The Protagonist 'Gong' Became my Wife - Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Marrying into a Wealthy Family

It was a quite handsome face: beneath thick, dark eyebrows were a pair of shimmering peach-blossom eyes, a high bridge of the nose, and moist, thin lips.

But, this was not Gu Zhuo.

Having achieved his purpose, Jiang Yanning lost interest instantly. He opened the car door, stepped out with his long legs, and stood outside the vehicle.

He tilted his chin toward Ding You, signaling him to get out of the car.

Ding You was bewildered.

The moment he stepped out, the passenger side door was slammed shut.

Jiang Yanning forcefully stuffed him into the back seat, walked around the car to get in, and as he started the engine, he raised the partition between the front and back seats.

From that point on, no matter what Ding You said in the back seat, Jiang Yanning could act as if he heard nothing.

Gu Zhuo knocked on the partition for a while, but seeing no response, he could only hug a cushion and stare at the scenery outside the window.

77 flapped its wings in lingering fear.

【That was terrifying, Host. It’s a good thing you used the Disguise Potion just in case.】

Even the points used to buy that potion were from the allowance money Jiang Yanning had been sending over the past few days.

【Don’t celebrate too early. This hurdle is cleared, but I don’t think Jiang Yanning will drop his suspicions so quickly.】

Just as the words fell, a phone chimed.

Ning: Has Xiao Zhuo gone home yet? Do you need me to pick you up from the mall?

77 landed on Gu Zhuo’s wrist, staring at the message with some anxiety.

【What do we do? If he goes straight home, will we have time to set up the disguise?】

【That’s up to you, 77.】

Jiang Yanning drove quickly and steadily, soon pulling up at the mall entrance.

Before Ding You got out of the car, he specifically tapped on the window and blew a kiss to Jiang Yanning.

Then, he waved and walked away nonchalantly.

The moment his figure disappeared around the corner, Gu Zhuo walked out of the main mall entrance carrying a bag of clothes.

Seeing Jiang Yanning’s car, he even jogged a few steps.

He very naturally opened the passenger door and sat inside.

“Brother, did you have fun today?”

Jiang Yanning scanned him up and down. Meeting his confused gaze, he finally replied.

“Not bad. How about you? What did you buy?”

Gu Zhuo opened the shopping bags one by one; they contained a few sets of new clothes.

As if seeing that Jiang Yanning was interested in these things, Gu Zhuo simply counted on his fingers, detailing everything he did today.

“Brother, I also ate ice cream today, drank milk tea, watched a movie…”

In mid-air, 77 was rapidly modifying and overwriting surveillance footage based on what Gu Zhuo was saying.

As a top-tier intelligent system, the traces it left behind were impossible to discover with the technology of people in this world.

As its data processed faster and faster, its heart bled.

【Host! Do you know how many points a camouflage spell costs? You already owe me so many points; you have to pay me back!】

Gu Zhuo didn’t pay it any mind at all, focusing entirely on coaxing Jiang Yanning into promising to take him racing next time.

Jiang Yanning naturally agreed. He pulled a car key from his pocket and tossed it casually into Gu Zhuo’s lap.

“I said I’d give it to you, so keep it.”

Gu Zhuo recognized it as the car he had won back from He Wenyun, and his smile deepened a few shades.

After asking for Gu Zhuo’s opinion, Jiang Yanning drove him back to Gu Zhuo’s home.

Because the entrance to the alley was too deep for the car to enter, he simply got out and accompanied Gu Zhuo, treading through the muddy ground to walk inside.

The low house was covered in vines due to its age; some had even climbed to the window, blocking out about seventy or eighty percent of the light.

Jiang Yanning was still wondering about it, but once he entered the house, he realized that the window belonged to Gu Zhuo’s room.

Gu Zhuo didn’t seem to think there was any problem with this. After gesturing for Jiang Yanning to sit on a chair outside, he entered the room in the dark without even turning on a light.

There was a rustling sound from inside. Jiang Yanning was curious, so he walked over.

It was pitch black inside. He felt around and flipped the switch on the wall.

But the light did not respond.

“That light is broken.”

Gu Zhuo took a moment to look up, then quickly looked back down, stuffing things near his hand into a bag.

“Since it’s broken, why not fix it?”

At the very least, trimming the vines outside the window would make it much better.

Gu Zhuo’s hand paused as he looked around.

“It’s okay, I’m used to it. I can see clearly.”

Gu Zhuo didn’t have many things; he finished packing in a few moments and carried his belongings out the door.

The moment he stepped out of the darkness, a ray of sunlight from outside fell across his face through the window.

His porcelain-white skin caught the warmth, and his black hair and eyes sparkled brilliantly under the golden light.

Jiang Yanning suddenly reached out, stopping his forward movement.

He stepped forward and lightly pinched Gu Zhuo’s cheek.

Without saying a word, he turned and left.

Gu Zhuo clutched his face, looking completely stunned.

As Jiang Yanning walked back, he frowned secretly, thinking to himself that next time he should bring a renovation crew to make this house bright and airy.

He looks so much better in the sunlight!

Like a little deity.

…

The five-day holiday passed quickly, and Gu Xiao finally returned from his hometown.

He even brought Gu Zhuo plenty of homemade snacks.

However, as he rode his little electric scooter along the navigation, the path got more and more remote until he finally saw a detached villa. He was dumbfounded.

His good bro had married into a wealthy family!

When he arrived, Gu Zhuo was sprawling on the sofa with nothing to do.

77 was holding his phone, playing a game with Jiang You’an.

When a message came through, it extended a wing and poked Gu Zhuo.

