In Water Margin, Old Lady Wang once said:
If a man wants to win a woman's heart, he needs to meet the "Pan-Donkey-Deng-Gentle-Time" criteria.
Pan: Pan An's level of good looks.
Donkey: A donkey's, uh, stamina.
Deng: Deng Tong's absurd, nation-crushing wealth.
Gentle: Treat her as if she's made of porcelain.
Time: Always have free time to keep her company.
If you nail all five, you'll be invincible in the world of women.
Even Ximen Qing from back then ticked all the boxes.
And now, Jerry was on the same path.
Looks?
Jerry stood at a solid 6'0" (1.8 meters). His face wasn't movie-star handsome—just plain, average-looking.
But that was fine.
With over two decades of real-world experience tucked under his belt,
he carried a mature, grounded vibe that girls found magnetic.
And appearance could be upgraded anyway—
a little fashion sense and grooming went a long way toward becoming the center of attention.
As for the donkey... talent?
Jerry couldn't help smirking.
Maybe it was a rebirth perk, but something down there definitely felt... bigger.
And more energetic.
Seriously, he hadn't calmed down since he woke up!
In short—his future girlfriends were in for some serious blessings.
Money?
That was the next easy fix.
It just so happened the weekend was around the corner.
Jerry planned to head back to his hometown and pull together some startup capital.
By the time he returned, he'd be a bona fide millionaire in yuan.
With that, combined with his mature experience,
crushing the business world would be just the beginning.
As for being attentive and having free time for women?
Please. Child's play compared to the other three.
If you had looks, stamina, and wealth,
being gentle and available was just cherry on top.
Men who obsessed over just being attentive and free were either simps...
or doomed losers.
As the saying goes:
"A simp will simp until he's left with nothing."
And Jerry?
He had no plans to simp.
First step: personal makeover!
Jerry tossed his old, tattered clothes into the trash,
kept two clean sets, and picked the sharpest one to wear.
He grabbed some foam shaving cream and took care of the scruffy stubble on his face.
Back in 2000, electric razors and toothbrushes were luxury items,
and obviously, Jerry couldn't afford those.
The razor he used was an old one his dad had retired years ago—
good enough for now.
Staring into the mirror afterward, Jerry couldn't help but grin.
"Not bad. The young me's actually kinda handsome."
Without the messy stubble, and dressed simply but cleanly,
he looked fresh and youthful—a proper college heartthrob in the making.
"Wait... something's still missing."
Jerry inspected himself again.
It hit him—the hair.
Later at the campus barbershop:
"Bro, what style you want?"
the barber asked lazily.
"Shave the sides and back clean, thin out the top, and comb the bangs back to the left,"
Jerry said casually.
The barber blinked.
"You serious?"
It was then Jerry remembered:
This was 2000.
His requested style was... futuristic for the time.
Maybe the barber thought he was a rebel trying to be edgy.
"Yeah, I'm sure. Just do it."
Jerry laughed lightly.
No one knew better than him what suited him best.
He could already imagine the barber's jaw dropping afterward.
"Alright, man...
Hope you don't regret it."
The barber went to work, scissors snipping crisply.
To his credit, the guy was skilled.
He executed Jerry's instructions perfectly.
And when he finished—
the barber stood there, stunned.
Crisp. Clean. Stylish.
Jerry looked like he'd walked out of a high-end magazine shoot.
"I'm satisfied,"
Jerry said, flashing a smile at the mirror.
Leaving ten yuan on the counter, he headed out.
Time was ticking.
He had to get back to school and request a leave of absence.
University life wasn't as free as people thought.
Although weekends were technically for rest, make-up classes were often scheduled.
This weekend, only Saturday was off.
Sunday was back to lectures.
But Jerry needed three days.
So—he had to ask for permission.
At the counselor's office:
"You... you're Jerry?"
Jenny, his pretty academic advisor, stared at him for a long time before cautiously asking.
Not her fault—
Jerry's transformation was drastic.
The old Jerry wore clashing colors, looked awkward and unconfident,
and practically radiated "poor kid from the countryside" vibes.
But now?
Even in cheap clothes, he looked sharp and self-assured.
With a clean shave and stylish haircut, standing at 6'0",
he carried himself like an actual young bachelor.
"We just met yesterday. Have you already forgotten me, Counselor?"
Jerry teased with a light smile.
Of course, he understood why she was shocked.
Style could change fast,
but true confidence—the kind that came from life experience—
was something else entirely.
Jerry's rebirth had gifted him that in spades.
Hearing his voice, Jenny finally confirmed—
this really was her quiet, humble student.
"What brings you here?"
she asked, composing herself.
Jerry smiled and handed over a leave request.
"I need three days off to visit home."
Jenny frowned slightly.
She remembered Jerry's background.
He came from a struggling farming family.
"You're skipping three days... just to help with farm work?"
she asked skeptically.
Jerry pulled the perfect "helpless but dutiful" face.
"Counselor, you know my situation.
If I don't help at home, I might not even afford tuition next semester."
Jenny fell silent.
Right when she was considering approval—
a cold voice interrupted:
"Help at home? Pfft. More like sneaking off to party."
