"Hey, did something happen between you and Elysia yesterday? Or did you dream about something unspeakable? You were zoning out for half of today's meeting." Lilith carried a stack of documents, narrowing her eyes at Zhu Yufeng beside her.
"Isn't that what you're here for? Besides, it doesn't really matter whether I attend this meeting or not, does it?" Zhu Yufeng narrowed his eyes at Lilith as well. "And don't always think of me as that kind of vulgar person, okay? Do I look like that sort of guy?"
Lilith rolled her eyes and said mercilessly, "Very much so."
"Isn't that what you're here for?" This guy had finally said something a human being should say. How rare... But why did she still feel like there was such a huge gap between her and Elysia?
Zhu Yufeng: "..."
Want to keep acting up while looking at the Black Abyss White Flower in my hand?
"You really can't take a joke, can you? If you can win Elysia over acting like this, I'll admit defeat, okay?" Lilith said, seemingly not taking the Black Abyss White Flower in Zhu Yufeng's hand seriously at all.
Zhu Yufeng put away the Black Abyss White Flower and said expressionlessly, "Lilith, let me emphasize this again. I've already come to terms with this kind of thing, and I really hate it when people joke about it."
"Doesn't Elysia say things like that all the time? 'You look so distracted. Were you thinking about me?' She's said that sort of thing to you plenty of times, hasn't she?" Lilith continued teasing him.
After a moment of silence, Zhu Yufeng said, "Don't you think what you said is worse than what she says? Besides, your motives aren't the same, are they? And anyway, she isn't just anyone to me."
Lilith: "..."
He might as well have written double standards across his face...
"Fine, then what is it?" Lilith gave up on arguing with this utterly double-standard person. "Maybe I can help?"
Was Elysia really that great? She refused to believe Elysia truly had no ulterior motives. Maybe there were things nobody else knew about? This guy had a remarkably low level of trust in everyone else, yet he trusted Elysia to an absurd degree...
It made no sense...
"Nothing..." Zhu Yufeng's expression turned somewhat guilty.
Lilith narrowed her eyes at Zhu Yufeng. Did he take her for an idiot?
"Boss Yu Feng, Boss Lilith, are you done with the meeting?" Mostima walked over.
"It's over, though someone spent half of it zoning out," Lilith said.
Mostima looked at the slightly unnatural-looking Zhu Yufeng, seeming to realize something. Her expression turned teasing. "Boss Yu Feng, don't tell me you spent that half of the meeting thinking about the game I gave you yesterday?"
Zhu Yufeng: "...No."
He would never admit that he had played all night, only to discover that there was truly no way to beat Mostima's record. Then he had spent half the meeting thinking about which moves he could optimize. After all, he had once been a score-chasing, min-maxing player in that old three-jumper game. Seeing that the gap between his and Mostima's clear times wasn't that large always made him want to keep grinding...
He had truly returned to his roots...
Mostima wore an expression that plainly said, Do you think I believe you? Then she stood on tiptoe, patted Zhu Yufeng's shoulder, and said, "Boss Yu Feng, it seems I'm still better at this than you. It can't be helped—things like this depend on talent too. Although Brother Yu Feng, your talent isn't bad either, I've practiced for a long time. It's perfectly normal for a hero like you, who fights Honkai Beasts on the battlefield every day, to lose to me in this area~"
Zhu Yufeng: "..."
What she said made perfect sense, but was that expression of hers, like she was about to fly away from joy, really necessary? She had only beaten him this once. Was it really such a big deal...? And when it came to hacking, wasn't she already among the best in the world, far beyond him? Calling it a complete crushing victory might be too much, but she could at least beat him with one hand tied behind her back, right?
Of course, he would never understand what this hacker girl was thinking. If he did, he wouldn't be Zhu Yufeng.
Xila, who had been silently following behind Zhu Yufeng and Lilith all this time, glanced at Mostima. Mostima immediately restrained her expression and stood at attention.
She had forgotten Xila was here. If she got too carried away, Xila might just chop her down...
Lilith looked at Zhu Yufeng, then at Mostima, and said with a smile, "Mostima, can I try that game you mentioned?"
"Of course!" Mostima still looked to be in an excellent mood. "Oh, Boss Yu Feng, don't take it to heart. I can give you some advice too. I can definitely be a good senior in this regard!"
Zhu Yufeng narrowed his eyes at Mostima before saying, "Next time. Today, I promised Astaroth that I'd read her a storybook after the meeting. I also have a lot of things to handle with Lilith this afternoon."
"That's fine, that's fine. I can come along too~ We can talk about techniques on the way, can't we?"
Zhu Yufeng looked at the girl running circles around him and nodded helplessly. "Then keep it down when we get there. Astaroth really dislikes overly noisy people. Besides, you just joined my squad. You should get to know the other non-resident combat personnel..."
As he spoke, Zhu Yufeng turned to Lilith again. "That game is in my room right now. You have the key to my room anyway, so just go get it yourself."
Lilith watched Mostima walk toward the depths with Zhu Yufeng, draping an arm over his shoulders while explaining clearance techniques and enduring Xila's oppressive gaze. Then she lowered her head to look at the documents in her hands, deep in thought.
These documents, along with some of the matters decided during the meeting, could probably be dealt with in half an hour. Afterward, she would take a look at what that game was. She would try to understand it before noon.
The next day, feeling just a tiny bit guilty about having dumped so much work on Lilith, Zhu Yufeng decided to treat her to a proper meal. Then he saw Mostima, who wore an utterly lifeless expression, as though her entire body had turned gray and white. Lilith happened to be there as well, so he looked at her. "What happened?"
Lilith shrugged. "I just set a new fastest record, and she became like this."
Zhu Yufeng: "..."
Just?
He looked at Lilith and hesitantly said, "Did you get enough rest yesterday? My body can handle it, but staying up late isn't good for you girls, is it?"
"I went to bed on time." Lilith spread her hands. "It didn't take me much time."
Zhu Yufeng: "..."
Was this what a god was like? As he remembered it, Lilith basically never played games. Her family upbringing had been very strict, after all. There was no way she would have been allowed to come into contact with something as comparatively "vulgar" as video games.
"When you came over, you looked like you wanted to tell me something. Is there something you can't handle again and need me for?" Lilith asked.
Zhu Yufeng: "...Nothing. I just wanted to treat you to a meal."
Lilith's pupils shifted slightly before she revealed a gentle smile like a spring breeze. "Sure."
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