[Answer: Not at the sa level.]
[Answer: UU’s luck is down.]
...
The opinions on Zhihu were all the sa, but in the eyes of the "First Ruins" fans, it seed to have the tendency of "boosting one while dismissing the other." When a troublemaker posted screenshots on Weibo, it triggered a wave of dissatisfaction from "First Ruins" fans.
The internet was in chaos.
On this side, after losing its montum to "Base No. 9," the third Chapter of Sophie Scott’s "First Ruins" didn’t perform as well as the first two. The comnt section was filled with recomndations for "Base No. 9," leaving Sophie in a terrible mood.
She hesitated for a long ti before sending a ssage to her editor, Molly Forest.
[UU]: Molly, can I change the update ti?
[Editor Molly]: Did you read the comnts online?
[Editor Molly]: It’s truly unfortunate to clash with "Base No. 9." I reported this to the editor-in-chief as soon as the schedule was confird on Monday, but he disagreed.
[Editor Molly]: He said that only through conflict can there be competition, and it increases mutual buzz.
[Editor Molly]: I talked for ages, but to no avail.
[Editor Molly]: UU, don’t take these comnts to heart. Just focus on your drawing.
Molly’s ssages ca back in a row, making Sophie slightly startled.
Was this arrangent intentional by the editor-in-chief?
Mutual buzz?
She was clearly being one-sidedly beaten down in terms of statistics!
Sophie plopped down onto her chair, feeling restless and dissatisfied, seeing everything as unpleasant.
At that mont, her phone rang; it was a call.
Note: Isabella Hart.
Sophie sat still, glancing at the screen a few tis, initially not wanting to answer, but as it kept ringing, she held her patience, picked up the phone, and answered.
"Isabella."
"Sophie, are you busy?" Isabella’s voice was filled with a soft, gentle smile.
After a few seconds of silence, Sophie exhaled and switched to a sweet tone: "No, just about to take a break."
"We pinged you in the group, and you didn’t respond. I thought you must be busy."
Sophie had too many WeChat ssages to even check.
She asked, "What’s up?"
Isabella chuckled, "Several authors from Fenton City were chatting and planned to et up tomorrow. Didn’t you ntion wanting to hang out privately? They asked to check if you have ti and if you’d like to join."
Sophie hesitated slightly, pursing her lips, and asked, "Where to?"
"Not sure yet, they haven’t decided."
"How about this," Sophie suggested, "I’ll host, and let’s et at Virtue Retreat."
"Virtue Retreat? That’s quite a spend," Isabella exclaid, "Are you sure, young lady?"
Isabella knew about Virtue Retreat.
It’s a high-end restaurant Isabella had visited a few tis and understood its pricing.
Catering to the upper class.
Ordinary families could afford to go occasionally, but the spending varied greatly. Common visitors could limit their bill to four figures, while the wealthy would spend up to five or six figures.
The comic artists attending this gathering were sowhat well-known and could earn a bit, but none were from wealthy backgrounds and wouldn’t ordinarily consider Virtue Retreat.
Now, not knowing the exact number of attendees, Sophie boldly declared, "I’m hosting at Virtue Retreat," exuding sheer audacity.
"Hmm."
Sophie confird.
As a girl in her early twenties, Sophie had so vanity.
After last visiting Virtue Retreat with Lily Turner, she hadn’t been back. However, the fact that the receptionist said "Miss Scott, it’s on us" lingered in her mind.
If this trip to Virtue Retreat was still...
Even if not, she could afford the dinner bill at Virtue Retreat.
Thinking of this, so of her unhappiness eased, making her sowhat look forward to tomorrow’s gathering.
"Alright, little wealthy lady."
Isabella listed a few nas of attendees for Sophie.
Later, she asked, "Are you bringing any friends?"
Sophie hesitated for a mont and said, "I have a friend who also wanted to et, so maybe this is a good chance. But she’s not in the industry, is that okay?"
"Sure, as long as she’s okay with it."
