Chapter 1: The Golden Meteor

Night had fallen, and neon lights flickered in the city.

Inside a small eatery, Chen Xian waited for his takeout order to be ready. As he waited, he kept an eye on the delivery app, checking for new orders along his route—hoping to claim them together and improve his efficiency.

He was a part-time delivery rider.

Chen Xian was a sophomore at H State Polytechnic University. Every day after class, while his classmates spent their evenings gaming, dating, watching movies, or enjoying delicious food, he went out to earn money by delivering meals.

In his world, there was no place for "games," "romance," or "gourmet food"—because he was poor.

His family relied solely on his father, who worked as a porter for a renovation company, earning a meager living. Not only did his father have to support Chen Xian and his younger sister through school, but he also had to pay for his wife's medical treatment.

His mother, crippled by polio and burdened further by diabetes, could only stay at home, unable to work.

Whenever Chen Xian thought of his father's graying hair, calloused hands, and a face aged far beyond his years, a wave of sorrow would wash over him.

Chen Xian was grown now—he had to help shoulder the burden that weighed so heavily upon his father's back.

"There's an Orionid meteor shower at nine tonight. Let's go watch it after dinner."
"Great! Meteor showers are beautiful. Let's go to the football field on campus—the view is wide open there."
"The news said the shower tonight will be intense, maybe even a meteor storm. It should be spectacular..."

Nearby, several couples chatted excitedly about the coming meteor shower.

A meteor shower?

Chen Xian raised his head slightly, glancing at the smiling faces of the couples. A spark flickered in his eyes.

Meteor showers really were beautiful and awe-inspiring. He had seen one once in middle school—a scene he would never forget.

He wished he could go see one again.

But tonight, there was no time. He had to keep delivering orders, keep earning money.

His diligent and gifted little sister would be applying to university next year. He needed to earn enough this year not only for his own tuition and living expenses, but also to save as much as possible to help her.

He knew all too well that supporting a college student was an enormous burden for a poor family.

But he believed that for children born into poverty, there was only one way to change their fate—through education.

Only knowledge could change destiny.

No matter what, he had to make sure his sister went to college.

This year, his mother’s diabetes had worsened. She needed more insulin, and more money for treatment.

Children without umbrellas must run hard through the rain.

Chen Xian couldn't afford to waste time watching meteor showers. He needed to earn more, to stand alongside his father and help hold the family together.

Soon, the takeout was ready. Chen Xian grabbed the food and jumped onto his electric scooter, hurrying toward his destination, hoping to make a few more deliveries tonight.

Nine o'clock arrived.

Riding his scooter through the neon-lit streets, the cool night breeze blowing against his face, Chen Xian allowed himself a faint smile.

Though life was hard, it hadn’t extinguished his hope for the future.

He believed, one day, things would be better. When he graduated and found a good job, his father could finally rest, and his sister...

"Look, the meteor shower is starting!"
"It's so magnificent!"
"I'm going to make a wish!"

Excited shouts drifted on the night wind from a nearby plaza, reaching Chen Xian’s ears.

He unconsciously squeezed the brakes and looked up at the sky.

This was University Town—the buildings weren't tall, and near the plaza, the view was wide open, giving a clear sight of the high night sky.

Tonight, the weather was perfect. Not a single cloud marred the dome above. One by one, meteors streaked across the heavens, each tracing a brilliant arc of light, falling like rain—dreamlike, almost unreal.

The dazzling spectacle left Chen Xian momentarily spellbound.

In that instant, something strange occurred: amid the meteor shower, a single meteor flared with radiant gold, trailing a long tail as it streaked across the sky—heading straight for Chen Xian.

His eyes widened in shock. He wanted to dodge, but there was no time.

With a quiet hiss, the golden meteor plunged into Chen Xian’s forehead, like a pebble cast into still water, sending ripples of red across his skin.

Strangely, no one else seemed to notice.

He only felt a slight chill on his brow—nothing else.

Still, fear gripped him.

What just entered my mind?
Will it affect me?
Will I need surgery to remove it?
If I need brain surgery, the cost will be unbearable—my already struggling family would collapse!

What should I do...

A rush of thoughts flashed through Chen Xian's mind, leaving him frozen in place.

"Hanhang, come back now!"
"Hanhang, don't run! Watch out for cars!"

Suddenly, two female voices, sharp with panic, pierced his thoughts and jolted him back to reality.

He looked toward the sound and saw two young, beautiful women running toward him in alarm.

One wore a beige business suit and high heels, her figure curvaceous, exuding the allure of a seasoned professional.

The other had her hair in a ponytail, delicate features like a sculpture, dressed simply in a white shirt, light blue jeans, and sneakers—radiating natural beauty and youthful charm.

"That's Zhang Xin!"

Chen Xian recognized the ponytailed woman at a glance—Zhang Xin, one of the four famous beauties of H State Polytechnic.

Why are they so anxious?

Following their gaze, he saw a little girl, as adorable as a porcelain doll, dashing into the busy street. Ahead of her, a fluffy white puppy darted through the traffic.

"Don't run, puppy!"

The little girl called out with a childish lilt, waving her tiny hands as she chased after the puppy, oblivious to the danger.

Chen Xian’s heart leapt in fear.

If no one intervened, the little girl was in grave peril.

He couldn't bear to watch such a lively, innocent life be snuffed out before his eyes.

There was no time to worry about the golden meteor in his mind. He leapt from his scooter and sprang toward the child, acting on instinct.

He was the closest to her.

A horn blared—

Tires screeched—

A large SUV braked hard, its tires smoking as they scraped the asphalt. But the vehicle was too close; it was certain to hit the girl.

Bathed in the SUV’s high beams, the little girl froze, too frightened to move, and burst into tears, like a startled fawn.

"Hanhang!"

Both women, the one in the beige suit and Zhang Xin, felt their hearts plummet into despair, tears streaming down their faces.

Onlookers, too, felt a pang of sorrow for the child.

Everyone believed she was about to lose her life beneath those wheels.

At that critical moment, a figure in yellow darted in front of the car, scooping the girl into his arms in a desperate attempt to evade the SUV. But he was simply too close—the time was too short.

A tremendous crash—

The SUV slammed hard into Chen Xian.