After the dinner gathering ended, Sun Dasheng felt, on his way home, that there was something increasingly off about Li Sili, that young girl.
There was a huge problem, but for the life of him, he couldn't figure out what it was.
She hailed from Anhui Province, a thousand miles away from his hometown in Hubei Province, so there was no way they could have crossed paths.
Unable to figure it out, he momentarily let it go and began pondering the system that was changing his fate. The open nature of the system was good, but the process of exploration was incredibly tough. To this day, he still hadn't found a reliable way to generate experience points. Thanks to the system, he had already changed a lot. Li Sili, who had only met him once or twice, could notice the changes in him. If his old acquaintances were to see him now, he would have a hard time explaining the transformations he had undergone. I should find a gym. Working out is the best cosmetic surgery for a man... hmm, that's a good excuse. Even just going to check in and go through the motions would be enough.
He had done that sort of thing plenty of times before. The pile of unused gym memberships in his drawer was proof—he had tossed them in there not long after getting them.
「」
Before heading to the gym, he decided to visit the shopping center first to get himself a new outfit.
As the saying goes, clothes make the man, and the saddle makes the horse. Many people will judge a person's clothes before they judge the person.
Back at the dinner table, the dismissive looks in the young girls' eyes, although not hurtful, had still made him feel slightly uncomfortable.
Now that I have money, I'll spend it on myself instead of on women... Heh, the thought is actually quite exhilarating. When a man gets money, he really should treat himself better!
The shopping centers in Dahu City were glittering and extravagant, a feast for the eyes.
As he walked past the luxury shops, he saw many men carrying bags upon bags, trailing behind women, not a single item inside those bags belonging to them.
Thinking back to not so long ago when he was one of them, he felt a strange sense of temporal displacement, as if fate were truly magical.
He casually strolled through the various luxury stores, swiping his card to purchase anything that caught his eye.
He paid no attention to the prices. It was just buy, buy, buy. In a word: thrilling!
Before he knew it, his hands were full of bags, and he had spent several hundred thousand.
His pockets were also stuffed with countless little notes from the beautiful sales assistants.
"Handsome, you're so manly."
"Handsome, this suit is honored to be worn by you."
"Handsome, add me on WeChat. I'll buy you coffee after work."
"Handsome, my cat at home can do backflips. You should come see sometime."
"Handsome, the drain at my place is clogged. Maybe you could help me clear it out?"
"Handsome, we look forward to welcoming you again."
......
While the sales pitches were all the same, the glances thrown his way were each unique.
He laughed at himself. It seems a man is most handsome the moment he swipes his card.
In the end, he bought a Patek Philippe mechanical watch, model 5160/500G-001, which set him back 1.8 million.
It was a bit expensive, but who could blame him for liking it? With money comes capriciousness.
Back home, he changed into a new set of clothes, and his entire demeanor was instantly transformed.
He exuded the scent of money from head to toe.
It seemed his ex-wife was right about one thing—the only flaw of expensive items is their price; everything else is an advantage.
Once he was ready, he rode his scooter to a gym near the company.
As for whether he would encounter anyone from his company there, he could say with certainty that he would not.
In a company that upheld the 996 schedule as the minimum standard, no one had the energy to hit the gym after work.
"Mr. Sun, welcome! It's a pleasure to have you!"
Sun Dasheng had just stepped through the door when Xiang Yiren, the gym's receptionist, rushed over to greet him.
Her voice was filled with gentleness. This man was one of the company's biggest suckers... scratch that, biggest patrons. He came every year to buy a membership but would disappear after only a few visits. How considerate of him, understanding how hard it is for the company to make money. If every member were like him, the company would have no choice but to get rich. Her commission would be massive, and she wouldn't even have to worry about after-sales service.
"Mr. Sun, would you like to renew your 4,999 platinum VIP annual card from before?"
The gym's heating was turned up high. Today, Xiang Yiren wore a form-fitting cheongsam patterned with blue and white porcelain designs, her hair embellished with a lustrous green jade hairpin. Her hair was parted to frame her face, adding a touch of gentle charm to her appearance.
"I remember you have boxing coaches here, right?" Sun Dasheng asked.
"Indeed we do," she said, her voice turning sweet and enchanting as she described the VIP cards. "If you go for the 9,999 diamond VIP annual card, you'll receive thirty private training sessions as a gift."
