4: New options

11:55 PM.

Inside a cramped rental room in an old residential area in Yuhong District.

Jiang Ye had just finished a tense and exciting "deep exploration of the aerospace field." At this moment, he was in a state of "Sage Time," devoid of desires and filled with inner peace.

He picked up the cup of cold coffee on the table, took a large gulp, and turned his gaze to the bottom right corner of the screen.

23:55... 23:56... 23:57... His heart beat faster and faster with every tick of the clock.

It's been a year! A whole year!

Do you know how I've spent this past year?

Coming and going through wind and rain every day, watching the Station Master's face, fighting a battle of wits and courage with security guards, and even having to do that damn money grabbing dance!

Tomorrow! In just a few minutes! All of this will become history!

His requirements really weren't high; as long as he could get over 5,000 a month, he'd be satisfied!

Don't look down on this five thousand; with this amount, he'd definitely defeat more than 90% of fresh graduates nationwide!

Jiang Ye just wanted to solve his basic needs first before talking about a well-off life.

Of course, if that mineral water talent popped up again, he could probably leap straight into wealth.

Time crawled second by second in the anxious waiting.

23:58... 23:59... The moment the numbers finally jumped to midnight—

Jiang Ye suddenly sat up straight, held his breath, and looked solemn, welcoming the arrival of this sacred moment.

[Ding! Future Peeking (Single Event Version) has expired. The current talent has been refreshed. Please, host, choose a talent ability for the coming year:]

It's here!

Jiang Ye snapped his eyes shut, sinking his entire mind into his consciousness.

In that illusory space of consciousness, three option boxes emitting different lusters surfaced again, like a skill selection interface in a game.

He looked with great expectation, but the expression on his face instantly turned from joy to astonishment, and the corners of his mouth twitched uncontrollably.

[Option One: Live Stream Heartbeat Tipping System (High-Quality Content Version).]

[For tips given to positive-energy streamers such as knowledge-based streamers, handicraft bloggers, and public welfare sharers within live streaming platforms, you will receive double cashback. However, the cashback amount is limited to further tipping within the platform.]

[Option Two: Persona Cultivation System (Gentleman Version).]

[The system will issue specific gentleman tasks weekly. Completing tasks will grant rewards; reward types are not fixed.]

[Option Three: Consumption Rebate System (Hard-Style Soft Rice Version).]

[Accepting a woman's active and voluntary monetary contribution can result in a 1,000% cashback of the amount into the host's account.]

[Please choose, host. If you need to understand any option in detail, you may ask at any time.]

Jiang Ye: "..."

Silence is tonight's Cambridge.

After being stunned for a full ten seconds, a roar of grief and indignation exploded in his heart:

Damn it!

What the hell are these?!

Where's my mineral water?! Give me back my mineral water! Are you kidding me?!"

After a period of powerless rage, Jiang Ye could only tearfully throw the great dream of becoming the "Mineral Water King" into the trash, forcing himself to calm down and begin analyzing these three "new pits" that looked unreliable no matter how he viewed them.

Option One: Double cashback on live stream tipping.

This kind of thing has been overused in tycoon novels. If he could get this system, he'd only need to worry about whether his kidneys could hold out in the future.

But those two damn limiting conditions—"cashback amount is limited to tipping use" and "only for positive-energy streamers"... Pass!

Besides helping TikTok unify the world, what benefit is there for me?!

A decisive Pass!

The second one, Persona Cultivation System, and it's freaking the Gentleman Version... Jiang Ye frowned; this name sounded like it reeked of something improper.

"System, tell me in detail, what's the style of these 'gentleman tasks'? What kind of rewards can they give?"

The system immediately provided examples:

[Example Task One: During quiet nighttime hours, escort a single female safely for 3,000 meters, maintaining an effective distance within 30 meters, and ensure you do the good deed without leaving a name, remaining undetected by the target throughout. Task Reward: 5,000 Dragon Yuan in cash.]

[Example Task Two: Appreciate 10 pairs of different types of second-hand silk stockings, accurately distinguishing their main materials, feel, and scent. Task Reward: One bottle of high-efficiency pulmonary antibacterial spray.]

[Example Task Three: Successfully apply for a technician position at a massage parlor, and...]

"Stop! Enough! I get it! Thank you!"

Jiang Ye's face was covered in black lines as he listened, and he hurriedly raised his hand to call a halt.

Good grief!

It really is *that* kind of 'gentleman'!

It's phrased so damn euphemistically; 'escorting'—isn't that just stalking?!

And those second-hand silk stockings, why don't you just say 'original flavor' and be done with it?

Oh, how thoughtful, even throwing in pulmonary antibacterial spray. Let me ask you—where the hell would that infection come from?!

With this option, if I can last a month without being invited for tea by the police, it would be thanks to my ancestors' accumulated virtue!

"Sigh..."

Jiang Ye let out a heavy sigh, his gaze moving back to the first option.

"System, uh... my mom has worked as a cleaner in a hotel for over ten years and has accumulated a lot of experience using different types of rags and efficient cleaning techniques. She's always wanted to start a live stream to share this with fellow housewives. Does that count as high-quality..."

[Ding! Detected host's intent to perform related-party tipping. Such behavior will not trigger the double cashback mechanism, and the tipping amount will be considered invalid.]

