Sheng Quan sat in the silver luxury car, directing the driver to pull over to the side of the street. She leaned out slightly, handed over some money, and called out to the busy middle-aged woman at the roadside food stall, "Auntie, one jianbing guozi, with an egg, please."
The woman, who looked to be in her fifties with streaks of gray in her hair, was engrossed in her work. She acknowledged Sheng Quan's order with a quick "Eh!" and reached out to take the money. But when she looked up and saw the scene before her, she couldn't help but freeze for a moment.
It wasn't just her. Even the customers gathered around the food stall were casting glances filled with a mix of confusion, shock, and a hint of excitement.
Sheng Quan, reclining comfortably in her seat, was unfazed. After all, if she had seen someone driving a multi-million-dollar luxury car to buy a four-yuan jianbing guozi in her past life, she probably would have reacted the same way.
Take, for example, the girl over there who kept sneaking glances while pretending to look at her phone. The angle made it obvious she was secretly snapping photos of the ridiculously good-looking luxury car.
Sheng Quan bet that after taking the photos, the girl would excitedly share them with her friends, along with the story of how she saw a wealthy person driving a luxury car to buy jianbing guozi.
Sheng Quan pretended not to notice. If it weren't for the fact that she was the one involved, she would have found the whole thing just as bizarre.
But what could she do? This damn system had only given her this eye-catching luxury car and a six-month stay in the penthouse suite of a hotel, all under the guise of "newbie benefits."
The benefits were real enough—the presidential suite was incredibly luxurious, the car was comfortable and stunning, and it turned heads wherever she went. Her outfit was top-notch, but the system hadn't given her a single cent.
Sheng Quan had searched every pocket she had, but all she could scrape together was two hundred yuan.
Two hundred yuan—what could she do with that? Even ordering at a Shaxian snack place would require careful budgeting.
Thankfully, the penthouse suite came with some perks. Basic necessities were provided, and even the driver currently at the wheel was part of the suite's standard service. She didn't have to pay him a dime.
While she could eat at the hotel when she was there, it didn't feel right to pack hotel food to eat outside. So, jianbing guozi it was.
And even with the jianbing guozi, she could only afford to add an egg, not a sausage. After all, after more than ten days of spending, she was down to just ninety-eight yuan and fifty cents.
Ninety-eight yuan and fifty cents—she hadn't been this broke even before she transmigrated!
Perhaps sensing Sheng Quan's frustration, the system chimed in: [Once the host successfully provides financial support, there will naturally be a cashback.]
Sheng Quan glanced at the hardworking couple at the food stall, who were also sneaking glances at the dazzling luxury car. [I've already decided who my first beneficiary will be.]
In her past life, Sheng Quan had died in a car accident. After transmigrating, she had been bound to this system, which called itself the "Support System." It claimed to be formed from the collective wishes of people, with the sole purpose of supporting exceptionally talented individuals with outstanding character but tragic fates.
And how would it support them? With money, of course.
As the host, Sheng Quan's task was to find individuals with high moral character, provide them with financial support, and spend money on them. The amount of money the system would return to her, as well as the number of extra days she could "live," depended on the beneficiary's level of gratitude toward her and the height of their career achievements.
For example, if she found a suitable beneficiary and supported them with one million yuan, and they achieved great success in their career while also holding her in high regard, she could receive a minimum of over nine hundred thousand yuan and an additional ninety days of life. If the beneficiary only had high gratitude toward her but low career achievements, she might only get around three hundred thousand yuan and thirty extra days.
If she ever received the full one million yuan, it would mean the beneficiary had achieved 100% career success and 100% gratitude toward her. The extra life she would gain in that case would be something extraordinary—though the system couldn't specify exactly how extraordinary, only that Sheng Quan would find out when the time came.
Having read plenty of novels in her past life, Sheng Quan's first thought upon hearing the rules was: Isn't this just a "divine tycoon" system?
The difference was that the system didn't just create money out of thin air. It was more down-to-earth than the systems she had read about in novels, directly transferring money to Sheng Quan through various legal means, such as the stock market, forgotten assets, buying and selling, and platform rotations. Sheng Quan felt that if the system were a person, it would be an exceptional trader.
