Xu Xiaoya said, "Of course I'm moving in. What, are you afraid I'll molest you tonight? Otherwise, you'd better agree to be Professor Gu's student right away, or there's no room for discussion."
Zhao Qiang picked up the instant noodle bowl, ate it, and went back to the finance department by himself, saying, "Are you crazy?"
Regardless of whether Xu Xiaoya was acting crazy, she moved into the finance department's suite and kicked Zhao Qiang out onto the sofa. Zhao Qiang felt wronged, but he didn't want to agree to Xu Xiaoya's request. Although he had almost figured it out, being Professor Gu Yu's student wasn't a bad thing, but the premise was that he had to have real knowledge. But real knowledge couldn't be acquired in a day or two, so he would deal with it later.
While tidying up her room with a smug look on her face, Xu Xiaoya said, "Look at your long face, it's like I've taken advantage of you. Don't worry, I'll cover all the electricity bills while I'm staying here. In short, you won't suffer any losses."
Zhao Qiang stood at the doorway watching Xu Xiaoya place the pink laptop on her old desk. He asked, "Are you serious? You're paying for the electricity yourself?"
As Xu Xiaoya turned on the computer, she said, "What's the big deal? You think I can't afford it? I'll let you use as much as you want. How many kilowatt-hours of electricity do you use in one night?"
Zhao Qiang chuckled: "Looks like you're a big spender, class monitor. Since you're so generous, I won't stand on ceremony."
Xu Xiaoya waved her hand and said, "Don't be so polite with me. Even if we're just colleagues, we've been classmates for three years. I'm the class monitor, so it's only right that I take care of you. Come on, optimize my system first and let me see the stupid optimization software you 'casually' downloaded."
Zhao Qiang took out a USB drive from his pocket and plugged it into Xu Xiaoya's laptop. When he was asked to enter the password, he said to Xu Xiaoya, who was staring at the computer desk, "Class monitor, shouldn't you leave for a moment?"
Xu Xiaoya was furious: "Hmph, Zhao Qiang, are you afraid I'll steal your password? You're so stingy."
Seeing that Xu Xiaoya refused to leave, Zhao Qiang could only cover the screen with one hand and quickly type with the other, "Yeah, I'm really scared. You know this is a trade secret. How could I let you see it?"
Xu Xiaoya said angrily, "You don't trust me? Am I that kind of despicable person?"
The optimization process began at this point. Zhao Qiang shrugged indifferently. He didn't want to lose more than he gained. Even if Xu Xiaoya looked down on him, it didn't matter. It was Xu Xiaoya's fault for deliberately framing him back in their hometown. His mother probably still suspected their relationship. And since he hadn't gone to graduate school as she wished, his parents would probably be angry and upset. All these troubles were caused by Xu Xiaoya. To express his anger, he was determined to use up more electricity tonight!
While Zhao Qiang optimized Xu Xiaoya's laptop, he went to the outer room to tidy up the sofa. He was in excruciating pain and needed to rest in bed all afternoon. He also needed to think carefully about his future path. Zhao Qiang first placed his laptop on the innermost and most luxurious desk, plugged it in, and quietly gave Xiao Wei the order: "Charge it. I've found a sucker this time. She said she'll cover our electricity bill."
Xiao Wei perked up; Zhao Qiang's earlier gloom had also affected her. "Okay, don't worry, brother, I've thought of a way to help you."
Zhao Qiang asked, puzzled, "What method?"
Xiao Wei said, "Then we should modify and repair tools more. I think there's bound to be one that can really help my brother!"
Zhao Qiang thought it was something serious. He sighed and said, "Forget it, don't overthink it. I was just being stubborn and got stuck in a rut. Let's focus on running the 'Big Fool' optimization software first. Then I'll study hard and strengthen my physical fitness. You can't get fat in one bite, right? If all else fails, I'll hire dozens of bodyguards when I have money. Let's see who dares to hit me then."
Xu Xiaoya opened the door and said to Zhao Qiang, "Hey, Zhao Qiang, what are you muttering about? Are you talking badly about me behind my back?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Yes, I'm thinking about how to molest you tonight."
Xu Xiaoya scoffed: "Do you have the guts? You're the only guy in our class who hasn't dated during college. Even if I let you into the room, what can you do to me?"
Zhao Qiang lay on the made-up sofa, his wound throbbing with pain. He hissed, "Hey class monitor, you don't have to make fun of me like that. I don't have time for that. I'm busy making a living every day. Besides, with the little money I have, what girl would want to date me? But back in high school, I was a heartthrob. Quite a few girls wrote me letters... Sigh, let's not dwell on the past. I won't talk about that now. Once you're done optimizing, put the USB drive on the table for me."
