If you want to help me financially, you can do it on
https://ko-fi.com/neverluckysmile
Arthur paused for a moment, realizing he might have just stepped into a delicate situation.
After a brief hesitation, he cautiously suggested, "How about… we leave it at that for now?"
Natasha responded, her tone serious. "You have no idea what a woman has to sacrifice to resist aging. Especially someone like me. I have to go wherever the environment is harsh, no matter how brutal it gets. Deserts, rainforests, those are nothing. The scariest part? The boss I'm with now might even send me into outer space! Do you have any idea how many things out there can kill you? Even though our suits let us survive in space, skin is much more fragile than life itself! Every time I go out there, do you know how much makeup I have to use just to compensate…?"
Arthur felt a pang of guilt. At this point, he had already taken off his communicator. What he heard in her words wasn't just complaints or jokes; it was a deep-rooted obsession with her own appearance.
The weight of that passion felt overwhelming. Arthur thought that even if he could one day crush stars with a single hand, he still wouldn't be able to bear that burden.
Three minutes passed.
After Natasha's passionate monologue, punctuated by her taking a sip of water, she asked, "Are you even listening?"
Arthur replied quickly, "Yes!"
"So?"
"You're naturally beautiful; you don't need to worry about things like that." He tried to sound sincere, like a genuinely honest guy who would dig up his ancestors' graves just to prove a point.
There was a moment of silence on Natasha's end before she got straight to the point: "So you're not planning to give me any money, are you?"
"Such sound logic! I'm actually speechless!" Arthur's response veered slightly off-topic.
Natasha gritted her teeth for a moment before finally asking, "When are you coming back?"
"Tomorrow, I think," Arthur replied, glancing outside. Noticing that Brock hadn't returned yet, he added, "He didn't tell me, but obviously, he's only back this time because of a woman."
"Men always change because of women," Natasha said, her tone hinting at something deeper.
Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Not all men are like that."
"It's not a bad thing," Natasha shrugged. "Besides, maybe you've changed already; you just haven't realized it yet."
Arthur blinked and glanced at his reflection in the rearview mirror. What he saw surprised him.
The face staring back looked serious and steady. He could almost see the word "mature" written across it.
Thinking back to his younger days, he felt as if the Arthur who once gamed all night and drank soda had already faded away. Was the man now wearing this shell called 'Arthur' really still that same soda-loving shut-in?
Why did he now see, reflected in the mirror, the air of someone he once found distasteful, the so-called "successful person"?
"What's going on with you?" Natasha's voice broke through his thoughts.
Arthur shook his head. "Nothing. It just suddenly feels like… I don't recognize myself anymore."
"If anything happens, report back right away," Natasha said. "Everyone here is just idling around, bored out of their minds. I don't expect anything unexpected to happen over there, but in any case, be careful. Don't make the woman waiting for you cry."
"Ouch, that hurts," Arthur replied, a hint of humor in his voice.
Natasha didn't say anything more; she simply cut the connection.
Arthur leaned back in his chair and asked softly, "Little Black, do you think I've changed a bit?"
[Unintelligible question!]
Arthur chuckled, rolled down the car window, and gazed at the bustling crowds outside. "I know it sounds a bit silly, but right now, I really wish I could go shopping with Lily. I suddenly miss the smell of homemade food. How long has it been since I caught that addictive scent..."
[Cannot understand!]
Little Black was always so blunt.
"I wasn't talking to you," Arthur shot a glare at the AI. "For a piece of artificial intelligence, you really butt in way too often."
As he sighed, reminiscing about the good old days, Brock appeared, looking sharp as he approached the car. The door opened automatically.
"Thanks, Little Black." Brock turned to Arthur and asked, "Who built this car?"
"Tony, of course," Arthur replied.
"The car is fantastic, and the AI is solid, but honestly, the guy has no talent for names," Brock said. "Even a name like Mark is better than 'Little Black'!"
Arthur's expression darkened, and he forced a smile. "Well, Tony built the car, but I came up with the name 'Little Black'! Don't you think it fits the look?"
Brock took a moment to survey the car, noting its sleek black design. He gave a thumbs-up. "The name definitely matches!"
"Alright, let's go!"
Feeling a bit annoyed, Arthur instructed Little Black to start up and asked Brock for his destination, setting the navigation to auto-drive. Getting roasted for his naming sense was nothing new; he had grown accustomed to it by now. After all, with a name like Lily, he really had no strong defense.
Brock seemed lost in thought during the drive, but he didn't share what was on his mind, and Arthur didn't pry.
The car finally stopped in front of a building. Brock took a deep breath and asked, "Do you think I'll succeed?"
"You will!" Arthur nodded confidently, even though he had no idea what Brock was getting into.
"Thanks!" Brock added, "If you see me coming out alone, just drive off. But if there are two of us..."
"Then I'll give you your space, right?" Arthur shrugged. "Whatever you want."
Satisfied, Brock nodded, got out of the car, and headed into the building. Less than three minutes later, he came rushing back out like a defeated puppy and jumped into the car.
Arthur thought, What happened? Did he get bitten by a dog or something?
"Someone broke in!"
Brock was trying to catch his breath, anger simmering just beneath the surface as he clenched his teeth. "They might have kidnapped her!!!"