To lose weight, Yang Hao dared not consume too many calories, so after eating half a bowl of rice, he had no more.
Xixi, who had already eaten at the kindergarten, let her foodie nature burst forth, happily taking big bites of the meat.
Li Manni watched with a sense of achievement, occasionally picking some fish for the little girl's bowl.
"Brother-in-law, you can go to work with peace of mind later; I can stay home and help Xixi with her homework."
When the meal was nearly finished, Li Manni spoke up.
"Hmm, I'll come back after eight."
"There will still be buses to the school then."
It was only after five now, and Yang Hao decided to go for another three-hour run, which would be just right for digestion.
After a short rest,
Yang Hao changed into his work clothes and went out again.
It was dinner time, and the orders were abundant. With his rich experience, he could manage three orders at once.
He stayed busy like this until almost eight o'clock, when the evening rush had passed.
Beep, a new order was snatched for you.
Just as Yang Hao caught his breath, the Kangaroo takeaway notification sounded again.
He glanced at it; the pickup location was only a few hundred meters from him, at a barbecue restaurant.
Yang Hao started his electric scooter and soon arrived inside the restaurant.
"Is Kangaroo 018 ready?"
Yang Hao called out his order number, asking the server standing behind the counter.
"Wait a bit!"
The server was fiddling with a phone, casually throwing back an answer.
This situation was quite normal, and Yang Hao had no choice but to sit in the waiting area.
"Hao?"
He had just sat down when a familiar voice suddenly rang out.
Yang Hao looked up, slightly startled.
The person calling him was an attractive girl, not exactly beautiful but pleasant to look at, the kind who wears well.
Yang Hao knew this girl all too well; she was Xu Meizhu and had been the manager of Yang Hao's hot pot restaurant. She had started working with him from the opening of his first hot pot restaurant when Xu Meizhu was just 18 years old, a high school dropout who had come to Jiangcheng to work, with her first job being a waitress in Yang Hao's hot pot restaurant.
The smart and hardworking girl had been promoted to manager when Yang Hao opened his second hot pot restaurant, and she had followed him ever since, until the hot pot restaurants closed down last year.
"Meizhu, long time no see."
Seeing his once loyal subordinate, Yang Hao was filled with poignant feelings.
Xu Meizhu had been only 18 when she first arrived in Jiangcheng. Now ten years had passed, and the once naive young girl was no longer youthful; she would be 28 this year.
"Hao, how have you been lately?"
Xu Meizhu sized up Yang Hao with her eyes slightly reddening.
The once spirited boss, the man she had silently admired for many years, had fallen on hard times, and it made her feel sorrowful. She wanted to rush over and give him a hug.
But remembering that Yang Hao was a married man, she suppressed the urge.
"Pretty good, without entrepreneurship, I'm light on my feet."
Yang Hao shrugged with a smile.
Xu Meizhu was about to say more when a waitress came over in a rush: "Manager, there's a customer who wants to return some food."
"Okay, I'll be right there."
Xu Meizhu agreed, then gave Yang Hao an apologetic smile, "Hao, I only came back after New Year. Let's have a meal together some time; we'll contact each other on WeChat."
"Alright, go on with your work."
Yang Hao nodded slightly, thinking that given Xu Meizhu's experience and competence in the catering industry, managing such a small barbecue restaurant was somewhat beneath her abilities.
Back when Yang Hao had five restaurants, she was managing three of them...
"Kangaroo 018 is ready."
At that moment, a server called out to him.
Yang Hao gathered his wandering thoughts, took the packaged takeaway, and left quickly.
Inside the restaurant.
Xu Meizhu finished dealing with a troublesome customer and turned to look at the waiting area, only to find that the familiar figure had disappeared.
She gazed at the spot where the man had just been, feeling somewhat disoriented.
Last year, all of Yang Hao's hotpot restaurants had closed down. Apart from Yang Hao himself, she was probably the saddest.
Initially, she only wanted to work to earn money and stumbled into becoming Yang Hao's employee by chance. Over time, she grew fond of the sunny, capable, and talented boss.
She worked even harder, hoping to gain the boss's appreciation and recognition.
Eventually, Yang Hao did trust and recognize her work ability, promoting her to manager. However, she didn't have the courage to confess her feelings, fearing that a rejection might ruin even the relationship they already had.
Then Li Manshu began to work part-time at the restaurant, and she watched the man she admired get together with Li Manshu, get married, and have children.
Xu Meizhu could only bury her feelings deep in her heart, working diligently, accompanying Yang Hao in another way.
But everything ended last year. She was left without a reason to stay by his side, returned to her hometown heartbroken, and agreed to her mother's matchmaking arrangements. She met a few prospects, but none clicked.
