****
Ma Aiqian didn't come alone. A gaggle of Emperor Penguin executives trailed behind him, their faces etched with confusion.
They'd been in the middle of a shareholder meeting when Ma Aiqian abruptly dragged them here.
One executive stepped forward, cautious. "Mr. Ma, what's going on?"
Ma Aiqian adjusted his glasses, scanning the noodle shop. "I don't know why, but I suddenly want to buy this place."
He waved over the shop's owner. "I'll give you a hundred yuan. Sell it to me."
The owner's face darkened, muttering "crazy" before walking off.
Ma Aiqian snorted. "A hundred yuan's generous. I'm doing you a favor by even considering your shop."
Then, just as suddenly, he lost interest, turned, and led his entourage back to their meeting.
Lin Fan watched, jaw nearly on the floor.
A *hundred yuan*?
This guy's a tycoon, and he's *that* stingy?
It clicked for Lin Fan. The System's search only flagged *potential* buyers. Their willingness to pay varied wildly.
Ma Aiqian was all about profit, while Cai Yu cared about making great games. Their priorities were worlds apart.
As Lin Fan snapped out of his thoughts, Cai Yu and Miha You were wrapping up their talk, ready to head to Cai Yu's company to sign a contract.
The two had hit it off instantly. Cai Yu was even planning to launch a subsidiary named after Miha You, dedicated to developing their next beautiful girl game.
Lin Fan blinked, caught off guard. "You're just leaving?"
Miha You rushed over, grabbing Lin Fan's hand, practically vibrating with excitement. "Brother, thank you! If you hadn't encouraged me, I'd have given up on games and never met Mr. Cai."
"I'm going to make games now. To repay you, I'll create a character based on you in my next project!"
With that, he left with Cai Yu.
Lin Fan stood there, stunned.
Wait, what?
It was supposed to be worth at least a billion!
But that billion wasn't for *him*—it was Miha You's deal!
And his hundred million? Gone for good.
This was a scam!
Lin Fan wanted to strangle the System.
**[Congratulations, Host, for completing a transaction. Rewarded 10 skill points!]**
Ten skill points softened the blow. A hundred million for ten points wasn't *too* bad.
Lin Fan stepped outside, mood lifting, already thinking about how to use his points.
But the more he thought, the more torn he was. "System, what can I spend these skill points on?"
**[Theoretically, points can enhance anything: medical skills, martial arts, appearance, strength…]**
Lin Fan's jaw dropped. *Appearance* counted as a skill?
Gritting his teeth, he allocated one point to appearance.
Nothing felt different.
Just as he suspected the System had ripped him off again, a young woman passing by blushed and approached him, phone in hand. "Um, hi, handsome. Can I get your contact info?"
*Handsome*?
Lin Fan was good-looking, but never *stunning*. No one had called him that before.
Had his appearance changed?
He pulled out his phone to check. Sure enough, his face was sharper, more defined—handsome with an edge, deep eyes, and chiseled features. Even his physique was more toned, muscles subtly defined.
A total heartthrob!
And this was just *one* point?
He tried adding more to appearance, but the System blocked him—one point was the limit.
With nine points left, he'd have to choose wisely.
At the driving school, inspiration struck. He used another point on *racing skills*.
Instantly, a flood of driving knowledge filled his mind. His skills now rivaled a pro racer's. Getting a license would be a breeze.
As he prepared to register, he felt something in his pocket. Pulling it out, he froze.
A driver's license.
He hadn't even taken the test!
One skill point, and the System just *handed* him a license?
The sting of losing a hundred million vanished.
Lin Fan opened his navigation, found the nearest 4S shop, and scanned a shared bike to head there. With a license, it was time to buy a car.
But as he unlocked the bike, a couple strolled up, hand in hand. Either by accident or because their passion flared, they started making out right in front of him.
Lin Fan, a single guy, felt like he'd been hit by a truck.
They were glued together, heads pressed close, lost in their kiss.
To the uninformed, it might've looked like two zombies chomping brains.
Lin Fan frowned and stepped forward. "Hey, this is a public place. Mind toning it down?"
The couple paused. The man glanced at Lin Fan, sneering. "Wearing all those brand-name clothes but riding a shared bike? Pathetic loser."
The woman chimed in, mocking, "Bet he borrowed money to buy those clothes just to flex."
The man nodded. "So many people like that these days—broke but acting big. I hate that type."
The woman gazed at him adoringly. "You're the best, babe."
He patted her backside, smirking. "Let's go, honey. Don't waste time on this broke loser. We might catch his bad luck."
"We've got our BMW waiting. The car show's starting soon—let's not be late."
Still throwing jabs at Lin Fan, they climbed into their BMW and sped off.
Lin Fan rolled his eyes. A BMW, really? Was having a bit of money that big a deal?
He was worth over a hundred million. Was *he* bragging?
Shaking it off, Lin Fan pedaled toward the 4S shop.
Ten minutes later, he arrived. Luxury cars lined the lot—Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Bugatti Veyrons, Mercedes-Benz, and Audis, like something out of a movie, casually displayed like cabbages.
A car show was underway, with models posing by each vehicle. Plenty of onlookers were snapping photos, drooling over the cars and the women.
Luxury cars and beauties—a killer combo.
Lin Fan tore his eyes away, feeling like his brain had migrated to his legs.
Shaking his head, he headed toward the show.
Then, two familiar figures appeared.
That same couple from earlier.