The speaker was a young man with gold-rimmed glasses—
Benjamin, Jenny's boyfriend, and a fellow advisor.
His father was a senior professor at Shenghuadun University.
Jerry's eyes narrowed immediately.
He remembered this piece of trash.
Beneath the polished surface,
Benjamin was a predator.
Jerry had once caught him blackmailing female students—
forcing them into unspeakable things in exchange for their diplomas.
When Jerry witnessed it,
Benjamin had retaliated with a vicious beating and threats.
Jerry had sworn back then:
If I ever rise again, I'll destroy you.
Well—
here was his second chance.
Suppressing his anger,
Jerry activated his new skill:
Cheat Rate Display.
Instantly, glowing data appeared:
[Jenny: Beauty 96, Has a boyfriend, Cheat Rate 5%, Weakness: Loves good food → Cheat Rate 100% if targeted]
Jerry blinked.
Among all the women he'd scanned so far,
Jenny had the lowest starting Cheat Rate.
But thinking about her conservative upbringing and arranged engagement to Benjamin,
it made sense.
He noted her weakness, then turned off the display.
"Counselor, about my leave request..."
Jerry asked again, smiling politely.
Jenny sighed softly.
"Alright, you're approved.
But make sure you return on time."
"Thanks, Counselor!
When I come back, I'll bring you some wax apples from home!"
Jerry grinned, picking up his signed leave form and striding out—
completely ignoring Benjamin.
"Wax apples?"
Jenny blinked.
She'd heard of them—sweet, crisp, juicy—but never tasted one.
For a second, she looked adorably tempted.
Meanwhile, Benjamin sat there, stewing.
That damn bumpkin hadn't even looked at him!
Of course, when facing Jenny again,
Benjamin put his fake gentleman mask back on.
"Xiaoyu, students these days aren't as innocent as we used to be.
That Jerry kid... He's acting way too suspicious."
Jenny just kept working.
"Relax. Anyone willing to bring me fruit can't be that bad,"
she said without looking up.
Benjamin: "..."
Goddamn foodie girlfriend,
he grumbled silently.
After a long train ride and three cramped bus transfers,
Jerry finally returned to his childhood village.
Kao Shan Village—
a tiny, remote settlement surrounded by mountains.
There was only one muddy road leading to the outside world.
Here, even owning a motorcycle was considered a luxury.
Anyone rolling up in a car?
Full village spectacle.
Most families scraped by with farming and fishing,
and the annual income barely touched 10,000 yuan.
By American standards,
it was a poverty-stricken hellhole.
As Jerry trudged along the fields at dusk, villagers started whispering.
"Hey, isn't that Jerry?"
"Yeah, what's he doing back?"
"Did he get kicked outta college?"
"Bet he did."
Typical.
Jerry had long gotten used to their gossip.
When he'd gotten into Shenghuadun University,
rumors spread that he'd cheated on the entrance exam.
The whole village buzzed about it like flies, almost driving his parents mad.
Later, Jerry had realized the ugly truth:
Poor mountains, mean people.
Rustic charm?
An illusion.
What truly thrived here was jealousy.
When he finally reached his home,
his parents hadn't even heard he was coming.
His mom was sitting on a stool, picking vegetables for dinner.
His dad was puffing on a hand-carved pipe.
"Mom, Dad—I'm home."
Seeing his parents again after what felt like a lifetime,
Jerry's eyes misted over.
Their once-familiar figures—alive and well—
hit him right in the heart.
His parents froze mid-motion,
the vegetables and the pipe slipping from their hands.
An hour later, in their dimly lit house,
the table was packed with dishes.
"Son, is there anything else you want?
Mom will whip it up for you,"
his mother said, wiping her hands with a rag, looking at him tenderly.
Jerry smiled bitterly.
"Mom, there's already enough food for an army."
He knew their situation.
This feast must've cost them dearly.
Normally, they'd only eat like this during Lunar New Year.
He gently pushed his mom back into her chair and poured his dad another drink.
"Let's eat before it gets cold, Dad, Mom."
His dad was a man of few words, but his love showed in his quiet glances.
His mom, on the other hand, couldn't help herself.
"Jerry, when I went to buy wine earlier...
I heard people saying you—"
Jerry cut her off:
"Don't listen to them.
School didn't expel me.
I'm just taking a short break and will be back soon."
Both parents visibly relaxed.
Jerry was the pride of the family.
If he got kicked out...
they wouldn't be able to lift their heads again.
But doubt still lingered in their hearts.
Jerry saw it.
No point hiding anything now.
"Mom, Dad—I need to borrow some money,"
he said directly.
Borrow money?
His mom froze, then quickly asked:
"Not enough for living expenses?
How much do you need?"
Jerry shook his head.
"It's not for that.
I've got a plan—a way to make real money.
I just need some startup cash."
His parents fell silent.
They had emptied their savings for his education.
All that was left was a few thousand yuan.
After a long moment,
his mother smiled softly.
"Jerry, your dad and I don't have much.
But if you really need it,
we'll give you everything we have—five thousand yuan."
Because to a parent,
no matter how hard life is,
supporting their child's dreams is always worth it.