But in reality, the system couldn't just trade at will. It was formed from the collective wishes of people, and only after Sheng Quan completed her support tasks could it proceed to the next step.
[Reminder to the host.] Although it was a newly born Support System, it was still very professional in its duties: [During the initial phase, the host can only choose one beneficiary per month. If the choice is incorrect, the host will lose the opportunity to support anyone for that month, so please choose carefully.]
This was the second frustrating aspect of the Support System, aside from "giving you a car and a house but not a single cent." It couldn't evaluate a person's moral character—that was entirely up to Sheng Quan to judge.
If Sheng Quan chose a beneficiary with low moral character, the money would essentially be wasted, and she wouldn't get a single cent back.
But Sheng Quan was confident: [Don't worry, I won't make a mistake. I've read this book three times, so I know exactly who has high moral character.]
Yes, this was Sheng Quan's second "golden finger."
She had transmigrated into a novel.
Sheng Quan had discovered this on her first day in this world, while frantically catching up on its history and news. This world was actually the setting of a novel she had once passionately followed, titled *"The Stars Shine Brightly."*
*The Stars Shine Brightly* was a massively popular web novel serialized on Jinjiang Novel Website, set in an alternate universe centered around the entertainment industry. Its world-building was expansive, and its characters were numerous and richly developed. Even before the novel was completed, fan works were already everywhere, with almost every character having their own fanbase. The most popular characters were adored by the masses.
And then, the author started killing off the characters one by one.
The one who loved singing more than life itself had their voice destroyed and could never sing again. The one who loved dancing freely on stage was in a car accident and bid farewell to the stage forever. The one who dedicated themselves to honing their acting skills was blacklisted. The one who pursued their dreams in the entertainment industry with unwavering passion left in disappointment. The most beautiful one, who cherished their appearance, was relentlessly bullied and ultimately had acid thrown on them by an anti-fan...
The fans were furious!
The author perfectly demonstrated what it meant to "create the most beautiful characters and then slowly destroy them." No matter how much the readers begged and pleaded, the author remained steadfast in dimming the light of each vibrant character, as if plucking a beautifully blooming flower for a cruel joke.
As a fellow reader, Sheng Quan angrily declared: This isn't funny at all!
She didn't have a favorite character; she simply enjoyed watching the characters pursue their careers. But not only did the novel have a terrible ending, it was the kind of ending that left readers feeling utterly frustrated. As someone who loved seeing characters succeed, Sheng Quan was deeply upset.
The novel quickly went from being "this year's best-selling novel" to "the most infuriating novel of all time." Countless readers turned into anti-fans of the author, wishing they could grind their bones to dust. Sheng Quan herself was one of those fans-turned-haters who, in a fit of rage, stayed up all night typing out a ten-thousand-word comment passionately criticizing the author.
The next day, due to lack of sleep, she wasn't alert enough to avoid a car that ran a red light.
Thinking about this, Sheng Quan felt like cursing the author again. She suspected that the "wishes" the system mentioned were actually the collective resentment of readers like her. She was sure that her resentment alone could have sustained ten Xie Jianxians!
So, it seemed perfectly reasonable that such resentment could give rise to a system.
In any case, Sheng Quan had quickly adapted to the series of unscientific events that had led to her death, rebirth, transmigration, and acquisition of a divine tycoon system that could extend her life. After all, there wasn't much in her past life to miss—her parents had remarried and neither wanted her, the grandparents who raised her had passed away, and she only had a few friends, none of whom were particularly close.
As for a romantic partner? Forget about it. Someone who worked from dawn till dusk every day didn't have time for love.
Even though she only had a few dozen yuan in her pocket now, if someone asked Sheng Quan whether her past life or her current life was better, she would definitely say the current one!
Now, the top-floor suite priced at 188,000 yuan per night was her daily residence, and the limited-edition luxury car worth 25 million yuan was her means of transportation. She had a chauffeur to drive her around, and every staff member in the hotel treated her with utmost respect, catering to her every need. Everything she used was the best and most expensive. In her past life, Sheng Quan could never have afforded such a lifestyle no matter how hard she worked. But now, all of this had become her daily reality, and it would continue to be so in the future.
