Chapter 4: The Castle

Su Shiyi was attending the most famous university in the province, G University, with the School of Management located in a suburban area of G City. She had thought Kevin would drive her to the city center, but instead, their car was heading toward the highway.

After passing through several tunnels and crossing a bridge, Kevin told her, “Miss Shiyi, we’re almost there.”

Su Shiyi looked at the river beneath the bridge. “So the Gu family’s house is on an island.”

“No,” Kevin’s voice was still as gentle as ever, “This entire island belongs to the Gu family.”

Su Shiyi: ???

Hm? Say that again, the entire island?

Her astonishment didn’t affect Kevin’s professional explanation: “This is a 909-hectare island in the river, with the Gu family estate covering 286 hectares. It’s connected by seven large bridges and has fourteen main roads. The island has all the necessary facilities for production, living, and entertainment.”

The concept of hectares was somewhat unfamiliar to Su Shiyi. She quickly pulled out her phone to search, and the ratio nearly blinded her. One hectare equals 10,000 square meters!

My God, a three-story villa at its largest might only cover 1,000 square meters, and a luxurious one could be around 500 to 600 square meters. But the Gu family estate spans 2,860,000 square meters…

Su Shiyi: I know you’re rich, but I didn’t expect you to be this rich.

#TheScaleIsStillTooSmall.

#YouCan’tImagineTheWorldOfAMarySue.

What was even more shocking was that when she checked the ratio between hectares and square kilometers, she realized with disbelief that the entire G University, with all three campuses combined, was only about half the size of this island!

She understood now—Kevin’s words about the 【production, living, and entertainment facilities】 were definitely not the vague, inflated claims you’d hear in real estate brochures. With such a large area, they must actually have everything.

Even if they didn’t, it was feasible to build anything on-site (lights a cigarette).

And this… was just one of the real estates of the world’s wealthiest family, the Gu family… No, the real estate.

Su Shiyi didn’t even want to think about how private islands could be legally owned in the country. In this fictional world, the rich and powerful didn’t need to follow the rules.

After crossing the bridge and driving on the island for another ten minutes or so, Su Shiyi began to see buildings. Kevin told her that all the greenery, vegetation, and such along the way were landscaping features, golf courses, racetracks, and similar things.

And the greenway they were currently driving on was surrounded by various animals—yes, that’s right. According to the island’s zoning plan, this area was a zoo, with an operating permit to raise animals like pandas.

Su Shiyi: …

Su Shiyi snapped a photo of a giraffe stretching its neck, her mind already numb.

Those beautiful houses that had amazed her were just… the service halls and staff dormitories…

Wuwuwuwu, fortunately, Kevin next to her had excellent professional ethics. Even if she had transformed into ^[1]Liu Laolao is a character from the classic Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber (also known as The Story of the Stone), written by Cao Xueqin. She is a humorous and somewhat naive old woman who … Continue readingLiu Laolao from the Grand View Garden, his voice remained professional and gentle, never once showing the distant, unapproachable tone of a passerby in a novel.

She couldn’t help but ask, “Kevin, what did you do before?”

“Miss Shiyi, I am a management trainee at the Gu Group. After receiving an S+ rating in three consecutive evaluations, I was promoted through intense competition and became your personal secretary.”

Management trainee? Su Shiyi, being from the management department herself, naturally understood that this term referred to “company preparatory management talent.” Based on the abilities Kevin had shown, she believed his performance was legitimate.

However, if he were this excellent, wouldn’t he have no need to be a secretary? The general group is still too young, and there are also director-level positions in various subsidiaries and countries or regions that he could aim for.

After voicing her doubts, Kevin gave a slight smile and told Su Shiyi his annual salary for the position, as well as his rank within the group.

Just the basic salary alone was in the ^[2]“eight-figure range” refers to a number or value that falls within the range of 10,000,000 to 99,999,999. It’s used to describe something that is in the tens of millions, typically … Continue readingeight-figure range, not to mention various hidden benefits and year-end stock options and bonus incentives. Within the Gu Group’s employee hierarchy, he was only three levels below Gu Chen. Due to the unique nature of being a secretary, he was ranked even half a level higher than the regional president of the Hua X division at the same level.

Su Shiyi was stunned.

