Chapter 14

April 9, 2023, Sunday, sunny, 16~26°C.

Tang Song stopped, panting heavily, rested for a while, and took his phone out of his arm pouch.

He checked his exercise route.

A total of 5 kilometers, with an average pace of 6'34″.

A week had passed since he started exercising, and having passed the body's adaptation period, his physical fitness had improved significantly.

He opened the 【Personal Information】 panel.

【Player: Tang Song (25)】

【Role: Jinxiu Trading - Development Engineer】

【Height: 180CM, Weight: 85.5KG】

【Physique: 57, Stamina: 55, Agility: 49, Comprehension: 76】

【Asset Status:】

Balance: 18,294.00 Yuan (Debt: 20,000.00 Yuan)

On an empty stomach, his weight had decreased by another 1kg, and his physique had also increased by 1 point; everything was getting better and better.

Immediately after, Tang Song's eyes lit up.

His charm value had increased by another 1 point at some unknown time!

You have to know, without having his hair styled, he was still sporting a cool bowl cut, which came with a 【Charm -1 buff】.

That is to say, if he changed to a hairstyle that suited him, his charm value would very likely reach 27 points directly!

He was only 3 points away from unlocking the first-stage reward and starting the planned missions!

It must have been the series of events that happened recently, especially crossing the hurdle of Xie Xie Shu Yu, as well as his self-reflection after hearing the news about Secretary Jin, which had improved his mindset and state of mind.

His charm had increased by 1 point as a natural consequence.

After doing a few sets of stretching exercises downstairs, Tang Song returned to his rental apartment in high spirits.

While eating breakfast, he opened Opening Xiaohongshu to check the results.

In just one night, there were over 600 unread messages.

The note he posted last night had attracted quite a bit of attention.

Likes: 412, Comments: 196.

His follower count had risen directly to 276.

After quickly finishing his low-fat milk, Tang Song began to seriously reply to netizens and collect suggestions.

Tang Song: "Thanks for the advice. My skin is indeed very poor, and I have already started to study it seriously and have begun to improve it."

Tang Song: "It might be because I often look down at my phone and computer, causing my neck to subconsciously lean forward. Thanks for the tip; I'll go check out this training method!"

Tang Song: "I plan to change my hairstyle to an American-style forward spike. Wait for me to update the note tonight to see the effect!"

Time passed unknowingly until past 9:00 AM.

＿￠〇

"Buzz, buzz, buzz—" His phone vibrated, and a WeChat message popped up.

【Zhao Zhao Yaqian: "Good morning, Brother! I don't know if I'm disturbing your rest, but your membership card was already processed yesterday afternoon. Remember to come and pick it up when you have time."】

Thinking of her 180cm-tall "wine glass legs" and the 【Betting Agreement】 currently in progress, Tang Song felt a surge of excitement.

He quickly replied: "Alright, thanks for your hard work, Qian Qian. I'll come by at 2:00 PM today to pick it up, and please do a skincare set for me while I'm there (#happy)."

【Zhao Zhao Yaqian: "Got it, Brother! Your card comes with 3 complimentary basic facial treatments and one VIP treatment. Just look for me when you get to the shop!"】

They chatted briefly.

Tang Song exited the chat interface, checked the time, opened a review app, and began looking for a reliable hair salon.

After picking and choosing for a while, he finally chose a high-end chain hair salon 5 kilometers away.

Perhaps because the prices were relatively high, there weren't many people in the shop.

The young Tony responsible for cutting his hair was under 30, didn't talk much, was a bit aloof, and was actually quite handsome.

Tang Song learned his lesson and took out the hairstyle image that the netizen "Damn Minmin" had sent, confirming with the other party repeatedly about the effect and whether it could be done.

Tony scanned it a few times, pinched his hair, and gave an "OK" gesture to him in the mirror: "Absolutely no problem."

Seeing the other party's confident demeanor, Tang Song took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"Swish, swish, swish—" The clippers swept the sides into an American-style fade arc.

"Click, click, click—" The scissors moved constantly, cutting layers into the top.

Twenty-some minutes later.

Tony blow-dried his hair again and began to instruct him on how to style and set it.

Tang Song observed the other party's movements through the mirror while memorizing the steps by heart.

He inserted his fingers into the roots of the hair on top, grabbing a natural, fluffy feel, lifting the tips upward to form the textured look of forward-spiked hair.

He lifted the front bangs upward to increase the three-dimensionality of his facial contours.

He gently grabbed and rubbed the back of his head to make it fluffy, making the head shape appear more three-dimensional and full.

"OK, that's it. Your hair quality isn't great; if you want to reach the target effect, it's best to use matte texture hair clay," Tony gave his final advice.

Tang Song looked at himself in the mirror and once again realized the importance of a hairstyle.

Having lost 9 jin, although there was still quite a bit of fat on his face, under the influence of this fluffy, three-dimensional hairstyle, he looked fresh and stylish, and his attractiveness had moved up a level.