After a brief moment of confusion, she couldn't help but feel happy.
The only problem was that her life now had a countdown.
【006, how many days do I have left?】
The mechanical voice of the system responded: 【Host, you have 30 days, 12 hours, and 50 minutes remaining.】
It was precise, down to the minute.
Hearing that she only had 30 days left to live, Sheng Quan accepted it quite well. After all, strictly speaking, she wasn't originally from this world. In her own world, she was already considered "dead." Every day she lived now was a bonus for her.
And most importantly, with two cheat codes in hand, Sheng Quan felt incredibly secure.
She wasn't like those die-hard fans of popular characters who poured their hearts into their admiration. After discovering that she had transmigrated into a novel, Sheng Quan quickly decided to focus her investments on these characters. After all, they were the ones she was most familiar with in this world. By selecting those with impeccable moral character to invest in, she was certain to succeed.
【Besides, they are all incredibly talented. I can even sign them on. Speaking of which, if I invest in a movie, as an investor, I can get a share of the box office revenue.】
Sheng Quan happily calculated in her mind: 【Adding the cashback from the system, that's two sources of income. Oh wait, I can also sell the rights—that makes three streams of income. Even without relying on the system's cashback, I can live a very comfortable life.】
The system didn't know how the conversation had turned into a discussion of the host's 100 ways to make money: 【...But we are a funding system.】
【Exactly.】 Sheng Quan replied matter-of-factly: 【As long as the funding is done properly, there's no rule saying I can't make money while funding, right? There's no such rule, is there?】
The system: ...
It felt like there was something off about the host's reasoning, but as a system that had been created less than a month ago, it couldn't quite pinpoint what was wrong. It could only slowly respond: 【...No, there isn't.】
Sheng Quan: 【Then it's settled. Let's do it this way!】
Just as she finished her mental calculations, the boss lady handed over the wrapped jianbing guozi. Although Sheng Quan's attitude was normal, just like any other ordinary customer, her actions were inevitably a bit awkward and cautious in front of such an expensive luxury car.
Here, your Jianbing Guozi is ready.
"Thank you, auntie." Sheng Quan smiled as she took it and glanced at the person pushing two carts toward her.
He was around thirty, tall but not intimidating. His features were soft yet dignified, giving off a warm, spring-like vibe. Even with sweat on his forehead, he still looked refreshingly clean.
Sheng Quan took a bite of the jianbing guozi, savoring the dry, fragrant taste melting in her throat, much like the comforting feeling the man gave her—gentle and soothing.
Even though she had only read about him in the book, Sheng Quan recognized him immediately. This was Yan Hui, the character described as "a gentleman as gentle as jade, a peerless young master" in the novel.
In *Starlight*, Yan Hui wasn't the most popular character, but he was definitely the one with the best reader appeal. He was the epitome of a gentleman, so much so that it felt like such a perfect person could only exist in a fictional world.
This was also why Sheng Quan was here. When it came to moral character, Yan Hui was the first person she thought of.
Moreover, Yan Hui was an excellent actor. If it weren't for the fact that he had been exploited by a shady company for ten years and had offended someone while helping others, preventing him from showcasing his immense talent, Sheng Quan wouldn't have had the chance to pick him up now.
Under Sheng Quan's subtle gaze, Yan Hui walked over. Perhaps to make work easier, he was wearing a faded shirt with his sleeves casually rolled up. His well-defined but not overly slender fingers rested on the cart.
It was worth mentioning that *Starlight* was a feast for those who appreciated beauty. Even a character like Yan Hui, who wasn't heavily featured in the book, had such striking good looks that it was impossible not to notice.
While reading the book, the impact wasn't as strong, but seeing Yan Hui in person, Sheng Quan, a self-proclaimed beauty enthusiast, was immediately drawn to his gentle and refined aura.
As Sheng Quan secretly admired him, Yan Hui walked over to the boss lady and finally looked up. When his gaze fell on the eye-catching luxury car, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, but unlike others, he didn't linger. Instead, he quickly averted his gaze and bent down to unload the boxes from the cart.
