It was clear that this artist had a particular fondness for Caesar, as the opening illustration featured an extremely exquisite solo illustration of him.
The background depicted a grand scene: a massive, dazzling crystal chandelier, elegantly dressed guests, and an abundance of flowers and fine wine, instantly drawing viewers into this luxurious and glamorous world.
But when it came to the tall figure in the center, holding a wine glass in his hand and slightly turning his body with a haughty look, Caesar was undeniably the focal point of the entire illustration.
His blonde hair gleamed under the lights, exuding an air of nobility. His deep-set eyes and slightly pursed lips conveyed a natural sense of detachment and power.
Even the details were rich and exquisite, and the jewel-like luster on the cuffs of the suit were painted vividly.
“Wow, this artist made Caesar look ridiculously handsome!”
Yu Mian couldn’t help but feel that the artist had maxed out the filter for Caesar, showcasing their deep admiration.
However, as he stared at the intricate details of the illustration, Yu Mian couldn’t shake the feeling that this was precisely how Caesar must have been before meeting Gu Bai—a man inherently arrogant and imperious, as though nothing could catch his eye.
“Pfft…”
But when Yu Mian turned the page, he unexpectedly discovered that the artist had also included a chibi-style drawing of Caesar!
In this chibi-style drawing, Caesar abandoned his previous cool and arrogant demeanor. Instead, he lay furiously and helplessly in his study, puffing out his cheeks as if he were about to throw off the small blanket covering him.
Above his head floated a bubble, and inside it was a chibi version of Gu Bai’s face.
This seemed to reference the scene in the novel where late at night, Caesar sulked over why his “wife” ignored him during the day—a moment that was both petty and hilarious.
“This is too cute.”
Yu Mian felt his heart melting.
Just looking at these exquisite and heartfelt illustrations, he could sense the artist’s deep affection for the characters through their masterful artistry.
‘Oh, right—what about Gu Bai?’
With growing anticipation, Yu Mian clicked to turn the page, and sure enough, the next illustration featured Gu Bai’s solo portrait.
This time, the composition and design were entirely different.
The artist chose to depict a scene where Gu Bai encountered a stray cat outside a hospital.
Dressed in a loose white jacket and radiating youthful energy, Gu Bai was shown crouching in front of a flowerbed, his gaze lowered as he gently extended his hand to stroke a stretching calico cat.
The calico cat with a scarred face that made it look somewhat fierce seemed to like Gu Bai.q It allowed his fingers to scratch its chin without resistance, appearing thoroughly content.
Gu Bai’s pose revealed the clean curve of his neck, the rounded earlobes, and his serene yet gentle features. These were details that, even with only half his face visible, conveyed a quiet charm brought to life through the character’s posture.
It felt as if, if you called out “Gu Bai”, the person in the illustration would immediately look up, smile at you, and softly ask what you needed.
“This is drawn so vividly.”
Yu Mian couldn’t help but sigh in admiration.
Sure enough, there was also a chibi-style drawing this time, depicting the moment when Gu Bai first wore a white suit and turned to ask Caesar in front of a mirror, “Does this look okay?”
In the illustration, Caesar was obviously so stunned his mind was about to short-circuit, but he pretended to be calm and composed, nodding with feigned indifference.
It gave off the impression that as soon as Gu Bai turned away, Caesar would start snapping pictures crazily with his light brain.
“Ha! Caesar, you tsundere!”
Yu Mian laughed out loud and went back to the first illustrations. Each one was so unexpectedly beautiful that he couldn’t stop marveling at them.
From the brushstrokes to the characters’ expressions, it was evident that this artist truly adored the many characters in “Contract Marriage”.
“Ah… though it seems not all of them.”
Because the illustrations of the supporting characters clearly showed the artist’s personal bias.
Whether it was the impeccable and gentlemanly second male supporting protagonist Roy, the refined elite doctor, or the puppy-like junior who played the violin and admired Gu Bai, their illustrations weren’t poorly drawn.
However, when compared to the meticulous details in Gu Bai and Caesar’s portraits, these supporting characters’ illustrations appeared formulaic, merely emphasizing their distinguishing traits with finely drawn accessories.
“Alright, alright, so this artist is clearly a Caesar x Gu Bai loyalist!”
Seeing this, Yu Mian didn’t even have to guess—he was certain the artist fully supported Caesar and Gu Bai.
As he turned to the final pages, there were even more character design sheets and various poses featuring Gu Bai and Caesar.
And at the very end was an extraordinarily grand dual portrait!
The illustration showed Gu Bai being led by Caesar, running hand in hand down the vast corridor of an old mansion’s banquet hall. In the distance, a grand New Year’s fireworks display cast a kaleidoscope of lights, making the scene look dreamlike.
