Diamonds really aren't worth much anymore, because synthetic diamond technology has advanced so much that the quality of man-made diamonds is now no less than that of top natural diamonds.

"One speck is a universe, one grain of sand is a world. I tried designing a pair of diamond earrings myself, and I think they're pretty cute. I was going to submit them as homework, but now I'll just give them as a gift!" Thomas Miller turned over and said.

Chapter 4: The Start of School (Part 1)

The next morning, it was still raining.

Charles Thompson was already shouting early in the morning.

"What, you didn't sleep all night again? Just stayed online?" Sean Foster glanced at him.

"Ah Xin, do you know? The nutrition pod is officially on sale now." Charles Thompson looked extremely excited.

On the computer, the ad showed the nutrition pod with a silvery shell, smooth and delicate, semi-transparent, with a liquid visibly flowing inside.

"This is the nutrition pod. You lie inside, fill it with nutrient solution, and your whole body is immersed in it. Not only can you go online to study and play games, but it also has therapeutic functions, able to flush out accumulated toxins from your body, and it even has a deep rest function, so you wake up feeling refreshed. But one unit costs 120,000, and you have to change the nutrient solution once a week. Ah Xin, are you going to buy one?" Charles Thompson said excitedly, "I'm definitely getting one. Plus, the nutrition pod comes with a virtual life online game account!"

A nutrition pod, huh. Who would've thought this world would really roll them out on a large scale? From now on, people will have almost twice as much time. After all, scientists have found that with deep sleep, humans only need half an hour to be fully rested, no need for eight hours a day, which frees up a huge amount of time.

Thinking of this, he felt a surge of excitement and said, "Alright, I'll order one too."

"Great, I'll go order it right now." Charles Thompson immediately got in touch to make the payment.

Once the system connected, Charles Thompson took out his card to pay, and Sean Foster stepped up to pay as well. At this moment, Thomas Miller, who had just come out, looked a bit downcast. 120,000 was no small sum, and no one would buy one for him—after all, they were just roommates.

When the purchase confirmation came through and the local store delivered it, Sean Foster left first. The rain was still falling, but the corridor kept it out, and many students had already arrived, crossing through the hallway.

At this school, aside from the basic subjects that were already arranged with unified classrooms and courses, the secondary school was already like a university on Earth: everyone had their own courses and development paths—mentors mattered, not class groupings. That was the current school system.

So even though they were in the same dorm, they went their separate ways.

Back on Earth, when Sean Foster was a child living in the countryside, whenever it rained, he could hear the patter of raindrops. He used to read the line, "All night in the small building, listening to the spring rain," and felt deeply moved. When he grew up and lived in the city, even if it rained, it never seemed to have that same spirit.

Now, the rain was misty, falling on the nearby grass and trees, making a pleasant tinkling sound. There were many flowering trees here, and the artificial channels on the rockery formed little waterfalls.

Sean Foster was silent. No matter what world it was, the sound of rain seemed the same. Hearing this familiar yet strange rain, he felt its presence deep in his consciousness, a sense of waking from a dream but not knowing where he was—a kind of confused melancholy.

His internal energy rose along his spine, passing through the tailbone, the center of the spine, the back of the neck, the top of the head, then down the forehead and face, gathering again in the lower abdomen. In this way, he completed a small circulation of energy without realizing it, his essence, energy, and spirit blending, with a faint sense of awareness.

Turning down the corridor, he saw a female student leaning against a pillar. She wore a simple blue dress, but her skin was as fair as snow, her beauty understated. One slender hand rested by her hair as she gazed at the heavy rain outside the corridor, her beautiful face full of melancholy and loneliness.

Sean Foster was startled. Her expression was so much like his first love (or secret crush) back on Earth that he couldn't help but feel moved as he brushed past her, sensing the energy within her body.

This world really was full of hidden talents. If not for the Jade Ruyi, he wouldn't have noticed. He glanced at the student council badge on her chest and thought so.

Her internal energy was about one and a half times Sean Foster's current level. Her name was Olivia Harris.

Everyone has their own story. After silently noting this, he walked on, leaving her there to quietly watch the rain.

If fate allows, they will meet again.

Crossing a gentle grassy slope, he arrived at a spacious plaza where the fountain's spray merged with the rain. This was a teaching building. Entering, he found his destination, paused to compose himself, and knocked on the door.

"Come in!"

Behind the door was a middle-aged man, a computer open on the desk. At this moment, he looked at Sean Foster, his gaze sharp and spirited.

"Director Bolton, hello." He bowed, saluted, and greeted him.

"You're Sean Foster? Hmm, student number C—YJX—7842?"

"That's right." In his previous life, Sean Foster had experienced many things and met all kinds of people, including officials and tycoons. His temperament and wisdom were not ordinary, but after all, he was just a mortal; the total energy in his body was never enough to truly display what people call "presence."