Ethan stared at the pixelated chaos on his phone screen. His in-game avatar, a digital reflection of his own underwhelming existence, was stuck in a soul-crushing virtual job, flipping burgers for digital pennies.

"Life Simulator 2.0," the game mocked, while Ethan felt more like he was playing "Life Simulator: Glitch Edition.

"Ethan! Dinner!" His mom's voice echoed from the kitchen, a familiar summons to a familiar, slightly depressing routine.

He sighed, closing the game app. Even in the virtual world, he was failing. Maybe life was a game, but he was pretty sure his controller was malfunctioning.

The aroma of slightly overcooked chicken filled their small apartment. His dad, a man whose spirit seemed to have been worn down by years of factory work, sat silently at the table.

His younger sister, Lily, a vibrant burst of energy in their otherwise muted world, chattered excitedly about her day at school.

"Mr. Harrison said I have a real gift for numbers!" Lily chirped, her eyes sparkling.

Ethan managed a weak smile. Lily was the family's sunshine, a natural at everything she touched. He, on the other hand, felt like he was perpetually stuck on the loading screen of life.

"Ethan," his mom said, her voice laced with concern, "you need to start thinking about your future. Those games are fun, but they're not going to magically create a job for you."

Ethan mumbled something noncommittal, pushing his food around his plate. He knew his mom was right.

He just didn't have a clue what his future held. It felt like a vast, unexplored wilderness, and he didn't even have a compass.

Later that night, as he lay in bed, the hum of the city outside his window a constant drone, his thoughts drifted to his grandmother. She was a retired accountant, a woman of sharp intellect and a dry wit.

She always said life was like a game – a complex one, with rules and strategies.

Maybe, Ethan thought, just maybe, she could give him a walkthrough.

The next morning, fueled by a hastily eaten breakfast, Ethan made his way across town to his grandmother's house. Her small but cozy home was an oasis of calm and order, a stark contrast to the chaos of his own life.

"Grandma," he began hesitantly, as she poured him a cup of fragrant jasmine tea, "can you teach me about… life?"

His grandmother chuckled, a warm, comforting sound. "Life, my dear Ethan," she said, her eyes twinkling, "is indeed a game. And like any game, it requires strategy, planning, and a little bit of luck. But most importantly, it requires understanding the rules."

"Rules?" Ethan asked, confused.

"Yes, rules," she replied. "The rules of finance, the rules of networking, the rules of… well, everything. Before you can even think about playing the game, you need to complete the tutorial. And our tutorial starts with the most fundamental rule of all: understanding money."

And so, Ethan's tutorial began. His grandmother, a patient and knowledgeable guide, began to unravel the mysteries of finance, explaining concepts like budgeting, saving, and investing in clear, simple terms. She emphasized that this was the first level of the game, and without mastering it, he wouldn't be able to progress.

"Think of your money as experience points," she said, drawing a simple diagram on a piece of paper. "You earn them through hard work, and you can spend them to upgrade your skills and unlock new opportunities. But you have to be strategic about how you spend them. Just like in a game, if you waste your early XP on frivolous things, you'll struggle later on."

"Like in a game?" Ethan asked, a flicker of interest in his eyes.

"Exactly like in a game," she smiled. "Now, let's talk about budgeting. This is your first boss battle, Ethan. Defeat it, and you'll be one step closer to starting the real game."

This wasn't just about numbers, Grandma explained. It was about understanding his own motivations, his spending habits, his relationship with money. She didn't just give him formulas; she gave him context. She told stories of her own struggles and successes, illustrating the power of financial literacy.

"The tutorial is just as important, if not more so, than the game itself," she emphasized. "It's where you build the foundation for everything that comes after. Don't rush through it, Ethan. Absorb every lesson, practice every skill. Because when you finally step into the real game, you'll need all the tools you can get."