Opening loot boxes.
Opening loot boxes...
While waiting for their food order, Cao Cheng returned to his room, locked the door, and began opening loot boxes.
This was exactly why Cao Cheng didn’t like having outsiders at home.
If it weren’t for this "Fourth Sister" Ren Yuege, Cao Cheng would have lit incense, taken a purifying bath, and even lit three cigarettes—going all out for the ritualistic vibe.
But now, he had to sneak around like a thief just to open his rewards.
The ten-draw began.
In the void, countless loot boxes spun, their colors shifting endlessly—iron, bronze, silver, gold...
Occasionally, a dazzling diamond chest flashed by, vanishing almost instantly, barely visible to the naked eye—proof of its absurdly low drop rate.
[Ding~]
[Congratulations, Host! You obtained an Iron Chest: +1 Strength]
[Congratulations, Host! You obtained an Iron Chest: +1 Agility]
[Congratulations, Host! You obtained an Iron Chest: +1 Constitution]
[Congratulations, Host! You obtained an Iron Chest: +1 Strength]
[Congratulations, Host! You obtained an Iron Chest: +1 Strength]
[Congratulations… Iron…]
(▼ヘ▼#)
Cao Cheng’s veins bulged in frustration.
Aside from the pain from the sudden strength boost, what really stung was the sheer disappointment.
What kind of garbage was this?
Sure,
stat boosts were useful for Cao Cheng.
They’d refine his combat skills, pushing his personal power to new heights.
But still,
this was just too damn unfair.
An entire month’s worth of saved-up emotional points—
and this was all he got?
The grind had been brutal.
Sure, he was raking in points now, but at the start, he barely scraped 10 a day, maxing out at 16.
Do you have any idea how many people he’d pissed off this past month?
Could the system at least throw him a bone here?
[Congratulations, Host! You obtained a Silver Chest: Mastery of the Eight Great Cuisines]
[Congratulations, Host! You obtained a Silver Chest: One Jin of Fragrant Serenity Tea]
[Congratulations, Host! You obtained an Iron Chest: +1 Agility]
[Ding~]
[Congratulations, Host! You obtained a Gold Chest: Grandmaster Piano Skills]
Whew—
Thank god!
At least he got one gold and two silvers in the end.
Cao Cheng let out a relieved sigh.
At least his month-long effort—and all the people he’d offended—hadn’t been for nothing.
Thanks, Aunt Wang.
Even though
piano skills weren’t particularly useful, a grandmaster-level skill was still great for showing off.
Who knew when it might come in handy to blind someone with sheer talent?
After all, skills—no matter how niche—were never a burden.
As for the master-level cooking skills…
He’d ignore those for now.
Cao Cheng hated cooking.
It was terrible for his skin, okay?
Besides,
the real gem of this ten-draw was the [Fragrant Serenity Tea].
According to the description, it was a mid-grade immortal tea from a cultivation realm, used by cultivators to calm their minds and deepen their enlightenment during meditation.
For ordinary people, the effects were even more miraculous—
eradicating illnesses and extending lifespan.
Most importantly, the appearance of immortal tea hinted that future draws might even yield…
Cultivation Techniques.
…
Afterward,
Cao Cheng checked his physical changes.
The +3 Strength boost had visibly bulked up his muscles.
His six-pack abs were now faintly visible.
The average adult male’s strength stat was below 10, and while Cao Cheng had been training, progress had been slow.
But this sudden +3 was a massive leap.
If before,
his body could only bring out 10% of his grandmaster combat skills, now he could likely push past 20%.
A few more draws, and his physique would reach terrifying levels.
The future looked bright!
…
Soon,
the hotel’s food arrived.
Seven or eight servers brought in dish after dish, covering the entire table—
chicken, duck, fish, meat!
The aroma was overwhelming.
A lavish feast.
But the moment Cao Cheng took a bite…
He instantly understood.
The [Mastery of the Eight Great Cuisines] he’d drawn was at least one or two tiers above even a five-star hotel’s head chef.
In his eyes now, these dishes were nothing more than pretty plating—the flavors were mediocre at best.
His heightened taste buds could dissect every ingredient and flaw in an instant.
“What, not to your liking?”
Ren Yuege noticed his expression and took a bite herself before nodding. “Seems fine to me.”
Cao Cheng’s lips twitched. “You just haven’t eaten anything good.”
Ren Yuege raised a brow. “And you have?”
Cao Cheng shook his head.
He couldn’t admit he had.
Nor could he admit he could cook.
Otherwise, she’d definitely make him cook for her.
Not worth the effort.
Even if he did, all he’d get was her praise and a measly trickle of "positive emotions."
Whatever.
He’d force it down.
It wasn’t terrible, at least.
…
Ren Yuege had the appetite of a bird.
She ate with refined elegance, setting down her chopsticks after just a few bites. “I’m full. Take your time, little brother.”
Cao Cheng stared at the table full of dishes. “Two bites? Are you serious?”
She wasn’t even overweight—why eat like this?
