6: Fourth settlement

As the elevator doors closed, the girl noticed a paper box in Chen Xiangbei’s hand, from which a faint sound emanated.

Somewhat curious, she asked, “What do you have in that box?”

“Oh, they’re newborn puppies. They can’t bark yet,” Chen Xiangbei replied.

“Wow, you like dogs too! I have dogs at home, and they just had a litter of puppies recently,” the girl exclaimed, surprised.

“I do like them, but I can’t afford to keep them right now. These are for a client; they’re not mine.”

“Ah, which floor are you delivering them to?”

“The 12th floor, the same as yours.” Before he even finished speaking, Chen Xiangbei looked at the lit buttons in the elevator and recalled what the girl had just said, immediately realizing something.

“It couldn’t be yours, could it!?”

“It couldn’t be mine, could it!?”

The two of them spoke in unison.

Seeing this, Chen Xiangbei asked the girl,

“Are you the resident of 1203? And your phone number ends in 6688, right?”

“That’s right, that’s right! It’s me! I sent them to the pet shop for a check-up yesterday and they’re being delivered back today, which is why I left work early. Thank you!” the girl happily replied.

“You’re welcome. Let me help you take them to your door; these little things are quite heavy.”

“Alright!”

Just then, the elevator doors opened. Chen Xiangbei and the girl walked out of the elevator one after another. At the door, he handed the box with the puppies to the girl and said,

“I’ve safely delivered them. My task is complete, so I’ll be going now.”

“Thank you very much. Your service was excellent. I’ll give your boss positive feedback about you.”

The girl thought he was a pet shop employee, so she expressed her gratitude in that way.

Chen Xiangbei didn’t mind. He waved goodbye to the girl and then walked into the elevator.

He returned to the pet shop to settle accounts with the boss.

Today, he completed a total of 11 orders, with an average of about 35 yuan per order, for a total income of 385 yuan.

After receiving the transfer, Chen Xiangbei splurged on a ride-sharing car. He was going to the Guomao Building for a good meal.

Now that he wasn’t so financially strapped, he still wanted to eat something nice, partly because he craved it and partly to treat his younger self.

Chen Xiangbei’s family was quite poor. The money for his college education was cobbled together, so he had never eaten anything particularly good.

The only few times he had a big meal were when Li An and his roommates treated him.

From a young age, the delicious foods he saw on the streets were unrelated to him; he could only watch others eat with longing eyes.

Now that he had money, he wanted to try the delicacies he had seen as a child, curious about what kind of deliciousness would make his friends and classmates praise them endlessly.

The new energy electric car arrived at the drop-off point at Guomao Building, and Chen Xiangbei got out of the car.

He checked the location, found Entrance B, walked straight to the elevator, and went up to the fourth floor.

The entire fourth floor was dedicated to dining, with snacks, milk tea and drinks, private kitchens, and brand-name restaurants.

Chen Xiangbei wanted to eat at a brand-name restaurant today. After walking for a while, he found his desired brand-name restaurant—Jinji Coconut Chicken.

“How many, handsome?” The waiter at the entrance immediately greeted Chen Xiangbei as he approached.

“Just me. Please arrange a quiet small table for me,” Chen Xiangbei replied.

“Certainly, please follow me.”

“There are fewer diners at this table. To order, please scan the QR code on the table. If you need anything, just wave, and I’ll come over.”

“Okay, please bring me a pot of tea. I don’t need anything else for now, thank you.”

Chen Xiangbei began scanning the code to order. He ordered a single-person hotpot, and for additional dishes, he ordered a serving of chicken, a serving of enoki mushrooms, a serving of green vegetables, plus a snack platter.

After ordering, he checked his phone. It was 6 PM, already rush hour for after-work dining, so the number of diners would increase rapidly soon.

Linhai is a super-first-tier city, and countless people eat out every day.

Therefore, restaurant owners here rarely incur losses.

Soon, the waiter brought the soup base, and other dishes followed one after another.

The freshly served dishes still needed to cook, so Chen Xiangbei started with the snack platter, which included crispy fried pork, braised sausages, and sour radishes.

As he ate, the ingredients in the soup cooked. He prepared a bowl of dipping sauce, picked up a piece of chicken, and dipped it.

The tender, smooth chicken, paired with the fresh and fragrant sauce, was incredibly delicious with one bite, leaving an unforgettable aftertaste.

Chen Xiangbei thought that once he achieved financial freedom, he would first help his family pay off all their debts.

Then, he would take his parents to try all sorts of delicious foods. They had never enjoyed life’s comforts, and it was time for them to truly enjoy themselves.

In a short while, Chen Xiangbei had eaten most of the dishes. Boys of his age still had quite a large appetite.

Half an hour later, Chen Xiangbei was full. He paid the bill, which came to 168 yuan.

Then he walked out of the restaurant and took a stroll around Guomao to digest his meal.

He had visited once before with his roommates but hadn't explored much. When he was alone, he didn't have money and didn't want to go out.

Now, he finally had the confidence to properly admire these bustling places.

He arrived at a place specializing in snacks. When he saw the bags of mouth-watering snacks, an intense curiosity made him unable to resist the temptation.

Having rarely eaten snacks as a child, he was still very tempted by these small treats.

Chen Xiangbei picked up a shopping basket and began selecting his favorite snacks. In a short while, it was full to the brim.

He went to the checkout counter.

“Beep… beep… beep.”

“That’s 216.5 yuan in total. Please open your payment code, and I’ll scan it,” the cashier said to Chen Xiangbei after counting the items.

Chen Xiangbei opened his Alipay for payment, and the scan was successful. This was the first time he had bought so many snacks.

He studied finance and had seen many high figures, but he had never been so extravagant.

After leaving the Guomao Building, he took a taxi back to his place.

As soon as he entered the door, he eagerly opened the snack bag, took out a bag of dried mango, tore open the packaging, and took a bite.

“Hmm~ The taste is sweet and refreshing, with a rich but not cloying mango flavor; the sugar content is moderate, and the sweetness is just right, making it endlessly enjoyable.

No wonder those classmates at school always had bags and bags of snacks. It turns out they really taste good and are addictive,” Chen Xiangbei murmured.

...

Unbeknownst to him, it was almost midnight, and Chen Xiangbei eagerly awaited the system’s prompt.

“Ding! The system begins settlement: Host’s daily income +385, average hourly wage 64+, system reward amount +1540, physique +0.03, settlement points +200. Keep up the good work!”

“Bank account 4539 received 1540 yuan at 00:01. Balance: 6140.30.”

“With income over a thousand, my efforts today were not in vain. Tomorrow will be five times the income, and my income will keep getting higher.”

“In a few more days, my daily income will catch up to others’ monthly income. Let’s set a small goal: a daily income of ten thousand,” Chen Xiangbei thought to himself.

Chen Xiangbei turned off his phone alarm, set the air conditioning to 24 degrees, and planned to wake up naturally tomorrow.

High-intensity work every day would be unsustainable; proper work-life balance was necessary for the long term.

Tomorrow, he would do some simpler tasks...