The boss's wife offered to help, but he gently refused: "Mom, your back isn't good. Let me do it."
Sheng Quan watched him bend down efficiently to work, thinking to herself, *But your back isn't in great shape either.*
Yan Hui had an old back injury from a filming accident, which hurt whenever he exerted himself. However, he was always good at hiding his pain, so few people knew about it. But of course, it couldn't escape Sheng Quan, who had the reader's omniscient perspective.
The boss lady continued working while muttering: "I told you I could handle it. You've been working all day, you must be tired. You should rest at home. You still have the night shift later."
Yan Hui listened patiently to his mother's nagging, his hands moving deftly as he helped. He simply smiled and replied: "I've been sitting in the office all day. I needed to move around a bit."
Looking at his relaxed smile, no one would guess that he had been doing hard labor at a construction site all day. One of the things Sheng Quan admired most about Yan Hui was that even when he was utterly exhausted, he would do everything in his power to hide it from his loved ones to avoid worrying them.
Others might be fooled, but with her omniscient perspective, Sheng Quan could see the fatigue in the corners of Yan Hui's eyes and the faint strain in his smile.
This was probably the most desperate and painful period of Yan Hui's life. With his father seriously ill and in need of money, he had given up his dream of pursuing acting to return home and shoulder the family's burden. To quickly raise funds, he took on grueling manual labor, all while pretending to his mother that he was working a respectable office job. According to the book, he woke up at 4 a.m. and didn't sleep until 1 a.m.
Having been exploited by a ruthless boss in her past life, Sheng Quan could deeply relate to the part in the book where Yan Hui worked from 5:30 a.m. until midnight.
The difference was, after just half a month of such a schedule, Sheng Quan had turned sallow, her eyes dull, and her temper short. Yet Yan Hui had endured this for two months and was still smiling for his mother.
Even more astonishing was that despite getting only three hours of sleep a day and looking so worn out, he was still incredibly good-looking.
As Sheng Quan openly admired him while her mind wandered, she finished the last bite of her jianbing guozi and called out: "Hello."
Yan Hui, who had been busy, immediately looked up at the sound of her voice, his eyes questioning.
Then he saw the girl sitting in the luxury car handing him a piece of paper and a pen.
The girl smiled, her eyes curving into crescents: "Are you interested in acting? If you are, could you leave me your phone number? I have a project, and I think you'd be a good fit."
"Of course, this isn't a direct offer. If you're interested, you'd still need to audition."
Yan Hui was stunned. It had been so long since he'd acted that hearing the word "audition" felt like a distant memory. Before he could respond, the landlady eagerly agreed:
"Oh! That's wonderful! My son is an actor! Thank you so much! Yan Hui, quick, write it down."
"Mom." Yan Hui called out helplessly, wanting to say that he didn't have the time or energy for auditions right now, but his mother shoved a pen into his hand.
The boss's wife urged him: "Hurry up, don't keep the boss waiting."
Yan Hui had no choice but to write down his information and hand the pen and paper back to Sheng Quan. Since he had offended someone, he had been rejected too many times. He didn’t hold much hope for this opportunity, as disappointment had become a familiar companion. Still, he sincerely thanked Sheng Quan, saying, “Thank you.”
Even if the chances were slim, he was genuinely grateful to this girl who had shown him kindness.
“You’re welcome,” Sheng Quan replied with a smile, signaling the driver to start the car.
The driver, clearly a professional, showed no reaction to the fact that Sheng Quan, who stayed in luxurious hotels and drove a limited-edition luxury car, had come to eat street-side pancakes and even offered an audition invitation to the pancake vendor’s son. He simply focused on his job, driving in silence.
As the eye-catching luxury car started moving again, Sheng Quan sat inside, looking down at the phone number in her hand. It was as if she could see waves of life points and money fluttering toward her like little winged creatures.
Her mood instantly brightened.
[System, this opportunity is to support Yan Hui.]
Hmm…
At least this time, Yan Hui wouldn’t be disappointed again.
