โMm, this version is about done.โ
Nangong Hope set down the storyboard script and pressed the Jingming acupoint.
โWith your skill level, the final draft based on the storyboard shouldnโt be a concern for quality, right? Then itโs just the online serializationโฆโ
Seeing that dusk was already settling in, Nangong Hope finally reviewed the manuscript after Squireโs several rounds of revisions, looking a little tired.
โHow long do you need? A week? Or half a month?โ
She asked while closing her laptop.
Squire thought for a moment before replying, โLetโs say within a week? Iโll finish drawing the first chapter by next weekend. Since itโs going to be updated weekly, the process needs to be fixedโฆโ
Nangong Hope nodded and stood up.
โAll right, but youโve been working too hard. Iโll take my leave for today.โ
โLeaving now?โ
Squire finally glanced at the clock on the deskโeight oโclock.
โWow! Itโs already this late! Donโt you want to grab dinner together? Let me treat you for once!โ
โNo, I canโt spend the money you worked so hard to earnโฆโ
Nangong Hope quickly shook her head, adding, โBesides, Iโm heading to a small tavern to have a few drinks to celebrate the weekend. Youโre still too young to get in, little miss.โ
โUh, Nangong Miss, so you like drinking?โ
Nangong Hope gave a bitter laugh of self-mockery. โHeh, adults who want to escape reality just drown themselves in self-intoxication. Itโs best not to touch alcohol if you canโฆโ
Speaking of drinking, Squire thought of Shen Wei passed out on the roadside like a rag.
That drunken magical girl had once sworn she would repay Squire but never came to bother him again afterward.
Heroes, after all, were good at making pretty promises.
Well, that was good for Squire too.
He still had to pick up his younger sister at the airport afterward, so he didnโt bother with too much politeness. He could repay Nangong Miss properly next timeโhe wasnโt the type to just say things and do nothing.
โMm, then maybe another day.โ
Nangong Hope slung her laptop bag over her shoulder and stepped out the door, glancing toward the cabinet under the sink.
โLittle Luciyaโ had shoved something inside it, looking flusteredโperhaps related to that part-time job.
The mounting clues made her increasingly worried. She only reminded, โBe careful with your night jobโฆโ
โGot it! I know!โ
Squire closed the door behind her.
โNangong Miss really is so naggy, Iโm totally treated like a kid, huh?โ
Nyx said, ใBut you happily ate the little cake, didnโt you?ใ
โTh-that was just because it suited my tasteโฆ I canโt eat things that are too saltyโฆ but sugarโs fineโฆ you see, cake is just perfectโฆโ
Even though she was alone, Squire stammered an explanation, her voice growing softer.
Even if her mind was affected by her body, she absolutely wouldnโt admit this.
โThe 10:30 flight should be about time to leave.โ
Squire carefully put the leftover cake in the fridge, changed into a more casual outfit, glanced at the time once more, then stepped outside.
โFirst, Iโll get a bowl of noodles, then head to the airport.โ
Nangong Hope left Squireโs cheap apartment and then lurked behind a vending machine not far from the buildingโs exit, watching furtively.
If she didnโt figure out what that girlโs โpart-time jobโ was today, Nangong Hope knew she wouldnโt rest easy, worrying all night sheโd end up on a missing persons list the next day.
These days, disappearance was far scarier than death. Death was just returning to the Divine Abyss, but disappearance might mean falling into a dangerous trap from which even resurrection was impossible.
Given the security situation in the Lanting district, it was hard to imagine what kind of part-time job that girl could possibly have.
So, she decided to take a risk.
โOh, sheโs out.โ
She finally saw Little Luciya leave the apartment.
Dressed plainlyโmaybe she changed into her work uniform at the shop for her part-time job?
Then she headed toward the subway station.
The job location wasnโt near Lanting?
Thinking carefully, most people around Lanting werenโt well-off. A part-time job that could solve financial problems might be in the wealthy residential area downtownโฆ
Hissing, that would be even worse.
Nangong Hopeโs imagination ran in an ominous direction, but she still kept her distance and followed Luciya, ensuring she wasnโt spotted.
As a professional manga editor, she had already mastered reconnaissance and tracking techniques on par with special forces through battles of wit and willpower with countless procrastinating authors. She was confident she wouldnโt be discovered.
Luciya slipped into a roadside ramen stall.
โDinner before work? Sigh, that girl really lives frugallyโฆโ
That ramen stall wasnโt very tasty or sanitary. Nangong Hope had tried it once and wouldnโt eat there when fully sober.
Since she also hadnโt eaten, Nangong Hope bought some bread and fruit milk from the vending machine.
The temperature dropped quickly after nightfall, the food wasnโt warm, and she had to watch the steaming ramen stallโsomewhat torturous.
Fortunately, Luciya ate quickly and soon left the ramen stall, continuing toward the subway station.
The following went smoothly. Nangong Hope closely followed Luciya into the subway, waited briefly on the platform, then flowed into the train with the crowdโฆ
But then trouble arose.
โโฆUh, where is she?โ
The girlโs short stature made her disappear like a glass bead dropped into water in the crowded evening subway car. Nangong Hope lost sight of her immediately.
Although she could judge the general direction, moving too close would risk being noticed, and then it would be hard to explain, possibly causing Luciya not to trust herโฆ
What to do?
Nangong Hope quickly found a new clue.
Even if she couldnโt see Luciya directly, she could sense her presence through peopleโs gazes. Even dressed plainly, it was hard to hide that childโs cutenessโpeople unconsciously gave her breathing roomโฆ
Finally, a young man offered Luciya his seat.
At last, Nangong Hope saw Luciya again. She sat upright, blushing, and kept thanking the young man who had given up his seat.
โThat girl is quite popular, huh?โ
Luciya had a fragility that stirred othersโ protective instincts. Nangong Hope understood this wellโafter all, she herself was drawn to such traits, which made her worry about the girl all the moreโฆ
Originally, Nangong Hope thought Luciya would transfer or get off downtown, but instead, she stayed on the subway, riding through the city to the spaceport on the other side of Central City.
The subway trip was nearly the whole line, quite a distance and time-consuming.
โโฆUh, the airport?โ
Nangong Hope, following her off the train, was a bit confused.
Could it be one of those jobs where you get paid for showing up anywhere in the worldโฆ
Hopefully, not what she feared.
Luciya stopped at the airportโs arrival gate, holding up her phone to film the surroundings, seemingly sending the footage to someone. Then she made a call and waited in place until a ponytailed girl carrying multiple large bags walked out and waved at Luciya.
They appeared to be meeting for the first time, maintaining some distance while talking. Nangong Hope stood too far to hear, but both sides were polite.
Luciya had mentioned meeting a colleague, but she didnโt expect it to be an airport pick-upโฆ
โReally, just here to pick someone up?โ
Could it be she had misunderstood everything?