[Crispy Shark: What do you think? Isn’t it amazing? We were all stunned when we received it. We’ve never seen novel illustrations this beautiful before!]
[And the last one was an extra gift from the artist!]
On the other end, editor Shax couldn’t hold back his excitement.
Ever since they received the final drafts of these illustrations, every editor who saw them was left in awe.
They couldn’t believe they’d never considered that novel illustrations could be this exquisite.
Especially with the adorable chibi-style drawings, they paired perfectly with the story, adding a touch of humor and delight to the reading experience.
[Fish: Ahh, I absolutely love them! These versions are perfect! There’s nothing to nitpick!!]
Yu Mian was beyond satisfied with this set of illustrations from Huanyu. He loved them so much that he wished he could print them out and place them next to the desk to admire every day!
[Crispy Shark: Great, it’s settled then. We’ll send you the sample book later. The editorial team has decided to use a few chibi-style drawings for some merchandise giveaways as part of the promotional activities!]
Seeing Yu Mian so happy, Shax also couldn’t help but feel great himself. It made him think that being an editor was truly a joyful profession.
He was determined to make “Contract Marriage” a smashing success!
[Fish: Uh… let me think about it. Can I contact you when I’m ready?]
However, Yu Mian felt a headache coming on at the thought of receiving a physical sample book.
After all, he was currently living inside an aquarium and couldn’t exactly fill out an address.
And if it were delivered, would it be possible to secretly stash it in the study?
That wasn’t entirely impossible, but how was he to retrieve it when it’s delivered? If it were sent to the front door of the old estate, it would definitely be discovered.
As he thought about how to handle this, Yu Mian returned to admiring the illustrations after Shax left. Since he had already finished writing the draft for tonight’s big update and put it in the draft box, he was free at the moment.
Just Caesar’s wine-themed banquet illustration alone made Yu Mian feel that this artist was good at drawing such gorgeous settings.
Whether it was a mysterious castle, a moonlit rose garden, a bloody Margaret scene, or aristocratic suits paired with crimson cloaks, this kind of luxurious style was undoubtedly their forte.
Truthfully, the vampire craze in Earth’s literary history wasn’t accidental. After all, the Blood Clan symbolized elegance, old money, mystery, and nobility.
How many readers could resist such allure?
But when he thought about how the Bart clan, which was so similar to the Blood Clan, had developed such a bizarre reputation, Yu Mian felt a pang of regret.
It was a complete waste of potential!
“If only I had the chance to see the Bart clan in the interstellar era firsthand.”
That way, the works he wrote would undoubtedly feel more vivid and realistic.
After all, gathering materials was always more effective when done in person.
Yu Mian reflected on all of this.
The real issue was that he didn’t want to reveal his true identity and couldn’t show up in person.
Otherwise, if he let Shax handle it, there was a real chance he could meet some members of the Bart clan.
It felt like such a missed opportunity.
[By the way, we’ve been accumulating mental power for a while now. Why don’t you try transforming legs? If there’s any extra power left after completing the task, you could use it to go outside and meet a Bart clan!]
The little system that had been accompanying Yu Mian spoke up, unable to ignore his regretful thoughts.
!?
“That’s right! This task could be the perfect chance to transform my legs!”
Yu Mian hadn’t expected the system to send him a pillow when he was feeling sleepy.
After all, he’d been procrastinating on this task for a while, and it seemed he’d have to complete it in the next few days.
‘Now that I have received royalties, at least this identity wasn’t completely destitute. If it’s certain that I can reliably transform my legs, I can seriously consider moving out!’
Once the thought crossed his mind, Yu Mian suddenly felt an urge to find an absolutely safe time to experiment.
Although he couldn’t contact his editor tonight, he guessed the other party would be tossing and turning all night.
Thinking of the upcoming update content, Yu Mian couldn’t help but curl his lips into a smile.
In fact, tonight’s update for “Contract Marriage” marked the climactic moment where the plot entered its “crematorium” arc.
In the updates during this period, ever since Caesar learned the truth behind the one million medical fees at the hospital, he couldn’t help but secretly visit the hospital frequently, trying his best to impress his mother-in-law and show his worth.
But every time he recalled overhearing the conversation outside the door where his mother-in-law asked Gu Bai how he managed to pay the medical fees, and Gu Bai didn’t even mention him…
Caesar would jolt awake in the middle of the night in his study, ruffling his blonde hair in frustration:
Why would Gu Bai hide their marriage from his mother-in-law?!
Did he embarrass him that much?!
This question was manageable if he didn’t think about it, but once he did, Caesar’s guilt and frustration only deepened.
