Campus Ace Girl

Chapter 1039 - 1038: Heh, Coming Home Feels Like Being a Guest

Over there, Editor Wang paused: "I can’t disclose this."Gu Mingzhu seemed a bit disappointed: "Can you really not tell me?"

Editor Wang smiled: "Mingzhu, don’t make it hard for me. It’s a very good patron who will likely ensure it’s made well. Once it’s released and successful, you won’t have to worry about the future sales of your manuscript."

Gu Mingzhu thought about it and agreed, "Well, we’ll find out once it’s released anyway."

She hung up the phone, and eventually, it was Qin Siyuan who took her to that club. As the car stopped, she turned to him: "Do you want to go in with me?"

Qin Siyuan touched her hair and laughed: "It’s like a kid going to school with a guardian."

"I’m not a kid," she grumbled unhappily in a low voice, then added, "You can wait here. I just need to sign my name in the café on the first floor."

After speaking, she gave him a peck: "Once we get the money, we’ll go buy a gift for Little An."

Qin Siyuan watched her get out of the car and then stayed inside to work on his laptop. Gu Mingzhu got out, tidied her clothes, and walked into the café. It was her first time coming alone to sign a contract, but luckily there was a familiar face making it seem reliable.

She walked over, and Editor Wang was already there. Sitting opposite her was a young gentleman with a scholarly air, looking like a typical assistant. Gu Mingzhu went over and slightly bent down: "Aunt Wang."

Editor Wang glanced up and smiled: "Mingzhu is here."

As she pulled out a chair, she addressed the young man across: "Little Zhao, this is Mingzhu, the author of Island."

The young man named Little Zhao immediately stood up and extended a hand: "Miss Gu, I’ve heard much about you."

Gu Mingzhu felt a little embarrassed and shook hands: "Just call me Mingzhu."

The other person gave a slight smile.

Gu Mingzhu sat down and carefully probed: "Who entrusted you, can’t you tell me? I could give them a call to express my thanks."

Little Zhao sounded apologetic: "It’s not that I don’t want to say, it’s just..."

Gu Mingzhu froze for a moment, then gently smiled: "Alright."

She turned to Editor Wang: "Aunt Wang, shall we take a look at the contract?"

Earlier in the car, Qin Siyuan told her many things about contracts, advising her to be cautious. Now she was finally paying attention, and Editor Wang and Tang Yuan were old acquaintances. Seeing her maturity, Editor Wang felt quite pleased: "I’ve reviewed the contract; Mingzhu, you should read it carefully."

Gu Mingzhu took the contract and began to read it meticulously page by page.

"This child has really grown a lot," Aunt Wang remarked with a smile, then went to get an iced latte and placed it by her hand. She chatted softly with Assistant Zhao, time flew quickly, and after half an hour, Gu Mingzhu confirmed no issues and signed her name.

Assistant Zhao smiled slightly: "Miss Gu is very prudent."

"Prudence is good," Gu Mingzhu replied with a light smile.

Assistant Zhao couldn’t help but comment: "You’re different from what I imagined."

Gu Mingzhu felt a bit dazed but then smiled blandly: "Sometimes I can be impulsive."

"Is it Qin Siyuan?" Assistant Zhao teased.

Gu Mingzhu was taken aback but quickly recovered: "Feelings can’t be called impulsive."

Later, as Little Zhao walked out, the man listening sat silently in the office, listening to Little Zhao’s words.

Feelings can’t be called impulsive.

He lowered his gaze, examining the book Island, and then looked up at Assistant Zhao: "Then what do you say it is?"

Assistant Zhao didn’t understand: "Mr. Chu, I’m not sure what you mean."

Chu Ci’s elegant face was slightly pale. He casually flipped through the book and quietly repeated: "Feelings can’t be called impulsive."

Assistant Zhao suddenly laughed: "Well, I think Miss Gu is right."

He paused, somewhat confused: "Why did you purchase this book? You didn’t seem to appreciate Miss Gu’s writing style before."

Chu Ci closed the book, his slender fingers resting on the book’s cover, precisely over the two words Island.

He spoke softly: "Perhaps the story unintentionally moved me."

Really?

Little Zhao was skeptical. How did Mr. Chu even obtain this book since it wasn’t serialized online?

Still, he dared not ask such questions.

Then one day, this young man saw the publication of Island, and he understood why Mr. Chu bought it. Because the prototypes of the lead characters were Chu Ci and Chu Yan, and Mr. Chu bought it to adapt?

After Little Zhao left, Gu Mingzhu chatted briefly with Aunt Wang and then held her hand: "Wait a moment; I’ll go call Qin Siyuan."

Aunt Wang watched her run swiftly, not as dignified as before, but her expression was happier than ever, and she couldn’t help but shake her head and mutter to herself: "If we hadn’t required so much from her before, would she have been like this from childhood, having the same personality as her sister?"

Just as she sighed and shook her head, Gu Mingzhu came over with a young man.

Aunt Wang could see with just one glance, her gaze fixed in place.

