V3 Chapter 5: Etiquette of High Society (Part 1)
Chen Jianing sat on her suitcase, resting her chin on her hand, and asked, “Hey, is my game, Black Wolf’s Ring, really that bad? Why is your game’s positive rating still higher than mine even after I gave you so many negative reviews?”
Lu Li wanted to laugh. “Is it possible that your game quality is really not up to par? Using a 2D engine meant for visual novels to make an action game, isn’t that a bit too much of a stretch?”
“But I don’t know how to code.” Chen Jianing said dejectedly. “I have to go to school, where do I have time to learn coding?”
“You can say that to your friends, but not to your players.” Lu Li skipped another stone. The feel wasn’t right, it only bounced three times. “They don’t care if you know how to code or not, they only care if your game is fun.”
“They’re so hard to please.” She muttered.
That’s how the world was. Except for those close to you, no one cared about the process. The public only cared about the results. This was the reason why utilitarianism could take root in this world. Lu Li asked tentatively, “Do you want to join my team?”
“You came all the way here just for this?”
“Yes. What else? You thought I was really here for revenge? Am I that petty?”
“Kind of. You look shifty-eyed, not like a good person at all.” Chen Jianing nodded repeatedly.
No one had ever said that Lu Li looked shifty-eyed. From childhood to adulthood, only teachers and parents had praised his good looks. Looking at Chen Jianing’s cherry-like lips, Lu Li had the urge to sew them shut with a stapler. “There are three people in my team now, one is me, and the other two are in charge of music. We still need a planner and an artist.” Since reconciling with An Baili, she and Chu Jingyi had been working together on the music for the game. “I came here mainly to invite you to join us.”
Chen Jianing got up, picked up a stone from the ground, and imitated Lu Li’s stone skipping. But the small stone only touched the water once before sinking without a trace. She seemed a bit listless. “I can’t even find a place to live, how can I make games with you? Besides, I haven’t finished college yet. If I drop out, my parents will definitely kill me, and the gossip from my relatives will drive me crazy.”
“You don’t have to drop out, just treat it as a part-time job.” Lu Li also picked up a stone. “When skipping stones, pay attention to your wrist movement. Don’t throw it, pay attention to the shape of the stone, imagine you’re throwing a frisbee.”
Chen Jianing hesitated for a moment, then threw another stone according to Lu Li’s instructions. It bounced three times on the water. She immediately beamed with joy. “It really worked! You’re actually somewhat capable.”
After playing for a while, Chen Jianing’s mood visibly improved. “Alright, whoever you are, I’m going to find a place to rent. See you around. Oh, and I won’t give you bad reviews anymore, considering you taught me how to skip stones.”
“Okay.” Lu Li stopped his movements and looked at Chen Jianing seriously. “Do you want to live at my place?”
“?”
Realizing that he had caused a misunderstanding, Lu Li explained, “Our school booked a hotel, and there are many vacant rooms. You can stay there temporarily until you find a place to rent.”
Booked a whole hotel? The surprise on Chen Jianing’s face was uncontainable. “What school do you go to?”
“Chuanhai No. 1 High School.”
“Chuanhai No. 1 High School? Is that the Chuanhai No. 1 High School that’s always in the news for scandals?” Chen Jianing suddenly became excited, like a paparazzi who had spotted gossip. “The school where a student got into a car accident on the highway with four girlfriends the year before last?”
“Yes, that school.” Two years ago, a second-generation official, during his winter break in his senior year, drove his supercar on the highway with his four girlfriends. The five of them were fooling around in the car, which resulted in a tragic accident. The incident caused quite a stir at the time, and the pressure from public opinion even forced the parents of the second-generation official to resign. The four girls were also pitiful. It was said that they were all from poor families, blinded by money, and willingly became someone’s playthings, eventually dying in the car accident. Not only did they not receive respect after their deaths, but they were also condemned by everyone.
Chen Jianing suddenly had an idea. She wanted to stay at the Chuanhai No. 1 High School’s hotel, take some luxurious photos, and send them to those snobby roommates to rub it in their faces, making them regret their actions! This was the classic face-slapping scene in urban novels! The ostracized nobody suddenly turned into a rich second-generation, the ex was heartbroken, and the enemies regretted their past actions… Hehe, thinking about this, Chen Jianing’s smile gradually became smug.
“Uh, what was your name again?” She asked again.
“My name is Lu Li.”
“That’s a nice name, hehe.” Chen Jianing looked at Lu Li as if he were a fat sheep. “Can I really stay there? Just to be clear, I won’t sell my body. I’ll only stay for one day, just one day, and then I’ll move out. Is that okay?”
“…Of course. You can stay until we leave. Our teacher is very generous. Some students brought their families too.” Lu Li also smiled. This girl was really easy to read. She took the bait with just a little bit of teasing.
“Thank you so much, Lu Li!”
Chen Jianing was so happy that she wanted to pat Lu Li on the shoulder, but then she realized that he was just someone she had just met, so she awkwardly withdrew her hand. “So, what does your family do?”
“I’m an orphan. I’m not a second-generation anything, you don’t have to worry.” Lu Li took her suitcase. “Let’s go this way. I’ll take you there.”
“Really?” Perhaps because she had already argued with Lu Li online, Chen Jianing didn’t feel any sense of distance from him. “Have you read Legend of the City’s Heaven-Defying Prodigy? The male lead in that story pretends to be an orphan and meets the female lead who works at a car repair shop. Don’t think the same trick will work on me. Don’t even think about hitting on me.”
“Are you always this talkative?”
This question stumped Chen Jianing. She suddenly froze. Yeah, was she usually this talkative? When she was with her roommates, she often didn’t say more than ten words a day, and whenever she spoke, it was filled with gunpowder. She didn’t have any close friends at school either, and she always sat alone in a corner during class.
But why did she feel so relaxed when facing this man named Lu Li?
“I… I don’t usually talk this much.” She hesitated. “Maybe it’s your gentle aura that makes me want to talk more?”
Is that so? Lu Li shook his head inwardly. It wasn’t because of some aura. Everyone in society wore masks. They had different masks for colleagues, superiors, friends, and lovers. This was their “persona,” both a social rule and a pressure on individuals. Lu Li just happened to be the one who saw through her mask – through two unpleasant conflicts. The people who knew you best were often your enemies, and the people furthest from you were often the ones who loved you the most.
This was something he only understood in this life. After taking off his mask, he could forgive An Baili and face his true heart.
Such thoughts were too heavy for Chen Jianing. Lu Li didn’t explain, just smiled and replied, “Thank you for the compliment.”
“Don’t get it wrong, I wasn’t complimenting you.” For Chen Jianing, complimenting someone and making them happy was more painful than suffering a loss herself.
I need to find a chance to seal her mouth with tape. Lu Li thought.
He and Chen Jianing boarded the bus. Chen Jianing fell silent, and Lu Li habitually looked out the window. He noticed that the road leading out of the city had become extremely congested. Had something happened?
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