The Trillionaire’s Rise: Powered by a System Ring

CHAPTER 4 Grandpa Harun's Owl

The old vendor had already reached out his hand to accept the young man's money.

"Wait, Grandpa," Rendi said.

The young man turned with an annoyed face. "What are you going to bargain with? Twenty dollars?"

Rendi did not answer. He observed the man closely.

His shirt was branded, his watch was expensive, and his shoes were shiny. A person like that would not come to a flea market to buy a cheap wooden statue.

Unless he knew there was something inside it.

"Do you know this guy, Grandpa?" Rendi asked.

The old man nodded hesitantly. "Young man Steven. He has passed by here twice this week. He said he owns an antique shop downtown."

"Passed by twice, and only buying it today?"

Steven snorted. "Does it matter? I just took a liking to it today."

Rendi stared at the owl statue. He could just stay quiet and let Steven walk away with the gold coins. Or he could lie, persuade the old man, and take home five gold coins that were not his.

Rendi knew exactly how it felt to be treated like that. Two days ago, people smiled at him while taking everything he had.

'I don't want to be Evelyn.'

"Grandpa," Rendi said quietly. "Try lifting the statue, then shake it a little."

The old man frowned. "What for?"

"Just try it, Grandpa."

Steven immediately took a step forward. "Grandpa, don't listen to him. This guy just went bankrupt, his brain is a mess. I will increase it to one hundred and fifty. Right now."

That offer actually made the old man suspicious. He pulled his hand back, then lifted the owl statue with both hands.

He shook it once.

Clink.

The sound of clashing metal was clearly heard from inside the wood. Several vendors at the neighboring stalls also turned to look.

The old man stared at the statue in his hands, then looked at Steven. His friendly face vanished.

"Did you know what was inside, Steven?"

"I don't know anything. That is probably just a loose nail."

"A loose nail is worth one hundred and fifty dollars?"

Steven could not answer. His jaw tightened.

The old man flipped the statue. At the bottom, there was a blackened round wooden plug. With the tip of a small knife, he pried the plug open.

A worn brown cloth bundle fell into his palm. The old man opened it with trembling fingers.

Five gold coins gleamed under the afternoon sun.

The vendors around them immediately started whispering. The plate vendor who had mocked Rendi earlier even stood up from her chair.

"This..." The old man's voice cracked. "This belonged to my father."

He sat back down on his plastic chair. His eyes were wet.

"My father used to say he was saving something for his grandchild. I thought it was just an old man's rambling. This statue has been in the warehouse for thirty years. I almost sold it for fifty dollars."

Steven put his wallet back into his pocket, then glared at Rendi with a face red with anger.

"Do you think you are a hero?" he hissed. "You could have gotten that gold. Instead, you gave it to someone else. No wonder you lost all your wealth."

"Maybe," Rendi answered. "But I will sleep sounder than you tonight."

Steven pointed at Rendi's face. "Let's see how long a bankrupt guy like you can act so self-righteous."

Steven walked away with quick steps. His shoulder bumped into the tarp pole, causing the tarp to shake.

[Ding!] [First Sight Mission completed.] [Valuable item found before the time limit.] [Reward: $800 cash, sent to the Host's wallet.]

Rendi's back pocket felt slightly thicker. He reached for his wallet, and a stack of paper money was already tucked inside.

Rendi held back a smile. His head was still throbbing from using his eyes for too long, but for the first time in two days, his chest felt light.

"Young man."

The old man called Rendi. His wrinkled hand picked up one gold coin and offered it to Rendi.

"Take this."

Rendi shook his head. "No need, Grandpa. That is your father's legacy."

"If it weren't for you, that man would have taken everything." The old man kept offering the coin. "My name is Harun. I don't like owing favors."

"I also don't like taking other people's inheritance, Grandpa."

Grandpa Harun stared at him for a long time. Then, for the first time, the old man laughed.

"You are quite stubborn too." He put the coin back into the bundle. "Alright then. If you don't want the gold, what do you want? You look like you haven't showered for two days."

Rendi looked at his wrinkled shirt and the coffee stain on his collar. He could not argue.

"I am looking for a room, Grandpa. A cheap one."

"I have a back room at my house. It belonged to my son, but it is empty now. It is small, the fan is noisy, and the bathroom is outside." Grandpa Harun shrugged. "A hundred dollars a month. Do you want it?"

Rendi did a quick calculation in his head. One hundred for the room, the rest for food, clothes, and a cheap phone.

"I want it, Grandpa."

"Good. Help me pack up the stall first."

They folded the tarp and put the merchandise into sacks. Grandpa Harun hugged the owl statue to his chest the whole time.

On the way home, they passed a meat skewer cart. The roasted smell was the same as the cart near the hospital this morning. This time, Rendi stopped and bought two portions.

"One for you, Grandpa," he said.

Grandpa Harun accepted the package while glancing at Rendi. "Are you really that rich guy from the TV?"

"I used to be, Grandpa."

"My grandchild told me about it. They said a rich guy was left by his bride at the altar." Grandpa Harun took a bite of his skewer. "I told my grandchild, someone who gets left like that will usually turn into a bad person or a good person. It is rare for them to stay in the middle."

"Which one do you think I am, Grandpa?"

Grandpa Harun chewed for a long time before answering. "I don't know yet. But earlier you could have taken that gold, and you didn't. That is a decent start."

Rendi did not answer. He just looked down and finished his skewer.

Grandpa Harun's house was in a narrow alley two blocks from the market. Its walls were painted in peeling green, and there was a guava tree in the front yard.

The back room was truly small. It only contained a thin mattress, a plastic wardrobe, and an old fan.

Rendi sat on the edge of the mattress. The fan spun with a soft squeak.

A week ago, he slept in a fortieth-floor penthouse. Tonight, he would sleep in a room smaller than his old bathroom.

Strangely, he did not feel defeated.

Rendi reached into his shirt pocket. The slip of paper containing Nadia's number was still folded there, slightly crumpled. He looked at it for a moment, then kept it under his pillow.

From the front of the house, the sound of a motorcycle pulling up could be heard. Someone shouted from the yard.

"Grandpa Harun! I brought the oil you ordered!"

Rendi recognized that voice. He stood up and walked to the front.

A large-built man stood next to an old motorcycle. His t-shirt was full of oil stains, and a small towel was wrapped around his neck.

The man saw Rendi, then froze. The plastic bag containing the oil bottle fell from his hands.

Thud!

"Whoa... Boss Rendi?"