After taking a moment to calm down, Ming Ze took a shower and got dressed. The dorm room was quiet-he was the only one there. His three roommates had either gone home or traveled, since the school was on break.
PingChuan High School was one of the best in the country. It catered mostly for the rich, with many wealthy families sending their children there not just for the education, but also for the social connections they could build. Despite this, the school reserved ten spots each year for academically gifted students from underprivileged backgrounds. These students were provide with accommodation and scholarships.
Ming Ze was one of those students.
However, most people didn't know that. They believed he was a distant relative of the powerful Ming family as the Mings says, squeezed into the school through connections. As a result, they saw him as a leech, while the Ming family was painted as kind and generous for "taking him in". In truth, he was the biological son of the Ming family, introduced under false pretenses.
Ming Ze sighed, reflecting on the bitter irony of his last life.
Shaking off the thoughts, he stood up and decided to head to the tech market across from the school-a paradise for tech enthusiasts. He needed a laptop and planned to get one today.
Locking the dorm door behind him, he stepped outside. As he exited the building, he greedily inhaled the fresh air , savoring the sense of freedom. It had been a long time since he'd felt this-especially after been locked away in a mental hospital in his previous life.
The sun was bright but not harsh, casting long, golden lines on the pavement. A few students milled about the campus gates, but the area was largely quiet. Ming Ze kept his head down as he passed them, hands tucked into the pockets of his light jacket. He didn't care for their glances-or imagined whispers. He had more important things to do now.
Across the street stood the tech market, a multi-level complex packed with electronics, custom parts, and gears that made every tech geek's heart race. The glowing sign above the entrance flickered slightly, reading Xingcheng Digital Plaza. It was noisy, cluttered, chaotic-and perfect.
Inside, the smell of plastic, solder, and cheap takeout filled the air. Sellers barked out prices, eager to grab a sale. Holographic display, parts in sealed packets, and rows of laptop sat behind glass counters, each promising power and performance.
Ming Ze walked with purpose, his eyes sharp. He had done his research last night. He wasn't here to be dazzled-he had a specific model in mind. Something sleek but powerful, capable of handling the coding and side projects he was already planning.
At the far end of the second floor, he spotted the store he'd been looking for- RenTech Repairs & Builds. It wasn't flashy, but the owner was known for customizing machines and offering fair prices to students.
As he stepped inside, a short man in thick glasses looked up form behind the counter. "Looking for something in particular, kid?"
Ming Ze nodded. "Yeah. A laptop. One that can run heavy IDEs and simulations without lag. Preferably with an open BIOS."
The man raised an eyebrow, then smiled. "You know what you're talking about. Alright, let's see what we can find".
Lao Shen rummaged under the counter, the pulled out a dusty black laptop. "This one's not pretty, but it's got power where it counts. Intel i9, 32 gig of RAM, dedicated GPU. BIOS unlocked. Solid flow. I turned it myself.
Ming Ze leaned over, fingers brushing over the case. "Used?"
"Refurbished. I stripped it down myself, cleaned out the guts, replaced the thermal paste and fans . The battery's fresh. It'll outlive anything pretty and new."
Ming Ze opened the lid, fingers flying across the keyboard. "Feels solid", he murmured. "Can I boot into BIOS?"
Lao Shen chuckled. "Go ahead. She's not shy".
As Ming Ze dove into the setting, Lao Shen watched him quietly. Most students who walked in barely knew the difference between RAM and storage. But this kid, he didn't waste time with small talk, and he knew exactly what to look for.
Lao Shen used to work in the black market tech scene-modding illegal hardware, cracking security systems, and doing freelance hacking for clients with deep pockets a d shady motives. Eventually, he set up RenTech as a legitimate front , but some of his old contacts still comes by with "odd jobs". He walks the line between legal and illegal, but keeps his hand clean when it comes to students. But he quite like this kid.
"You studying computer science?" Lao Shen asked finally.
Ming Ze shook his head, eyes still on the screen. "Not officially. Just need the right tools."
Lao Shen grunted, the reached into the drawer and pulled out .a small box-an external SSD. "This one's not for sale. But you seems like someone who won't ask stupid questions. I'll throw it in-on one condition."
Ming Ze looked up. "What condition?"
"You don't come back here flashing it around. And you don't mention where you got it if anyone asks."
There was a pause. Then Ming Ze gave a small nod. "Deal."
Lao Shen smiled for the first time, thin and sharp. "Alright, kid. You've got yourself a machine. Let me know if you ever need... extras. I don't advertise, but I help the ones who help themselves."