She didn’t expect that Gu Chen valued her so much. After all, when they met yesterday, he had seemed so indifferent and aloof!

She only knew that she had transmigrated into a book. Apart from the memories of “Su Shiyi,” she was completely unaware of the rest of the story’s events. She could guess that the things the system always urged her to do were part of the original plot. If this supporting character simply followed the system’s guidance, she would certainly meet a tragic end.

After all, this was a novel world centered around sweet romance. If she didn’t make things easy for the female lead, she would definitely be a thorn in the male lead’s side. Thinking about it from the opposite perspective…

As long as she can make the female lead happy, she would be the “good supporting character” in the book, and would definitely have a happy ending! Just like how she was willing to cooperate with Gu Chen, not only did she immediately receive one hundred million yuan in pocket money, but the next day she was also gifted a handsome and talented secretary.

That’s right, this is the correct way for the little poor thing to save herself— that dog-like system will never be able to fool her!

With this realization, Su Shiyi suddenly felt enlightened and a big smile appeared on her face. Kevin saw it through the car mirror and quickly looked away politely, not probing into her mood.

After about ten more minutes, Su Shiyi saw the tall tower spire and couldn’t help but let her imagination run wild.

No matter what happens in this world, it wouldn’t surprise her anymore, not even the house of the Gu family— calling it a “house” was too small-scale, this was clearly a Disney castle!

The castle, in blue and white tones, looked especially harmonious amidst the vast green fields. Beneath the castle was an artificially dug river, and Kevin drove her onto the suspension bridge, heading toward the underground garage.

Su Shiyi had been in a daze since she arrived on the island, completely like a puppet following Kevin into the elevator. As for the fact that there was an elevator in a private residence, it didn’t even catch her attention anymore.

In the dazzling, golden elevator with full-length mirrors, she belatedly felt embarrassed about her outfit. Damn, others were wearing princess dresses in the castle, while she was dressed like this— it was the kind of outfit that would get her eliminated in the first round even if she were applying for a maid job.

But they were almost there, and there was no time for her to change. She could only brace herself and wait for the inevitable social death moment.

The elevator stopped, and the screen displayed that it was the second floor. Su Shiyi held her breath, and as the elevator doors opened, her gaze unexpectedly collided with the female lead, who had been waiting here all along.

Don’t get it wrong, there was no “female lead” written on Gu Pan’s forehead, but she was just too beautiful. The first time Su Shiyi saw her, words like “as beautiful as a celestial being, pure and graceful, the embodiment of national beauty with clear eyes and bright teeth” popped into her mind, and she couldn’t tear her gaze away from her.

This girl who naturally carried the aura of the center of attention was undoubtedly the female lead, Gu Pan. She had long, seaweed-like silky hair, snow-white skin that could let her play Snow White without makeup, delicate and petite features, and soft, expressive eyes. Just the way her gaze moved perfectly embodied her name — Gu Pan Sheng Zi (her glance brings beauty to life).

Damn, is this what a Mary Sue female lead looks like? Face-obsessed Su Shiyi had absolutely no resistance. She didn’t even dare look anymore, seriously worried she might start drooling.

Maybe Kevin had reported her outfit to the Gu family, because Gu Pan was also dressed quite simply. A soft pink ruffled A-line dress — the kind of death Barbie pink that would make anyone else look terrible — looked perfect on sweet Gu Pan, like a little princess who just walked out of a fairy tale.

Wuwuwuwuwu what a cute beauty, I want to snuggle with my wifey (bushi)

Gu Pan clearly looked nervous, her hands clasped tightly, even her breathing became noticeable:

“H-hello, I’m Gu Pan… if you’re okay with it, you can call me Panpan. C-can I call you Shiyi?”

What— even her voice sounds this good?!

Soft and sweet, like a fluffy, sugary cotton candy with a little hook at the end of her words that gently brushed against Su Shiyi’s heart.

She excitedly held Gu Pan’s hand: “Of course you can! You can call me whatever you like.”

Gu Chen scowled, eyes full of fury: “Su Shiyi, what are you doing? Where are you putting your hands?!”

Before Su Shiyi could respond, Gu Pan quickly stepped in: “Brother, Shiyi didn’t do anything wrong. How could you be so fierce with her? You’re not usually like this.”

