Obviously, interstellar readers had no opportunity to immerse themselves in Earth’s absurd yet gratifying melodramatic novels, so they naturally couldn’t realize this was the prelude to a classic “refreshing and cool” moment.
Thus, as Shax barely managed to steady his heart while reading the detailed account of Gu Bai being maliciously lured into the garden by the jealous villain, his expression was almost impossible to control.
‘How could the plot be written like this!?’
After just establishing how difficult and harsh Caesar’s grandfather was, the plot immediately threw in such an unexpected mishap. Wasn’t this deliberately setting Gu Bai up to be humiliated in front of everyone, directly becoming a thorn in the grandfather’s side?
And just as Shax was wrestling with his inner turmoil, the plot didn’t improve. Instead, it added another heavy blow.
While Gu Bai anxiously searched for a way out of the garden, he accidentally bumped into a dirty, disheveled old gardener.
[[However, the always kind and gentle Gu Bai not only didn’t mind his expensive suit being dirtied by soil but even helped the elderly man, who had almost fallen into the flowerbed. He went further to assist the old man in tidying up the tools and flowerbed.
The old gardener remained silent, simply watching as Gu Bai completed everything. He didn’t even utter a word of thanks and only gruffly pointed Gu Bai in the direction of the banquet hall when asked.]]
“What? He even helped this rude old man clean up? And the guy dirtied such an expensive suit too!”
Shax felt a wave of frustration that was beyond words.
Only someone as kind-hearted as Gu Bai could be this thoughtful.
If it had been him, he’d have told the old man to move aside immediately.
This narrative was both heart-wrenching and maddening.
Why couldn’t Gu Bai think more for himself? He was so kind that he’d end up being taken advantage of all the time—!
As Shax opened the message interface, intending to use his most tactful phrasing to persuade Yu Mian to reconsider this plot twist lest enraged readers tear apart both the author and Huanyu’s editorial department…
[Fish: Keep reading, keep reading. Don’t get excited yet. qwq]
…he was met with a calm reassurance from Yu Mian.
Shax almost spat out a mouthful of blood.
How could anyone stay calm in this situation?
The last time there was a brief update hiatus, the readers nearly crashed Huanyu’s customer service hotline. If Gu Bai suffered such a major grievance now… Shax could already imagine himself being shredded alongside the author.
How would the plot progress from here?
Shax had no choice but to grimly turn to the next page. However, what came next left him staring wide-eyed, his fingers frozen mid-air over the keyboard.
[[Gu Bai had put the incident entirely out of his mind.
After all, his mother had taught him from a young age to respect the elderly. Besides, the old man had given him directions, allowing Gu Bai to arrive just in time for the banquet’s opening.
But when the grand New Year’s family banquet officially began, and the host—Caesar’s grandfather, the family’s most powerful figure—finally arrived, leaning on his cane…
Gu Bai realized in shock that the disheveled gardener from the garden was actually Caesar’s grandfather!]]
‘What!?’
‘That dirty old man was Caesar’s grandfather!?’
As a reader, Shax felt his mind explode in that instant.
Wasn’t it a good thing Gu Bai hadn’t pushed the old man away earlier!
[[It turned out that Caesar’s grandfather, known for his eccentric personality, often enjoyed working in the garden his late wife had left behind and deliberately dressed in shabby clothes while tending to it alone.
His earlier behavior wasn’t malice but simply because the old man was always used to having a sour face and was not good at saying anything gentle.
However, he did not expect that the young man, Gu Bai, was not angry at all. Instead, he was tolerant and even took care of him.
What’s more important was that he didn’t even show any dislike to an old man like him even when his clothes got dirty. Gu Bai’s character and qualities immediately touched the old man, so much so that when he learned that the child was Caesar’s partner, he was extremely satisfied.
So at the banquet, Gu Bai was not only spared any difficulties but he also became the only junior to win the old man’s favor.
The old man even publicly invited Gu Bai to visit the main estate often and share gardening tips with him.
With this open endorsement, the villains who had planned to challenge Gu Bai’s status were stunned into silence.
After uncovering the backstory, the old man promptly had them expelled from the banquet and announced they would no longer be welcome in the future.]]
“Fuck—!”
Shax read these flawlessly executed slaps in the face and couldn’t stop himself from exclaiming in shock.
Was the coincidence excessive?
Absolutely.
But was it satisfying?
Undeniably, it was exhilarating.
What’s more, the role of the old man to the refreshing plot was actually more than that.
[[Despite his age, Caesar’s grandfather was sharp and perceptive, he quickly noticed the odd dynamic between Caesar and Gu Bai, the newly wed couple.
