Chapter 362 Chapter361-The Boy’s Naive Tenderness
Loving_Lollipop's face was a mask of embarrassment, and with a sheepish smile, he closed his mouth.
But not two minutes passed before he began to mutter quietly again: "Although you defeated me, you can't just silence me, can you? What's the point of living if I can't even speak?"
"Are you always so stern, Galewind?"
John found himself at a loss for words.
He had only now realized how incessantly the boy chattered.
In just these few minutes, it was like having a fly buzzing incessantly by his ear.
Upon arriving at the entrance of the Dawn Breeze Auction House, Isabella, who was warmly greeting guests, noticed John at first glance.
Inevitably, after so many collaborations, she was all too familiar with his voice.
The smile on Isabella's pretty face brightened considerably as she quickly stepped forward to meet him: "Mr. Galewind, it's been a while. I didn't expect you to arrive so early today..."
John replied with a light chuckle, "I got the message and thought, as I had nothing else pressing, I might as well come over early."
Isabella winked playfully and teased, "Believe me, you absolutely won't regret coming today. This auction is even better prepared than the last. There's definitely something that will catch your eye!"
John responded with an amiable nod.
Suddenly, Isabella covered her rosy lips with her hand, giggling as she teased, "I'm always giving you gold coins; today I just might have to take some back from you..."
John, too, cracked a smile: "Then it depends on whether what you've prepared today can pique my interest!"
Isabella's laughter quivered like the blossoms in the breeze, her charm causing many of the players around to steal glances.
The woman was clad in a form-fitting long dress that perfectly outlined her shapely figure.
Combined with her mature and graceful features, and the uninhibited air of Lolo, how could one not be smitten?
However, Isabella managed her social interactions with great finesse, neither overly forward nor deliberately aloof.
She truly stirred the souls of the many gamers who, in real life, were mostly homebodies.
It was said that many players chose to consign their items to Dawn Breeze Auction House just for Isabella's smile.
As for the steep commission fees, what did they matter if one could win a smile from a beauty?
John glanced over the crowd and quipped with a light laugh, "Miss Isabella has become the goddess in the hearts of many, hasn't she? Your admirers must have brought quite a bit of business to the auction house?"
"Master Reo choosing you as his successor was indeed a most astute decision!"
Isabella covered her mouth with a giggle and said, "Mr. Galewind, you jest again. What suitors do I have? They are merely guests of our auction house."
John neither confirmed nor denied this.
At that moment, he suddenly realized that Loving_Lollipop, who had been chattering nonstop behind him, had fallen silent without him noticing.
He turned around, somewhat surprised, only to find the boy with his head bowed, awkwardly hiding behind him.
The youth occasionally looked up at Isabella, then quickly lowered his head again, his face flush with shyness.
John couldn't help but let out a chuckle.
A hint of confusion flickered in Isabella's beautiful eyes, but she heard John speak evenly, "I told you, Miss Isabella, you are the goddess in the hearts of many. Look at this boy, he's been completely bewitched by you at first sight."
John stepped aside to reveal Loving_Lollipop, who was hiding behind him.
"And who might this be?"
Isabella's smile remained, but her eyes were filled with curiosity.
With a light laugh, John introduced him, "Since the update, the arena feature has been opened, hasn't it? I met this young fellow in the Arena PK. We hit it off, so I brought him along..."
Isabella nodded in understanding.
As a lifestyle player, she wasn't much focused on competitive PK, merely aware of the feature's existence.
"Since Mr. Galewind is participating, I suppose you must be at the top of the arena leaderboard, aren't you?"
Though she didn't follow it closely, Isabella was confident in John's abilities.
She had never encountered a player like John in the game, someone who could bring such top-tier equipment and items to the auction house every time.
Those pieces of equipment and items were clearly extraordinary; without substantial strength, one might not even have the chance to come into contact with them.
John raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised, and asked, "You actually don't follow the Arena Leaderboard? Even for a lifestyle player, that seems rather detached from the world."
"Not to mention, the top players on the Arena Leaderboard could be potential VIPs for your auction house..."
Isabella's smile was gentle and enchanting as she spoke softly, "You know I dislike fighting and such matters. As for the auction house clients, they come without the need for me to seek them out, so I don't pay much attention."
So, she was a pure lifestyle player – a rarity indeed.
