Please support the genuine product throughout the process. Only the genuine product has a red envelope lottery show~ Sitting in the taxi, looking at the three big shopping bags filled to the brim beside him, Tao Zhiyue silently repented of his impulsive consumption.
While I feel remorseful, I am still very satisfied.
He vaguely felt that HR's unexpected appearance seemed to have brought about a series of unpredictable chain reactions in his life.
When Tao Zhiyue returned home, it was already night. The braised beef would take at least two or three hours, so it was obviously too late to make dinner.
But at this moment, Tao Zhiyue was in high spirits. He ate some snacks to fill his stomach, checked the menu, rolled up his sleeves and started to fight.
Wash the beef, cut it into pieces, blanch it and soak it in cold water for half an hour, then pour it into a large soup pot, add the prepared seasonings, and bring to a boil over high heat.
The light pink beef gradually turned brown from the marinade, bubbling in the pot, and the aroma went straight into my nose.
Tao Zhiyue swallowed his saliva, turned the heat to low and simmered until the beef was thoroughly cooked and could be easily pierced with chopsticks.
He picked up a small piece of beef and tasted it. It was fragrant, but unfortunately the flavor had not been fully absorbed into it and it was a bit bland.
According to the instructions on the recipe, the beef should be soaked in brine overnight, which will make it more flavorful.
So that night, Tao Zhiyue fell asleep with great anticipation.
It had been a long time since he had looked forward to the next day so eagerly.
The next day, Tao Zhiyue, who had dreamed of herding cattle on the grassland all night, woke up early. He solemnly removed the plastic wrap covering the pot, took out a large piece of braised beef and sliced it, then added a bowl of noodles, poured in the delicious marinade, placed a full bowl of beef on top, and sprinkled some chopped green onions on it as garnish.
When Tao Zhiyue ate the braised beef and the smooth noodles, he squinted his eyes with happiness.
It was really delicious. He thought it was more delicious than what he had at the noodle shop that night, perhaps because he made it himself.
Yesterday he bought more than three pounds of beef. It was a good portion and the braised flavor went well with rice. If he ate alone, it would be enough for several meals.
It would be nice if I could invite friends to share it.
The tempting aroma of stewed food wafted quietly in the room. Tao Zhiyue took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and stopped thinking about it.
It was still a day of doing nothing. After Tao Zhiyue carefully patrolled the house, he decided to do a thorough cleaning to welcome the arrival of summer.
Sweep the floor, mop the floor, organize the wardrobe, put away sundries, change the bed sheets, clean up the grease accumulated in the kitchen...
Time always passes quickly when we are busy, and in the blink of an eye it is time for dinner again.
Tao Zhiyue cooked a full pot of white rice, fried a plate of vegetables, and served rice with braised beef, which was a unique dish.
After dinner, Tao Zhiyue sat down in front of the computer contentedly and started his surfing journey as usual.
I browsed the forum for a while, watched a few funny videos, and saw a new update on my space on PP.
At this time, it is probably the macho coach at the gym who is sending out some chicken soup, urging members to actively make appointments with him for classes in the new week.
Tao Zhiyue clicked it casually and found that it was indeed a macho coach.
He scrolled down as he looked, and a familiar landscape photo appeared below.
[Dynamic] hr: It is a loss to the industry that I did not become an architect/cute [picture][picture][picture]
Seeing the content of the screenshot, Tao Zhiyue was slightly stunned. He didn't expect that the old-fashioned HR brother would also play the most popular online game.
Animal Island is a sandbox game whose biggest feature is the player’s free creativity. However, the extremely high degree of freedom is also a threshold. Players lack a sense of purpose and don’t know what to do when they enter the game, so they easily lose interest.
Therefore, Animal Island has been operating lukewarmly for several years until it unexpectedly became popular this time.
Tao Zhiyue discovered this game not long after he came to this world. It is much better than similar games in the original world. Players can perform many sophisticated operations that Tao Zhiyue once thought were difficult to support with existing technology.
He played and studied at the same time, and spent more than half a year of his free time in Animal Island.
Since Tao Zhiyue chose a little hedgehog as his image at the beginning, it became difficult for him to make some larger objects on his own in the later stages.
