Honey Stewed Squid

Chapter 24 - Little Software Maestro!

As a result, everyone ate this dinner as if it was the Feast at Hong Gate[1] [a banquet that is a trap, where the aim is to murder the guest].

There was absolutely no more of the enthusiastic display from the beginning, when they had first heard that Sister-In-Law had come… Having received the answer he wanted, with great satisfaction, Gun straightened back up and looked at everyone. “Don’t want to eat?” He raised his wrist to look at his watch. “Evening training is in ten minutes. If you don’t want to eat, go start preparing for it ahead of time.”

!!!!

Sheet! Hurry up and eat!

The future could be talked about in the future. Surviving this night and coming out alive was the real worry!

Therefore, by the time the takeout Gun ordered had arrived, only he and Tong Nian remained in the room.

An elderly cleaning lady came in and began to tidy up the takeout boxes and beverage bottles that were scattered over the table. As she walked by Tong Nian, she glanced her over curiously but then gave a friendly smile and nod. This girl here was the only young girl who had ever made an appearance in this place… Such an extremely rare sight…

Tong Nian returned her gaze and smiled a little sheepishly, thinking that this person was being disapproving of her because she was eating too slowly…

The boxed dinner was a simple, standard, business set meal: one type of meat, one type of vegetarian food, two green, leafy vegetables on top as garnish, and that was it. While Tong Nian scooped her food into her mouth and ate, she would constantly steal peeks at Gun.

He ate particularly fast, unlike the boys she knew around her, who would chat while they were eating.

Furthermore, he did not seem to care what sort of food he was eating and whether it suited his liking. The impression he gave people was that, to him, eating was merely a necessary procedure to fill the belly, and he would finish it rapidly so that he could hurry to do proper business.

If you were to compare, then that night, when they had the Lunar New Year’s Eve dinner, his performance had actually been quite good.

He had even taken into account how fast all the elders were eating, occasionally taking a couple of bites, then stopping for a while.

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“Doesn’t taste good?” When Gun set down his chopsticks, he noticed that she had not taken more than a couple of bites.

“No.” She shook her head, not daring to tell him that she had always been a slowpoke whenever she ate. She could only put down her chopsticks and go along with his pace. “I’m not hungry.”

“Not hungry?” Lifting his wrist, he took a glance at his watch. It was seven o’clock already.

“… Nope, I’m not. I’m honestly not. Before I came, I ate a lot of cake, so I’m not hungry.” She began to ramble out some nonsense.

He did not question further.

From the seatback of his chair, he picked up his jacket, then motioned for her to leave the conference room with him.

Hurriedly, she grabbed her backpack and followed after him, walking out of the conference room and through a semi open-style computer room. Those boys who had greeted her and been joking around just earlier on were now, with their left hands each on a keyboard and right hands each on a mouse, all wearing black headsets and staring absorbedly at the computer screens in front of them.

“Come on, gather players, gather players!”

“Who’s going to play using Talisman King?”

“I will, I will.”

“Are you going to play mid or support?”

……

“Kill! Kill like mad. Hoping to rush the tower in just a bit.”

“The other side still hasn’t selected their characters.”

“Holy sheet! How are you supposed to play against a Bat who has 2.7k MMR?”

“Holy sheet, the other side is really stacked.”

“Half an hour only, then we take ’em down in one rush and done.”

……

Didn’t understand any of that at all.

It seemed as if everyone was no longer concerned with the world outside of the game.

That was, of course, besides Dt’s team, which was still sitting around a white, round table and holding a meeting. That team was K&K’s best of the best, and they were about to head into the China division’s 2015 qualifying tournament for Tempest of the Sealed Chamber. Their team captain had just flown back from the United States tonight to rejoin the team, and they were now conducting their pre-battle meeting…

Curious, she cast a few extra glimpses in that direction, all of a sudden getting a bizarre feeling, as if she had stepped into another dimension.

Sensing that her footsteps had halted, Gun glanced at her and saw that those shining eyes were filled with curiosity, like a child. He suddenly had a feeling like he was looking at one of the little sisters or little female cousins in his family.

Extending a hand, he turned her head back to face the direction they were headed. “We’re going.”

