(HIATUS) There's no way I gain their abilities if they like me.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

With a resounding knock on the door, a brawny figure emerged from within, his bulging arms resembling the thighs of ordinary folk. His close-cropped hair accentuated his fierce countenance, akin to that of a majestic lion.

"My apologies! I'm just here to retrieve Penny's TV," the man grumbled, eyeing them sternly as he ushered them closer to the apartment.

A few minutes later...

The tall, slender man by the door and the bespectacled fellow were forcefully expelled from the apartment. Their lower bodies were now exposed, revealing smooth thighs, and their leg hair gently swaying in the breeze. Their trousers had been unceremoniously removed, leaving them clad in nothing but their underwear.

Sheldon voiced his dissatisfaction, "Those were the pants my mother purchased for me."

The bespectacled man echoed his sentiment in a dejected tone, "I'm truly sorry!"

The muscular man bellowed, "You two move along!"

Sheldon and Leonard watched apprehensively as the powerful man pursued them relentlessly. They quickened their pace, attempting to escape his grasp.

But to their dismay, a pair of robust arms belonging to Hercules snatched Leonard and Sheldon by their necks, gripping them like hapless chickens. Fear etched across their faces as Mike Lee, towering over them, introduced himself, "Alright, business concluded. Hello! I'm Mike Lee."

Unknown to them, Mike Lee was a time traveler, having transmigrated into the body of this formidable strongman. In his previous life, Mike had been a street thug, skilled in a myriad of activities but excelling at none, except for one - cooking.

Moreover, Mike possessed a favorability system, allowing him to acquire certain abilities from individuals with whom he shared a high level of favorability. Now, as for the reason behind their pants being removed earlier, it was a consequence of Mike successfully completing the final redemption mission mandated by the system. Once accomplished, the former Mike Lee vanished, leaving only the current incarnation.

With the task completed, Mike regarded the two high-IQ individuals before him with a strong desire to forge a friendship. After all, what could be more rewarding than the intellectual stimulation that accompanies the growth of one's intellect?

"What in the name of Schrödinger's cat is your objective here?? Is there something you wanna discuss?" Leonard cautiously inquired, aware that he had instigated the whole affair.

Sheldon, standing nearby, regarded Mike Lee with a mix of terror and curiosity.

Mike realized that his previous actions may have led to some misunderstandings between them. Hence, he reassured them, "I simply wish to befriend you." After all, his true intention was to establish genuine connections. Extracting IQ was never on the agenda. [t/n 🧢]

Leonard couldn't believe his ears. Did this person just say he wanted to be friends with them? Was this how friends behaved? Why did the act of befriending entail removing one's pants?

At that moment, Sheldon regained his composure and addressed Mike, "Could you please return our pants first?" He sought refuge behind Leonard, protecting himself from further intrusion.

It was then that Mike realized their pants had been spirited away by the system. A predicament had arisen.

✨What to do now?✨ (°ー°〃)

Suddenly, a solution emerged in Mike's mind. "Why don't you temporarily wear my pants? It would demonstrate our sincerity and establish our bond as good friends. There's an old Chinese saying, ['Chuān yītiáo kùzi!] 'Wearing a pair of pants!' It signifies a strong camaraderie. So, if you wear my pants, we complete the ritual of becoming good friends." Mike used his burly arms to "assist" them up the stairs.

Sheldon wanted to protest, as those pants were a gift from his mother, but Leonard's timely intervention silenced him. It was apparent that Mike was an unreasonable person, perhaps even impulsive.

Sheldon complied, closing his mouth under Leonard's watchful gaze. Nevertheless, his eyes burned with a fierce intensity, as if capable of reducing Mike to ashes.

Unfazed by their inner turmoil, Mike, oblivious to Sheldon's silent rage, cheerfully stuffed his pants onto the two scientists.

Left with no other choice, they reluctantly completed the so-called "ceremony."

"Alright, now we are good friends!" Mike sighed with relief, as if he had fulfilled some grand mission.

Leonard and Sheldon exchanged incredulous glances, their expressions akin to those trapped in a nightmarish realm.

"Oh, by the way! As good friends, I should visit your homes!" Mike exclaimed, his eyes brimming with anticipation as he turned his gaze toward Leonard and Sheldon.

Naturally, the two were unwilling to disclose their addresses, wary of inviting trouble into their abode.

Recalling their earlier encounter, the forced pants-switching, and the obligatory act of friendship, they shuddered at the thought.

Mike, sensing their reticence, fixed them with an intense gaze. "Don't you wish to be good friends with me?"

The two surrendered immediately, realizing that defying Mike, whose arms were mightier than their thighs, was a futile endeavor.

Accompanied by Mike, they made their way to the apartment.

Upon opening the door, Penny beheld the sight of Mike clutching Leonard and Sheldon tightly. Sheldon, in particular, wore an expression of discontent. His aversion to physical contact, coupled with Mike's formidable presence, rendered him incapable of extricating himself.

Though Sheldon voiced his complaints, Mike remained unperturbed. In his mind, he could easily outmatch ten Sheldons, and even with Leonard's assistance, the odds were still in his favor.

Mike released his hold on them and gestured for them to sit on the couch. Sheldon and Leonard, seething with animosity within, visualized tearing the arrogant intruder limb from limb. Rajesh and Howard, who had been seated nearby, stood up and distanced themselves from this brute who personified every aspect of a jerk.

The two exchanged knowing glances, maintaining a vigilant watch over the muscular interloper from a safe distance.

"Hi!" Mike rose from the couch, extending his arms around their shoulders, his presence causing Howard and Rajesh to panic. Never before had they been in such close proximity to a single individual.

Both wore expressions akin to those of Sheldon and Leonard earlier—fear and panic intermingling.

Summoning her courage, Penny stood up, pushing Mike's hand away, and forcefully propelled him back onto the couch.

"MIKE! What the heck do you think you're doing, you numbskull?" Penny exclaimed with a mixture of anger and bewilderment.

Howard, Rajesh, Leonard, and Sheldon instinctively took refuge behind Penny, seeking safety from this impudent intruder.

Mike attempted to place his arm on Penny's shoulder, but she deftly sidestepped, rebuffing his advances.

Mike, resigned to his fate, spoke slowly, "I just wanted to befriend these scientists."

"You idiot! Wipe that annoying smirk off your face," Penny shot back, her fiery temper blazing through every word she spat.

At that moment, Sheldon, imbued with newfound courage, declared, "I have no desire to befriend you!" The others, covering their mouths, pulled Sheldon behind them, seeking shelter from any potential retaliation.

With indifference, Mike responded, "That's alright. Once I acknowledge you as a friend, I believe you will grow to like me." Rising to his feet, he glanced upward.

Penny, observing Mike's arrogance, burned with anger. Though she may have exhibited certain faults during her previous relationship, she was far from shameless and haughty!