Liang Chen tightened his grip on the cheap nylon backpack slung over his shoulder as he walked through the majestic iron gates of Zhonghai University of Business and Finance.
To him, those gates weren't just gates. They were a dividing line. On one side was the city—the noise, the sweat, the endless struggle to pay rent. On the other side lay opportunity, wealth, and privilege… though very little of that belonged to him.
Zhonghai was the most prestigious business school in the country, a breeding ground for heirs of conglomerates and aristocratic families. A place where students drove luxury sedans to class, casually discussed million-dollar stock portfolios over coffee, and treated the campus café like their personal lounge.
And then there was him.
Liang Chen, son of a factory worker and a seamstress. His father's health had collapsed after years of back-breaking labor, and his mother stitched clothes for neighborhood women just to keep food on the table. His only ticket here was a full scholarship and a relentless drive to escape poverty.
The moment he stepped onto the polished stone pathway leading toward the main hall, he felt eyes on him. Students lounging under shade trees looked up, their gazes sweeping from his faded jeans to the worn sneakers that had clearly seen better days. Some whispered. A few chuckled.
It wasn't the first time.
"Hey, isn't that the scholarship kid?" a voice carried across the courtyard.
Liang Chen ignored it.
"Yeah, that's him. Liang something, right? Heard he works part-time cleaning dishes downtown."
"Can you imagine? Studying business here, but can't even afford lunch in the cafeteria."
Laughter followed.
Liang Chen lowered his head and quickened his pace. He had grown used to being the outsider. What he hadn't grown used to was the sheer arrogance that dripped from the heirs and heiresses around him. They had everything—money, cars, connections—and they flaunted it like it was oxygen.
Still, he clenched his jaw and muttered under his breath.
"Just wait. One day, I'll show you."
By the time he reached Lecture Hall 3A, the room was already filling with students. The hall was enormous, with tiered seats and floor-to-ceiling windows that bathed the space in natural light.
At the front, Professor Zhang, one of the most respected faculty members on campus, adjusted his spectacles and shuffled through a stack of papers. Rumor had it that Professor Zhang had once served as a consultant for Fortune 500 companies.
"Good morning, students," he began in his calm, authoritative voice. "Today, we are introducing a new component to your coursework. Something experimental, but also potentially groundbreaking."
A ripple of curiosity moved through the class. Even the rich heirs, who usually scrolled through their phones without listening, lifted their heads.
Professor Zhang tapped on the smart board behind him. The screen lit up with a sleek logo:
Virtual Business Empire
"This," he said, "is an app developed jointly by our professors and alumni—a fully immersive business simulation. Your assignment for this semester is to use this program to create and manage a virtual company. Every decision you make in the game will be recorded, analyzed, and graded."
A murmur spread through the room.
"A game?" someone muttered.
"Sounds boring," another yawned.
Professor Zhang raised a hand. "Do not underestimate it. This simulation incorporates real-world business models—accounting, marketing, supply chain, human resource management, even stock trading. Treat it as if you were building a real business empire."
At this, even the dismissive heirs perked up. After all, a game like this could serve as practice for the empires they were destined to inherit.
Liang Chen's interest, however, was genuine. For him, this wasn't play. This was a chance to sharpen skills he desperately needed if he ever wanted to escape poverty.
Professor Zhang continued, "Download the app now. The assignment begins tonight. Your progress will be monitored through your student ID."
Around the room, phones buzzed as students scanned the QR code displayed on the screen. Liang Chen followed suit, his cheap second-hand phone struggling to load the file. After a minute of whirring, the app icon finally appeared on his screen: a golden city skyline under the title Virtual Business Empire.
That night, Liang Chen returned to his cramped dorm room, a space barely large enough for his bed, desk, and a rickety fan. His roommates were out partying—as usual—leaving the room blessedly quiet.
He sat on the edge of his bed, opened the app, and tapped Start.
The screen glowed brilliantly. A tutorial began, explaining the basics:
Start with a lemonade stand.
Manage costs, pricing, and marketing.
Grow profits to expand into new industries.
Liang Chen smiled faintly. It was simple, maybe even fun. He tapped through the menus, adjusting prices, purchasing virtual lemons, and hiring a pixelated employee.
Then—BZZZT!
His phone sparked violently. The room lights flickered, and a jolt of electricity shot through his fingertips. Pain lanced up his arm, and his vision went black.
The last thing he heard was the faint whir of the fan cutting off.
When Liang Chen opened his eyes, dawn sunlight streamed through the window. His phone lay on the desk, screen still glowing faintly.
Groaning, he sat up. His body felt heavy, but his mind was strangely alert.
He reached for his phone. The app interface had changed. Instead of the sleek, colorful menus from last night, the screen now displayed a sharp, futuristic HUD:
[Business Simulation System Activated]User: Liang Chen (Student ID verified)Welcome, Pioneer. From today onward, every achievement in your simulation will grant real-world rewards. Skills, money, assets—all can be earned through your empire.
Liang Chen blinked.
"…What?"
He tapped frantically, thinking it was some kind of hidden Easter egg. But the interface was responsive. His balance displayed $0, and under "Skills" it read: None acquired.
A tutorial box popped up:
Mission 1: Open your first lemonade stand.Reward: $100 (real-world) + [Basic Accounting Lv.1]
He stared at the words for a long time.
"This can't be real…"
But curiosity gnawed at him. He tapped through the simulation again, just as he had last night—buying lemons, setting up the stand, adjusting prices. The game fast-forwarded. Customers arrived, coins clinked, and soon the stand showed a small profit.
Mission Complete!Reward Granted.
His phone buzzed.
Ding!A notification from his banking app popped up. Balance: +¥688.00
Liang Chen froze. He rubbed his eyes and checked again. The money was there.
His heart pounded. "Impossible…"
Then another notification appeared.[Skill Acquired: Basic Accounting Lv.1]
Suddenly, numbers, equations, and concepts he'd struggled with in class seemed to slot neatly into place. Debits and credits, cost analysis, profit margins—it all clicked.
He shot to his feet. "Holy shit…"
The simulation wasn't just a game anymore. It was real.
For the next hour, Liang Chen experimented. He ran another in-game scenario—hiring a second employee.
Mission: Hire your first staff member.Reward: [Human Resources Lv.1]
As soon as he completed it, a warmth spread through his mind. Principles of employee motivation, contracts, and conflict resolution unfurled in his head like he'd studied them for years.
He laughed aloud, the sound echoing in the empty dorm.
"This… this is insane!"
He checked his banking app again. His meager balance had grown. It wasn't a fortune, but it was real, tangible money—enough to cover his food for a week.
For the first time since he'd stepped onto campus, Liang Chen felt the suffocating weight of poverty lift slightly.
"This system… it's my ticket out."
By the time his roommates stumbled back late in the morning, Liang Chen was already showered, dressed, and brimming with energy. He ignored their drunken laughter and grabbed his backpack.
He had $100 in his pocket. It wasn't much, but it was money—real money.
Walking out of the dorm, he glanced back at the majestic campus filled with heirs and heiresses who sneered at him daily.
A fire burned in his chest.
"You all think I'm just some broke scholarship kid," he muttered under his breath. "But soon… you'll be lining up to do business with me."