It was early evening when Ethan Holt went out jogging in the park.
The setting sun painted everything in a warm, golden hue. His figure moving against the backdrop of the sunset looked especially striking.
Ethan had his earbuds in, syncing his pace to the beat of the music.
"Ding. Suitable host detected. Binding Philanthropic Tycoon System... Binding complete."
A sudden voice echoed in his mind, causing Ethan to stop in surprise.
He pulled out one earbud and tapped it a few times.
“Did these things just glitch?” he muttered, frowning, then shrugged and was about to resume jogging.
Clang.
Something clattered beside his foot.
He looked down and spotted an empty soda can.
“Seriously? Who just dumps trash wherever they want?”
There was a trash bin just a few feet away.
The can lay right next to it. Clearly someone had thrown it, missed, and couldn’t be bothered to pick it up.
How hard is it to take two steps and toss it properly?
Shaking his head, Ethan crouched down, picked up the can, and tossed it into the trash bin.
"Ding. You've picked up a soda can. Reward: 100,000 RMB."
What?
Ethan froze. Again, he gave his earbuds a suspicious tap. “Okay, these definitely need replacing.”
Before he could finish that thought, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and glanced at a new message.
“ICBC account... received 100,000 RMB.”
Goosebumps shot across his arms.
“No way! This can’t be real. Am I getting lucky or something?”
Overwhelmed with excitement, he called out in his mind, “Uh, system? You there? Let’s have a chat, yeah?”
“Right here, dear host,” the voice answered.
“What’s going on? What exactly do you do?” Ethan quickly asked.
“Reporting to host: I’m the Philanthropic Tycoon System. In short, do good things, earn cash. The more you do, the more you earn!”
Earn money for being a good person?
Ethan’s eyes lit up.
Just now he’d made a hundred grand—just for chucking a tossed-away can properly.
So… anything that benefits society counts?
Sensing his question, the system clarified, “Correct. Whether it’s throwing away trash, cleaning the streets, or any form of public good—it all qualifies for rewards.”
That… sounded almost too easy.
As the thought settled in, Ethan slowed to a walk, mind whirring.
“…Whoa!”A sudden shriek rang out nearby, and someone stumbled right in Ethan Holt’s direction. Without thinking, he reached out and caught the person just in time—if he hadn’t, they would’ve hit the ground hard.
A light floral scent lingered in the air, and his hands brushed against something soft. That’s when Ethan realized… it was a girl.
“T-Thank you, senior,” the girl stammered, cheeks flushed bright red. She quickly backed away, hanging her head, but kept sneaking glances at him from under her lashes.
Her heartbeat practically echoed with nerves.
Not surprising though—Ethan was the campus heartthrob. Six feet tall, fair-skinned, ridiculously handsome. He had a long list of secret admirers.
Girls often faked “accidental” encounters, waiting for him outside classrooms or school gates.
This time, Ethan couldn’t help wondering if it was another one of those “setups.”
He smiled warmly. “No worries. Just watch your step next time you run,” he said, his voice as gentle as sunshine.
“Mm-hmm.” She nodded hurriedly, bolted off in embarrassment, her ears burning red.
Ethan let out a helpless sigh and shook his head.
Even in his final year, his so-called charm wasn’t showing any signs of calming down. Whether it was freshmen or seniors, they all seemed to fall for his looks.
Being too good-looking could be a real hassle sometimes.
“Ding! You helped a fellow student—reward: ¥200,000.”
Ethan froze mid-step. Wait, that counts as a good deed?
Then came the system’s reply: “Dear host, all acts of kindness qualify. No matter the size, every good deed is rewarded.”
Awesome.
In just a couple of minutes, he was already 300K richer! That’s insane!
Ethan came from a regular middle-class family. His parents worked hard all year just to make thirty grand. Yet, with just two small actions—picking up a can and helping someone stay on their feet—he’d earned what his whole household made in a year.
That’s nuts.
His eyes drifted to the chaotic pile of bikes near the edge of the track. Many were thrown there carelessly, blocking the path for others.
Without hesitation, Ethan walked over.
“Ding—bike repositioned, reward: ¥100,000.”
“Ding—bike repositioned, reward: ¥100,000.”
“Ding—bike repositioned, reward: ¥100,000.”
“Ding—bike repositioned, reward: ¥100,000.”
…