Chapter 45: You Really Deserve to Die
Chapter 45: Chapter 45: You Really Deserve to Die
[Task - Return to Health: Progress increased by -1%]
[Task - Return to Health: Progress increased by 5%]
[Task - Return to Health: Progress increased by 3%]
[Current Task Progress: 75%]
Xia Xiqing didn’t seem to jog every morning. Zhang Yan didn’t run into her today, and when he indirectly asked about it, he only received a vague answer.
Evening Breeze Xi Xi: "Work."
Zhang Yan didn’t know what kind of work required starting so early. Besides, given Xia Xiqing’s family background, she shouldn’t have any need to work part-time jobs. He could only deduce that it was related to her personal hobbies. After all, those involved in the arts always had their quirks.
Take Brother Gan, for example. What he excelled at most was figure painting. From Zhang Yan’s layman perspective, the figures he painted looked as if they were alive. Because of this, Brother Gan frequently needed to go out to "gather inspiration." Of course, Zhang Yan later found out that Brother Gan’s inspiration-gathering locations weren’t exactly proper, though they did provide the most direct view of the human body.
Over at the Provincial Library, Zhang Yan’s luck didn’t seem to be that great either. He still hadn’t "accidentally" bumped into that legendary beauty. The good news, however, was that without any interruptions, he finished reading two books in one sitting this time.
"Women will only affect my reading speed!" he mused.
*Ragtag Army* [Comprehended]: This book taught him to think rationally, recognize manipulation, and guard against herd mentality.
*Meditations* [Comprehended]: This book made his inner self a bit stronger, establishing a value system of living in the present.
Both books were written in highly accessible language and had the lowest word counts, sitting at only around a hundred thousand words each. In his peak state, his reading speed was just over three hundred thousand words an hour. However, factoring in the time needed to interpret the content of both books, he finished right around the one-hour mark.
[Task - Improve Cognition: Current Progress 100% (Requires another 100% progress for the next tier reward)]
"There are hidden additional rewards? I did think a task limit of 400% seemed too simple at first," Zhang Yan muttered.
However, good things came in pairs today, and his harvest was far from over.
[DING]
[Aura Score (72/100): Obtained progress rate of 28.8%]
[Task - Improve Appearance: Current Progress 100% (Requires another 10% progress for the next tier reward)]
As the saying went, reading enriched one’s soul and refined one’s aura. His continuous intake of knowledge over the past period had invisibly bumped up Zhang Yan’s Aura Score a little, finally raising the overall progress from 99% to 100%!
For the three categories—[Image Score], [Outfit Score], and [Aura Score]—it was basically very difficult for him to make further improvements. The Aura Score seemed to have a lot of room for growth, but it was also the hardest to improve. Even when his Image and Outfit Scores significantly increased, his Aura Score only went up by 3 points. Having read for so long, coupled with the fact that he was a recent graduate who still carried a bit of a scholarly vibe, he only gained 1 additional point. Therefore, reaching the 110% progress required for the next stage was practically impossible.
Although Zhang Yan was very interested in the hidden rewards, he was never one to be overly strict with himself.
[Task - Improve Appearance (Completed)]
[Reimbursed Expenses: 294,810 yuan]
[Searching for suitable rewards...]
[Obtained Basic Reward: One Patek Philippe Full Gold Nautilus 5711R Watch (Reward will be issued within 72 hours)]
After smartphones became widespread, fewer and fewer young people wore watches. Zhang Yan belonged to the type who didn’t like wearing them at all. He completely failed to see the point of wearing one. It was uncomfortable, he had to worry about bumping and scratching it, and it constantly needed to be recalibrated. A smartphone solved all of those problems!
But since it was given for free by Brother Tongzi, it would be a waste not to take it. The only pity was that his Outfit Score hadn’t ultimately broken the 90-point mark. He only managed to reach the freebie threshold without successfully fleecing Brother Tongzi for more.
Styling his hair in front of the mirror, Zhang Yan prepared to head out. Today was the day to surprise his junior.
Given that his junior had waited far in advance last time, Zhang Yan deliberately arrived at the agreed location twenty minutes early. However, she was still already there waiting for him. Zhang Yan shook his head. Who knew how long this girl had been waiting again? Next time, he would have to go straight downstairs to her place to pick her up.
Seeing that his junior was looking in another direction, Zhang Yan wanted to go over and tease her. Without making a sound, he softened his footsteps as much as possible and approached her. Yet, the moment he got close, as if sensing something, she suddenly turned her head.
"Zhang Yan! When did you get here!" Her smile was like a blooming flower in midsummer, incredibly bright and radiant.
"How did you know I was here? I was planning to sneak up on you," he said.
"Um... I just felt that you were here, and when I turned around, you really were!"
Perhaps the "scent" on his body had alerted her. Who knows, maybe he was her chosen partner on a genetic level, Zhang Yan analyzed, instantly applying the knowledge he had just learned.
"You must be hungry. I’ll take you to eat."
"Yeah, a little bit. You fed me so much the last few times that I haven’t eaten breakfast for the past few days just to balance my calorie intake. Otherwise, the Small Waist you like so much will lose its shape~"
"Just keeping reasonably fit is enough; don’t be so hard on yourself. I’d still like you even if you gained weight." Zhang Yan walked over and smoothly wrapped his arm around the Small Waist that exclusively belonged to him. It felt smooth and elastic against his palm.
"Zhang Yan, let me treat you today, okay? You’re always buying me this and that, and I’m starting to feel bad."
"Didn’t you pay for the movies last time? How did you forget? It’s only right that it’s my turn to treat you again."
"How much are movie tickets anyway? Compared to what you bought me..."
Zhang Yan sealed her lips with a quick kiss before smiling. "How can you measure it with money? When we watched that movie, I got to taste many precious and utterly unique things."
Perhaps because of that fleeting kiss in broad daylight, or maybe because she recalled the little moments he had just mentioned, her ears turned a bit red.
"Zhang Yan, whether you believe it or not, before you, I had never even held hands with a boy. And those other things... they were all my first time."
"Of course I believe you."
Hearing that he trusted her, she looked very happy. "Zhang Yan, then let’s not eat anywhere so expensive this time. You’ve spoiled me so much that I almost can’t stomach ordinary food anymore."
Looking at her slightly coquettish expression, Zhang Yan couldn’t resist stealing another "appetizer" kiss. "Alright, whatever you say. We’ll go somewhere cheaper this time."
Zhang Yan led his junior into the French restaurant he had just visited yesterday. Might as well present a borrowed gift, after all. He heard that girls really liked Western food, and this place also perfectly met her request. Compared to Guanye Street where they had eaten on their first date, this restaurant was indeed much cheaper.
Coincidentally, the moment they walked in, the waiter who received him was the same young man from yesterday. The waiter silently glanced at Zhang Yan and the "new girl" half-embraced in his arms, secretly gritting his teeth.
He thought, "You really deserve to die!"