"With the gifted sessions, you can choose any trainer you like, as long as they are from our gym."
"Give me a diamond VIP annual card," he said.
Sun Dasheng scanned the code and made the payment.
Xiang Yiren processed the card at the front desk and handed it over. As Sun Dasheng reached out to take it, her bright, clever eyes widened, zeroing in on the watch on his wrist.
She then scanned his attire, realizing he was dressed head to toe in luxury brands.
On the surface, the man's expensive clothes didn't look much different from regular clothing. With no prominent brand logos, an ordinary person who didn't deliberately study luxury goods wouldn't be able to tell.
But Xiang Yiren was no ordinary person. After graduating from high school, her good looks had landed her jobs in numerous luxury boutiques. Her sensitivity to luxury goods was higher than an otaku's for genuine figurines.
The man before her wore an Armani top, Burberry pants, Givenchy shoes, and that Patek Philippe on his wrist was worth over a million. He was clearly a tycoon. Spending a million in cash on a house makes you a well-off member of the middle class. Spending a million in cash on a car makes you a wealthy person with some assets. But for a person to spend a million in cash on a wristwatch... that makes them a magnate. She was instantly filled with regret and a little resentment toward Sun Dasheng. If he was so rich, why had he been so low-key before? Previously, she had just thought of him as a handsome young man. Now, adorned in luxury brands, he had transformed into an incredibly dashing figure.
The smile on her face became increasingly genuine, and with honeyed words, she asked, "Mr. Sun, would you like me to introduce you to a personal fitness trainer? Our gym recently hired a group of beautiful fitness coaches—all with S-shaped figures."
Sun Dasheng was taken aback. Did she just eat a jar of honey? Why the sudden cloying, cutesy voice?
Looking up, he saw a pair of alluring, doe-like eyes gazing at him, so full of adoration they seemed ready to drown him.
"No need for that. Just introduce me to a good boxing coach," he said.
He was only at the gym for show. The system had already improved his body significantly. All he wanted now was to learn some practical combat skills for self-defense.
"Okay, I'll go get a boxing coach for you."
A short while later, she returned with a woman dressed in boxing gear.
However, the expression on the woman's face suggested she was somewhat reluctant.
Xiang Yiren leaned close to the hesitant coach and whispered, "Honestly, you're so stubborn, only willing to train female students. But how many women who come to our gym actually want to learn to box? A lot of them are just here to check in, snap a photo for their Moments, and try to attract rich guys. Seductive vixens, the lot of them. If you keep this up and miss your KPI for several more months, the boss will fire you next month."
"But..."
"But what?" Xiang Yiren cut her off. "That client over there is a super-rich patron. If you teach him well and he's happy enough to give you a small tip, you won't have to worry about rent for a month. I'm only offering this to you because you're my good friend. If the other female trainers found out, they'd be all over him like cats that smell fish."
Xiang Yiren finished speaking, pushed the woman forward, and said with a bright smile, "Mr. Sun, this is the most attentive boxing coach in our gym, perfect for a beginner like you. Rest assured, she's an absolute professional. Her name is Wu Yue. She was on the provincial team and has all her professional certificates, which I can show you."
"That won't be necessary. How are the lessons scheduled?"
Sun Dasheng looked at the female coach. She wasn't particularly tall, just over 1.6 meters, with a slender build. Her muscles were taut, however, and her thighs were thicker than those of the average gym-going woman. She was the type who looked slim in clothes but was toned and muscular underneath, like the fighter Zhang Weili. Her face, however, seemed small and youthful, making her look like a girl of eighteen. The combination of her childlike face and her athletic physique was somewhat incongruous.
Sun Dasheng suddenly recalled an anime he had seen, *100,000 Cold Jokes*, which featured a muscular Barbie-like character named Nezha. Goosebumps crawled up his skin at the memory. Thankfully, this female coach wasn't quite so massively built, or standing next to her would have been incredibly stressful.
The coach, Wu Yue, replied, "It will depend on your schedule, sir. We can arrange two, three, or four sessions a week. I don't have time for more, as I also have several large classes to lead."
Sun Dasheng thought for a moment and said, "Then let's schedule two sessions a week."
"Very well. Please follow me. We'll have a trial session now to assess your current level."