29. Gotham: The Gift (Part 1)
37.
Aria rarely faced moments like this.
Almost half of the Zuzu City Celebrity Directory gathered here. Everyone gathered together like it was a festival, but the atmosphere was not as genuinely cheerful as the Stardew Valley Festival - everyone had something to ask for, so they voluntarily kept a smile firmly on their faces, picked up champagne and chatted enthusiastically with useful people.
Lewis was undoubtedly the focus of the dinner. As soon as he stepped into the main hall of the banquet under the protection of bodyguards, someone came up to him.
"Mr. Mayor!" Blonde-haired, green-eyed Vicki Weir smiled brightly - she had been chatting happily with another group of people, and when she saw the mayor enter, she immediately and swiftly got away and called Lewis to come to him. Unfortunately, the beautiful evening dress she wore today slowed down the reporters' pursuit of hot spots. She was wearing high heels and was tripped by the hem of her skirt, and almost flew off on the spot.
Two hands reached out to the unfortunate woman at the same time, but Aria, being closer, caught her before the other did and saved her from falling face first.
Vicky Weir felt like she had fallen into an embrace that was both soft and firm. She cursed her useless high heels in her heart, and after steadying herself, she raised her eyes and looked at the man jokingly.
She could vouch for herself by recognizing anyone remotely famous in Gotham. Even a model who had only appeared on the cover once—Vicki Weir could call her name and establish a close relationship with her. But the woman before her seemed a complete stranger—a Gotham nobody who, perhaps working as a waitress, had earned a glimpse into high society.
According to the usual practice of treating such unknown people, Vicky would at least appear gentle and polite, say thank you or make a few jokes, successfully earning the other person's red ears and a good reputation.
But when her eyes met the other person's warm gaze, the reporter from the Gotham Gazette didn't notice that she subconsciously tucked a strand of unsightly blonde hair behind her ear.
"Thank you, dear." She knew her voice sounded like she had just sipped a full glass of champagne and was a little drunk, which was the best explanation for her accidental fall. "Could you tell me your name?"
As a special correspondent for a newspaper, she was very clear about the value of the praise she received. A letter or even just verbal praise could help the other party get the position for a long time. If she worked harder, she might be the foreman when they met next time.
"Aria, ma'am." Although she had no idea what the other party was up to, Aria still introduced herself honestly: "I'm the mayor's bodyguard."
"It turns out I came at an untimely moment." The man who also offered a helping hand laughed.
He looked to be over 1.9 meters tall, with black hair, blue eyes, and a tall stature. He should have been unnoticed wherever he went, but he just stayed patiently aside, waiting for Vicki Weir to ask his name before speaking, as if sighing and joking: "It's really not easy to be a knight. The streets are so crowded."
Vicki Weir came back to her senses and glanced at the man with a smile: "Maybe I'll be quicker next time."
The reporter certainly didn't forget her ultimate purpose in coming to Vanity Fair: "Mr. Mayor, I'm Vicki Weir, a reporter for the Gotham Gazette."
No one hates flattery, but Vicki is even more clever, basing her flattery on a background check on Lewis: "I'm glad Gotham City will have a clean and honest mayor who truly comes from the people."
She covered her mouth with her hands and chuckled, hinting, "You know, those previous candidates were all wealthy people. I'm afraid they can't represent the majority of Gotham."
"There are also 'rich people' who have struggled through Gotham's underbelly, Vicki." Lincoln March wasn't offended at all, and even smiled faintly as he spoke. The past, shrouded in darkness, was seen as a cocoon. Seeing the cocoon only served to further the butterfly's beauty: "...Because I can never forget what the past has given me, I've decided to do something to make Gotham a better place."
He threw up his hands helplessly, his expression unconcerned. "Since the parliament has made its choice, I suppose I can always shine somewhere else."
Having said that, the man's sapphire eyes looked towards the front of the main hall - Wayne would be there soon to give a speech to raise funds for the Gotham aid project.
Lincoln March raised his lips and said, "I don't expect much. Gotham already has its own moon. I can just be a shining star."
"But it is indeed Bruce who is more capable, inviting you to contribute to his plan." He extended his hand to Lewis: "Hello, although you may have heard my name from other places, let me introduce myself."
"Lincoln March, COO of March Ventures."
…
While the group was chatting animatedly and talking about something else, the farmer was daydreaming.
Even as she kept a straight face and tried to maintain her image as a reliable bodyguard, the Junimos in her mind were already dancing hand in hand.
God knows how Lewis dealt with this group of ferocious celebrities!
From Aria's perspective, he was just responsible for nodding after these people came over to talk to him. Then everyone would show an expression of "the new mayor is really wise and powerful" and praise him in a roundabout way - it seemed that Zuzu City was really going to be doomed!
