Started as a comics editor

Chapter 298 Li Xue and Tang Yao's New Year
The AG platform experienced some lag due to the influx of enthusiastic players.

At the same time that Jin Feng was escaping reality.

Inside the Avalon building, a particular area was enveloped in a completely different, almost stagnant silence.

Engine team office area.

Zhang Mingyuan sat blankly in front of his workstation, the screen frozen on the opening screen of the "Left 4 Dead" promotional video—the dazzling logo, like a star, was quietly floating in the center of the screen.

Many players were simply amazed that Avalon had suddenly pulled out a game engine.

But for Zhang Mingyuan... it's not just that.

He looked at the screen, took a deep breath, and then opened the Avalon game forum homepage, which was filled with players' discussions about the trailer.

The popularity of the Morningstar engine... even rivals that of the entire game trailer!

Posts flooded my eyes, each one filled with shock, admiration, curiosity, and affection for the name Morning Star.

Zhang Mingyuan stared at the words "Morning Star Engine" and "Morning Star Illuminates the Path of Single-Player Games".

My heart was filled with a bittersweet mix of emotions.

He recalled his days at Easy Travel.

The high-pressure office environment, the engine iteration reports submitted with hope time and time again, and the accumulated disappointment after each report sank without a trace.

He remembers how he withstood the pressure and led his team to polish the neglected game engine bit by bit with limited resources. He remembers the changes in the senior management of EasyGame, Jin Feng's arrogant attitude, the cold verdict that it was not profitable and had no future, and the humiliation and resentment when he was finally kicked out.

At that time, he thought that the seedlings he had painstakingly nurtured, along with his passion for the industry, would wither and rot completely in that indifferent building.

but……

He looked around.

Bright lighting, spacious workstations, and a relaxed and efficient work environment.

My colleagues were no longer the listless, complacent people they had been with when I was traveling. Each of them had a focused expression and a kind of... trustworthy glow on their faces.

They would have heated discussions about engine optimization, debate the implementation of a certain rendering effect, and have intense discussions with the development team about what the right thing to do was... full of energy and enthusiasm.

This is Avalon.

When he and his team were at their lowest point and most desperate, Tang Yao reached out to them, accepting their remnants without hesitation and providing them with resources and support far exceeding what they had received during the Yiyou era.

trust.

Unconditional trust.

They cherished this trust and poured all their pent-up frustrations and ambitions from their time at EasyGame into the Morning Star Engine.

Countless days and nights of hard work, countless iterations and restarts, all to be worthy of this trust and worthy of the ever-shining brand of Avalon.

And now.

The name Morningstar! Accompanied by the thrilling trailer for Left 4 Dead! It has finally appeared so officially! So prominently in the eyes of gamers worldwide!

Players are amazed! They're discussing it! They're excited!

This is really great!

Because it's not just about the name of an engine being recognized.

This is the greatest affirmation for them, these former losers who were once discarded like trash! It is the highest praise for all their perseverance and dedication!
"so good……"

not far away.

One of the staff members couldn't help but mutter something under his breath.

obviously.

The engine team is probably slacking off right now... After all, it's the first time the engine has been revealed, and they're excited, so it's normal that they can't concentrate on their work.

Hearing the soft sigh filled with complex emotions, Zhang Mingyuan looked over, then took a deep breath, trying to suppress the overflowing emotions in his heart, but ultimately failed.

He gently shook his head, giving up. He simply stood up, walked to the center of the office area, and looked at the faces of those who were equally excited and unable to contain themselves.

Looking into those eyes that had their luster dulled by EasyPlay, they are now being rekindled.

"Let's get to work..."

Zhang Mingyuan's voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly throughout the quiet office area, with a hint of barely perceptible hoarseness: "It's almost the end of the year, we need to set our goals for next year."

Speaking of which.

He paused, then continued, "If we really want to celebrate, we can wait until Left 4 Dead is officially released, until players actually play the game and recognize our talent, then we can have a proper celebration."

"..."

There were no cheers, no shouts, and not even much verbal response.

But within this silence lies a power greater than any sound.

Someone lowered their head and sighed softly.

Someone leaned heavily against the back of the chair and let out a long sigh of relief, as if a great weight had been lifted from their shoulders.

Some people pursed their lips tightly, but their eyes shone with an astonishing brightness, filled with unprecedented fighting spirit.

But such postures usually only lasted for a short while.

Because it's fast.

They all threw themselves into their work.

At this moment, no words are needed.

All the hardships, all the doubts, and all the grievances were transformed into fuel to keep going, amidst the players' exclamations of amazement and anticipation for the Morning Star engine.