Xu Xiaoya laughed: "You, the school heartthrob? I'm not trying to be mean, but your clothes are from ten years ago, and you still don't have a cell phone. What can I say to you? You're living a carefree life, but it's a huge hassle for others to find you."
Zhao Qiang didn't take it to heart at all. "I call this being frugal and simple, you know? But speaking of cell phones, I have to correct you. I'm an organic consumer now too."
Xu Xiaoya leaned closer: "Oh, show it to me. You bought a 99-yuan phone during a promotion? Oh, I forgot, you made over a thousand yuan yesterday. Buying a phone is nothing to you."
Zhao Qiang also wanted to show off, so he took out the Dove S920 that Liu Yiyi had given him from his pocket and said, "How about that? It's not 99 yuan, is it? I don't even have to pay the phone bill myself!"
Xu Xiaoya snatched it away. "You even get your phone bill reimbursed? Let me see... This is a women's phone, isn't it? Don't tell me you like using women's things. Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps. Are you mentally unstable?"
Zhao Qiang said angrily, "You're the one who's mentally unstable! This was a gift from someone, you know that?!"
Xu Xiaoya was taken aback: "A gift from someone else? Luo Xiaowei?"
"Wrong!" Zhao Qiang said, "It's Liu Yiyi, the owner of Yiyi Fashion Apparel Co., Ltd."
Xu Xiaoya hesitated for a long time before saying, "It's her? How could you possibly know her? Even if you did know her, why would she give you a phone?"
Zhao Qiang said, "You're getting the wrong idea. I'm currently a computer maintenance worker at Yiyi Fashion Apparel Co., Ltd., and my cell phone is provided by the company."
Xu Xiaoya breathed a sigh of relief: "So that's how it is. I thought there was some kind of unclear relationship between you two."
"Her thoughts are filthy." Zhao Qiang concluded about Xu Xiaoya.
Xu Xiaoya stormed back to her room, and Zhao Qiang ignored her, closing his eyes to rest. To be honest, Zhao Qiang wasn't entirely against Xu Xiaoya's presence; at least she talked to him, even if it was just an argument. Loneliness is the most terrifying thing!
A few minutes later, Xu Xiaoya burst out of the room again, throwing a USB drive and a packet of slimming tea onto the coffee table. "Here you go! What kind of crappy software is this? It has so many passwords. I can't even see what functions it has. A guy drinking slimming tea? Are you fat?"
Zhao Qiang turned over and ignored her, continuing to sleep. Xu Xiaoya had no choice but to go back to the inner room. A little while later, she ran out to cook instant noodles. She didn't get to eat lunch. Although girls usually have the habit of dieting to lose weight, Xu Xiaoya, who was used to eating lunch, simply couldn't stand it.
After waiting for Xu Xiaoya to cook the noodles and then slurping them down, Zhao Qiang thought he could finally get some rest. But then, the 29-inch flat-screen TV in the corner was turned on again. He never expected that even after the repair shop had been closed for so long, there was still a cable signal. Xu Xiaoya switched to the "If You Are the One" program and watched it with great interest, which made Zhao Qiang feel like throwing up. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore and opened his eyes and got up.
"I said, squad leader, have you done enough? I need to rest. I'm covered in injuries. Are you trying to kill me? If I had known it was you honking your car horn outside the door, I definitely wouldn't have opened the door for you."
Xu Xiaoya said smugly, "Anyway, now that I'm in, I'll stop causing trouble as soon as you agree to be Professor Gu's student."
Zhao Qiang gestured for him to continue, saying, "You can continue, I'll sleep with my ears plugged."
Volume 1 [048] Expired Slimming Tea
Zhao Qiang slept for the entire afternoon and most of the night. He woke up at four o'clock in the morning. It was still dark outside, but the laptop on the table was emitting a flashing light, and a cloud of white mist was spinning rapidly. Zhao Qiang slapped his forehead. Xiao Wei was modifying something again. It really intended to make Xu Xiaoya vomit blood.
"Brother, you're awake." The command prompt on Xiaowei's back was still running.
Zhao Qiang said, "Yeah, I've been sleeping for over ten hours and I'm almost sick of it. What are you modifying?"
"shoe."
Zhao Qiang then realized his sneakers were missing. "Why are you modifying your shoes?"
Xiao Wei said, "These are assistive shoes designed from my remaining data to help save energy during field repair work. With them, even if my brother can't beat the opponent, he can easily escape the scene."
Xiao Wei was still thinking about the fight during the day. Zhao Qiang said, "Xiao Wei, I've made up my mind. Starting today, I'll go through all the university courses from scratch, and at the same time, I'll study computer science and physics on my own. I want to be strong in the future, so I must enrich myself now. Only by becoming strong can I bully others instead of being bullied by them."
