A Chance In Life

Noah stood outside the small sari-sari store near his house, a hundred pesos clenched tightly in his hand.

If he wanted to change his future, this was the first step, learning how to make money before they truly needed it.

Inside the store, a middle-aged woman stood behind the counter, her eyes scanning Noah with mild curiosity.

"Noah, what do you need?" she asked.

He took a deep breath. "Ate, how much is the wholesale price for Nova and Piattos?"

The woman tilted her head. "Why? Planning something?"

Noah grinned. "I plan to sell at school."

The woman let out a small laugh. "So your actually business-minded, huh…"

She began listing the prices.

> Wholesale Price per Pack:

Nova – ₱5.00 (Retail price: ₱7.00)

Piattos – ₱5.50 (Retail price: ₱8.00)

Noah did the math instantly in his head, thanks to his Beginner's Business Skill.

If he bought 10 packs of Nova and 10 packs of Piattos, he would spend ₱105.00 but could sell them for ₱150.00, earning a net profit of ₱45.00 in just one batch.

It wasn't much, but it was a start.

He handed over the money. "I'll buy ten of each."

The woman nodded and packed the items for him. "GoodGood luck with your business, Noah."

As he left the store, he smirked.

This time, I'll be ahead of everything.

---

Noah arrived at school early the next day, his backpack filled with neatly packed snacks ready for selling.

He found a good spot near the benches, away from the canteen but still where students frequently passed by.

Taking a deep breath, he called out, "Come buy! Cheaper than the canteen!"

At first, things went smoothly. Students were interested in his prices, and by recess, he had already sold half of his stock.

But then

"Noah, that's not allowed."

A voice made him pause. He turned around to see Erwin, one of his classmates, standing there with his arms crossed.

"Why?" Noah asked.

Erwin smirked. "Because I've been selling to our batch for a long time."

Competition.

Noah hadn't expected this. In his past life, he was too preoccupied with his problems to notice what his classmates were doing.

Erwin pulled out a pack of Piattos from his own bag and waved it. "Look at this. I sell it cheaper than you."

Noah frowned. This was bad.

If someone else was already in the business, his chances of success just dropped significantly.

---

Noah wasn't about to back down.

At lunch, he adjusted his strategy. Instead of standing in one place, he went directly to his classmates, offering them his snacks at a discount if they bought in bulk.

It worked for a while.

Until…

"Noah Quinn. Come with me to the faculty room."

His heart sank.

A teacher had noticed.

Inside the faculty room, Mrs. Santos, their adviser, gave him a stern look. "Noah, do you know that selling inside school is not allowed?"

He hadn't thought of that.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am," he said honestly. "I didn't know."

She sighed. "I appreciate your honesty, but rules are rules. From now on, don't sell inside the campus anymore."

This was a disaster.

Not only did he have competition, but now he was banned from selling.

As he left the faculty room, he clenched his fists. What do I do now?

---

Noah sat alone, deep in thought.

In his past life, this was the point where he would've given up.

But not this time.

He reopened his system.

> [SYSTEM TIP] – When faced with obstacles, seek alternatives.

His mind clicked.

If I can't sell inside the school…

His eyes lit up.

I'll sell OUTSIDE.

---

Turning the Tables

The next day, Noah changed his strategy.

Instead of bringing snacks to school, he positioned himself right outside the gates after dismissal.

And it worked.

Students who didn't want to spend too much at the canteen or were still hungry after classes flocked to him.

Erwin couldn't do anything about it.

By the end of the day, Noah had completely sold out.

₱150.00 earned.

₱45.00 profit.

And the best part?

The teachers couldn't stop him anymore.

---

System Notification

> [MISSION COMPLETE]

Earn Your First ₱1,000

Reward: +1 Luck, [Beginner's Negotiation Skill]

Noah grinned.

This was just the beginning.

---

End of Chapter 4

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