Chapter 165
Chapter 165
After thinking it over, Cheng Miao asked Jiang Chen to see whether Gu Jian, Baili Qianqiu, or the others wanted to come.
Meeting in an instance was a kind of fate. It would be best if everyone could exchange contact information.
Cheng Miao put down her phone and saw Lin Zhu fiddling with something by the side of the pool. She sat beside him. “What are you doing, Little Lin?”
Lin Zhu was not wearing his glasses. His wet hair had been combed back, revealing features that were beginning to grow sharp and defined.
He smiled and waved the object in his hand. “Sister Miaomiao, remember my reward from this instance? I took it out to study it.”
Cheng Miao looked down. He held a small doll that resembled Lin Zhu and even wore a pair of glasses.
It was not as large as it had been in the instance. Only thirty centimeters tall, it looked like a miniature Lin Zhu.
Cheng Miao accepted it curiously and examined it. Its texture was the same as in the instance, and the details were equally lifelike.
But how were they supposed to use it?
Lin Zhu watched the doll in Cheng Miao’s hands, only for his gaze to accidentally drift toward her face, pale and flushed pink from the hot spring steam.
Sister Miaomiao’s skin was so nice.
As Lin Zhu thought this, he suddenly felt an extremely sharp gaze from beside him.
He stared blankly toward it. Qiudong had arrived at his side without him noticing.
Lin Zhu jolted and immediately stood up in the water, raising his hands in surrender. “I didn’t! I wasn’t peeking at Sister Miaomiao!”
Lin Zhu’s inexplicable behavior startled Cheng Miao. She reached out and pulled him back down. “What are you doing?!”
Lin Zhu lowered his head awkwardly. “Brother Qiudong…”
Cheng Miao glared. “Qiudong, why are you scaring him?”
Qiudong met Cheng Miao’s eyes expressionlessly, then swiftly slapped the water with his tail, splashing her entire face.
Cheng Miao: ???
In the end, the dispute concluded with Cheng Miao agreeing to let Qiudong sleep in her room that night.
Even at the end, Cheng Miao had no idea how she had agreed to that.
Perhaps it was because they had slept together for several days in the instance, or because Qiudong was now in cat form. Whatever tiny discomfort might have risen inside her was quickly extinguished.
Cheng Miao never did figure out how to use the little doll. Lin Zhu liked it, though. Even as a toy, it was interesting, and he carried it around every day.
After resting for the night, Cheng Miao brought everyone to Golden Lion Grand Hotel early the next afternoon.
The receptionist at Golden Lion Grand Hotel was a beautiful and majestic lion named Kaba.
Even with Kaba’s excellent temper, they had been frightened the first time Cheng Miao stared at them with shining eyes.
Receptionists like them were used to players either avoiding them at all costs or ignoring them entirely. They had never met a player who looked ready to pet them at any moment.
Such a pretty young woman could not possibly be a pervert, could she?
After meeting Cheng Miao several times and learning that she simply loved animals, Kaba began letting her do as she pleased.
When Kaba learned that Cheng Miao wanted to hold a gathering at their Grand Hotel, they generously reserved the entire venue for her.
Even though Lin Zhu was now wealthy, the scale of the gesture still terrified him. “Kaba, I don’t have much money! Don’t use this chance to fleece me.”
Kaba held the bill for 8,000 Travel Coins, unsure what to do.
Unable to watch any longer, Qin Musong took the bill and paid without hesitation, then smacked Lin Zhu on the head. “Stop being stingy. These prices are already very low.”
They spent almost nothing while staying at their own Grand Hotel. Reserving a venue for a party at such a luxurious Grand Hotel for this price was already remarkably fair.
Golden Lion Open-Air Restaurant stood in a golden desert. Not far away, the sun setting over the boundless horizon was breathtakingly beautiful, while the night sky filled with a dense river of stars was equally magnificent.
On Cheng Miao’s first visit, she had wondered why so few players came to enjoy such a gorgeous view.
It was the same as at Orca Grand Hotel. Despite its dazzling, colorful undersea restaurant, they had encountered only Jiang Chen there.
At the time, Kaba had lain beside Cheng Miao, gazing up at the stars with her. “Because many players remember only the destination and forget to appreciate the scenery along the way.”
“Of course, very few players can come this far without forgetting why they started.”
Now Cheng Miao watched antelope servers arrange the dining mats while Miss Crocodile erected a tent nearby.
Meals here were eaten on the ground. Golden Lion Hotel’s service was exceptional, allowing players to enjoy the sensation of soft sand sliding between their fingers without getting any sand in the food.
Cheng Miao’s guests arrived just as the sun began to sink.
Baili Qianqiu led the way in a casual suit, one hand supporting the graceful Lian Ge as she walked in small high heels.
Two buttons of Jiang Chen’s white shirt were open, revealing the clean lines of his chest.
It was the first time Cheng Miao had seen this free and uninhibited side of him. He always seemed elegant and gentlemanly, without a single flaw.
Gu Jian wore sportswear and bounced through the sand dunes, kicking up clouds of grit.
At the very back came Bai Jiang and Tong Qian, along with Li Cheng’s group of four, all nervous as country folk entering a city for the first time.
Seeing the six people look confused and exceptionally cautious, Cheng Miao smiled brightly. “Relax and have fun. I’ve reserved the whole place today!”
Li Cheng’s group was momentarily dazzled by Gu Jian’s beautiful youthful face. After seeing Jiang Chen and the Baili couple, they lost the ability to speak altogether.
What, did this Grand Hotel only admit people based on their looks?
Jiang Chen’s gaze swept over Qiudong without the slightest trace of curiosity.
“Sit down. The barbecue here is incredible!” Everyone sat in a broken circle, each able to see a portion of the sun slipping below the horizon.
“Damn, this place is way too fancy!” Li Cheng had remained silent until shock finally made him curse.
“Boss, there are ladies here. Watch your language!” Jiang Qi spoke pointedly. Lian Ge merely waved with a soft laugh. “I don’t mind.”
Jiang Qi: Sob, sob. She’s so beautiful. Too bad she’s married.
Baili Qianqiu’s smiling gaze shifted toward him. Jiang Qi immediately turned his back to Lian Ge, demonstrating through action that he would never look at the man’s wife again and deeply regretted his mistake.
By the time the barbecue arrived, Li Cheng’s group was already slightly tipsy.
Li Cheng slung an arm around Lin Zhu’s shoulders and rambled, “You have no idea how twisted our instance was. The ghost couldn’t be seen or touched. No one else could see it when it killed people either, so we had no way to start investigating.”
Li Cheng drained a mouthful of beer. “Luckily, all of us made it out, and we all saved enough money. We’re roommates with Bai Jiang and Tong Qian now. Hehe.”
Cheng Miao asked curiously, “Who’s the receptionist at Black Cat Hotel now?”
Li Cheng wiped his mouth. “It’s called Orange Cat Hotel now. The receptionist has a good temper and is a big orange cat.”
Tong Qian ate her barbecue in small bites, her eyes curving with her smile. “It’s a golden shaded cat. I used to have one.”
Cheng Miao’s eyes suddenly blazed with enormous light as she ate her barbecue.