43. Gotham: Witness of Friendship
51.
Aria spread her hands, and an obsidian stone swayed in her hands, revealing several cut edges.
Explaining why someone else's things were in his possession was a bit difficult. The farmer's scalp tingled, and he said with a fake smile: "...Maybe this earring is a bit extroverted and likes to go to other people's places, haha."
She had originally intended to return the ear clip, a joke that was only good enough to amuse a three-year-old. But Gotham Baby had seriously considered the possibility and said, "Since it likes you, keep it."
As he spoke, Bruce took out another locator and placed it in Aria's hand - so that they looked like a pair.
Wayne's blue eyes shone softly, as if he was comparing the compatibility of Aria and Obsidian. "As a commemoration of our reunion...how about that?"
Aria curled her fingers, and the two obsidians rolled down her palm and huddled together like two long-lost friends.
Lincoln March's expression beneath his social mask was somewhat subtle.
There have always been rumors in Gotham that Bruce Wayne is funding Batman. This rumor has spread so widely that even several high-ranking officials in the court have heard of it.
...Lincoln March had scoffed at such remarks before, but now he believed them to some extent.
Otherwise, it would be impossible to explain why Wayne gave the locator disguised as an ear clip to someone else - it must be Batman who did something against Wayne, and Bruce was just a part of this accidental plot.
Lincoln tried hard to suppress his expression that was about to collapse, but the sharp-eyed Aria still caught the clues.
——But the farmer got the wrong idea.
"Bruce." After thinking for a moment, the farmer decided to bring water: "You are a little too careless."
Wayne was a little confused, and then he became alert almost reflexively - so what went wrong? His locator had gone through several rounds of improvements, and to the average person, it was almost the same as an ordinary ear clip.
No, considering the other party's superpowers and extraordinary behavioral logic, perhaps she possesses not only spatial abilities, but also other abilities that help her discern the essence of things.
While Bruce Wayne was brainstorming and even thinking of a reason to expose the locator, Aria took off in a direction he never expected.
To prevent Bruce Wayne from making further mistakes that would put their friendship in jeopardy, the farmer continued the conversation before he could even open his mouth: "Friendship gifts are something that, of course, every friend should have one!"
Although Wayne had been fleeced, a rough calculation showed that Wayne met Aria and Lincoln March only a few days apart. Aria thought that it was better not to favor one over the other when making friends, otherwise Lincoln, as the other friend, would definitely be sad.
Thinking of this, Aria redistributed the two obsidians, handed one to Lincoln, and said with a smile, "This is a testimony to the friendship between the three of us."
...No, he really didn't want a locator as a gift, especially one that had been inexplicably given meaning. The thought that it was most likely Batman Lincoln March behind this made him a little nauseous - this meant that he couldn't just find an excuse to casually damage the locator, he would have to stage an accident to do so.
Lincoln's expression twisted for a moment at the thought, like a pebble thrown into a rippled lake. But with Wayne and Aria in front of him, he had to keep pretending. He could only hold his nose and accept this so-called "friendship scenario."
...I have a little stomachache.
Taking the "obsidian," Lincoln March felt as though he were holding a small, beautifully crafted bomb, no matter how meticulously it was cut. The heat inside was transmitted from the mechanical operation. "Thank you, Xiaoya."
He had to suppress his gnashing of teeth; after all, the play wasn't over yet and he still had to play "Lincoln March" in it.
"Maybe next time I should give you some gifts." Lincoln March's face showed several expressions, including the surprise at receiving an unexpected surprise and the shyness of being valued, which completed a textbook-level performance.
He gave Aria a quick wink. "Is there anything you like? Maybe you can make a wish for it now."
She hoped a few people would come and work with her from 6 am to 2 pm to build the farm, Aria thought, but neither Lincoln March nor Bruce Wayne looked like the type to do farm work, so it would be useless to express her wish.
So the farmer shook his head: "Not yet."
Lincoln March invited the two: "Since we've met Bruce, why don't we think about it together and have a meal..."
He turned to Aria, his smile widening. "—as if to strengthen our friendship?"
Whatever Batman's ultimate goal was, he had to let him know that there was nothing shady about this conversation.
…
When it came to friendship, Lincoln March thought Aria would agree immediately, but she had a new perspective and raised the question from another angle: "At least wait until Mr. Wayne's female companion comes back before making a decision?"
What if she just wanted to have a happy meal with Bruce Wayne alone? It would be a big spoiler to find two more people there when she came back.
A familiar scent of tuberose gently enveloped Aria with the breeze. The owner of the scent walked without making any sound, as light as a cat.
If Tuberose hadn't been so visible, the farmer wouldn't have felt anyone approaching, much less noticed that she had her hand on the back of the chair behind him, just inches away.
