novelraw Chapter 164: The Whisper of Humanity, Bentley Continental
Chapter 164: The Whisper of Humanity, Bentley Continental
The phone call was connected.
A familiar voice came through the receiver: “Hey, Lao Song, how have you been lately?”
“Pretty good, how about you? Have you wrapped up things at school?”
“I’ll be free after my defense next Monday, basically liberated, and I can finally settle down to work.” Lu Ziming’s tone was very relaxed.
For him, who had already joined Tiancheng Capital, graduation was a new beginning in life, and the future was bright.
The two exchanged simple updates about their lives.
Lu Ziming said, “Xie Shuyu specifically called my sister today and praised you to the skies, thanking me for introducing you. I know Xie well enough; she never flatters people for no reason. Nice job, Lao Song, seems like you really impressed her, giving us some face.”
Tang Song chuckled, “We do get along well; Sister Shuyu takes good care of me.”
After the roadshow, she sent a red envelope of ten thousand yuan and raised his part-time pay to eight thousand.
From Xie Shuyu’s perspective, she had done exceptionally well.“Damn! Lao Song! Why do I feel like you’re smiling so lewdly? You’re not thinking of relying on a rich woman, are you?” Lu Ziming’s loud voice came through the phone. “No offense, but her standards are pretty high; you really have no chance!”
The two bantered for a bit.
Tang Song said, “By the way, Ziming, I won’t be renting the apartment at Qingxin Homestead anymore; I’ll vacate it by the end of the month.”
He had moved into that apartment when he arrived in Yan City in November.
However, Lu Ziming had taken care of him; the contract started in December, and the rent was paid every six months, with no deposit.
By the end of May, it would be exactly half a year.
Now that he had his own place, there was no need to hold onto it.
Lu Ziming was surprised. “What happened?”
“I recently changed my work location, and Qingxin Homestead is a bit far, so I’ll be moving.”
Lu Ziming paused for a moment, “Alright, take your time moving. I won’t rent that apartment out; just give me the keys when you’re done.”
“Okay, thanks.”
“Don’t mention it.” Lu Ziming casually said, “Oh, and there’s something else. Qiu Yu is coming to Yan City on a business trip next week, and she’s invited a few old classmates for dinner on the evening of the 26th. Do you want to come along?”
“Qiu Yu?” Tang Song muttered and laughed, “Forget it; we’re not that familiar, and she didn’t invite me. I won’t crash the party.”
Qiu Yu was quite popular in their major. Although she wasn’t stunningly beautiful, she was above average for their software engineering department.
However, during university, Tang Song didn’t have much interaction with her; they weren’t even friends on WeChat.
“Alright, I knew saying that to you was pointless.” Lu Ziming chuckled, “You’re smart and ambitious; if you were a bit more outgoing, you might even have a girlfriend by now. Well, I won’t keep you. I have to prepare for my defense. I’ll call Lv Kai later, and we’ll have a gathering just the four of us.”
“Sure, bye.”
After hanging up, Tang Song took a sip of cold beer and stood up from the sofa.
Through the heavy clouds outside, he could faintly see a few twinkling stars.
After standing quietly for a moment, Tang Song suddenly strode toward the study.
First, he took the sketch of Secretary Jin from the bookshelf, then grabbed the action camera and guitar, heading into the bedroom.
He stuck the sketch onto the glass curtain wall of the balcony, set up the camera on a tripod, adjusted the shooting angle, and started recording.
Tang Song hugged the guitar, leaning against the sketch, and began to softly sing.
BGM: I can go with you to see the stars, No need for further explanation, I just want to be with you...
His singing skills weren’t high, but with his extensive music theory knowledge and pleasant voice, he sang this slow, lyrical song beautifully.
Today was Secretary Jin’s birthday, and ever since he learned of her real existence, Tang Song had been eager to see her.
This NPC, who carried most of his feelings for the game, was like a star hanging in the night sky for him.
She was both his goal and his direction forward.
After finishing the song, Tang Song exported the video, made some simple edits on his phone, and directly posted the entire performance video to Douyin.
Since she could receive his birthday gift, she should also be able to see this video.
---
2023, May 21, Sunday, Cloudy, 16~24°C.
At 8:30 in the morning, while sitting in the study reading, Tang Song suddenly paused.
“Swish!” The system light screen automatically unfolded in front of him.
[On May 20, 2023, you achieved the goal of over ten thousand followers on the Xiaohongshu platform.]
[You can now be considered a junior influencer (KOL), your voice has gained a certain influence within a small circle, and you have successfully created a personal IP, possessing certain commercial value, content dissemination ability, and user trust...]
[You have received a special item: “Whispers of Humanity.”]
View item details.
