Chapter 131: Keeping a Toy Boy

"It really is Murong Shanshan! I never expected her to come and personally recruit us into the guild!"

Listening to the chatter around me, I couldn't help but smile to myself. Murong Shanshan coming in person to recruit members—that gesture alone was enough to make many male players pledge their absolute loyalty to her.

Within half an hour, Murong Shanshan had recruited nearly 300 people. Another 200 were still out leveling up; Young and Frivolous suggested waiting until after dinner to recruit them, and Murong Shanshan agreed.

Looking at the crowd, everyone now had the words "Sword and Rose" displayed beneath their names. As the only player in the area who hadn't joined the guild, I felt a bit like an outsider.

Murong Shanshan smiled sweetly and said, "How about it? Why don't you join too?"

System Notification: Murong Shanshan has invited you to join the "Sword and Rose" guild. Do you wish to join?

Join? Not join? It was a choice.

I thought for a moment, clicked "Join," and then asked Murong Shanshan, "It should be a Level 1 guild right now, right? What’s the maximum capacity?"

"A Level 1 guild can hold 20,000 people. It grows from there; I heard a Level 5 guild can hold 100,000."

"How do you increase the guild's level?"

"Guild members leveling up together increases the guild's experience. But let’s not talk about that—you seem a bit different." Murong Shanshan pursed her rosy lips, looked at me carefully, and added, "That's it, you changed into a set of purple armor! You look much more handsome!"

Before I could respond with modesty, Murong Shanshan had already turned to address the others: "Everyone, take out your weapons! I’m going to take a photo!"

Everyone drew their weapons. Murong Shanshan unsheathed her beautiful Night Elf Sword and struck an alluring pose right next to me—

"Click!"

Our group was captured in a screenshot. Standing right at the front were none other than myself, Murong Shanshan, and Young and Frivolous, who was watching us with an ambiguous smirk.

"Alright, wrap it up! Time to log off and eat! Everyone worked hard, be sure to get some rest!" Murong Shanshan clapped her hands, looking satisfied with the day's work.

I checked the time; it was nearly 6:00 PM. My stomach felt empty—it was definitely time to eat.

After logging off, the scent of food wafted from the kitchen. It seemed Xinyu was the one cooking today; among all the ladies, she was the only one with such culinary skills.

Before long, everyone was gathered around the table, waiting for Xu Lin to give the word to start.

"I have something I want to talk to everyone about," Xu Lin said as she sat down.

Everyone looked surprised. Liu Yun asked in astonishment, "What is it?"

"Actually, it’s nothing major. I was just struck by something Lin Fan said at noon," Xu Lin said, brushing her hair back from her forehead and speaking softly. "Everyone has received that 5 million dividend from Lin Fan. I was thinking, after drifting for so long, perhaps it’s time we found a place to settle down, don't you think?"

Xinyu was stunned. "Sister Lin, what do you mean?"

"Haha, I told you it was nothing. I just wanted to hear your thoughts." Xu Lin smiled slightly, a trace of weariness appearing on her face as she said quietly, "My parents divorced four years ago. I’ve been through a lot in these past four years. To be honest, when I rented this foot massage parlor, I was feeling a bit self-destructive, but ever since we all started playing this game together, I’ve never been happier..."

Lu Xuehan looked at Xu Lin skeptically. "Then why talk about finding a place to settle down?"

Xinyu nodded, adding, "It sounds like you're suggesting we all go our separate ways!"

"That’s not what I meant at all." Xu Lin shook her head quickly, explaining with a smile, "I just don’t want to be the one holding anyone back from doing what they want. I’m 24 this year, the oldest of us. Lin Fan is 23, Xinyu and Xuehan are 22, and Guozi is only 20. But Liu Yun, you and Joly are 24—it’s time you found a man to rely on."

Joly blinked, stunned. "I haven't thought that far ahead, and I don't want to be separated from everyone..."

Xinyu touched her own arm, making a dramatic show of shivering. "I can't take it, that's too cheesy!"

Joly shot Xinyu a glare. Sitting beside her, Liu Yun said coldly, "I don't want to get married either. I have no interest in men right now!"

Lu Xuehan and I exchanged glances. Back when we were working in hospitality, Liu Yun would transform into a completely different person the moment she saw men—flirtatious enough to drive anyone crazy. Yet, ever since we stopped that line of work, she had become as chaste as a nun; it was truly baffling.

Xu Lin glared at the giggling Xinyu and said, "What about you, Xinyu? Do you want to move out and keep a boy toy?"

"That proposal is actually quite constructive!" Xinyu glanced at me, then smiled at Xu Lin. "But my boy toy is right here. Do you think I need to go out and look for one?"

"You slut!" Joly muttered vengefully under her breath.

Xinyu pretended not to hear and said to Lu Xuehan, "Xuehan, you know, last night when I went to the bathroom, I heard someone in the next room talking to a man on the phone, saying things like 'I miss you so much'—it was so cringeworthy!"

Lu Xuehan was stunned, not knowing what to say. Joly immediately snapped angrily, "Xinyu, you dead girl, how dare you eavesdrop on my phone calls?"

"Please, you were talking at over 80 decibels! Even with my headphones on, I couldn't block it out!"

"..."

Xu Lin gave Xinyu and Joly a look, then continued, "And what about you, Xuehan? Your parents are in Suzhou, right? Don't you want to go back to them?"

"I do!" Lu Xuehan bit her lip and whispered, "But I can't go back yet. I haven't fulfilled the vow I made when I ran away from home."

Xu Lin paused, then shook her head helplessly. "You stubborn girl."

"Lin Fan, what about you? What are your thoughts?"

"I was thinking about buying a few houses in the city..."

Xu Lin looked at me, surprised. "Thinking of settling down?"

I laughed. "No, I’m thinking of real estate speculation!"

"Damn!" Even the usually refined Xu Lin let an expletive slip.

Xu Lin served some food to Lu Xuehan, then suddenly remembering something, looked up at me. "Murong Shanshan has established a guild. If I’m not mistaken, you’ve already joined it, haven't you?"

"Yeah, but the moment our own family guild is established, I’ll be back immediately!"

Xu Lin smiled thinly. "That won't be necessary; as long as you remember that your name starts with 'Green Vegetable,' that's enough. And I believe that if our family is ever bullied, you certainly won't sit idly by, will you?"

"Of course..." I nodded, then added, "Though who knows when our family will even be able to build a guild."

"It doesn't matter. I’ve decided that as soon as one of us manages to get a Guild Creation Token, we’ll use it to build our own guild immediately."

"Not selling it anymore?"

"It definitely won't fetch a good price anymore. It's more cost-effective to recruit some cannon fodder and farm for purple gear!"

"A brilliant strategy indeed!" I thought to myself, feeling a sense of quiet alarm.