On Saturday and Sunday, Tony Snow resumed his tutoring sessions, clocking in the four hours he had promised to make up.
Although Tony was no longer pressed for money, he had given his word to Victor Sharp to tutor his daughter, Lin, until her college entrance exams were over. Now that the exams were only weeks away, Tony had no intention of backing out. Afterward, though, he didn't plan to take on any more part-time work.
When Tony walked into the Sharp residence that Saturday afternoon, he noticed something different—Lin Sharp was buzzing with excitement. The moment she saw him, she ran over with her phone in hand, eyes wide.
"Tony! That trending guy on social media today… That's you, right?"
"Trending? What trend?" Tony blinked, genuinely confused.
"It's you, it's totally you! Halewick University of Technology, Class of 2012, School of Life and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bioengineering major, currently a junior. Name: Tony Snow!"
She read his info aloud dramatically, waving her phone at him. "You're ranked seventh on the trending list right now!"
Tony squinted at the screen. Sure enough, he saw his own face, name, and department listed under a hot post from a lifestyle influencer with millions of followers. What had once been a quiet academic rumor was now a full-blown viral story.
Apparently, a popular blogger had posted a summary of Tony's academic accomplishments—his publications, research work, and viral notoriety. The post was deleted shortly after due to privacy concerns, but the story had already spread like wildfire.
"You really don't have social media, do you?" Lin asked, half amused, half amazed.
"Nope. Never signed up for any of that," Tony replied with a slight shake of his head.
"Well, you're a full-on internet celebrity now!" she laughed.
Tony smiled awkwardly. "Okay, okay, enough gossip. I missed last week, so we're doing four hours today and tomorrow. Let's stay focused."
He knew from experience that if he let Lin keep going, she'd spend half the session grilling him about his personal life—or worse, trying to dig up embarrassing details from his past.
They soon settled into their study routine. Tony reviewed Lin's math and English assignments while she occasionally asked questions. When she didn't need his help, he quietly read a novel he'd left unfinished.
That evening, Victor Sharp returned from work earlier than usual. As Tony wrapped up the session and stepped out into the living room, he was greeted with a cheerful smile.
"You're something else, kid," Victor said, patting Tony on the back. "I saw your name floating around online today. Turns out my judgment wasn't half bad—tutoring from a published academic prodigy."
"You know too, Mr. Sharp?" Tony groaned playfully. "Feels like the whole world knows now."
"I saw the post online and reached out to your department chair just to make sure it was really you," Victor said casually.
"It's just one paper, really," Tony said honestly. To him, it felt like a beginning, not a peak.
But to Victor, those words bordered on blasphemy. "Just a paper? In a top-tier math journal? When I was your age, I could barely get a research summary printed in the student newsletter!"
Seeing Tony's bewildered, innocent expression, Victor waved his hand. "Alright, alright. Don't call me Mr. Sharp anymore. Just call me Uncle Victor—it makes things more personal."
"Okay, Uncle Victor," Tony replied, happy to accept the offer.
"Great. You're staying for dinner tonight," Victor said, walking toward the study to call Lin. "Had a chef from a nearby restaurant make something special."
When the three of them sat down to eat, Tony finally brought up the topic he'd wanted to discuss—starting his own company.
It would be his first venture into business, and with Victor being a seasoned entrepreneur, this was the perfect chance to get some real-world advice.
"I've been thinking about setting up a company," Tony said, placing his fork down. "I wanted to ask if you'd be willing to share some guidance."
Victor's eyebrows rose. "Starting a company? I thought you were planning to go to grad school. After that paper dropped, I bet universities are knocking down your door."
"They are," Tony replied calmly. "But I don't see starting a business and studying as mutually exclusive. I'll hand off the business side to someone else if I have to."
Victor chuckled. "You're not wrong, but I've got to say—it's not easy juggling both. Faculty who run companies usually start after they're already professors. Students are still tied up in labs and coursework."
Tony nodded. "I get it, Uncle Victor. If it ever becomes too much, I'll shut it down. But if it works out—and I can't manage it myself—maybe you'll come on board as an investor and run things. I'll just collect dividends," he said, half-joking.
Victor laughed. "You think making money's that easy?"
"I can dream, can't I?" Tony grinned.
Victor poured them each a drink and leaned back. "Alright, let's talk about the real stuff then."
Over the next hour, he shared practical advice about what to watch out for when launching a startup—legal structure, taxes, hiring, equity, funding, and how to deal with unreliable partners.
"But I'll remind you again," Victor said at the end, "focus on your main goal. If that's research, don't let the company eat up all your energy."
Tony nodded seriously.
For him, this wasn't a money grab. His simulated lives had already shown him what was possible—what breakthroughs he could achieve. Biology was his calling. Even though he had learned about mathematics and AI, those were tools for a bigger purpose.
He wasn't guessing which road would bring success—he had already walked that road. Now he just had to travel it again.
Maybe this time, with a company backing him.