"Li Ang! Come out, I have some good news to tell you."
Li Ang opened the window, and looking up at him from downstairs was a tall but not very muscular white teenager with auburn hair.
He said helplessly:
"I must emphasize once again, my name is Li Ang, not Leon."
"Besides, I'd like to know if the 'good news' you're talking about is worth my while to come downstairs and open the gate for you."
Hearing his words, the 188cm tall, slightly chubby youth smiled honestly and said:
"Trust me, it's something you definitely need."
"So, here's the thing, Uncle Wilson has gotten a big truckload of grain, but his body clearly isn't up to moving all these goods into the warehouse himself, which is why he's called on the two of us to help."
Li Ang sighed. How was helping someone move goods considered good news?
However, in his memory, the old gentleman had taken good care of him before, and both in terms of emotions and reasoning, he felt he should go.
After all, working out was still exercise, and moving goods was just another form of it.
"Oh, and he's promised to pay each of us ten dollars."
"Charles, my good brother, this can of Coke is well-deserved."
Li Ang immediately hurried downstairs, and also grabbed a can of Coke from the fridge for Charles, his favorite, especially canned ones.
Charles-Henry was his neighbor and one of the few friends he had at school.
The reason the two got along, apart from being neighbors, was that Charles, despite his size, had a timid personality. Like Li Ang, they were both part of the group bullied at school.
As a result, the two naturally had a lot of common topics to talk about.
When they reached Uncle Wilson's warehouse, Li Ang looked at the wheat in the pickup truck bed. Although there was a lot of it, it was still within their carrying capacity.
"Take your time, boys, no rush, and be careful not to hurt yourselves."
Uncle Wilson was smoking under a tree next to the warehouse, carefully reminding the two.
They nodded and approached the truck bed.
Li Ang tentatively lifted a bag of wheat. It wasn't light, but grain was ultimately less dense than cement or sand.
He estimated that each bag must weigh around seventy to eighty kilograms.
Charles, without any hesitation, picked up a bag and rapidly walked towards the shelves.
Li Ang hesitated for a moment, then decided to squat and hoist a bag of wheat onto his shoulder.
He had no choice, his frame was not daring enough for recklessness; he still had to use the most energy-saving method.
This somewhat surprised Uncle Wilson; the kid didn't look like one who did physical work, yet he managed to carry things as though he'd taught himself.
Li Ang's clothes were soaked with sweat by the fifth bag, but his eyes remained bright.
He looked at his status panel:
Name: Li Ang
Strength: 6.96
Constitution: 7.34
Response: 10.26
Spirit: 13.14
Breakthrough Points: 0
Skills:
[Cycling] 39/100 (Beginner)
In just this short while, his constitution had actually increased by 0.01.
Even though that was just gaining breakthrough points equivalent to a few mouthfuls of food, reality is not like a game where you can eat whenever you want.
This kind of physical labor not only increased his attributes but also burned his energy, allowing him to make room for more food intake, which could be described as killing two birds with one stone.
Ten minutes later, Charles had finished moving his part.
On Li Ang's side, there were still four bags left.
Although his physical constitution had improved considerably compared to yesterday, he definitely still couldn't compare with Charles, who stood 188 cm tall and weighed 200 pounds (approximately 190 pounds).
Just as Charles was about to continue lifting a bag of wheat, he was signaled by Li Ang to stop.
"You can rest after you're done moving the rest, I'll handle the remaining part myself."
His voice wasn't very strong, but it made Charles subconsciously stop in his tracks.
He always listened to Li Ang, helplessly so, since whether or not Charles could complete his course homework largely depended on Li Ang.
After the last few bags were moved, Li Ang's legs were somewhat trembling as he walked.
However, what he gained in return was another 0.01 increase in his constitution, reaching 7.35, as well as a brand new 10 US Dollar bill.
Having used mobile payments often, Li Ang suddenly discovered the ink scent on the currency carried an indescribable, attractive power.
"Uncle Wilson, if there's anything like this in the future, we would be very happy to help."
Li Ang said politely before taking his leave.
In less than half an hour, they had earned 10 bucks. Though it was a bit tiring, the price was quite good for them as students.
Just after the two young men left, Mrs. Wilson asked with a puzzled look on her face:
"Weren't you buying this batch of wheat for your cousin? Why bother moving it to the warehouse with so much effort?"
Uncle Wilson just smiled lightly and replied:
"A bit of physical activity and some pocket money are exactly what these kids urgently need."
On his way home, passing by Aunt Sheila's door, Li Ang was attracted almost instantly by the sight of the crimson-red dress.
She wore a pair of black velvet high-heeled shoes, and the dress perfectly outlined her pear-shaped figure.
For the average seventeen-year-old boy, they might find her figure a bit plump, but for Li Ang, whose mental age was nearly thirty, that figure was simply perfect.
Blonde hair, blue eyes, red lips, set against her flawless pale skin required no additional accessories to naturally exude incomparable charm.
Sheila, evidently dressed with care, was holding a dish of apple pie and walking towards the outside of the house.
"You've come at just the right time, I was about to look for you. Since that's the case, why don't you come in and sit for a while?"
Li Ang instinctively wanted to refuse, but as he looked at the apple pie in front of her and swallowed, he ended up saying:
"I would be very happy to."
The room was very tidy. The TV in the center of the living room was playing a variety show at a not-so-quiet volume.
Li Ang guessed that perhaps people who live alone are the same; they might not watch the TV, but they have to turn it on, to create some noise and make the house feel less desolate.
The freshly baked apple pie was sweet and rich, crispy and delicious.
For those who don't have a sweet tooth, it might be a bit too sweet, but for Li Ang, who had just expended a lot of energy, it was just right.
After praising Sheila for her cooking skills, both of them found themselves in a brief and awkward silence.
"Do you usually watch shows like this?"
Li Ang shifted his gaze to the TV, looking for a conversation starter.
The show being broadcast was a competitive variety show called "Slap Power."
To put it simply, two people take turns slapping each other on a stage, and the first to be unable to endure loses.
A considerable number of contestants were slapped into unconsciousness and escorted off the stage; the KO rate was much higher than in boxing matches, making it extremely violent and thrilling.
With such high stakes, the prize money was naturally quite generous, and who wouldn't be tempted by the one million US Dollar reward promised to the overall champion?
Li Ang remembered that he had seen such competitions on short video platforms before, but this was the first time he had seen it on television.
In reality, in America, there were quite a few odd TV shows like this, but most required a subscription—whatever draws people in will do.
When Li Ang began talking about it, it seemed to excite Sheila.
"You know, Li, watching these kinds of matches gives you a surge of adrenaline. I'm over thirty now, so naturally, I need to find some excitement in my life."
"Besides, I used to be a sports physiotherapist, so I keep the habit of watching various sports..."
Through the conversation, Li Ang's understanding of her deepened quite a bit.
As he was leaving, Sheila's gaze lingered on Li Ang, and she said softly:
"If you feel discomfort after exercising, you are always welcome to seek my help."