He was unwilling to find other players to jointly operate the game, and even more unwilling to give up half a year's hard work to change his account and start over. He was torn and simply gave up playing the game.
HR sent a message asking about the renovation of the cabin, and Tao Zhiyue took out the screenshots he had saved before and sent them to him.
The folder is full of pictures, all kinds of frozen moments, the first harvest of the little hedgehog's farmland, every different style of home the little hedgehog has owned, the little hedgehog and the grape trellis full of fruits in summer...
Tao Zhiyue couldn't help but fall into the still vivid memories, and the message alert sound rang.
[hr: Is Dr. Tao always alone?]
He didn't have time to think about why the HR asked this. He turned back reflexively and his eyes swept across the rich-colored and fragrant braised beef on the table.
[Tao: Has my social anxiety been discovered so quickly? 0.0]
During his working days in this world, people would often curiously ask him why he didn't join a group of colleagues or participate in any gatherings.
Tao Zhiyue always evaded the question by saying he had social phobia. Once this word was mentioned, others would usually not ask any further questions and would look like they understood. At most, they would advise him to try to participate in group activities.
HR was determined to know the reason.
[hr: Is it because you feel like you have nothing to talk about with the people you know, so you can’t become friends?]
Tao Zhiyue wanted to continue to prevaricate, but his fingers froze and he couldn't type a single word.
He couldn't write anything against his will in response to such a sincere question.
Tao Zhiyue's mind flashed through every detail of the past year or so, those dull, regular, unchanging days, and the gaps in his life filled with tiny, deliberately suppressed emotions that instantly burst forth like a flood.
No.
He didn't want to be perfunctory anymore.
I don't want to be perfunctory to someone who really cares about him, and I don't want to be perfunctory to myself anymore.
Tao Zhiyue never feels that he has no topics to talk about with the people around him. There is Gua, the programmer who passionately debates with him about technical problems, and Wang Heng, a colleague who wants to invite him to work together to pursue his dreams. Even the CEO, who seems a little out of touch, is trying to show goodwill to him.
Even the little girl he met by chance while jogging in the park in the morning had generously and proactively said "see you tomorrow".
Since the day he started living again, many people Tao Zhiyue met reached out to him, but he was always unwilling to respond.
Why can’t I become friends with people
Even if you want to escape the terrible plots of novels, there is no need to shut out everyone you know in real life.
The chat window was still, HR was waiting for his answer, and the friend list on the side was empty, without any friends he had met in real life.
Everything was silent, with only the ticking sound of the clock on the wall.
The second hand rotates endlessly in a regular pattern, the only thing in the room that is moving.
It was like he was walking in a vacuum.
Tao Zhiyue finally realized that when he rejected HR's invitation to meet, he didn't just want to have any real connection with the other party.
He doesn't want to have any real emotional connection with anyone in this fictional world.
This is an illusory fictional world that is set in the plot. Will the people he meets have a predetermined fate? Will his presence and interactions be in vain? Will the emotions he gains here have any meaning
Do these people, these passing moments, really exist
Tao Zhiyue tapped out the answer gently.
[Tao: No.]
[Tao: I just... don’t have a sense of reality.]
This is a vague answer, without a beginning or an end, making it difficult to respond.
But to his surprise, HR responded quickly, just like the night they met.
For HR, those problems that troubled him the most seemed to require no hesitation at all.
[hr: You are breathing, you are real, you can see the screen and the messages I sent.]
[hr: That’s the feeling of reality.]
[hr: Dr. Tao, hedgehogs can also be hugged.]
The sunlight is warm, filling the room with light.
Tao Zhiyue rubbed his sleepy eyes. He remembered that he seemed to have had a very long dream yesterday, but as soon as he woke up, the dream slipped away from his memory.
He only had a vague impression that he seemed to have dreamed about the boy in the white T-shirt yesterday.
I don’t know if I will meet him again today.
Although I fell asleep in the morning, fortunately the afternoon activities in the game exhibition usually start after 2 o'clock, so it's still in time to get there now.
Tao Zhiyue quickly washed, ate, picked up his backpack and went out.
