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Novel Catalog
Carlisle’s fingers moved swiftly over the keyboard as he typed his reply. “Yup!”
Owen responded almost immediately, his curiosity piqued. “You mentioned earning money. How do you propose to earn money?”
Owen had always been a bit of an online addict, his interests split between gaming and making money. His allowance from home was meager, and he often ran out of cash within a couple of days, resorting to surviving on bread for the rest of the week. The prospect of earning money, especially through gaming, immediately caught his attention.
Carlisle’s next message came quickly. “I’m planning to open a game account farming studio in Riverland!”
Owen blinked, confusion flickering in his mind. “What’s game account farming?”
Carlisle grinned, leaning back in his chair as he typed, explaining in detail. “It’s where we build up in-game stats, farm gold, collect equipment, and materials. We package it all up and sell it off to other players who want to progress faster.”
Owen’s eyes lit up as the concept clicked in his mind. He tapped furiously on his keyboard, his excitement palpable. “You mean we can make money just by playing games?”
Carlisle chuckled at Owen’s enthusiasm. “That’s one way to look at it.”
Owen’s reply was quick but tinged with hesitation. “But I’m still in school, man. My mom would flip if she found out I’m not focusing on my studies!”
Before Carlisle could respond, Owen sent another message. “Plus, don’t we need to rent a space and buy computers to run a studio? How are we going to get the money for that?”
Carlisle paused for a moment, considering the practicality of it all. Then he sent a calm reply. “Don’t worry about the money right now. The hard part is convincing your mom. I’ll handle the rest.”
Owen’s tone softened with a hint of uncertainty, but he was eager. “Alright, I’ll try to talk to her. I’ll let you know what she says.”
After their chat, Carlisle’s attention was drawn to a new friend request. He clicked on the notification and saw that the username was “Sweet_like_candy.” The profile picture was of a woman with strikingly old-fashioned blue hair. Her account had a modest three-star rating.
Curious, he accepted the request.
Sweet_like_candy: “Hi, good day!”
Bygones_b_bygones: “Hello. You are…?”
Sweet_like_candy: “You can call me Wanda!”
Carlisle’s heart skipped a beat at the name. Wanda. The thought of her stirred a mix of nostalgia and affection. He hadn’t been in contact with Wanda for some time. She wasn’t one to frequent the internet often, so they hadn’t had many opportunities to chat. Still, he remembered the brief but meaningful moments they shared during the summer.
His thoughts wandered briefly, remembering the short-haired woman, her innocent smile, and their lighthearted conversations. He even dreamed of her sometimes—dreams where they were more than just friends, where they were enjoying simple pleasures like shopping together or riding the Ferris wheel at an amusement park.
Carlisle shook his head, snapping back to reality. He quickly typed a reply.
Bygones_b_bygones: “You’re Wanda Thompson?”
Sweet_like_candy: “Who’s Wanda? My name is Rwanda Bell!”
Carlisle’s lips curled into a smile. He had lived two lives—he wasn’t so easily fooled by a playful trick like this. Still, the thought of Wanda trying to be coy amused him.
Bygones_b_bygones: “I’m sorry, I might have mistaken you for someone else!”
Sweet_like_candy: “So, who’s Wanda?”
Bygones_b_bygones: “She’s my girlfriend. I thought this was her alternative account!”
There was a long pause after he sent that message. No reply came for several minutes.
Bygones_b_bygones: “Why have you stopped replying?”
Sweet_like_candy: “I had something to do earlier!”
Bygones_b_bygones: “You’re not her. Let’s just delete each other’s contact.”
Sweet_like_candy: “No way!”
Bygones_b_bygones: “Why not?”
Sweet_like_candy: “I’m really bored, and I don’t have many friends online!”
Carlisle leaned back in his chair, amused by the sudden change in tone. Her attempt at feigning innocence was endearing. He couldn’t help but smile.
Bygones_b_bygones: “But I’m afraid my girlfriend would be jealous!”
Sweet_like_candy: “But she doesn’t know!”
Bygones_b_bygones: “How do you know she doesn’t know?”
Sweet_like_candy: “It’s just a guess!”
Carlisle chuckled softly to himself. She didn’t even know how to lie properly. How had he never realized just how adorable she was?
“Carl… When are we starting to make money? I can’t wait!” Sean’s voice broke Carlisle’s thoughts, and he looked over to see Sean standing on the sidewalk, waiting for the light to turn green.
Carlisle glanced at the traffic light and then back at Sean, his tone casual. “I’ve invited Owen. Let’s wait for him to come over.”
Sean raised an eyebrow, clearly puzzled. “Isn’t he still in school?”
Carlisle chuckled. “His studies aren’t exactly his strong suit. He’s better off coming to make some real money with us than wasting his time in school.”
Carlisle knew all too well that some people were simply not cut out for academics. Owen was one of them. From elementary school onward, Owen had always struggled in school, his grades a constant source of frustration. By the time he reached high school, Owen had started skipping classes regularly to spend more time online, which eventually led him down the wrong path.
Carlisle’s offer to bring Owen into the fold wasn’t just about making money—it was about giving Owen a chance to change his life. A chance to step away from his bad habits and start earning in a way that could empower him.
Sean, however, wasn’t so sure about Owen’s reliability. “I don’t know, man. Owen’s a bit of a turncoat. He’ll switch sides faster than you can blink.”
Carlisle smirked, unfazed by Sean’s skepticism. “Don’t worry. I’ve got this.”