Chapter 17 Money Makes the Rules
Upon hearing Linda's invitation, James was puzzled, wondering what her intentions were.
After some hesitation, he decided to put on his clothes and head out to her room.
James thought to himself, considering Linda's beauty, that even if she had ulterior motives, it wouldn't hurt to play along.
He gently knocked on the door.
When Linda opened it, she smiled and said, "You're here, come on in!"
Entering the room, James realized he had overthought the situation, as Linda had a spread of delectable treats on the table.
"Why the sudden urge to treat me to food?" James inquired of Linda.
"I am in a good mood today and wanted to share that with someone. However, I don't have many friends in Lumina City, so I called you over!" Linda explained.
"And it was indeed wrong of me to throw makeup at you today, so consider it my way of apologizing."
Linda spoke cheerfully and then recounted everything that had transpired in the live stream today.
James listened quietly, occasionally feigning surprise, knowing well that Linda was unaware that SuperSmith, the subject of her discussion, was actually him.
"I wonder who this SuperSmith really is. Such lavish spending," Linda remarked shyly while munching on snacks, glancing at James.
"Definitely someone affluent!" James responded lightly.
"Yeah, otherwise, how could he tip me with so many gifts? You don't know about this, but when he sent me those presents today, I was truly moved."
"I wish he were a handsome guy; I'd marry him on the spot if he asked!"
Blushing, Linda's face turned a deep shade of red.
Upon hearing this, James paused, furrowing his brows before asking, "Are all you girls so materialistic?"
"What are you saying? I'm not materialistic," Linda retorted, slightly annoyed.
"Then why were you drawn to that tycoon earlier?" James pressed.
"Because he helped me; that's why I was drawn to him." Linda hurriedly explained.
"Helped you?" James questioned.
"Yeah. After graduating from high school, I left home and came to Lumina City to forge my own path. While I don't possess any specialized skills at the moment, I manage to earn between two to three thousand dollars a month."
"To support myself, I chose to become a streamer, but I have never compromised my dignity or integrity for donations. I have my bottom-line."
"On the internet, many people insulted me, claiming I was here to be a prostitute. No one ever stood up for me until SuperSmith, the first person to support me online!" Linda shared.
"Why did you left home then?" James hesitated, then asked.
"It was nothing important!" Linda brushed it off casually, then prompted James, "Alright, enough about me. Why don't you tell me about yourself? I still don't know what you do."
Following that, James briefly introduced himself and recounted a bit about his past with Jennifer.
One striking similarity between Linda and James was their lack of support in this bustling city.
Though Linda was in a better living condition than James, the similarity struck a chord in their hearts, giving them a connection that gave them many shared topics of discussion.
Linda proceeded to share more about herself with James, who continued listening attentively until 1 a.m.
Only then did James return to his room, ready to settle in for the night.
The next morning, at 10 a.m.
After freshening up, James hopped on his electric bike and headed out.
To support Jennifer, James hadn't bought any new clothes in the past six months.
He wore the same yellow T-shirt every day, enduring the disdain of his peers.
Waking up to his shabby uniform, James wasted no time, and rode his bike straight to Lumina City's largest shopping plaza.
He was determined to buy several new sets of clothing.
Upon arriving at the shopping plaza, James entered a prestigious clothing store and was warmly greeted by the staff, instead of the cold shoulder given by others before.
He selected a variety of clothing styles, purchasing five sets in total, amounting to nearly thirty thousand dollars.
For the current James, this sum was inconsequential.
After making the purchase, James kept one set for himself and had the remaining four sets delivered to his rental apartment by the sales personnel.
He then entered the fitting room, changed into his new attire, and realized the truth in the saying, "a person's handsomeness requires good clothing to complement."
James had always been good-looking, exuding a charismatic charm.
However, his previous delivery uniform had masked this, giving off an air of mediocrity.
Now, clad in designer clothes, his aura elevated several notches, showcasing his natural charisma.
If looks could sustain a person, then James, with his newfound appeal, could easily support the whole world with his charm alone!
James's financial prowess was undeniable. Splurging over thirty thousand in a single shopping trip, alongside his good looks, captivated the hearts of the sales assistants. The sales assistant was blushing. When James left, she even threw him several flirtatious glances.
As James exited the clothing store, he took a deep breath.
Never before had he felt so carefree spending money.
Thirty thousand dollars were spent in one go, yet James did not feel a hint of regret.
Normally, spending a few hundred dollars would leave James lamenting for hours, but now, with money in abundance, he reveled in carefree luxury!
