RDD 8

Chapter 8





"And... That should be 102 pesos, Sir."


I parked my car in front of a bank and turned around to look at my customer.


"Here, you don't have to give me a change."


"Thank you, Sir."


The guy said and exited the car after he gave me 105 pesos. I'm already happy that I can have three pesos, I appreciate everything good that is happening to me. Especially now that I acquired something amazing!


I have a system! Something that only happens in fiction! It's enough to make me jump and scream in happiness. 


After taking my last customer to the bank, I decided to rest and eat lunch at an eatery. 


In this current year of 1999, there is no such thing as Uber. What I usually do is wait in the terminal or drive around until someone calls a taxi and stops me. 


"Madam can I have adobo and two cups of rice please."


I smiled happily. I feel like I'm blessed. 


"Here."


The woman quickly prepared my food and gave it to me. 


I sat down and munched the food. Eating rice three times a day, 24/7, 365 days a year, is the norm in most asian countries, especially in the southeast. 


No matter how delicious the dish was, it was unpalatable if there was no rice to eat with. In my opinion, I will never be full if there's no rice. 


After I finished my lunch, I entered the car and rested. I listened to the radio and sank down. I need at least half an hour of slumber. Still, no matter how much I try to fall asleep, my mind was traversing. 


"Okay, fine."


I opened the holographic screen and the system welcomed me with a simple UI, just like a smartphone. 


There were only three options. The Missions, Store, and Inventory. 


[The Grind System]


I have an idea about the system but I still want to know more. 


So first I clicked the Missions and there were two missions on the board. 


-------


(1) [Exercise for 30 minutes today.]


[Rewards: 1 point.]


[System Remarks: The Host needs a healthy body.]


-------


(2) [Start a business within 100 days.]


[Rewards: 1 Golden Waving Cat]


[System Remarks: The Host is poor and the best way to escape poverty is by starting a business. Being an employee will never give the Host prosperity and free time.]


--------


Simple as that. The first mission seems understandable since it's called the 'Grind System'. Yet my eyes were staring at the second mission.


"Really? Business?"


It gave me a hard mission right from the start. 


I raised my eyebrow. I can't believe that even the system was pushing me to start one. 


"Perhaps it's in my veins. I guess I can't erase it..."


I sighed. 


"Indeed, being an employee will never make me rich, at least being a businessman is far better. I'm a taxi driver for almost four years now and our situation is still the same."


As for the free time that the system remarked, it's true that I can't spend my time with my family because I have to prioritize work, or else we won't have anything to eat. 


I looked in the back mirror and found nothing. 


"... Let's do it."


I said to myself. The system was giving me a chance to turn this around. It would be stupid if I let it go to waste. 


Although I'm quite curious why the system only gave me two missions. I want more to be honest. 


[System Remarks: The Host is too weak and poor to be given another mission.]


Ugh!


System you don't have to be direct like that. I could sense the mocking even though it was speaking in a robotic voice. 


"Exercise and start a business..."


They were not that hard in my opinion, I can do them.


.........

......

...


6 PM and the sun was no more, I returned the car to the company and I went back to the office to give my quota, the money that the company should receive after I used their taxi... And all that was left in my wallet was 271 pesos, around 5 dollars if converted.


"Keith, you have to attend the Christmas Party tomorrow."


"I promise Manager, I will attend."


A grinning smile appeared on my face because I know that I will receive my 13-month salary and bonus tomorrow. One of the rare moments that our company was generous. 


This company had around 1200 taxis running over Manila every day and I don't want to know how much money they make every. 


I smiled and bid my farewell and commute back to my house in a jeepney. Of course, I bought a pint of ice cream since I want to surprise my kids. 


"Jajjy! Wow, ish cream!"


Sophia's eyes brightened when she saw the ice cream. She ran and hugged my leg and looked up at me. 


"Jajjy..."


"Let's wait for your Mom to eat."


I know what she wanted but we have to eat our dinner first before eating cold food or else she would have a bad stomach. 


"En!"


She nodded and left me, running to find her mother... 


It feels lonely knowing that my daughter is only interested in the ice cream and not me. Well, kids are kids. 


"Honey, you're here. How's the day?"


"I feel fine."


I smiled and greeted her with a peck on her cheek and she turned red when she realized that I kissed her in front of the child. 


"Keith Castillo."


"It's fine, it's not even a kiss."


I shrugged. 


"But still--"


I already embraced her before she could protest. My lovely wife... We're gonna have a good night together. 


"Okay, okay. Just wait for a moment and I will prepare the dishes."


"Hm, you're so nice and sweet."


"... Not in front of the kid."


She said but her curling lips and blushing cheeks could not lie. In the end, I stopped teasing her and checked the kids, only to see Roman studying and Sophia talking to her dolls. Ah, the good old days. 


'Now... What exercise should I do? The system said that I have to exercise for half an hour today.'