In Neon, Gu Sheng was speeding ahead, presiding over the development of the Silent Hill PT project.

Meanwhile, back home, Shen Miaomiao was just as busy.

Yes.

Ever since Gu Sheng flew to Neon, the true helm of Golden Wind had become Shen Miaomiao.

It sounded strange for a company’s CEO to become the actual leader only after the chief director left.

But that was exactly the situation at Golden Wind.

And as Shen Miaomiao took the helm, she gradually realized one truth—

This family simply couldn’t do without Old Gu!!!

“Regarding the company’s external matters—”

“In addition, Left 4 Dead and Phasmophobia, as flagship games on the motion-sensing pod platform, will also participate in this promotion.”

“They need your confirmation on whether to hold a dedicated event, whether to join the promotion, and the range of promotion intensity.”

“Regarding internal matters—”

“The sales summary for Titanfall in the second quarter is ready for your review.”

“The official PVP server launched last quarter for Left 4 Dead has been well received by players. The operations department plans to hold an official event. The event format and planning proposal need your approval.”

“Feedback and reputation for the APEX project continue to rise. Shark Streaming Platform contacted us, wanting to organize a streamer challenge event, requiring your confirmation.”

“The PUBG project’s new season update has also introduced a pass system, along with a new map and new mode. This also requires your confirmation...”

Listening to Chu Qingzhou’s report, Shen Miaomiao felt her head buzzing!

What kind of life did Old Gu have before?

From the moment I open my eyes in the morning, it’s been nothing but work, work, work.

How is it already 3:30 p.m., and there’s still so much work waiting for me?

I’m running around east and west like a revolutionary brick—moving wherever needed.

But after patching up one problem after another, I’m spinning like a little top, and the workload isn’t getting any lighter.

Why the hell is it only increasing?!

I really am not cut out to be a boss.

Sorry, Comrade Lao Shen, I’ve let you down. This is just how it is at home—hero’s daughter, bear’s character.

If I had even a shred of filial piety, the best I could do would be to find you a capable son-in-law.

I’m done for—I’m destined to be a salted fish. I’m finished.

Thinking this, Shen Miaomiao painfully waved her hand, signaling Chu Qingzhou to stop. This workload was more suffocating than the tightening curse:

“Take a break, Sister Chuchu, I need to rest a bit...”

Seeing Shen Miaomiao’s pale face, Chu Qingzhou was startled: “Miaomiao, are you okay?”

“I’m fine, just tired...”

Taking the water Chu Qingzhou handed her, Shen Miaomiao took a sip and then leaned over her desk, looking pitiful:

“Sister Chuchu, do you think Old Gu is this exhausted every day too?”

“Well... judging from the workload, probably yes,”

Chu Qingzhou thought for a moment:

“But Director Gu knows the game market and related industries very well, so handling these things should be much smoother for him.”

“Sigh—”

Shen Miaomiao sighed:

“That’s true.”

Seeing Shen Miaomiao’s state, Chu Qingzhou chuckled softly.

With a sly look, she teased, “What? Missing Director Gu?”

“Of... course!”

Shen Miaomiao stammered, twisting her shoulders awkwardly:

“If Old Gu were here, these tasks would’ve been cleared before reaching me. He’s the backbone of the company. I... I really want him to come back soon and share the burden!”

“Hmm?”

Chu Qingzhou hummed ambiguously, raising an eyebrow:

“Just missing him for work-related stuff?”

Shen Miaomiao’s once pale face suddenly flushed pink. She turned her head, giving Chu Qingzhou a look with the back of her head: “What... else could there be?”

“How would I know? That’s for you to figure out, Miss.”

Chu Qingzhou left a hinting chuckle and then stopped teasing her. She stood up:

“All right, think about it for a while. I’ll send you the pending items later. Remember to handle them.”

“Okay...”

Shen Miaomiao replied weakly, raising her hand to wave.

Then, with a click, the office door closed as Chu Qingzhou left.

Sigh—

Shen Miaomiao forced herself up from the desk, feeling soreness in her shoulders and neck.

If only I had known, I should’ve gotten a massager for myself when I bought one for Old Gu.

