"James, where have you been?"
"There's a counseling session soon. Why aren't you here yet?"
Just as James was leaving the clothing store, ready to head to campus, he received a call from Paul.
"I'm on my way."
James whipped out his phone, hastily replied, and then rode his electric bike towards the school.
As a junior student, James could skip many classes, but he never missed Janet Carter's session.
One reason was out of respect for her role as a counselor, avoiding skipping her class.
Another reason was that Janet was, in James's eyes, an alluring individual whom he didn't want to offend.
Ten minutes later, James rushed into the classroom.
The counselor was already teaching inside, and James lightly knocked on the door.
"Come in."
A soft voice echoed through.
James pushed open the classroom door, walked in, and directed his gaze toward the captivating woman at the lectern.
She wore a white blouse that accentuated her full, round chest, paired with a tight, hip-hugging skirt that elegantly sculpted her curves.
Below the skirt, a pair of long, slender legs stood atop high heels, exuding an alluring and enticing presence.
This woman was James's university counselor, Janet Carter.
"Why are you late?"
The voluptuous Janet eyed James up and down, her tone slightly annoyed.
"For what else could it be? Obviously, he treated everyone to a meal yesterday to show off, and now he's broke, so he had to do food delivery!" Kenneth shouted.
Upon hearing Kenneth's words, the classmates burst into laughter.
"I didn't ask you."
Janet turned her head, glaring sternly at Kenneth, reprimanding him coldly.
Upon hearing Janet's warning, Kenneth immediately stopped talking.
Upon rumors at the University of Lumina that Janet had significant backing, even the dean dared not offend her.
Therefore, Kenneth wisely remained silent.
"Sorry, teacher, I overslept today," James replied to Janet.
"Go stand outside. If it happens again, don't bother coming." Janet's tone was icy.
"Yes."
James nodded helplessly and turned to leave the classroom.
Outside, in the corridor, James stood alone, pondering the recent events.
It all seemed too surreal – just yesterday, he was abandoned by Jennifer due to poverty and ridiculed by classmates. Now, he had transformed into the world's wealthiest individual.
This sensation left James feeling bewildered and somewhat disconnected from reality.
"I wonder what Jennifer would think if she knew about my newfound wealth," James mused internally.
Half an hour later, the bell signaling the end of class rang.
Janet, in high heels, strolled out of the classroom and approached James.
She gave him a once-over, narrowing her eyes. "James, be at the office by four this afternoon. Pick something up for me and deliver it to my dorm. Clear?"
"Clear!" James quickly nodded.
"If you dare come late again, I will definitely punish you!"
With that, Janet swiveled her hips and walked downstairs.
James, wearing a resigned expression, returned to the classroom.
Inside, he found Jennifer and Ashley missing from the room.
"James, where did you go? How could you be late for the counselor's class!" Paul whispered to James.
"I was up late playing games yesterday," James quietly explained.
"I bet you won the lottery and got muddled by the prize money!" Tyler teased James, asking, "How much did you win?"
"Not that much, just a few hundred thousand dollars!" James chuckled.
"What the heck, a few hundred thousand bucks is not that much in your eyes? You hit the jackpot, man!" Tyler exclaimed incredulously.
At that moment, James wasn't in the mood to discuss these things with his friends. He scanned the classroom briefly and inquired, "Where are Michael, Jennifer, and the others? Why aren't they here today?"
"Don't you know? After we left the restaurant yesterday, Jennifer and Ashley got into a dispute with a thug at the restaurant," Paul explained urgently.
"Apparently, that thug has some connections and influence. He came to the school this morning and took Jennifer and Ashley away. Michael should be off trying to help them right now." Paul continued.
"Ever since Jennifer got involved with Michael, she's been like a different person. She's very bold in her actions. I heard she actually kicked that thug, but who knew he had such a background!" Tyler added.
James, upon hearing this, couldn't help but let out a cynical laugh.