Chapter 8: Empress Ruyan

Women are strange creatures; they always enjoy teasing their best friend’s younger brother. It’s not exactly attraction, but rather that feeling where you just want to mess with them when you see them. Making a kid blush until they’re beet red is their favorite pastime.

If the best friend’s brother happens to be handsome, then teasing him becomes even more of a priority—they just love seeing their best friend get flustered.

In any case, Lin Mo had run into exactly such a person. Fortunately, he was so dazed from drinking that he didn't show any other expression, only feeling someone clinging to him.

When they got out of the car, Su He was on high alert, guarding against any handsy behavior toward her little brother, and finally managed to get Lin Mo home safely.

Back home, Lin Mo collapsed directly onto his bed and slept until dawn.

Early the next morning, Lin Mo was huffing and puffing as he ran toward the company, muttering to himself.

"Drinking ruins everything, drinking ruins everything. Forget it, just keep running!"

Because he’d had too much to drink the night before and hadn't set an alarm, he was on his usual schedule. As for Dong Dawei’s instruction to arrive half an hour early, he wasn't going to make it.

The reason he was running to work was that the purchase page on his phone had refreshed again that morning.

【999 Pure Gold Ring, 1.5g, ¥2.5】

【999 Roses for your girlfriend, ¥8.36】

【Secondary Growth: Jog for thirty minutes, grow 0.1cm taller; ¥1.38】

【C4 Explosive, 1kg, press E to plant; ¥3.01】

After a quick scan, Lin Mo chose the 0.1cm height increase. After all, he was only 179cm tall, and that missing centimeter was his eternal pain—though whenever anyone asked, he always claimed to be 180cm.

As everyone knows, 179cm and 180cm might only be a centimeter apart, but they represent a difference in class. Now that he had a chance to grow, he naturally had to seize it.

Even if it was only 0.1cm this time, it was still progress. Little by little, he’d eventually reach 1.8 meters.

The gold ring was nice, but it clearly couldn't compare to growing taller. The roses were out of the question—he didn't have a girlfriend. As for the C4 explosive, that was just ridiculous. What was he supposed to do, play CS? Press E?

"Huff~ huff~"

At 7:55, Lin Mo appeared downstairs at the company. This fragile college student felt like he was dying after thirty minutes of running. How should he put it? He didn't feel anything, and he had no idea if he’d actually grown.

"Little black dog?"

Suddenly, Yuan Meng’s voice came from behind him.

"Uh, morning, Sister Yuan!" Lin "179.1" Mo greeted her with a guilty conscience, his mind already racing on how to slip away.

"Good heavens, where have you been? I haven't seen you for two days, and you’ve gotten so much fairer. Did you eat bleach? And this hairstyle—did you go find Hu Delu at the Shigejie Commune? Did you get a girlfriend, or are you planning to live off a woman?"

Seeing the massive change in Lin Mo after only two days, Yuan Meng’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Before leaving this morning, Lin Mo had used the sulfur facial cleanser again, and the improvement in his skin was even more apparent.

"I didn't..."

Before Lin Mo could finish, Yuan Meng waved her hand to cut him off. "You little punk, I really want to hammer you to death!"

With that, Yuan Meng took off with her short legs, running with the same form as Ultraman Seven. She threw elbows as she ran, finishing with a "Leo Kick" as she charged at him.

"Hey? Hey! I’m fighting back, I’m really fighting back!" Lin Mo shouted as he ran.

Yuan Meng: "Bearing the name of the Hokage, I cannot lose!"

Lin Mo:...

The two of them chased each other, finally clocking into the company just before 8:00.

"Lin Mo, didn't you hear me say to arrive at the company half an hour early yesterday?"

As soon as he walked in, Dong Dawei led the charge. The surrounding employees had just broken formation, clearly having just finished a meeting.

Lin Mo had anticipated this, but he decided to endure it. After all, his internship certificate hadn't been stamped yet, and there were only two days left. He couldn't drop the ball at the last minute. Once he got the certificate, he’d give him a taste of his own medicine.

That’s right, the fatal weakness of a college student is this internship certificate.

But before he could speak, the Fourth Hokage, Yuan Meng, appeared. She glanced at Dong Dawei and said, "Don't make things difficult for a rookie. If you've got the guts, come at me. Manager Dong, such a big official air you have there. What’s the matter, planning to lick up to President Liu again? Take a look at your own pathetic self!"

Others might take the fat manager Dong seriously, but Yuan Meng wouldn't indulge him.

"You're very good!"

Dong Dawei, his face flushed red with anger, stormed off. Mostly because if he kept talking, he’d only be the one losing face.

Seeing this, Lin Mo turned back, cupped his hands in a salute, and dedicated a song to Yuan Meng.

"Recalling the past, tears won't dry~ Brother Dog is in trouble and shares the burden~ I wanted to let others bully me~ Who knew my brother would help me~ This sound, my heart is in chaos, your true loyalty has ignited me~ From now on, if we eat dirt, you take the best, we’ll each pee on our own side of the telephone pole~"

"In daily life we mess around, but who would have thought you’d truly speak up when I’m in trouble~ If we both make it through today safely~ Brother Dog here~ will surely~ swear brotherhood with you~~"

Yuan Meng sneered upon hearing this and replied: "Ah ah ah~ My brother, no need for more words~ I’m usually all laughs, but I won't play dumb when you’re in trouble. If I retreat in the face of difficulty~ then I’m just a..."

Two 5G-surfing enthusiasts immediately synced up on the secret code; everything was understood without being said.

Lin Mo returned to his workstation, and Yuan Meng followed, as that was the freedom a top salesperson enjoyed.

For the rest of the morning, Yuan Meng kept pestering him about how he managed to get so much fairer in just two days. After all, no woman could resist such a temptation.

Lin Mo told her the truth, saying he used that sulfur facial cleanser from the internet. Yuan Meng shouted that it was impossible, claiming it was a "tax on intelligence" and that bloggers had already debunked it.

In any case, the morning passed quickly with the two of them trading barbs and insults.

Ten minutes before lunch, Dong Dawei walked in and clapped his hands, telling everyone to put down their work and gather in the company lobby, saying President Liu had arrived.

Although reluctant, no one objected, and the company staff soon gathered in the lobby.

"Everyone, welcome President Liu!" General Manager Yang Chuan pushed the door open and started clapping, and the rest followed suit.

Following closely behind, a woman with a beautiful figure and exquisite features walked in, wearing a long black dress and a black turtleneck. She walked with a graceful, mysterious gait in high heels. Her hair was pinned up, and a wooden hairpin gave her an incredibly elegant air.

Her tall figure, paired with a swan-like neck, was simply a lethal blow.

"Tsk tsk tsk, worthy of being Empress Ruyan. She’s been poor, she’s been miserable, she’s been arrogant; she’s been a jerk, she’s been a fool, she’s been vicious; she’s loved, she’s hated, she’s been a 'green tea' bitch, but she’s never been ugly!" Lin Mo whispered to Yuan Meng while clapping.

Hearing this, Zhang Wei popped up from nowhere, leaned in, and nodded: "Ito Makoto, you’re absolutely right. I, Ji Bochang, completely agree."

"Pfft, you’re the Ito Makoto. Wait, why can’t I be Ji Bochang?" Lin Mo retorted.

Zhang Wei: "Hehe!"

Lin Mo: (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻

Yuan Meng: →_→

(End of chapter)