Finally, Caesar realized that all this might stem from his statement to Gu Bai that the one million was merely payment for a service.
Could it be that because of his words, Gu Bai believed that he never intended to acknowledge his status as a partner?
Feeling wronged, Caesar clutched the blanket, glanced at the pair of wedding rings still sitting on his desk, and resolved:
He must propose to Gu Bai during his graduation performance and make it clear that he is the most legitimate partner!
While Caesar was curled up in bed, caught in a mix of heartbreak and sweet fantasies about his “wife”, Gu Bai remained calm, calculating the time left on their marriage contract.
During this time, Gu Bai had learned from the doctor that his mother’s condition had stabilized completely thanks to the special medication.
She could now wake up every day for a while to ask her son about his life.
“Actually, as long as we continue to monitor and treat her, I believe the chances of preventing the condition from worsening, or even improving, are very high,” Dr. Dekra said calmly, analyzing the report in his hands.
Because of his knowledge of Gu Bai’s situation, Dr. Dekra had a deep admiration and liking for this young man.
Having worked in the hospital for so many years, he had witnessed many cases where family relationships fell apart because of money.
It was for this reason that Gu Bai’s persistence impressed Dr. Dekra so much that he took the initiative to reduce his remuneration and took over the treatment plan for Gu Bai’s mother.
“Therefore, I think you shouldn’t give up on such a great opportunity. You should boldly pursue your dreams. Your mother would surely be happy for you,” Dr. Dekra encouraged.
Hearing this, Gu Bai couldn’t help but finally look at the notification email in his inbox.
Indeed, just as his graduation approached and the contract with Caesar neared its end, Gu Bai received an acceptance letter from the highest music school on the music holy land, August Star.
Moreover, in the recent updates, aside from Dr. Dekra’s encouragement and support, the junior who had long admired Gu Bai had also helped him significantly in his field of study.
As for Roy, who had appeared in earlier chapters, his family’s business holdings in hospitals made him particularly eager to assist once he learned of Gu Bai’s mother’s situation, solving many problems.
During this period of emotional stagnation between Caesar and Gu Bai, the male supporting characters stepped up, each playing significant roles in the plot.
This was precisely why the discussion about “changing the attack” became a heated topic among readers recently.
Even the little system, which occasionally kept up with the updates, couldn’t help but ask Yu Mian if Gu Bai might really end up with one of the supporting characters after the contract expired.
Yu Mian immediately dismissed the idea: “Impossible. They’re just friends!”
This instantly shattered the little system’s hopes, especially since it secretly supported Roy as the new attack. It experienced its first taste of heartbreak from choosing the wrong side.
Having endured the stormy “crematorium” dramas of the 21st century, Yu Mian was confident: no way would there be a change in the attack.
Not in this lifetime!
Readers might clamour for a switch, but the moment an author believed it and actually did it, subscriptions would plummet.
As for the silent majority of readers, they would immediately lash out, possibly going as far as threatening the author for changing the attack.
Ultimately, those clamouring for a change didn’t really want it. They just wanted to see Caesar grovel in regret, burning in the flames of the crematorium arc.
The deeper the hate, the deeper the love—it wasn’t just a saying.
Besides, a real change in the attack would shift the entire subject matter from “chasing wife to the crematorium” to a story of “rebirth, abusing the scumbag and slapping his face”, requiring a completely different writing style.
So when the plot reached a point where even the little system had taken sides, Yu Mian knew it was time to boost Caesar’s popularity again.
Otherwise, if readers hated him too much and the crematorium arc failed to redeem him, the story would have a serious problem.
Thus, as interstellar readers eagerly awaited a change in the attack, Yu Mian, who had gone to complete the task, left them with a delightful 6:00 AM update from the draft box!
Among them was Kane, whose emotions were especially complex during this time.
Despite his internal struggle, the moment his light brain showed an “update notification” he clicked into the cursed novel that had tormented him.
After all, he’d come this far into the book—how could he not stay to see their divorce at the end of the contract?
He had to justify the flood of bizarre comments overwhelming his StarBlog!
Kane, who finally found a reason to keep up with the latest news, swore in his heart that he would stop reading after the two of them agreed to divorce and would never read this accursed novel again.
[[However, for Gu Bai, who loved music, this precious acceptance letter was indeed of utmost importance.
But to leave the central star to study, what he couldn’t let go of—was it his mother, or someone else…
For a moment, Gu Bai was a bit lost.
“You must accept this invitation, child. If you give it up because of me, even if I recover, I will feel guilty for the rest of my life. Your mother is not that fragile, I don’t need you by my side every moment!”
All his hesitation and confusion gradually found an answer as his mother firmly made her request.
Although she was too weak to get out of bed, when it came to matters concerning Gu Bai’s future, his mother hoped he wouldn’t let her hold him back.