John sighed inwardly, then pulled Loving_Lollipop over.
"Say hello, you were quite the talker just now. How come you've turned into a mute in the presence of a beauty?"
Loving_Lollipop's young face turned as red as a monkey's bottom, and he timidly raised his head, "H-hello... My name is Loving_Lollipop, I'm 16 years old..."
Beneath the Asura Mask, John's face was nearly cramping with laughter.
The boy was just too amusing.
Asked to greet her, he'd approached it as if it were a matchmaking event.
Compared to Loving_Lollipop's stuttering introduction, Isabella's demeanor was much more open and gracious.
"Hello there, little brother, your name is really cute. Just call me Sister Isabella."
That was the end of it.
As soon as Isabella finished introducing herself, Loving_Lollipop became utterly bashful, shrinking into a corner like a quail.
John was laughing so hard his teeth hurt, but he heard Isabella, curiously inquire, "It's been a long time since I've seen such a shy little brother. Can 16-year-olds play this game now?"
"I... I used my family member's ID to handle the game registration..." Loving_Lollipop stuttered out.
Isabella nodded understandingly, seeing that Loving_Lollipop was too shy to communicate, she took the initiative to say, "Then you must be one of those gaming prodigies, a natural talent who has caught Mr. Galewind's eye. Surely, you're no ordinary player."
John managed to compose himself after a while, finally suppressing his laughter.
Hearing Isabella's curious question, he replied indifferently, "Don't be fooled by his seemingly harmless appearance at the moment, he's quite the fierce one. He has already stormed into the top 10 of the Arena Leaderboard!"
Isabella's face was immediately etched with surprise.
Although she didn't pay much attention to Arena PK, making it to the top 10 of the Arena Leaderboard was enough to speak volumes about the youth's abilities.
Godslayer, as the current hottest virtual game worldwide, boasted an enormous player base. Among them were countless hidden masters.
Isabella had worked at the Dawn Breeze Auction House for so long and had interacted with many skilled players, yet she had never encountered someone so young.
At the age of 16, to charge into the top 10 of the Arena Leaderboard, wasn't it proof that this young man's personal abilities could rival the guild leaders of the top guilds?
"Why not add each other as contacts, little brother? If you need any equipment in the future, feel free to reach out to me," Isabella proposed, promptly recognizing the young man's potential and extending a friendly gesture.
Loving_Lollipop, naturally, would not refuse; he might even be secretly thrilled at the moment.
To a 16-year-old boy, a woman like Isabella almost met all the ideals of a perfect lover in their minds.
Gentle and beautiful, elegant and generous.
She was like a fruit, fully ripened, exuding allure from every aspect.
John watched Loving_Lollipop's embarrassment with an amused smile.
Such innocent fondness in one's youth was quite rare and, once past a certain age, perhaps irrevocably lost.
After the two had added each other as game friends, John continued, "Have Blue Sea and Adam shown up yet?"
Isabella pondered for a moment, then slowly shook her head. "Not yet, I've been at the entrance for the last few hours and haven't seen the two big guild leaders."
John chuckled and said, "Alright, when those two arrive later, tell them I've invited them to my private room. I have some matters to discuss with them..."
Isabella nodded with a smile in agreement.
She then personally escorted John and Loving_Lollipop towards the second floor of the auction hall.
True to John's expectations, the private room arranged for him by the Dawn Breeze Auction House was the same as before.
The decor within the room remained unchanged, with its plush carpet and antique paintings adorning the walls.
"Please rest here for a while. If you need anything, the attendants at the shop entrance will bring it over. There will be a reminder when the auction is about to start..."
Isabella instructed the attendants to take good care of them as she stood at the door, about to head downstairs.
Then, as if something popped into her mind, she chuckled, "Oh yes, Master Reo might come by later to discuss the equipment and items you consigned for auction. He's quite busy at the moment; otherwise, he would have personally attended to you. I hope you won't mind."
John waved his hand dismissively, "Don't be so formal, it's not our first time working together..."
Isabella flashed a mischievously playful smile and teased, "But it's different with a valued guest like you. We have to hold on tight, right? If we accidentally offend you, it would be a lifelong regret."
John found himself at a loss for words.
The moment the door to the private room closed, the clamor outside faded away instantly.
John lay back on the spacious, comfortable sofa and let out a lazy sigh.
Such rare leisure!
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