[PROMPT: Your companions have triggered the Shores of the Other Side Trial. The precautions for this trial are as follows:] [1. Setting Introduction: This trial world simulates a world where the plane crash never happened. After a period, you were dismissed from your former company the day after returning from a business trip due to personnel optimization. You submitted resumes widely and finally received an interview invitation today from a respectable company—Yunshang Group. The position you are interviewing for is Personal Assistant to Gu Yitong, the Group's General Manager of the Management Department.] [2. During the trial, please ensure you adhere to the basic persona outlined in the previous point. Do not allow the participants in this trial to detect your abnormality, otherwise, the trial automatically fails!] [3. Note: This is a multi-trial event, and there are two participants: Gu Yitong and Gu Mòmo.] [4. Trial Completion Goal: While ensuring adherence to precaution #2, achieve the Mother and Daughter Combo within 48 hours of arriving in this simulated world. This will be considered trial completion.] [Time Remaining: 43 hours 28 minutes]
Sitting in the driver's seat of the luxurious Audi A8, Chuck glanced at the faintly visible light screen on the front windshield, then subtly checked the rearview mirror.
Gu Yitong, dressed in business attire with black stockings and high heels, was also occasionally glancing at him.
Four and a half hours ago, having just fallen asleep from exhaustion, he suddenly awoke in an unfamiliar office building hallway, and the familiar light screen appeared before his eyes.
Although slightly caught off guard, Chuck wasn't panicked; after all, this wasn't the first time this had happened.
Unlike the trial with Julia, this time the trial subjects were the Gu mother and daughter, and the completion goal had changed from the previous "Julia boards the plane before takeoff" to "achieve the Mother and Daughter Combo within 48 hours."
With the experience from Julia's trial, Chuck quickly slipped into character.
Following the trial requirements, he immersed himself in playing the role of his former self—the one who hadn't experienced the plane crash, had recently been dismissed, and was now seeking a job. He smoothly completed the entire interview process.
Naturally, he had to pretend not to recognize the gorgeous, powerful MILF sitting across from him, who had been behaving strangely.
As expected, after the interview, Chuck was hired on the spot by Gu Yitong and asked to start immediately.
Of course, as a job applicant, Chuck naturally feigned a look of pleasant surprise.
After some perfunctory induction arrangements, near the end of the workday on a Friday afternoon, Chuck was assigned his first task as a personal assistant by his new boss, Gu Yitong:
—Drive her to XX University to pick up Gu Mòmo for the weekend.
It had been a while since he drove, but Chuck's driving skills hadn't dulled. In fact, for some reason, they were even more effortless.
In this simulated trial world, his physical condition was restored to its former state, but his mental enhancements remained. This allowed Chuck to possess nearly perfect acting skills, ensuring Gu Yitong perceived no incongruity whatsoever.
"Ms. Gu, the road ahead seems a bit congested. Would it be alright if I take a small detour?"
"Ah… Yes."
Chuck held the steering wheel, glanced at the phone navigation route, and then turned his head slightly to speak, his peripheral vision monitoring Gu Yitong in the rearview mirror.
She had been staring blankly at the seatback, but his sudden voice startled her. Her beautiful face instinctively flushed, and she was about to obediently nod in response. However, she quickly realized that the man before her was not yet her Master or Husband, but rather the assistant she had just hired…
She quickly regained her composure, intentionally keeping her tone steady, and added:
"Thank you, Little Chuck."
"Not at all."
Chuck smiled at his boss's politeness, his expression completely natural.
"We've arrived, Ms. Gu."
Chuck parked the car at the pre-set location—a top-tier local university.
He got out first and opened the car door for Gu Yitong, the entire process meticulous and faultless.
He then stood respectfully by the car, looking at the university gate.
Choosing a school closer to home rather than a better one was quite characteristic of Gu Mòmo.
Gu Yitong stepped out, stood by the car in her high heels.
She still occasionally glanced at Chuck's profile, her expression still a bit unnatural.
But the moment the familiar, petite figure appeared, those complex emotions vanished.
"Mòmo!"
Gu Yitong enthusiastically waved her arm, looking as excited and thrilled as a parent picking up their child after a college entrance exam.
