"Sounds good!"
Gao Yuan was more than happy to accept Lin Wanyu's suggestion. Completing the mission was secondary; the important thing was becoming a better version of himself.
Women dress up for the men they like, and men do the same. Everyone wants to show their best side to the person they care about.
One of the three new tasks the system had issued was to change his hairstyle and get a makeover. A woman's judgment in these matters was usually reliable, especially that of a little rich girl with impeccable taste like Lin Wanyu.
As for the second task—to believe he was the best and become a confident man—that one was even easier to complete.
To Gao Yuan, this task simply meant ditching the height-increasing insoles in his shoes and starting to be confident.
He used to wear two-centimeter insoles to give himself more of a commanding presence as a leader. They made him taller, sure, but they were incredibly uncomfortable.
'A three-centimeter height increase as a system reward? That's awesome!'
He was currently 179 cm. An extra three centimeters would put him at 182 cm, which was definitely considered tall.
Guys and girls these days were much taller than those of his generation. For his age group, Gao Yuan wasn't actually short.
But kids nowadays grew up with an overabundance of nutrition, so they were all getting impressively tall and strong. Gao Yuan had heard plenty of girls say their minimum height requirement for a partner was 180 cm.
Once he completed this task, he'd surpass the standard most women had for a potential partner.
As for the final task—changing his fashion style—that would also be up to Lin Wanyu.
Gao Yuan's wardrobe was mostly business or smart casual, leaning toward a more mature and formal style.
He had experimented with other styles when he was younger. Since the system issued the task, he figured he might as well add a few new looks to his collection.
They decided to make lunch at home.
Gao Yuan made a light chicken meatball soup with shredded cucumber. It was basically a weight-loss meal, but paired with steamed buns, it left Lin Wanyu completely satisfied.
After a short rest, Lin Wanyu furiously tapped away on her phone for a moment before eagerly pulling Gao Yuan out the door.
On his way out, Gao Yuan deliberately chose a pair of casual shoes without the insoles. 'Believe in yourself. It starts with ditching the height-boosters.'
Lin Wanyu was so focused on taking him for his makeover that she didn't even notice Gao Yuan was suddenly a tad shorter.
As they stepped into the elevator, Gao Yuan received a system notification: Task Complete.
He made small talk with Lin Wanyu while mentally claiming his reward.
Not only did he get 2 EXP, but his height also increased by three centimeters. 'Sweet!'
...
Hang City was really congested on the weekend. It took them over an hour just to drop the steamed buns off at Lin Wanyu's place before they finally arrived at where her friend worked.
Even before meeting her, he already thought Lin Wanyu's friend was interesting.
Most hair salons were either in malls or busy downtown districts to attract foot traffic and ensure good business.
But this one was located in an office building. 'What a creative idea!'
When the elevator doors opened, Gao Yuan was a little dumbfounded by the sight of stunningly beautiful women and handsome men everywhere.
He didn't realize where they were until he saw the two large words on the reception desk: Wuyou Media.
No wonder the building looked familiar when they were in the underground parking garage. This was the Robot Center, not far from his apartment.
"Why did you bring me to Wuyou Media?"
"For your makeover, of course!"
Lin Wanyu's answer to his question was blunt.
But was that really what he was asking?
'Who goes to an MCN company for a makeover? Especially the biggest one in the country.'
Still, Gao Yuan had to admit he saw a lot of beautiful women on the way in. He even spotted a streamer he'd sent gifts to before.
He followed Lin Wanyu through a series of twists and turns until they arrived at an office with a plaque that read "Styling Director."
Lin Wanyu knocked twice, then pushed the door open without waiting for an answer.
Gao Yuan followed her inside and saw a beautiful, short-haired woman sitting behind a desk.
Lin Wanyu sauntered right up to her and leaned against the desk. "Hey, girl, I'm here to get a makeover done!"
The short-haired woman saw Lin Wanyu barge in and come right up to her, but she didn't look the least bit annoyed.
Instead, her eyes landed on Gao Yuan the moment he entered and she sized him up intently. Hearing Lin Wanyu's words, she managed a faint smile. "Aren't you going to introduce me?"
Lin Wanyu smiled, turned back to Gao Yuan, and put an arm around his shoulders. "This is my best friend, Li Mengqing. She's a senior hairstylist."
"And this," she said, introducing Gao Yuan, "is my boyfriend, Gao Yuan."
Li Mengqing stood up, rounded her desk, and walked over to them.
Only then did Gao Yuan get a good look at her. Li Mengqing was slightly taller than Lin Wanyu, with bright, piercing eyes. Her pretty face held a cool, aloof expression.
Dressed in a white pantsuit with no flashy makeup, she exuded an air of competence and confidence.
His first impression was that she wasn't easy to get close to. He even thought she seemed a bit frigid.
Noticing Gao Yuan's eyes roving over her, a flash of disgust appeared in Li Mengqing's. She hated it when men looked at her like that.
Especially when it was her best friend's boyfriend.
Li Mengqing shot Gao Yuan a glare and pulled Lin Wanyu over to the sofa.
Gao Yuan pretended not to notice. 'She's beautiful. Is it a crime to look?'
Seeing the two women holding hands and whispering, he didn't try to get closer. Instead, he stood by the window and looked out at the street below.
On the sofa, Lin Wanyu and Li Mengqing were chatting away, glancing over at Gao Yuan from time to time.
Hearing their occasional laughter behind him, Gao Yuan didn't feel impatient.
'Since Lin Wanyu brought me here for a makeover, she must want her best friend to be the one to do it.'
'I don't care what Li Mengqing thinks of me, as long as she can give me a good hairstyle.'
'Completing the system's task is all that matters.'
"Gao Yuan, we're going to get your hair cut!"
At the sound of Lin Wanyu's voice, Gao Yuan turned around. The two friends were now standing up. For some reason, Gao Yuan felt the way Li Mengqing was looking at him had suddenly changed.
Following Li Mengqing, the three of them entered a huge dressing room where Gao Yuan saw countless handsome men and beautiful women having their hair and makeup done.
When Li Mengqing walked in, many people greeted her respectfully as "Sister Qing."
"Sister Qing, when will you have time to give me a new look?"
Gao Yuan saw a girl, who was in the middle of getting her makeup done, immediately halt her artist. She ran up to Li Mengqing and grabbed her hand eagerly.
He took a closer look. Wasn't that the internet celebrity Tongtong?
Gao Yuan had seen her account before. She had over two million followers on TikTok, where she cultivated a "beautiful lady boss" persona.
"Maybe next week. I'm all booked up this week."
A smile appeared on Li Mengqing's face.
'This woman isn't so cold after all. She's actually quite pretty when she smiles.'
Li Mengqing exchanged greetings with a few more people before leading Gao Yuan and Lin Wanyu to a private room inside the larger dressing area.
This was her personal styling suite. She usually only took on clients herself if they were celebrities or top-tier influencers.
Today, thanks to Lin Wanyu, Gao Yuan was getting the same exclusive service usually reserved for a major influencer.
After arranging for someone to wash his hair, Gao Yuan sat down in the chair. Li Mengqing stood behind him, scissors in hand, and whispered a question that made his jaw drop.