The old man began treating Gu Bai like his own family. Every time Caesar sneered arrogantly and opened his mouth without saying anything nice, the old man who was familiar with his grandson’s temper would instantly hit him on the head with his cane and force him to shut up.
As a result, the family dynamic shifted hilariously, with Gu Bai, an outsider with no blood relationship, trying to stop and coax the indignant grandfather while Caesar, the grandson, nursed his bruised pride and head with grievance and anger.]]
The originally tense family banquet plot, under the wonderful interaction between this grandfather-grandson duo, not only dispelled the previous tension but immediately turned into something humorous and hilarious.
After all, seeing the always proud and conceited Caesar repeatedly hit a wall while Gu Bai was unconditionally doted on and supported by the grandfather, even having the latter help him slap his enemies in the face, was incredibly satisfying to see the status of both parties reversed.
What’s more, upon reaching this point, most interstellar readers would only find the plot irresistibly funny and cool. They won’t be able to get enough of this dynamic and would wish for more of these moments.
However, on closer inspection, this remained a classic trope of cool/satisfying novels.
And paired with the inherently positive values conveyed by such plots—doing good deeds and immediately receiving good karma—it brought a secondary layer of gratification from a moral high ground.
So even Shax, an editor who had read countless books, found this segment endlessly entertaining no matter how many times he reread it. He felt no other work had ever been so captivating!
After all, in real life, the probability of such an ideal and perfect plot occurring was small.
But making impossible good fortune a reality was precisely one of the most alluring aspects of cool novels.
Even Shax’s previously anxious and tense heart began to relax as he lay in bed, engrossed in these words.
Just like the protagonist Gu Bai, who, despite his difficult life, always maintained a kind and positive attitude while striving forward, surrounded by people who noticed and appreciated his virtues, offering their help and care, Shax’s own resume wasn’t bad and he was capable and strong.
Even if he failed this time and didn’t pass his probation at Huanyu, he could simply switch jobs.
His life was still so long, and everything had only just begun. What couldn’t be restarted?
The more Shax thought about it, the more uplifted he felt. A smile tugged at his lips as he became completely immersed in the unfolding plot, completely oblivious to the passage of time.
Furthermore, following this climax of the New Year family banquet, the gripping, dramatic twists of the novel quickly introduced a new conflict.
It was as if the readers’ minds were given no empty moments to rest.
[[On the surface, the turmoil at the banquet seemed to bridge the gap between Gu Bai and Caesar under the grandfather’s skillful mediation.
However, due to deepening misunderstandings, the relationship between Gu Bai and Caesar still inevitably headed toward discord!
And even with the grandfather’s support, villains began noticing the cracks in the newlywed couple’s interactions.
After all, it was odd that a newlywed couple did not share a bedroom, and instead Caesar slept in his study every night.
This oddity caught the attention of a more intelligent villain, who deliberately misled Gu Bai into believing Caesar secretly had a “white moonlight” who was more compatible waiting for him.
Coupled with Caesar’s previous actions at the exhibition hall, Gu Bai, while maintaining a composed exterior, couldn’t help but believe it deep down.
Meanwhile, the clueless and naïve domineering CEO Caesar was completely unaware of the brewing storm. He mistakenly thought Gu Bai’s cold demeanor toward him was due to financial constraints forcing him to play along with their act.
He found it infuriating that Gu Bai, who was so gentle to others, never offered him a single smile despite being his nominal partner.
This was simply too much!
As the mutual misunderstandings deepened, tension between them escalated!
Had he really made a mistake?
Perhaps he shouldn’t have agreed to this marriage so rashly in the first place.
Following another argument that ended in disappointment, Gu Bai sat on a garden bench in the bitter winter evening, hugging his arms dejectedly and gazing at the misty riverside in the distance.
Even his usually resilient heart couldn’t help but waver.]]
“Ah, what’s Caesar doing? Does he really plan to divorce!?”
Though readers often joked about wanting the pair to break up and divorce, when the plot really felt like a knife, Shax couldn’t sit still anymore.
However, at this moment, the key catalyst of melodramatic and domineering CEO romances—a warm-hearted supporting role—finally made his shining debut.
[[“It’s about to get dark. It’ll be cold by the river. Would you like to go back and put on more clothes?”
A warm, gentle voice suddenly called out nearby, causing Gu Bai to subconsciously look up.
The young man before him had a slight resemblance to Caesar in his facial features, yet his temperament was entirely different!
The young man before him resembled a Caesar stripped of all his thorns, exuding a gentle and refined aura.