Muttering this, she unlocked her phone, opened WeChat, and tapped into her chat with Gu Sheng.

There, she saw a string of video call records—every day, from the initial ten minutes to twenty minutes, then to an hour.

The chat background was the photo from the day Gu Sheng fell asleep on the sofa at the Bogley Hotel, with her making a funny face beside him.

Shen Miaomiao smiled as she looked at it.

Unfortunately, although she had known Old Gu for so long, even sharing a rental for some time, they only had that one photo together.

Thinking this, Shen Miaomiao clicked her tongue.

Maybe I should buy a Polaroid camera?

Then when we travel together, we can take more photos.

Yeah.

She nodded.

Once Old Gu returns, I’ll buy one.

Just as she thought this—

Her phone vibrated suddenly.

A strange yet familiar name popped up—

[Yuki: How have you been lately, Miaomiao?]

It was Kamikawa Yuki!

Back in Shen Miaomiao’s sophomore year, Yuki had come to Jinling University as a Waseda University exchange student.

By coincidence, Miaomiao’s dorm room only had three residents, so it wasn’t full.

Thus, the exchange student Yuki became Shen Miaomiao’s roommate.

Yuki was a year older, and the two quickly became close friends, sharing almost everything.

However, since Yuki’s study abroad lasted only one semester, after six months, she returned to Neon.

Gradually, as both girls became busy with their own academic lives, their contact lessened.

Shen Miaomiao scrolled up the chat history and found their last conversation was three years ago!

Now, Yuki’s sudden message clearly stirred old memories, making Shen Miaomiao’s eyes light up—

[Meow Meow: Long time no see, Yuki! I’m doing okay. How about you? Everything going well in Neon?]

Originally!

Shen Miaomiao just wanted to catch up and chat a bit.

But!

Yuki, the straightforward half-breed princess, had no intention of small talk!

She immediately sent a voice message barrage!

“‘Doing okay’... doesn’t that mean ‘not very good’ in Chinese?”

“But aren’t you Director Gu’s little wife?!”

“Married to such a charming gentleman, and you’re only ‘doing okay’?”

“Or is it because Director Gu’s long business trips have made you lovesick, dear?!”

Shen Miaomiao: ???

Wife? Director Gu? Lovesick?

Nonsense! Yuki, you’re talking pure nonsense!

Shen Miaomiao shot upright, her heart pounding wildly!

What’s going on?

Is Director Gu Old Gu?

Is Yuki working at Komera now?

How did I become Director Gu’s little wife?

“Uh... I... ah?”

Shen Miaomiao held her phone, sending a voice message:

“The Director Gu you’re talking about... is that Gu Sheng? Sam?”

“Of course!”

Yuki, far away in Neon, replied:

“Although it’s a bit rude, I accidentally saw your photo with Director Gu. You really are happy now...”

As she spoke, Shen Miaomiao’s phone vibrated, and a picture was sent.

It was the candid shot of her leaning on Gu Sheng’s shoulder!

Her pupils trembled!

“Where... where did you see this?”

Now she was certain: Director Gu was Old Gu, and Yuki was working in his group!

“Oh, it was in a wallet compartment of Director Gu’s,”

Yuki’s voice message came through:

“He gave me his wallet so I could go buy some things.”

Snap!

A thunderbolt struck Shen Miaomiao’s head!

Old Gu actually gave his wallet to Yuki!

At this moment, Shen Miaomiao imagined the scene—

Yuki fluttering her eyelashes: “Director~ I’m feeling a bit down today~”

Gu Sheng with a domineering smile, handing her the wallet: “Can’t help you little demon. Swipe my card and buy a few bags to cheer up.”

The soundtrack in Shen Miaomiao’s head played:

For all the pain in love, for all the wounds in hate...

Just as she was imagining this, Yuki’s voice message came again:

“I also brought a cup of tea for Director Gu. I just happened to see it, hope I didn’t offend you, Miaomiao?”

...Sorry, I got carried away with the imagination.

Shen Miaomiao stuck out her tongue and hurriedly said:

“Uh... it’s not what you think. We’re not married. We haven’t even started officially dating...”

