April 13, 2023, Thursday, cloudy turning to light rain.

At Jinxiu Commerce Co., Ltd.

"Good morning, everyone!" Guo Peng hummed a tune as he walked into the office, unable to hide his excitement.

"Morning, Brother Peng! I heard you took two days off to buy a car. Did you drive it here today?"

"What kind of car? I didn't see anything on your social media."

This immediately hit Guo Peng's sweet spot. He quickly pulled out his phone and shared the photos he had taken this morning in the group chat. "Hehe, take a look. Is it worth it or not? It's a 2013 Honda Civic, 36,000 yuan on the road. My cousin runs a repair shop; he helped me find this car."

"Looks pretty good, a high-spec model too. Definitely worth it at that price."

"Pearl white, classic color."

"Not bad, a real bargain!"

The tech department employees were all young and frequently discussed cars. Many were knowledgeable, and they started a lively discussion.

Guo Peng grinned, his eyes sparkling. "Automatic transmission, single-owner car, looks brand new! 1.8L engine, three large screens, leather seats, cruise control, multi-function steering wheel..." He described the car's details while sending photos to the group chat.

It was evident that Guo Peng cherished his second-hand car, keeping it clean inside and out. The fragrance, seat covers, cushions, and decorations were all well-arranged, and a red cloth was tied to the rearview mirror.

"Congratulations on the new car, Brother Peng," Tang Song sincerely praised, his eyes a bit envious. He was also interested in cars and had gotten his driver's license during university. However, after graduation, he prioritized saving for a house and didn't even consider a second-hand car, only indulging in window shopping online.

After chatting with his colleagues about his new car, Guo Peng turned and saw Tang Song, his eyes widening in surprise. He rushed over, looking shocked. "Just a few days without seeing you, and you've changed so much! You’ve lost weight and got a new hairstyle! Wow, you look a bit handsome!"

It was Thursday, and Guo Peng had taken three days off, plus the weekend, so it had been about five or six days since he last saw Tang Song. The changes were noticeable. The puffiness on Tang Song’s face was gone, his double chin had diminished, and his belly was much flatter. His overall physique was slimmer, and with clean skin and a new hairstyle, he indeed looked more attractive.

"Want me to share my plan? It’s actually not that hard," Tang Song winked at Guo Peng.

"No, no, no, I can't be as disciplined as you! Three low-fat meals a day, stair climbing, running, skipping rope, and fat-burning workouts every day." Guo Peng waved his hands, declining.

Tang Song couldn’t help but smile. The person most aware of one’s changes is oneself. After the adjustment period, his weight loss routine had become smooth and systematic. His daily schedule, diet, exercise, and reading were all meticulously followed, pushing him relentlessly towards his goal. Currently, his weight was down to 82.5 kg, a loss of 7.5 kg (15 jin). To put that into perspective, converting it to pork, it would last a long time.

He opened the system interface.

[Charisma: 28]

Improved physical fitness and weight loss had raised his charisma by another point. He was now just two points away from unlocking the first-stage reward.

Entering the Task Center, he checked the progress of his task.

[Challenge Task: Restraint and Perseverance]

[Task Content: Obesity greatly burdens the body and increases the risk of various diseases. Challenge: Lose 9 kilograms in 20 days to return to a normal weight range.]

*[Task Reward: Lung Strengthening Potion 1]

[Task Progress: ░░░░░░░83% (8 days remaining)]

At the current pace, he would complete the task in about two days, receiving the long-awaited Lung Strengthening Potion. His charisma would surely increase further, making the 30-point target within reach.

Tang Song took a deep breath, trying to calm his excitement.

...

After lunch, Tang Song went downstairs for his usual post-meal walk around Linjin Building. His mind was still processing the skincare tutorial Zhao Yaqian had sent yesterday. Skincare was his next major transformation project after successfully losing weight, besides fitness and shaping. While netizens had given suggestions, implementing them was complex and required help.

Thinking of this, Tang Song took out his phone and sent Zhao Yaqian a message: "Qian Qian, are you free tonight? I’d like to treat you to dinner and ask about exfoliation."

He put his phone away and suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning, he saw his colleague Du Shaokai, who draped an arm around his shoulders, "Old Song, I knew I'd find you here. Got a minute? Let's chat." Content originally comes from novelꜰire.net

"Go ahead," Tang Song replied, frowning slightly, his expression neutral.

When Tang Song first joined the company, he had a good impression of Du Shaokai. Both were 2020 graduates from Yan City University of Science and Technology, though from different departments. Du Shaokai was handsome and friendly, occasionally treating Tang Song to meals, which earned his goodwill. Tang Song had helped him with work frequently, sharing knowledge about the SCM system’s architecture and data structure without reservation.

Unexpectedly, Du Shaokai backstabbed him, taking over the project’s maintenance. Despite Director Chen’s explanation of team efficiency, Tang Song didn't believe it. In the workplace, being part of core, profitable projects was crucial for job security, and the new SCM system was undoubtedly such a project.

Du Shaokai shrugged, smiling, "HR wants to add a new module to the SCM system. I’ve been swamped lately. I'll send you the requirement document later; see if you can spare some time to work on it."

Tang Song stopped walking, amused, "Do you think that’s appropriate?"

Du Shaokai, unfazed, smiled, "With your skills, it’s just a weekend of overtime. I think it’s quite appropriate."

Hearing this, Tang Song instantly understood Du Shaokai's intentions. Du Shaokai, who had only handled a few corporate sites since graduation, was not skilled. If he were to develop a new SCM module, it would take at least a month. But for Tang Song, it would take no more than a week. To Du Shaokai, Tang Song was the perfect tool for the job.

"I’ll treat you to a massage at Yunxianju. I bet you’ve never been to such a place. Guaranteed to make you feel great, with your choice of masseuse," Du Shaokai added, raising an eyebrow.

"Heh," Tang Song twisted away, taking a few steps forward to shake off Du Shaokai's arm. "I’m busy."

Du Shaokai’s expression stiffened, his tone cooling slightly. "Old Song, you can set aside other tasks. This project is the top priority, and Director Chen agrees."

Ignoring him, Tang Song continued walking, his back straight, determined to focus on his transformation journey and avoid being used again.