To see the master he admired, Daniel had cycled through more than a dozen outfits, trying to find the perfect balance between casual and presentable.
"Right, the master himself is about to show up, no time to waste!" In a fit of desperation, Daniel tousled his hair into a chaotic mess, aiming to look a bit unkempt, not wanting to outshine the star of the show.
Daniel then turned to Mamie, "Listen, Mamie, Phoenix is a real deal! You've got to seize the moment when he arrives! I'm telling you these tech wizards usually don't get out much, not around someone like you. With your looks, I bet you could make his heart skip a beat!"
"Bro, you're overthinking it," Mamie replied. "For all we know, he might already have a girlfriend. Plus, tech nerds usually don't have the best hairlines. What if Phoenix is bald?"
Given the tech wizards were staying up all night coding and losing hair, Mamie thought her concern was not entirely unfounded.
Scratching his head, Daniel lamented, "I should've shaved my head! What if Phoenix feels inferior seeing my lush hair?"
Mamie felt Daniel was worrying too much.
"Daniel, someone like Phoenix must be pretty old, right? What if he's like sixty?"
Daniel stroked his chin and pondered for a while, then he said, "Good point. I should've dyed my hair gray! What if he gets upset seeing me younger and more handsome?"
Mamie rolled her eyes at his baseless concerns.
Suddenly, a knocking sound cut through the silence.
Sherman, who had been meditating with his eyes closed, opened them, revealing his deep and inscrutable eyes.
"I'll get the door," Mamie volunteered, heading toward the sound.
"Wait!" Daniel held her back.
"What now?"
Daniel, trying to contain his excitement, said, "Let me do it! I'll open the door for the master!"
With trembling hands, he walked over and opened the door.
There stood a slender figure in a simple white button-down shirt, one side casually tucked into a pair of jeans, exuding an effortless charisma. The person was tall, with an air of aloofness and an indefinable allure.
But the figure was a woman.
Daniel was taken aback, looking up at her face. And when he did, he was struck dumb. Disappointment washed over his face as he recognized her.
Anthea? Why was Anthea here?
Could she have known that Sherman was here and pursued him? Was this a bit too shameless?
"It's you?" Daniel was less than cordial.
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