President Jia Requests Your Presence

Lu Yuan focused on the plus sign after True Essence and silently thought, Add one point.

The system's numbers flickered once. Lu Yuan saw his True Essence change from 110/110 to 110/111.

"Looks like the number on the right is the upper limit of my True Essence, and the one on the left is how much I currently have."

As Lu Yuan considered this, he looked up at his Merit Value.

Sure enough, his Merit Value had decreased by 100, leaving him with 1,900.

"The ratio of Merit Value to the True Essence upper limit is one to a hundred. That means, with the Merit Value I have now, I can raise my True Essence limit to 130 ling."

Wouldn't that let me look down on Jia Xuanxuan?"

Remembering Jia Xuanxuan's cold rejection that day, Lu Yuan felt uncomfortable. Though he knew Jia Xuanxuan was a good person, getting slapped in the face really hurt!

"No rush. I'll raise it to 120 ling first and keep the remaining 1,000 merit points in reserve. Who knows what might happen later?"

He acted on the thought at once, staring at the plus sign as before and silently thinking, Add nine points.

Unexpectedly, his True Essence changed to 111/111, while his Merit Value decreased by one, leaving him with 1,899.

Lu Yuan puzzled over it for a while and realized this was another function of the plus sign: replenishing True Essence.

When his True Essence was full, adding points would increase the upper limit. If it wasn't full, adding points would replenish it instead. One merit point could replenish one point of True Essence.

"Add nine points!"

Unwilling to give up, Lu Yuan tried again.

This time, his True Essence successfully changed to 111/120.

"Using Merit Value to restore True Essence feels like such a waste!"

Looking at the 999 Merit Value he had left, Lu Yuan decided not to replenish his True Essence to its full value. Generally speaking, something like this should recover on its own. He would wait until tomorrow morning and see.

The system had given Lu Yuan a great deal of confidence. He stood up and stared at the wall in front of him.

"Let me test this powerful body strengthened by the system!"

Lu Yuan calmed his mind and fiercely slammed a fist into the wall of his home!

That hurts...

Early the next morning, as soon as his alarm rang, Lu Yuan sat bolt upright and checked his True Essence.

Sure enough, it had recovered a little. After a night's sleep, 111/120 had become 114/120.

It recovers so slowly, Lu Yuan thought.

He put it aside for the time being.

According to his plan, there was a good chance he could get his hands on the money for his mother's medical bills today.

But before that, he had to make Xiao Bing's breakfast.

It was the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, so senior-year dogs didn't have to attend classes.

He took shredded meat, century eggs, and rice marinated in oil out of the refrigerator. He had prepared them yesterday morning, just so he could make century egg and pork congee today.

Chopping the century eggs and shredded meat with a clatter, Lu Yuan whistled cheerfully.

During his long career as a chef in his previous life, Lu Yuan had always hated cooking. His superb culinary skills had been nothing more than a means of making a living, and he had never eaten anything he cooked himself.

Now, however, he found that cooking for his family was a joyful thing, and he never tired of it.

When the century egg and pork congee was almost ready, Xiao Bing got up. Yesterday had worn her out; her little face had gone stiff from smiling. Yawning, she wandered into the kitchen as if sleepwalking and wrapped her arms around Lu Yuan's waist.

"Brother, that smells so good! What delicious food is that?"

"Century egg and pork congee... Keep your hands off, it's not ready yet. Go brush your teeth!"

Xiao Bing obediently went to the washbasin, but just then Lu Yuan's phone rang.

"Brother, your phone."

Xiao Bing ran over to get it, but when she saw the name on the caller ID, she covered her mouth in surprise.

"Brother! Big news! Jia Xuanxuan is calling you!"

Hearing that, Lu Yuan's lips curled into a faint, mocking smile.

"Old fox..."

"Brother, what?"

"Nothing. Xiao Bing, answer the phone and tell Jia Xuanxuan I'm busy. Tell her to call back later."

Holding the phone, Xiao Bing asked in disbelief, "Brother, are you sure?

This is Jia Xuanxuan, your goddess, hey!"

"Do it!"

"All right."

Xiao Bing answered the phone:

"Hello, may I ask who's calling?"

"Me? Of course I'm my brother's little sister."

"Looking for my brother? Who are you to be looking for him?"

