Jin Muchen stepped out of the car, and Candice lowered the window, revealing a radiant and charming face with a hint of a smile. "Then we'll see each other at school," she said, without waiting for Jin Muchen's response. The Ford Mercury made a beautiful U-turn and raced off towards the street corner, leaving Jin Muchen standing on the steps in front of the building with a wry smile.
"See you at school," he muttered to himself.
Unsure when he would return to Columbia, Jin Muchen felt a pang of bitterness as he ascended the steps to his apartment. On the third floor, he unlocked the door to his one-bedroom flat. The weekly rent was two hundred dollars, and although the environment was decent, its proximity to the Brooklyn Bridge made it convenient for attending classes in Manhattan.
He had rented this place a year ago with Ma Ling, but now Ma Ling was gone. Jin Muchen hailed from a third-tier city in the north, where his father worked as an engineer in the municipal design institute, and his mother ran a franchise pharmacy back home. Their family was relatively well-off.
Two years ago, Jin Muchen attended a second-rate university in China. However, seeing the deteriorating job market and intense competition back home, his parents believed that continuing his education at that university would be a waste of time. To ensure a better future for Jin Muchen, they sent him to study in the United States.
After a year of preparatory courses, he earned a spot at Columbia University, where he also met his girlfriend, Ma Ling. Ma Ling was a stunning beauty with a star-like face, and Jin Muchen's ability to win such a flower in the school impressed many of his classmates who hailed from affluent families back in China. Jin Muchen, however, began to feel the pressure from Ma Ling.
Though he was considered above average among ordinary people, within the Chinese community at Columbia University, he was just average. The campus was teeming with Chinese students, divided into two groups: the scholars who excelled in China and continued to excel in the United States, and the wealthy children of officials and businessmen. Compared to them, Jin Muchen felt inadequate.
The reality in the United States was that Chinese communities on university campuses were dominated by materialism. Resources were scarce, and beauties like Ma Ling were rare and highly coveted. Jin Muchen quickly realized that some of his peers were eyeing Ma Ling, and Ma Ling seemed to be growing more ambivalent.
Recently, there had been some unexpected changes at home. Initially kept secret from him, Jin Muchen sensed something amiss from his mother's brief remarks during their phone calls. Only after calling his uncle did he uncover some truths.
A sudden turn of events in the family business led Jin Muchen to send back all the money intended for his next semester's tuition and living expenses, even selling his car in the process. Without this money, his future academic pursuits and even his livelihood were in jeopardy. To make matters worse, his girlfriend, Ma Ling, broke up with him over these financial issues.
Despite not regretting his decision, Jin Muchen found it hard to bear the consequences. He couldn't enjoy himself here while knowing his parents were suffering back home. However, he hadn't anticipated Ma Ling would turn on him so quickly.
Without tuition and living expenses, he couldn't continue his studies, essentially sabotaging his future. Although he was moderately handsome, he wasn't handsome enough to charm his way through life.
How could he secure a green card without graduating from university? How could he find decent work without a degree? How much could he earn from odd jobs? And how could he support a delicate beauty like Ma Ling with such meager earnings?
For the wealthy, a green card was inconsequential. In today's world, money was power; without it, one was a nobody.
So, Ma Ling being snatched away by those wealthy individuals wasn't unexpected. Besides, Ma Ling had always been clear about what she wanted: "No money, no honey! No cash, no ass!" That was the harsh reality.
After spending some time in the living room, Jin Muchen headed straight for the bathroom to freshen up before standing in front of the mirror. He saw a tall, muscular man with well-defined muscles, a straight nose, slightly upturned nostrils, finely arched eyebrows, long eyelashes, big eyes, and rosy lips—a handsome face.
Jin Muchen stood at 1.88 meters tall and weighed 108 kilograms. But just a few days ago, he didn't have such well-defined muscles, and he was severely nearsighted, with a prescription of over -4.00 diopters.
However, everything had changed now. His muscles were well-defined, his abdominal muscles had turned into eight distinct sections, and his vision had improved. Not only did he no longer need glasses, but his senses were also heightened. He could see and hear things with remarkable clarity, even sensing the movements of the couple upstairs.
As he gazed at the three jade gourds tattooed on his neck, Jin Muchen couldn't help but feel conflicted. On one hand, the changes had made him more confident, even feeling like a superhero at times. On the other hand, the increased appetite and the financial strain were causing him considerable anxiety.
His physical transformation was accompanied by an astonishing increase in appetite. Previously, he could feel full with just a six-dollar meal, but now he needed over a hundred dollars worth of food per day just to satisfy his hunger. With only three thousand dollars in hand, it was barely enough to last him a few days, let alone cover rent.
Realizing he needed more income, Jin Muchen decided to work at a delivery center to earn money for tuition and living expenses. However, one job wouldn't suffice. He needed to find another source of income to cover the high cost of living in the United States.
As he stood before the mirror, Jin Muchen contemplated his next steps. Ma Ling's departure didn't seem so bad now; it felt like a blessing in disguise. What he needed to do now was to earn more money quickly, either to continue his studies or to bring his parents over from China.
He couldn't bear to give up his education, especially since his parents had invested so much. He also worried about his parents' situation back home and whether the money he sent was enough to alleviate their crisis. He needed to work harder. Fortunately, he now had a strong body, allowing him to work tirelessly. It was the best gift he could have received from fate.
However, the side effects of his transformation were causing him headaches. While his physical abilities had improved dramatically, he now faced an insatiable appetite.
In conclusion, Jin Muchen faced a daunting challenge.