“Thank you. I’ll be heading back soon.”
However, even this small gesture of kindness—one of the few since returning to the main house—was something Gu Bai deeply appreciated.
“In that case, let me accompany you. I’m Roy. Were you misled by Fields and his gang before?”
The young man’s casual remark immediately made Gu Bai tense.
“No need to be nervous. I dislike those guys too. They often bullied me when I was a kid.”
“They targeted you as well?”
Gu Bai’s gloomy mood was instantly diverted.
“Once upon a time. But now I know that the only way to deal with bullies is to resist or stay far away. They’re naturally cowards who prey on the weak and fear the strong.”
Roy looked at Gu Bai with earnest seriousness.
Gu Bai fell silent for a moment before breaking into a smile.
“You’re right.”
Perhaps he was simply afraid of discovering whether Caesar was one of those bullies…
Gu Bai wasn’t even sure what he was unwilling to face.
“Watch your step. The path here is uneven.”
As they passed a rocky section, Roy subconsciously bent down and brushed away loose stones, his gentlemanly gesture making it look as though he was kneeling to carry Gu Bai who was about to come down.
“Thank you…”
“What are you doing!?”
However, just as Gu Bai was expressing his gratitude, a familiar blonde figure suddenly appeared not far away!
It was none other than Caesar, holding a coat in his hand and frantically searching for someone.
After spending the entire afternoon looking for Gu Bai, Caesar stood there in utter disbelief as he stared at the scene before him. He resembled a wronged yet furious golden lion—or perhaps, a pitiful creature who felt completely betrayed!
All the unspoken grievances and anger he had been bottling up during this time erupted when he saw Gu Bai “entangled” with someone else.]]
[[After their argument had ended in an unhappy stalemate, Caesar had realized Gu Bai hadn’t even worn a coat. After struggling with his emotions, he eventually grabbed a coat and went out to look for him.
But what Caesar hadn’t expected, not in a million years, was that when he finally found Gu Bai, Gu Bai would be chatting so happily with someone else!
From Gu Bai’s perspective, however, he had no idea why Caesar had once again inexplicably lost his temper.
As a result, in the next moment, Gu Bai found himself swept into a surprisingly firm and unexpectedly forceful embrace.
Caught off guard by Caesar’s burning grip on his lower back, Gu Bai’s heart skipped a beat.
Even though they were already nominally married, this was, in fact, their first hug since the wedding…]]
“Ah—!?”
Outside the story, Shax, who had been following the scene intently, jumped up from his bed in disbelief.
One moment, you thought everything was going downhill, with Caesar’s clueless brain surely leading to yet another massive misunderstanding, spiraling the plot into uncontrollable chaos.
And then, out of nowhere, the plot took a sharp turn and delivered an unexpected dose of sugar on a knife!
“Caesar actually knows how to get jealous now!”
Wasn’t this practically the same as him finally waking up to his feelings!?
He even wanted to act pitiful and get hugs from his “wife”!
The crazy part was knowing this was all due to a huge misunderstanding—a heart-wrenching one at that—but the more you read, the more you couldn’t help but crave more.
If Shax knew a fitting idiom, it would probably be “drinking poison to quench thirst”. Which was a bit like licking sugar off the edge of a knife.
But just as Shax clicked to the next page, eager to see how things unfolded between the two, he was met with a notice: “End of the document.”
What!? He had read through tens of thousands of words seamlessly without even realizing it!
[Fish: Are you done reading, editor? Does this work for you?]
At that moment, while he was still reeling from the intense experience, Shax received a message from Yu Mian, who had been estimating the time and patiently waiting to hear feedback.
[Crispy Shark: Of course it works! This is beyond incredible!!!]
[But, uh… is there more? Ahem, what I mean is… if you end it here, readers might riot!!]
Shax subconsciously replied immediately, even attempting to coax some extra chapters from Yu Mian.
What he hadn’t expected was that Yu Mian’s next response would make his eyes almost pop out.
[Fish: Of course there’s more, but I’m still writing it. On the day it gets featured on the leaderboard rankings, I plan to release ten chapters in one go. This is just the first half. Editor, what do you think of that plan?]
[Fish: Oh, and by then, I should just about reach the point where Caesar finds out the truth about the one million.]
‘Wait, ten chapters in one go!?’
‘And Caesar was finally going to uncover the truth about the one million!?’
‘Who could resist this!?’
At this moment, Shax was completely awestruck by Yu Mian’s boldness as an author.
He couldn’t even begin to imagine how explosive the comments section would be on the day of that mass update!
