A Heartwarming Job

The three laborers' eyes went wide, their mouths gaping wide enough to fit an egg. With a clang, the tools in their hands fell to the floor.

"D-Did I see that right?" The bald man rubbed his eyes hard, his voice trembling. "He really lifted it?"

"Nine hundred kilograms... and he's not even red in the face or out of breath..." the bearded man muttered, as though he had seen a ghost.

The man in gray sucked in a sharp breath, his face written all over with disbelief.

He had worked in this trade for fifteen years. Even the strongest high-level martial arts apprentices he had seen had to strain with all their might to move nine hundred kilograms. Who could do it as easily as Lin Yun?

"Impossible! This is absolutely impossible!"

Zhao Ritian let out a shriek, the smile vanishing from his face without a trace, replaced by utter disbelief.

"He only has 2 points of vitality! How could he possibly lift something weighing nine hundred kilograms? That requires at least 9 points of vitality! Even if he's improved a little recently, there's no way he could gain 7 points in such a short time!"

He shook his head furiously, muttering "Impossible" over and over, utterly unable to accept the fact.

Su Nianhe was stunned as well, but then her eyes instantly lit up, sparkling as if they were filled with stars.

She knew it!

The boy Su Nianhe had liked for ten years was absolutely not the trash everyone claimed he was!

Lin Yun had merely been hiding his true ability, waiting for a chance to stun everyone!

As she looked at Lin Yun's tall, straight back, Su Nianhe's heart began racing of its own accord, and a faint blush spread across her cheeks.

"Hmph, so what if he can lift it?"

Zhao Ritian quickly recovered, forcing out a scoff as he pretended to remain calm. His tone dripped with sourness.

"With his 9 points of vitality, even with his top score in the academic subjects, he can at most get into a second-tier martial academy."

"And what's wrong with a second-tier academy?"

Su Nianhe immediately snapped back, her eyes full of disdain.

"It's still better than certain people, isn't it? The dignified young master of the Zhao Family has cultivated for so many years, yet he can only aim for a second-tier academy. And you still have the nerve to talk about others?"

Zhao Ritian's face instantly turned the color of pig liver. He was so furious that he could not speak.

What he hated most was people bringing up his grades, and Su Nianhe had struck precisely where it hurt.

"Besides, there are still six days until the martial exam." Su Nianhe lifted her chin, speaking with a look of shared pride. "What if Lin Yun breaks through to the Martial Disciple realm in those six days? By then, forget second-tier academies—even the top ten prestigious martial academies in Dragon Nation would be fighting to recruit him."

"Break through to Martial Disciple? Hahahaha!"

Zhao Ritian laughed as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world.

"Nianhe, if Lin Yun can break through to Martial Disciple within six days, I, Zhao Ritian, will take his surname!"

Just then, a steady set of footsteps came from the stairs, and Lin Yun walked down.

Lin Yun had barely sweated at all, and his breathing remained steady, as though he had merely moved a stool.

Su Nianhe immediately ran over, circling Lin Yun once and looking him over from head to toe, her voice brimming with delight.

"Lin Yun, you're incredible! Are you okay? Did you bump into anything? Are you tired?"

As she spoke, she pulled out a tissue and carefully wiped the nonexistent sweat from Lin Yun's forehead.

That cautious manner made Zhao Ritian's eyes turn red.

He had wanted Lin Yun to embarrass himself in public, yet instead Lin Yun had stolen the spotlight in front of Su Nianhe. Now, the way Su Nianhe looked at Lin Yun was even more exaggerated than before!

"I won. It's time for you to fulfill your promise."

It was Lin Yun's words that pulled Zhao Ritian out of his seething jealousy.

"Zhao Ritian, what are you standing there for?"

Su Nianhe turned to look at him as well, her tone icy.

"A bet is a bet. Hurry up and apologize to these three gentlemen, then pay them double wages."

Zhao Ritian gritted his teeth, his face shifting from green to white, hideous beyond measure.

He wanted to go back on his word, but Su Nianhe was watching from the side, while the three laborers were holding back their laughter as they watched him.

If he dared deny it, once word got out, the Zhao Family's young master would lose all face.

"I... I understand!"