He opened the system interface.

【Charm: 27】

Nice!

Tang Song's eyes revealed unconcealable excitement, and he thanked Tony repeatedly, praising the other party's superb technique.

This made the aloof Tony blush a little, reflecting on whether his attitude just now hadn't been enthusiastic enough.

13:50 PM.

As Tang Song approached Yizi Beauty and Hair Salon, he quickly saw Zhao Zhao Yaqian standing at the entrance.

A small black suit, a white shirt, and flat shoes.

It was still that same appropriate uniform.

Because she was tall, she was very eye-catching standing there.

She wore a formulaic smile on her beautiful face, and her graceful figure attracted the gazes of many passersby.

Perhaps this was also a way for the shop to attract customers.

Seeing Tang Song walking over, Zhao Zhao Yaqian hurriedly stepped forward to receive him, "Brother, good afternoon, welcome to Yizi Beauty and Hair Salon."

"Good afternoon, Qian Qian." Tang Song greeted her with a smile.

"This is your membership card; the balance inside is 2,000 Yuan." Zhao Zhao Yaqian took a golden card out of her pocket and handed it over, "In addition, there are products worth 998 Yuan gifted to you. I'll take you to the product area to pick some out."

"Okay."

Zhao Zhao Yaqian turned around, striding forward with her long legs to lead the way.

A fresh, sweet body scent wafted toward him; her full thighs overlapped as she walked, and her hips, wrapped in thin silk suit trousers, swayed gently.

At this moment, Zhao Zhao Yaqian carried an indescribable allure and sexiness.

Tang Song, walking behind her, took a deep breath; his heart beat faster and faster, and he couldn't take his eyes off her no matter what.

One has to say, this beautician friend of his is truly stunning!

"Brother, this row is all products you can choose from. There are price tags on them; as long as they add up to no more than 998, it's fine." Zhao Zhao Yaqian stopped in front of a shelf and said enthusiastically, "Do you need me to recommend some for you?"

Tang Song moved his gaze away calmly and said, "You can just pick them for me directly; I trust you."

Zhao Zhao Yaqian was stunned for a moment, then a happy smile appeared on her face, "Then I'll help you get a box of hair clay, a set of hair and skin care products, and a facial cleansing device; these are all things you'll find useful."

"Okay, thank you."

After picking out the gifts, Zhao Zhao Yaqian took him to the beauty zone on the west side.

Although the area wasn't large, the equipment was quite complete, and every area was clean and tidy.

Beauty beds, small carts, wall mirrors, ingredient racks, tool kits, lighting equipment, disinfection cabinets...

On the wall near the entrance, there were also quite a few qualification certificates.

It could be considered a mini beauty salon.

Noticing Tang Song's scanning gaze, Zhao Zhao Yaqian explained unnaturally, "Originally there were 3 beauticians, but they resigned for some special reasons. Currently, I'm mainly responsible for it, so you don't have a way to choose a beautician anymore."

"I didn't expect you to be the beauty supervisor of the shop; amazing!" Tang Song saw her embarrassment and made a small joke to ease the atmosphere.

Zhao Zhao Yaqian let out a "pfft" laugh, and the look she gave Tang Song had much less formality.

Recently, she had encountered nothing but frustrating things, and she didn't even have the heart to visit her favorite fried skewer shop.

The trust and tolerance Tang Song showed allowed her tense and exhausted mind to find a moment of relief.

She wiped his face clean with a damp cotton cloth, squeezed out facial cleanser, and gently worked it into a lather in her palms.

She started rubbing from his chin, passing in turn by the corners of his mouth, cheeks, and sides of his nose, circling outward from his eye sockets to soothe the eye area, and rubbing his forehead with her palms...

"This step is deep cleansing, mainly to remove dirt and oil deep in the pores. You don't need to be this troublesome when washing your face daily."

"This is to remove dead skin and blackheads, making the skin smoother and brighter."

Zhao Zhao Yaqian's movements were gentle and skillful, and the touch of her delicate, slender hands was excellent.

Tang Song lay on his back on the soft beauty bed, covered with a clean white blanket, with towels wrapped around his head and shoulders.

Zhao Zhao Yaqian's sweet voice drifted into his ears from time to time.

He felt comfortably drowsy.

I don't know how much time passed, accompanied by a gentle facial massage.

Zhao Zhao Yaqian said softly, "Brother, this VIP facial treatment for you is finished."

Tang Song slowly opened his eyes; the first thing that came into view was Zhao Zhao Yaqian's large work name tag, carrying a charming curve.

He looked at the LED electronic clock on the wall.

Without realizing it, an hour had already passed; it felt like he had taken a nap.

The biggest feeling was that his pores had been cleared, his skin seemed to be breathing, and his face was full of moisture.

He sat up and looked at himself in the vanity mirror.

