Chapter 5: The Gift

Gu Chen wanted to give her this island, and Su Shiyi certainly wanted it. She wasn’t the kind of person who treated money like dirt—of course, she would be moved by such a generous offer!

But she still felt that an entire island was a bit too much. She had already received so much money for nothing. Having a floor of her own in this castle was something that, compared to the poor and destitute “Su Shiyi,” or the barely middle-class version of her before transmigrating, was a dream she’d never dared to imagine.

Carefully, she asked, “Well, Brother, don’t you think you need to ask Uncle Gu before deciding?”

Gu Chen looked at her with a strange expression. “An island the size of a sesame seed, do you think my father has the time to bother with such a small matter? The time it would take to ask him could make him enough money to buy ten more islands!”

Su Shiyi: …

Sorry, it was her who was being presumptuous.

The sesame seeds in your family must be some mutated species that defy the laws of nature!

She thought for a while but still felt that this was too much. She almost felt embarrassed by the generosity.

“Brother, um, I appreciate the gesture, but this island is too precious. I feel really burdened by it…”

Gu Chen was already impatient. “Take it if I’m giving it to you. Why all this nonsense? I don’t have time to deal with you. It’s just an island, not worth wasting so much time explaining to you.”

After saying this, he put on his sunglasses and strode ahead. Su Shiyi almost reached out with her hand to stop him, but several bodyguards in black quickly blocked her and handed her a document.

“Miss Su, please sign this property transfer agreement.”

She wanted to stall, but the quick-witted bodyguard was already firmly controlling her movements. “Miss Su, I apologize for the inconvenience. If you don’t sign, we’ll have a hard time explaining this to the young master.”

Su Shiyi: …

What the heck, does such a ridiculous thing really happen in the world?

She had only heard about loan sharks using violence to collect debt, but now it seemed like there were people who used violence to give things away.

With a complicated mood, she flipped through the agreement. In less than 24 hours, she had gone from a poor student receiving a government scholarship to soon becoming the owner of a 909-hectare island.

The agreement had too many details, but Kevin made a timely appearance. When she had tried to escape earlier, he pretended not to see, but now that she was giving in, he showed up to help. If he weren’t so loyal, everything he had done so far was in his own favor…

He quickly skipped over the less important clauses and pointed out the key ones to her. According to the agreement, all natural resources, completed and planned buildings, leisure areas, etc., on the island would belong to her. The salaries of the island’s employees would also be her responsibility (though it was still the Gu family paying, just with a different account).

He added, “The Gu family resides in the imperial capital. If Miss Shiyi feels lonely living alone on the island for the next two years, and wants to develop tourism and other industries, that would be feasible.”

“As for the employees, with graduation season approaching in June, your university, Provincial University, has a batch of outstanding talent. You can consider hiring them. The benefits and prospects at Gu Group will never disappoint. Managing them can serve as your internship project, and don’t worry, I’ll assist you.”

Su Shiyi fell silent.

When her senior classmates from university find out about this amazing position with great pay, excellent working environment, and huge room for growth, they’ll be sending in their resumes, fighting through multiple rounds of fierce competition, only to discover that the behind-the-scenes boss is a quiet little junior from their school.

And this is just her internship experience…

#WelcomeToMyIsland,FellowProvincialUniversityStudents,ComeWorkForMe!

#GreatBenefits,AlumniGetTheGreenChannel.

She, Su Shiyi, might become the first student to be honored as an “honorary alumnus” before even graduating.

Cough, cough, though thinking this way might be a little vain…

But it really feels great!

—

The first meal Su Shiyi had at the Gu family’s home was with four people. The chef team was brought from the imperial capital, and they cooked food specially tailored to Gu Pan’s tastes, so wherever she went, Gu Chen made sure they followed.

After Gu Pan left, Su Shiyi would still have to hire a separate chef—before, the castle didn’t cook, and the staff responsible for maintenance ate at other restaurants on the island.

Su Shiyi had no idea how to choose a chef, but it didn’t matter. With the almighty Kevin around, all she had to do was focus on eating.

The meal in front of them consisted of six dishes and a soup, but they weren’t having Northeastern cuisine. The portions were more aligned with Japanese presentation. Considering that all four of them were adults, with one man present, the portions were just right.

If it weren’t for the Northeastern Wuchang rice, it might have been a bit too little.

“Panpan doesn’t like wasting food, so we always finish everything,” Gu Chen explained. “If you want more dishes, the kitchen can make them on the spot.”

This was the excellent quality of the female protagonist, and Su Shiyi couldn’t help but admire her. Wow, so rich yet still so pure-hearted, she truly deserves to be her wife! (Not really!)

Although the number of dishes was simple, the quality still showcased the essence of a wealthy family. Seeing the abalone, sea cucumber, and fish maw in the soup bowl, Su Shiyi guessed the name of the soup—^[1]“Buddha Jumps Over the Wall” (佛跳墙, Fó Tiàoqiáng) is a famous and luxurious Chinese soup that originates from Fujian cuisine. It is known for its rich, complex flavors and the use … Continue readingBuddha Jumps Over the Wall.

…She didn’t actually know if that was correct, but she just drank it without thinking, as if she could tell if it was authentic. TAT

This soup had a big reputation, and simplified versions of it were available nationwide. Once, someone had treated her to a version costing 98 yuan, but she couldn’t taste much, the only feeling was that she’d been ripped off. To be honest, it wasn’t any better than a 12 yuan soup from Sha County.

