Chapter 21: Eyes Brimming with Tears

April 15, 2023, Saturday, cloudy to sunny, 8–22°C, strong UV index, sun protection advised.

At 6:00 AM, the crimson sun rose slowly, brightening the sky.

"Ding-dong—"

"[China Merchants Bank] Your account ending in 6800 received RMB 200.00 on April 15 at 06:02."

Tang Song bolted upright from his bed and neatly folded his quilt.

He opened the system interface to check his personal information.

[Height: 180cm, Weight: 81.1kg]

Over the course of one night, his body had naturally metabolized 0.5kg, which was within the normal range.

He was only 0.1kg away from his goal!

This was his first task after obtaining the system, and it even came with a body-strengthening potion as a reward!

Suppressing his excitement, Tang Song rushed into the bathroom.

Soon, a crisp system notification rang in his ears.

"Ding! Congratulations, Player. The challenge task [Restraint and Perseverance] has been completed."

Immediately after, a faint light screen floated before his eyes, with lines of text jumping out.

[Calculating rewards...]

[Over the past 14 days, you have remained steadfast in your weight loss goal without wavering. Through strict self-discipline and restraint, you have successfully lost 9kg, returning your body to a normal weight range.]

[You have obtained a special item: Lung Strengthening Potion *1]

[During the task completion process, you did not blindly pursue rapid weight loss but maintained a healthy and reasonable diet and routine, consistent with the self-cultivation of a "god-tier" man, triggering a hidden reward.]

[You have obtained: Junior Body Optimization Potion *1]

He had actually triggered an extra reward!

Tang Song took a deep breath, trying to steady his racing heart.

Entering the system warehouse, two potion bottles shimmering with a faint red light lay quietly there.

He checked the item details.

[Junior Body Optimization Potion]: Upon use, it gradually optimizes body proportions by making slight adjustments to bones, muscles, and fat, making the physique appear more coordinated.

"Awesome!" Tang Song was almost speechless, able only to express his awe with a colloquial exclamation.

A person's body proportions are a pure genetic lottery; they are fixed at birth and almost impossible to change later in life.

A well-proportioned and coordinated physique makes a person healthier, more energetic, balanced, and aesthetic, and makes clothes fit much better.

Tang Song's height was decent, but his proportions were merely average, with many flaws: his arm span wasn't long enough, his shoulders weren't wide enough, and his tibias were slightly short.

Even though this was only a junior potion, the effects were still worth anticipating.

After a quick trip to the bathroom and washing his hands thoroughly, Tang Song rushed out of the restroom at the speed of a hundred-meter sprinter.

Standing before the full-length mirror, he took several deep breaths.

His body was still trembling slightly uncontrollably.

Calm down! Calm down!

Next was the moment to witness a miracle!

He selected the [Junior Body Optimization Potion] and used it immediately.

"Whoosh!" A mass of liquid suddenly appeared in his mouth; the texture was refreshing and crisp, and it tasted delicious.

Before Tang Song could savor it, he swallowed it with a "gulp."

Gradually, a cool, icy sensation spread from his throat to his stomach, similar to swallowing a concentrated mint candy.

After waiting quietly for a while, he didn't seem to see much change in the mirror. It appeared that, as the description suggested, it would take some time to take effect.

Next, Tang Song turned his gaze to the next item.

[Lung Strengthening Potion]: Upon use, it effectively improves lung condition, increases lung capacity, provides sufficient oxygen to the body, enhances physical resistance, and promotes metabolism. Constitution +2, Endurance +1.

After working so hard and suffering so much, wasn't this exactly what he was aiming for?

Without hesitation, he used it immediately.

It was again suddenly forced into his mouth, but the taste was much stronger, somewhat like cough syrup.

The liquid slid down his throat and into his esophagus.

A faint, warm sensation spread throughout his body.

His body felt lighter, and his heartbeat gradually slowed down.

His breathing became deeper and more robust, and his chest and lower abdomen began to feel slightly warm.

The comfortable sensation made him close his eyes involuntarily.

Half an hour later.

"Breathe—breathe—"

Tang Song began to silently sense the changes within his body.

Due to long-term late nights and an irregular schedule, he had always suffered from minor issues like chest tightness, shortness of breath, and coughing, which had been his biggest obstacle during weight loss exercises.

Now, they had all vanished; his breathing was strong, powerful, easy, and smooth.

When taking deep breaths, he could clearly feel his lungs expanding more fully, allowing him to inhale more fresh air and exchange gases more rapidly.

He opened his personal information panel.

[Player: Tang Song (29)]

[Role: Jinxiu Trading - Development Engineer]

[Height: 180.5cm, Weight: 81kg]

[Constitution: 59, Endurance: 56, Agility: 50, Comprehension: 76]

...

"Huh?" Tang Song was momentarily stunned and instinctively rubbed his eyes.

Constitution +2, Endurance +1, and Charm reaching 29 were all within his expectations.

The problem was, his height had actually increased by 0.5 centimeters!?

A flash of inspiration struck his mind, and his heart raced again.

The [Junior Body Optimization Potion] was even more incredible than he had imagined; the so-called "adjustment of body proportions" actually involved directly lengthening him.

Whether it was an illusion or not, Tang Song felt that his lower legs had indeed grown a tiny bit longer, and his shoulders seemed a bit wider.

This was the greatest surprise!

Among the women he was currently interacting with, both Zhao Yaqian and Xie Shuyu were quite tall.

Standing with them always felt high-pressure.

Now, it seemed he truly had a chance to grow a bit taller even at the age of 25!

Excitedly performing a few vertical jumps, Tang Song changed into quick-dry clothing and began his daily fasted cardio.

He couldn't wait to feel just how strong his optimized lungs were.

...

On an April morning, the air was warm and the sunlight was bright.

A faint fragrance of locust flowers drifted through the residential complex.

"3, 2, 1, GO! Start outdoor run!"

His breathing rhythm was steady and smooth, perfectly coordinated with his stride.

His footsteps were lighter and more powerful, and his physical stamina had significantly improved.

During the latter half of the run, although his physical functions still declined rapidly, he no longer experienced difficulty breathing or gasping for air.

This was definitely an incredibly healthy pair of lungs—efficient, powerful, and full of vitality.

"You have run 5 kilometers!"

Following the voice prompt from the app, Tang Song gradually slowed his pace and stopped running.

Feeling his body closely, he realized he didn't have the intense sense of fatigue he usually felt.

He even felt like he could persist for another one or two kilometers.

He pulled his phone out of his running belt to check his activity track.

Total distance: 5km, average pace: 5'58", total time: approximately 30 minutes.

His pace had broken the 6-minute mark for the first time!

And this was before he had even fully adapted to the changes in his body.

Carrying an incredibly excited mood, Tang Song jogged into the breakfast shop at the south gate of the complex.

He ordered a steamer of pork soup dumplings, an egg-filled pancake, a bowl of spicy soup, and a small side dish of free pickles.

A whole meat dumpling, a bite of pickles, and a mouthful of spicy soup.

Carbohydrates, fats, chili, and spices exploded on his taste buds.

"This is too delicious!" Tang Song was moved to tears.

The proprietress, who was cleaning the tables, saw this and thought to herself: *This young man is truly handsome!*

(End of Chapter)