In reality, it was just an ordinary Friday afternoon for a university student.
In contrast, Gu Mòmo, wearing loose casual clothes, a cute ponytail tied at the back of her head, and a simple shoulder bag, spotted the familiar Audi sedan at the school gate and the two people waiting by the car…
Especially the tall, familiar figure.
The slightly worried expression on her face instantly dissolved into surprise and excitement.
She immediately sprinted over, running past Gu Yitong's slightly opened arms and moistening eyes…
And threw herself straight into Chuck's embrace.
"Wuwuwu… I thought I would never see you again!"
Chuck slowly looked down at Gu Mòmo, whose small face was buried in his chest, and his heart softened.
Unfortunately, for the sake of the trial, he couldn't act on his feelings.
"Ms. Gu??? What is this…"
Chuck raised his hands to show he wasn't taking advantage of the situation, then shot a bewildered look at Gu Yitong.
She was momentarily stunned, then her brow furrowed, and her expression rapidly shifted.
Gu Mòmo, tightly clinging to his chest, also seemed to sense Chuck's unusual behavior. After all, the Chuck she knew would have tightly embraced her or picked her up by now.
The little one looked up blankly, her big, teary eyes fixed on Chuck. When she saw the confused and unfamiliar expression on his face,
A chilling realization dawned upon her.
"Mòmo, please let go of… this gentleman first."
Gu Yitong was quick to think. She clearly understood that if her daughter also retained the memory of the deserted island, it meant that the experience was not fake but truly happened.
The mother and daughter had somehow traveled together to a parallel world where the plane crash had never occurred.
Upon realizing this, Gu Yitong's expression and mood grew increasingly complex. For a moment, she didn't know whether to be happy or sad.
The former her would undoubtedly have dreamed of returning to the time before the flight, to reclaim her former life and career. But now…
Losing the experience and time she shared with Chuck felt like a sharp cut to her heart.
It filled her with a sense of desolate sorrow.
Gu Mòmo slowly released Chuck, staring blankly at her mother. Noticing the expression on her mother's face, the perceptive girl quickly reached the same conclusion.
Large tears began to roll down her cheeks again.
"Little Chuck, I'm going to take my child out for dinner now. Why don't you join us?"
Gu Yitong slowly stepped forward, embraced her daughter, gently patted her back to soothe her, then looked up at Chuck with an almost mournful gaze, speaking softly.
Chuck watched the reactions of the mother and daughter, forcibly suppressing his own impulses. As if genuinely unaware, he nodded respectfully.
"Understood, Ms. Gu."
Honestly, Chuck had expected the next trial to arrive in at least half a month, so he was surprised it came so quickly.
Wasn't it supposed to be on the full moon night?
However, he hadn't deliberately paid attention to the phases of the moon on the island, as things there were always unpredictable, and no one knew what would happen next.
But now that the trial had begun, the only thing he could do was follow the requirements and adhere to every precaution.
The final outcome rested with the Gu mother and daughter.
If the trial could be successfully completed, like the one with Julia, the Gu mother and daughter would undoubtedly gain the ability to absorb his essence, and he would once again secure a valuable yellow spider lily.
And this time, two of them!
Chuck had already experienced the strengthening effect of the Yellow Potion on his X-abilities. If he gained two more, what would happen to his old buddy?
Would the women in his household suffer even more?
Chuck drove the mother and daughter through the bustling streets, anticipating the result while holding the steering wheel.
After successfully picking up Gu Mòmo from school, and as arranged by Gu Yitong, Chuck drove the car to a nearby mall. They enjoyed a healthy, home-style Northeastern Chinese stir-fry at a chain restaurant named Dongbei.
Chuck was fully satisfied to enjoy the charm of Chinese stir-fry once more, even if he was in a simulated dream world.
After dinner, as expected, Chuck was to continue driving his boss and her daughter home.
However, both at dinner and in the back seat of the car, apart from necessary communication, the Gu mother and daughter maintained an unspoken silence. The atmosphere was noticeably heavy.
The sky outside the car window gradually darkened.