But this soup in front of her was different. With just a light touch of her tongue, she could taste the rich, slow-simmered flavor from all the premium ingredients. The deep, aromatic wine mixed with the savory taste was exactly what you’d expect from a dish that could sell for 9,998 yuan at a high-end restaurant.

Damn it, her mind had already been corrupted by money. She never would have thought like this before!

The other six dishes each had their own unique charm. A giant king crab occupied three dishes. Crab shell steamed egg, steamed crab legs on one side, and cheese-baked crab legs on the other.

The grilled Wagyu beef was tinged with a light pink, and there were two or three little yellow fish. The fish was cut and arranged beautifully on the plate, and there was also a dish of boiled vegetables. The final green vegetable probably reflected the local customs, as green leafy vegetables must be present on the table.

Actually, the Gu family had been quite considerate of her. They’d arranged Chinese food for this meal. If it had been French cuisine, with the aristocratic dining etiquette, just choosing the right knife for each dish would have driven her crazy.

Su Shiyi spooned some braised yellow fish sauce onto her rice and mixed it in, enjoying her fragrant rice. She casually commented to Gu Pan, “This fish is really good.”

“Indeed, it’s quite good, and the price has been pretty cheap recently. If you like it, I can ask Kevin to arrange more. This is East Sea small yellow fish, and it’s only about 2,000 yuan per jin (500g), super cost-effective!”

Su Shiyi: …

Excuse me, she thought the big dish to showcase the wealth was the king crab that costs hundreds of yuan per jin, but it turned out that this seemingly low-key braised small yellow fish was the true star!

#RedefiningCost-Effectiveness

#TheBowlInMyHandSuddenlyFeelsHeavy

During their meal, it was mostly Su Shiyi and Gu Pan talking, with Gu Chen occasionally chiming in, while Su Shiyi’s biological mother, Madam Li Shuman, remained silent throughout, only taking turns serving dishes into her own and Gu Pan’s bowls.

Su Shiyi quietly observed that she served dishes to the two of them at the same frequency, with the same dishes, and if they were weighed, the total amounts would probably be nearly the same.

Wow, her biological mother turned out to be a ^[2]“Modern master of serving water” a metaphor for someone skilled in managing social interactionsmodern master of serving water! The level of meticulousness in handling people really exuded the presence of an aristocratic matriarch. If every “fake rich girl” in novels had a mother like this, the relationship between the female protagonist and the female antagonist might not end up with them never speaking to each other again.

According to the saying that men marry virtuous women, Gu Lang is truly a winner. No wonder he allowed Gu Pan to change her surname.

As if her thoughts had summoned it, the next moment, Gu Chen brought up the issue of her surname.

“If you want to change your surname to Gu, neither my father nor I would object.” After all, Gu Pan had already changed hers, and adding Su Shiyi wouldn’t make much of a difference. Family wealth distribution isn’t based on the surname in the household registration, they have professional lawyers making wills for that.

Gu Pan looked at her with hopeful eyes. “Shiyi, we’ll take care of all the procedures for you. Are you willing?”

Ah, this…

Su Shiyi felt a bit embarrassed. Although Gu Pan’s attitude made it hard to refuse, this was her own name, and she definitely didn’t want to change it. Before she could come up with a polite refusal, the silent Li Shuman spoke up:

“Panpan, I think it’s perfectly fine for Shiyi to keep the surname Su. A surname represents the inheritance of one’s spiritual legacy. Your biological parents will never know the truth, but Shiyi will carry their hopes and live on, and part of that is also yours.”

“Whether she carries the surname Su or Gu, it won’t affect the bond between us.”

Madam Li Shuman’s eloquence not only provided a reason for her but also considered Gu Pan’s feelings. Wow, impressive.

With a path cleared, Su Shiyi immediately sighed in agreement. “Yes, Panpan. One of us has to have the surname Su. Rather than both of us changing, it’s better to leave it as is.”

Gu Pan was convinced, and her eyes turned red, like a little rabbit. Of course, at this moment, Gu Chen was there to comfort her, and both Su Shiyi and Li Shuman, in perfect tacit understanding, lowered their heads and focused on eating.

After lunch, Su Shiyi found out that the Gu family would be leaving for the imperial capital in the afternoon. Gu Pan, who was the same age as her, had to return to school tomorrow, and in a few days, there would be an important international piano competition. Li Shuman had a ton of family matters to deal with, and Gu Chen also had work to attend to.

Gu Pan looked guilty. “Sorry, Shiyi, we all have to leave, and we’re leaving you here alone.”

“It’s okay, after all, I’m in university here,” Su Shiyi said, flipping through her calendar. “In a month or two, when summer vacation comes, I’ll come to the imperial capital to visit you.”

“Great, you’re always welcome to come home.”

Gu Pan chatted with her a little longer and introduced a friend.

“This is Lin Xi, whom I met at a dance competition. She also studies at G University. Lin Xi is super enthusiastic, has lots of friends, and is easy to get along with. If you ever feel bored, you can hang out with her. There’s never a dull moment when she’s around.”

“I’ve already told her about you. Here’s her contact information and a photo.”

Anyone who could be friends with the female lead must be a beauty. But this friend Gu Pan introduced made Su Shiyi’s eyes widen.

The more she looked, the more familiar this person seemed… No way, no way, it couldn’t be this coincidental.

Isn’t this the girl who was hugging Zhao Nian by the road outside the cafeteria last night?!