"Gu Bai, I've been thinking it over these days. Let's break up."
On the other end of the phone, Zhai Li's voice sounded a bit hesitant.
Still groggy, Gu Bai touched his forehead and stood there in a daze. This scenario felt somewhat familiar.
After a short pause, Zhai Li continued, "The company has charted a development course for me that doesn't allow for a boyfriend. This opportunity is very important to me, and I don't want to give it up. I hope you can understand."
Wait a minute!
Gu Bai finally remembered this scene.
Isn't this the scene from four years ago when Zhai Li broke up with me?
The lines were exactly the same as they were back then.
"So, which TV station's variety show are you joining? Using your ex-boyfriend for publicity?"
Zhai Li was my classmate at the Shanghai Theatre Academy, one of the goddesses of the acting department. I was the prodigy who entered the directing department with a perfect score. Both of us were considered the prominent figures at the academy then.
We confirmed our romantic relationship in our freshman year, causing quite a stir at the academy. We were seen as a golden couple by everyone.
But in today's society.
Being a golden couple means nothing.
Future prospects and interests are the most important.
Before the start of our sophomore year, Zhai Li signed with the top-tier agency with a clause barring relationships during the contract, so naturally, she broke up with me.
Time proved that Zhai Li made the right choice.
In the following years, under the company's management, she acted in several hit dramas, becoming one of the most sought-after new stars in the entertainment industry, even being voted one of the four new leading actresses by numerous netizens.
As for Gu Bai, over the years, the aura of the prodigy faded, and he faded into obscurity.
"Alright, alright, I'll play along with you. Let's break up, I agree."
After finishing, Gu Bai simply hung up the phone, muttering "Crazy" under his breath.
"Ever since she got famous, Zhai Li has really lost all limits, using even her boyfriend from four years ago for attention."
Suddenly.
Gu Bai stared dumbfounded at the phone that he was about to shove into his pocket.
Wasn't his phone an iPhone 12? How did it suddenly become an iPhone 7?
Recalling the phone call from Zhai Li, Gu Bai had an unreliable thought, and his groggy mind cleared in an instant, reopening the phone to check the time displayed on the screen.
August 10, 2017.
Gu Bai opened the browser to search today's date again, and after confirming it wasn't a prank, he slumped back onto the bed.
"Did I really reincarnate?"
Gu Bai pinched his face. It felt real; this was no dream. He had really been reborn from 2021 to 2017.
Calculating the time, he should be in the summer vacation after his freshman year, right before sophomore year starts.
"But being reborn with only a four-year gap seems a bit short, doesn't it? What's four years enough for? Those big productions are probably already in the pipeline. Even if I know which movies and dramas will be hits, I don't have the right to get involved.
And those hit songs, who knows, they might have already been written. If I dared to copy them, others might dare to sue me.
So what's the point of this rebirth?"
Regardless, before being reborn, Gu Bai was somewhat a part of the entertainment circle, with insights into the cultural and entertainment industry. So, upon rebirth, Gu Bai naturally thought about how to get involved in the certain hit projects.
After thinking for a long time, he realized that some projects require too big an investment, beyond what he could afford, or that he was too low-level to even qualify to join.
"Forget it, no need to overthink. Being reborn is already a blessing. With four years of future memory, life definitely won't be worse than in the past.
Though being dumped right after rebirth is like a cliché toxic start to an urban novel at Qidian (a Chinese web fiction site)."
Suddenly.
With a "Ding Dong," a peculiar synthesized electronic voice echoed in Gu Bai's mind.
"Congratulations, Host, the Dream Come True System has been activated."
"Once dreams come true, the beauty of the world unfolds for you."
"Current System Level: Level 1, with the highest level being Level 4."
"It's detected that the Host's current Confidence Value is 3%, and a one-time dream fund of 30 million will be granted."
"The system will pay for the Host's confidence. For every 1% increase in Confidence Value, the system will grant 10 million dream fund. When the Confidence Value reaches the full 100%, the system will upgrade."
A system?
Rebirth plus a system?
Is there such a good deal?
"Your bank account ending in 8529 received an income of RMB30,000,000.00 on August 10, with a post-transaction balance of 30,030,000.00 [China Construction Bank]"
It wasn't until the bank account, originally holding only 30,000 in tuition fees, suddenly showed a 30 million deposit that Gu Bai realized everything was true.
In the few minutes after being reborn, Gu Bai had contemplated countless ways to change his fate.
But he never considered achieving the pinnacle of life simply by relying on the system.
Nevertheless, since it happened, let it be. If rebirth could happen, then having a system isn't that surprising.
"But isn't having just a 3% Confidence Value a bit too low?"
Gu Bai's family condition was relatively good; otherwise, he could not have afforded the expensive art test. Gu Bai used to be someone with ambition through the roof. Although he came to realize reality through society's harsh lessons over the years, having only a 3% Confidence Value seemed a bit insulting.
