Chapter 1: If You Had 500 Million

"Sir, if you had a million, would you be willing to donate money to those in need?"
"I would."
"And if you had ten million?"
"I would."
"What about a hundred million?"
"I would."
"And if you had a car?"
In an old, cramped apartment in the old district of Bincheng, this classic exchange echoed from the speaker of a bulky, old-fashioned TV. At the dining table, Wang Can, munching on a slice of cream bread, chuckled and answered faster than the person on TV:
"I wouldn’t, because I actually own a car."
Sure enough, the interviewee on TV gave exactly the same answer.
“Haha, you’re something else, kid. You can even guess that,” said the middle-aged man sitting opposite, grinning as he took a sip of baijiu from his glass.
The burning liquid slid down his throat, forcing out a sizzling gasp.
That man was Wang Tianming, Wang Can’s new father.
Yes, in every sense—ethical and biological—his true “new dad.”
Wang Can had been reborn.
But perhaps too many people had been reincarnating in recent years, and the Bureau of Rebirth Management made a mistake verifying his identity.
He ended up reborn in 2012 as another high schooler named Wang Can.
To Wang Can, who grew up in an orphanage, as long as his gender remained unchanged, a mix-up in identity wasn’t much of an issue.
On the contrary, he was looking forward to experiencing what it was like to have a family.
But fate had a sense of humor; this new identity did come with parents, but the family was dirt poor.
On top of that, they owed several million in debt.
If a thief broke in and saw their situation, he’d feel compelled to leave a few coins before leaving.
Fortunately, his dad didn’t gamble, his mom was healthy, and the family was harmonious—enough to keep Wang Can’s spirits up for a comeback.
As for the debt, apparently it was from failed business ventures in the past.
“It’s a pity the reporter didn’t interview me, or I’d have donated the car for real,” Wang Can sighed, a hint of regret in his eyes.
He thought of the 1,500-horsepower supercar he’d just bought in his last life—the final payment made, but he never even got to touch the steering wheel.
Wang Tianming smiled, assuming his son was just lamenting their poverty.
He took another sip of the fiery liquor, his Adam’s apple bobbing, and said, seemingly offhand, “Son, what would you do if you had money?”
Without hesitation, Wang Can replied, “First, I’d pay off our debts.”

“And after that?”
“I’d pay it off slowly,” Wang Can replied.
“...”
Wang Tianming was left speechless for a while, then took a deep breath and tried again, choosing his words carefully. “I mean, suppose after paying the debts, you still had a million left. If you wanted to start a business, what would you do?”
“With a million, I’d probably go into the food business. But not a big restaurant—something like street snacks you can replicate quickly, build up scale with low costs, and eventually cash in through franchising.”
A million was the amount Wang Can had in mind for his first pot of gold. He’d thought this through many times.
Wang Tianming’s hand, holding the glass, paused mid-air, the clear liquor trembling slightly. He glanced at Wang Can in surprise, his interest clearly piqued. “And if you had ten million?”
“Ten million? I’d hire some cheap college students, launch a flashy internet project, attract wild investments, then sell shares and cash out.”
“And a hundred million?”
“With a hundred million, I’d be even more confident. I could run several competing projects under the same banner, gain more leverage in financing, and aim for bigger cash-outs...”
Wang Tianming’s eyes, previously half-closed, opened wider. His tone grew more earnest. “And if you had five hundred million?”
“Old Wang, are you drunk?” Wang Can glanced at the half-finished bottle—hardly enough to get him tipsy.
“Hey.” Wang Tianming waved him off, sat up straight, crossing his arms over his chest. “It’s not like it’s your money anyway. Just imagine! Tomorrow you’ll be off to college—after that, it’ll be hard to have these chats.”
Wang Can realized that tomorrow he’d be leaving for university, and might not be home for more than a few days each winter and summer break. If his old man wanted to talk, he’d humor him.
With half a billion, he’d probably just take it easy in real life, but this was hypothetical.
Since they were just blowing smoke, and it wasn’t his money, he might as well go all out.
“If I really had that much, give me ten years and I could build a business empire worth hundreds of billions.”
“I’d take on JD’s Big Qiang with my fists, kick Meituan’s Spectacled Wang, stand shoulder to shoulder with Jack Ma, and share drinks with Pony Ma.”
“Hahaha!” Wang Tianming set his glass down and burst into hearty laughter. “You know, you remind me of myself when I was your age.”
“You bragged like this too?”
“You rascal!”
“What’s gotten you two so happy?” called a woman from the kitchen.
Wang Can’s mother, Ai Wanping, emerged, carrying a bowl of noodles topped with a poached egg. She dressed simply, but was impeccably neat, her plain clothes highlighting her fair, rosy skin.
“Here you go, son. Birthday noodles—eat up.”
She set the bowl before Wang Can.

“Thanks, Mom.”
Wang Can’s gaze fell on the steaming noodles and he suddenly noticed a few slices of marbled beef floating on top, shimmering invitingly with oil.
He instantly put down his cream bread, which had served as his birthday cake, and eagerly picked up his chopsticks.
One bite of beef, and his eyes widened in delight.
Wow, this beef is amazing...
Across the table, Wang Tianming bent down and picked up the bottle of loose-packed baijiu, refilling his glass.
The clear liquor swirled in the glass, catching the warm yellow glow of the lamp.
“I’m happy because my son is finally an adult, and he’s got plans for the future. All these years of effort haven’t been wasted.”
“Yes, at last, we’ve made it through,” Ai Wanping exhaled deeply, as if a long-held burden had finally been lifted from her heart.
Then she returned to the kitchen and brought out a few small dishes to go with the drinks. Wang Tianming, seeing this, smiled and poured a glass for Wang Can as well.
“Come on, son. You’re an adult today. Have a drink with your old man, and tell me more about that five hundred million plan.”
The dishes tonight were unusually lavish. Wang Can was reluctant to leave the table so soon, so he nodded and smiled, “Alright, since you’re so happy today, I’ll tell you. First of all...”
After several rounds of drinks and a variety of flavors, the table was a mess.
Having finished explaining his five hundred million plan, Wang Can was tipsy, his gaze growing unfocused.
“That’s enough, old man. I’m heading to bed—I’ve got to get up early and pack tomorrow.”
He braced himself on the table to stand, but Wang Tianming’s voice, equally unsteady with drink, reached his ears:
“Son, there’s something I need to tell you. Try not to get too worked up.”
“Old man, don’t tell me you’ve racked up more debts out there.”
Wang Can hiccupped, the heavy scent of liquor hanging in the air.
“Relax, it’s not about debt.” Wang Tianming wore a helpless smile.
Wang Can waved his hand dismissively, “As long as it’s not debt, say whatever it is, no need for the drama... what?”
“Sorry for keeping it from you all these years, but our family doesn’t actually owe any money.”
“?”
“I won’t pretend anymore. The truth is, your father’s a billionaire. I’m laying all my cards on the table.”
“???”
Whether it was the overwhelming tide of drunkenness or the sudden rush of euphoria, Wang Can’s vision went black, and he passed out.