C13 For the Sake of Environmental Protection

Forget it. Whether he believes it or not is his problem. The money is in my hands, and I'll do as I please without worrying about others' opinions.

Wu Ge was about to leave when the restaurant owner reached out to stop him. Wu Ge, already in a foul mood, frowned deeply and glared at the man blocking his path.

"What now?" Wu Ge asked.

"If you're not short on cash, why do you keep picking up trash? It seems like you've noticed that people tend to look down on those who do," the owner inquired.

Wu Ge's face soured at the question, prompting the owner to realize the unintended implications of his words. He chuckled awkwardly, assuring Wu Ge that he meant no disrespect.

Wu Ge then grasped the reason behind the question. He lifted his chin proudly and declared without a hint of doubt, "Why else? Obviously, because I care about protecting the environment."

"I've said it before. There's litter everywhere, like that guy earlier. If we want to improve our living environment, we need to start with small actions, just like I'm doing."

Wu Ge rattled off a string of excuses, brushing off the restaurant owner's question. Yet, the owner didn't feel dismissed; instead, he looked on with even greater admiration, as if he hadn't encountered such a fascinating young man in a long time.

Others nearby began to show their approval, giving Wu Ge a thumbs-up.

"We never expected you to hold such views. We're not even close to your level!" they exclaimed.

Initially, when Wu Ge had walked into the restaurant, they had underestimated him. But now, swayed by his words, they saw him in a new, grander light, feeling somewhat embarrassed about their earlier skepticism.

With a nonchalant wave of his hand, Wu Ge indicated his intention to keep looking for more trash to collect.

It was getting late, so he decided to head back and rest, planning to start again first thing in the morning.

Before he could take a few steps, several people approached him, smiles on their faces.

"Sir, we're truly impressed by what you're doing. We must admit, we fall short in comparison. If you ever need help in the future, please feel free to reach out to us."

They were genuinely warm and friendly, and Wu Ge basked in the comfort of their newfound respect. Before today, he couldn't recall anyone treating him with such courtesy.

Wu Ge was open to meeting new people, accepting business cards from anyone who approached him.

He had initially planned to collect these cards in a bag, hoping to trade them for something, but his plan backfired when it drew the system's attention.

After receiving a warning from the system, Wu Ge reluctantly stopped his collection efforts.

Soon after, everyone else left contentedly, having secured Wu Ge's contact information, which left them particularly pleased.

However, as Wu Ge was about to depart, the restaurant's owner thoughtfully reached out, blocking his path.

Wu Ge paused, looking at him quizzically, before finally voicing his confusion, "Is there a problem? If there's something on your mind, feel free to speak up."

Relieved by Wu Ge's response, Liu Jin relaxed.

He gestured to someone nearby to hand over a card, saying, "This is our restaurant's membership card. You'll receive discounts when dining at any of my establishments."

"Regarding today's incident, I sincerely apologize for the unpleasant experience. We'll cover your meal this time and look forward to welcoming you back in the future."

Liu Jin's exceptional courtesy towards Wu Ge was likely influenced by the scenarios Wu Ge had described earlier. His demeanor was exceedingly respectful.

Pleased, Wu Ge accepted Liu Jin's business card with a nod and strode away confidently.

The day's events made it clear that Liu Jin didn't judge Wu Ge by his appearance.

It seemed Liu Jin was someone worth befriending; Wu Ge could offer his assistance in the future as a gesture of goodwill.

Contemplating this, Wu Ge left the restaurant, while the staff watched Liu Jin in surprise, not expecting him to show such politeness to Wu Ge.

Given Liu Jin's network, it wasn't typical for him to be so gracious without good reason.

They surmised that Wu Ge must have an extraordinary status, especially considering the latest Rolex model he carried. Their respect for him grew, and they respectfully watched as Wu Ge's figure receded into the distance.

Wu Ge had only walked a few steps when he noticed a passerby casually crushing an empty water bottle and tossing it aside. The man seemed to think nothing of littering and continued striding forward with no remorse.

Wu Ge, witnessing this, couldn't help but furrow his brow, although he refrained from commenting. He himself was in need of a bottle, but one as light as this wouldn't do much to satisfy his needs; he had found much more substantial hauls in the past. Still, something was better than nothing. With just a few more steps, Wu Ge scooped up the discarded bottle and placed it into his burlap sack.

The passerby glanced back at Wu Ge, catching sight of his hurried actions. "Ding ~ Mineral water bottle detected. Reward: 200," a notification chimed.

Suppressing a chuckle, the passerby was about to mock Wu Ge, but was abruptly dazzled by the gleam of a Rolex on Wu Ge's wrist. He froze, his eyes glued to the watch, disbelief etched on his face. After a moment, he blurted out, "How is this possible? It's got to be a fake!"

A Rolex was a luxury that even some company executives couldn't afford, and he had ogled at them online until the images were practically burned into his memory. How could he not recognize a Rolex when he saw one?

Yet there was Wu Ge, a mere scrap collector, sporting a Rolex. The passerby couldn't make heads or tails of it, but Wu Ge didn't have the time to concern himself with the man's shock.

As he continued on his way, Wu Ge kept tossing trash into his sack, despite the scornful and contemptuous looks he received. But whenever those looks fell upon the Rolex on his wrist, eyes would widen, and disdain would turn to disbelief.

Wu Ge walked with ease, while the emotions of the onlookers he passed were anything but simple. As the evening set in and the sky grew darker, the streets emptied, and the trash became harder to see. Wu Ge dusted off his clothes, though there was no dust to speak of, and casually hailed a taxi.