"Oh?" Tang Song took out his phone and waved it at Du Shaokai, "Should I ask Director Chen in the group chat right now?"

Hearing this, Du Shaokai's expression fell completely. As the current maintainer, if Tang Song actually did that, it would cause trouble.

In his impression, Tang Song had always been a good-natured, slightly chubby office guy. He lived frugally, spoke gently, and was introverted. Who would have thought he had such a sharp side? Had he lost his mind from dieting?

Du Shaokai bit his lip and lowered his voice, "Old Song, we were classmates. We attended many large lectures together during university. I know you're a techie, a real worker. Our company is about to secure a huge investment and will grow rapidly. Stick with me for a few years, and I can help you get into management. Maybe you don't know, but our VP in charge of channel operations, Li Zhongguo, is my uncle."

Upon hearing this, Tang Song suddenly understood why Chen Yunteng had been so accommodating to Du Shaokai. "How about it? I'm doing this for you too..." Du Shaokai started to speak but quickly shut his mouth, looking straight ahead.

His previously gloomy expression brightened up, and he stood up straight, waving with a bright smile, "Hi Jing, Huihui, good afternoon! Are you out for a walk too?"

"Good afternoon."

Tang Song turned his head and saw two female colleagues approaching. The sweet-looking one was Tian Jing from the HR department, and next to her was Liu Huihui. Tang Song couldn't help but marvel at Tian Jing's skin—it was incredibly fair, almost glowing. With such great skin, he could be called "handsome" too.

As the company's goddess, Tian Jing had a top-notch figure: well-proportioned with a beautiful curve, a slim waist, and long, straight legs. The male colleagues often discussed her, but few dared to pursue her seriously. After all, she drove an Audi A5.

At this moment, Du Shaokai ignored Tang Song and quickly walked over to stand beside the two women. "Jing, I wanted to compliment you this morning. Your outfit today is fantastic; it suits you well!"

"Thanks for the compliment. It’s well deserved," Tian Jing smiled sweetly, making a peace sign.

Today, she wore a carefully chosen outfit: a shirt with a knitted vest, a pleated skirt, and a lotus-colored trench coat. She looked like an anime character, very eye-catching.

Liu Huihui pretended to be angry, "That's not fair! Complimenting only one of us is causing internal strife. Watch out, I might change your attendance record."

"Huihui, you’re fine too."

"I'll get you! Don't run!" This text is hosted at novel✦fire.net

The three laughed and joked together, noticing only later that Tang Song had walked far ahead. Liu Huihui commented, "Tang Song is impressive, losing so much weight without a word. Just his perseverance is commendable."

Du Shaokai chuckled, "Maybe he got rejected by a girl, drank some inspirational chicken soup, and now he’s transforming himself." He emphasized the words "transforming himself," miming a wall-painting motion, making Liu Huihui and Tian Jing burst into laughter.

Tian Jing blinked and glanced at Tang Song's back. She didn't have much impression of this quiet colleague, only remembering him as somewhat chubby. Every Friday afternoon tea, she could see him busy working.

...

At 4:20 PM.

"Ding-dong—" A WeChat notification sounded.

[Zhao Yaqian: "Sorry, I just finished work. Are you free tonight? I know a very tasty skewer place. My treat, okay? (#craving)"]

After a moment of hesitation, Tang Song replied, "Sure, I get off at 6 PM."

[Zhao Yaqian: "Great, I'll wait for you at the shop. See you soon."]

Exiting the chat, Tang Song rubbed his empty stomach, feeling conflicted. Going to a skewer place might mean he loses control and binges, delaying his challenging task. After some thought, he ran to the Lawson convenience store downstairs, buying low-fat milk, a roasted sweet potato, and some skewers to fill his stomach first.

At 6 PM, he closed his computer and clocked out on time. Stepping out of the office building, a cool breeze hit his face, carrying the moist scent of soil. Looking up, he saw gathering dark clouds, signaling an impending spring rain. Fortunately, Yunsheng Plaza was less than ten minutes away. Tang Song bet he wouldn't be unlucky.

Pulling his jacket tighter, he jogged along the street's sidewalk towards Yunsheng Plaza. The sky grew darker, the wind picked up, and pedestrians quickened their pace. A drop of rain hit his forehead, soon followed by more.

"Bad luck!" Tang Song slowed down, sighing as the rain began to fall harder.

"Beep, beep—" A car horn sounded from beside him. A white Honda Civic lowered its window, and Guo Peng leaned out, shouting, "Come on, boy! Get in!"

Tang Song chuckled and climbed in, "Thanks for the rescue, Brother Peng!"

"No problem. Where to? I’ll drop you off."

"Yunsheng Plaza West Gate, that pedestrian street."

"Got it! Let’s go!" Guo Peng shouted, releasing the brake and starting the car. Rain pattered on the windshield, wiped away by the wipers. The car's sound system played a beautiful song.

"All the springs are packed into a single morning

All the unstoppable words turn into secrets behind closed doors

Who will take away this inexplicable feeling?"

"Having a car has its perks—a tool to shelter you from wind and rain. No worries about getting a ride when you dine with a girl," Guo Peng said, patting the steering wheel. "I’ve saved enough for a down payment. Planning to buy a house next month. Even if it's second-hand, a two-bedroom will do. This way, with both a car and a house, I can feel more confident on blind dates."

"Nice. I wish you all the best, Brother Peng. Hope you find a beautiful wife soon."

"Hehe, thanks, Song. You’ll have your day too, soon."

Tang Song looked at the bustling city outside, gently nodding. Guo Peng, already 30, had worked hard to buy a house in Yan City. His efforts were finally paying off. Tang Song used to think that Guo Peng’s current life was his future.

After chatting briefly, they arrived outside Yunsheng Plaza, near Yizi Beauty Salon. Tang Song thanked Guo Peng and got out, running a few steps to shield his hair. He saw the tall figure waiting at the entrance, Zhao Yaqian. Noticing his slightly disheveled state, she quickly opened a rainbow umbrella and hurried over, her flat shoes tapping on the ground.

In the rainy dusk, the pedestrian street lights flickered on, and the evening breeze carried fine rain through the alleys. Some rain bypassed the umbrella, splashing on Zhao Yaqian’s blazer. As she approached, Tang Song heard the clear system notification.

"Ding! You’ve triggered the side quest [My First Car]. Please check the [Task Center] for details."