The Halfhearted Interview
"I don't need one for now. Why don't you leave me your contact information? I'll get in touch later." Xu Huo gave the other player a steady look. The player took the hint, left his contact information, insisted that Xu Huo get in touch, and then briskly left.
Xu Huo casually tossed the business card into the trash.
Half an hour later, he left the library too and headed for the underground platform to go to the Game Government Base.
The underground station was also filled with the scent of flowers. Since the air circulated less well than aboveground, the fragrance was still overpoweringly strong despite the ventilation system running constantly.
Xu Huo caught a faint whiff of something rotten and turned to look at the woman standing beside him.
She was a well-groomed woman with immaculate makeup. One hand rested on a mobile cradle as she adjusted her child's coat, and she said apologetically, "My child's stomach hasn't been doing too well these past couple of days. I think he's made a mess again. It smells a little."
As she spoke, she sprayed some perfume around the cradle. The cleaning robot that had been heading toward them turned around.
"Did I bother you?" the woman asked apologetically when she noticed Xu Huo looking at her.
"No." Xu Huo glanced at the cradle for a moment, then looked away. "The air in the underground station isn't great. Little kids can get stuffy down here."
An unnaturally calm smile appeared on the woman's face. "My child won't get stuffy."
A hovercar pulled into the station. When the doors opened, the woman went inside with the cradle. As she turned around, she smiled and nodded at Xu Huo.
The doors closed, and the car pulled away. Ten seconds later,