Substitute Girlfriend Contract (GL) - Chapter 5

It was a general manager, not a CEO.

Tao Anyu couldn’t really tell the difference, so when she was in the car, she used her phone to look it up. Only then did she realize that a general manager’s position was lower than a CEO’s. She had always thought they were the same thing. A CEO could manage many general managers. For example, a CEO could own three companies, with each company having a general manager, and the CEO would be the boss of all three general managers!

Sigh… Tao Anyu leaned back in her seat, letting out a sigh. Why is it only a general manager and not a CEO? A CEO surely made more money than a general manager! She counted on her fingers. A hundred thousand a month was 1.2 million a year. Plus other fees and bonuses, that would be several million, right? Would a general manager have enough money? Would giving her a salary halfway through make her go bankrupt?

And… this general manager was a woman, and one with extremely tacky and low-class taste. While Tao Anyu was full of questions and worries about how she was found immediately after her fake death and “rebirth,” the thought of her coveted 1.2 million yuan annual salary filled her with hope for the future.

The car drove further and further away from the city. A moment ago, there were still small houses along the road, but now they were gone, replaced by more and more trees, as if they were heading into a forest.

While a good ecological environment was a good thing, there was no need to return to the primitive lifestyle of a wild person, right? So—

“So, Mr. Kong, where are we going now?” Tao Anyu pressed her face to the car window, watching the dense trees fly by. It was almost completely dark, and to be honest, her heart was a little uneasy about going out with a stranger so late.

Mr. Kong, who was driving in the front, said, “We are going to the Demon’s Castle.”

Pfffft—

Tao Anyu could bet that if she had a mouthful of water right now, she would have spit it out with a very respectable range.

The Demon’s Castle? Weren’t they going to their general manager’s house to talk about a contract? Why did it become an emo-themed event venue? Could it be…

“My boss’s villa is named the Demon’s Castle.”

Tao Anyu’s expression at that moment was very similar to that of a monkey—totally done with everything, feeling that there was no point in living.

Oh my God, your boss has such sophisticated taste!

“How much longer until we get there?” she asked.

Mr. Kong turned the steering wheel. “Not long from now.”

Bored, Tao Anyu took out her phone to play a game of Snake. She ate a few dots, and her body grew so long that she bit herself and died. Then she switched to a game of *Sokoban, but in a short while, she boxed herself into a corner…

(*Sokoban is a puzzle video game where the player pushes boxes around, trying to get them to specific locations.)

Tao Anyu stared blankly at her phone. Something feels off today. This is a bad omen…

When they arrived at the villa, Tao Anyu immediately understood why it was called the Demon’s Castle. She could understand using jack-o’-lanterns to create a spooky atmosphere, but what was the deal with the pigtails made of fake hair on top of their heads? Was she trying to be funny?

“Miss Tao, this way please.” Mr. Kong bowed and gestured with his arm.

“Oh, okay,” Tao Anyu said, looking away and following Mr. Kong. They crossed a bridge. The bridge was transparent, and from it, you could see the water below. But what was under the bridge wasn’t a river, but a winding swimming pool surrounding the three-story house. The stone walls were covered in deep blue tiles, and every so often, a purple underwater light would glow.

Mr. Kong saw her staring intently at what was under the bridge and assumed she liked it. “Everything here was personally designed by the general manager.”

“Your general manager is very imaginative and creative,” Tao Anyu said, forcing a smile.

Mr. Kong smiled back at her.

After the bridge was a field of wheat that surrounded the house. Next to the lamp post by the door stood a scarecrow. A closer look revealed what looked like bl00d on its mouth. Tao Anyu had a strong urge to reach out and touch it to see if it was ketchup.

Tsk, rich people sure love to be extra! But is it too much to ask for some taste in what you’re doing?

Tao Anyu was suddenly a little worried. She wondered if the person she was about to meet was a “boss” who was in her twenties or thirties but was still immature and had terrible taste.

No, that can’t be right. If she were like that, how did she become a boss? Through connections? Oh, her parents must be so sad to have a child with a brain-damaged child…

“Amitābha.” Tao Anyu put her hands together and bowed slightly toward the door before entering.

Mr. Kong gave her a strange look but didn’t say anything. He pressed the electronic intercom by the door. The screen came on, and after a maid glanced at them, the door opened. When Tao Anyu stepped inside, she saw two maids, each with pointed horns and a devil’s tail, waiting for them with great respect.

Tao Anyu’s mouth twitched. Oh my God, am I going to have to dress like this, too?

The two demon maids were stunned when they saw Tao Anyu. They bowed to her and then turned around. “Miss Tao, please follow us.”

Mr. Kong said, “This is as far as I’ll take you.” He handed her a briefcase. “All the contract documents are inside. Please take good care of them. Goodbye.”

“Goodbye,” Tao Anyu waved.

She followed the two demon maids into the main hall. The marble floor was polished to a brilliant shine, and in the center was a hexagonal white marble fountain. On one side stood four golden-looking sculptures of Western-style dragons with wings. She didn’t know if they were actually gilded.

One of the maids knelt on one knee. “Master, the person has been brought in.”

Tao Anyu was startled. Master? Who was she talking to? A chill went down her spine, and she looked up into the darkness above the stairs, goosebumps forming on her arms.

A low voice came from the darkness. “Turn on the lights.”

The maid quickly turned on the lights, and the large crystal chandelier on the ceiling lit up with a flash. The entire hall was instantly bathed in light. Tao Anyu raised a hand to shield her eyes, only putting it down after she had fully adjusted to the bright light.

Clack, clack, clack.

The sound of high heels clacking against the smooth floor echoed throughout the empty hall, reverberating from all directions and making a person’s heart feel vaguely uneasy.

“Heh ha.” The owner of the high heels let out a light laugh. She was a head taller than Tao Anyu. Standing in front of her, she was like a barrier, casting Tao Anyu in her shadow.

Suddenly, the person, as if boneless, lunged onto her. Tao Anyu was startled and took several steps back to steady her.

Then, the person placed a hand on her face, tilted her head up, and blew a breath toward her. Tao Anyu nervously looked down at her. Her features were distinct, her light golden eyes had a hidden glimmer, her nose was high, her hair was slightly curly, and her pale cheeks were flushed.

Tao Anyu held her breath without realizing it.

“You’ve arrived,” the person said. She was wearing a long, fringed red cape, like a medieval Roman pope in a painting. She was half-crouched and half-draped over Tao Anyu, one hand caressing her cheek and the other wrapped around her neck.

She looked at Tao Anyu with a deep gaze, then lowered her eyelids, her eyes suddenly darkening. She abruptly embraced Tao Anyu’s head, kissed her hard, and pushed her to the ground, trapping her between herself and the floor.