Chapter 20: Who Did You Hook Up with, Exactly?
"Something special?"
Wang Chen was taken aback.
Sighing, Zhao Xue glanced at him. "I can't really explain it. Just go upstairs and see him. He's been in a bad mood lately, only eating eight bowls of rice a day. It's been stressing me out."
Upstairs.
Wang Chen entered the room and found Liu Qiang sitting in a corner, looking like a soul crushed by the world. He was hugging his stomach, perhaps trying to curl up, but his weight was making it impossible.
But that wasn't the main point.
Liu Qiang's face was full of despair, the kind of despair that came from being stuck in an endless void of self-doubt. Black smoke seemed to emanate from him.
"Liu Qiang?" Wang Chen called.
What kind of profession could make him like this?
Was it an assassin?
Wang Chen imagined a two-hundred-pound tanky assassin using stealth to charge forward. The image was so ridiculous that he couldn't help but cringe.
When Liu Qiang heard his name, his eyes turned red. "Chen Bro, are you here to make fun of me too?"
Wang Chen sat beside him, his curiosity piqued. "Wait, what profession did you awaken? I've asked Aunt Zhao several times, but she won't tell me…"
The moment Liu Qiang heard this, his body trembled. He choked out, "I can't tell anyone, Chen Bro. I'm already the laughingstock of Luo Hai No. 2 High!"
"Come on, you have to tell me what it is!"
Wang Chen's curiosity only deepened.
What the heck happened to this guy?
Liu Qiang stayed silent for a moment, then silently turned away. He muttered, "Don't ask. I can't live with the shame anymore. I'm going on a hunger strike from now on! Only six bowls of rice from now on!"
"No! Little fatty, you really think of me as a brother, right? Whatever profession you awakened, I won't laugh at you!"
Wang Chen tried to comfort him patiently.
"And right now is the critical time for leveling up. Whatever your profession is, you should be out there grinding and leveling up!"
Upon hearing this, Liu Qiang turned around. "Chen Bro, as long as you promise not to laugh at me, I'll tell you!"
"Damn, just tell me already. If you keep dragging this out, everyone's going to think I'm wasting my time!"
Wang Chen grew impatient.
Liu Qiang gave him a look of resignation, his face filled with despair. He whispered, "I awakened as a nurse, but after using my skill, I realized my nurse skills are not like normal ones."
"What do you mean they're not normal?"
Wang Chen's eyes widened.
"My nurse's basic skill isn't a healing aura?"
Liu Qiang began to recall an unpleasant memory.
"After I got home, I couldn't wait to use it on my tired parents."
Zhao Xue and Liu Qi were sitting on the couch, looking proud, their faces flushed with excitement. A pink healing aura, like the neon lights of a small alley, spread over them.
Liu Qiang was confused why did his aura have a different color from the others?
Is it because of those videos I've been watching lately? Did I mess up?
Before he could figure it out, his parents began to look at each other lovingly.
"I feel like I'm 18 again!"
Liu Qi shouted.
"Ahhh!"
Zhao Xue also became rejuvenated.
Shocked, Liu Qiang rushed to his room, horrified.
"Why is this happening?"
The next day, not willing to give up, Liu Qiang tried using the skill again.
He nearly sparked a fire!
"These tissues are the proof of my skill!"
He pointed to a large pile of tissues on the floor.
"All my healing aura does is... increase... that kind of desire."
Liu Qiang sighed as he looked at the aftermath.
The next day, exhausted, he regretted his past actions and wondered if watching that kind of thing too much had led to this "punishment" from the heavens.
He looked at Wang Chen, his face full of resentment. "Chen Bro, who would want a nurse like me? Nurses need to level up with a team. If no one takes me with them, I can't level up at all!"
Wang Chen turned his back, his shoulders trembling as he struggled to hold back laughter. "You've made me sad for a bit, seriously! It's just so... damn funny!"
"You can laugh if you want, I won't blame you!"
Liu Qiang glanced at Wang Chen, who was now fighting back his laughter with great difficulty.
"You don't need to be this sad. Your skill isn't totally useless. Worst-case scenario, you could become a doctor, specifically for... well, that kind of thing. You know, there are plenty of people who struggle in that area."
Wang Chen wiped away the tears from laughing.
"You're crying with laughter now."
Liu Qiang became even more upset.
"No, these are tears of sadness!"
Wang Chen emphasized. He patted Liu Qiang on the back. "Don't worry, I won't abandon you. I've got some good news! I've awakened a profession too. I'll take you with me and help you level up!"
"What?!" Liu Qiang was shocked, his eyes lighting up with hope. He scrambled to get up. "Chen Bro, what profession did you awaken?"
"Mechanic."
"Ha ha ha! That's awesome! Wait, no? Say it again, what profession?"
Liu Qiang laughed, but then suddenly stopped, wondering if he had laughed too soon.
"Mechanic!"
Liu Qiang's jaw dropped as he slowly closed his mouth. He lay back down on the bed, looking dejected. "Where should I open my store? A life profession carrying a nurse to level up? What a joke."
"Damn it! My mechanic is not your average mechanic!"
Wang Chen wasn't going to hide it from Liu Qiang anymore.
He figured he couldn't keep it a secret when the exams came around anyway.
Liu Qiang rolled his eyes. "My nurse is special too. Don't tell me your mechanic is... for adult toys?"
"Damn! You still don't believe me? Look at what level I'm at!"
Wang Chen stood up excitedly.
Liu Qiang chuckled, then casually cast a detection spell.
The next moment!
The information from the detection spell exploded in Liu Qiang's mind like a bomb!
"How is this possible?!"
Liu Qiang was utterly stunned, his eyes wide open. He swore he had never opened his eyes so wide in his life!
"Level 16 already?!"
Liu Qiang felt like his scalp was about to explode. He nearly fainted on the spot!
A life profession mechanic, who'd leveled up to 16 in just one day?!
Unbelievable!
Taking a deep breath, Liu Qiang rushed forward. "Chen Bro, the steel wool you bought at my place was for this? Which rich lady did you hook up with to get such a boost? Tell me, I really need to know. The steel wool wasn't enough to hold me back!"