Rebirth and Conquest

Chen Yan attended a decent high school in the county town. Although it wasn't a top-tier school, the academic atmosphere was good. He barely passed the entrance exam, and although he could have scored higher, he didn't want to reveal his abilities so early; what would be the point then?

Chen Yan's maternal grandmother was very happy about this. Chen Yan, who had always been a poor student, had entered high school so smoothly. The old lady was a little dizzy and couldn't believe it. How could a child who often skipped school and whose grades were not good have entered high school earlier than others? However, her own child was always the best, and the grandmother didn't think much about it except for being happy.

High school courses were no longer as easy as before. Chen Yan could no longer learn everything effortlessly. He needed to work harder than before. It was at this time that Chen Yan discovered that his memory was astonishingly good. He could remember many things after reading them once or twice. In his previous life, he was always lazy and idle. Everyone thought he was an incompetent spoiled brat. In this life, apart from reading extensively, he had no opportunity to test his abilities. In fact, his mother had once said that he had a smart brain but no ambition. It turned out that it wasn't just his mother comforting herself.

However, no matter what, Chen Yan's grades remained lukewarm, and she was still as inconspicuous as ever. Her old-fashioned school uniform, wooden expression, and long bangs that covered her eyes, along with her ugly old-fashioned glasses, made her stand out in a crowd.

Chen Yan's school was a bit far from home, and he could have lived on campus, but he didn't want to. He wanted to rent a place outside. His grandmother was very opposed to this, saying that no one could feel at ease letting such a young child live alone. However, at some point, Chen Yan gradually developed an aura that people couldn't refuse. Although he was always silent, no one could ever object to what he wanted to do. So, Chen Yan eventually rented a place outside, but he would go home for two days every weekend.

Chen Yan thought he had been 'low-key' enough, but he never expected that he would still be targeted. After school, he was blackmailed by two high school seniors.

Chen Yan was already smaller than his peers, and these two thugs who were two years older than him looked even bigger and stronger in front of him. The two cornered Chen Yan against the wall and began to collect 'protection money'.

Chen Yan kept her head down and didn't say a word, pressing herself tightly against the wall without moving, looking as if she was terrified.

One of the shorter ones, impatient, shoved Chen Yan's head and said, "Kid, stop standing there like an idiot. The sooner you take it out, the sooner we can all go home." Seeing that Chen Yan was still standing there dumbfounded, he started cursing and rummaging through Chen Yan's pockets.

Chen Yan didn't have much money on her, and the two of them searched all of Chen Yan's clothes from head to toe before finding a dozen or so yuan.

"Damn, that's all?" The short guy patted Chen Yan's cheek. "Remember to take more next time, you hear me?" After 'instructing' Chen Yan, the two of them walked away smugly.

Chen Yan didn't say anything from beginning to end. After the two left, he wiped his face and left as well.

The next day after school, Chen Yan indeed ran into those two people again. They started with the same opening line, and then they went through Chen Yan's pockets.

But this time, just as the short man was about to search Chen Yan's pocket, Chen Yan suddenly pulled out a knife from somewhere and slashed at the man's hand. Instantly, a deep cut appeared on the hand, and blood gushed out.

The short man yelled and stopped, but Chen Yan immediately pressed the knife against his neck again: "Stop yelling! You don't want to attract attention, do you?" Chen Yan said coolly, "Don't forget, you're robbing me. If the police come, they'll arrest you. I was just defending myself."

The short man was so frightened that he swallowed the scream that was about to come out, his forehead covered in a layer of cold sweat, and he asked tremblingly, "What, what are you going to do?"

Chen Yan glanced at the other person standing beside her, who was also somewhat stunned, before replying, "I don't want to do anything. I just want to tell you that I don't like being disturbed, and I especially don't like being blackmailed."

As a result, Chen Yan's money was returned, and the person he had injured was taken to the hospital. However, Chen Yan paid for the medical expenses voluntarily.

There's a saying that goes, "No fight, no friendship." I don't know if it's appropriate to apply it here, but anyway, Chen Yan later became friends with those two. The tall boy was named Yan Minghui, and the short boy who was scratched by him was named Fang Wei. Both of them didn't like studying and spent their time surfing the internet and playing games. Fang Wei's family wasn't well-off, and he didn't dare let his family know that he went to the hospital. Chen Yan took the initiative to pay for his medical expenses, which made him extremely grateful to Chen Yan.

After the three of them got to know each other, Yan Minghui and the other two realized that Chen Yan, who was usually plain and unremarkable, was actually quite 'hidden'!

They went to Chen Yan's place, which was a three-bedroom, two-living-room apartment. It was furnished with all kinds of high-end furniture, complete facilities, and potted plants that they couldn't identify. Only then did the two realize that this person was a hidden tycoon!

Later, the two of them lived here. Chen Yan rarely came back, and it was almost always the two of them who stayed here. They could use whatever they wanted in the house. Chen Yan's computer was often monopolized by the two of them. Chen Yan didn't care much, as long as he could use it when he wanted to. However, although Chen Yan looked weak and timid, the two of them who lived here were well aware of his domineering nature.

In addition, Yan Minghui is also a master chef. His family owns a restaurant. Since Chen Yan learned this, she has stopped going to the school cafeteria.

After returning home in the evening, Chen Yan would first take a shower. One day, he had just come out of the bathroom and was drying his hair with a towel when the door was suddenly pushed open with a bang. Fang Wei rushed in from outside: "Chen Yan, I have something to tell you."

Chen Yan turned her head: "What is it?"

Fang Wei froze for a moment, then stammered, "N-nothing... I just wanted to say that I won't give you the computer tonight." At this moment, a blush appeared on Fang Wei's rugged face.

