Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  Gu Si actually didn’t know much about Gu Mang.

  When they were young, people compared Gu Yin with Gu Mang.

  They even advised Gu Zhen and Bai Xu not to waste money to find a school for Gu Mang, and to train Gu Yin with the money.

  At that time, Gu Si was very angry and scolded the man with the rotten mouth.

  Since then, Gu Si’s reputation had declined. Just like Gu Mang, he became a bad role model for everyone in their county and at school.

  Despite this, Gu Si would still lash out at whoever dared to insult Gu Mang.

  Later, Gu Mang gave him a “Cultivation Guide”, but it could not save him. He said the same sentence every time.

  “You can insult me, but not my sister.”


  Gu Si only found out about some of Gu Mang’s identity when she taught him how to use the computer. That was when he realized that Gu Mang had been pretending all the time.

  But Gu Si felt that those were not all.

  So at this moment, when he heard Lu Chengzhou ask Gu Mang about her other disguises, he listened eagerly in the front seat.

  Unexpectedly, Gu Mang asked about Lu Chengzhou’s properties again.

  Gu Si was even more interested now.

  He was originally watching the leaked footage of Gu Mang’s marriage on Weibo, but now his attention was on what was going on behind him.

  Lu Qi glanced at Gu Si who was being very nosy and the corner of his lips twitched.

  Lu Chengzhou raised his sharp brows slightly. “I don’t have any more properties under my name.”


  Gu Mang just asked casually. She didn’t care much about the properties under his name, so she just gave an ‘oh’ in response.

  “Don’t believe me?” Lu Chengzhou looked at her and asked in a warm and gentle voice.

  Gu Mang was still replying to messages on her phone. She answered, “I do.”


  “Alright.” Lu Chengzhou smiled and asked, “What about Madam?”


  Gu Mang’s voice was calm. “I don’t consider them disguises, I just work for others to make money.”


  Her attitude made her sound like an emotionless money-making machine.

  Lu Chengzhou nodded and did not ask any further questions. Instead, he changed the subject, “Before, when Granny’s illness relapsed, you were willing to talk to me after I gave you a box of chocolates. Were you trying to play cat and mouse with me or…?”


  Lan Sha stared at him.

  Gu Si was silent.

  “Ah.” Gu Mang uttered. “Those were too expensive. I’ve only seen them but never tried them before.”


  Gu Si said nothing in response.

  “Got it.” Lu Chengzhou crossed his legs and leaned back slightly. He casually put his arms on the back of her sofa and concluded, “You and I had no fate. Everything happened only because I put in a lot of money.”


  The movements of Gu Mang’s typing fingers stopped and she looked at him from the corner of her eyes silently.

  Lan Sha recalled the few antique gifts that Lu Chengzhou had given him and he said nothing for the first time.

  Gu Si recalled that he was only eight years old and yet he had thousands of millions of dollars in his bank account and he kept quiet too.

  “Then what if I go broke in the future?” Lu Chengzhou asked. He sounded rather serious.

  Gu Mang retracted her gaze and continued to reply to the messages. She answered calmly. “Be a sugar baby, I guess.”


  Everyone was speechless.

  Lu Chengzhou answered seriously. “Alright, Sister Mang.”


  Gu Mang continued staring.

  At this moment, Gu Mang did not understand what Lu Chengzhou meant when he said that he might become broke in the future. Until that night…


  …


  At the international airport of Chunning City.

  Lu Yī came early to meet them.

  When they all arrived at Chunning City, a fleet of black cars kept a low profile and drove towards Changning County.

  The weather was turning warm and there were quite a lot of people on the streets in the county.

  No matter how low profile Lu Chengzhou tried to arrange for the cars to be, it was still quite a spectacle.

  It made passersby stay out of the way and there was a lot of discussion.

  In the era of big data, news spread quickly across the internet.

  Especially this morning there was an uproar on the Internet.

  Someone realized that the two big bosses of yesterday’s wedding were the main leads of the marriage proposal that caused a sensation in City 49 some time ago.

  Most importantly…


  It was the first time they saw a marriage proposal on the big screens across the whole city!

  It was also the first time they saw a response on the big screens across the whole city!

  Obviously, the girl who responded should be an expert in computing as she hacked into all the monitors!

  The trending tab on Weibo was removed as soon as it took off, but there were too many people looking into the gossip online. Removing the trending topics was not effective.

  No one dared to talk about it too openly online.

  But in private, they talked about this unprecedented and grand wedding with the people all around them.

  The thing about the bridesmaid receiving the real estate certificates in the capital was also spread out.

  Everyone’s reactions were exactly the same. After sighs and ‘what the f*cks’, tears of envy were shed.

  Gu Mang did not pay attention to these things.

  She also had no idea that Lu Chengzhou was written all over in the comments section of her Weibo post.

  Her follower count went straight up to 30 million+ overnight.

  As for Changning County, everyone knew who had returned when they saw that the fleet of cars had stopped outside the entrance of the Gu family’s little western-style house.