Perhaps the gaze from the farmer behind her was too conspicuous, and Lewis, who was already feeling guilty, broke out in a few cold sweats under such a gaze. For the sake of his physical and mental health, the new mayor immediately let Aria move freely after Bruce Wayne finished his speech.
In fact, Lewis didn't pay a cent for this escort mission, aside from the cost of clothing. Aria had taken on this mission solely out of a desire to make Zuzu City a better place. Seeing that everything was going smoothly and that no one would suddenly appear and shoot at the mayor in public, she decided to devote the second half of the operation to visiting the exhibition at Wayne Manor.
The farmer had thought about sending gifts to all the NPCs in Zuzu City when there were more of them, but in her bag, besides weapons and farm tools, there was only the explosives she had snatched from Black Mask in the afternoon. No one in the game liked bombs, and probably the NPCs present here didn't like bombs either... Wait, thinking of this, her eyes lit up.
If Bruce doesn't like ordinary gifts, he might like this novelty.
…
Bruce Wayne looked exceptionally radiant today. The diamond knot paired with his vintage black wool suit magnified his already impressive figure, while the family crest engraved on his sterling silver cufflinks hinted at his century-old family heritage. His slicked-back hairstyle didn't make Wayne look any younger; instead, it perfectly accentuated his maturity.
And when Wayne was surrounded by groups of people like bees, sometimes amused by their words, and occasionally glanced at Aria with his expressive eyes, the farmer thought that even if he was really just a fruit on the tree, there might be many people who would be happy to plant him in a greenhouse with ancient fruits, and not pick him when he was ripe, letting him hang so beautifully on the treetops - it was as if Bruce Wayne was born to attract a swarm of bees and butterflies.
"Sorry..." Noticing that Aria seemed to have something to say to him, Bruce Wayne smiled and declined the person in front of him's suggestion to have a deeper conversation - even a fool could see the benefits of the Gotham construction plan. In fact, as long as the grassroots people actually received greater benefits than before, he didn't mind these people sharing the profits of the Wayne Group - human greed was often beyond Bruce Wayne's imagination, but within Batman's expectations.
Wayne has every right to refuse entry to those who are greedy.
Being rejected by Wayne, the man's fake smile cracked for a moment, revealing a hint of resentment. Bruce turned his back to him, seemingly oblivious to this. He just smiled and walked towards Aria, nodding slightly. "Ms. Aria?"
If it weren't for Selina's confirmation that the favorability system was functioning properly, the farmer would almost suspect that there was something wrong with this module.
She waved her hand, motioning Wayne to talk to her somewhere farther away - to be honest, it was a little difficult to implement, because wherever Bruce Wayne went, he was the focus. She also noticed that the three young men were secretly paying attention to this side - his popularity was really a bit too much.
Fortunately, the farmer was not doing anything shameful. She just wanted to ask about the other party's preferences.
Standing in a less crowded area, a waiter brought Wayne champagne. Young Master Wayne picked up the stem of the glass but was in no hurry to drink. "Is there anything I can do for you?"
"It's nothing, actually." It's really lame to ask someone directly what they like. A successful farmer knows by looking at secret notes - but she hasn't found a single secret note yet!
Aria had been secretly suspecting that the excessive number of mods installed might have caused the secret note to malfunction. "Just wondering if you have anything you particularly like, like aquamarine or some kind of plant?"
Batman did not relax because of her words. On the contrary, through various experiences that are difficult to recall, he knows that the more normal Aria's thinking process seems, the more likely it is that she will come to shocking results.
Despite his tense nerves, Bruce Wayne still smiled, as warm as a spring breeze. "Actually, I'll like and treasure anything you give me."
"They are quite precious," Dick Grayson complained in the Bat-System. His voice was so close to Wayne through the miniature headset that it seemed as if he was standing next to Wayne: "You just sliced and analyzed the daffodils and leeks, and made specimens of the rest. Chemical experiments showed that they were just ordinary plants." When he saw these in the Batcave, he thought Bruce had suddenly changed his taste and liked to eat leeks raw.
Although Aria looked unconvinced, she accepted the explanation. The farmer always maintained a positive and exploratory spirit. Even for Bruce Wayne, whose favorability didn't increase at all, she was very willing to try and finally determine what he liked.
"Okay then." The farmer took out a gift from his equipment slot and said, "This is for you."
"Do you like bombs?"
I'm working hard on flipping the pot! Don't worry, little angel! I'll just flip it a little slower. Thanks to the little angels who voted for me or provided me with nutrient solution between 2024-07-17 23:58:55 and 2024-07-19 00:50:48~
Thanks to the little angels who provided nutrient solution: Verity and Qi for one bottle;
Thank you very much for your support. I will continue to work hard!
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