[Whispers of Humanity]: When the player encounters a matching scene and object, the item will automatically trigger, generating a special event instance. Completing the instance will help the player better understand human nature, Charm +1.
Seeing the item description, Tang Song tightened his grip on the beer, realizing it was an item that directly rewarded charm points!
[Event Instance] was a special mode of instances in the game, often requiring only a single special event to pass, which was time-efficient with high rewards.
The only drawback was that this item couldn’t be triggered actively.
He took out his phone and opened Xiaohongshu.
Looking at the follower count of 10,000, Tang Song smiled and took a screenshot to keep as a memento.
This account had truly started from zero, completely documenting his transformation process, marking his metamorphosis.
He opened the latest note.
2400+ likes, 600+ saves, 700+ comments.
This note mainly shared his fitness and weight loss experiences, with a very high save ratio.
He scrolled down to the comments.
Most praised his execution and willpower, while many others suggested hobbies in response to his question about “interests.”
Swimming, writing, badminton, photography, outdoor activities, etc.
Tang Song took notes seriously.
Just like the system task [Please Yourself] described: Life can have twists and turns, but one should always remember to please oneself.
He had once devoted himself entirely to study and work, leading a rather dull life.
Now that he had achieved financial freedom, besides self-improvement, he should also cultivate more interests and hobbies.
Only then could he better enjoy life, embrace new experiences, and discover things he had never encountered before.
For example, swimming not only strengthens the body but is also an essential survival skill.
For instance, photography captures the beauty in life and occasionally allows him to invite beautiful girls for private shoots.
As he scrolled further, a familiar ID popped up.
[Yao Yao Ling: “How about trying motorcycles? I’ve always thought boys look super cool riding them! Forgetting all worries, freely racing in the wind. This is my beloved bike; I often ride it outdoors.”] Latest content published on novelꜰire.net
She even attached a photo of herself riding an electric scooter on a bridge.
Blue sky, white clouds, the black-and-white scooter, the orange jacket in the wind, the pink helmet, a vibrant girl, and a blurred background...
It looked very cool.
Tang Song's heart raced, feeling an inexplicable excitement.
He had always loved motorcycles; his father’s vehicle during his childhood was an old motorcycle, which was their main means of transportation.
It held many fond memories for him.
Owning a motorcycle of his own had been a childhood dream.
This was also the main reason he got his motorcycle license during college.
When he last saw Cheng Qiuqiu, he had this thought, and now it was even more uncontrollable.
He opened WeChat and messaged Yao Lingling: “Lingling, I saw your comment. Do you have any motorcycle recommendations for beginners?”
“Ding dong—”
[Lingling: “I’m working on the list; let me finish up, and I’ll help you look into it.”]
After chatting with Yao Lingling for a bit, Tang Song began browsing the internet for trending motorcycles.
---
At 3 PM.
“Ding-a-ling-ling—” The urgent ringtone sounded; it was a strange number from Magic City.
Tang Song’s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly answered, “Hello, hi.”
A polite and steady male voice came from the other end: “Hello, Mr. Tang. I’m a staff member from Shengtang Security. We have a commission for you that has arrived in Yan City. When would you be available for delivery?”
“Now works for me.”
“Alright, we will arrive at Yanjing Tiancheng in about half an hour. Please pay attention to our call.”
“Thanks.”
After about half an hour, his phone rang again.
After a brief conversation, they agreed on a car parking spot, and Tang Song quickly went downstairs.
He walked out
of the eastern gate of the community and immediately saw a flatbed truck parked by the roadside.
The truck's lift platform had already been lowered, and a car covered in a dust cover was quietly resting on top.
Several security personnel in black suits surrounded it, tall and stern-looking, clearly tough characters.
Some curious onlookers, originally gathering around, saw these men and quickly dispersed.
Noticing Tang Song approaching, a buzz-cut young man hurried over, respectfully saying, “Hello, Mr. Tang, I’m Wang Xiaojun, an employee of Shengtang Security.”
“Hello.” Tang Song nodded politely and followed him to the car.
“The entire transport process is handled by us personally to ensure there are no issues. Please inspect the car first.” Wang Xiaojun waved to the security personnel.
Then, the heavy dust cover was carefully pulled away.
A glacial white sedan gradually revealed itself.
Luxurious and noble white, pure and pristine.
The streamlined body, transparent oval headlights, shimmering chrome decorations, and that iconic winged Bentley logo.
Many passersby cast astonished glances.
If it weren’t for the surrounding security in black suits, many might have come over to gawk.
Tang Song, who had been relatively calm, suddenly felt energized.
He was also a car enthusiast, and now his dream car, the nearly 4 million yuan Bentley Continental, was right in front of him.