【Host, Gu Xiao is here; he’s at the door.】

Gu Zhuo stood up, opened the villa door, and brought him inside.

Gu Xiao held his snakeskin bag, looking a bit dazed.

“Zhuo… Zhuo-zhuo? Is this voluntary?”

Gu Zhuo thought for a moment, and after realizing what he was asking, he nodded slowly.

“Of course.”

He was naturally willing to sign the agreement with Jiang Yanning.

But Gu Xiao slapped his thighs several times, advising him earnestly.

“Zhuo-zhuo, you have to think clearly! The difference in your family backgrounds is too big. If one day President Jiang he… what will you do then?”

“Me? I’ll go home!”

By then, most of the plot would be finished, and he would have to vacate the position for the protagonist shou.

After that, once the task was completed, he would be going home.

Gu Zhuo’s hand gripping the glass tightened slightly, then quickly relaxed. He looked up with a normal expression.

“But what about you? Is there no progress with Teacher Wen? I heard you two have known each other since you were kids?”

Gu Xiao blushed. “Yeah. But there’s nothing between us yet. Oh right, the stuff I brought you… my mom told me to give these to you to help your auntie recover.”

Gu Zhuo naturally accepted them all without ceremony.

So, when Jiang Yanning came home from work that evening, he was faced with a table full of ingredients.

Like showing off a treasure, Gu Zhuo pulled him into the kitchen with great anticipation.

“Brother, I want to eat egg noodles tonight, with ten eggs!”

After learning that Gu Zhuo almost blew up the kitchen while cooking, Jiang Yanning had taken over the cooking himself.

At most, Gu Zhuo would pick over some vegetables.

Dinner was soon ready. During the meal, Jiang Yanning asked casually, “You didn’t have class today; didn’t you go out with friends?”

Gu Zhuo silently increased his chewing speed. After swallowing the egg in his mouth, he answered honestly.

“Besides Gu Xiao, I don’t have many friends. I played games today and didn’t go out.”

Jiang Yanning glanced at the fluffy top of his head and, feeling an itch in his heart, gave it a pat.

After Gu Zhuo looked up, he reached out and patted it again.

Then, using both hands, he rubbed the hair into a mess, like a bird’s nest.

This time, no matter how good Gu Zhuo’s temper was, he couldn’t stand it. He stopped Jiang Yanning’s hands and gave him a warning glare.

Jiang Yanning wasn’t afraid at all. He took off the plain-glass glasses from his face and rested them in front of Gu Zhuo’s eyes.

“Which one of us is pushing thirty? Why are you so lifeless every day, hmm? Little old man?”

Without the glasses, the stability Jiang Yanning forced himself to project vanished without a trace.

When he laughed, one could even catch a glimpse of a certain boyishness.

Gu Zhuo’s eyes flickered.

In the interstellar world, what he was best at was disguise.

Timid, gentle, arrogant he had tried them all. But no one knew that behind the layers of masks, his inner soul had long been like stagnant water, devoid of interest.

When there were no tasks, he only wanted to stay in a dark room, thinking of nothing, his gaze empty.

The only one who had seen him like that was 77.

But 77 wasn’t human.

However, as long as Jiang Yanning wanted it, he could keep pretending.

He slowly revealed a smile just like his usual one, his eyes bright, his tone teasing: “Brother, you’re ten years older than me. If I’m a little old man, what are you?”

Jiang Yanning had seen this kind of smile from him more than once. Every time he saw it, his heart felt warm, as if he were infected by it.

This time, it was as if something pricked his heart, bringing a strange sense of sorrow.

He steadied his mind, flicked Gu Zhuo’s forehead, and changed the subject.

“I cooked the food, you go wash the dishes. I have to work tonight, so remember to go to sleep early. You have class tomorrow.”

“Oh.”

The study door closed. From time to time, Jiang Yanning’s voice, a mix of Chinese and English, could be heard from inside as he held meetings.

After washing the dishes, Gu Zhuo walked light-footedly to his room, took out his phone, and composed a message to He Wenyun.

It was time to settle his bet.

While waiting for a reply, a message from Gu Xiao arrived first.

Gu Xiao was asking him to be a volunteer for an activity tomorrow afternoon; there were academic credits to be earned.

Gu Zhuo didn’t care about credits; he cared about the plot that would unfold tomorrow.

Tomorrow, during the volunteering process, Gu Xiao would faint from heatstroke and be sent to the hospital by a senior.

That senior was the seventh lead, Qi Chi.

He was also a star figure at Huaqing University, the student union president, and the “school grass” (campus heartthrob).

Gu Zhuo had been quite puzzled when he saw this part of the plot.

What is a “school grass”?

Does it mean he is very green?

He was indeed quite “green” on his head; back then, Gu Xiao had seven followers, and he had shamelessly pushed himself forward.

He even went as far as to spread rumors about Gu Xiao to ruin his reputation, just to hold this broken-winged bird in the palm of his hand.

Thinking about having to fix this segment of the plot gave Gu Zhuo a bit of a headache. Ignoring the message from He Wenyun expressing a refusal, he sent a photo directly and turned off his phone.

The next afternoon, Gu Xiao dragged Gu Zhuo into wearing an ugly, bright green volunteer vest. They held up a massive banner and shouted along with the crowd.

“Welcome, leaders…”

Gu Zhuo couldn’t hear the rest of the words.

Just as he was throwing away his dignity to sway his body with the crowd, he locked eyes with someone.

Jiang Yanning was wearing a sharp suit and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, looking very dignified.

However, Gu Zhuo saw his lips moving, mouthing the words:

“The vest isn’t bad. Wear it for me when we get home.”