The phone is still silent, no new messages.
After hesitating for a moment, Tao Zhiyue decisively logged out of the pp login.
As long as he is not online, this is Schrödinger's message. He can think that the HR has seen the apology bouquet in the game and sent him a message.
The world in the game is simple and pure, with only cute animals concentrating on tending their own islands.
There, Tao Zhiyue could pretend that Brown Bear was really his neighbor and friend, who did not reply to the message in time, so he gave him a gift to apologize.
Even though this gift was unusual flowers, it could be interpreted as a thank you gift from HR for helping him renovate the island, which were the seeds they had sown together.
But in reality, he couldn't do anything inappropriate towards a straight man who had a crush on someone.
The flow of people at the game exhibition today was greater than yesterday. Fortunately, the queue for admission in the afternoon was not long, and Tao Zhiyue was able to enter after waiting for a while.
The most popular area is still the trial play area of the War of the Roses. After a night of emergency work, the carefully prepared Rose Cottage is finally open to the public. At this moment, it is surrounded by exhibition visitors inside and out, and many people come to take photos and check in.
Tao Zhiyue stood outside the crowd and was stunned for a while.
Yesterday he played games for a whole afternoon in the independent trial room at the back of the cabin, with a strange man sitting next to him who made his heart beat fast.
Thinking about it now, it feels like a lifetime ago.
Next to the cabin was the staff member I met yesterday, who was sweating profusely while maintaining order. Behind him was a sea of pink flowers, as romantic as a fairy tale.
Tao Zhiyue looked for a while and walked away silently.
According to the previously planned itinerary, Tao Zhiyue walked around the booths with a notebook, stopping here and there, taking notes with a serious expression.
In the intense thinking, those beautiful feelings are gradually forgotten.
He had a general idea yesterday. For Zhitong Games, which is now accustomed to mindless reskinning, it is very difficult to make up its mind to switch directly to original development. It may work hard for a long time but end up with nothing accomplished.
Many people in the game industry subconsciously believe that original development means developing their own engines, innovating gameplay, and creating a unique style. It would be best if they could make a splash, attract as many audiences as possible, and make the game a well-known hit.
But this road is too difficult. There are only a few successful ones, and no one notices the countless teams that fail halfway.
Tao Zhiyue feels that instead of dreaming of achieving success overnight, it is better to improve and optimize on the existing basis and strive to make it small and beautiful.
The most important thing is to find the core selling point of the game, and then design and implement it with awe.
For example, War of the Roses does not have much innovation in its gameplay and is a relatively conventional MMORPG. However, its unique all-female setting and gorgeous yet not frivolous painting style have made it popular among female players, which in turn has had an unexpected influence.
While absorbing nutrients from the outside world and organizing his own ideas, by the time the museum closed at six o'clock, Tao Zhiyue had already come up with a relatively complete and specific idea.
Tao Zhiyue has almost finished looking at all the projects that need to be looked at, not only for the company, but also for himself, he has learned a lot of new knowledge.
After an afternoon of brainstorming, he was in an extremely excited state. He forgot that it was time to get off work and couldn't wait to take a taxi to the company.
However, it happened that the project team was working overtime today, the lights in the company were bright, and the CEO did not go home after get off work. He sat upright in the office, thinking hard.
Without having time to talk to his confused colleagues, Tao Zhiyue hurried into the CEO's office and told him everything he had seen and thought over the past two days.
CEO Guo nodded frequently as he listened. On the way, he also called the project team's producer, chief planner and chief programmer, Lao Li. The group of people talked loudly in the office, causing the employees in the office area outside to look around frantically, their curiosity overflowing.
Half an hour later, Mr. Guo came out first and said that there would be no overtime today. He invited everyone to have a barbecue dinner nearby and asked everyone to sign up voluntarily.
The crowd immediately erupted in joyful cheers.
As twenty or thirty people were heading to the barbecue restaurant, Tao Zhiyue was walking at the end of the team. Wang Heng slowed down and walked to his side.
"Brother Tao, are you done with the housework?"
Tao Zhiyue was stunned for a moment before he remembered the conversation between them. "Well, right..."