Xiao Wei was surprised: "Brother, it was just a fight with three little brats, but it really affected you a lot."
Zhao Qiang said, "Actually, they made me think about many future issues. I should thank them, not just because they injured me, but also because I injured them. This injury is a wake-up call. I have a lot to do in the future, and I can't do it without some knowledge. It's not enough for you to just guide and help me from behind."
Xiao Wei asked, "So you plan to study for Professor Gu's master's degree?"
Zhao Qiang thought for a moment: "If I understand all the university courses, it wouldn't be a problem to go on to graduate school without interfering with my part-time job. After all, my parents want that too. Hehe, who doesn't want to be famous? Right?"
The white fog began to dissipate, and Zhao Qiang's sneakers slowly landed on the ground. Only then did he realize that the black box he had brought back from the flea market was now just a scrap, and the integrated circuits inside had all disappeared.
"Oh, Xiaowei, you've used up all the raw materials?"
Xiao Wei nodded her cat head: "Yes, brother, because I also modified your white shirt."
Zhao Qiang then noticed a white shirt on the ground. "Why are you modifying clothes? What's the point of this?"
Xiao Wei said, "Brother, don't underestimate this shirt. In my memory, it is loved by many repairmen because it is fireproof, electricalproof, waterproof, warm and cool. It can also disperse the impact force received by a certain part and reduce the damage to the body. It is a repairman's close-fitting cotton coat to protect himself."
Zhao Qiang said, "It's so amazing, I definitely have to wear it."
Xiao Wei said, "There are also sports shoes. They can increase your running speed and improve your jumping ability, allowing you to reach speeds and heights that normal people cannot achieve. With them, you can run continuously for several hours without getting tired."
After hearing the introduction, Zhao Qiang exclaimed sincerely, "Wow, Xiao Wei, you're amazing! I don't know how to thank you enough. I will definitely work hard in this promising profession of repair. Of course, in order to truly master the repair skills, I will also keep learning and never dare to let you down."
"Okay, good luck, brother! There's one more thing I need to tell you. Not only did these two item modifications consume a lot of electricity, but the chip developed cracks because of the prolonged energy output..."
Zhao Qiang was taken aback: "Ah, your chip has a crack? Is it serious? Will it affect your existence?"
Xiao Wei said, "It's not a big problem, but it can't be modified before New Year's Day. I need to focus on repairing the damage to the chip. Of course, software repair won't be delayed. I can also provide help and consultation for my brother."
Zhao Qiang waved his hand and said, "These things are not important. Clothes and shoes are not important either. Xiao Wei, I want you to know that you are the most important. If you don't exist, my future will be gone. Do you understand?"
Xiao Wei nodded solemnly: "Brother, I understand. Our fates are intertwined. This was decided the moment you activated me. All the tools I modified have your DNA imprint on them, and no one else can use them. Brother, I need to rest now. You keep going! Work hard to earn money, otherwise we won't be able to carry out the next modification because we need to buy the raw materials required for the modification."
Zhao Qiang closed the screen. He decided to take some time during the day to go back to his dormitory and bring all the textbooks from his three years of university. The content that Professor Gu wanted to test him on was nothing more than those textbooks. As long as he had mastered them, he wouldn't be afraid of the test!
Having slept for so long, Zhao Qiang was very thirsty. Seeing the slimming tea on the table, he suddenly became interested, turned on the induction cooker to boil water, and then made a cup. Before he could even drink it, the door to the suite creaked open, and Xu Xiaoya walked out, wearing a thin nightgown and still sleepy-eyed.
"What's all the noise about, Zhao Qiang? You're awake! You haven't even had dinner yet. Are you a pig? You can sleep so much! I'm so thirsty, pour me a glass."
Xu Xiaoya's pajamas were thin but not revealing, so Zhao Qiang didn't have much to see. He poured most of his tea into Xu Xiaoya's teacup, and then filled it with hot water from the kettle on the induction cooker. The two of them drank slowly and leisurely, and the warmth from their stomachs made them feel warm and comfortable.
After finishing their tea, the two of them found themselves sweating profusely. Xu Xiaoya said, "Don't you feel it? My stomach feels so hot, and there's a burning pain in it."
Zhao Qiang also noticed that after the initial warm and comfortable feeling came heat and pain, but he thought it was the effect of the slimming tea, so he said, "It's a slimming tea for cleansing the intestines, of course it should have some effect, otherwise what's the use of drinking it?"
Xu Xiaoya said, "That's not right. I've drunk it before, but I've never felt this way before. Let me see what's left."
Zhao Qiang took a package from the table and handed it over. The brand was definitely legitimate—Biqingyuan, a well-known name. Xu Xiaoya turned on the light, and both of them instinctively shielded their eyes with their hands as soon as the light came on; it was too bright. As she did so, Zhao Qiang glanced sideways into Xu Xiaoya's pajamas and wondered if she was going braless?