Truth be told, she was aware it might not be about finding mutual interests, but more likely that her heart retained its ties.
Therefore, during the New Year, she returned to Jiangcheng.
"Meizhu, did you know the delivery guy just now?"
While Xu Meizhu was lost in thought, a young female server tapped her arm gently and asked with a smile.
"He's my boss," Xu Meizhu replied offhandedly.
"Ah?"
"Boss?"
The server looked confused, seemingly puzzled about why a boss would be delivering food.
"Oh, my former boss," Xu Meizhu added.
"I see..."
The server laughed, "Meizhu, you must feel secretly thrilled, right? He used to be so imposing, and now he's delivering food!"
"What are you thinking!"
Xu Meizhu knocked on her head, "Not all bosses are like our current one."
"He was very kind to me, and also to the other employees!"
"Huh?"
"So, he was a good boss?" The server was somewhat surprised, having worked as a server for two years, hopping between three different places, and had yet to meet the legendary good boss.
Xu Meizhu smiled, "Anyway, if he opens another restaurant, I'd be willing to work for him again!"
Following that, Xu Meizhu took out her phone, opened WeChat, and looked at her chat with Yang Hao; the last message was sent during the New Year.
She hesitated for a moment, then typed a message and sent it: The environment is gradually improving, waiting for the boss's summons any time!
"Meizhu, he's delivering food now!"
"Do you actually want to join him in delivery?"
The server, who had been eavesdropping, teased her cheerfully.
"If he needs it, I guess it's not out of the question..."
Xu Meizhu spread her hands lightly.
"Huh?"
The server looked slightly stunned, then had a realization, "Meizhu, do you like him??"
Xu Meizhu didn't respond directly but knocked on the server's head again, "Get back to work, always gossiping!"
After finishing the order from the barbecue restaurant, Yang Hao went home for the day.
Today he completed a total of 42 deliveries, making about one hundred and sixty yuan. Including the money given by Wang Xueru, he brought in over two hundred.
Lately, Yang Hao's daily income had been around two to three hundred yuan, a stark contrast to the days when he ran the hotpot restaurant.
Initially, the psychological gap was enormous, but now he was used to it, and his attitude was much more peaceful. Take the encounter with Xu Meizhu for example, if it had happened when he first started delivering, he likely would have exploded mentally, feeling ashamed, and might even have chosen to avoid contact with her.
But now things were different, having experienced the ups and downs of his career and the vicissitudes of life, his inner strength had greatly increased.
The so-called "saving face" is actually the most illusory thing, like a demon in one's heart, or a chasm in a person's spirit.
If you can't overcome it or cross it, you will be controlled by it for your whole life.
Doing things you don't want to do for the sake of pride, saying things you don't want to say, the one who suffers in the end is yourself.
It's exactly what they say: too proud to live, too ashamed to die!
In reality, when you're powerful, you don't need pride to increase your worth, and when you're down on your luck, pretended pride won't bring you a shred of respect.
Beep!
The cell phone suddenly rang, a message from Xu Meizhu via WeChat.
Yang Hao clicked to view it and, seeing what she sent, couldn't help but let the corners of his mouth lift slightly upwards.
Of course, he didn't intend to deliver for a lifetime—it was just a temporary measure. In fact, while delivering, he was also assessing how well each shop was doing, and the process of delivering was for him a form of market research.
Given the chance, he believed he could soar high once again!
When Yang Hao got home, it was just about eight thirty.
Li Manni was sitting on the edge of the bed telling a story to Xixi, holding a storybook in her hands, very absorbed.
Hearing the door open, she turned her head and then made a shushing gesture to Yang Hao.
The little girl lying on the bed could barely keep her eyes open and was about to fall asleep.
Yang Hao nodded slightly and took off his work clothes quietly.
A little while later, Li Manni's story came to an end, and Xixi was sound asleep.
She put down the storybook in her hand and checked the time—it was already eight forty. It would take her about an hour to reach Jiangcheng University by bus, not counting the time it took to walk to the bus station, so she had to leave, or else she wouldn't be able to get into her dorm.
"I'll take you to the bus station."
Yang Hao knew that Li Manni's dormitory building closed at ten, and it was already tight on time for her to leave now.
"No need, just stay with Xixi at home," Li Manni said softly as she shook her head.
"It's okay, she's asleep, and I'll be back soon anyway." Yang Hao casually took a windbreaker off the coat rack and put it on.
"Then let's hurry."
Li Manni didn't refuse any further. The distance from here to the bus stop she needed was about one and a half stops, and walking there would take at least ten minutes.
Downstairs.
Li Manni sat on the back seat of the electric bike, carefully pinching the hem of Yang Hao's coat.
This wasn't her first time riding on Yang Hao's electric bike, but her heart inexplicably sped up by several beats.