Chen Yan didn't see it, and only said, "I don't need it, you guys play." Then she turned her head and started drying her hair.

Having just come out of the bathroom, Chen Yan was only wearing pajamas. His long bangs were swept back, revealing his face, which had been hidden behind his hair for years. Over the years, Chen Yan's face had become more and more handsome. Compared to his delicate features as a child, he now possessed a more youthful and dashing appearance. Having just come out of the bathroom, his face, still damp with moisture, looked like a benevolent child from a painting. His slender, white fingers held a towel, wiping his head. Water droplets dripped from the tips of his hair onto his fair collarbone, wetting a small patch of his clothes. He looked incredibly sexy.

Fang Wei returned to his room in a daze, the "beautiful scenery" from earlier still lingering in his mind, and he had completely forgotten what he was supposed to do.

Yan Minghui, who had been waiting in the room, couldn't help but kick him when he saw his expression: "What are you doing? Did you borrow the things?"

Fang Wei then realized what was happening: "No, nothing."

"Damn it, what were you doing?!"

Fang Wei said somewhat impatiently, "Don't use it, the others are the same," and then lay down on the bed by himself.

Yan Minghui was puzzled. Had this kid lost his mind? Why was he acting so strangely?

The two of them shared a room, but not a bed. Just as Yan Minghui finished playing his game and was about to go to bed, he suddenly heard Fang Wei say, "Hey, have you ever seen what he looks like?"

Yan Minghui was startled; the kid wasn't asleep yet. Somewhat confused, he asked, "Who is it?"

"Tsk, it's Chen Yan."

"What do you mean by 'like'? It's just like that."

"No," Fang Wei couldn't explain either, "I mean, if you were asked to imagine what he looks like right now, could you picture it?"

Yan Minghui actually thought about it for a moment, then joked, "Wearing glasses, long bangs, a country bumpkin, hahaha..."

Fang Wei scoffed and fell silent, only muttering under his breath, "I didn't expect that kid to be so damn good-looking. It's just a pity he's not a girl."

"What are you muttering about?"

"It's nothing, go to sleep."

When Chen Yan was in her second year of high school, Yan Minghui and his classmates graduated. With such poor grades, they didn't get into any schools. Fang Wei's family was poor, so he planned to go out to work, while Yan Minghui planned to go to his family's restaurant to help his parents.

When they left, the three of them had a farewell dinner.

Perhaps he had drunk too much, because Fang Wei rambled on at the dinner table, saying that he wasn't doing well in school, that his family wasn't doing well, and that his classmates looked down on him. He then grabbed Chen Yan's hand and thanked him, saying that it was worth it to have a friend like Chen Yan. He said that he was going to go out to work in the future and didn't know if he would ever see him again. By the end, he was crying his eyes out.

In the ensuing atmosphere, Chen Yan also felt a bit sentimental and asked Yan Minghui what he wanted to do. Yan Minghui smiled bitterly and said, "What else can I do? Go back to help out at the family's small restaurant. That's all I'll ever do." After drinking, he started complaining about his father, saying he was a man without vision or ambition, content with just running a small restaurant and making enough to eat and drink. Actually, he did have some ambition and wanted to expand their family restaurant, but given his father's personality, that was impossible. He said a lot, but in short, life was just going to pass by like this, and he would get married and have a child.

The three of them then went to sleep. This was the last time they would live together; after almost a year as roommates, it was finally time to separate.

The next day, Yan Minghui got up and went to the living room, where he saw Chen Yan sitting on the sofa in the middle, as if waiting for him.

Yan Minghui walked over with a smile: "You got up so early, are you here to see us off? Well, who knows if we'll ever see each other again."

Chen Yan didn't respond to his question, but instead said, "You said yesterday that you wanted to make something of yourself, but it's a pity you don't have the opportunity or the capital, right?"

Yan Minghui didn't react for a moment, and Chen Yan continued, "What if I gave you money to help you start your own business?"

Yan Minghui suddenly came to his senses. "Really? You're willing to sponsor me? You're not kidding, are you?"

Yan Minghui excitedly ran up to Chen Yan and said, "If you're really willing to pay, I'll work for you."

“I’m not joking, and I don’t need you to work for me,” Chen Yan said. “Anyway, I have no use for the money in my hands, so I might as well let you start a business. Maybe you can earn more money for me.”

Later, Chen Yan actually sponsored Yan Minghui, and Fang Wei didn't go to work either. Since they were all brothers, they would do it together. Yan Minghui's family owned a restaurant, so he had some experience in this area, and he was also very interested in it. So, Chen Yan provided the money, and the other two provided the labor, preparing to open a hotel together.

Although they knew Chen Yan was rich, the two men were still so shocked when he pulled out two million that they almost fell down. Indeed, this amount of money was by no means a small sum for them. Even if they had thought that Chen Yan was rich, how much could a teenager possibly produce?

Yan Minghui quickly said that he didn't need that much and asked Chen Yan to take some back. Chen Yan only said, "If you're satisfied with just opening a small restaurant, then I don't need to give you this money. It would be better to deposit it in the bank and earn interest."

Yan Minghui blushed at the words and quickly accepted the money. He then patted his chest and assured Chen Yan that he would give his life if he couldn't earn the money back.

"I don't want your life; I'd end up in jail anyway," Chen Yan replied with a smile.

It's unlikely that all this money was Chen Yan's pocket money. Over the years, Chen Yan has made many investments online. He came eighteen years later, so he has many advantages in this regard. Besides, all the books he's read over the years haven't been for nothing.

On this day, Chen Yan took the first step in his career, laying the foundation for his economic empire.

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