Maine silently devoured the food on his plate in one gulp. He looked up at Xie Sen, his eyes a complex expression. After a moment, his lips curled slightly. "It's delicious, thank you." "
You're so polite," Xie Sen said with a smile, his brows curved, his eyes dark and clear. He glanced at the energy bar above Maine's head and said, "If you like, I can make it for you every day."
A person's energy level ranges from one to ten, with lower energy levels being easier to conquer. The difficulty level refers to reaching the maximum energy level. Even a small gesture of gratitude from a person with a value of ten would yield more energy in return than from a person with a value of one or two.
This was why Xie Sen was so excited to see Maine. Just look, he'd already gained two energy points from just one breakfast.
Personal energy levels refresh daily, and tomorrow morning Maine's energy would be back to 10/10.
Xie Sen looked at Maine expectantly, mentally calculating: If he could gain two energy points every breakfast, he might be able to activate his first plant in five days!
Maine glanced at him in surprise, then lowered his eyes and said, "No need." Then, he raised his gaze, his eyes sharp. "What's your purpose?"
Xie Sen was astonished by the change in his demeanor. In an instant, he had transformed from a handsome prince to a chief knight. Although he was only his peer and quite good-looking, he inexplicably felt a great sense of oppression.
"I just want to be friends with you," Xie Sen said, raising his right hand as if to swear. "I have absolutely no ill intentions." Maine
stared at him. Xie Sen met his gaze with open eyes, his distinct black and white pupils clear of any guilt. Maine's aura subsided, and he stood up, saying, "I don't need friends." He checked the time. "I have an exam in five minutes."
Xie Sen was about to say something when he heard him say that he didn't need friends again, but he understood his meaning instantly and swallowed his words. He quickly said, "I'll fix it right away."
He lowered his head to pick up the remaining fried egg and reached out to clean his plate, just in time to touch Maine's hand.
Maine raised an eyebrow and looked at him: "Are you taking advantage of me on purpose?"
"Cough cough cough..." Xie Sen was chewing a fried egg in his mouth. He choked when he heard his words. He quickly withdrew his hand, tilted his head and covered his mouth with his hands, and coughed violently.
"Drink some water." Maine picked up the water glass on the table and handed it to him.
Xie Sen drank a few sips of water before he slowly recovered. His fair skin was stained with a layer of red, which spread all the way to the side of his neck. He glared at Maine, but his eyes were wet and there was no deterrent at all.
"Don't joke while I'm eating!"
Maine saw his appearance and suddenly felt something in her heart. She didn't respond to him, but said something irrelevant: "You are definitely a female."
Xie Sen was stunned for a moment before he realized that in this world, female = female. Was this person talking about his mother?
He leaped up from his seat as if struck by lightning. "Nonsense! I'm a man, a solid man," he said, flexing his right arm and flexing his muscles. "Male, strong, guaranteed!"
Maine couldn't help but laugh. He was already handsome, and now with that smile, he looked like a rose-covered shower. Xie Sen was stunned. Though he resented the questioning of his masculinity, he couldn't help but exclaim inwardly, "He's so handsome!
This is simply foul!
" Maine, wearing a short-sleeved black T-shirt, smiled as he lifted the sleeve of his right hand, revealing it intact. He then clenched his fist, curled his lips, and looked at Xie Sen with a smile.
Xie Sen looked at his own flat biceps, then at the other man's bulging, clearly strong and powerful muscles, and silently lowered his hand.
To mask his embarrassment, he bent down to stack his plates, holding them in his hands as he stood up. Maine had already straightened his clothes and continued to look at him with a smile.
Xie Sen pouted, "That's just a difference between individuals of my kind. I just lack exercise!"
His predecessor was under immense pressure, and his overall condition was incredibly poor. Naturally, he didn't have a good fitness routine, and his diet wasn't regular, so it was only natural that he wasn't in great shape.
He thought about it and snorted, "Wait until I train hard. I won't be any worse than you... not by much."
His reaction puzzled Maine. "You hate being a female? Your contracted beast may not have awakened, but given your height and looks, it's likely a female."
Females in this context are meant to marry and bear children! Xie Sen's scalp tingled at the thought: "I'm definitely male!"
Maine's gaze slid across his gentle yet endearing face. "You're so sure, it seems you've sensed your contracted beast and it'll probably awaken soon."
Xie Sen hadn't sensed anything, but not wanting to dwell on the idea of him being female, he nodded vaguely and headed to the kitchen with his plate. "I'll take care of it quickly."
When Xie Sen emerged from the kitchen, Maine had already changed into his going-out clothes: a black hooded T-shirt, matching pants and shoes, and a hat perched on his head. He exuded an air of indifference, which only accentuated his handsomeness. Leaving the apartment
, Maine said, "I'm going to school. Where are you going?"
Xie Sen thought about his unfinished job: "I have an exam tomorrow. You go ahead. I'll take a walk."
Maine didn't ask further questions, simply saying, "This place is a bit out of the way. Do you want me to take you to the city center?"
Xie Sen checked the map and saw that it wasn't far from the factory where he'd applied for the job yesterday. It was still in the Anguang District, and there were many factories and shops nearby.
"No, there are plenty of job opportunities here. I'll just take a look around."
Maine nodded, heading to the garage and flying away.
Xie Sen followed the map, walking and hitchhiking, visiting each company to inquire if they were hiring. Starting from the most remote locations and working his way outward, he visited over a dozen. Some rejected him outright, while others offered him interviews, but ultimately, he didn't meet the requirements and was rejected.
A Brant Star diploma is a rigorous and fair assessment of a student's professional and practical skills, serving as the first hurdle for employers.
Finding a job here without a diploma is incredibly difficult.
Xie Sen ate a quick lunch and walked the streets helplessly. He had traversed nearly the entire district that morning and was now at the border between Anguang District and Jinxiu District, the heart of Star City.
"Meow..."
Suddenly, a shrill cat cry echoed from the sky above, right in front of him. Xie Sen jumped, looking over to see a white figure descending from the upper right window, accompanied by a worried cry.
Then, like a phantom, the white figure scurried toward him, its meows emitting a furious whimper. He instinctively stepped over to the wall and positioned himself against it.
He breathed a sigh of relief as the figure passed him. The next moment, it spun around and darted to his feet, nudging his trouser leg repeatedly. "Meow!"
The sound was completely different from before, much softer.
Xie Sen stared at the small creature at his feet. Its eyes were golden on one side, blue on the other, and its body was covered in long white fur. It was stunningly beautiful. He couldn't help but exclaim inwardly, "What a beautiful Persian longhair!"
He squatted down and reached out to rub the cat's head. As it nudged his palm, its meows became softer, even more languid.
"Are you the caregiver?" a gentle, surprised voice called from the front.
"Thank you so much! I was so worried it would get lost," another voice, slightly choked with sobs, also came from the front.
Suddenly, a line of small words appeared before Xie Sen's eyes: Gratitude Energy 1, Total Value 3.
He looked up and saw a man in white and a man in blue standing in front of him.