As if sensing her emotions, the woman tapped her fingers on the back of the chair a few times: "I have no objection."
She imitated Lincoln March's abbreviation for Aria, which sounded more affectionate because of the pronunciation habit: "Hello...Xiaoya."
No, no, no, why is it like this when I have a crush on someone?
Aria touched her hot cheek and looked like she was about to faint.
"Selina Kyle," Selina said, knowing when to stop, she raised her chin slightly, like an Abyssinian cat that was extremely proud of strangers: "Nice to meet you, Mr. March."
Lincoln March nodded with a smile: "Nice to meet you, Miss Selina."
Fortunately, before she could call out the "Vanessa" that Wayne had just introduced, Aria glanced at Bruce Wayne, trying to use her eyes to condemn him for remembering the wrong name. The Gotham baby touched his nose, leaned back guiltily, and tried to muddle through the matter.
"We were just discussing suitable gifts for Aria." Changing the subject has always been a top trick in the art of deception, and it seems Bruce Wayne has mastered this skill to perfection. "Do you know each other?"
"It's a pleasure to meet you." Selina quickly ticked off all the food she wanted, her movements quite skillful. "It's hard not to be impressed by such a lively and lovely lady."
Bruce Wayne fell silent for a moment... It was true that he was impressed, but the rest of the wording was completely debatable.
"But," Selena said, looking completely different with her wig and her buzz cut, now with her hair cut to her ears, she has a Jazz Age-style glamorous beauty. "If I had to choose, I would probably give her Tahitian black pearls."
"Obsidian is too heavy and hard, while black sapphire is too luxurious. Pearls have become popular among girls in recent years, and black pearls are the more precious ones." Because I cherish them, they are more suitable for the person in front of me.
Listening to Selina's clear and logical explanation, the farmer's eyes became brighter and brighter, full of admiration: "Did Selina work in a museum before?" She knew these things so well, as if she had personally put them on the instruments and analyzed them carefully.
"Well, I'm just an amateur, not a professional." It's not impossible for her to have a job in the museum, but she chose her own job. She can come and go as she pleases and take whatever she likes. There is still a big gap between her and the museum staff.
"Can I ask you to identify gemstones in the future? Or are there any mineral mining services for me?" The farmer's mouth was almost dripping with saliva. She had found so many crystal balls in the ore mine, but she couldn't find a place to mine them. This made her feel depressed for a long time. "I can pay you 25 gold each!"
Selina changed her sitting position and looked very interested. She had agreed to Bruce Wayne's invitation originally to get an invitation to the Gotham Jewelry Exhibition, but she didn't expect to get an unexpected reward here: "Gem identification? Sure."
Catwoman's feet swayed slightly under the table, like a cat's tail bent into a question mark when it is interested in something: "But my time is precious, so I will only select those gems with good quality for identification." Although she hadn't seen the real thing yet, for some reason, Selina had a hunch that the girl in front of her could produce something good - a cat's intuition is usually quite accurate.
"If you want to sell those gems, I can also help you contact the seller." However, the middleman should also take a small commission.
"As for opening a mine, I'm not an expert, but I can introduce you to a suitable friend—the price will be based on our negotiation." Selina smiled warmly. "What do you think of this, Xiaoya?"
She didn't ask Aria where she got the gems. In Gotham, not asking the source of goods is the most basic virtue. However, a man next to her was eager to make a move and seemed very interested in another piece of the puzzle of Aria's identity.
Cats have their own ideas. The more anxious they are to know something, the more Selena wants to tease them.
Just then the waiter brought the meal, giving Catwoman a new topic to talk about.
"Do you like fish?" The knife and fork made a gentle clink against the porcelain plate. Selina looked at Aria, who was sitting across from her, with interest. "Then you should try the salmon here. The ingredients are shipped directly from their origin to Gotham Harbor in just one day. It's hard to find such a supply chain elsewhere."
Selina's eyes were burning. The farmer lowered his head and scooped up a spoonful of ice cream. "...If you like fresh fish, maybe we can go fishing together next time."
"It doesn't matter if you don't like fishing. Just tell me what kind of fish you like to eat and I can build a fish pond to raise them." This is the strength of the farmer. He doesn't have to contract a fish pond for others. He can build one himself and raise whatever he wants.
Facing Lincoln March, who was getting a little restless, Selina laughed dumbly and finally agreed with him: "So besides being the mayor's bodyguard, you have other jobs?"
————————
Lincoln March: Finally, intel!
Aria: Because no one asked me. I just told whatever they asked me. I rarely lie.
Cats are like this, and their preferences are also very mysterious (nods)
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