NOVPUBSweat dripped down as Liu Changqing and his son climbed the stairs.
Once they reached their front door, the two paused to catch their breath. Only after their breathing steadied did Liu Changqing pull the keys from his pocket to unlock the door.
As they stepped into the apartment, Liu Changqing caught sight of a figure busy in the kitchen.
Hearing the noise, Lan Yixian emerged from the kitchen and asked, “Want to eat some breakfast before you leave?”
“No need. I’ll take a quick shower and head to the office,” Liu Changqing replied.
When Liu Changqing and his son had gone for their morning run, Lan Yixian was already awake. Her internal clock, honed by years of habit, wouldn’t easily change.
Liu Changqing had been startled when, groggy at 5 a.m., he walked into the living room to find Lan Yixian sitting on the sofa, lost in thought.
It had almost scared him to death.
He wasn’t yet accustomed to having two extra people in his home.
After answering her question, Liu Changqing retrieved his clothes for the day from his room and headed into the bathroom. Moments later, the hum of the bathroom heater echoed out.
Lan Yixian turned to Liu Zhiyue and said, “When your dad finishes showering, you should go wash up too. The porridge is almost ready.”
“Got it,” Liu Zhiyue nodded before stepping into his father’s bedroom.
When Liu Changqing emerged from the bathroom, freshly showered and hair dried, he found that Lan Yixian had already served breakfast on the table. Her daughter was leaning over the coffee table, working on a worksheet.
Without saying a word, Liu Changqing slipped on his shoes and left the apartment, closing the door with a thud.
At the sound, Zhou Shiyan looked up from her worksheet and glanced at her mother, who was placing utensils on the table. She seemed deep in thought.
Downstairs, Liu Changqing ran into the elderly neighbor he had borrowed the ladder from before. The encounter was memorable, so he instinctively greeted him with a smile.
“Good morning, Uncle!”
“Morning!” the old man replied with a grin, barely lifting his head as he walked with his hands clasped behind his back.
After exchanging greetings, they passed each other.
A few steps later, the old man stopped, something crossing his mind. He turned slowly to look back but only saw Liu Changqing entering his car and driving away.
The old man stood there, his smile fading as a murky thought churned in his eyes.
What was I just thinking about? he muttered to himself after a long pause.
Oblivious to the old man’s reaction, Liu Changqing drove to Feng Qian’s office building.
Upon arrival, Liu Changqing parked his car and took the elevator up.
The receptionist, a pleasant-looking young woman, stood up upon seeing him. “Good morning, Mr. Liu!”
“Good morning to you too,” he replied with a neutral expression and nod.
As he passed through the office area, Liu Changqing noticed the subtle gazes from employees. Occasionally, someone greeted him, and he responded with polite nods, his expression unchanged.
Reaching Feng Qian’s office, he pushed open the glass door and stepped inside, closing it behind him.
Once alone, Liu Changqing let out a deep breath, his fists tightening for a moment before a grin spread across his face.
That title… It feels great.
“What’s got you so happy?”
Feng Qian had already noticed Liu Changqing’s arrival from the sounds outside. He shifted his gaze from the computer to the doorway, where Liu Changqing stood grinning.
Even Feng Shuyan, sitting nearby and sketching with a pencil, looked up at him.
Under their scrutiny, Liu Changqing cleared his throat awkwardly, raising a fist to his lips.
“Nothing, just remembered something funny.”
“What funny thing…? Never mind, we’ll talk about it later,” Feng Qian said, waving him over and turning his laptop to face Liu Changqing.
Liu Changqing quickly grabbed a chair and sat beside Feng Qian, leaning in to examine the screen. His brows furrowed slightly.
After a moment’s thought, Feng Qian spoke. “Progress seems smooth so far. The mechanics are innovative, but I’ve noticed that most pixel adventure or fighting games on the market have dialogue for the protagonist. Are you sure having our protagonist only respond with ellipses is a good idea?”
“That’s exactly the point!”
Feng Qian’s expression grew skeptical at Liu Changqing’s response.
Turning to look at him, Feng Qian hesitated before saying, “But that doesn’t align with market trends…”
“If the protagonist responds to every NPC in the game, players won’t feel as immersed. Our goal is to make players feel like they’re the protagonist. When they play, they can imagine their own responses. For example, if an NPC says, ‘Please save us!’ the player can think, ‘Save you? Dream on!’ or whatever they like,” Liu Changqing explained.
Feng Qian processed his words, frowning in thought. After a while, he looked up at Liu Changqing.
“It still feels off…”
“The protagonist is supposed to be aloof and not talk much.”
“But the protagonist loves Pokémon and aspires to become a Pokémon Master. How can they be aloof?”
Liu Changqing fell silent, realizing he couldn’t justify it further.
“Not talking saves time and effort. If every NPC requires dialogue responses, it’s an unnecessary drain on resources,” he finally admitted.
At this, Feng Qian seemed to have an epiphany.
“That makes sense. If we release the game sooner, we’ll be ahead of the curve.”
“Exactly.”
Satisfied, Liu Changqing leaned back in his chair, exhaling deeply. His eyes wandered to Feng Shuyan, who was watching him curiously with her head tilted.
There was something odd about her today—she was quieter than usual.
Their gazes locked for a moment before Feng Shuyan extended her leg, wiggling the shoe on her foot.
Confused, Liu Changqing looked more closely at the shoe, which seemed oddly familiar.
The decorative flower on the shoe was slightly crooked…
As recognition dawned, his face turned awkward.
Noticing his expression, Feng Shuyan asked softly, “Uncle Fatty, do you like my shoes?”