“Besides, that friend of yours often comes to see me. He even brings lots of fruit and gifts. That young man is really nice.”
Gu Bai’s mother smiled as she mentioned Caesar.
“Hm? My friend?”
Gu Bai was momentarily confused as this was the first time he had heard of this.
“Yes, a young man with blonde hair. Very polite and considerate. He even peels apples for me and thoughtfully fetches things.”
His mother became increasingly pleased as she described Caesar, her face glowing with satisfaction as she looked at Gu Bai.]]
“Ah… could this hateful author be planning to use this to make Gu Bai stay!?”
While Kane eagerly anticipated the divorce but also felt reluctant to see it happen so soon, his emotions became strangely conflicted as he read on.
In fact, Caesar’s silent care for Gu Bai’s mother had indeed won over a good portion of the readers.
Many staunch supporters of the main couple eagerly hoped that Gu Bai would discover Caesar’s efforts of secretly taking care of his mother, as it would surely brush up on his favorability!
Kane was originally one of these readers as well.
But now, with Gu Bai having just received a new career opportunity and preparing to step onto a broader stage, what if that bastard Caesar softened Gu Bai’s resolve and made him give up his dream!?
Could it be that the author intended to whitewash Caesar at this critical moment!?
Thus, not only Kane, who supported the main CP, but also readers who supported other male supporting characters believed this was the author blatantly showing favoritism and giving Caesar, the “main son”, a cheat code!
No way!
Absolutely not! We refuse to accept such a forced whitewashing arc!
Just as Kane and countless interstellar readers braced themselves, determined to resist the author’s obvious attempt to whitewash Caesar, the next plot twist completely took them by surprise!
[[“A blonde man who said he’s a friend of mine? Didn’t he tell you his name?”
Gu Bai hesitated, looking at his mother.
“Yes, such a gentlemanly young man. I told him not to bring anything, but he insisted on bringing gifts. However, he never mentioned his name and always left in a hurry.”
His mother recalled the events, finally realizing that Caesar had never introduced himself.
In fact, this was because every time Caesar intended to introduce himself, he felt unwilling.
Caesar had imagined making up for it all with a formal proposal at the graduation ceremony. Then he could return hand-in-hand with Gu Bai and formally introduce himself to his future mother-in-law!
Yes, Caesar’s plans sounded great, but the key plot didn’t unfold that way at all!
Although Gu Bai initially thought of Caesar, he immediately dismissed the thought—the string of adjectives like gentle, polite, enthusiastic and gentlemanly would never have anything to do with Caesar in this life!
Moreover, Gu Bai had never shared this with Caesar. On the contrary, it was Roy who once accidentally saw the medical report in his hands and, mistaking it for his illness, learned about Gu Bai’s mother’s situation.
“So, it was Roy…”
Unexpectedly, Roy had tracked down his mother’s information and silently brought all those gifts.
For a moment, Gu Bai’s heart was a mix of emotions.]]
“Ah? Ah???”
At this point in the plot, Kane was left dumbfounded, clutching his light brain tightly.
Even readers who previously resisted the author’s attempt to whitewash Caesar were shocked and confused by this unpredictable development.
The words of protest that had been ready to spill from their lips suddenly found no ground to stand on.
After all, who would have thought the story would take this turn?
Instead of whitewashing Caesar, the author had Gu Bai misunderstand that everything Caesar had done was actually Roy’s effort.
Could it be that everyone had misjudged the author and this was truly heading toward a change of attack?
Was Caesar about to lose his throne!?
[Ah? Although I’ve been scolding Caesar in recent chapters, this is just too unfair! He clearly did all these good things!]
[That’s right, Gu Bai, my dear, wake up—though Caesar is indeed a bastard, he really did care for your mom!]
[As a Roy fan, even I’m confused. This unearned glory feels so uncomfortable qwq]
Despite the flood of criticism against Caesar in recent chapters, readers undoubtedly still had a soft spot for him as the protagonist.
As a result, when Caesar did some good deeds but his efforts were mistakenly credited to Roy, a male supporting character, interstellar readers couldn’t remain calm!
Some even started believing the author was really preparing to change the attack.
It could be said that this special whitewashing technique of retreating to advance from the Earth’s wife-chasing crematorium novels had completely confused the interstellar readers.
For the fans of the Caesar-Gu Bai CP, this development delivered an unrelenting emotional blow!
As for the fans of the main CP who had always firmly supported Caesar’s status as the main husband, it was the first time that they experienced the unforgettable feeling of being severely abused by the author!
After all, how could the plot progress in such a way!?
This was completely unfair to our Caesar—!
Protest! We must seriously protest!
