Chapter 21
She instinctively glanced toward the side of the road, looking for a bike to ride, but couldn’t find a single one. Then she remembered—bike-sharing services didn’t exist
yet.
That part of the internet-driven sharing economy wouldn’t appear for another five or
six years.
The internet age was just beginning, and this era of new, burgeoning economic models was brimming with infinite business opportunities.
When Mira realized this, she grew unconsciously excited, and even her pace quickened.
But then, a wave of anxiety washed over her. Every business opportunity required money—a substantial amount of start-up capital. Otherwise, the moment an idea showed promise, it would get noticed, and any venture with decent returns could be swallowed up by major corporations.
She never thought about this when she was living as a pampered heiress. Now that she could no longer rely on the family’s wealth and had to build something of her own, she deeply understood the importance of money.
In reality, she had never truly been able to rely on that conglomerate.
To enjoy the resources they provided, she had to obey their arrangements and let them control her, regardless of whether she was willing or if it benefited her.
For example, their demand that she clear Mara’s name, or their attempts to push her into an arranged marriage p>
When she was younger and they doted on her, everything seemed wonderful. But now that they had shown their favoritism and turned on her, continuing to depend on them would only drag her into an abyss.
After all, hadn’t she already paid for that mistake with her life in her past life?
Therefore, the only thing she could truly own was what she built herself. But what about the start-up capital?
Get a job?
Given Mira’s current living expenses-rent, fees for various extracurricular classes, plus food-everything was a significant cost.
And she was just a high school student. Even with her exceptional musical talent, tutoring elementary school students would, at best, barely cover her living expenses.
Besides, once she cut ties with them, would the Mercers just stand by and watch her succeed? Would Mara and the people backing her allow her to develop freely?
Impossible. They would probably crush her before she even had a chance to grow.
So, she had to become powerful quickly, without them noticing.
The lottery? She hadn’t paid attention to it in her past life.
The stock market? That was a possibility. In her past life, Ethan often discussed market trends at home. After she died, het restless soul had lingered around the Mercer family, and she frequently saw Ethan trading stocks.
After she finished her business for the day, she would sort through her memories.
Before she knew it, the Summit Fitness Center appeared before her.
This was one of Melvion City’s largest fitness centers, a multi-functional complex
that integrated exercise, entertainment, socializing, and dining.
It was a tranquil corner amidst the city’s hustle and bustle.
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Entering through the revolving glass doors, she was greeted by an expansive green space. The refreshing air and the fragrance of flowers and grass in the comfortable environment were invigorating.
However, Mira wasn’t here for a regular workout.
She followed a small path forward, where many people were sweating on various fitness machines. The faint sound of children’s laughter could be heard.
She continued on until she found an inconspicuous door marked “Martial Arts Hall p>
Though it looked unassuming, the master here was a rare expert.
“Are you here to sign up p>
The person at the front desk was still Oliver, but this version of Oliver didn’t know Mira yet.
He was also a high school student,
learning martial arts here during the
summer, break. Since he couldn’t
afford the tuition.
tuition, he had taken on
desk job in a work-study
the front desk job
arrangement.
“Yes,” Mira replied.
“Which martial art do you want to sign up for? Do you have any experience p>
“I’m a green belt in Taekwondo. I’d like to learn from Master Ellis p>