Reborn with Consumption System-Chapter 408 - 201: Eyes Pulling Threads_2

"I just can’t sit idle. I love to read, love to think, that’s all."

Han Lie cheekily owned up to it.

Actually... what a bunch of bull about having read many books!

The phrase about starting with looks probably began surfacing on the internet around 2015 and started to catch on in 2017. The reason it went viral was that fangirls were giving extravagant compliments to the four celebrities who returned from overseas, and then it was widely quoted. Han Lie found it very amusing, so he deliberately looked up the specific origin and even read through all of Wu Guijun’s contemporary poetry.

How to comment... it’s on the same level as breadcrumbs.

Although the sentence was later overused and became somewhat tacky, it was the end of 2013. Han Lie, capitalizing on the timing, presented it with a refreshing charm that was truly captivating.

The ever-composed Lü Shuli’s earlobes quietly turned red.

"No wonder you’ve achieved such great success... Ah, the water is boiling. I’ll make some tea for you!"

Han Lie sensed it was about time and decisively reined himself in.

Controlling the intensity of flirtation was a difficult skill to teach. With Lü Shuli—new to society, her pride not yet worn down, quiet, with strong self-esteem and a cautious nature—he knew he couldn’t push too hard. Trying to win her over with money would have a success rate below 20%. Besides, I’m not interested in supporting that many women. Flirting a little when I’m free, enjoying her shy anticipation and responses, experiencing that ambiguous vibe when we’re together—isn’t that satisfying?

A man not lacking for options had the confidence for such a slow simmer.

So, very naturally, he moved on to a question that would break the ambiguity and return to reality. "Why are you renting here? The rent must be expensive, right?"

"It’s okay, 2,200 a month."

Alerted, Lü Shuli showed a hint of weariness deep in her eyes. She had been run ragged all day and was quite tired, but she still tried to project an air of calm and ease.

"The main reason is that it’s close enough to our law firm, an eight to ten-minute walk, so I don’t have to wake up early to cram onto the bus."

At 2,200, that price really isn’t cheap right now. Lü Shuli’s internship salary might not even reach 3,500. After paying for utilities with what’s left, what would she have for anything else?

However, Han Lie didn’t ask outright; it would be too probing. Instead, Teacher Han expressed his understanding and support for Lü Shuli.

"That’s good. Commuting is often wasted time that can greatly sap one’s enthusiasm and anticipation for work. By saving that time to study more and strive to improve yourself, your efforts will definitely not be in vain."

Lü Shuli’s eyes instantly lit up. She particularly liked what Han Lie had said; it felt like he had spoken straight to her heart.

But she didn’t want to be a mere echo, so she joked, "How long have you been simmering this chicken soup for the soul? It’s a bit potent! Hmm, it’s starting to taste like those unscrupulous bosses who paint grand pictures to motivate their employees to toil harder..."

The scoundrel saw through her insincerity at a glance and just smiled calmly.

If he were a simp, he would have panicked by now. If he were a clueless guy, he would have started explaining. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Unfortunately for her, Han Lie was neither; he was an emotionless assassin.

"Where does this ’toxic chicken soup’ idea come from? It’s because too many people have already denied themselves and society deep down, so they also end up denying the significance of effort."

Teacher Han began to lecture her again.

This girl was ambitious, and she particularly enjoyed this kind of high-level, spiritual conversation, so this was targeting precisely what she needed.

"For an average person, all the variables of success can roughly be attributed to the waves of the times, innate talent, effort, and a tiny bit of luck. Among these, the only variable one can control is effort. And luck is the one thing we can change to a degree..."

Lü Shuli, who was sitting primly, suddenly widened her eyes and exclaimed in surprise, "Change one’s fortune? Is that really possible?"

Heh, girls these days are so innocent... Thank goodness for TikTok! Han Lie chuckled to himself. Outwardly, however, he appeared even more poised and confident.

"Of course. Actually, scientific research has shown that there are three kinds of luck.

"The first type is entirely random, chance-based luck, which can’t be changed. Indeed, some people are naturally endowed with extraordinary good fortune.

"The second type of luck comes from sheer volume. Take a salesperson going door-to-door, for instance. If they knock on enough doors, quantity eventually leads to quality; one day, they’re bound to encounter a major client.

"The third kind is good luck brought by perception. The best example is Taobao. In the beginning, some merchants thought another sales channel wouldn’t hurt, as the additional cost was minimal. On the other hand, some dismissed online shopping, focusing solely on their brick-and-mortar stores. Ten years later, many attribute the success of the former to good luck—catching the wave of opportunity—while others regret missing one chance after another. In reality, opportunities are equal for most people. Yet, many can only recognize an opportunity in hindsight because their understanding can’t keep up."

Similar examples abound: Bitcoin, TikTok, stock market crashes. Some people stumbled into good luck without a clue, while others later regretted not heeding advice. But these ’clueless’ ones weren’t completely ignorant; they merely lacked certainty, so they casually made a move, thinking, ’Let’s just see what happens.’ This is the good luck that comes from even a slightly higher level of understanding. It’s also the luck reserved for those willing to try, willing to break new ground.

The Han Lie of the past had been too content with the status quo, getting comfortable too early. So, even though he had indeed experienced three major stock market bottoms, he still hadn’t made a name for himself.