This young man was truly handsome, with a nice temperament as well, and his subsequent series of actions were very appropriate and natural. As a junior, Qin Siyuan even treated Aunt Wang to lunch, which they all enjoyed.

After the meal, Gu Mingzhu sat in the car, whispering: "Got the money, let’s go shopping."

Qin Siyuan chuckled.

At this moment, Gu Mingzhu suddenly looked as if she was constipated, her expression becoming a bit strange.

"What’s wrong?" Qin Siyuan fastened his seatbelt and gently tapped the steering wheel.

Gu Mingzhu’s voice slowed down: "I just, what if when the film comes out, will Chu Yan kill me?"

Qin Siyuan smiled and started the car: "Why, you know the details too? By the way, how did you find out?"

Gu Mingzhu swallowed hard: "I coaxed it out of Gu Anxi after she had some drinks."

Qin Siyuan suddenly felt unwell, and after a long pause, he lightly coughed once: "Then when the time comes, we’ll stay in Qingcheng, not going anywhere."

"What if Chu Yan finds us in Qingcheng?" she said pitifully, her little head hanging lower and lower, somewhat afraid.

Afraid of Chu Yan, more afraid of Chu Ci, who, although seemed gentle, was actually not easy to talk to; from before to now, only Chu Yan had been gentle.

Gu Mingzhu, at this moment, clutching two million, was so scared she wanted to call for her mom.

Just when she was scared to death, that morning, Chu Yan went to the Chu Family.

The red and white villa, the yard full of life, everything as it was when she was a child, yet Chu Yan felt she couldn’t enter anymore.

She stood quietly, while outside, the blazing sun felt like it was burning, and she hadn’t slept for a night, her body very tired. Just then, the guard saw her and immediately hurried over enthusiastically: "It’s the little miss, why are you standing at the door not going in?"

The guard didn’t know much about the Chu Family’s affairs, only that the little miss had gone abroad to study and hadn’t come back for several months.

Chu Yan snapped back to reality, then gave a faint smile and walked through the villa’s gate.

The black carved gate creaked as it opened and closed, Chu Yan slowly approached the villa’s hall, and from afar, she seemed to hear some voices, both familiar and unfamiliar.

Chu Yan paused at the entrance, then slowly walked inside.

Originally, the living room was harmonious and warm, but the atmosphere cooled instantly. Chu Yan looked around; besides the Chu Couple, there was a young girl, not very old, appearing about twenty-three or twenty-four. Chu Yan immediately recognized her as someone the family had found for Chu Ci as a matchmaking candidate, either already met or about to meet.

And when Chu Madam saw Chu Yan, her body stiffened, wanting to speak but failing to do so. Instead, Chu Changhe, after a brief pause, broke the ice with a smile: "Yan Yan is back."

He seemed unsurprised, got up and pulled Chu Yan to sit down, then said to Chu Madam: "Look at you, you’re so happy now that the child is back. Oh, Sister Zhang, add a couple of Yan Yan’s favorite dishes."

Sister Zhang had worked at the Chu Family for many years and had always been quite fond of Chu Yan. Now hearing she was back, she ran over, glanced at Chu Yan, and then wiped her apron: "Sure, sure, I’ll make sure Yan Yan enjoys her meal."

Sister Zhang looked at Chu Yan’s slim figure, feeling a bit of heartache: "Were you not eating well abroad? You’ve lost quite a bit of weight."

Chu Yan smiled lightly: "No, I’m just dieting."

Sister Zhang felt very complicated emotions, knowing about the situation with the two children, feeling regretful, and thinking that Yan Yan, so understanding and lovable, was clearly innocent yet felt compelled to pretend nothing was wrong. In her opinion, it was the Madam and the young master at fault.

Sister Zhang deliberately put on a stern face: "Young girls these days, always dieting, where’s the health in that? Don’t learn from them. Your round face is what makes you adorable."

Chu Yan chuckled again, thinking to herself she was past the age of being cute, but felt saying so might make Sister Zhang sad, so she kept silent.

Sister Zhang turned: "Okay, I’ll whip up some of my best dishes, make sure you eat so well you won’t want to go abroad again."

As she spoke, her eyes grew a bit red.

Chu Changhe deliberately said: "Then you must show your best skills, this child’s mouth is probably very picky now."

Sister Zhang bustled off to the kitchen to whip up some dishes, the scene once again returned to a subtle discomfort.

Chu Changhe did miss his younger daughter and hadn’t expected she would want to come back and see them, so he asked her carefully when she came back and when she planned to return to the UK.

If he had his way, he’d prefer she didn’t go back to the UK at all.

The servants brought over a cup of tea, instead of her favorite ice water, which was the decision of Chu Madam.

Chu Yan understood in her heart, knowing this was clearly a manner of treating her as a guest, while the girl beside Chu Madam could possibly be her future daughter-in-law. She didn’t mind, sipping the tea, and then spoke softly: "Came back yesterday afternoon, flight’s in a while, so I might not make it for dinner."

Chu Changhe paused for a moment, instinctively saying: "How could that be, after finally returning home, not having dinner would be outrageous?"

He was genuinely annoyed, unsure if it was with himself, with his wife, or with his son.