“...Well, that’s a long story. Are you free to talk on the phone now?”

Girls’ phone calls always went on forever.

Especially for longtime friends like Yuki and Shen Miaomiao, there were so many things to share.

Meanwhile, sitting at his cubicle, Gu Sheng was thinking:

Where’s my tea?

Where did Yuki go to buy tea?

Did she run off with my money?

My wallet doesn’t have that much anyway.

Why hasn’t she come back?

So thirsty...

As days passed, the weather grew colder.

But the Neon game market was heating up, becoming livelier.

In half a month, it would be the annual Neon Higashitsu International Gaming Festival.

All major participating game companies were growing restless, starting their promotional campaigns.

Among them, Komera, the largest comprehensive digital entertainment company in Neon, was the strongest local presence.

As one of the biggest exhibitors at Higashitsu Festival, Komera’s every move attracted media attention.

Now, Komera had also begun its own promotional marketing.

Almost everywhere in Neon’s game market, Komera’s games were omnipresent.

Among these games, only two stood out!

The first was “Yakuza Frenzy,” led by Komera’s famed producer Yamamoto Tsunashiro.

This was a story-driven AAA single-player title combining shooting and racing, with a development budget exceeding 100 million dollars.

Yes, just the development cost alone was 100 million dollars.

Normally, marketing costs matched or even exceeded development costs.

So, conservatively, the total cost of “Yakuza Frenzy” would be about 200 million dollars.

That made sense.

A game merging two popular motion-sensing pod genres—shooting and racing—plus Neon’s unique Yakuza elements, led by Yamamoto Tsunashiro, a two-era veteran of Komera with an outstanding record, the company’s top general.

It was only natural he secured such rich budgets and resources.

As for the other highly anticipated game!

It was “Silent Hill,” led by special invited chief director Gu Sheng.

Its attention came from simple reasons—

First, it was Komera’s comeback after consecutive losses in the horror game market, aiming to reclaim that space!

Second, the hype was enormous—Komera even called it “the most insurmountable benchmark in horror game history”!

Lastly, this hype was fueled by Gu Sheng himself.

Last time, he bragged about “the greatest level design in gaming history.”

That was for Titanfall.

The time before that, he claimed to “make shooting games great again.”

That was for the second-generation FPS foundation.

And now!

Gu Sheng was once again helming a psychological horror title.

Following Phasmophobia, this was another psychological horror work.

According to him, “Silent Hill” surpassed Phasmophobia far in both conception and terror.

“Silent Hill is, in my mind, the most standard and top-tier psychological horror work.”

Looking at gaming history, no mature game developer had ever publicly made such extravagant claims about their own game!

It was crazy!

Crazy enough that only a lunatic outsider would say such things!

But ironically!

Gu Sheng was a professional game designer!

Even more absurdly, he had achieved numerous astonishing accomplishments!

Thus!

His bragging turned into real prowess.

Although Komera hadn’t given much promotional support to “Silent Hill,” media, players, and peers were highly attentive and expectant!

Almost rivaling the heavily promoted “Yakuza Frenzy”!

This stirred some discomfort in Yamamoto Tsunashiro.

You see!

“Yakuza Frenzy” enjoyed the perfect timing, location, and people. It covered two hot game types, had ample talent and money, and huge marketing campaigns—hence its current hype!

But “Silent Hill” was just a niche horror game, yet had such high heat, nearly matching the flagship title!

Most importantly, Gu Sheng hadn’t even used the second-generation FPS style or Titanfall’s level design concepts to compete with “Yakuza Frenzy.”

This made Yamamoto even more uneasy.

It felt like both of them were senior language teachers preparing their final public lectures to compete for the annual best teacher award.

Yamamoto devoted himself, working overnight to prepare a language class that earned applause from leaders and praise from students.

But Gu Sheng casually gave a health education class and still won full marks!

You’re not even a main subject teacher, nor specialized in health education!

How is that fair?!

Yamamoto was deeply resentful.

Mixed in with that resentment was intense jealousy.

Fortunately,

Gu Sheng was only a “special invited teacher,” not a regular employee.

This gave Yamamoto plenty of room to maneuver...

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com