The morning star not only illuminated Avalon's path to becoming a standalone gamer, but also rekindled the once-dim dream of these technical staff.

And this journey has only just begun.

……

The storm sparked by the Left 4 Dead trailer continues to rage.

But inside Avalon, a relaxed atmosphere permeated the air as the year-end approached.

No matter how busy the project is, year-end summaries and short breaks are essential.

of course.

Apart from the engine group.

However, it's normal for them to be excited.

Inside Tang Yao's office, the air conditioning dispelled the winter chill, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.

Li Xue gently placed a neatly organized document on Tang Yao's desk.

"This is the preliminary year-end bonus plan, as well as the holiday shift schedule for each department. Please take a look."

Li Xue's voice was as gentle as ever, and being a year older did not diminish her charm; in fact, it was even stronger.

After all, this mature woman's appearance really hasn't changed at all; she's still beautiful and charming.

It's a pity... we won't be able to see black stockings in winter.

the other side.

Tang Yao was looking at an engine optimization report when she heard this. She looked up, her bright and beautiful eyes shifting from the screen to Li Xue. A smile naturally appeared on her pretty face: "Okay, thank you for your hard work."

Say it.

She picked up the document, her eyes scanning the strings of numbers—a bonus amount far exceeding industry standards, even quite substantial.

After making a rough confirmation.

Without hesitation, she picked up a pen and signed her name at the end of the proposal, her movements swift and decisive: "Okay, no problem, let's go with it this way."

then.

She put down her pen, leaned back in her chair, and looked at Li Xue. "Everyone has worked hard this year. Mobile games are rock solid, online games have broken records, Undertale and Outlast are both critically acclaimed and commercially successful, the engine team has given everyone a big surprise, and Left 4 Dead also has a bright future... This bonus is well-deserved. Let everyone have a peaceful and happy New Year."

"..."

Looking at Tang Yao's matter-of-fact and generous attitude, Li Xue's smile deepened: "You're really generous. I bet once the bonus is handed out, a lot of people will be cheering for Tang Yao behind her back, and they might even be able to resist bragging online about how great their boss is..."

Tang Yao suddenly turned her head, bristling: "Then I won't send it!"

"..."

Li Xue couldn't help but chuckle. Seeing Tang Yao's adorable, flustered appearance, she didn't tease him any further. Instead, she said, "It seems quite lively over at the engine team. I heard many staff members had red eyes after seeing them. Shall we go check it out?"

"...They were just happy."

Tang Yao shook her head: "They've been suppressing their emotions for too long. It's normal for them to be emotional when they finally see their hard work recognized. Let them process it on their own. Going now would only disturb them." Li Xue nodded slightly.

The holidays are almost here.

This means the two will not be able to see each other for at least half a month.

She was used to it, used to coming to Tang Yao's office early every morning to wait for her.

It must be very difficult to get used to not seeing each other for more than ten days.

"..."

Li Xue was lost in thought, quietly watching Tang Yao, and then, as she watched...

She suddenly realized.

Tang Yao wore lipstick today, which was quite rare... It was a light, barely noticeable pink lip gloss, which made her cherry lips look moist and soft, and especially beautiful.

"Huh? What's wrong?"

Perhaps it's because we've been silent for too long.

Tang Yao finally realized something was wrong and looked up again.

"..."

Li Xue looked away and finally spoke again, her voice softer than before: "Holiday arrangements... I need to go back a few days early. There are some things at home that I need to take care of as soon as possible."

She paused for a moment, then added, "I'll be leaving a few days earlier than everyone else's normal holiday."

Tang Yao was taken aback by his words, then her clear gaze fell on Li Xue's face, and she asked with some concern, "Is something wrong at home...? Is it serious?"

"It's not serious, it's just some old news. My relatives always love to worry and want to introduce me to some so-called outstanding young people... I plan to go back early to resolve these matters."

Li Xue shook her head gently, and as she spoke, she subconsciously hugged the folder in her arms tightly, but her words did not stop at all: "Anyway, I am financially independent now... Thanks to you, I may be even more capable than those talents they introduced. When I go back this time, I can say with confidence that I am fine and do not need them to make arrangements."

The most important thing is actually my parents' side, but they're quite open-minded and have never pressured me. It's mainly those distant relatives who interfere...it's really annoying. I went back early this time because I wanted to have a proper talk with my parents, to completely explain my thoughts and current situation to them, to put their minds at ease, and to shut up those busybodies.

"..."

Upon hearing this, Tang Yao parted her red lips slightly, and the light pink lip gloss shimmered with a moist sheen under the light.

