9.Bai Xiaomeng.

Back at the apartment, Tang Song put away the documents related to the motorcycle purchase.

Checking the time, it was already noon.

Since taking the physique optimization capsules, he seemed to have gained a larger appetite, getting hungry faster than before.

Feeling his somewhat empty stomach, he realized he had been living here for almost three months and hadn't treated himself to a good meal to save money.

Even the nearby good eateries were unknown to him, making him feel a bit pitiful.

He couldn't afford to compromise on himself anymore.

After searching on a review app for a while, he settled on a Hunan cuisine restaurant with high popularity and good reviews.

The whole place had a traditional Chinese style decor, with an elegant and exquisite interior. According to the reviews, it was also a popular spot for online influencers.

It was only a three-kilometer ride on the motorcycle, which took just a few minutes. Although not as comfortable as a taxi, Tang Song had just gotten the new bike, and the excitement of riding it hadn't worn off yet.

"Beep beep beep~"

The small motorcycle rushed along, and Tang Song arrived at the destination quickly.

Seeing the crowded restaurant with many customers waiting in line, he felt a bit overwhelmed.

However, this indirectly proved that the restaurant was indeed good; otherwise, it wouldn't attract so many people.

After about twenty minutes of waiting, it was finally his turn.

Based on the online reviews of the dishes, Tang Song decisively ordered the two signature dishes, "small fried pork" and "chopped pepper fish head." He also added two large bowls of rice and a pitcher of roselle flower fruit tea.

While waiting for the dishes, smelling the delicious aroma in the restaurant, especially the fragrance of stir-fried chili peppers, made his stomach even hungrier.

Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice at the entrance.

"Wow, it smells so good, but there are quite a few people. Should we try another place?"

Tang Song looked up and couldn't help but feel a stir in his heart. It was indeed her.

Perhaps due to the many changes in the past two days, even though quitting his job happened just yesterday, it felt like a long time had passed.

Seeing his former goddess-like colleague, Bai Xiaomeng, a sense of bewilderment emerged once again.

Bai Xiaomeng, standing at 175 cm tall, was still wearing red high-heeled sandals. Her sparkling jade feet were adorned with red nail polish, making her look tall and slender, with radiant white skin. Her features were beautiful and striking.

Wrapped in a tight dress, showcasing her graceful figure, she walked with a captivating presence. Tang Song's heart couldn't help but race, once again marveling at her astonishing charm.

Forcibly steadying his mind, just as he was about to stand up and greet her, he noticed another man behind her, around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old.

His height was also around 175 cm, with a gentle appearance. Wearing gold-rimmed glasses, a shirt, and a tie, his neatly combed hair gave off an air of a professional elite.

However, standing next to Bai Xiaomeng, who was wearing high heels and surpassing 180 cm, he seemed somewhat out of place.

The elite man touched his wristwatch, then spoke, "I saw many influencers on Douyin coming here. They say the taste is authentic. How about we wait here for a while? It's just over ten minutes, mainly because it's rare for us to have a meal together. We shouldn't waste time on the road."

"Okay, anyway, I have to go to work at 1:30, and I can't be late." Bai Xiaomeng nodded. Her gaze scanned the restaurant, seemingly assessing the wait time. Suddenly, she saw someone familiar sitting not far away and exclaimed, "Tang Song! What a coincidence! Are you eating here too? Alone?"

Tang Song stood up and smiled at Bai Xiaomeng, "Just me. Want to share a table?"

"That's great! I won't be polite then." Bai Xiaomeng walked quickly and stood gracefully beside the table.

"Did you put on makeup?" Bai Xiaomeng's eyes widened, and her rosy lips slightly parted in surprise. "How come your skin looks so good! Up close, it's like you've changed completely. Did you quit your job, or did you get plastic surgery?"

"Hehe, after quitting, I lost the work pressure, and I've relaxed overall. I'm glowing." Tang Song laughed awkwardly, quickly changing the subject. He looked at the elite man behind her and asked, "By the way, Xiaomeng, who is this? He shouldn't be a colleague from Punctuation Media, right?"

Naturally, the elite man detested this sudden intruder, especially when he saw Tang Song's competitive appearance. He felt a tremendous sense of crisis.

Touching his expensive wristwatch, the elite man extended his hand with an air of arrogance. "Hello, I'm Zhang Yue, currently an investment manager at Tiancheng Holdings. I guess you could say I'm Xiaomeng's potential boyfriend."

Bai Xiaomeng quickly explained, "Oh, no, don't listen to him. This is a blind date my aunt arranged for me. We've only met twice. Zhang Yue, if you keep talking like this, I won't go out to eat with you anymore."