"Then it’s settled." Sophie smiled lightly and asked, "Tomorrow evening, six o’clock?"
"Okay."
Isabella agreed promptly.
After hanging up, Sophie waited for a few minutes. As expected, nurous pings in the group were all comnts like "latching on to a bigshot."
Overall, the sarcastic atmosphere regarding "Base No. 9" had dissipated.
Sophie felt much better.
She thought about Virtue Retreat...
Why was she given a complintary al?
*
Cloudwater Haven.
Knock knock knock.
At nine-thirty in the evening, the master bedroom door was knocked.
Nora Scott, having just finished her bath, ca out wearing a shower cap, a bathrobe, and a face mask with great swagger.
Marcus Shaw, seeing her getup, almost spilled the soup he was holding.
"Did you make that?"
Her dark pupils glimred as Nora’s gaze swept over the fragrant chicken soup in his hands.
Marcus: "The neighbors sent it over."
"Not drinking."
Nora turned and walked back inside.
Marcus, bewildered, blurted out, "Did you have a fight with them?"
Nora paused for a second, stepping back two steps. She leaned on the door fra, folded her arms, and tilted her head slightly, scrutinizing Marcus.
"..."
Marcus felt a chill run down his spine under her stare.
Sophie’s eyes carried a hint of a smile, "Got a girlfriend yet?"
"No. Why?" Marcus frowned.
"Then stay away from the neighbors, or you’ll end up single forever."
Throwing out the icy words with a mirthless smile, Sophie shut the door in Marcus’s face.
Marcus: "..."
Circuitous, sarcastic, and mocking.
They definitely had a fight.
...
After closing the door, Nora pulled off the face mask, tossing it into a passing trash can.
She picked up her phone, collapsed onto a beanbag chair, her long slender legs extending from under her robe and curling on the chair.
The phone screen lit up, and Nora scrolled through WeChat listlessly.
Skipping through a lot of ssages, her finger paused at the avatar labeled "Ling."
Since arguing with Pedro Langley last ti, she had been staying at the Scott residence and hadn’t seen him.
Nor had they contacted each other.
Pedro hadn’t reached out to her, and she hadn’t sent him a ssage either.
Staring at his avatar for a few seconds, she pursed her lips and moved on, finally tapping into the chat with Manager Woods.
[Manager Woods]: Miss Scott, the boss sent you two boxes of local specialties. Would you like to pick them up or should I deliver them?
[Nora]: Food?
[Manager Woods]: Yes.
[Nora]: I’ll co pick them up tomorrow evening.
[Nora]: I’ll grab the contract, too.
[Manager Woods]: Alright. Will you be dining here? We have so new dishes added recently.
[Nora]: Hmm.
She hadn’t been to Virtue Retreat for a al in so ti.
Marcus’s cooking was alright, but compared to Virtue Retreat... well, there was no comparison.
Tossing the phone aside, Nora yawned, slipped on her slippers, and went to sleep.
As for whatever sensation "Base No. 9" caused online tonight, it wasn’t her concern at all.
*
The next day, in the afternoon.
Virtue Retreat.
Manager Woods, formally Omar Woods, was in his early thirties with a refined appearance, an elegant deanor, and rigorous managent skills, always striking the right balance in his thods and communications, earning him respect.
He was frequently in a neat suit and full of spirit at Virtue Retreat, capturing the hearts of many female staff mbers.
It was Omar’s shift that afternoon, and the two new receptionists, taking advantage of the absence of guests, chatted softly about him, almost exclusively about Omar.
"I privately asked around and found out he’s still single."
"How is soone so excellent still single?"
"Thinking of dating him?"
"Sorry, I’m not worthy."
...
"Hello."
A soft, sweet voice interrupted their conversation.
The two looked up to see a young woman, charming and cute.
The receptionist imdiately put on her signature smile and asked, "Miss, is there anything we can assist you with?"
Sophie slightly lowered her gaze, then lifted it again, mustering her courage, "I have a question I’d like to ask..."
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