Chapter 4: Is This Guy Really That Hard Up?

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After paying, Lin Bai let out a long sigh of relief.

It was only because he had the system that he dared to buy such expensive shoes, making it possible for him to complete his tasks.

If he had to run fifteen hundred meters a day in the battered shoes he was wearing, his feet would be ruined within a few days.

Jiangcheng was a major city in central China, and courier delivery was fast. His shoes would arrive tomorrow.

Lin Bai glanced around. There were already few people on campus during the holiday, and at this early hour, he was the only person on the entire South District sports field.

Taking a deep breath, Lin Bai stood up and began running barefoot on the rubber track.

Freed from the restraints of his worn-out shoes, he felt much lighter. He quickly finished two laps, though the friction left his feet stinging.

Just as he was preparing to run the third lap, the familiar Qin Ruowei appeared again.

Qin Ruowei also saw Lin Bai. In particular, when she noticed him running barefoot, her small mouth fell slightly open.

“Morning, Ruowei!”

As he passed her, Lin Bai greeted her with a smile and continued running.

Qin Ruowei stared blankly at his retreating figure. Only after a long while did she recover. Her delicate brows drew together as she muttered to herself,

“What did he just call me? Ruowei?”

She shook her head, making her ponytail sway with it. Then, after giving a helpless smile, she began running laps as well.

With less than fifteen minutes to spare, Lin Bai finally completed the fifteen-hundred-meter task and lay down on the grass to rest.

Before long, a fragrant breeze drifted over. Qin Ruowei came to stand before him, frowning as she glanced at the worn-out shoes he had set aside. Then she took two hundred-yuan bills from her pocket and held them out to him.

“Here. Go buy yourself a better pair of running shoes.”

Lin Bai did not look at the money. Instead, he stared straight into Qin Ruowei’s eyes.

One lay on the grass; the other stood before him. The rosy morning light spread across the lawn and brushed over the girl’s slightly perspiring nose.

“What are you looking at? I’m lending it to you. Remember to pay me back when you have money.”

Feeling somewhat embarrassed under his gaze, Qin Ruowei tossed the money onto him, turned, and ran off, continuing to circle the rubber track.

Lin Bai’s gaze followed her for a long time.

Looking at the two hundred-yuan bills that still carried the girl’s faint fragrance, he gave a helpless, bitter smile.

What was Qin Ruowei doing? Was this charity? Why couldn’t he bring himself to feel angry at all?

Beep! Side quest activated!

Side quest: Win Qin Ruowei’s affection and make her fall for the host.

Quest reward: A 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE.

After hearing the system, Lin Bai froze. Then he sat bolt upright, his eyes widening.

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“A Mercedes-Benz GLE?! The one that costs seven or eight hundred thousand yuan after everything?”

Beep! That’s the one.

Lin Bai rubbed his face, looking somewhat dazed.

Being poor did not stop him from loving cars. Lin Bai was very fond of automobiles. Back in high school, he had even bought a booklet introducing famous cars from around the world, fantasizing about the day he might drive a Koenigsegg.

It was fair to say that whenever he saw a car on the road, one glance was enough for him to identify its brand, model, engine displacement, price range, and common problems.

A Mercedes-Benz GLE!

A car costing more than seven hundred thousand yuan after all expenses—something he had once never even dared to imagine.

“System, is there a time limit?”

Even in his excitement, Lin Bai remembered to ask this crucial question.

Beep! There is. Before the end of your first semester as a freshman.

One semester. It had only just begun, which meant he had four months. Winning over Qin Ruowei, the beauty of the department, would not be easy.

“You think Qin Ruowei is beautiful too, don’t you?”

Watching Qin Ruowei’s agile figure in the distance, Lin Bai communicated with the system in his mind.

Qin Ruowei is not only beautiful, but kindhearted as well. She suits you perfectly. Go for it, young man!

“Right!”

Lin Bai answered firmly, then began doing push-ups.

Ten in the morning.

Lin Bai returned to the Mixue Bingcheng shop on the second floor of the East District cafeteria, changed into his work uniform, and began his usual part-time shift.

There were fewer students during the holiday, so the work was considerably easier.

After finishing two hours of work, Lin Bai took off his uniform and prepared to eat. At that moment, the milk-tea shop’s owner, Brother Luo, came over with a cigarette between his lips.

“Wait a moment, Lin Bai.”

Lin Bai turned around and saw Brother Luo sweep his long hair behind his ear.

“You’re free today, aren’t you? There’s a job. Want to take it?”

“What kind of job? How much does it pay?” Lin Bai instinctively asked about the wages.

“The city library donated some books to the Happiness Welfare Home. Two truckloads. They need people to unload them. It’s only this afternoon, and it should take two or three hours. Two hundred yuan. What do you say? Worth the money, right?”

As he spoke, Brother Luo patted Lin Bai on the shoulder again.

“You work hard, so you were the first person I thought of. What do you say?”

Brother Luo had always looked after Lin Bai, and Lin Bai genuinely needed the money. After thinking for a moment, he nodded.

“Sure. Thanks, Brother Luo.”

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“Great. Go eat. I’ll call you when it’s time to leave.”

After leaving the milk-tea shop, Lin Bai did as he always did: he spent six yuan on the simplest meal of rice and a few green vegetables, then sat in a corner and began eating.

Normally, one bowl of rice was more than enough for him, but this time he was unexpectedly still hungry.

After thinking it over, he figured it must be because of the high-intensity exercise. He ordered some extra rice.

That afternoon, Lin Bai returned to the milk-tea shop for another shift. Before three o’clock, Brother Luo called him. Lin Bai removed his work uniform and went downstairs.

Brother Luo was waiting below in his Changan CS75. Once Lin Bai got in, Brother Luo started the car and drove him straight to the Happiness Welfare Home.

The welfare home was not far away, located beside Jiangcheng University. It was only two or three kilometers away in a straight line, so they arrived quickly.

As they reached their destination, the two trucks carrying the books arrived at almost the same time. Brother Luo patted Lin Bai on the shoulder.

“Go on.”

Lin Bai said nothing. Once the trucks had parked, he began unloading the books.

There were handcarts specifically for moving them. After filling one, Lin Bai pulled it into the welfare home.

Each round trip took ten minutes. Moving all the books from both trucks would take roughly three hours.

What Lin Bai did not know was that, while he was carrying books, Qin Ruowei was inside a small room in the welfare home.

She had been playing with several children when she spotted Lin Bai.

Qin Ruowei was mildly surprised. She slowly walked to the window and watched from afar as Lin Bai transported the books trip after trip.

“Is this guy really that short of money?”

The distance was considerable, and trees obscured the view outside the window, so Lin Bai had no idea that Qin Ruowei was there.

After only two trips, his clothes were soaked through with sweat and clung uncomfortably to his body. He took them off without hesitation and continued working bare-chested.

He felt much more comfortable after taking them off, but Qin Ruowei, who had been watching him, was caught completely off guard and hurriedly turned her face away.

“What a pervert!”

That was what she said, but she could not stop herself from sneaking another look, murmuring under her breath,

“This guy’s physique is actually pretty good.”

Indeed, Lin Bai himself might not have noticed it, but after a full day of tasks, clearly defined muscle contours had already begun to appear on his body.

Under normal circumstances, a single day of exercise would never produce such results. He had the system to thank for working so hard behind the scenes.

More than two hours later, Lin Bai finally finished moving all the books and sat in the shade to rest.

Brother Luo approached with a woman in her forties or fifties. She looked kind, her face filled with a gentle smile.