April 29, 2023, Saturday, sunny, 12~23℃.

At 6 AM, Tang Song slowly opened his eyes. He was immediately engulfed by a strong sense of temporal disorientation, feeling both dazed and clear, both relieved and wistful. Sitting up, he smiled. The pleasant sound of a text message notification pulled him swiftly out of his deep dream.

Looking around, everything felt real and vivid. The simulation instance was truly amazing. While inside it, he felt a sense of urgency and immersion, but once back in reality, he could quickly shake off the emotions. It was like he had just woken up from a dream.

Of course, the rewards were substantial. Probably because it was his first time activating the instance, not only was the difficulty extremely low, but the rewards were particularly high.

First, the hardest attribute to improve, [Perception], increased by one point. Additionally, he gained Basic Japanese and Guitar Playing skills.

The Basic Japanese skill granted by the instance was roughly equivalent to the N4 level in the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT). He had a basic grasp of pronunciation, basic vocabulary, and simple grammar, sufficient for basic daily conversation and reading, but far from the level in the dream.

However, the guitar playing skill retained its level from the instance; it was definitely performance-grade. Tang Song seriously savored the experience, even having the training, performance experience, and feelings from the dream as if he had lived through it himself.

His skills weren't forcibly implanted but were precious fruits cultivated by talent, passion, and effort. His long, fair fingers mimicked strumming the guitar strings in the air, and he seemed to hear the crisp guitar sound in his mind. With the [Heartthrob's Hand], his fingers' flexibility, precision, strength, and endurance surpassed the character in the dream.

For a moment, Tang Song felt an itch to play. He must buy a suitable guitar soon!

...

After showering, he looked at himself naked in the mirror. His stomach was completely flat, and a slight exertion revealed some muscle lines. The fat on his arms and thighs had also thinned considerably. It seemed like his whole body had rejuvenated.

After carefully completing his skincare routine and getting dressed, Tang Song drove to the familiar hair salon from last time, looking for the familiar hairstylist. He showed the hairstylist a photo that Minmin sent, "I want to try this short layered cut, keep the sides not too short, about 6-7 cm on top, with a bit of tousled spiky texture."

The hairstylist looked at the photo seriously and nodded, "No problem, this style suits you well. To achieve the best effect, we need to add a bit of Morgan perm. Is that okay?"

"Sure, go ahead!"

"Snip snip snip——" "Buzz buzz buzz——"

Almost two hours later, the hairstylist blow-dried his hair and styled it, smiling, "How does it look? I think it turned out great."

Tang Song opened his eyes and turned his head left and right. The result exceeded his expectations. The irregularly cut hair looked natural and carefree. The added Morgan perm gave it a high-end tousled look with smooth and rich layers.

Leaving the salon, Tang Song headed straight to Yunsheng Plaza. He wandered around the first-floor beauty section for a while, buying all the makeup items Yao Lingling listed.

Unlike girls who seek perfection in their makeup, guys only need to perfect the base makeup, so the items required were few and common.

Returning to Qingxin Homestead, Tang Song took a photo of the makeup products and posted it in the group, "Lingling, I’ve got all the gear. Let me know when you’re free for a video tutorial."

The reply was quick.

【Lingling: “Got it, we're at the mall having lunch. We'll be home soon!”】

Tang Song: "No rush, take your time."

...

At 1 PM.

"Ding ding ding——" The WeChat video call notification sounded.

Tang Song answered the call, placing the phone on a stand facing his face.

Immediately, a girl's upper face appeared on the screen, peeking shyly.

It was Yao Lingling’s first video call; she seemed a bit shy, not as bold and outgoing as online.

Tang Song waved at the front camera, "Good afternoon, Lingling."

Before Yao Lingling could speak, another girl squeezed into the frame, pushing her aside. "Hello April, your new haircut looks great. I have to say, you look even more handsome on video than in photos, making Lingling shy."

"Get lost!" Yao Lingling pushed her head away, her slightly red face appearing on the screen.

She had a melon-shaped face, a high ponytail, a fresh and clean appearance, even skin tone, and soft features. Although not particularly stunning, she was pleasant and easy to look at.

Yao Lingling blinked and smiled, "Alright, let's get down to business, let's start."

"Okay." Tang Song quickly arranged the makeup products in front of him and placed the new makeup mirror beside the phone.

"First, brighten your complexion. Take the foundation and pump once. This one is lightweight and fast-drying, suitable for men. Spread it evenly with your fingers, just like that... lightly pat from the center of your face."

"Second, concealer, choose the shade closest to your skin tone..."

"All done, now for setting! The next step, contouring, is a bit complex. You won’t master it quickly. This will do for now!"

Then, two other girls joined the video.

Li Shumin's eyes sparkled as she exclaimed, "Wow! Makeup really makes a difference, so handsome!"

"Still, the base is good. He was already handsome!"

Facing the window, Tang Song looked at himself in the mirror. With the light makeup, his skin appeared even and fair, and some small acne scars, spots, and blackheads were now invisible. It was like a mild beauty filter, subtle but effective. Paired with his newly styled short layered hair, he looked fresh and attractive.

This would surely impress Tian Jing, the white rich beauty, and improve her perception of their date.

Tang Song gave a thumbs-up to the camera, "Better than I imagined. Thanks for your help, Lingling."

Yao Lingling propped her chin on her hands, grinning, "There's no need to thank me! Watching your transformation feels so satisfying; keep it up!"

After ending the video call, Tang Song sent a lucky draw red packet to the group. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ novelfire(.)net

"Sorry for interrupting your shopping. Treat yourselves to some milk tea on me."

【Minmin: Thank you, boss.gif】

【Little Red: Thank you, boss.gif】

【Lingling: Thank you, boss.gif】

【Minmin: “(Side-eye smile) @Lingling, why did you only get 4 yuan? I got 10 times yours, hehe.”】

【Little Red: “@Lingling, I got 14 times yours.”】

【Lingling: “I don't care. Big brother treated all of us to milk tea. This 100 yuan is our milk tea fund, to be divided among the three of us!”】

...

As soon as the red packet was sent, the group chat became lively.

Tang Song watched the three girls bicker in the group and couldn't help but laugh. After some thought, he clicked on Lingling's profile and sent her a small red packet privately.

This online friend had been following him since his first note, offering many good suggestions along the way. Today, she spent time guiding him via video. She deserved a bit of special treatment.