"The Confidence Value recognized by the system surpasses ordinary people, and the specific calculation method is determined by the system itself."
After speaking, a system panel was thrown directly at Gu Bai, and it disappeared without a trace, no matter how Gu Bai called, it didn't appear.
"Host: Gu Bai
Appearance: 91
IQ: 135
Physique: 85
Confidence Value: 3%
System Level: Level 1
Except for IQ, all other attributes have a full value of 100."
Staring at the system panel, Gu Bai gradually accepted the 3% Confidence Value.
They say, "When people are poor, their ambition is short."
Especially in such a money-driven society, an ordinary person's ambition is worth less than grass. Those born in the clouds, when they start a business, their family can support them with five small goals, while for those living at the bottom, five small goals is a number they work their whole life for but don't dare to even dream of.
If he really was overflowing with confidence, would he not have tried to keep it when he got dumped four years ago? Would he not have been able to say something like, "Don't bully the young and poor"?
Isn't it just because he knew he didn't have the skill, the ability to retain?
You ask if he is willing?
Of course he is not willing.
Who would be willing to be dumped?
Even if it's put four years later, he is still not willing, but does the unwillingness help? Even if Gu Bai was given a few more choices, wouldn't he still have to compromise with reality?
Actually, Zhai Li is not wrong. Who doesn't want to climb higher these days?
If the opportunity was given to Gu Bai, his choice would be the same as Zhai Li's.
But so many years have passed, aside from occasionally seeing Zhai Li on TV and sighing in his heart that he once had the goddess in the eyes of many men for a few months, he has no more thoughts.
Moreover, he has been reborn and has a system, he is already a winner in life, is there still any need to think about those things?
Just as Gu Bai was looking at the bank card balance dumbfounded, a loud voice came from the hall.
"Gu Bai, come out to eat!"
From the voice, it could be concluded that it was his mother Xu Hong, no mistake.
"Coming, coming!"
Casually responding, Gu Bai quickly got up from the bed and ran to the living room.
At the dining table, there were only Xu Hong and Gu Bai. As for his dad, Gu Jian Country should be at a social gathering and not at home.
"Mom, I plan to return to Shanghai tomorrow."
While shoveling rice into his mouth, Gu Bai spoke unclearly to Xu Hong.
Putting a piece of his favorite chicken wing into Gu Bai's bowl, Xu Hong asked somewhat puzzledly, "Isn't there more than half a month before school starts? Why so urgent? Stay at home for a few more days."
"No, staying at home every day with nothing to do, I'm almost getting moldy, just going back to Shanghai to relax."
Hearing Gu Bai say this, Xu Hong didn't continue to persuade him.
"Then just go back to school, it's not suitable for a young guy to stay at home all the time. Your dad has already transferred your tuition to your card. One ten thousand is your tuition, and the other twenty thousand is your living expenses for half a year. Spend it wisely, don't save but don't splurge either."
"Got it."
He responded as impatiently as ever.
Before being reborn, Gu Bai stayed at home all the time listening to his parents' nagging, and after rebirth, it was still the same. Gu Bai really had no different feelings towards his parents compared to other reborn beings.
"Oh, right."
Xu Hong suddenly remembered something.
"What about the girlfriend you mentioned before? Is she also going back to school early? Why not bring her back for us to meet?"
Gu Bai paused while eating, then tried to respond casually, "We broke up a few days ago."
"You just started dating, and already broke up?"
Hearing her son say he broke up, Xu Hong immediately put down her bowl and started probing.
"She signed with a company, and the contract stated she couldn't date, so we broke up. Can't hinder her development, right?"
Regarding the affair with Zhai Li, Gu Bai didn't hide it from Xu Hong, nor was there any need to.
"What kind of lousy company is that, not allowing dating?"
"Who knows."
"But my son is so handsome, it's her loss to break up, next time find someone even prettier."
In a parent's eyes, their child is definitely the best. Xu Hong, afraid that Gu Bai might feel hurt from being dumped, immediately began to comfort him.
"It's not a big deal, only dated for a few months, what feelings could there be. Just broke up, I'm full, you eat slowly, I'm going back to the room to pack my things."
This nonchalance wasn't something Gu Bai was pretending. After all, if you really think about it, the breakup was four years ago, what is there to be sad about.
In the room, standing in front of the mirror, what Xu Hong said wasn't wrong, Gu Bai's appearance is definitely top-notch, no worse than those little fresh meats.
In the massive floor mirror, with a height of 1.82 meters, his facial features are distinct like a sculpture, with handsome and angular features, his hair somewhat messy from not being groomed too much, all in all, a rogue-like demeanor.
"Not bad, still at the peak of appearance."
Compared to the worn-out look four years later, the current Gu Bai is at the peak of his looks.