Ren Yuege shrugged. “I don’t eat much. You go ahead.”
“There’s no way I can finish all this. If you knew you’d eat like a sparrow, why order so much?”
“I was worried you’d still be hungry. Ungrateful brat.”
“So I should thank you?”
“No need. That’s what big sisters are for.”
“Tch—can’t take a hint, huh?”
Cao Cheng glared at the mountain of food, exasperated.
“You wanted five-star food, so no leftovers allowed, little brother.”
Ren Yuege grinned. “By the way, do you have plans this afternoon?”
Cao Cheng grunted. “Nope. Free as a bird.”
“Perfect. You’re coming with me.”
“…”
Ren Yuege giggled. “I’ll go buy some gifts first. I’m visiting my teacher later. Be a good boy and clean up after yourself—wash the dishes too.”
“!”
Bang.
The door shut behind her.
Cao Cheng sighed at the feast before him.
The portions weren’t huge, but with so many dishes—especially the heavy ones—it was still a challenge.
Not that he couldn’t finish it.
His appetite was decent, and after the stat boosts, he was ravenous enough to devour half a cow.
His body needed the fuel.
But with his refined palate, some dishes were borderline inedible.
Might as well reheat them.
He got up, carried a few dishes to the kitchen, and adjusted the seasoning for a quick fix.
Soon,
the reheated dishes returned to the table.
The home stove’s heat was gentler, so the presentation wasn’t as pristine, but the flavors had improved by at least a tier.
Mastery of the Eight Great Cuisines meant even an amateur could run a thriving restaurant.
At the proficient level, you could be a head chef at a high-end hotel.
At mastery? You were a culinary legend, sweeping cooking competitions with ease.
As for grandmaster…
To establish one's own culinary school means creating a unique style beyond the existing major cuisines, mastering signature dishes, and even taking on disciples.
Thus,
With the system's (Master-level) culinary skills, the flavors of the cooked meal instantly burst on the taste buds, making one narrow their eyes in delight.
Yet, a concern arises.
Will I ever be able to enjoy meals from outside restaurants again?
Cooking for myself every day sounds exhausting.
Please, don’t let it be like this.
System.
Can I exchange this reward?
I don’t want culinary skills anymore.
I’ll even take a loss—how about swapping it for a… Master-level Cultivation Technique instead?
ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
reezy rom-com) Good news: Jiang Liu is quite the ladies' man. Bad news: He’s lost his memory. Lying in a hospital bed, Jiang Liu listens to a parade of goddesses spouting "absurd claims," feeling like the world is one giant game of Werewolf. "Jiang Liu, I’m your first love." "Jiang Liu, you’re my boyfriend—she’s your ex." "Jiang Liu, we’re close friends who’ve shared a bed, remember?" "Jiang Liu, I want to have your baby." The now-lucid Jiang Liu is convinced this must be some elaborate scam... until someone drops the bombshell: "The day before you lost your memory, you confessed your feelings—and got into a relationship." Jiang Liu is utterly baffled. So... who the hell is his actual girlfriend?! ... Before recovering his memories, Jiang Liu must navigate this minefield of lies and sincerity, fighting to protect himself from these women’s schemes. But things spiral even further out of control as more people show up at his doorstep—each with increasingly unhinged antics. On the bright side, the memories he lost due to overwhelming trauma seem to be resurfacing. Great news, right? So why are they all panicking now?
u Chenyuan transmigrated into a female-oriented novel about a real and fake heiress, becoming the CEO elder brother of both. Unfortunately, the entire Lu family—including himself, the CEO—were mere cannon fodder in the story. Determined to save himself, Lu Chenyuan took action. The spoiled, attention-seeking fake heiress? Thrown into the harsh realities of the working class to learn humility. The love-struck real heiress? Pushed toward academic excellence, so lofty goals would blind her to trivial romances. As for the betrayed, vengeful arranged marriage wife… the plot hadn’t even begun yet. There was still time—if he couldn’t handle her, he could at least avoid her. "CEO Lu, are you avoiding me?" Mo Qingli fixed her gaze on Lu Chenyuan. For the first time, the shrewd and calculating Lu Chenyuan felt a flicker of unease.
. As long as he maintains the villain image and follows the plot to the grand finale, he can obtain generous rewards and return to the real world. So Gu Chen'an entered the role and began to act as a scumbag villain, but who would have expected that the female leads could hear his inner thoughts. Miss Su from the Su family was shocked: "I originally thought Gu Chen'an was a scumbag, but I didn't expect he turned out to be a gentleman! What? You said I have to call off the engagement? I definitely won't, I'll piss you off!" Bai Yuan Tian was dumbfounded: "Young Master Gu is usually unreasonable and a complete brat, but he actually calls me little sweetie in his heart? What, Young Master Gu even said he likes me?" As the female leads' images collapsed more and more, the plot also collapsed with it. Gu Chen'an looked at all this chaos. "Ladies, don't aggro me, if you keep this up the male lead really will stab me, I still need to survive to the grand finale!"