He squeezed the words through clenched teeth, then unwillingly bowed to the three laborers. His voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz. "I'm sorry."

"Louder! We can't hear you!" Su Nianhe shouted.

"I'm sorry!"

Zhao Ritian suddenly raised his voice, his face as red as pig liver. He wished he could find a crack in the ground and crawl into it.

The three laborers exchanged glances and smiled. They could not have felt more satisfied.

Su Nianhe looked at him and continued, "Zhao Ritian, I won't make you come all this way for nothing. I'll pay you ten thousand as compensation for your trouble. There are one hundred pieces of equipment in this shipment, and the total delivery fee is one hundred thousand. Double that is two hundred thousand. You pay ninety thousand, and I'll cover the remaining one hundred and ten thousand."

She had calculated it perfectly. She neither owed Zhao Ritian a favor nor allowed him to take even the slightest advantage.

Zhao Ritian trembled with rage, yet he could not say a single word.

He could only grit his teeth, take out his phone, and transfer ninety thousand to Su Nianhe with trembling fingers.

After making the transfer, he could not remain there another moment.

He shot Lin Yun a vicious glare and threw down a threat. "Lin Yun, I'll remember this grudge!"

With that, he turned and ran, fleeing the training room in a sorry state like a dog driven from its home, not even daring to look back.

Watching his retreating figure flee in disarray, the three laborers burst into laughter.

"That was so satisfying!"

"Thank goodness for Lin Yun. Otherwise, not only would we have been scolded by him today, we wouldn't have gotten paid either!"

Su Nianhe smiled at the three laborers. "Gentlemen, how about this? Take Zhao Ritian's ninety thousand and split it among yourselves as compensation for emotional distress. As for whether you want to stay and keep moving equipment or leave, that's entirely up to you."

The three laborers hurriedly waved their hands.

"Miss Su, thirty thousand each is enough!"

"That's right, Miss Su. We won't stay and disturb you and Young Master Lin."

They were not fools. Of course they could tell that Su Nianhe wanted to be alone with Lin Yun. If they stayed, would they not become third wheels?

Su Nianhe was straightforward as well, transferring thirty thousand to each of them.

The man in gray walked over to Lin Yun and solemnly cupped his fists. "Lin Yun, great kindness needs no words of thanks! If there's ever anything you need from the three of us brothers, just say the word!"

"That's right, Lin Yun. If anyone ever dares to bully you, just tell us!"

Lin Yun smiled. "Thank you, uncles. If there's a chance in the future, I'll treat you to drinks."

The three laborers thanked Su Nianhe again before leaving the training room in high spirits.

Only Lin Yun and Su Nianhe remained in the training room.

Su Nianhe turned around and looked at Lin Yun, her eyes sparkling like those of a cunning little fox.

"Lin Yun, shall we move the remaining ninety-nine pieces of equipment together?"

Lin Yun looked at Su Nianhe's expectant gaze and hesitated. "Then how will the pay be calculated?"

"Isn't that simple?" Su Nianhe said with a smile. "We'll compete to see who moves more. I'll count two thousand for every piece you move. How about it?"

The moment Lin Yun heard that, he understood.

Su Nianhe wanted to use the competition as an excuse to keep him company, and she was offering him double pay to preserve his pride.

Warmth stirred faintly in his heart, and a slight smile curved his lips. "Sure. Then you'll have to spend quite a bit today."

"Don't worry, I have plenty of money!" Su Nianhe proudly raised her chin. "But don't go easy on me. I'm very good, you know!"

As she spoke, she walked first to a seven-hundred-kilogram squat rack and effortlessly lifted it.

As Azure City's number one prodigy and a fourth-level Martial Disciple expert, equipment weighing a few hundred kilograms was no different to her than the dumbbells she used in her usual training.

However, so Lin Yun could earn more money without feeling awkward, and to protect his pride as a boy, she deliberately slowed herself down.

Lin Yun saw through her little scheme but did not expose it. He simply began moving the equipment as well.

Sunlight streamed in through the skylight, falling over the two of them and outlining two tall, straight figures.

One was steady and powerful; the other nimble and lively.

What had originally been dull hauling work somehow became warm and pleasant. The hundred machines were moved in just over an hour.