The next morning, Zhang Yang woke up early.
He opened his eyes to a spacious room, a soft bed, and golden morning sunlight.
In a word, living in a big house really was great.
Zhang Yang reached for his phone and got ready to check his Xiaohongshu account.
"Why do I have so many more followers?" Zhang Yang exclaimed in surprise. He saw that overnight, his following on Xiaohongshu had skyrocketed, and he'd received loads of private messages.
He opened his latest post to check the comments.
"Did someone possess him? Oh my god?"
"I've looked at it again and again, and I still want to confirm one more time. Is that really you?"
"You're really under 1.8 meters? Why do you look like you're at least 1.85?"
"A complete transformation!"
"I've watched you change step by step. You've gotten slimmer and taller, and you've learned how to dress. Also, has anyone ever told you that you have really beautiful eyes?"
"If you give up, you'll be insulting all of us ordinary people who are passionate about this!"
"There's no such thing as a born male god. What's truly amazing is walking the path of transformation step by step!"
"Still, he really has so much discipline. And behind that discipline are perseverance and courage we never get to see!"
"I'm tearing up!"
"You work hard, take advice, and transform yourself one step at a time. I almost want a boyfriend just like you."
At first, Zhang Yang hadn't felt much, but as he read through the comments, it was as if he were reliving his past—his life up until the age of twenty-five.
Mediocrity shouldn't be cast aside. It should be remembered.
"Shall we keep going, then?"
"I'm really, really looking forward to seeing how far you can go!"
"Girls, we've got hundreds of strategists here. Let's think about what else we can do to help the blogger improve!"
"Build muscle!"
"Same here. It's time to start working out!"
"Work out, work out!"
The comments offered all kinds of suggestions, but there was no doubt that the most popular one was for Zhang Yang to start working out.
They thought working out would give him a better physique, broader shoulders, and a frame that could fill out his clothes. It was also an essential step on the road to becoming a male god.
In short, they all wanted Zhang Yang to start working out.
Ding!
The system has accepted a reasonable suggestion. Task: Build muscle Task requirements: The host must work out consistently for one full calendar month. Task reward one: Based on the results of this month's training, receive a five-year fitness experience book. Task reward two: 10 experience points.
Zhang Yang sat bolt upright in bed.
The system had accepted such a valuable suggestion right away. And the task lasted a whole month.
Whether he slacked off this month was entirely up to him.
After all, one of the rewards—the five-year fitness experience book—depended on how well he trained this month.
What good would a five-year fitness experience book do if he slacked off for a month?
But if he trained hard and trained smart, maximizing the results, that five-year experience book would mean reaching the natural limit of bodybuilding. It meant broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and full, perfectly sculpted muscles.
As for the 10 experience points, that was the highest reward he'd ever received for a single task.
On top of that, working out would serve two purposes: it would help him lower his body fat even more. That meant the long-term task that gave him five experience points every month was practically guaranteed, earning him another five points each month.
He was just 18 experience points away from Level Four.
Reaching Level Four within two months was practically a sure thing. That would mean an income of 50,000 a day!
Zhang Yang felt his excitement ignite.
The only thing he needed to do now was work out and maximize the results over the next month.
With that in mind, the apartment gym wouldn't be enough. Zhang Yang planned to find a high-quality commercial gym, then hire a real professional to create a personalized month-long training plan for him.
The passion he'd felt while losing weight over the course of a month surged back.
After getting up and washing, he did his usual morning workout, then headed to work.
What was his attitude toward work now? It was like those Zhihu questions asking, "What would you do if you won fifty million?" Ninety-nine percent of people said they'd keep working.
That was exactly how he felt now. He was under no pressure at all. Going to work was like playing his way through life.
He happened to run into Bei Wei when he stepped into the elevator that day.
"Morning," he greeted her with a smile.
"Morning, Brother Zhang." Bei Wei smiled shyly, then held out a disposable takeaway container with both hands. "This is for you."
"Xiaolongbao?" Zhang Yang took it. The container was still warm in his hand.
"It's my favorite breakfast place. I brought you some to try." Bei Wei seemed to remember something and took a cup of soy milk out of the bag beside her. "Oh, and soy milk. And a straw."
Zhang Yang felt that eating breakfast twice in one day probably wasn't a good idea, but when he saw the hopeful look in Bei Wei's eyes, he could only accept it.
So what if he ate a little more? He was starting strength training today, after all, so he didn't need to be too strict about his diet.
"Thanks." Zhang Yang held the bag in one hand and casually took Bei Wei's little hand in his other. The movement was so smooth and natural it couldn't have been more effortless.
"Brother Zhang... There are people here." Bei Wei reminded him softly, still a little embarrassed.
Zhang Yang suddenly understood. So, in Bei Wei's mind, they were already having a secret office romance?
"It's fine. There's nobody else here," Zhang Yang said with a smile, holding her slender, delicate hand.
There were other people in the elevator, but they worked for other companies, and neither he nor Bei Wei knew them. He naturally didn't care.
Was dating sweet? It was very sweet.
At least to Zhang Yang, the thought of secretly starting an office romance with Bei Wei—the person everyone would least expect—without anyone in the entire company finding out was thrilling.
Ding!
They'd reached their floor. The two of them let go of each other's hands in perfect unison.
They clocked in and took their seats.
"You never bring breakfast to work. What's gotten into you?" Xiang Youde asked, puzzled.
"Just adding a little variety to life once in a while." Zhang Yang took a bite of the juicy xiaolongbao. The sight made Xiang Youde across from him practically drool.
With the Shihong Group proposal in hand, Zhang Yang didn't have time to sit around. He quickly threw himself into work.
As noon approached, he checked the time and messaged Bei Wei.
Zhang Yang: Want to have lunch together?
Bei Wei: Sure, but there are a lot of people downstairs.
Zhang Yang: It's okay. I'll find somewhere else.
At lunchtime, Zhang Yang and Bei Wei left work at different times to avoid being seen together.
They met at a Hong Kong-style café beneath the neighboring office building.
"Liu and the others kept asking where I was going to eat. Luckily, I managed to bluff my way out of it." Bei Wei patted her chest lightly.
"Same with Old Xiang," Zhang Yang said with a shake of his head and a smile.
They picked up the menu from the table. Each ordered a plate—scrambled egg and char siu rice for one, and salt-baked chicken rice for the other. They also ordered two iced lemon teas. It all came to less than a hundred yuan.
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