24: Chapter 24 Departure from Guangcheng
On the way back to pick up her luggage, Zhang Menglu kept counting on her fingers, and Chen Hao quietly asked her,
"What are you calculating?"
"I'm calculating how much money you've invested in me."
She and Chen Hao hadn't known each other for more than five days in total. The storefront's annual rent was 150,000, and the renovation cost 100,000. In just these few days, Chen Hao had already spent 250,000 on her.
This was quite a sum of money for her.
Chen Hao whispered in her ear,
"You don't need to pay the money back. I only need the stockings you've worn."
"You're annoying."
A famous saying: Geniuses are all lunatics, and lunatics are perverts.
In Zhang Menglu's mind, Chen Hao's perversion was confirmed. Among everyone she knew, there was no man more perverted than Chen Hao.
Back at the stocking shop, while packing her luggage, Zhang Menglu took out all her change of clothes. To satisfy Chen Hao's perverse hobby, she even packed extra stockings, just in case.
...The two slept soundly for one night.
The next morning, they woke up early to catch the plane. Pulling their suitcases, they took a taxi straight to the airport.
Exchanging boarding passes and checking luggage—everything went very smoothly.
When they passed security and entered the waiting hall, Zhang Menglu seemed a bit excited, constantly taking pictures with her phone and posting on her Moments feed.
Chen Hao curiously asked her, only to realize it was Zhang Menglu's first time flying. That explained it.
As they were boarding, system prompts kept appearing.
"Ding!"
"Detected a Goddess with an 8.8 rating within a 10-meter radius."
"Capture Difficulty: Hard."
"Ding!"
"Detected a Goddess with an 8.9 rating within a 12-meter radius."
"Capture Difficulty: Very Hard."
This was the first time there had been two consecutive reminders since the system appeared.
Near the entrance to the aircraft, Chen Hao finally saw the two Goddesses.
They turned out to be two flight attendants. Their looks were impeccable; they were beautiful.
They wore professional smiles, dressed in the standard flight attendant uniform, with stockings covering their long legs—all standard equipment for flight attendants.
Not bad, not bad, they are indeed very pretty.
"Sir, Ma'am, please watch your step. This way, please."
The two flight attendants guided the passengers inside, one in front and one behind.
Just as Chen Hao stepped onto the plane, the system prompt sounded again the next second.
"Ding!"
"Detected a Plastic Surgery Goddess with a 9.8 rating within a 5-meter radius."
"Current Status: Depressed."
"Capture Difficulty: Hell Level."
Chen Hao was stunned.
A 'Plastic Surgery' Goddess with a 9.8 rating—never mind the plastic surgery, just the 9.8 rating alone meant she was even better looking than Shayiva. He absolutely had to see her!
There were quite a few passengers ahead, dragging their luggage and queuing toward the economy class section.
Chen Hao and Zhang Menglu walked in the middle of the crowd. As they passed the first-class cabin, Chen Hao looked left and right.
Finally, he spotted this 9.8-rated Plastic Surgery Goddess.
She was sitting on a recliner, wearing a neck pillow around her neck and large sunglasses that covered half her face. Her delicate nose, cherry-like mouth, and pointed chin revealed her agile features, as if exquisitely carved.
A celebrity!
Chen Hao recognized her at a glance: she was the hugely popular superstar, Yu Yaowei.
The reason Chen Hao recognized her was that a brand his former company represented was endorsed by her, and Chen Hao had met her a few times before.
Chen Hao originally intended to say hello, but Yu Yaowei was seated by the window, with her Manager standing in front of her, separating passengers from Yu Yaowei. This was to prevent fans from getting close and served as protection.
Chen Hao was also afraid of causing a commotion, so he didn't greet her. He smoothly entered the economy cabin, found their seats, had Zhang Menglu sit by the window, and Chen Hao sat in the middle.
Zhang Menglu remained very excited throughout, constantly taking photos with her phone, recording her first airplane trip.
Chen Hao cursed the system internally. What kind of people was it recommending?
The great celebrity Yu Yaowei was indeed good-looking, but was a high-and-mighty female celebrity like her someone he could possibly pursue? A 'Hell Level' capture difficulty meant he couldn't capture her even if he went to hell.
Just then, the system prompt sounded again.