"Jia Xuanxuan? I've never heard my brother mention you. You're not a scammer, are you?"

"Oh my, oh my, big sister, you've got such a temper! You scared baby to death!"

"My brother's busy right now. Call back later when he's free."

"Bye-bye, Sister Xuanxuan!"

Xiao Bing hung up and waved the phone at Lu Yuan to show she had taken care of it.

Lu Yuan stared, dumbfounded.

Although they had spent little time together, in Lu Yuan's mind, his little sister was a beautiful, adorable, gentle, and kindhearted child, as pure as an angel.

What was with that bitchy act on the phone just now? Her tea art must have reached the max level!

The century egg and pork congee was ready, a great big pot full of it. Lu Yuan ladled out two small bowls and brought them to the table.

The phone rang again. It was Jia Xuanxuan once more.

"Go brush your teeth!" Lu Yuan shooed Xiao Bing away and answered the phone.

Jia Xuanxuan's voice was as cold as the wind on a winter night.

"Lu Yuan, have time to answer the phone now?"

"Haha, I was busy making breakfast just now."

"Your sister is quite cute."

"She really is cute, hahaha!"

There was a moment's silence on the other end. Lu Yuan seemed to hear breathing grow heavier.

After a while, Jia Xuanxuan said, "My dad wants to see you. Could you come over to my house now?"

"Sure. I'll come over after breakfast."

"We'll be waiting."

With that, he hung up.

Lu Yuan smiled, put down the phone, and continued eating his congee.

Xiao Bing came over and asked, "Brother, what did Jia Xuanxuan say to you?"

"Nothing much. Her dad wants to see me."

Xiao Bing was dumbstruck. "No way! You're meeting the parents already?"

"What are you thinking?"

Lu Yuan burst out laughing. "Her dad wants to see me about business."

"Jia Shengnan probably wants to buy out the exclusive rights to sell the zongzi. If nothing unexpected happens, I can get Mom's medical expenses today."

Xiao Bing raised her head and bit her lip. She desperately hoped what her brother said was true, but she also knew that businesspeople usually had little conscience.

"Brother, they wouldn't be that kind, would they? Zongzi are easy to make. Even I know how now."

Lu Yuan smiled faintly. It seemed his little sister was pretty shrewd too.

"Xiao Bing, if it were an ordinary roadside restaurant, the owner definitely wouldn't buy the exclusive rights from me after learning how to make them."

"But the owner of Food Flavor Pavilion is an ambitious big boss. He can't be so unscrupulous in the way he does things."

"Besides, I naturally have something to keep him in check. Don't worry."

Xiao Bing nodded vigorously. She wanted to cry.

Brother and sister silently finished the congee in their bowls.

"Was it good?"

"Mm, especially good. Better than anything I've ever had."

"If you want more, there's still some in the pot. I made a big potful. I might not make it back in time at noon today, so have some more congee. When I get back tonight, I'll make you something delicious."

"Okay."

Lu Yuan got himself ready and was just about to leave.

"No."

Xiao Bing suddenly called out to stop him.

"You can't dress like that for a business meeting."

Lu Yuan looked himself over. He had a short-sleeved shirt on top and sweatpants on the bottom; everything he wore added up to less than a hundred yuan.

A typical poor student's outfit.

"Dad has a suit he wore when he got married. Wait a moment."

Xiao Bing ran to their parents' room and rummaged through the drawers and cupboards, finding a gray suit.

Though old, the clothes were clean and crisp. It seemed they were ironed regularly, even though no one wore them.

Lu Yuan thought Xiao Bing had a point, so he changed into the clothes their father had worn at his wedding. The gray trousers, white shirt, and gray-and-beige blended jacket were more or less the right fit.

He looked at himself in the mirror and could vaguely see a trace of his previous self.

"And this too."

Xiao Bing found a black tie.

Standing on tiptoe, she tied it for her brother. Her hands were a little unpracticed, and it took her several tries to make a knot.

Throughout the process, brother and sister didn't speak. Both knew this trip was of great importance, and neither was in any mood to play around. Whether their mother's life could be saved all depended on this.

"Brother... good luck!"

"Mm. Wait for me to come home."

After a brief goodbye, Lu Yuan walked out of the house.