Hearing the wholesale factory owner’s question, Gu Xingzhao smiled and rolled out the excuse she had prepared in advance.
“I’m helping a friend buy some goods. I was hoping to earn a bit of travel money in the process. Maybe, since you know me, you could offer me a little extra discount?”

The owner burst into laughter upon hearing this. “Since you’ve put it that way, I’d be remiss not to give you that discount.”

Inwardly, Gu Xingzhao gave herself a thumbs-up, impressed by her own haggling skills.

As she left the wholesale factory, the owner was about to personally see her out when he spotted a man in his fifties getting out of a car. The sight of this man made the owner turn and flee as if he had seen a plague.

The man, who had been trying to catch the owner for a while, finally saw his chance. However, just as he was about to give chase, he caught sight of Gu Xingzhao. The moment he saw her face, his expression turned to one of shock. When he looked back, Gu Xingzhao had already gotten into her car and left.

The man quickly grabbed a passing employee. “Excuse me, who was that woman who just got in the car?”

“Oh, she’s one of our old customers,” the employee replied.

“Do you know her name?” the man pressed.

“I think her surname is Gu. We all call her Boss Gu,” the employee answered.

The man murmured to himself, “Gu… she’s even a boss now.”

Suddenly, he burst into laughter, abandoning his pursuit of the factory owner. He tucked his briefcase under his arm and pulled out his phone to make a call.
“Wife, there’s no need to worry about that batch of goods. I’ve just run into someone!”

“Remember that daughter I had before? After the divorce, I left her with my father, who passed away long ago. Well, it turns out that ungrateful girl has made something of herself in silence. She’s become a boss! I saw her at Li’s place picking up some goods! What a stroke of luck, right?”

“I’m going to find some old neighbors and get the details. She’s my daughter—why wouldn’t she help me?”

That evening, Gu Xingzhao returned home. Just as she got out of the car, Aunt Wang pulled her aside, too distracted even to mind the dumplings she was cooking.

Aunt Wang had a strange expression on her face. “Xingzhao, what’s up with your dad?”

Gu Xingzhao asked, “Which dad?”

Aunt Wang was momentarily stunned. “Gu Chengzhang, of course. He somehow dug up our home phone number. Your Uncle Lin answered, and he kept asking about you—whether you were married, what kind of work you do. Your uncle brushed him off, saying you moved away long ago.”

“But I’ve got a feeling that old scoundrel didn’t believe it. You should probably keep the supermarket closed for a while and lay low.”

Hearing this familiar yet distant name, Gu Xingzhao’s heart skipped a beat, and she frowned.

What does he want all of a sudden? Is he dying and needs someone to care for him in the hospital? If that’s the case, I should pop open a bottle of champagne to celebrate.

He hasn’t shown up in over ten years, and now he suddenly appears, asking about me. Even Aunt Wang could guess that nothing good could come of it.

She grabbed Gu Xingzhao’s arm, worried the girl might suffer, and sternly advised, “I’m telling you, that scumbag is probably here to ask for money. If he comes looking for you, don’t you dare soften up!”

Gu Xingzhao was amused and gently patted the anxious Aunt Wang. “You’re overthinking it, Auntie. How could he be short on money? I bet he’s just on his deathbed, hoping for some last-minute reconciliation.”

Aunt Wang almost burst out laughing but held it in. “Anyway, just keep that in mind. You can’t acknowledge him as your father. If anything happens, call me and Uncle Lin.”

Everyone in town knew the story. This scumbag used to beat his wife and child, then cheated on her. Later, he didn’t even take care of his dying father or raise his own daughter, instead choosing to raise another woman’s son. This left Gu Xingzhao’s mother so bitter against the Gu family that she remarried and never looked back, ignoring her daughter entirely.

This man was nothing more than a beast.

Aunt Wang’s concern warmed Gu Xingzhao’s heart. “I know. Thanks, Auntie.”

Once Aunt Wang finished warning her, she finally went back to her cooking.

On the surface, Gu Xingzhao laughed it off, telling them not to worry. But once she was inside her house, her face darkened. Seeing that man at the wholesale factory earlier, she had thought she was mistaken. But now that he had called Uncle Lin, it was clear he was up to something.

The memories of her childhood came rushing back—being beaten, being cursed at, watching her mother file for divorce to escape the misery. Her mother had left everything behind, not taking the house, the child, or anything else, and had run far away, never to be heard from again.

Her father had remarried into a wealthy family, becoming a live-in son-in-law and abandoning her with her grandfather. He hadn’t even visited when her grandfather was gravely ill in the hospital.

Gu Xingzhao would never forget how, back then, she had begged him for help with medical bills, only to be mocked and ridiculed while he and his new family dined on a lavish meal. He hadn’t even spared a cent for her grandfather’s treatment, which had eventually been paid for by Director Lu.

Just thinking about those miserable childhood memories made her feel nauseous. The very thought of sharing blood with such a person made her want to vomit.

She immediately locked the supermarket doors tightly and rushed upstairs. It wasn’t until she saw the projection of Lu Qing and the others that she finally calmed down.

Gu Xingzhao opened a box of self-heating meals, poured water into each one, and then sealed the lids. Once they were ready, she transported dozens of self-heating meal boxes through the television to the ancient world.

Before she could speak, the Lu family had already caught the scent of the rice.

Lu Yang, who had a keen nose and a love for food, nearly jumped up. He frantically signaled to the old man: “Smell that! This aroma—it must be the Old Ancestor!”

Lu Qing, engrossed in examining his granddaughter’s e-reader with Liu Xiangbo, ignored Lu Yang.

Lu Xingyao soon caught the scent as well. He perked up instantly, glancing around before noticing the nearby bamboo basket. It was empty at first, but in the next moment, it filled with a pile of items out of thin air.

Here it is! The charming and powerful Old Ancestor has arrived!

Lu Xingyao rummaged through the items—packaged in small bags—and couldn’t immediately tell what they were. There was also a note inside. He picked it up and read: “For the ladies only.”

He sighed, realizing it had nothing to do with him.

Lu Xingyao carried the bamboo basket to his mother and aunt. The women’s affairs in the family were managed by these two.

Seeing the items in front of her, Mrs. Song was puzzled and asked her son, “What is this?”

Lu Xingyao shrugged. “It says it’s for the women. How would I know?”

Mrs. Xu picked up a package and found a note inside. Upon reading it, her face flushed, and her heart raced as if she had done something shameful. She quickly folded the note back up!

Why would the Old Ancestor send something like this???

Seeing Mrs. Xu’s reaction, Mrs. Song was curious. “What’s wrong?”

Mrs. Xu, too embarrassed to explain, handed the note to Mrs. Song, letting her read it for herself. It was mortifying.

Mrs. Song, puzzled, opened the note and found herself blushing at the content drawn on it, her face turning as red as a tomato!