📖 Chapter 16 – The First Victory
The week crawled by. Between classes, petty bullying, and endless assignments, Arjun quietly watched the stock ticker move day by day. Infosys shares had been stagnant for weeks, hovering like a patient bird waiting to take flight.
Every evening, his father would scoff.
"Infosys? Do you think these shares are magic? Money doesn't grow on trees, Arjun. Better you focus on finding a job after college."
Arjun only smiled calmly. "Trust me, Papa. Just wait."
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The Day of Results
It was a Monday morning when the news broke. Infosys had released its quarterly results—better than anyone had expected.
The market erupted.
The share price shot upward like a rocket, climbing by the hour.
Arjun's eyes gleamed as he stared at the screen in the small cyber café he used for trading. His investment—meagre compared to the rich—had doubled in just a few days.
The Nanochip chimed softly.
> [Profit Margin: +112%]
[Recommendation: Exit position now. Market overhype detected.]
"Sell," Arjun whispered.
Within minutes, the transaction was done. His few thousand rupees had turned into a sum that, for his family, was life-changing.
---
The Family's Reaction
That evening, Arjun returned home, quietly placing the money—bundles of crisp notes—on the old dining table.
His mother's eyes widened. "Arjun… what is this?"
His little sister, Anaya, gasped and clapped. "Bhaiya is rich!"
His father, however, froze, staring at the money as though it was poison. "Where… where did you get this?" His voice was trembling.
"Infosys," Arjun said softly. "The shares I told you about."
There was silence. Heavy, suffocating silence.
Then, his father slumped into a chair, rubbing his face. His voice cracked.
"I… I doubted you. I mocked you. I thought you were wasting your time. And yet… you were right."
Arjun walked over, placing a hand on his father's shoulder. His voice was steady, gentle.
"Papa, you were just worried about us. I don't blame you. But I will prove—again and again—that I can change our fate."
His mother wiped her eyes, smiling through her tears.
"You've made us proud today, beta."
His grandfather chuckled, slapping the table. "See? I always said this boy has something different! Just like his dadaji in the old days!"
Anaya beamed. "Bhaiya, now you'll buy me that new schoolbag, right?"
Laughter filled the small home. For the first time in years, there was hope in their eyes.
---
University Days Continue
Back in University, the mood was different too. Arjun sat quietly in class, but he noticed something—Professor Iyer's approving nods, the way some students glanced at him with curiosity instead of disdain.
The corrupt lecturer, Mr. Sharma, still tried to belittle him with random tough questions in class.
"Tell me, Mr. Mehra, why is India still behind China in manufacturing? If you're such a 'genius,' enlighten us."
Arjun stood, voice calm but firm. "Because unlike China, India never built an ecosystem for mass-scale industry. Our politicians lacked vision, our policies choked entrepreneurship, and corruption scared away foreign investment. But give it twenty years—if guided properly, India can surpass them."
The class went silent. Even Sharma had no comeback. Professor Iyer smiled faintly.
And in the last row, Kavya Singh, the cold beauty, tilted her head, eyes flickering with something new. This Arjun Mehra… he's not ordinary at all.
---
Night Reflections
That night, as the house slept, Arjun lay awake, staring at the ceiling.
The Nanochip whispered new opportunities into his mind—Amazon, Google, Reliance, Tata Steel, and more.
But Arjun smiled faintly. Step by step. I can't rush. First, my family. Then, my University life. The empire will come in time.
For now, the greatest victory was not the money—but the pride shining in his father's eyes.
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🔥 End of Chapter 16 Cliffhanger