"Then if I go to work at some positive-energy streamer's company, I..."

[Ding! Detected host's intent to perform utilitarian tipping. Such behavior will not trigger the double cashback mechanism, and the tipping amount will be considered invalid.]

Jiang Ye: "..."

Fine, I get it. Pure public welfare, don't even think about finding loopholes.

In desperation, he could only pin his last hope on Option Three.

"System, introduce the rules of Option Three in detail."

[Core Rule: If the host accepts a woman's active and voluntary material contribution (forms include but are not limited to daily subsidies, holiday gifts, business investment support, etc.), he will receive a 1,000% cash rebate of that amount. The rebate funds have no usage restrictions.]

[Trigger Requirements:]

[1. The woman's comprehensive charm value must be greater than 80 points.]

[2. The spending behavior must stem from appreciation, gratitude, gifting, or emotional expression toward the host. The host must not engage in any solicitation behavior; otherwise, it will be considered a violation and won't trigger the rebate.]

[Special Restriction: To ensure the host maintains the necessary 'gentlemanly' demeanor, at least two 'gentleman tasks' (of the same origin as Option Two) must be completed each month. If the tasks for the month are not completed, the system will be disabled the following month.]

While listening, Jiang Ye reached out expressionlessly, fumbling through the messy table beside him to pull out a copy of "English CET-4 Vocabulary" with a brand-new cover that had clearly barely been flipped through.

He solemnly spread the book on his lap, his finger sliding over the first word.

It's never too late to start learning... Maybe... I should just honestly read books and prepare for the postgraduate entrance exam instead?

Abandon... aband... ab... Damn it!

There are way too many restrictions!

Other people's systems start having meat by the second chapter, and by the fourth chapter, they're already punching rich second-generation heirs and kicking gangsters.

But look at me. Not only did I waste several hundred on lottery tickets, but after waiting a whole year, this is what you show me?!

And why the hell does the third option also have to be bound to 'gentleman tasks'?!

You're just obsessed with those two words 'gentleman,' aren't you?

You're just determined to force me down some weird path, aren't you?!

Jiang Ye roared inwardly, the corners of his mouth twitching as if fitted with a motor.

It took a good while before he managed to suppress the urge to swear and took a few deep breaths.

Reality is skinny, the system is a scam, but life must go on.

Cough, forget the postgraduate exam... He pushed the vocabulary book back to the corner of the table, rested his chin in his hands, and refocused on those three options. With the clear thinking of Sage Time, he began a cost-benefit analysis.

Option One is pure charity, doing favors for others while gaining nothing for himself. Must Pass.

"Option Two... isn't completely impossible to do.

As long as I handle the scale well, like that second-hand silk stocking task; plenty of people sell that stuff online, so it wouldn't be hard to operate.

But... this reward is just too much of a scam.

Get a fungal infection first and then get a spray to treat it? Why not just not do this crappy task in the first place? And who's going to reimburse me for the money spent on stockings?

Hmm... then only Option Three is left.

Getting a great beauty to spend money voluntarily... although the conditions are outrageously harsh, this ten-fold rebate is real. If handled well, I might actually make a lot.

At least in these few short minutes, the clever Jiang Ye had already thought of several "wild paths" that might make money.

For instance, being a male model at a business KTV? Working as a doorman at a star-rated hotel to collect tips? Or simply pretending to be a lost 'little milk dog' at the entrance of a high-end residential area?

Even though there's a charm value threshold, as long as I work hard, I'm bound to run into a few top-tier rich women, right?

Once his mind opened up, Jiang Ye found that if his skin was thick enough and his mind flexible enough, making several thousand or even ten thousand a month seemed... not entirely impossible?

Sigh... who would go into this business if not forced by life... Jiang Ye let out a long, helpless, and bitter sigh and made a decision in his mind: "I choose... the third option."

[Ding! Talent lock successful! Current talent is: Consumption Rebate System (Hard-Style Soft Rice Version) (Valid until November 26, 2026).]

[Current monthly gentleman task has been activated, please check.]

[Task Content: Collect three pieces of clothing worn by different women with a charm value of 85 or higher.]

[Task Completion Time Limit: 30 days.]

[Within the current cycle, remaining task refreshes: 3.]

"..."

Jiang Ye's mouth twitched violently again.

He knew it!

This scammy system would never let him have it easy! A hardcore "grand opening" right after binding?

Worn items are one thing, but where am I supposed to find three beauties with a charm value of 85 or higher?!

Although he didn't know the system's scoring standards, this 85 sounded ridiculously high. It was hard to say if that class beauty who blocked him could even reach this score!

"System, refresh for me..."

He just wanted to shout "Refresh task!" in his head when the system's supplementary prompt followed immediately:

[Friendly Reminder: Based on a comprehensive assessment of the host's current total assets, each gentleman task refresh will consume 300 Dragon Yuan.]

Jiang Ye's words instantly got stuck in his throat.

He picked up his phone, tapped open his WeChat wallet, and looked at the balance of "900.35" on the screen, feeling his vision go dark.

"So..."

A sense of desolation surged in his heart: "If I refresh three times, I'll just go bankrupt and end up sleeping on the streets, right?!"

In the cramped rental room, only Jiang Ye remained, facing the computer screen with a look of utter despair.