Farming Games are All About Grinding

Five minutes later, Han Qiwu got out of the car with a peculiar expression on his face. Just as he was about to scan the code to pay, he saw the driver slam the gas pedal and zoom off in an instant.

"Hey, man, that's not necessary, you still gotta take the money!" Han Qiwu shouted, waving his hand, not expecting such an outcome.

The driver clearly didn't want to engage with him anymore. Without looking back, he simply raised his right hand and waved dismissively.

Han Qiwu let out a helpless chuckle.

Well, that worked out—got a free ride.

Traveling outside sure makes you think twice about bragging, doesn't it?

"I haven't even checked the TV today; maybe the almanac says it's a good day to go out." Han Qiwu thought to himself as he headed toward the KFC.

When holidays rolled around, Wangfujing became a sea of people. Many businesses seized the opportunity, pulling out all sorts of clever stunts to attract crowds. The streets were filled with rhythmic music and the booming voices of hosts.

When Han Qiwu arrived, his eyes immediately locked onto a goddess standing next to the KFC dessert booth.

Today, Tang Qingying was wearing a light pink dress paired with open-toe sandals. She looked ethereal, with just a touch of playfulness. Just standing there, she was already a striking view.

Luckily, her expression was cold and distant. Otherwise, there'd definitely be a crowd of people trying to talk to her.

But when she spotted Han Qiwu—

It was like ice rivers thawing, and spring arrived.

"You're here! Quick, come hold my hand," Tang Qingying said brightly, extending her fair right hand toward Han Qiwu without hesitation.

"Alright, I'll make sure to come earlier next time." Han Qiwu switched the bottle of monkey wine he was holding to his right hand, then took Tang Qingying's small hand in his left. With envious eyes around them, they walked into Wangfujing together.

"No, it's nothing. My dad just had something to do and happened to drop me off earlier. I only waited ten minutes," Tang Qingying said as she lightly swayed their joined hands.

Holding hands felt so nice.

At that moment, though, Han Qiwu was too preoccupied to savor the softness. Hearing Tang Qingying's words, he quickly looked around. "Where's Uncle now?"

"What are you scared of? He's been off handling his business for a while now," Tang Qingying said with a laugh. "Relax! My mom has already seen your resume. You're ready for the next interview phase."

Han Qiwu couldn't help but laugh. "Good thing I went one-for-one straight to the interview. Does Auntie have anything she likes? While we're out, I can pick out something for her."

"That's exactly what I was thinking!" Tang Qingying said excitedly. She had planned to bring it up later, but she didn't expect Han Qiwu to think of it himself.

How sweet.

"My mom likes small accessories, usually. Let's take a look and pick out a pair of earrings or something suitable for her. It doesn't have to be too expensive—something simple is perfect," Tang Qingying said with a smile.

"Got it," Han Qiwu smiled back, thinking to himself, Well, if the future mother-in-law likes jewelry, I've got no worries.

He still had a few pieces of jade tucked away in storage.

Originally, he had considered preparing something for his own mom, but since her skin was allergy-prone and she never wore jewelry, he'd have to pass on that idea.

When it came to gifts, it wasn't about the price—it was about whether the recipient liked it.

To Mrs. Han, the sagebrush her son brought was more precious than gold of the same weight.

As it approached mealtime, the shops along the commercial street grew more and more lively, with all kinds of delicious aromas wafting out from everywhere, competing for attention.

Tang Qingying swallowed a mouthful of saliva and pointed across the street to a restaurant. "Let's go! That Zhang Tianji Spicy Frog and Fish Head place is pretty good. The owner's a friend of mine—it's clean and tasty."

"Sure! What do you want to drink? Should we grab some milk tea or something?" Han Qiwu asked in return.

Tang Qingying gave him a mischievous smile and tilted her head. "Aren't you already carrying wine? Let's just drink that!"

"Been watching that carefully, huh? Your eyesight's sharp." Han Qiwu glanced down. The cowboy bag he had brought from home was indeed open at the top, showing the monkey wine and the purple clay teapot inside.

"Of course! How do you think I picked you?" Tang Qingying teased sweetly. After saying that, she bashfully walked ahead and took the lead, guiding Han Qiwu toward the restaurant.

Han Qiwu chuckled. Today, he felt that Mr. Tang—no, Tang Qingying—was really quite different. At the same time, he could sense that his feelings for her were also evolving:

More natural. More intimate.

After walking for a few minutes, the two arrived at the entrance of the Zhang Tianji restaurant. The lobby was crowded with customers. Some were lined up, while others were seated and placing orders.

"Oh, there's an event! Let's go check it out," Tang Qingying said, her curiosity piqued. She pulled Han Qiwu toward the crowd in the lobby.

Normally, when she was out shopping with her girlfriends, she rarely joined such events. For one, she wasn't interested; for another, she was a bit concerned about safety.

But ever since being with Han Qiwu, she wanted to try out every little thing she hadn't done before—with him together.

After all, she knew how strong he was.

"Excuse me, coming through," Han Qiwu said as he effortlessly parted the crowd with his arm, leading Tang Qingying to the event area.

The event was designed to be simple and accessible for everyone. One challenge involved getting a discount based on standing long jump distance: jumping 1.8 meters earned you a 20% discount on the Spicy Frog Hotpot, while the farthest jump won a 90% discount. The second challenge was an 8.888-second timer: anyone who stopped the timer at exactly 8.888 seconds would get ten free dishes.

The first challenge had a low bar, so there were many participants. The second challenge was much harder, so there weren't many takers except for some kids giving it a try. The numbers on the display board currently sat at 9.245 seconds from the last challenger.

"The human reaction time limit is 0.1 seconds. Trying to hit 8.888 is way too hard," Tang Qingying observed as she shook her head. Turning to Han Qiwu, she suggested, "How about we try the standing long jump? Maybe we'll jump our way to a discount."

"Sure, let's line up and give it a shot," Han Qiwu replied with a smile.

If Han Qiwu had come alone, he certainly wouldn't have joined such an activity.

But since it's what you want, I'll join in with you.

Hand in hand, he and Tang Qingying joined the line, which had about four or five people ahead of them.

A staff member acting as the host grinned at a tall, lanky young man who had just finished attempting the challenge. "This gentleman jumped 2.6 meters. Congratulations! You've won a 40% discount on the big hotpot. The discount will automatically be applied at checkout. Next contestant, please!"

"Wow, incredible!"

"If my boyfriend could jump that far, I'd be thrilled. Too bad he's a total klutz."

"2.6 meters is insane! Four years ago, I might've had a shot."

"I'd be overjoyed just to manage 2 meters myself."

In no time, the four or five people ahead of them had all taken their turns. Most managed to get 20-30% discounts, with a few earning nothing for failing to hit the 1.8-meter mark. One person even overexerted himself and nearly threw out his back.

Calmly, Han Qiwu stepped up to the jump line and took a deep breath.

Tang Qingying smiled and pointed at the farthest line. "Come on! Aim for that 90% discount so we can use the savings to buy more skewers later!"

"Looks like this young lady has high expectations for her boyfriend. To earn a 90% discount, he'll need to cover at least 3.5 meters. Best of luck!" The host gave a professional smile before waving the starting flag.

As soon as the flag waved, Han Qiwu leaped into the air, soaring like a bird over the ground and landing firmly beyond the 3.5-meter line.

"Yes! 90% discount secured!" Tang Qingying cheered, raising her hand in excitement.

The people lining up behind them all turned their heads in shock.

A little boy standing nearby exclaimed in disbelief, "How's that even possible? That's insane!"