According to the rules of sweet romance stories, as long as the female lead speaks up, no matter how angry the male lead is, he’ll immediately calm down. Sure enough, Gu Chen glared at Su Shiyi reluctantly, snorted coldly a few times, and then said no more.

Su “Found My Backer” Shiyi looked at Gu Pan with tender affection: “It’s okay, I don’t mind. Just don’t let me come between you two— I’d feel really guilty. I just can’t stand seeing you sad.”

Gu Pan was moved to the point of tears. “Shiyi, I never thought you’d be such a good person! I’m sorry… it’s because of me that you suffered outside for twenty years, but you don’t even blame me at all…”

Su Shiyi thought to herself, If she were the original host, even if she knew logically that Gu Pan, who was just a baby back then, was innocent, she’d probably still feel a little resentment. But the “original host” didn’t even exist—she was the one who got lucky and picked up this amazing life for free!

She hadn’t suffered any of the original host’s hardships, yet now she got to enjoy the blessings to come. If she still turned around and blamed the female lead, wouldn’t that be exactly what the damn system wanted? Let the plot halo drag her into a tragic ending?

Tch, no way. She’s not that dumb!

“What happened back then wasn’t anyone’s fault,” Su Shiyi gently comforted her. “It was an accident. I don’t blame you. We’re both just victims of fate’s cruelty.”

Although those words might’ve sounded a bit fake, to Gu Pan, they were deeply comforting.

In other novels, the fake daughter usually resisted going back to the poor family, because they were the “vicious supporting character,” destined to cling to the household and make trouble for the protagonist. But Gu Pan, as the female lead, valued relationships far more than money—Su Shiyi had gone through twenty bitter years, but she still had a chance at a happy ending, while Gu Pan had forever lost the chance to meet her biological parents.

Thinking of that, Gu Pan’s eyes and the tip of her nose turned red—she looked like she was about to cry. But she held back, and instead, she pulled Su Shiyi’s hand and introduced the woman standing behind her.

“Shiyi, this is Mom… this is your mom.”

Su Shiyi gently held her hand back. “Our mom.”

Even Gu Chen, who had originally held a bias against her, was a little moved when he heard that—thinking maybe this woman wasn’t so bad after all, not to mention Gu Pan and Li Shuman were already touched.

With guilt in her heart, Gu Pan, and Li Shuman—who felt like both the palm and the back of her hand were her flesh—finally let go of the heavy burden in their hearts, resulting in a scene where the three of them hugged each other and cried their eyes out at the elevator entrance.

Mainly it was the other two crying. Su Shiyi just made a few cooperating sounds while widening her eyes, trying hard to squeeze out some physical tears.

The staff in this castle were clearly very professional—each one stood still like a statue, not even glancing in their direction. Only when Gu Pan and Li Shuman had finally cried enough did they realize they were still standing at the elevator.

“Shiyi, let me show you your room,” Gu Pan said as she linked arms with her, eyes shining with excitement. “I know you’re studying at G University. On weekends, you can come back and stay here. We’ve also saved you an entire floor at the house in the capital. You’re always welcome home.”

Nice, I’ve been wanting to visit the capital anyway… Wait, an entire floor?

Gu Pan soon backed her words with action—when she said she’d show her the room, the next thing she did was press the elevator button.

“Your room’s on the 6th floor, Mom’s on the 7th, I’m on the 8th, my brother’s on the 9th, and Uncle Gu lives on the 16th floor—but he rarely stays here. We probably see him once or twice a year.”

Gu Lang was way too busy. Most of his time was spent flying. Even taking a nap at home was a luxury.

They’re literally using “floor” to describe it… is it even accurate to still call it just a “room”?

Su Shiyi: ……

And each of these so-called “floors” could easily crush those luxury apartments outside! Apparently, only the 2nd floor could be accessed with a regular press—when she tried to press the button for the 6th floor, Gu Chen had to scan his fingerprint and iris just to let her in.

“I’ll have your information added in a bit. Don’t worry, mine will be deleted.”

Su Shiyi nodded obediently, still basking in the joy of moving into a castle.

But when the elevator doors opened, she realized she’d been excited too early—

Because the even more amazing part was yet to come!