His face was much cleaner, and there were far fewer blackheads and pimples.

It was as if there was an extra layer on the surface of his skin; it no longer felt rough or oily to the touch, but tender and bouncy.

"Thank you, that was excellent!" Tang Song thanked her sincerely.

He could feel that Zhao Zhao Yaqian had put a lot of heart into the facial treatment she did for him, without the slightest bit of perfunctoriness.

"As long as you're satisfied!" Having received the customer's approval, Zhao Zhao Yaqian showed a big smile, "You can come once a week or every two weeks in the future. For daily care, you also need to pay attention to maintenance at home. If you persist for two or three months, I guarantee your skin will be visibly delicate, fair, and lustrous."

"Okay." Tang Song nodded, clenched his fist, and took the initiative to say, "We can consider ourselves acquaintances now. You don't have to keep using honorifics. Let me introduce myself formally: my name is Tang Song."

Zhao Zhao Yaqian looked at him and smiled, "Alright, then I'll listen to you... I mean, you. My name is Zhao Zhao Yaqian."

Tang Song let out a breath and took a small dark blue box out of his pocket.

He placed it directly in front of her, "I'll definitely need to consult you about skin problems often in the future. I'm a bit thin-skinned, so please accept this small gift; that way, I can bother you on WeChat with peace of mind later."

"This..." Zhao Zhao Yaqian hurriedly declined, "This won't do. You're a member of our shop, and maintaining customer relationships is my job duty. You're welcome to look for me anytime; I guarantee I'll tell you everything I know!"

Tang Song looked at her beautiful face and smiled, "Skin problems have troubled me for a long time, and I've always wanted a beautician friend like you. These earrings aren't expensive; just take it as a gesture of goodwill between friends. Don't refuse."

Hearing the word "friend," Zhao Zhao Yaqian was stunned for a moment, and her face turned slightly red.

She had been working for over half a year and had come into contact with quite a few people.

From Tang Song's previous looks and actions, she could also see some subtle things.

However, she didn't feel much aversion toward this boy; at least he hadn't acted very explicitly, seemed very polite, and was quite respectful toward her.

Especially the series of events that happened recently, which had made her mood very bad.

This suddenly appearing small gift, in a sense, counted as a rare piece of luck and surprise, and was also one of the few rays of light in her dark life, worth cherishing.

After hesitating for a while, Zhao Zhao Yaqian stuck out her pink tongue and whispered, "Then thank you for the gift, Brother Song. You can look for me for any skin problems later."

"It's a deal!" Tang Song pointed to the gift box, "Open it and see if you like it. I happened to see these earrings while out for a walk at noon, and I felt they suited you quite well."

Zhao Zhao Yaqian pursed her lips and gently opened the small box.

The first thing that came into view was a familiar logo: Swarovski.

Below were two exquisite earrings.

A platinum and rose gold color scheme, surrounded by a circle of sparkling crystals.

They were bling-bling and looked very beautiful.

Zhao Zhao Yaqian picked them up in surprise, placed them by her earlobes, and compared them in the vanity mirror.

She beamed with joy, "Thank you, Brother Song, I like them very, very much!"

This style of earring was considered a hit online, priced around 700 Yuan, which was already considered a very expensive accessory for her.

However, that was just her personality; since she had accepted it, there was no need to be coy or pretend to be reserved.

Besides, Brother Song also said they were friends!

One shouldn't feel ashamed about things given between friends, right?

At worst, when her two months' salary arrived, she could just give him a gift of the same value in return.

Immediately after, Tang Song felt a jolt!

A crisp system notification sound rang in his ears.

"Ding! The agreed condition 2 of the 【Betting Agreement】 has been met! The current betting amount has inflated to 150,000.00 Yuan."

150,000! This is 150,000!

He could buy an A-class family sedan, a 20% down payment for a house in his hometown county, or more than a year's salary...

Tang Song took a deep breath, and many thoughts flashed through his mind instantly.

Next, he would use the topic of skincare to get closer to Zhao Zhao Yaqian, while also working hard to lose weight and transform himself.

Judging from the contact over the past two days, Zhao Zhao Yaqian wasn't a complicated girl.

As long as he showed enough excellence and gentleness, it wouldn't be difficult to gain her favor.

Not long after returning to Qingxin Garden, a knock on the door sounded; the 5 classic books he had purchased from JD yesterday had arrived.

The plastic wrap was intact, the printing was clear, and they still carried a faint scent of ink.

Past 3:00 PM, the weather was clear, the temperature was just over 20°C, and it felt extremely comfortable.

Tang Song moved his ergonomic chair to the balcony, turned on the "leisure mode," and half-lay on the back of the chair.

In his ears was the "rustling" sound of the wind blowing through the locust tree leaves, occasionally mixed with clear bird chirps.

He used the high-rise buildings and the blue sky and white clouds as a background and began to read "The Crowd".