MONEY — Chapter 1: The Boy Who Answered Everything
The afternoon sun spilled through the classroom windows, warming the rows of desks. Most students sat upright, pens moving lazily over notebooks. But at the very back, a boy sat slouched, half-hidden behind another student's shoulder. His eyes weren't on the blackboard — they were fixed on something in his hands.
The teacher's chalk scratched against the board as she finished writing the day's lesson on Jupiter. She turned around, scanning the room, and her gaze stopped on him.
"You," she called out sharply. "What are you doing back there?"
The boy slowly looked up.
"Nothing," he said, voice calm.
"Alright then," the teacher said, folding her arms. "Since you're so relaxed, you can answer some questions."
Her eyes narrowed. "Tell me, how many moons does Jupiter have?"
"Seventy-nine," the boy replied without a pause.
A flicker of surprise crossed her face.
"What is (a + b)²?"
"a² + 2ab + b²."
"What's the capital of Australia?"
"Canberra."
"Who wrote the theory of relativity?"
"Albert Einstein."
"How many continents are there on Earth?"
"Seven."
"What's the chemical symbol for gold?"
"Au."
"How many seconds are in an hour?"
"Three thousand six hundred."
"What's the square root of 144?"
"Twelve."
"Which is the largest ocean in the world?"
"The Pacific Ocean."
"When did World War II end?"
"1945."
One by one, she fired question after question, and one by one, he answered without hesitation. The classroom grew quiet, every student staring. The teacher lowered her chalk slowly, eyes fixed on him. For a moment, she didn't even speak.
When the bell rang, she walked straight to her desk, pulled out her phone, and dialed a number.
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Later that day — Home
The boy returned home to find his parents waiting for him. They had been called by the teacher.
His father stepped forward.
"If you really know so much, then answer this. What's the distance from Earth to the Moon?"
"About 384,400 kilometers," the boy said.
His mother frowned slightly.
"How many players are in a cricket team?"
"Eleven."
"What's the formula for the area of a circle?"
"πr²."
"Who invented the telephone?"
"Alexander Graham Bell."
"What's the freezing point of water in Fahrenheit?"
"Thirty-two degrees."
"How many sides does a hexagon have?"
"Six."
"What's the largest planet in our solar system?"
"Jupiter."
"In which year did India gain independence?"
"1947."
"What's the fastest land animal?"
"The cheetah."
"How many bones are there in the adult human body?"
"Two hundred and six."
His parents exchanged glances, speechless. Then, without another word, they picked up their things and left the house for the evening.
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Evening — Alone
The house was quiet.
The boy's stomach growled — he was hungry.
Searching for something to eat, he noticed an old, dusty book lying on the dining table. The title was printed in thick, faded letters: MONEY.
He pulled out a chair and began flipping through the pages. It wasn't an ordinary book — it was filled with strange strategies, codes, and ideas about building wealth.
The front door creaked open. His friend Vayu stepped in, glancing at the book in his hands.
"Why are you reading this all the time?" Vayu asked.
The boy didn't look up.
"I'm not like others," he said simply.
Vayu said nothing more. After a short pause, he turned and left.
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Night — The Thought
Lying in bed, the boy stared at the ceiling, the moonlight faintly lighting the room.
If I want to be a billionaire… what can I do?
The thought repeated itself, over and over. Not as a dream — but as
a challenge.
His eyes slowly closed, but that question remained.
Somewhere deep down, he already knew… this was only the beginning.
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