Millionaire?

Murong Feng had been holed up in his house for four days. The once tidy little place that he and she had kept spotless had turned into a den so messy that an outsider would find it hard to find a place to step. Manuscripts, magazines, newspapers, and empty instant noodle containers were scattered everywhere. After staying awake for three days straight, Murong Feng finally couldn't hold out any longer and collapsed into a deep sleep. This time, he didn't have to fear seeing her in his dreams. In fact, he was so exhausted that he didn't dream at all; he was practically unconscious.

When he woke up, Murong Feng looked around at the room, which was now as squalid as a slum, and let out a startled cry. He frantically began to clean up, but as he was tidying, he suddenly froze, realizing he no longer had to worry about her coming home to complain about the mess...

He casually tossed the magazine in his hand aside and picked up the empty cigarette pack next to his computer, intending to smoke a cigarette, only to find it empty. Muttering under his breath, he flung the empty pack away and got dressed to go out.

At the small shop at the alley entrance, he bought a pack of cigarettes. The shopkeeper handed him a newspaper, saying that the winning numbers for the lottery he had bought a ticket for were published in it. He took it absentmindedly, went home without looking at it, tossed it aside, lit a cigarette, and logged onto his computer to deal with emails. After days of wallowing in despair, he knew he still had to live, and taking on new work was a necessity. After addressing the editors' frustrations over his sudden disappearance, he sent off a few articles he had prepared earlier.

Feeling hungry, he checked the time and saw it was already past 2 PM. Murong Feng smiled wryly to himself. His life was now completely disordered, with no one to regulate it. The pain in his heart was beginning to settle deep within. Despite being a proud man, a few days of complete indulgence had gradually brought his rationality back.

He finally started cleaning the house, gathering the dirty clothes to throw into the washing machine. When he reached into his pocket, he found the lottery ticket he had bought. Remembering the newspaper, he took it and compared the numbers, only to freeze in shock.

"08162223273011," one grand prize winner this time, for a total of 150 million yuan1!

---

Murong Feng couldn't believe his eyes. He rechecked the numbers over and over again, finally confirming he was the winner of the massive jackpot.

Life changed rapidly after this unexpected windfall. Murong Feng, who had been abandoned by his girlfriend and lived in a rented flat, now owned a high-end duplex apartment in the academic district of Beijing, complete with luxurious furnishings and top-of-the-line home theater equipment. He installed a swing and parasol on the rooftop terrace, with iron tables and chairs for smoking and sunbathing.

His passion for movies led him to spend extravagantly on the best home theater system: high-resolution, high-contrast, high-brightness projection equipment, a 70-inch Bang & Olufsen BeoVision 9 plasma TV, and Klipsch Palladium P-39F speakers, known for their unparalleled sound quality. This setup brought him the ultimate entertainment experience he had always dreamed of.

The apartment complex was located in a culturally rich area of Beijing, surrounded by theaters, museums, bookstores, and bars. During their university days, Murong Feng and his girlfriend had often walked these streets hand in hand during winter nights, looking at the myriad lights. He had once vowed to buy a house here for her, but his meager earnings after graduation had made it just a dream. Now, money was no longer an issue, even though she was gone; he could still fulfill that dream.

Cars were naturally a part of any man's dream. Murong Feng, who had already obtained his driver's license in college, had always had a passion for cars. His favorite was the BMW X5. However, after seeing her drive away with that middle-aged man in a BMW, he lost all interest in the brand.

A fan of SUVs, he ultimately decided on a black Mercedes-Benz G55 AMG. This imported SUV had a handsome exterior, similar to the Jeep Wrangler series but with sharper lines. Its 1.8 million yuan2 price tag reflected its high quality and excellent features.

Considering the traffic congestion in Beijing, Murong Feng also bought a silver Audi A4 as his daily driver. He had always admired the brand for its meticulous German engineering and reliability.

In the blink of an eye, Murong Feng had gone from a barely scraping-by, heartbroken man in a rented flat to a wealthy bachelor with a high-end duplex apartment in Beijing's academic district and two luxury cars.

Unfortunately, the joy of spending money ended there.

After buying the house and cars, Murong Feng realized that his lifelong dream of wealth, houses, and cars had been achieved with just 5 million yuan3. For many, this amount represented a lifetime of hard work. Yet, now that he had achieved these dreams so effortlessly, he found that having more money didn't mean much; it was just a number.

Murong Feng recalled a conversation from Jin Yong's novel, "The Legend of the Condor Heroes," between Guo Jing and Genghis Khan:

Guo: "How vast is your territory now, Great Khan?"

Genghis Khan: "From the east to the west, it takes half a year on horseback to cross it!"

Guo: "And how much land does a person occupy after they die?"

Genghis Khan used his whip to mark a small area: "About this much."

Guo: "So, Great Khan, what is the point of conquering such vast lands?"

Genghis Khan was left speechless.

How ironic. Kings and nobles, all become nothing in the end. So many people struggle through life just for a bit of money, which might not even cover the expenses of the wealthy for a few days.

How many people truly understand what they want by the time they leave this world?

Murong Feng murmured to himself, "Nian Nian, do you really know what you want?"

He knew that the primary reason Nian Nian left him was money. He couldn't buy her branded clothes, high-end cosmetics, and various jewelry, which made her feel ashamed. These were the things she valued most in the fashion industry. In her eyes, these material things had far outweighed their relationship.

Thinking about this, Murong Feng felt a sense of relief. Maybe, when love's value has become less than money, it's time to let go. He didn't blame Nian Nian, but he wouldn't look for her again.

That night, Murong Feng moved into his new home. Sitting in the luxuriously decorated study, he admired the panoramic view from the 270-degree floor-to-ceiling windows. The southeast-facing balcony offered a perfect view of the Third Ring Road. He had chosen this top-floor duplex apartment because he loved this balcony. As the city lights came on, the night view of Beijing was splendid and dazzling.

Indeed, the beauty of the scenery depends on your vantage point.

Lighting a cigarette, Murong Feng began to ponder his future.

Honestly, he enjoyed his previous lifestyle. Although his income wasn't high, he had free time to write, immersing himself in the joy of expressing his thoughts. Giving this up would be a shame. Besides, without work, how would he spend all that time? Could he become a wealthy layabout who spent the rest of his life lounging on a pile of money?

Murong Feng smiled, realizing he knew exactly what he wanted to do next.

He wouldn't tell anyone about his newfound wealth and would continue his career as a freelance writer.

With no financial pressure and no girlfriend to regulate him, Murong Feng now had plenty of time to pursue things he had always wanted to do but never had the chance: attending weekly plays at various theaters, listening to classical music concerts, traveling abroad for inspiration. Life had so much to offer. A man of diverse interests, the recent years of family tragedies and work pressures had gradually oppressed him, but now he could finally return to being himself.

Being a millionaire felt pretty good.