Chapter 278

A smirk curled Jonathan's lips. "Didn't you actively call me 'Big Boss' and ask me to carry you in the game last night?" he teased.

Keith's expression changed instantly upon hearing "Big Boss." His mouth dropped open wide enough to fit an egg. "Dark Empire: Recreate the Glory," developed by Keith's company, was one of the most popular games globally. Although Keith designed the game and his team created it, he wasn't the best player. "J" was the top player on the national server. Keith had been trying to recruit "J" to his esports team, but "J" was too mysterious and not a professional gamer. Other players called him "Mr. J."

Last night, Keith saw "J" online and seized the opportunity to persuade him to join his team. However, no matter how enthusiastically he flattered "J," "J" remained aloof and indifferent, replying with only a few words before logging off.

Now Jonathan, his longtime nemesis, stood before him, claiming to be Mr. J. Keith couldn't believe it; annoyance and embarrassment flushed his face. He shrieked, "Jonathan, are you messing with me?"

Jonathan replied calmly, "Why would I? If you don't believe me, I can say your in-game name."

"No, no, no, stop it!" Keith jumped forward, covering Jonathan's mouth with his hand.

Reluctantly, Keith had to admit Jonathan was indeed Mr. J. The indifferent and arrogant attitude "J" displayed in the game mirrored Jonathan's real-life personality.

With his mouth covered, Jonathan raised an eyebrow, signaling Keith to remove his hand. Since many people were around, Keith reluctantly let go.

Jonathan looked at him and said jokingly, "Call me 'Big Boss' now, and I'll keep your secret."

Keith's face turned crimson, but he stubbornly said, "No way!"

Unfazed by his rejection, Jonathan smiled quietly.

Cynthia, having witnessed the entire exchange, was puzzled. Why was Keith, confident and almost arrogant moments before, suddenly so nervous and embarrassed? Something was definitely fishy.

Judging by Keith's reaction, he didn't want others to know his in-game name. Curious, Cynthia poked Jonathan and asked, "What's Keith's in-game name?"

A hint of a smile flickered across Jonathan's eyes. "His in-game name is—"

Keith pulled a long face and threatened, "Hey, I told you to stop it, Jonathan!"

Ignoring Keith's glare, Jonathan drawled, "Eat—"

Keith lunged forward, as if to cover Jonathan's mouth again. "Jonathan!" he shouted.

Jonathan spoke slowly, teasingly, "Sleep—"

"Alright, you win, Big Boss!" Keith conceded before Jonathan could finish.

Keith's cheeks were blood-red, but his expression had changed. Though still flustered and annoyed, a hint of pleading shone in his eyes as he looked at Jonathan.

1/4 08:15 Fri, Nov 15.

Chapter 278

Seeing Keith's reaction, Cynthia's curiosity grew. She quickly asked, "Eat, sleep, and then?" She sensed juicier details lay behind "eat and sleep."

But Jonathan raised an eyebrow. "I suddenly can't remember."

983% (This percentage seems out of place and needs context or removal)

Knowing Jonathan was sparing Keith's dignity, Cynthia swallowed her curiosity and stopped asking. A half-heard gossip felt unsatisfying. She planned to ask Jonathan again later.

Keith breathed a sigh of relief. His attempt to outshine Jonathan had ended in failure. Worse, Jonathan had exposed him, making him lose face in front of everyone.

He couldn't stay any longer. He said quickly, "I'm going to find Hector and Harvey," and hurried out of the dining room.

Cynthia and Ruby continued chatting while Sam, Levi, and Jonathan went to the study. Ruby recognized Cynthia as the girl who had communicated with her via eye contact on the bus. She sighed at the wonders of fate.

Cynthia said regretfully, "I still remember the bunny hair clip you gave me. It's a shame I lost it."

Ruby held Cynthia's hand. "It doesn't matter. We're family now. I can give you anything you like."

Cynthia felt like she was floating in a dream. She asked, "Ruby, may I ask why you decided to make me your goddaughter?"

Given Ruby already had four children, Cynthia couldn't understand, although she was happy to join the Xenos family.

Ruby lowered her head and murmured sadly, "I once had a daughter, but she died. When I saw you today, I felt my daughter would look just like you."

Tears welled in Ruby's eyes. Even after twenty years, the pain of losing her daughter remained.

Cynthia apologized, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—"

Ruby wiped away her tears. "It's okay, it's in the past. Just looking at you makes me happy. But I see you as my daughter's replacement I hope you don't mind."

Cynthia smiled. "Of course not. I'm more than glad to keep you company and do whatever a daughter and mother would do together."

A bright smile bloomed on Ruby's face. "Great! Then how about a drink?"

"What?" Cynthia didn't understand the abrupt change of subject.

Ruby explained shyly, "I really like drinking, but my doctor told me to quit due to health issues, and Sam is strict. But I'm too happy today."

Ruby excitedly stood and took Cynthia's arm. "Cynthia, the cellar is stocked with famous wines, including Louis XIII brandy, 1962 Dalmore whisky, and Lafite! Oh, I'm already drooling!"

Cynthia was pulled out of the dining room, worried. "Ruby! This might not be a good idea. Sam doesn't want you to drink. You'd better not."

Chapter 278

Ruby replied, "He's always overreacting. I know my condition better than him. Plus, you can share his anger if he finds out we drink together."

Cynthia was speechless, realizing Ruby was using her as a shield. She regretted her heartfelt words.

Keith saw Harvey and Naomi in the crowd.

Harvey patted Naomi's head. "Naomi, why are you so short? You looked like a mini-Batman as a kid, but now you're like a dwarf beside Snow White."

Naomi shook him off angrily. "Get lost! How dare you call me a dwarf?!"

Naomi was 5'7", not short, but Harvey mistook her for a man and teased her height.

"You're not only short but thin and weak. You're like a twig man!" Harvey laughed.

Naomi punched him in the chest. "How about now, am I still weak?"

Harvey clutched his chest. "I shouldn't have looked down on you. You're still as rude as before and love punching people."

Naomi lit a cigarette, looking rebellious. "You're also as cheeky as before, always needing a good beating."

Keith looked for Hector and found him on the second-floor balcony, looking gloomy.

Keith patted his shoulder. "Hey, Hector, what's wrong?"

This revised version corrects grammatical errors, improves punctuation, and enhances sentence structure for better clarity and flow. The extraneous "983%" has been removed as it lacked context. The narrative is now smoother and more engaging.