"Ding!"
"Detected a Familiar Goddess within 3 meters."
"Rating: 9.2 points."
"Current Status: Exhausted."
"Capture Difficulty: Very Hard."
Just as Chen Hao was about to look left and right, a woman also wearing sunglasses approached and lifted her suitcase toward the overhead luggage rack.
She was wearing a T-shirt. When she raised her arms to stow the luggage, from Chen Hao's seated perspective, he could actually see scenery he shouldn't have seen.
A slender waist, a large expanse of snow-white skin, and a white bra!
Chen Hao quickly retracted his gaze and stood up gentlemanly.
"Let me help you with that."
"Thank you."
Chen Hao took over to help her stow her luggage. She thanked him instinctively, then recognized Chen Hao.
"You are... that guy from the client side?"
She said this while taking off her sunglasses. Chen Hao also recognized her.
She was Yu Yaowei's assistant; her name seemed to be Little Zhu.
"I didn't expect to run into an acquaintance. I thought the journey would be boring."
It was quite a coincidence that Little Zhu's seat was right next to Chen Hao's. They started chatting as soon as they sat down.
Chen Hao said he was going to Guangcheng on a business trip with his girlfriend. Little Zhu mentioned that her 'Boss' had a performance.
Little Zhu was very talkative and didn't put on airs like a celebrity, unlike Yu Yaowei who seemed to have a heavy idol burden.
Chen Hao knew that Little Zhu was also an artist signed to an entertainment company. Because she debuted as a grassroots talent with no experience, the company had her work as Yu Yaowei's assistant first, to gain experience around a big star, learning singing, dancing, and acting skills, so she could debut when the time was right.
"It's fate, really. I never expected to meet you on the plane."
"I didn't expect it either. I'm really happy to see you again."
Little Zhu proactively extended her hand. The moment Chen Hao shook it,
"Ding!"
"Goddess Bound."
"Zhu Shasha."
"Age: 23."
"Height: 170 cm."
"Weight: 48 kg."
"Rating: 9.2 points."
"Skills: Singing (Proficient), Dancing (Proficient), Acting (Apprentice)."
"Current Status: Exhausted."
"Current Attitude toward Host: Acquaintance."
"goddess token: Tears."
"Current Favorability: 10."
"Capture Difficulty: Very Hard."
"Note: When Favorability reaches 100, you will receive the rare reward, Heart-Clearing Art."
Chen Hao was dumbfounded. If we're talking about stockings, underwear, or money, Chen Hao could understand those material things, but how was he supposed to obtain a Goddess's tears?
The plane entered the taxiing phase. Chen Hao chatted intermittently with Zhu Shasha.
"How is your practice going? When are you planning to debut?"
Zhu Shasha smiled and replied,
"It's alright. For now, I'm still following 'Boss.' When I can debut depends on the company's arrangements."
"You've been with 'CEO Yu' for over two years now. I think it's about time."
Her expression held a hint of disappointment.
"Soon, soon."
Just as Chen Hao was about to try to get closer, a sharp pain shot through his waist. He immediately turned around and saw Zhang Menglu asking with a smile,
"You know each other?"
"Uh-huh. Let me introduce you. This is Zhang Menglu, my girlfriend. This is Zhu Shasha."
"Hello, you can just call me Little Zhu."
The two women shook hands across Chen Hao.
"Your girlfriend is really beautiful. Are you interested in joining our company? You have the potential to be a star."
"Your company?"
Zhang Menglu looked a bit surprised. Chen Hao whispered an explanation in her ear.
"It's an entertainment company. She's a signed artist and currently Yu Yaowei's assistant."
Zhang Menglu suddenly understood, her mouth wide open, looking especially astonished.
For the rest of the journey, the three chatted very well, chattering and laughing animatedly.
With beautiful women on both sides, Chen Hao, thanks to his silver tongue, made both women laugh heartily, adding a lot of fun to the boring journey.
They arrived at Guangcheng around 3 PM. As the plane taxied and finally stopped, they waited a while before the economy class passengers disembarked in an orderly fashion.
Chen Hao helped Zhu Shasha retrieve her suitcase. The three continued chatting as they walked out.
"You're also staying at the Hills Hotel? What a coincidence?"