Chapter 38: The Machine Spirit is Pleased

"Isn't this just asking for humiliation? If he stays quiet, you call him shallow; if he speaks up, Eldest Miss Yuan has another meltdown. It's a real headache."

Then, Eldest Miss Yuan announced on the spot that she was withdrawing from the "Yongjie Trident." She claimed that without her as the blade, the other two were just sticks—plain, solitary sticks.

In response, neither Lin Mo nor Zhang Wei showed a shred of regret; their eyes held nothing but a craving for food.

After finishing their meal, the three went their separate ways. Since they hadn't gone to the internet cafe for a three-man squad after work, it was still broad daylight when they returned.

Just as he entered the entrance of his residential complex, Lin Mo spotted "Great Emperor He Qiang" secretly making a phone call at the back gate of his neighborhood. His face bore the distinct marks of five finger prints, and his voice was thick with tears

"Mom, I need to discuss something with you. No, I'm not returning it. I just wanted to say, if it really doesn't work out, could you please take her back to your place for a couple of days?

Yeah, that's right, I got beaten up again.

She's been beating me every day these past two days. I just like fishing, I'm not out soliciting! Every time, she hits me with my own fishing rod, like she's playing Whac-A-Mole.

I'm covered in bruises right now, and I even handed over all the 600 yuan I'd been secretly saving.

Yeah, please take her back for a few days, Mom, I can't hold out much longer!

Sigh, okay! Thanks, Mom. I'll wait for your news. Hurry up, ideally, come today."

Hanging up the phone, He Qiang turned around only to see Lin Mo watching him from not far away with a look of pure sympathy. His already flushed face turned even redder.

"Ahem, you're back!"

"Yeah. Brother Qiang, are you alright?" Lin Mo responded somewhat awkwardly.

It had to be said that despite the simplicity of the conversation, it contained a wealth of information. No need to ask—he had clearly been beaten by his wife.

Lately, Lin Mo had been dancing on the edge of her trigeminal nerve quite a bit. No matter how high and mighty he acted while fishing, his life at home was unpredictable.

"Ha, what could possibly be wrong with me? I go fishing after work, and I have a hot meal waiting when I get home. At home, my word is law." Emperor He Qiang was a man who refused to be inferior to anyone; the only thing about him that was truly hard was his mouth.

Lin Mo simply nodded with a smile. Since the man wouldn't speak of it, he wouldn't pry. Their relationship hadn't reached that level; they were merely acquaintances.

As they passed each other, Lin Mo hadn't walked far before he faintly heard the roar of He Qiang's wife.

"Fine! You actually dared to call your mother to complain about me? He Qiang, you've really grown a spine, haven't you? If you come home tonight, I'm changing my surname to yours!"

Lin Mo: "..."

For a man like He Qiang—middle-aged, with a wife, a child, and a small supermarket to run—life was already quite complete.

Old Wang, his mentor at the company, once said something very well

'Everyone looks down on me, and I'm just as disappointing; no one helps me reach the clouds, and I can't climb up myself; everyone laughs at me, and I'm the funniest of all; if I had even a shred of ability, I wouldn't be this useless. Rather than forcing myself, it's better to let myself go.'

It sounded like nonsense, but it actually was nonsense.

However, it perfectly reflected the attitude of many men in their thirties: why bother struggling? This is just how I am; as long as I'm happy, it's fine.

If they were still unmarried, life would be absolute bliss.

Upon returning home, since Eldest Miss Yuan had been quite infuriated today, she certainly wouldn't be logging into games. Lin Mo simply categorized his belongings and did some cleaning, lest things become chaotic on the day she actually moved out.

On the other side, Liu Ruyan was on a video call with Su He at home.

"Wow, your skin has improved even more noticeably than mine!"

"That's because you were already fairer than me! My brother's stuff is really effective; I don't even know where he got it." As Su He spoke, she admired herself in a small mirror.

Over the past two days, both she and Liu Ruyan had clearly felt the changes in their skin, which felt somewhat incredible.

"Who knows? But I do know that someone once paid 100,000 yuan for a single dose of this. As his cousin, you probably don't care, but as an outsider who got such good stuff for free, doesn't it feel a bit wrong? Tell me, does our little brother have any hobbies? I want to give him something back as a gesture."

Liu Ruyan had thought about it for two days but couldn't decide what to give. The simplest way was to give money, but since they hadn't given any initially, giving money now would feel awkward. That was why she was asking Su He.

"What? 100,000 per dose! Are you sure?" Su He was so shocked she dropped her mirror, her face full of disbelief. This stuff that looked like expired honey was worth 100,000?

But thinking about its effects, it seemed somewhat acceptable.

"Of course."

Liu Ruyan then recounted the situation regarding Yuan Meng and her mother.

"Good, good, good. I was wondering why an old cucumber like you was clinging to my brother so hard. You scared me to death."

"Hey, watch your mouth! I wasn't clinging to your brother, and besides, you don't have one!"

Su He: "..."

"Forget it, it's all your fault. I can't afford something worth 100,000. I don't know what to do."

"Then just tell me, does it smell good?"

"It smells great!"

"Then that's that! Don't worry, I won't let our brother lose out. I'll cover your share. Tell me what Xiao Mo likes, so I can prepare!" Liu Ruyan said.

Since she had accomplished something through her best friend, she couldn't let the other person carry the favor. Businesspeople knew that favors are the hardest things to repay; money is a small matter, and besides, that amount of money was nothing to her.

"Then I won't be polite!"

Su He didn't refuse. If it were her own stuff, she wouldn't accept it, but since it belonged to her cousin and was a significant amount, this was the only way.

The two continued their call, discussing what boys Lin Mo's age typically liked.

Time flew by, and before long, it was midnight. Lin Mo opened his phone to prepare for today's shopping.

[Colt Pistol, Collector's Edition with Holster; ￥8.53]

[Machine Spirit's Delight: Kowtow 99 times to any machine. In the future, your worship of machines will reduce mechanical failure rates and increase success rates; ￥9.99]

[Couples' Lingerie Blind Box, 20 pieces, clearance sale; ￥5.6]

[One bottle of '82 Cola; ￥0.01]

After a quick glance, Lin Mo blurted out

"Your mother..."

For no other reason than the fact that today's goods were not only mediocre in quality but also incredibly frustrating.

He wouldn't even drink '82 Lafite, let alone '82 Cola. Who even invented this stuff? Doesn't it expire?

And as for that couples' lingerie—he had heard of matching outfits, but since when did it evolve into matching "lingerie" for couples?

The firearms were even worse; he didn't even look at the first item. Only that "Machine Spirit's Delight" seemed somewhat interesting.

Although he couldn't use it now, it was a skill, and in a broader sense, it was a very powerful skill.

But the prerequisite was actually for him to kowtow to any machine—and ninety-nine times at that! He hadn't even kowtowed ninety-nine times to his own ancestral graves.

What was this? Humiliation! A man's knees are precious! How could a dignified man kowtow and kneel to others?

As the saying goes, a great man is born between heaven and earth; how can he live long in a state of submission!

A moment later, the residents on the fifth floor below heard a series of dull thuds.

*Thud... thud... thud.*

(End of Chapter)