Tang Song inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief, smiling as he shook hands with the man, "I'm Tang Song, Xiaomeng's former colleague. It's quite a coincidence today. Let's all sit down and eat together."

"Of course, let's eat together."

Without waiting for Zhang Yue to speak, Bai Xiaomeng directly sat down next to Tang Song, and her delightful fragrance intoxicated him.

Bai Xiaomeng blinked her big eyes and said, "Fortunately, there's a seat here. Otherwise, I'd be late for this meal. By the way, you quit so suddenly yesterday; you didn't even tell me."

Seeing Zhang Yue still standing, Bai Xiaomeng smiled and said, "Zhang Yue, you can sit across from us."

"Xiaomeng, I suddenly remembered that it's hot today, and eating Hunan cuisine might cause acne. I saw another private kitchen restaurant nearby, which seems good. How about we change?"

Zhang Yue, looking at the two sitting so close together, was extremely displeased.

For this date, he not only made a reservation half a month in advance but also sent many red envelopes to Bai Xiaomeng's friends, putting a lot of effort into securing this opportunity for a private meeting.

"Oh, let's stick with this one. Order, order. I'm really hungry. I didn't eat last night for dieting, and I had very little this morning."

Zhang Yue felt like he had been stabbed in the heart, but seeing Bai Xiaomeng so determined, he didn't dare to say anything more. He reluctantly took a seat opposite them, his eyes fixed on Tang Song with a warning expression.

Ignoring the somewhat offensive look from the other side, Tang Song, absorbed in helping Bai Xiaomeng set up her utensils, poured water into her cup.

Zhang Yue cursed internally, feeling like a lapdog. However, unwilling to be outdone, he offered his attention to Bai Xiaomeng, "Xiaomeng, you're dieting even though you're so thin? You mustn't let yourself starve. Your current figure is the best among the girls I've ever seen."

"No way, work is too busy, no time for exercise. I can only control it through dieting." Bai Xiaomeng sighed helplessly. "Ask Tang Song; I've been working overtime for a long time."

Tang Song nodded, staring straight at the side profile of Bai Xiaomeng.

Her straight nose, petal-like red lips, and exquisite profile were like a painting.

Although Tang Song had liked Bai Xiaomeng before, it was just a fantasy. He had a realistic self-awareness; with no house, no car, and no savings, he had no qualifications to pursue a girl like her.

However, now with the system, his overpowered life was about to begin, and all material barriers ceased to exist.

Once his mentality changed, his previously well-hidden gaze became inexplicably intense.

Zhang Yue noticed Tang Song's overly attentive gaze, tapped the table with his fingers, and said rudely, "What dishes did you order just now?"

Tang Song, still focused on Bai Xiaomeng, absentmindedly responded, "Small fried pork, chopped pepper fish head, oh, and rice and a drink."

Bai Xiaomeng, clearly famished, paid no attention to the tension between the two men. She busied herself with the menu.

Adding three more dishes – Grandma's Hunan Cuisine, small stir-fried beef, and flavored shrimp – she closed the menu contentedly.

Rubbing her somewhat empty stomach, Bai Xiaomeng smiled mischievously and said, "I'm going to eat a lot later, so you two better let me. By the way, I'll treat you to this meal. Don't argue with me."

"Tang Song, you've helped me so much at the company and never invited you to dinner. Zhang Yue, last time at Jiangxianju, you spent over a thousand, and this time, you must let me treat you back. Otherwise, I won't feel at ease."

"Okay, next time I'll treat you." Tang Song readily agreed.

Although Zhang Yue wanted to say something, seeing Bai Xiaomeng's serious gaze, he finally acquiesced. However, he sneered internally at Tang Song's shamelessness.

Pah! He even thinks he can treat her next time? Just you wait!

While waiting for the dishes, Bai Xiaomeng took the initiative to start a conversation, not neglecting Zhang Yue either. It was evident she was an outgoing and cheerful girl.

When she asked about the reason for Tang Song's resignation, naturally, Tang Song didn't reveal the true story, mainly to avoid making Bai Xiaomeng feel awkward or guilty. He simply said he offended the department director.

Listening to the conversation between the two, Zhang Yue believed he had figured out Tang Song's background and relaxed. What a pretentious unemployed loser!

Such young people, freshly graduated, full of youthful vigor, and not yet clear about reality. They held unrealistic fantasies about their goddess-like colleagues.

For a top-tier beauty like Bai Xiaomeng, such losers might serve as sycophants at best and couldn't even qualify as backup options.