It was still quite cold in Jiangcheng at the end of February, and the night wind was chilly. Li Manni's wool coat was not windproof, and riding on the electric bike, she felt a piercing cold, so she subconsciously pressed her body forward, immediately feeling much warmer. Her hand, which had been gripping Yang Hao's coat, turned into an embrace.
Feeling this former sister-in-law lean in, Yang Hao became a bit nervous, especially when a few strands of her hair, blown messy by the wind, fell into his collar, the tender strands gently rubbing against his neck, stirring some rebellious thoughts.
As Li Manni said during dinner, she was about to turn 22, a grown woman!
In truth, Yang Hao had never really seen Li Manni as an adult. In his subconscious, Li Manni was still the high school girl he'd met initially, as though she had not grown up.
But in reality, she was nearly the age he had been when he first met her sister!
Could it be that the in-laws of my life are set in stone?
A ridiculous thought flashed through Yang Hao's mind, and he quickly twisted the throttle harder, using the increase in speed to dispel this unrealistic idea.
Not to mention the awkward relationship between the two of them.
Even just in terms of conditions, it was a complete mismatch: he was 35 years old, divorced with a child, without a car or a house, and in debt by 215,000 yuan!
Li Manni was not yet 22, a talented student from the Department of Journalism at Jiangcheng University, with a figure slender and graceful, beautiful as flowers, currently a reporter for the Jiangcheng Evening News, with a limitless future ahead!
So, from any perspective, they were not suitable for each other.
To have such thoughts for a young girl at my age, that's not appropriate!
Yang Hao silently chided himself in his mind.
The electric scooter soon arrived at the bus station, and coincidentally, the bus Li Manni needed to catch was just pulling in.
"Go ahead quickly!"
"Message me on Weixun when you get to school."
Yang Hao waved to Li Manni.
"Yeah, ride slowly when you go back. Be safe," Li Manni reminded him as she walked onto the bus.
Yang Hao nodded slightly and only after the bus drove away did he start riding his electric scooter home.
When he got home, Xixi was indeed still sound asleep.
This little girl had always been able to eat and sleep well, so Yang Hao wasn't at all worried about her meals or sleep.
After showering in the bathroom, he lay down on the bed, and sleepiness soon overcame him. Before long, Yang Hao also fell asleep.
Ding!
Mission progress reminder.
Host has successfully lost a pound, current weight 191 pounds.
Settlement reward: One hundred thousand yuan.
Yang Hao, who was already in deep sleep, was suddenly awakened by the mechanical notification sound.
He opened his eyes groggily, and Xixi was still sleeping soundly beside him. This little girl's mouth was even moving slightly, as if she were dreaming.
Beep!
The screen of the smartphone on the nightstand lit up. It was a message from the Industrial and Commercial Bank.
Yang Hao opened the text and instantly his sleepiness disappeared.
Just now, his bank account had received a deposit of one hundred thousand yuan.
Yang Hao couldn't believe it and rubbed his eyes. The message was still there.
He opened the Industrial and Commercial Bank app and checked the balance. Sure enough, the bank account that had only 2,658 yuan now showed a balance of 102,658 yuan.
The system actually existed for real!
Yang Hao sat up on the bed, his heartbeat accelerating with excitement.
He had read web novels, but never thought that one day he too would have a game-breaking system like the protagonists in those novels!
But where did this money come from?
Yang Hao quickly checked the transfer information and was even more baffled.
Because the transferor was "Yuanxi Investment Co., Ltd."!
This was the company he created in the game "Monopoly"; Yuanxi was his beloved daughter's formal name.
In other words, this "Yuanxi Investment Co., Ltd." wasn't a company from the real world at all.
But how could a company within the game transfer money to the real world?
Could this company actually exist?
Yang Hao quickly searched online for the name of this company, and was even more dumbfounded.
Because he actually found it!
The company's headquarters was located in Capital City and was an investment subsidiary under Yang Corporation!
Holy shit!
Yang Corporation!!
Is it the same Yang Corporation from my game???
Yang Hao pinched his thigh hard, and the pain made the corners of his mouth twitch severely!
He then rushed to the bathroom, filled the sink with water, and plunged his head into it...
About a minute later, feeling the lack of oxygen, he jerked his head up, splashing water onto the floor.
In the mirror, his face was covered with water, the expression one of panic.
It wasn't a dream!
This damn thing is actually real!!
Kommentar absatzweise anzeigen
Die Absatzkommentarfunktion ist jetzt im Web! Bewegen Sie den Mauszeiger über einen beliebigen Absatz und klicken Sie auf das Symbol, um Ihren Kommentar hinzuzufügen.
Außerdem können Sie es jederzeit in den Einstellungen aus- und einschalten.
ICH HAB ES