Qiao Shu really slipped.
Wait, no, it was the original host who slipped.
When Qiao Shu woke up after being run over by a truck, he found himself lying on a pristine white hospital bed. Jiang Jiayu sat by his side, holding his hand, his eyes watery and red.
He exuded an aura of sadness and self-blame.
Perhaps it was a stroke of luck that the transmigration deity had given Qiao Shu a hint, letting him know that he had entered a novel. Coincidentally, it was the same novel he had read the night before, so he didn’t feel completely disoriented.
Qiao Shu realized that his head injury wasn’t due to saving Jiang Jiayu; it was just an unfortunate slip.
At this point in time, the original host had already developed jealousy towards Jiang Jiayu. He had accidentally discovered that Zhou Tongtong had bribed someone from the props team to harm Jiang Jiayu. Instead of warning him, he chose to remain silent.
But the original host’s luck took a turn for the worse.
During an indoor shoot, he slipped and accidentally knocked Jiang Jiayu over. Just then, a lighting fixture fell from above, unexpectedly shielding Jiang Jiayu from this man-made disaster.
Touched, Jiang Jiayu hugged Qiao Shu, his voice choked with emotion. He nuzzled his head against his shoulder. “Even if you slipped, Qiao Qiao, you saved me. Originally, they wanted to harm me.”
“You’re my lifesaver.”
Qiao Shu chuckled.
Well, he wouldn’t dwell on this with Jiang Jiayu. After all, he wouldn’t use his kindness and trust against him in the future.
With a playful expression, Qiao Shu pushed Jiang Jiayu’s head away from his shoulder. “You clingy spirit, don’t stick to me. I still need to drink my soup.”
Jiang Jiayu sniffled. “Heartless Qiao Qiao, ruining my moment with soup.”
He leaned over and asked, “Is it really that delicious?”
Qiao Shu grinned mischievously and handed over the thermos. “Try it for yourself, and you’ll know.”
Jiang Jiayu immediately recoiled, covering his mouth in horror. “No way.”
Qiao Shu burst into laughter.
The protagonist really despises Pig Brain Soup.
Qiao Shu wondered how he could endure his own discomfort and still make pig brain soup for him.
But thinking about it, he felt warm inside.
Seeing Qiao Shu laugh, Jiang Jiayu responded, “Alright, Qiao Qiao.”
Qiao Shu stood his ground. “Don’t you want to taste what you’ve cooked?”
Jiang Jiayu grumbled, “You know I hate pig brain soup. It’s so mushy.”
He muttered, “If it weren’t for you needing to reciprocate, I wouldn’t want to see it.”
After some playful banter, Jiang Jiayu got serious. “Qiao Qiao, Director Zhu said you only have a week to recover. The production schedule is tight, and they can’t wait too long for you.”
He worriedly reached out to touch the bandage on Qiao Shu’s head, then hesitated, afraid of causing him pain. “Can you really recover within a week? It’s a shame if you miss the filming.”
Their luck was good—they had joined Director Zhu and Chu, the leading actor. Even with just a few episodes, this would be a brilliant experience for the two newcomers, a fantastic start.
Qiao Shu paused mid-sip.
He assured him, “Don’t worry. The doctor said the injury wasn’t severe. I’ll definitely be discharged and back on set within a week.”
It’s strange to say.
In the novel, the original host suffered a severe head injury when it was hit. Not only did they need stitches, but they also experienced mild concussion.
Due to the seriousness of the injury, the original host’s role was eventually replaced by someone else, leading to further psychological distortion.
However, in Qiao Shu’s case, he only had a minor scalp wound and a bit of bleeding at the back of his head. There was no sign of concussion whatsoever.
Perhaps this was one of the perks bestowed upon him by the transmigration deity for saving someone at the cost of his own life.
After finishing his soup, Qiao Shu set down the thermos. “Yu Yu, later, when you return to the set, could you find my script and have it delivered to me? I’ll be in the hospital for a few days, which gives me time to think more about it and strive to perform better when I get back to the crew.”
Jiang Jiayu readily agreed, “Of course, leave it to me, Qiao Qiao.”
Meanwhile…
Mr. Mummy, also known as Gu Chenyan, sat in a wheelchair, escorted back to his room by an assistant.
His room was located on the top floor of the hospital, a luxurious VIP suite with all the amenities. It was several levels above Qiao Shu’s simple single room.
He entered the hospital room.
Gu Chenyan lightly tapped the armrest of his wheelchair with his index finger. “Did Gu Yan take action?”
Assistant Chen Wenyuan respectfully replied, “Yes, in the past few days, Young Master Gu secretly contacted several shareholders, made some moves, and even promoted a few people. Today, he entered your office and threatened me, demanding your computer password.”
“I didn’t give it.”
Gu Chenyan’s gaze remained steady. “Continue.”
Chen Wenyuan continued, “Shortly after he left in anger, our people received information. They traced Gu Yan’s actions to several detective agencies. They’re intensifying their efforts to find your fiancée1this term is meant for women. They thought the one to be married to Gu Chenyan would be a woman, as it was the norm as soon as possible.”
Gu Chenyan’s eyes grew colder.