What greeted her eyes were two full walls of collectible displays that made Su Shiyi want to scream. Inside countless transparent compartments of various sizes, Disney princesses and superhero figures were incredibly lifelike. The Duffy series and Sanrio plushies seemed to invite her in for a cuddle.

Ahhhhhhh what kind of earthly paradise is this?! She even spotted a life-size Iron Man suit, Thor’s hammer on a stand, and a Captain America shield with such a realistic texture—crap, could that thing actually be made of vibranium?!

Don’t say it’s impossible—in a Mary Sue world, nothing is impossible!

Kevin: “These were purchased for you temporarily. If you don’t like them, they can be replaced at any time.”

Replace them? No way. Not in this lifetime. Su Shiyi felt like she didn’t even need to see the bedroom—she’d rather grab a blanket and sleep here, never parting from her precious babies.

But Gu Pan still gently pulled her away, dragging a reluctant Su Shiyi forward. After leaving the transitional display walls, they entered what was truly her private space.

This floor was designed in an opulent European palace style, rich with oil painting vibes, making her feel as though she’d time-traveled to the medieval era. Modern technology was perfectly hidden within the furnishings, and the full voice-control system eliminated unnecessary devices, creating a stunningly harmonious atmosphere that made you want to applaud.

Kevin led them through each room one by one: the walk-in closet, the dressing room, the home theater, the study, the gym, the baking room, and finally, the real collection room—yes, those two display walls by the elevator were just a partial showcase.

And all of this, including the bedroom she hadn’t even seen yet, only took up one-third of the entire floor.

Gu Pan said, “Shiyi, you can decide how to use the rest of the space yourself. Do whatever you like with it.”

Wahhh! Su Shiyi should be happy, but with her limited imagination, she honestly couldn’t think of anything else to do with so much room.

This was such a dilemma—how could you ask someone who’s only ever lived in a tiny studio apartment to handle something like this? Wasn’t this just putting her on the spot?

But it’s fine. She, Su Shiyi, loved nothing more than facing challenges head-on! (Totally confident)

After twisting through several hallways, they finally reached her bedroom. Su Shiyi understood the layout was for privacy, but this floor was just too big. So big, in fact, that she felt the gym was unnecessary—just walking from the elevator to her bed was already a decent workout.

Sigh… is this what the troubles of living in a mansion feel like?

The bedroom matched the overall European-palace style of the floor. One look at the oversized princess bed and Su Shiyi fell in love—it made her want to jump in and roll around. But her favorite part was the bathroom. Come on, it had a massage tub!

When Su Shiyi asked if the bathtub was big enough for her to actually swim in, Kevin gave a gentle smile and opened another door in the bedroom—

“I believe if you’d like to swim, this private hot spring pool would be much more comfortable.”

Su Shiyi: ……

Every time she thought she was finally getting used to the life of the rich, reality would always smack her back down and remind her—she was still far from it.

#Clearly, her mindset still wasn’t big enough.

#But honestly, she wouldn’t mind more of these kinds of smacks.

After touring the entire floor, it was almost lunchtime.

Taking advantage of a moment when Gu Pan and Li Shuman stepped away, Gu Chen directly said to Su Shiyi, “You did pretty well today. You made Panpan happy, so I’m satisfied.”

Even before he spoke, Kevin had already stepped aside, making sure he stood far enough not to overhear their conversation.

Su Shiyi turned on her professional smile. “It’s the least I could do.”

After all, she took a billion from Gu Chen, and she’d definitely be spending even more in the future. If she couldn’t even handle something this simple, how would she manage the rest?

Besides, she genuinely liked Gu Pan. The female lead was totally her type—a sweet girl who hit all her soft spots. To be honest, Su Shiyi felt like she scored big.

Gu Chen nodded arrogantly. But under the double temptation of wealth and mansions, Su Shiyi had developed an extremely high tolerance for this sugar daddy–ancestor–male lead combo. No matter what harsh words came out of his mouth, she could forgive him like he was her father.

But then he said: “You did well. Since you’ve kept your promise so faithfully, I won’t treat you unfairly either. Let’s do this—this island, I’ll give it to you.”

Su Shiyi: ?

Su Shiyi: ???

This pie was way too big. If she tried to swallow it all in one bite, would she choke to death?!