"Hehe, I knew it." Wang Heng was a little proud, "Brother Tao, you seem to have become a different person recently. I think you must have dealt with some troubles."
Tao Zhiyue was surprised and asked, "Really?"
"Yeah! It just became..." Wang Heng scratched his hair, trying to come up with an accurate description, "It became brighter! Hey, this word doesn't seem to be used like that."
"Anyway, I used to think that Brother Tao was hard to approach and a bit aloof. But now it seems... like I'm back in the crowd. Is it weird to say this?"
Wang Heng slapped his forehead and said, "Forget it, I feel sorry for the Chinese teacher. Anyway, let us enjoy the feast again when there is a chance. Hehe, thank you Brother Tao!"
Colleagues were chatting around me, laughter could be heard from the crowd from time to time, neon signs were flashing, and the aroma of barbecue from the small restaurant in front was already spreading.
This somewhat familiar scene and Wang Heng's unintentional words made Tao Zhiyue once again think of the person he had deliberately forgotten today.
His nose felt slightly sour, and he coughed lightly, then smiled at Wang Heng, "Okay, I will."
The barbecue restaurant was filled with smoke. Several large tables were put together to form a long strip and were filled with colleagues. Everyone was ordering dishes and placing orders in a buzzing manner. Soon, the tables in front of them were filled with sizzling skewers and beer bottles.
Tao Zhiyue doesn't drink often, as his face would turn red when he does. But tonight he drank a lot, his face turned red and his head felt drunk.
Mr. Guo was even more drunk. He held a beer bottle and gave a passionate speech, imagining the future. He was so excited that he almost cried, which made a group of people laugh.
Amid the unbridled noise, a colleague joked with Tao Zhiyue: "Xiao Tao, are you allergic to alcohol? Your face is so red."
Tao Zhiyue stopped shaking and answered seriously, "It's okay. I have anti-allergy medicine at home."
Beer is bitter, and Tao Zhiyue doesn't like the taste on normal days. But on a melancholy summer night, there seems to be nothing more soothing than a dozen cold beers.
When the banquet was about to end, someone remembered Tao Zhiyue, the hero of the barbecue, and clamored to have a toast with him, and Tao Zhiyue accepted the offer.
Seeing that he was so easy to talk to today, a female colleague plucked up the courage and half-jokingly said that she wanted to add him to her PP. Immediately, someone started to make a fuss, and the small barbecue restaurant became a scene.
Tao Zhiyue was almost drunk. He blinked and fumbled in his pocket for a long time before finding his cell phone.
Why didn't pp log in
At the moment, Tao Zhiyue, who was slow in thinking, couldn't remember the reason, so he clicked to log in, ignored the red dots of unread messages in the list, opened the QR code and handed it to his colleague to scan.
Seeing his colleagues fighting for the position, Tao Zhiyue suddenly thought of something and whispered, "I haven't joined the company group yet, please add me."
His cheeks were red and the corners of his eyes were wet with drunkenness, but he sat very straight. His usually clear and bright eyes were now covered with a layer of mist. He was no longer as decisive and calm as usual, and there was a kind of imperceptible fragility.
The colleagues who were still sober were stunned when they saw this scene, and subconsciously lowered their voices: "Okay...Okay, right away."
Someone handed the phone back to him. Tao Zhiyue took it and was about to put it back in his pocket when the voice call suddenly rang.
His vision was a little blurry, Tao Zhiyue looked carefully, and a very beautiful landscape photo avatar popped up on the screen, with the nickname "HR".
It's so strange, why would someone call him, he obviously didn't find a new job...
Tao Zhiyue clicked the call with full of doubt and put the phone to his ear.
The noise around him faded away, and he could hear a low breathing sound next to his ear. Tao Zhiyue didn't say anything, but held the phone tightly, unconsciously following the other person's gentle breathing.
Then he heard his own heartbeat.
A few seconds later, a distorted male voice came from the other end, with a tone of nervousness and uneasiness.
“… Hello, is this Dr. Tao?”
At two o'clock in the morning, Tao Zhiyue, the self-heating pancake maker, had changed twenty sleeping positions and counted thousands of sheep, but the sleepiness was still not here.