Gu Yan was the son of Gu Chenyan’s late brother. He was currently twenty-four years old, eight years younger than his uncle.
Gu Chenyan’s brother had passed away early, leaving Gu Yan at the tender age of eight. Young Gu Chenyan and their grandfather had raised him.
Among the numerous elite families in Haicheng, the Gu family was originally a relatively well-known one. However, after Gu Chenyan took over, he elevated the Gu Group’s status with absolute capability and a strong hand.
And now, it had been a total of ten years.
The Gu family had become one of Haicheng’s top-tier elite families.
The Gu family valued competence, which was why, when their grandfather passed away two years ago, he had given most of the shares to Gu Chenyan. Only ten percent remained, with five percent going to Gu Yan.
This was no small amount.
When Gu Chenyan initially took over the Gu Group, he held only a five percent stake. The shares he currently possesses are the result of his own abilities and efforts.
If Gu Yan were capable, Gu Chenyan wouldn’t hesitate to allocate more shares to him in the future and grant him greater authority.
This principle applied to everyone in the Gu family: if you wanted more, you had to rely on yourself.
However, Gu Yan took a different path.
Gu Chenyan had intended to nurture Gu Yan, but his nephew lacked natural aptitude in this area and didn’t put in enough effort. He couldn’t handle significant projects responsibly.
Unable to secure important positions within the company or lead critical projects, Gu Yan grew resentful of Gu Chenyan. He believed that as the sole heir of the Gu family’s younger generation, he received too little. Gu Yan thought Gu Chenyan deliberately suppressed him, aiming to monopolize all of the Gu Group’s assets.
Internally, he seethed with frustration, but outwardly, he maintained a facade of obedience. A week ago, he could no longer hide his malicious intentions. Taking advantage of Gu Chenyan’s trust, he tampered with something in Gu Chenyan’s car.
Soon after, Gu Chenyan was admitted to the hospital.
Seizing the opportunity, Gu Yan made subtle moves within the Gu Group, attempting to consolidate power.
As for Gu Yan instructing detectives to find Gu Chenyan’s fiancée, it was because Gu Chenyan’s late father’s will stipulated that five percent of the shares belonged to Gu Chenyan’s unseen and unknown fiancée.
Decades ago, Gu Chenyan’s father had a close relationship with another man. When both were still unmarried, they arranged an engagement for their yet-to-be-born children, intending to become in-laws.
However, circumstances changed, and the two families lost touch.
Over the years, Gu Chenyan’s father had been unable to locate the other party.
Until his passing, Father Gu remained concerned about the other party. He asked Gu Chenyan to help him find someone.
In his final moments, Father Gu told Gu Chenyan: If you find the Qiao family, and if their child is already married or there’s too great an age difference, that share of the company won’t count. It will belong to you, but you must provide a sum of money to ensure the Qiao family’s child lives comfortably.
However, if the Qiao family’s child is of suitable age and unmarried, Gu Chenyan must fulfill the promise and marry them. If the other party refuses or doesn’t find Gu Chenyan appealing, the share handling remains the same.
Gu Yan’s intention in searching for Gu Chenyan’s fiancée was to gain control over the shares.
He wanted to acquire more shares and, in conjunction with several ousted shareholders, use Gu Chenyan’s injury and hospitalization period to sideline him completely and take full control of the Gu Group.
Gu Chenyan stood up from the wheelchair.
The white bandages wrapped around his body didn’t hinder his movements. As he rose, his legs remained straight and powerful. His towering height of nearly six feet exuded an imposing presence.
His actions were unaffected, showing no signs of weakness or serious injury from the bandages. He moved as if nothing were amiss, maintaining his usual dignity. The tightly wrapped bandages didn’t diminish his inherent strength.
Taking a couple of steps forward, he turned to Chen Wenyuan. “We don’t need to worry about the company for now.”
“Chen Wenyuan.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Find the Qiao family as soon as possible.”
“Yes, sir. We’ll expedite our efforts and prevent Young Master Gu from contacting the other party.”
“Understood.”
As for the company, even with Gu Yan’s abilities, he couldn’t control a single fraction of the Gu Group, even while Gu Chenyan was in the hospital.
Gu Chenyan’s cooperation in acting was merely a means to deal with those restless individuals within the company.
Chen Wenyuan left promptly.
Gu Chenyan stood still for a moment, then turned and walked toward the sunny balcony. He stood there, observing the bright sunlight and the ant-sized people moving below.
The sharp, cold gaze gradually faded.
A cool breeze swept by.
The striped hospital gown on Gu Chenyan’s body swayed slightly.
His tall figure seemed oddly mismatched with a sense of desolate loneliness on the balcony.
But within seconds, that emotion dissipated completely, leaving no trace.
Gu Chenyan remained the powerful and self-assured leader of the Gu Group. It was as if the emotions he had just experienced were mere illusions.
Warm sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating Gu Chenyan. He raised his hand, lowering his head to observe the sunlight in his palm.
“All set.”
Suddenly, a brilliant smile bloomed on his face. That smile, like the sunlight, exuded warmth.
Gu Chenyan’s fingers twitched slightly, then he lowered his hand and turned back to his hospital room.
⌈Weekend chapter: 0⌋
