The next morning, Doctor Qin had completed the discharge formalities for Xie Mingzhe. Afterward, Xie Mingzhe negotiated with the insurance company and paid his medical bills.
The medical insurance system in this world was highly advanced. The critical illness insurance he had bought previously included accident coverage, so all his medical expenses were reimbursed. Xie Mingzhe felt relieved. As the saying went, "Out of debt, out of pressure." Although he didn't have savings or debts, as a poor person, he felt less burdened and only needed to support himself.
After a busy morning, Xie Mingzhe was successfully discharged. He thanked Doctor Qin before turning and walking out of the hospital.
The sunlight outside was a bit harsh. As Xie Mingzhe stepped back into the sun after a month in the hospital, he suddenly felt dizzy. He covered his head and took a few deep breaths, and gradually the world around him came back into focus.
Floating cars zoomed through the sky, and towering buildings lined the streets. The mechanized city gave off a cold, distant feeling.
Xie Mingzhe stood on the street for a moment, feeling the reality of his rebirth in this unfamiliar high-tech world.
He had bid farewell to 2018 AD and was reborn in 3001. Now, he was a different, down-on-his-luck teenager, Xie Mingzhe. Though his situation seemed grim at the start, he was confident that, relying on his own abilities, he could live well in this world thanks to the two sets of memories he had—his own and those of the original owner of the body.
Taking a deep breath and smiling in relief, Xie Mingzhe turned and walked toward the nearby floating bus stop. With his hands, feet, and brain, he didn't believe any living person could starve to death.
He arrived at the terminal in the suburbs after taking a levitation bus. Following the route from his memory, he walked to a run-down residential building. On the tenth floor, he found a middle-aged woman waiting for him at the door. She was quite overweight but wore high-heeled shoes. When she saw Xie Mingzhe, she rolled her eyes and said coldly, "You're finally back. I thought you were trying to escape the rent!"
Xie Mingzhe handed her his case files and apologized, saying, "Mrs. Zhang, I didn't mean to. I've been in the hospital for the past month."
Mrs. Zhang looked at the files without accepting them, squinting at him. "In the hospital? Are you trying to skip out on your rent with such a poor excuse?"
Her tone dripped with sarcasm, looking down on the poor boy. Xie Mingzhe didn't argue. Instead, he transferred 800 yuan to her face-to-face through his phone, saying, "I'm sorry for falling behind on the rent for a month. I understand it has caused you trouble." Falling behind on the rent was his responsibility, regardless of Mrs. Zhang's attitude.
After receiving the rent, Mrs. Zhang immediately asked, "How will you pay the rent for August?"
With only 200 yuan left in his bank balance, Xie Mingzhe hesitated before replying, "I'm in a tough financial spot at the moment. Can I pay the rent when the new term starts?" He would be able to pay the rent after a month, but convincing Mrs. Zhang seemed difficult.
"Wait until your new term starts?" Mrs. Zhang raised her voice and gave him a scornful look. "Either pay now or leave at once. If you can't afford it, go ask a charity for help. Don't come to me."
"…" Xie Mingzhe frowned slightly. He had been exposed to such sharp-tongued people since he was young, and he had learned not to beg. He simply nodded and said, "Okay, I'll move out as soon as possible."
Mrs. Zhang didn't expect him to not beg for help. She raised her head in surprise and met his bright eyes.
His eyes were completely different from the depressed boy she had known. He was confident, calm, and unburdened by guilt.
Looking up at her, Xie Mingzhe smiled and said, "Goodbye. I don't think we'll meet again. Thanks for your help."
His polite and calm farewell, spoken by such a refined boy, embarrassed Mrs. Zhang.
She looked at his tall, thin, and straight figure as he turned to go back inside. She felt an odd sensation. He seemed so much more energetic and handsome when he smiled, unlike the gloomy boy she had known. But no matter how handsome he was, he was still just a poor, friendless boy. Would he be successful in the future?
Mrs. Zhang pushed aside the strange feeling and turned away, frowning.
Xie Mingzhe swiped his card and entered the room.
The room was quite small. Aside from the bathroom, a bed and a wardrobe occupied most of the space, leaving little room for him to move around. His suitcase could only fit under the bed. He leaned over, opened the suitcase, and found it contained clothes, daily necessities, and an old computer.
He had all the memories of the original owner, so seeing these items didn't surprise him.
After quickly packing his belongings, Xie Mingzhe sat on the bed and opened the computer to search for part-time jobs.
He quickly browsed through several listings and found a small line at the bottom: "Nirvana Game Studio near Capital University is hiring temporary staff aged 18-25. Free dormitories (twin room) and food provided, though only one bed is currently available in the male dormitory, so we're only recruiting male staff. Salary: 3,000 crystal coins per month."
He met the age and gender requirements, and the game studio was near his school, which was convenient. Moreover, the offer of "free dormitories and food" saved him a lot of trouble. However, what exactly was this game studio doing? Feeling curious, Xie Mingzhe politely sent a message: "What does your game studio specialize in? I'm interested in applying for the job."
He received a quick reply: "We are a game studio that provides boosting services, primarily for Star Card Storm. We also repair cards for clients. Applicants should have been playing Star Card Storm for over a year and be familiar with all the rules of the game."
Xie Mingzhe was speechless.
Why didn't they mention this important requirement in the job post?!
Although Xie Mingzhe had no experience with Star Card Storm, he was quite familiar with boosting services. Back when he was in college on Earth, he worked part-time helping clients level up in games like League of Legends and Strike of Kings. An esports club had even invited him to join their professional team, but at the time, he just wanted to find a stable job after graduation, so he turned them down.