By the time everything was settled, it was almost lunchtime. Tomson had initially planned to have lunch with Yun Yi, but upon hearing that the young man had a ten-year-old sister to care for and needed to go home to prepare lunch, he couldn’t help but feel a deep respect for him.


    Knowledgeable, dexterous, humble, and possessing an extraordinary demeanor. On top of that, he was shouldering the responsibility of a household at such a young age, taking care of his sister while managing his own studies. How could Tomson not admire such a person?


    Swift Mechanics wasn’t far from where Yun Yi lived—just around the corner.


    When Yun Yi returned home, Zhao Xiyue was sitting upright on the bed, diligently practicing her cultivation techniques. A month after Yun Yi had started practicing the "Haoqi Zheng Tian Jue," he had begun helping Zhao Xiyue open the necessary acupoints for cultivation. It wasn’t until a week ago that this process was finally completed.


    Now, after a few initial guidance sessions, Zhao Xiyue could easily practice the techniques on her own. Of course, this was also thanks to the ancestral necklace Yun Yi had passed down to her.


    Zhao Xiyue’s talent was exceptional, and with the aid of the powerful "Haoqi Zheng Tian Jue" and the ancestral necklace, her martial arts progress was astonishing. Yun Yi estimated that in less than a month, she would officially reach the second level of martial arts.


    To put this into perspective, when Yun Yi had first started practicing the "Polang Jue," it had taken him two months just to get started, and another six months to barely reach the second level—and that was with his relentless effort.


    Watching Zhao Xiyue practice with such focus, Yun Yi couldn’t help but smile. In an era where everyone practiced martial arts, a beautiful girl without sufficient self-defense skills, especially on a planet filled with aristocratic families, would face a tragic fate.


    "If she keeps this up, by the time she enters university, she should have at least an eighth-level martial arts cultivation…"


    Satisfied, Yun Yi hummed a popular song he had learned from a classmate during graduation, changed into his home clothes, and began preparing lunch.


    Since arriving on Chang’an Four Star, Yun Yi’s greatest improvement wasn’t in academics, martial arts, or mech piloting—it was his cooking skills. At first, the three daily meals were, in Zhao Xiyue’s critical eyes, the most painful part of the day. Having never cooked before, the only thing Yun Yi could boast about was that he at least cooked the food thoroughly, ensuring that the two of them, who were still growing, wouldn’t suffer from strange illnesses like diarrhea.


    After Zhao Xiyue’s Nth protest fell on deaf ears, she resorted to a hunger strike to pressure Yun Yi. Left with no choice, Yun Yi turned to the internet to study countless recipes. With his extraordinary intelligence and analytical skills, his cooking gradually improved. A month later, Zhao Xiyue’s complaints had significantly decreased. Three months later, she decided to bring Yun Yi’s homemade lunch to school every day, refusing to eat the meals provided by the school.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Was this what Zhao Xuanxin had meant by "pressure creates motivation"?


    Regardless, Yun Yi’s cooking skills had now reached a level that satisfied Zhao Xiyue’s picky palate, and this alone filled him with pride. After all, the little girl had lived in a palace for ten years. Even in the most impoverished royal family, the chefs would have been top-notch.


    The aroma wafting from the kitchen roused Zhao Xiyue from her cultivation. The little girl skipped into the kitchen, her eyes filled with anticipation as she watched Yun Yi, wearing an apron, stir-frying dishes.


    Even though technology had advanced to the point where food synthesizers could produce meals, few people, except those who had experienced long-term hunger, preferred them over handmade dishes. Even the latest models of food synthesizers, which could adjust recipes based on customer preferences, couldn’t compare to a moderately skilled chef.


    "Lunch is ready!"


    Yun Yi cheerfully placed the prepared dishes on the table, watching as Zhao Xiyue eagerly pulled her favorite dishes closer to her. At that moment, he suddenly remembered the promise he had made to the Empress when leaving the base.


    "Xiyue… she must be happy now, right…"


    Standing by the window of the second-floor office in Workshop One, Director Tomson and General Manager Chen Muren were carefully observing the figure working diligently below.


    "Manager Chen, you’ve really recommended a talent this time. His skills and age are both astonishing."


    It was rare to hear Director Tomson praise someone so highly. Chen Muren, who had been somewhat indifferent earlier, now focused intently on the figure below.


    The figure’s skillful techniques, fluid movements, and confident disassembly of parts…


    After a long while, Chen Muren sighed. "I thought we were doing Earl Xia Ya a favor, but it turns out we’re the ones who owe him."


    With that, he ignored Tomson’s puzzled expression and spoke into his wrist computer, "Arrange a meeting with Earl Xia Ya for the afternoon two days from now. I’ll treat him to a meal."


    Closing the computer, Chen Muren gazed at the figure below and said, "At first, I thought the kid was too young and assumed Earl Xia Ya was just trying to get him a free meal. Looking back, my response to Earl Xia Ya was indeed inappropriate… But with such a talent on our team, I can’t worry about saving face. I’ll go apologize to Earl Xia Ya in a couple of days."


    Tomson nodded. Although Manager Chen had his shortcomings, he was quick to recognize his mistakes and wasn’t afraid to swallow his pride to correct them. This was one of the reasons Tomson had faith in Swift Mechanics.


    "Oh, by the way," Chen Muren suddenly remembered something, "Weilong Corporation is sending Engineer Steve Wilson tomorrow. Make the necessary arrangements. Suspend all other repair work tomorrow and postpone all business. Well… you know I’m clueless about mech repairs, so you’ll handle the reception."


    Having anticipated this, Tomson nodded without hesitation. "I’ve already made the arrangements. We’re just waiting for Weilong to send their representative."


    "Are the tools and everything else ready?"


    "Don’t worry, Manager Chen. There won’t be any issues."


    Chen Muren nodded. "Director Tomson, your meticulousness is something I truly admire. Tomorrow, everything is in your hands. I hope we can leave a good impression on Weilong."


    "Phew… finally off work."


    Wiping the sweat from his forehead and changing his clothes, Yun Yi took one last affectionate glance at the towering Red Mane Charger Model VII before heading home.


    With his passion for mechs, Yun Yi didn’t need anyone to push him. He gave his all to every repair task, no matter how big or small. Swift Mechanics’ business was booming. Previously, due to a lack of manpower, they had to refer a lot of repair jobs to other companies they had good relationships with. But now, with Yun Yi’s exceptional skills and strong work ethic, the company’s business had reached new heights.


    "Huh? What’s this?"


    As soon as he entered the house and started changing, Yun Yi noticed some pink shredded paper in the trash bin that hadn’t been disposed of yet.


    Picking up a few pieces, the familiar handwriting and words made Yun Yi let out a heart-wrenching scream.


    "My first love letter… Zhao Xiyue! Get out here!"