Four days later, only the last day of the holiday remained.
Andrew stayed in the rental apartment, discussing the next steps with Mark Vane through chat.
"Boss, after the hype from the campus belle and campus heartthrob ranking died down, user activity has dropped quite a bit. I'm worried that if this continues, people won't keep using Luna."
Andrew had already thought about this. "It's the holiday season. Most people are busy traveling or spending time with family, so they're naturally less active. It's not a big issue. Have you finished integrating the mini-games I asked for into Luna's personal AI?"
"They're done. Jump Jump, Bubble Shooter, and Tetris — all three are now available inside the Luna app. But I haven't seen many people playing them yet."
Mark still sounded doubtful. "Boss, these games aren't that exciting. If someone wants to play, why not just download a proper game with better graphics?"
Andrew explained patiently, "I don't want full games on the website. I want simple mini-games built directly into Luna — the personal AI bot. Users can play them anytime by just talking to Luna. But here's the key part: create a leaderboard that displays on the Luna website. Show the highest scores of Luna users across these mini-games."
Mark was confused. "A leaderboard? Will that even work?"
"Senior, have you ever heard the saying: Humans are creatures driven by the desire to compete?"
"I've heard it. Humans are inherently competitive; thousands of years of human history have developed through struggle. But what does that have to do with a leaderboard?"
Seeing the reply, Andrew inwardly called him an idiot. No wonder they say not everyone is suited for business.
"If it's just a single mini-game, yes, people will get tired of it after playing for a while. But if many people are playing together, and these people are all people around you, seeing someone else play better than them will make them unwilling to accept it and go play too."
"Especially if their classmate or friend is ranking higher than them on the Luna leaderboard, they won't be able to accept it. They'll open Luna and start playing just to beat that person."
After Andrew's explanation, Mark Vane finally understood, "So that's it! I was wondering why every game now needs a ranked mode and community rankings. It's for this very reason!"
Thinking about it, Mark Vane couldn't help but curse, "Damn it, those greedy capitalists are truly beasts. They create ranking systems to make you want to climb the ladder, and then use ELO systems to keep you stuck!"
"Understood, Boss. I'll set it up right away."
Andrew leaned back in his chair, feeling satisfied. If everything went well, this small feature would help boost daily active users of the Luna app significantly.
It was a good thing they were communicating via text message and not voice chat, or Andrew would definitely deduct his pay.
"So, you need to get the game leaderboards up as soon as possible. For now, let the bots hold the top spot; don't let any real person achieve it."
"Isn't that a bit inappropriate?"
"You know nothing! What I'm doing is adding a bit of difficulty to the game. Hurry up and get to work!"
" "
Mark Vane didn't argue anymore. Andrew was the boss; whatever he said, went.
"Then, Boss, what about overtime pay? It's a holiday right now."
"Don't rush. There will be overtime pay. There will be bread and milk. I'm taking a break too. Luna is in your hands."
Andrew put down his phone and leaned back comfortably in his chair. For now, work could wait.
His gaze drifted toward Scarlett.
She was lying lazily on the sofa in her thin black nightgown, looking relaxed and a little disheveled. Her long dark hair was slightly messy, a clear sign that they had just finished an intense sex session moments ago.
Even so, the sight of her like this made heat rise in Andrew's body again. He stood up and walked over, settling himself beside her on the sofa. His hand gently stroked her back.
Scarlett purred softly at his touch, clearly enjoying the attention.
Encouraged, Andrew turned her over onto her back. Without hesitation, he began unbuttoning her nightgown. Scarlett let the fabric slide off her shoulders and fall to the floor. She wasn't wearing anything underneath.
At the same time, she used her toes to playfully tug down Andrew's boxers, freeing his hardening cock.
"So… are you ready to visit my home?" Scarlett asked again, her voice low and teasing.
"Yeah," Andrew nodded as he climbed on top of her. "But I still feel a bit weird about meeting your parents so soon."
"Don't worry about that," Scarlett whispered. She reached between them, positioned his cock at her entrance, and guided him inside with one smooth stroke.
"Ahhh… Mommy will take care of you," she moaned softly, wrapping her arms around his back and pulling him deeper.
"Yes, Mommy…" Andrew breathed, the word now feeling completely natural. He had stopped feeling strange about calling her that. In fact, his mind had slowly started accepting her as his sugar mommy.
"Good boy," Scarlett praised, giving his ass a firm slap.
The sharp sting energized him. Andrew groaned and began thrusting deeper and harder into her wet heat.
Meanwhile, far away, Andrew's parents were still trying to arrange something between him and Scarlett, completely unaware that their "help" was unnecessary. The two of them had already crossed every line many days ago.
---
After another passionate round and a quick shower, Andrew and Scarlett finished packing their luggage and headed to the airport.
This was Andrew's first time flying. He had always taken the high-speed rail before. He never imagined his first flight would be with Scarlett.
However, the journey wasn't entirely smooth.
"Wow… what is this?"
Andrew stared at the airplane meal with a troubled expression. It wasn't terrible, but it tasted bland and strange.
"If you can't eat it, just throw it away," Scarlett said coolly, her eyes fixed on the dim yellow sky outside the window. "Airplane meals are free anyway."
She hadn't ordered any for herself, already knowing how unappetizing they were.
Andrew gave up after a few bites, tossed the box aside, and quietly watched Scarlett instead. She looked elegant even in the dim cabin light, her profile calm and beautiful.
But her mood was strange. Ever since they boarded the plane, he noticed that Scarlett's mood had been very low, staring blankly out the window.
He recalled how Scarlett's mood had immediately dipped when she mentioned going home a few days ago, as well as what his own mother had told him.
Perhaps there was someone in Scarlett's family whom she didn't want to see.
Suddenly, a camera flash made Scarlett, who was looking out the window, turn her head.
It was Andrew who had taken a picture of her.
"Why did you take my picture?" Scarlett asked doubtfully.
"I thought you looked really nice like that, so I snapped one," Andrew smiled and showed the photo to Scarlett.
In the picture, she was leaning against the window. The dim yellow sunlight filtered through the glass, casting a layer of golden afterglow on her hair. Her exquisite and beautiful profile, coupled with her indifferent expression, made her appear even more dignified and elegant.
"It looks so good! I'll save it."
With a flick of his finger, Andrew moved the photo directly into a private collection folder. Only then did Scarlett realize that the Little Fellow was playing hard to get.
"You rascal, trying to trick me!"
Just as Scarlett was about to get angry, Andrew grinned, "Scar, I think you look better angry than you did looking gloomy just now."
Scarlett paused slightly, realizing that Andrew had deliberately tried to provoke her into anger to distract her from her melancholy.
Understanding this, the angry expression on Scarlett's face gradually faded, replaced by a slightly mischievous smile. Although the Little Fellow meant well, he dared to trick me. I must give him a warning.
"I'm warning you, don't make me angry." But before she completed her words, her lips were sealed by his lips.
'That idiot is kissing me publicly, in a flight,' Scarlett cursed him, but melted in his kiss.