Chapter 234 - Chapter 234: Chapter 234: Recognizing Even from Behind (1/2)
Chapter 234: Chapter 234: Recognizing Even from Behind
Translator: 549690339
Both Xiang Kun and Chang Bin were taken aback when they picked up Zi Cheng from the airport. The guy had lost a significant amount of weight in just over three months.
“Wow! Zi Cheng, you’ve really done a great job losing weight! Were you motivated by Xiang Kun’s figure the last time you saw him?” Chang Bin teased as soon as they met.
However, Xiang Kun could tell from the cognitive model he had built for Zi Cheng that there was some strain on Zi Cheng’s body. His liver, kidney, stomach and other organs seemed to be under stress. His weight loss was likely not due to dieting.
As expected, Zi Cheng laughed and complained, “I’m bloody exhausted! I haven’t thought about losing weight at all!”
On the way back, Xiang Kun and Chang Bin learned that Zi Cheng had spent the past three months wrapping up a no-man supermarket project that his father arranged for him.
“It’s a bloody trap! A deep one!” Zi Cheng lamented, shaking his head. “My father eagerly took on a project that the e-commerce tycoons couldn’t handle and a bunch of capital were pulling out of.”
“Is there no future for it at all? When you mentioned it before, it seemed like a future trend.” Chang Bin asked while driving.
“When I just came back last time, I didn’t know much about it. These few months, as I was preparing the details and understanding the specifics, I realized how troublesome it was. It might be a future trend, but not a current one. It’s hard to get it up and running anytime soon.” Zi Cheng sighed again.
“How much did you lose on this?” Xiang Kun asked with concern.
“I didn’t lose much. My father thought this project related to my studies and wanted me to take responsibility for it. The details were only finalized after I came back, so the initial cost wasn’t large. Decisively cutting it off now, the loss is still tolerable.” Zi Cheng explained.
“What’s next then?” Xiang Kun asked again.
“What’s next? I need to take a break, recover, and recharge. I almost worked myself to death in these months. While others think about making money, I think about losing less. I never thought I would have to clean up one mess in America and another mess when I come back.”
Xiang Kun immediately suggested, “You should go to the hospital for a thorough check-up. Look after your health, you don’t look too good.”
“There’s nothing serious, I’m just too tired. After resting for half a month and eating good food, I will bounce back soon!” Zi Cheng flexed his arm to show off the biceps under his fat, only to cry out when Xiang Kun flicked it.
“It is said that stress-induced bodily harm can have permanent effects on certain… functions…” Xiang Kun said ominously.
Zi Cheng was taken aback and looked back to Xiang Kun in the back seat, “Really? Are you trying to bluff me?”
Xiang Kun shrugged, “I just saw it reported online, have you recently felt abdominal cramps, discomfort? Do you feel weak in the knees? Do you have trouble urinating and is it yellow? Are you losing hair? Do you feel out of breath and your heart beats faster with minimal movement? Do you have…?”
Before Zi Cheng could say anything, Chang Bin who was driving already burst out laughing, “Damn! Xiang Kun, why do you sound like a snake oil salesman?”
“Hey, I’m just relaying what I’ve read from popular science articles. They were very detailed, with cause and effect. I’m saying Zi Cheng, since you’re going to rest anyway, why not take half a day to get an examination, decide whether you want to go to the hospital after you return or find a top tier hospital here. If there’s nothing wrong, I’m just blabbering, If there’s a problem, it’s better to find out and deal with it sooner rather than later.” Xiang Kun suggested casually.
“I’ll think about it when I get back, when I get back…” Zi Cheng wavered.
Although he didn’t get a clear response, Xiang Kun was certain from his cognitive model of Zi Cheng that he will definitely go for a full-body check-up when he gets back.
He knew that Zi Cheng probably had the symptoms of “abdominal cramps and discomfort” which he had mentioned, but these symptoms didn’t actually relate to “that” ability, but were stomach issues. However, if he just mentioned stomach issues, Zi Cheng would definitely not take it seriously. He had to stress that it would affect “that” ability to ensure Zi Cheng would take it seriously.
Xiang Kun could ascertain some of Zi Cheng’s health issues. Though not severe at the moment, if ignored, these minor issues could potentially lead to major problems, and it would be too late by then.
They first took Zi Cheng to a hotel to drop off his luggage, then picked up Chang Bin’s childhood friend and high school classmate to have lunch together. They chatted at the restaurant after lunch until three in the afternoon, then headed to the old, reputable suit tailoring shop.
The boss of the tailoring shop and Chang Bin were familiar with each other; Chang Bin often introduced or personally brought customers to customize suits, so the tailors within the shop recognized him and knew he was coming to measure up for his wedding suits for himself and his groomsmen.
As the neatly groomed elderly tailor went to measure up Zi Cheng, Xiang Kun calculated using the cognitive model he had established for Zi Cheng, he suddenly said, “Add another twenty millimeters to the waist and hip measurements.”
The tailor was taken aback for a moment and looked puzzledly at Zi Cheng and Chang Bin.
Xiang Kun immediately explained, “Zi Cheng has been working too hard recently and has lost a lot of weight. Once he fully rests and by the time of your wedding, he will certainly gain some of it back. Therefore, it’s best to leave some room to ensure the suit will be comfortable to wear when the time comes.”
Zi Cheng rushed to protest, “Hey Ah Tu, can’t I stay healthy and continue to lose weight?”
“You should prioritize getting healthy before thinking about losing more weight. Trust me, let’s do it this way.” Xiang Kun answered decisively.
Zi Cheng was taken aback. It was rare for him to see Xiang Kun making decisions so assertively.
Chang Bin couldn’t help but laugh, “Xiang Kun, there’s a familiar tone to what you just said.” Turning to Zi Cheng with a stern face, he quoted, “‘I don’t care what you think, what I think is what matters!’”
Zi Cheng didn’t argue any further and the tailor proceeded with taking measurements according to Xiang Kun’s suggestion.
When it was Xiang Kun’s turn to get measured, the tailor couldn’t help but compliment, “What a good figure this sir has. Do you work out often?”
Xiang Kun replied with a smile, “Yes, I do a hundred push-ups, hundred sit-ups, hundred squats, and a ten-kilometer run every day.”
The tailor nodded, “Good habit. With a strong body, you can work better. It also helps in attracting ladies.”
Of course, Xiang Kun didn’t expect the tailor to understand the One Punch Man reference. If the tailor did, he would truly be surprised.
Xiang Kun casually chatted with the tailor about the topic of customizing suits. In fact, he had been considering that the process of making handmade clothing seemed a good target for “Emotional Infusion” as it’s time consuming enough for him to brew emotions. Plus, the clothes could be in constant contact with the target person, which allows for real-time tracking of the person’s emotional state.