Xu Xiaoya found the production date on the packaging. "Oh no, it's expired! That damn Zhao Qiang, you gave me expired slimming tea! You've ruined me!"
After Xu Xiaoya lowered her arm, the spring scenery was gone. Zhao Qiang withdrew his gaze and said, "I drank it myself. Besides, what does it matter if tea expires or not? As long as it tastes good, that's all that matters. I really did a good deed but was ungrateful. I made tea for you in the middle of the night and all I got in return was this complaint."
Xu Xiaoya clutched her stomach and said, "My stomach really hurts! I... I can't take it anymore, I need to go to the toilet."
Actually, Zhao Qiang also had a stomachache, but he could bear it for the time being. In addition to the pain, Zhao Qiang also felt a burning sensation in his lower abdomen, as if there was a fire burning down there. The flesh on his stomach was pricking with needles. Was the side effects of this expired slimming tea really that bad?
Shunfeng Repair Shop used to have a large public toilet, but it was locked after the shop closed down. Now there is only a small single-seat toilet in the customer rest area. Xu Xiaoya had already observed the layout during the day, so she wouldn't get lost.
Zhao Qiang could only hold on for a maximum of two minutes before he couldn't take it anymore. His stomach and lower abdomen were in excruciating pain, and he also felt a slippery sensation moving downwards. He desperately needed to find a toilet to relieve himself, but Xu Xiaoya locked the door and refused to come out.
After pacing around outside for a while, Zhao Qiang finally called out, "Squad leader, I can't hold it in anymore, come out quickly."
Xu Xiaoya almost cried out, "What...what happened to me? It's all oil! Am I going to die...?"
The door finally opened with a snap. Zhao Qiang pushed his way in before Xu Xiaoya could even come out. One hand was unbuckling his belt; he was willing to take off his pants in front of Xu Xiaoya, because the slippery feeling in his stomach had reached its final point. He couldn't even relax for a moment, he had to hold his breath, or he would leak. Xu Xiaoya grabbed Zhao Qiang and stammered, "I...I..."
Xu Xiaoya was nervous, and besides, how could a girl be embarrassed to discuss going to the toilet with a boy? Zhao Qiang, however, didn't have time to argue with her. He pushed Xu Xiaoya out, then pulled down his pants and squatted down. Whoosh... This was originally something that couldn't be discussed openly, but Zhao Qiang was startled. There was a light in the toilet, and by the light, he realized that he had expelled a stream of oily waste! Could it be that Xu Xiaoya had done the same thing just now? Otherwise, why would she be so scared?
Oh no, did I drink expired diet tea and my intestines leak? Was the pain just now a perforated intestine? But does an intestinal perforation cause oily stools? Zhao Qiang didn't understand, but fortunately, after the oily stools came out, his stomach felt much better, and his whole body felt warm and comfortable again. No, he should say he felt relaxed, like he was running with heavy loads and now the sandbags tied to his body were removed, making him feel light and airy.
Volume 1 [049] Being Dieted
Knock knock knock! Someone was banging on the door. "Hurry up, Zhao Qiang, I can't hold on any longer!"
Originally intending to enjoy a little more time, Zhao Qiang had to wipe his bottom to make room for Xu Xiaoya. So, before dawn, the two took turns going to the toilet, and they were really having a terrible time. At first, they were afraid that it was a stomach perforation or an intestinal perforation, but after constantly passing oily stools, they became numb. The pain in their stomachs had long since subsided, so it shouldn't be a big problem, at most it might be enteritis or something. This is what happens when you try to save money. You shouldn't have drunk the remaining slimming tea in the first place.
Zhao Qiang returned to the finance department as the sun rose, finally free from squatting. He touched his stomach and felt he had lost a lot of weight; this whole ordeal was more effective than any dieting method. His digital watch on the coffee table suddenly flashed; it must have been a message from Xiao Wei. Zhao Qiang quickly picked it up to check.
"Brother, what's wrong? I heard you guys talking outside?" Xiao Wei's video input was turned off after the screen was closed, so she couldn't observe what was happening outside.
Zhao Qiang whispered to his digital watch, "I have diarrhea, it's the really scary kind of oily diarrhea, I don't know what happened, it really frightened me."
Xiao Wei asked, "Did you eat something unclean?"
Zhao Qiang said, "No way, whatever I ate last night, it was all digested long ago. I only drank a packet of slimming tea around 4 o'clock."
"Slimming tea?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Yes, it used to be on the computer desk in the bedroom, but the warranty period has expired."
Xiao Wei said, "No way, even if it's past its expiration date, it's impossible to get diarrhea right after drinking it, and it's oily too. Could it be..."