loudly, his face full of mockery.

I glanced at him coldly and mocked, "Crude and vulgar! Utterly disgusting! I say, Eldest Baker Master Martinez, can you shut up and stop farting so much?"

"You... Charlie Thompson!"

Jason Martinez was furious, his eyes bulged with a terrifying glare, with his expression twisted, showing a bit of ferocity.

I sneered and paid him no mind. I turned around and said to the store manager, "Not bad, it fits well. I'll take this one, and two more of the same."

The store manager beamed with joy and hurriedly said, "Okay!"

Soon, she brought out two more suits of the same style and packed them up.

"Each set is nine thousand, with a ten percent discount, that's eight thousand one. Three sets come to twenty-four thousand three hundred, but let's just call it twenty-four thousand."

I took out three wads of cash, counted out six thousand, and handed over the rest.

"Make way!" I walked out.

Tiffany Wilson looked at him, her expression somewhat complicated. The young man before her was so dazzling that she almost couldn't recognize him.

Meanwhile, Jason Martinez's face was as dark as water, and a cold glint flashed in his narrowed eyes.

Suddenly, a malicious gleam crossed his eyes. As I walked by, he suddenly stepped forward and pretended to clap me on the shoulder, "Not bad! You look quite like a proper gentleman."

As he spoke, he reached out with his other hand and slipped a small box into my backpack.

He did it very stealthily, but I am no ordinary person, and my keen senses quickly detected it.

"That bastard!"

I immediately understood that the guy was trying to frame me.

My mind raced, and I instantly came up with a plan. I grabbed Jason Martinez's hand on my shoulder and twisted it hard.

"Ah—!"

A scream.

Jason Martinez was in so much pain that cold sweat poured down, and he screamed, "What are you doing, let me go!"

"Charlie Thompson, let him go!" Tiffany Wilson was anxious, rushing forward to pull the two apart.

Taking advantage of the chaos, I took out the small box and slipped it into Tiffany Wilson's bag. Then, I released my grip and said fiercely, "Don't touch me with your dirty hands."

With that, I snorted and headed towards the store's exit.

Just as I stepped out of the store, I heard an outcry behind me, "My ring, the ring is gone!"

"How could it be missing?" Tiffany Wilson said.

"How would I know? It was just there... I know, it must be him, he stole the ring! Charlie Thompson, stop right there, tell me, did you steal my ring?"

I sneered and continued to walk forward.

"Stop! Stop, you thief, shameless thief!"

Jason Martinez shouted at the top of his lungs.

Hearing the word "thief," the passersby all stopped and gathered around.

"Charlie Thompson, stop!"

Jason Martinez rushed out of the store, pointing at me, and sharply said, "Charlie Thompson, I really didn't expect you to be such a person. Before, I thought you were just poor, but now, you're shameless too."

"I was wondering how you could earn so much money, turns out you really stole it. Charlie Thompson, I'm ashamed of you!"

The sound came, and the surrounding people began to whisper, pointing at me.

"He looks quite handsome, who would've thought, he's a thief!"

I stopped and turned leisurely, casting a cold gaze at Jason Martinez, "Eldest Baker Master Martinez, you keep saying I stole something, so what did I steal from you? Do you have any evidence? If there's no evidence, I could sue you for slander!"

"Evidence? Of course, it's on you. I just went with Tiffany to buy a pair of rings, and you stole mine. Do you know how much it's worth? Twelve thousand!"

"A twelve thousand ring? Ha! Eldest Baker Master Martinez, you're quite wealthy! I didn't know your dad's salary as a principal could earn that much?"

"How much my dad earns is none of your business. Security! Where are the security guards? Hurry up and catch him, take him to the police station."

Jason Martinez shouted in all directions.

The crowd grew larger, pointing and whispering, and soon, two security guards squeezed in.

"What happened?" one security guard asked.

"He's a thief, he stole my ring, hurry and catch him, take him to the police station."

The two security guards gave me a glance, and their expressions immediately darkened. As mall security, the thing they hated the most were thieves.

The two exchanged a look and walked towards me, "Kid, come with us!"

"Wait a minute, why are you guys so dumb? Just because he says I'm a thief doesn't make me one. I could say he's a rapist!" I sneered.

"This..."

The two security guards were stunned.

"Charlie Thompson, you're still not admitting it? Looks like you won't cry until you see the coffin," Jason Martinez said coldly, then told the two security guards, "The item is definitely on him, a search will prove it."

"That's true... kid, cooperate a bit."

The two security guards came in front of me.

"Search away! Jason Martinez, if there's nothing, then what?"

"Impossible, it must be on you."

"Not necessarily!" I sneered meaningfully.

I threw my backpack on the ground and raised my hands, cooperating with the security guards for a body search.

After searching my body and finding nothing, they opened the backpack. Seeing the bundles of fresh, red cash, they both froze, raising their heads, suspiciously staring at me.

"What's so strange about this? Coming to a mall to shop, shouldn't you carry a bit more money?"

The two were momentarily speechless.

Continuing the search, their expressions turned odd, "Nothing, what's going on?" The two stood up, suspiciously looking at Jason Martinez.

Jason Martinez was stunned, his face changing drastically.

"Nothing? How can that be? That's impossible, I just..." Realizing he was about to expose himself, he quickly stopped, and like he was going crazy, he rushed forward, grabbed the backpack, and dumped everything out.

However, he didn't find what he expected to see.

"What's going on here?"

Jason Martinez seemed like he had lost his mind, standing there dazed.