Chapter 20

Gu Ziyu still wanted to watch the fireworks display, but when Lu Zhiyuan left, he lost interest. He suggested that Gu Ci go home and order takeout.

Gu Ci chuckled softly and said, “You’ve been bantering with Dad all day long, so why does your enthusiasm fade as soon as he’s gone?”

“He doesn’t like me!” Gu Ziyu complained.

Gu Ci laughed and tousled Gu Ziyu’s hair. “Lu Zhiyuan has been pampered since childhood, surrounded by admirers. He’s become quite arrogant and carefree. If he truly disliked you, he wouldn’t even bother talking to you.”

Lu Zhiyuan has been teasing her for over a decade.

Gu Ziyu pursed his lips, appearing somewhat nonchalant, and Gu Ci didn’t say much either. She took him to the amusement park, and as Gu Ci drove out of the parking lot, she spotted Lu Zhiyuan standing by the roadside. He stood out in the crowd, easily distinguishable.

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Gu Ci stopped the car next to him. As the lanterns lit up, a layer of darkness enveloped Lu Zhiyuan. He wore a mask, and within his always affectionate peach blossom eyes, there was a hint of cool moonlight and a touch of deep, cold depths.

“Lu Zhiyuan, hasn’t Li Jiang arrived yet?” Gu Ci asked.

Lu Zhiyuan looked at her, nodded coldly, and remained silent. Gu Ci said, “Ziyu said he doesn’t want to eat outside. Let’s go home. If you want, you can get in the car and let Li Jiang turn around.”

Lu Zhiyuan’s voice was deep and icy, succinctly saying, “No need.”

Gu Ci looked at him with confusion. What had troubled him so much that he became so distant and cold? Li Jiang’s car slowly approached, and upon seeing Gu Ci conversing with Lu Zhiyuan, his expression changed slightly. He quickly got out of the car and approached them, saying, “Third Young Master, there’s a bit of traffic on the road.”

Lu Zhiyuan glanced past Li Jiang, causing a shiver to run down his spine. Li Jiang felt a chill, but he smiled lightly and greeted Gu Ci, “Miss Gu Ci, Young Master, take care.”

He hurriedly got back into the car, and Gu Ci merged into the flow of traffic. Gu Ziyu asked, “Mom, what’s wrong with Dad? Why has he become so distant?”

“Perhaps he’s encountered something troubling,” Gu Ci whispered, lightly tapping her fingers on the steering wheel, lost in thought.

Gu Ci and Gu Ziyu ordered barbecue. Gu Ziyu ate until he was stuffed, and Gu Ci invited him to take a walk to aid digestion, but she was mercilessly rejected by Gu Ziyu.

Helpless, Gu Ci went alone to the training center to see how Lu Zhiyuan trained in the evenings. However, when she arrived at the training center, it was empty. It was practically Lu Zhiyuan’s personal training facility.

She saw a janitor tidying up the equipment and couldn’t help but ask, “Auntie, is Lu Zhiyuan not training tonight?”

The janitor replied, “Young Master always trains during the day. He never trains at night.”

Gu Ci raised an eyebrow. Both Lu Zhiyuan and Li Jiang had clearly said that they trained at night, occasionally even pulling all-nighters. Who was lying?

Meanwhile, Gu Ziyu continued his assault on the security of Black Hawk Group’s armed base. The company invested an exorbitant amount of money each year in cybersecurity to prevent hacker attacks and data breaches. Gu Ziyu had been targeting their network systems for several consecutive nights. Faced with a security team composed of dozens of individuals, Gu Ziyu came close to crippling their system. But in the next second, his computer screen went black.

A line of Chinese characters appeared on his screen.

“Why are you attacking Black Hawk Group’s security system?”

Gu Ziyu had roamed the virtual world for many years. He was the king of hackers, but this was the first time someone had been able to trace his location and counter him. The other person was a hacker even more terrifying than him.

Impossible! Black Hawk Group had never encountered such a formidable hacker before, and he had never made a mistake in the virtual world. Who was this person?

“Who are you?” Gu Ziyu remained calm and activated his attack system, initiating a counter-trace. The desire for victory surged within him, and he meticulously examined Black Hawk Group’s list of hackers.

“Who I am is not important. Just know that with me here, no one can destroy Black Hawk Group’s defense system. What do you want to do? Can you bear the consequences?” the response appeared on Gu Ziyu’s computer screen.

Gu Ziyu felt the long-lost bloodthirsty impulse, a masculine aggression. His fingers swiftly input commands into another system, setting it in motion.

“Stop your attack!”

Another message appeared on the computer screen, and a cold smirk formed at the corner of Gu Ziyu’s lips. He understood now. Black Hawk Group’s security system could only withstand his initial onslaught. This new set of instructions utilized technology from ten years in the future, beyond their ability to crack. They could only defend against it. As long as he found a few individuals to cooperate with him, he could still dismantle it.

Gu Ziyu’s blood began to boil. How intriguing!

So, this was the feeling of encountering a worthy adversary!

Just as he was about to send the latest set of instructions, a photo appeared on the computer screen—it was Gu Ci.

“Do you want her dead?” the message read.

“How dare you!” Gu Ziyu halted his attack and quickly responded, “If you dare lay a finger on her, I will stop at nothing with Black Hawk Group!”

“Stop your attack!”

“Fine!” Gu Ziyu assessed the situation. “I hope you keep your word. Otherwise, no matter where you are, I will find you.”

Gu Ziyu’s tracking system had never been activated, but now he squinted his eyes and saw the final location. A slight smirk tugged at his lips. “After all, you’re also in City A.”

In the clash of masters, it all happened in an instant.

Gu Ziyu’s computer screen returned to normal, but a chilling light reflected in his eyes. In the virtual world, he had never encountered an opponent. This person had emerged out of nowhere. Who could they be?

Upstairs, Li Jiang knocked on the study door. “Third Young Master, your supper is ready.”

“Come in!” came Lu Zhiyuan’s low and calm voice. Li Jiang entered with a tray in hand. Lu Zhiyuan’s study was equipped with eight computers, and next door was a well-equipped server room. On the main screen, Li Jiang noticed a blinking red dot that overlapped with Lu Zhiyuan’s location. Li Jiang couldn’t understand hacker technology, so he carefully set down the supper.

“Third Young Master, have you found the hacker?” Li Jiang asked cautiously.

Lu Zhiyuan sat quietly, silent and composed, but exuding an immense sense of pressure. “Li Jiang, thoroughly investigate the background of the child by Gu Ci’s side. I want all their information.”

“The Young Master?” Li Jiang was perplexed. Why did he suddenly want to investigate the Young Master? But he didn’t dare to question. “Yes, Third Young Master!”

After Li Jiang left, Lu Zhiyuan narrowed his eyes and stared deeply at the nearly overlapping red dots on the screen, his eyes devoid of any emotion.

*

After Gu Ci’s social media platform released several violin compositions that were recorded in her early years, they unexpectedly gained popularity when they were shared by a violin enthusiast named Zhou Li. Zhou Li was a rising star in the music industry, having debuted at the age of 18 and enjoyed seven years of success. He became the dream of countless young people and was adored by numerous fans. Gu Ci’s violin compositions, which incorporated elements of classical aesthetics, evoked emotions that ranged from poignant and melancholic to grand and majestic, resembling the muster of troops on a battlefield. They quickly gained a following.

The “Cherry Apple” account on social media gained 500,000 new followers overnight, and most of them were active followers who were passionate about classical aesthetics and violin music. Gu Ci hadn’t anticipated this response. Furthermore, apart from a few adaptations, the majority of her violin compositions were original creations.