The excitement and joy in his heart were hard to contain.
He gently ran his fingers along the car’s body, his eyes filled with admiration.
This car was indeed beautiful and understated, with a high-end and stylish design.
On the side of the car, the straight and smooth waistline curves powerfully towards the rear.
The overall impression of the car was elegance, an exquisite and ultimate refinement, exuding a subtle yet confident gentlemanly style.
The license plate was from Magic City, very pleasing, fully numeric, with the last three digits being 8.
“Mr. Tang, here are the vehicle’s registration certificate, insurance policy, keys, and other documents. Please have a look.”
Taking the exquisite plastic bag from Wang Xiaojun, Tang Song pulled out the car key and opened the door.
LED welcome lights, Bentley door sills, and colored derived pedals greeted his eyes.
The interior was a blend of linen white and deep red, with top-notch leather accented by precious wood.
Personalized embroidery, a panoramic sunroof, and a flip screen…
Elegant and noble, luxurious and atmospheric.
After adjusting the seat and steering wheel, he pressed the brake and hit the START button.
“Vroom—” The car roared to life in an instant.
The 6.0T W12 engine sounded like a roaring beast, yet the top-notch NVH kept the cabin quiet.
He drove the car off the lift, heading along the wide roads outside Yanjing Tiancheng.
Accelerating, braking, turning...
After a lap around the community, Tang Song parked the car by the side.
He turned to Wang Xiaojun, “The car is fine. Thank you, everyone.”
“That's good to hear.” Wang Xiaojun smiled, handing over a document, “Could you please sign here? Our task will be complete.”
Tang Song took the document and signed his name quickly.
“Mr. Tang, we won’t disturb you any further. Goodbye.” Wang Xiaojun bowed slightly.
Soon, the lift of the truck started up, and the team of security personnel got into a nearby SUV with Magic City plates.
Tang Song resumed his seat in the Bentley, starting the car.
The clouds in the sky looked like flowing paintings, sometimes heavy, sometimes light.
Sunlight pierced through the gaps, falling on the Bentley’s shiny body, casting colorful hues.
Occasionally, eyes were drawn towards it; while waiting at a traffic light, he could see people raising their phones to take photos and videos.
Soft music played through the 20 high-quality Naim speakers.
Tang Song sat in the comfortable leather seat, fingers gently gripping the smooth and soft steering wheel, weaving through the bustling city streets, feeling an indescribable confidence and satisfaction.
The car gradually drove out of the urban area, arriving at a less busy outer ring road.
He pressed the accelerator, and the 635 horsepower burst forth with incredible acceleration.
The wind rushed outside, while inside the car, it remained steady and tranquil.
By around 4 PM, Tang Song parked on a tree-lined roadside.
He took a few aesthetic photos with his phone, leaning against the elegant car body while admiring the surrounding scenery.
Suddenly, an idea struck him.
Just like the house, the car was also inherited from assets in the game; he wondered if there were any treasures he had left in it.
He opened the trunk and indeed found a blue-and-white folding storage box.
Tang Song pulled the box out and opened the lid.
The first thing he saw was a rolled-up poster.
Unrolling the poster, Tang Song raised his eyebrows.
It was actually a promotional poster for Su Yu’s concert on June 20th titled “You Have to Do with Fishing.”
Looking at her stunning face and the black ring on her finger, Tang Song pursed his lips, seemingly understanding her intention.
Continuing to rummage, a beautiful black wooden gift box caught his eye.
It had a familiar ornate pattern embossed on top.
Lifting the lid, in the center of the brown soft cushion was a wristwatch that looked very high-end.
Matte blue dial, eight elongated diamond hour markers, black leather strap...
The inner lining was printed with a line of English letters: PATEK PHILIPPE.
Combined with the logo he had just seen, a term popped into Tang Song’s mind.
Patek Philippe!
He had naturally heard of this world-renowned top watch brand.
Although he didn’t know the specific model of this watch, just judging by its appearance, it was definitely from a high-end collection.
Taking a deep breath, Tang Song gently closed the box and placed it back in the storage box.
He then pulled out a thick envelope, on which “Tang Song” was written in neat and powerful handwriting with a marker.
He tore open the sealed envelope and pulled out a thick stack of white printed paper.
Checking the content of the top page.
“You Have to Do with Fishing” Concert Invitation
Date: June 20, 2023, 19:30
Venue: Yan City Olympic Center Stadium
Address: …
Seat: Inner Circle
Ticket Price: 2688 Yuan
Below was a QR code that could be scanned directly to redeem concert tickets.
Counting quickly, there were a full 50 invitation tickets.
Tang Song pursed his lips and sighed softly, murmuring, “Su Yu, Su Yu.”