"Well…"
"That…"
"How about we…"
After the expo clearance, Zoey Parker brought her group to PiloBum, a high-end barbecue buffet in San Francisco.
Then!
Zoey witnessed what it meant to build a towering feast from the ground up!
Tomahawk steaks? Devoured!
Wagyu beef? Gone!
Lobster? Inhaled!
The diligent waiter couldn't clear plates fast enough. Every pass by their table meant hauling a stack of empties!
Even later, the manager came out to snap a photo with them!
So scary!
Zoey opened her mouth several times to urge them to slow down, but the crunching sounds of Gus Harper, Luke Bennett, and Jake Rivers chewing drowned her out.
The three ate like they hadn't seen food in eight hundred years.
An expression that turned grief into appetite.
Zoey's eyes couldn't help but show deep worry.
She didn't mind the cost—it was a buffet, after all.
She was mainly afraid these three starving ghosts would eat themselves to death.
"Um… is that about it? First time here… don't die in the store…"
While they sipped water, Zoey finally got a word in:
"If it's too much, I'll bring you back for a midnight snack tonight, okay?"
"Really?" Luke looked up from his cup, surprised. "Midnight snack too?"
"Yes, yes."
How could Zoey dare say no?
"Takeout or dine-in, whatever you want, it's fine…"
After eating and drinking!
It was nearing eight o'clock in the evening.
Zoey checked the time and thought rushing back to Portland now was unrealistic.
So, her hand waved!
Bvlgari Hotel! Let's go!
Of course!
The main reason Zoey was so generous was that she wasn't spending her own money.
This time!
Except for the finance manager staying back, all WindyPeak members went to the USEA's 10th VR Game Design Media Conference in San Francisco.
Theoretically, this was an official business trip for promotion.
Thus, all expenses—food, lodging, travel—were covered by the investment budget!
Hi hi hi!
Zoey was secretly delighted.
Now's the chance to splurge!
So, she led the group to the Bvlgari Hotel in San Francisco's embassy district!
As one of the top five-star hotels, it boasted the best facilities, service, and, naturally, prices!
Originally!
Zoey wanted to book the presidential suite at $15,500 a night.
But before she could speak, her system issued a warning.
With WindyPeak's current scale, they didn't justify such lavish travel.
So, Zoey settled for standard suites at $560 a night.
One room per person.
A total of $2,800.
Compared to Left 4 Dead 2's $10,850,000 budget, $2,800 was a drop in the bucket.
But for Zoey, it was a win. The more spent, the better for her rebate scheme!
Soon, everyone returned to their rooms to rest.
Gus was led to his suite by a waitress.
Click.
As the door closed, Gus threw himself onto the bed like a sandbag.
Burying his face in Bvlgari's warm, soft blanket, Gus felt his soul nearly float away.
His back ached, his throat burned.
It took over ten minutes to recover!
Gus felt slightly better, energy creeping back.
He struggled up, showered, and changed into pajamas.
At that moment, the door knocked.
Knock knock knock—
"Here I come."
Gus responded, expecting the honey and pear water he ordered. He walked to the door, wiping his hair.
The door opened with a click.
A familiar voice chirped: "Hello sir, the honey water you ordered is here~"
Opening the door.
Zoey Parker, wearing a headscarf, fresh from washing up, stood there bare-faced.
Her skin, just masked, was smooth as a baby's, flawless as white jade. No makeup, yet delicate as a lotus in clear water.
In her left hand, she held a tray with a pot of honey and pear water, mint sprigs floating.
In her right, a paper bag.
For a moment, Gus was a bit dazed.
"Well…"
Gus opened his mouth, then stepped aside:
"Are you bringing it in or…?"
"Hey!"
Zoey pouted, dissatisfied:
"You really think I'm a waiter? I'm your boss!"
"That…"
Gus shrugged:
"Could you please bring it in?"
"You…"
Zoey gnashed her teeth but relented. She kicked Gus's calf lightly:
"You're such a smooth talker!"
She swaggered into Gus's room.
With a click, she set the honey water on the table, poured herself a cup, and gulped it down with a happy hum:
"Ah—it'd be better with ice."
Gus was speechless: "So… you stole my honey water just to sip it in front of me?"
"Tsk, stingy."
Zoey shot Gus a dissatisfied glance:
"How can you judge a gentleman by your own mean mind?"
Talking!
She raised the paper bag: "Chloe and I went out for… market research, and I got you a gift!"
"You let that slip, didn't you?"
Gus chuckled.
"Oh, doesn't matter!"
Zoey waved it off and pulled a blue-gray suit from the bag.
"Even with your reputation, attire shouldn't matter."
"But as they say, clothes make the man, gold makes the Buddha. Dressing sharp never hurts."
"I got you a suit. Try it on, see if it fits."
Gus was stunned.
Looking at Zoey's smile, then at the pricey Hugo Boss suit, a string in his heart trembled.
He opened his mouth: "…One for each of us three?"
"Brother, you're too loyal!"
Zoey was shocked:
"It's expensive! I bought this with my own salary! For a paycheck-to-paycheck gal, one's already a stretch!"
"Shhh—"
Gus put a finger to his lips:
"Luke's room is next door. Keep it down."