  Today was the day for the bride to return home after her wedding.

  Those who had spoken badly about Gu Mang before, all hid in fear at home and did not dare to come out.

  After Old Master Bai, Bai Zhang and their family attended the wedding yesterday, they came here and they stayed in the little western-style house.

  As they did not want Gu Mang to face an empty house on the day that the bride was supposed to return home, the family came early so they could pretend to represent her family.

  Gu Mang, Lu Chengzhou and the others got out of the car and they greeted Old Master Bai.

  “Grandpa, Uncle, Aunt.”


  After a simple greeting, they did not stay around for any longer.

  They took the prayer items and walked towards the cemetery.

  Initially, the names engraved on the tombstone were Gu Ping, Lei Min.

  Lu Chengzhou and Gu Zhen added another tablet beside it. Gu Zhen, Bai Xu.

  It was a hidden name for over ten years.

  In order to bring down Base 102, the two had a complete makeover and these were the names that they could not even reveal when they were buried.

  They could finally see the sun again.

  When Old Master Bai saw the tombstone, his hand which was holding onto the walking stick trembled, and his eyes were red.

  Gu Zhen and Bai Xu were just a little over 40.

  Gu Mang, Lu Chengzhou, Gu Si and the other juniors in the familiar kowtowed thrice towards the tombstone.

  When Gu Mang stood up, she prepared to pull the weeds around the grave.

  Lu Chengzhou held her hand and squeezed her fingertips, then he whispered, “I’ll do it.”


  Gu Mang looked at his dark eyes and hummed in response.

  In the end, Lu Chengzhou and Gu Si cleared the weeds.

  When they were clean, Lu Chengzhou stood right in front of the tombstone and bowed. “Hello, Mom and Dad. I am Lu Chengzhou, the son-in-law you never had a chance to meet. Please rest assured knowing I am by her side. I will definitely take good care of her, love her, and cherish her for the rest of my life.”


  The man’s voice was respectful and solemn and his words were extremely clear in the breeze in the fields.

  Gu Mang and his fingers interlocked.

  Lan Sha glanced at Lu Chengzhou and there was relief in his eyes. Then, he returned his gaze to the tombstone of Gu Zhen and Bai Xu, and he just stared at it like that.

  After they had paid their respects to Gu Zhen and Bai Xu, they all walked back along the road to the Gu Residence.

  Old Master Bai said, “Later, your uncle and I will return to Jijing Island with Gu Si.”


  After making a detour around the capital, they went straight to the airport in Chunning City.

  Gu Mang nodded.

  “Sister, I will come back to visit you on my next vacation leave.” Gu Si looked up at her and he was reluctant to leave. When he spoke, he sounded sad. Then, he said to Lu Chengzhou, “Take good care of my sister and the precious baby.”


  Lu Chengzhou nodded. “Study hard when you return.”


  Gu Mang patted Gu Si’s head and turned to Lan Sha, “Godfather, are you returning to the sub-island?”


  “Not anymore,” Lan Sha put his hands behind him. “I have given you the management authority seal of the underground market and the Dark Web. I am now retired and I want to settle down in this county.”


  Gu Mang was stunned. “Settle down here?”


  Everyone turned to look at Lan Sha.

  Lan Sha nodded. “I intend to build a small villa beside your house.”


  Gu Zhen knew about the bond between Gu Zhen, Bai Xu and Lan Sha very well, so she wasn’t surprised with Lan Sha’s decision.

  Also, there were some things which were no longer relevant to be spoken about again.

  For example, why Lan Sha, a top hacker who was once put on a pedestal, would choose to settle down in a small town.

  For example, why Lan Sha still stayed unmarried after all these years.

  For example, what happened when Gu Zhen formed a new force on the sub-island and when Lan Sha helped to take care of the pregnant Bai Xu.

  Gu Mang believed in the love of a parent, but Lan Sha had been guarding the underground market for all these years…


  “Godfather.” Gu Mang said, “You don’t have to build one. I’ll give you the keys.”


  She and Lu Chengzhou would return to the capital and Gu Si would return to Jijing Island.

  No one was living in the Gu family’s residence here. It was empty.

  Even if there were people living in it, her godfather could still live there. There was no need for him to build another one.

  Lan Sha pondered for a few seconds and accepted it. “Alright then.”


  They all had a simple meal.

  Lan Sha drove them to the airport.

  They all parted ways at the airport.

  On the private plane back to the capital.

  Gu Mang and Lu Chengzhou leaned slightly against the bed. “I don’t think it’s good that Godfather is like that.”


  Is he going to keep watching over her parents’ graves in Changning County just like that?

  Lu Chengzhou held her hand and put his arms around her, “Perhaps for Godfather, it’s good that he can keep them company.”


  If it weren’t for Gu Zhen, Lan Sha would never have come into contact with Bai Xu in his life.

  The Bai Xu that he knew was already married to Gu Zhen.

  Lan Sha couldn’t let it go. All he had left was a stubborn will to keep them company.