“Huh?” She blurted, “So early?”

But once she finished saying this, she was embarrassed and mumbled in explanation, “We… can keep discussing stuff about that software program…” We can do whatever, and it’ll be okay, so long as I can stay a bit longer. I haven’t seen you for a month…

Dt’s table of team members were all distracted, their ears pricked up, trying to listen in on the conversation here.

Gun flicked a look in that direction. Those several boys all instantly sat up straight and proper, pretending they had not heard.

Ever since he was little, he had been someone who did not like being surrounded by girls. However, it was evident that all his past accomplishments had already decided for him that he would have an abundance of experience in being pursued and being the subject of all sorts of romantic gossip and rumours. Those girls had each had their own assets and advantages and also had their own methods and techniques. And, it was also evident that this kid in front of him right now had no technique whatsoever…

He could clearly see the hope written on her face.

It was hopeful expectation… that she could stay a little longer in this place.

“How long do you want to stay?” He finally relented slightly.

“An hour?” At once, she was happy. “8:00. 8:00 isn’t too late. When I arrive at home, it’ll still only be 8:30.”

“Okay, but I don’t have any time to keep you company,” he said.

“That’s alright,” she answered.

As long as I can stay by your side, then it’ll be good, she silently thought.

Gun contemplated for several seconds.

Settling her in the office area obviously would not work. She would only be subject to the scrutinizing eyes of those team members who would take turns to visit. It was better, and would save trouble, to just take her directly to the apartment wing where there would be no one before ten o’clock.

Such thoughts could be considered his unspoken consent. Bringing her along, he left the office area.

Tong Nian elatedly followed behind, continuing to peer this way and that and incessantly taking in this eSports club that belonged to him. After passing through the training area, there were two conference rooms, a few offices, as well as a very large leisure and recreation area. And then, it was the trophy room.

On the other side of the glass door, a variety of medals and trophies could be seen.

Those words on Baidu Baike used to describe him were now truly all in full display before her eyes. Simply gazing upon those honours like this stirred up indescribable emotions and excitement in her.

Without even being aware of it, she had walked over into the other side of this tall building.

Such a very long corridor. It seemed they had walked from the office area into the apartment wing now? Secretly, she peeked at the row of doors on each side of the hallway until the man in front of her ceased his steps at the second last door on the left.

He pulled out a key card, unlocked the door with a swipe, and pushed it open. One smooth, continuous motion.

“This is the guest room.” He briefly described, “There are three computers. No password needed. Feel free to use them. In an hour, I’ll come get you.”

Huh?

Tong Nian halted in blank surprise. Staring at that dark room before her, she asked, “May I… stay with you?”

I don’t want… to play on the computer, ah T.T…

“I won’t bother you.” She continued to add, “Honest. I can just do anything. I can stay by your side and amuse myself on my phone. I don’t need a computer.” Upon saying this, she rather woundedly lifted her face to gaze at this man, who, with his back toward the light of the corridor, was watching her right then.

“Stay with me?”

Slightly amused, Gun confirmed with her in a low tone, “You’re saying… you want to go to my room?”

[1]鸿门宴 “Hongmen Yan.” The Feast at Hong Gate (also known as Hongmen Banquet or similar variations) is the historical banquet prepared by 项羽 Xiang Yu to, in name, entertain 刘邦 Liu Bang. In reality, though, the banquet was a scheme to kill Liu Bang.

Additional Comments:

Just in case there are other people unfamiliar with gaming, like me (the gaming idiot), and previously had no concept in their minds of the gaming house.

Below are some pictures of the gaming house belonging to China’s professional eSports team, EDward Gaming (EDG). This is a very upscale gaming house, but it gives you an idea of how eat, sleep, and train are all under one roof. You can also check out this video that gives a tour through the house or google the gaming houses for the Chinese teams, Snake, Royal Club, Team DK (now disbanded), etc. to get more ideas on how swanky gaming houses can get. Of course, there are more down-to-earth versions, such as the one belonging to Qian Gu Reapers. And gaming houses aren’t limited to China. I just mentioned only Chinese teams because that’s the setting of the novel.