The system's novice mission was complete.
But Gao Yuan never imagined the reward would be a mere one hundred yuan a day. He'd read plenty of "rich protagonist" novels where the main character would get nine trillion dropped on them out of thin air, or enjoy a ten-thousand-times rebate bonus. The worst systems in those stories still gave at least ten thousand yuan a day.
What goes around comes around. He'd finally made it to thirty and gotten a system, only to find it was just a three-thousand-yuan monthly salary.
Technically, three thousand wasn't a small amount. In Gao Yuan's fourth-tier hometown, most people earned around three thousand a month.
They could afford all the daily necessities.
Some families even had both spouses earning around three thousand a month, yet they not only raised their children but also supported both sets of parents. And they still managed to get by.
The real life of an ordinary person was just that simple and unadorned.
But Gao Yuan was in Hang City...
The rent for his one-bedroom apartment was three thousand yuan a month. The system's monthly cash back was just enough to cover it.
His current job already paid quite well, a monthly salary of 30k. That put him in the upper-middle income bracket in Hang City, yet he still couldn't save much each month.
Three thousand for rent, three thousand for food, and another fifteen thousand a month for smoking, drinking, massages, and padding Meiting's sales numbers. Even living this "extremely frugal" life, he only managed to save about eight thousand a month.
And that wasn't even counting the money he spent on his occasional relationships.
If you had to sum up Gao Yuan's eight years of work, it would be a small, four-hundred-thousand-yuan, three-bedroom apartment back in his hometown.
This was the leverage his parents used to urge him to return home. Back there, he was considered a man with a house and a car—both fully paid off. That represented stability and gave him a lot of face in the matchmaking market.
As he finished his cigarette, Gao Yuan sighed.
The daily cash-back amount was set by the system. He had no way of changing it. He had no choice but to accept it.
"The revolution is not yet complete; we must still strive on!"
'The system is only level one, and it's already secured me a passive income of three thousand a month, completely solving my basic needs. If that's the case, can thirty thousand, or even three hundred thousand a month, be that far off?'
Gao Yuan psyched himself up for a bit, a small comfort to soothe his disappointment.
Returning to the living room, he started to take in the details of Lin Wanyu's home.
The interior was exquisitely decorated in a minimalist style. The track lighting design, with no central fixture, made the whole place look clean and sharp without sacrificing warmth. The soft furnishings were also arranged with great taste.
It was clear from this that Lin Wanyu had excellent taste.
Gao Yuan looked through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows and saw the two words 'Jianglan Bay' on the building across the way. He couldn't help but be impressed.
He hadn't realized Lin Wanyu was so wealthy. Situated on the banks of the Qiantang River, Jianglan Bay was one of the more upscale residential communities in Hang City. It was no exaggeration to say every square inch was worth a fortune.
He couldn't afford to buy one of her bathrooms even if he sold both his kidneys.
Gao Yuan rested on the sofa for a bit. Since it was Saturday, he, as the Operations Director, didn't have to go into the office and clock in.
He glanced at the approval requests sent by each store manager on his phone. After spending half an hour handling them, he started to feel a bit hungry.
He got up and went to the bedroom. Seeing Lin Wanyu still sound asleep under the covers, Gao Yuan nodded in satisfaction and headed straight for the kitchen.
The kitchen was fully equipped with all sorts of cookware, but it was clear they had rarely been used.
He opened the huge double-door refrigerator. It was just as he had expected.
Inside, apart from one shelf holding some fruit, the rest of the space was completely taken over by various skincare products and face masks.
'Good thing she's not my wife,' he thought. 'If she were, I'd have to divorce her!'
With his lingering "have-not" mentality, Gao Yuan still couldn't quite wrap his head around the lifestyle of the wealthy.
After rummaging through the fridge for a while, he finally found a prime-cut marbled steak and some large shrimp in the freezer.
Gao Yuan took them out and set them on the counter to defrost.
'This stuff is way more nourishing than eggs. Perfect for recovering after all my hard work.'
He also ordered some vegetables online. He planned to cook her a grand meal while she was still asleep, partly to show off his skills and partly to celebrate the beginning of his journey as an overpowered protagonist.
Half an hour later, the vegetables were delivered to Lin Wanyu's home, and Gao Yuan got busy in the kitchen.
He cut the marbled steak into cubes and started marinating it, planning to make Braised Beef with King Oyster Mushrooms.
As for the shrimp, the best way to prepare them was in a congee. With some corn and peas added, half an hour of simmering would result in a delicious bowl of seafood congee.
'One dish is a bit boring. It wouldn't do justice to the culinary skills I've honed over years of being single.'
So, Gao Yuan used the remaining shrimp and some vegetables to make several savory shrimp and vegetable pancakes.
To top it off, he took some fruit from the fridge to make a fruit salad. It was a perfect meal.
Just as Gao Yuan turned around with the fruit salad, feeling very pleased with himself, his mind suddenly went blank.
By the dining table stood Lin Wanyu.
She was wearing a thin, purple nightgown, one pale, slender hand brushing back her dark hair as she leaned down to inhale the enticing aroma of the food.
Gao Yuan froze, feeling his blood pressure skyrocket.
Even though they had been intimate several times last night and this morning, he had never gotten a proper, good look at Lin Wanyu until now.
Seeing her now—her skin as smooth and white as jade, her figure curvaceous in all the right places—she didn't look like someone who had ever been married. She was an absolute goddess.
The purple slip she wore was particularly stunning. The "stingy" cut of the fabric in the front plunged into a deep V, while the back, as if "to save on costs," was completely open, a perfect fusion of sexiness and allure.
The sight of her leaning over to smell the food added a touch of domesticity to her allure, making her seem sensual yet refined.
While Gao Yuan was still staring,
Lin Wanyu took the fruit salad from his hands, placed it on the table, and shot him a flirtatious glance. "I'm thirsty..."
That snapped Gao Yuan back to his senses. He grabbed a glass from the table and poured her some warm water.
Lin Wanyu was indeed thirsty and downed the entire glass in one go. She glanced at the food on the table, then back at Gao Yuan, and flashed a brilliant smile. "I'm going to wash up. Wait for me so we can eat together!"
After Lin Wanyu left the dining room, Gao Yuan finally let out a long breath.
'Purple really is the most alluring color. Xu Song was right all along.'
By the time Lin Wanyu had finished washing up, Gao Yuan had tidied the kitchen and was sitting at the dining table. He'd originally cooked the meal to replenish his own energy, but now he found he wasn't eating much.
Across from him, Lin Wanyu had only just tasted his cooking when she began to praise it endlessly. At first, she'd been demurely using her chopsticks, but soon she switched to a spoon, digging in with gusto.
Lin Wanyu ate to her heart's content, while Gao Yuan feasted his eyes. For him, the real delicacy was the beautiful woman before him.
Lin Wanyu put down her spoon, seemingly feeling the heat of Gao Yuan's scorching gaze.
She looked up at Gao Yuan and saw him staring at her intently. A blush crept onto her cheeks. She quickly stood up and ran toward the bedroom, calling over her shoulder, "As a boyfriend, you're passing so far. I'll extend your contract for another day!"
Hearing Lin Wanyu's words, Gao Yuan just smiled. He quickly finished the shrimp congee in his bowl, dropped his utensils, and headed straight for the bedroom.