  “He lives in Changning alone.” Gu Mang looked at him, “Lan Sen and all his subordinates will be staying in the underground market to help me manage the place. There’s no one by his side.”


  Lu Chengzhou raised his brows. “Do you think that Godfather needs people?”


  Gu Mang knew that he was definitely not lacking anyone.

  Lan Sha clearly wanted to live alone in Changning.

  “Never mind.” Gu Mang said, “I’ll just return more often in the future.”


  “Alright, we can go together.” Lu Chengzhou asked, “Are you tired?”


  Gu Mang had been showing signs of lethargy lately, and she answered, “Yeah.”


  “Then go to sleep.” Lu Chengzhou increased the temperature of the air conditioner by 2 degrees and he lay down to accompany her.

  …


  Back at the Lu Manor.

  Gu Mang was hungry again.

  No one knows if the little one inside Gu Mang’s tummy was afraid of her. She did not feel pregnancy nausea and her appetite was not really affected either.

  She just craved spicy food.

  Lu Chengzhou let her have some occasionally, but usually, he would not let her have them in the morning or at night.

  Gu Mang only had a bowl of seafood porridge. She frowned and her temper was starting to show.

  “Lunch tomorrow, Mala Shrimp and Sweet and Sour Fish.” Lu Chengzhou said in time. “I’ll cook for you.”


  The frustration in Gu Mang’s eyes dispersed instantly and she picked up her spoon to eat the porridge.

  Her expression changed so quickly that it made Lu Chengzhou laugh. “What if our daughter has the same bad temper as you?”


  Gu Mang raised her eyebrows. “Daughter?”


  Lu Chengzhou nodded. “Sour, son. Spicy, daughter.”


  “Myths.” Gu Mang answered calmly and asked casually, “Do you prefer a boy or a girl?”


  Lu Chengzhou propped up his arm and there was a smile on his face. He dragged his tone and asked, “Are you not one of the options?”


  Gu Mang stopped talking.

  Butler Lu took out some refreshing side dishes.

  After the meal, Gu Mang went to shower.

  When she came out, she found Lu Chengzhou sitting on the sofa with a pile of papers on the coffee table.

  Gu Mang grabbed a towel and wiped her hair, then walked over. “Are you going to be busy at night?”


  Lu Chengzhou took her hand and let her sit next to him. He put his hands on her towel and wiped her hair. “These are all yours, see for yourself.”


  “Mine?” Gu Mang glanced at him suspiciously. Upon seeing his nod, she looked at the files, picked one up, and opened it.

  When she saw the content inside, she was speechless.

  She put down the one in her hand and picked up another one.

  Halfway through, she stopped and turned to Lu Chengzhou. “You said you don’t have any other properties in your name, and that’s because you have transferred all of them to my name?”


  There are still many properties that Gu Mang didn’t know about in these documents, and Lu Chengzhou had transferred all of his financial assets to her name.

  The document signing date was before the wedding.

  Lu Chengzhou rubbed her hair with the towel and answered slowly in a lazy tone, “Yeah, I have no money now, so I can only be a sugar baby. Sister Mang, don’t discard me after you’ve taken advantage of me.”


  Gu Mang continued staring.

  “I originally wanted to show you last night. Let you count the properties under your own name on your wedding night and calculate the market value. Have you counted them until you get tired and fall asleep?” Lu Chengzhou said.

  Gu Mang continued staring.

  Lu Chengzhou planned to have her counting money on her wedding night until they fall asleep?

  Gu Mang recalled when he forced her to call him by another name, and when he wouldn’t stop if she didn’t call him by that…


  “I wanted to be more humane.” Lu Chengzhou sighed. “But I didn’t succeed.”


  Gu Mang was expressionless. “You’re pretty pretentious.”


  “Can’t help it.” He laughed and pinched her ear through the towel.

  Gu Mang was speechless. She changed the topic. “I’m returning to school next Monday.”


  Lu Chengzhou was stunned. “Aren’t you going to rest for two more days?”


  Gu Mang said, “There’s a new project at the Medical Informatics. I want to learn about it along the way.”


  She still had a lot of problems in this matter.

  Lu Chengzhou nodded. “Alright, we’ll move to Royal Garden.”


  It was nearer to Capital University.

  …


  In recent years, IP adaptations have become a big hit because popular stories are a safer investment than original stories.

  It’s just that there are very few adaptations of stories which become very popular. Instead, those that garnered mediocre responses were everywhere.

  In the circle, there was an author named Dark who was put on a pedestal. Almost any novel adaptation written by this author became a big hit.

  Part of it was because of luck but the rest was all skill.

  As a result, Dark’s adapted narratives were said to be must-sees in the entertainment industry.

  In fact, Dark’s works were niche. They were suspenseful and about high-IQ crime. The writing style was dark. Sometimes, just looking at the text could make people feel suffocated as if death was approaching.

  You could basically sense what kind of writing style this person had just by reading their pen name.

  The three latest works which were so popular that they would show up on Weibo hot searches after an update…… One of them was a suspense drama.