"Oh well—"
Zoey shrank her neck, whispering like she was up to no good:
"Then go change. I'll wait outside—"
"Why not talk normally?"
Gus was baffled, feeling like they were plotting a crime.
"For a five-star hotel… the soundproofing's fine."
Saying that!
Gus went back to the suite to change.
Zoey couldn't help but fidget with her slippers.
After a while.
With a click.
The suite door reopened.
Gus emerged in a gray-blue double-button peaked lapel suit.
The slim fit hugged his frame, accentuating broad shoulders and a trim waist.
The trousers, slim and drapey with shortened hems, highlighted his long legs.
Paired with Gus's young, handsome face, he looked like a gentleman villain from a comic book.
"Missing a plain mirror,"
Gus checked his outfit, nodding:
"Else I'd be a real beast in human clothing, huh?"
He glanced at Zoey.
But Zoey was stunned, eyes wide, slippers dangling, frozen like a statue.
Damn!!!
Zoey sniffed.
We've worked together almost a year!
He's never looked this handsome!
Those shoulders, that waist, those legs…
Who are you, pretty boy?
His usual baggy sweatshirts hid his physique.
Until today!
Zoey realized her old pal Gus was a hidden gem!
Seeing Zoey dazed for five seconds, then rummaging around, Gus frowned:
"What're you looking for?"
"Welding gun,"
Zoey said, checking a drawer:
"Gotta weld this suit to you."
Pfft—
Gus laughed:
"Alright, I appreciate the love. I'll wear it to formal events. Beats my Mickey Mouse gear…"
"Oh yeah, speaking of Mickey!"
Zoey perked up, darted to the bedside, dug out a small box from the bag, and handed it to Gus:
"This too."
Gus opened it.
Inside was a Disney co-branded fashion watch, with a smirking Mickey on the dial.
"You sure?"
Gus looked at the watch, then at Zoey's expectant face:
"A suit… with a Mickey watch?"
"Of course! What's wrong?"
Zoey nodded firmly:
"Professor Robert Langdon dresses like this, and nobody calls him childish."
Robert Langdon, the hero of The Da Vinci Code.
As a Dan Brown fan, Gus got the joke.
"That's true."
He nodded, slipping the watch onto his left wrist:
"Pity I don't know codes or semiotics."
"But you know programming and psychology,"
Zoey eyed Gus's look, nodding with satisfaction:
"To some extent, you're a code master too—just with 0s and 1s."
"That doesn't sound like you…"
Gus raised an eyebrow, shocked at Zoey's philosophical quip.
He poured two glasses of lemonade, sliding one to her:
"For 0 and 1."
"Oh—"
Zoey frowned:
"That sounds like a men's copper club."
Gus: …
"So… for code and games?"
"For WindyPeak."
Clink!
The glasses collided, ringing crisply.
Then!
They sat, Gus wanting to change back, but Zoey shot him down.
So, dressed oddly—one in a suit, the other in pajamas—they discussed Left 4 Dead 2's next steps.
But!
The talk didn't last.
After half an hour, Gus's eyelids drooped.
He was exhausted from the expo.
"…So our 'invest everything' strategy is right…"
Zoey's voice softened as Gus's breathing grew heavy.
She glanced at him.
He'd fallen asleep.
"You really…"
Zoey wrinkled her nose, making a face at the sleeping Gus:
"Falling asleep while the boss talks?"
That said.
Zoey stood quietly.
She pulled the blanket off the bed and draped it gently over Gus.
Slipping on her slippers, she headed for the door to return to her room.
But at the threshold, she glanced back at Gus under the warm light, then tiptoed back.
Half-squatting beside him, Zoey pulled out her phone, opened the front camera, made a goofy face—eyes crossed, tongue out—and snapped a selfie with Gus.
"Hee…"
Satisfied with the photo, Zoey left, closing Gus's door softly.
The next day at dawn!
On the train back to Portland, Gus groaned!
"Bvlgari! $560 a night! I just used a blanket! Didn't even touch the bed???"
In a second-class seat, Gus's back and neck ached.
He whispered complaints to Zoey beside him:
"Why not wake me? Why let me sleep on the sofa all night?"
"I… I saw it in dramas…"
Zoey felt sheepish but, seeing Gus's pain, stuck out her tongue:
"You were sleeping so soundly…"
"I…"
Gus's nose twitched with frustration, but he was helpless:
"Can you rub my shoulders?"
"Where?" Zoey raised her fist.
"Just below the shoulder blades…"
Boom!!!
Ah!!!
With Gus's scream, Zoey giggled wickedly as the train sped off.
And the days, like a high-speed train, raced forward.
In a blink!
Ice melted, spring bloomed, the vernal equinox passed, and Memorial Day arrived.
In this season of new growth and solemn tributes, WindyPeak launched its fifth game!
The work Gus hailed as "making FPS even greater"—
Left 4 Dead 2
At the same time, Zoey's system pinged!
[Ding! Investment round open!]
[Project: Left 4 Dead 2]
[Investment: $10,850,000]
[Estimated rebate: $1,085,000,000]
[Settlement time: 6 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes, 59 seconds…]