She was a little stunned.

The office fell silent once again.

"So lovely."

Li Xue suddenly spoke softly, breaking the subtle silence. She tilted her head and looked at Tang Yao's slightly parted red lips, which were showing surprise.

"Kaoru helped me apply this... I don't know what she's thinking."

Tang Yao snapped out of her daze, pursed her lips, and mostly concealed the alluring sheen: "Maybe it's the start of my rebellious phase!"

then.

She thought for a moment, then refocused her gaze on Li Xue. After a slight hesitation, she asked, "Miss Li... is this really okay? Aren't you afraid of getting beaten up?"

"..."

Li Xue didn't rush to answer. Instead, she gently put down the folder in her arms, went behind the desk, pulled up a chair, and sat down next to Tang Yao: "I know what I'm doing."

then.

A subtle silence fell over the office once again.

After all, it's the Lunar New Year holiday, and everyone will be going their separate ways...

The air conditioner blew warm air, and the winter sunlight outside the window shone through the blinds, casting delicate shadows on Tang Yao's pretty face.

She looked at Li Xue, who was sitting elegantly, and wondered what she was thinking.

The two sat there quietly.

After a while.

"So lovely."

Li Xue suddenly repeated what she had just said softly, breaking the silence... and at the same time, she took the initiative to change the subject.

But this time, her gaze was clearly fixed on Tang Yao's red lips: "Xun helped you put them on? That's rare."

"Ah."

Tang Yao subconsciously pursed her lips again: "She's been particularly interested in this kind of thing lately, and she insisted on dragging me to try it this morning... She's going through her rebellious phase!"

Speaking of Kaoru.

Her tone was tinged with helplessness, but her eyes softened.

"What rebellious phase? She just wants her older sister to be prettier."

Upon hearing this, Li Xue rolled her eyes at Tang Yao, both amused and exasperated: "Besides, she really has good taste; she looks really good."

Tang Yao slightly shifted her gaze, her expression unchanged, but she stubbornly repeated, "That's the rebellious phase!"

"..."

Li Xue didn't refute her claim about the rebellious phase anymore, but simply said, "Then can you be rebellious for once?"

"Ok?"

"Did you bring this shade? I'd like to wear it."

"...I did bring it."

Upon hearing this, Tang Yao turned to the side and rummaged through her bag, then found the lipstick that Xun had tossed into it. She turned back around and said, "But this is one I've used. Are you sure you want to use it...?"

Li Xue didn't rush to answer.

Instead, it moved forward a little, the chair legs making a slight scraping sound as they rubbed against the smooth floor, leaning towards Tang Yao.

"I do not mind."

Li Xue tilted her delicate face slightly upwards: "You can apply it for me."

"..."

Tang Yao was silent for a moment, looked at Li Xue's lips, which were so close to hers and had a healthy luster, and then looked down at the lipstick in her own hand: "How could I know how!"

Li Xue whispered, "Please, I'll apply it however I want..."

"..."

After hesitating for a moment, Tang Yao could only twist open the red tube.

(1)

……

……

The Lunar New Year is approaching.

Regardless of what happens to Li Xue and Tang Yao, these two close friends.

No matter how many ambitious goals lie ahead, or what unknown challenges the coming year may hold, this festival, deeply rooted in the blood of the Chinese people, always acts as an invisible pause, reminding those who are busy and weary that it is time to slow down, brush away the dust of their journey, reunite with their families, and enjoy a moment of warmth and peace.

For every member of Avalon, this year has undoubtedly been eventful and fruitful.

At this moment, although the company is still filled with the tense atmosphere of project sprint, a relaxed and warm current called the New Year's flavor is quietly flowing in the bright office area.

Then--

drop!
drop!drop!
A series of crisp cell phone notification sounds, like pebbles thrown into a calm lake, instantly shattered the afternoon tranquility.

Immediately afterwards, as if dominoes were being toppled, similar warning sounds rang out from every corner, creating an exciting prelude.

Generous year-end bonuses have already been deposited into the accounts of every Avalon employee.

After a brief silence, the company's internal communication group and every corner were instantly flooded with uncontrollable surprise and cheers!
"Holy crap!!! My year-end bonus arrived!!! This amount... Long live my beautiful female boss!!!"

"Aaaaaaah!!! It's almost twice as much as I expected! I can give my parents a big red envelope this year!"

"Brothers in the engine team! Did you see that?! It was worth it! It really was worth it!"

"Beautiful young boss! Big sister manager! You are my gods!!"

The feeling of joy spread rapidly, like a virus.

Avalon... is celebrating the New Year early.

(End of this chapter)