Finally, in the early evening, Chuck followed the navigation and drove the car into the underground parking garage of a high-end residential complex in the city center.
He reversed, turned off the engine, got out, and opened the door—all in one smooth motion.
"Ms. Gu, I'll be heading back now."
Chuck took out the car key and handed it to Gu Yitong, who had just stepped out of the car.
Given his current persona as a manager's assistant, driving his boss's car to pick up her daughter was already slightly beyond the normal scope of work. The most appropriate reaction now was to politely excuse himself.
Then go home and rest… and the trial would automatically fail after 48 hours.
It was ridiculous, but as the NPC of this trial world, Chuck had to act this way.
Fortunately, Gu Yitong had no intention of letting him leave.
The beautiful businesswoman and her daughter exchanged a glance. The mother-daughter unspoken understanding allowed her to instantly grasp her daughter's intention. She then turned to Chuck and spoke softly.
"Don't rush back. I still have a lot of things to brief you on regarding your work."
"If you're not busy, why don't you come up and sit for a while?"
Gu Yitong's tone was calm and normal, completely devoid of emotion, as if she were suggesting the most ordinary thing.
Clearly, after the initial shock, she had successfully adjusted her mindset and clarified what she needed to do next.
Hearing her words, an expression of "hesitation" crossed Chuck's face.
Though genuinely relieved inside, on the surface, he could only feign difficulty, stepping slightly closer and whispering:
"Ms. Gu… Is this appropriate?"
"It's fine, don't overthink it."
Gu Yitong offered a slightly stiff smile, then nodded and said no more. She gently held her daughter's shoulder and turned toward the elevator.
But from behind, Chuck could clearly see that the tips of the eternally composed, beautiful MILF's ears had become crimson red.
Watching the mother and daughter's backs, Chuck couldn't help but scratch his chin.
On the deserted island, he had conquered her using brutal methods. Yet now, in the virtual world of this trial, she was the one trying to figure out how to conquer him.
It seemed there was absolutely no suspense regarding the outcome of this Shores of the Other Side Trial…
As a famous high-end residential complex in the city, even Chuck had heard of its reputation.
Gu Yitong's residence was a luxurious, single-floor apartment on the fifteenth floor, spanning nearly two hundred square meters. The decor was simple yet stylish, perfectly fitting the profile of a powerful female executive.
Following the Gu mother and daughter, Chuck stepped through the password-unlocked door. The next second, a familiar, subtle fragrance enveloped him.
The mother and daughter skillfully and naturally changed their shoes, took off their jackets, and walked pat-pat into the living room.
Chuck stood still, hesitated for a moment, and then followed them in. At Gu Yitong's gesture, he walked over to the soft sofa and slowly sat down.
But immediately afterward, the figures of both the mother and daughter disappeared from the living room.
Chuck sat alone on the sofa, occasionally glancing around, truly appearing like a young assistant visiting his female boss's home for the first time.
At the same time, he pretended not to hear the low whispers coming from the bedroom just beyond the wall.
After an unknown period, with an almost imperceptible sound of a door opening, two sets of slippered footsteps reappeared.
Gu Mòmo's petite figure vanished into the bedroom down the distant hallway. Gu Yitong, with a gentle smile, approached Chuck, holding a thin laptop and a disposable paper cup, and sat down beside him.
"Sorry for the wait. Have some water first, and then I'll explain your work responsibilities."
"Thank you, Ms. Gu."
Chuck took the water cup with both hands, expressing his gratitude repeatedly.
For the next hour, Gu Yitong spoke to him as if conducting an onboarding training for a recent college graduate. In her magnetic, maternally gentle voice, she explained every detail he needed to be aware of in his new role.
Chuck listened intently, nodding occasionally.
In the corner of his vision, the light screen's countdown continued to tick down.
But in Chuck's mind, the answer to this trial's outcome was already decided.
As expected, it was late, past ten o'clock on the wall clock, when Gu Yitong suddenly raised her hand and snapped the laptop shut, though she hadn't finished.
She then looked at Chuck with a strange expression and said softly:
"I apologize, Little Chuck, it's gotten quite late."
"How about you… stay the night here?"