Lu Zhaozhao felt someone was watching her, the gaze making her quite uncomfortable.

Lu Zhaozhao looked over and saw the young man in a green shirt under the corridor.

Gu Ruinian noticed Lu Zhaozhao turning toward him and withdrew his gloomy gaze, instead offering her a smile.

The shift in his expression made Lu Zhaozhao quite displeased, so she turned her head away, which Gu Ruinian interpreted as Lu Zhaozhao being shy.

Gu Ruinian couldn’t help but feel his heart flutter, secretly hating Gu Jingzhe for being able to betroth such a beautiful girl.

Gu Ruinian and Gu Taohua exchanged a few words with Grandma Gu in the kitchen before stepping out.

"Grandpa, we’re heading back now," Gu Jingzhe said.

So the three of them left the old house together.

Lu Zhaozhao came to understand during her visit to the old house that it was at odds with Aunt Tong.

After walking a while, Gu Ruinian called out to Sister Taohua.

"What’s up?"

Gu Taohua turned her head, seeing Gu Ruinian following behind them.

Gu Taohua and Gu Ruinian had been at odds since childhood.

In the past, Mr. Gu and Grandma Gu favored Gu Ruinian, serving the best meat and dishes to him at the table, and Gu Taohua, unhappy with the grandparents’ favoritism, would try to snatch the meat from Gu Ruinian’s bowl.

Gu Ruinian defended it, leading to physical scuffles, with Gu Taohua often overpowering him due to her strength.

The resentment from childhood battles caused them to grow up unable to see eye to eye.

Gu Taohua didn’t understand why Gu Ruinian was calling her.

Gu Ruinian glanced at Gu Jingzhe and Lu Zhaozhao, then said to Gu Taohua, "I have something I’d like to ask Sister Taohua."

Actually, every time Gu Ruinian saw her in the village recently, he would come up to greet her, even occasionally chatting about trivial matters.

Each time, Gu Taohua impatiently walked away after listening.

Gu Taohua sized up Gu Ruinian’s slight frame, confirming that she could still overpower him if it came to a fight, then signaled Gu Jingzhe and Lu Zhaozhao to remain calm and walked up to Gu Ruinian, saying, "Spit it out quickly."

Not knowing what he might bring up this time.

Gu Ruinian asked Gu Taohua, "How do you get the cream in your dessert shop?"

Gu Taohua replied without changing her expression, "Do you want to know? But why should I tell you?"

Gu Ruinian smiled oddly, saying, "You don’t need to tell me; I already know where your recipe comes from."

Gu Taohua cracked her knuckles loudly, and seeing this stance brought back painful childhood memories of being beaten by her.

"Tell me, where do you think my recipe comes from?" Gu Taohua asked. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

The secret place in her family was known only to her, her mother, and niece, and she was certain it hadn’t been leaked.

She didn’t know why Gu Ruinian was probing her about the cream recipe.

In any case, when someone like Gu Ruinian inquires, it’s surely not good.

Gu Ruinian carefully examined Gu Taohua, finding no hint on her face.

She must be feigning it.

Facing Gu Taohua’s questioning, he didn’t reveal how he knew the source of Taohua Dessert’s cream, instead asking her, "Are you content living this way?"

Gu Taohua was puzzled, wondering what Gu Ruinian was trying to show off now.

Why ask her that question?

Could it be like others in the village teasing her for not receiving any marriage proposals?

Seeing Gu Taohua silent, Gu Ruinian sighed and said, "I know where you come from; you and I come from the same place. A capable girl like you, who can do business and make cream, shouldn’t be confined to a small place like Qinghe Bay."

Gu Taohua wondered what he meant by saying they came from the same place.

Could he mean they both belonged to the same Gu Family lineage?

Gu Taohua impatiently replied, "Even if we come from the same place, we’re not alike. Qinghe Bay is where I found myself when I opened my eyes, so where else would I be?"

Gu Ruinian’s mouth curled into a smile.

His persistent efforts to corner Gu Taohua finally prompted her to reveal a hint.

Gu Ruinian was almost certain now that the person who had traversed from the main house wasn’t Tong Huaqiong or Gu Jingzhe, but rather Gu Taohua.

Last time, when he hummed Jay Chou’s "Qilixiang," Gu Taohua paused.

And now she accidentally said she found herself in Qinghe Bay upon opening her eyes.

If she truly was a transmigrator, she could be utilized.

Gu Ruinian said, "Since you and I come from the same place, you understand your own worth better than I do. Here in Qinghe Bay, aside from marrying, what else can you do? Once you’re married, you’ll have to support your husband and educate your children, no matter how large your business grows, it will only be to adorn your brother and nephew."

Gu Taohua felt amused.

Gu Ruinian dared to say such things, given everyone at the old house was doing things for his benefit.

And his brazen attitude had even prompted Mrs. Wei to consider partitioning the family.

She didn’t know where Gu Ruinian came from, but her mother told her to confuse him with ambiguous responses if he ever asked if they came from the same place.

Now, she was certain she had indeed confused him.

Gu Taohua sighed and said, "What can a girl like me do after leaving Qinghe Bay and home? Here, women cannot take imperial exams nor become emperors. I just try to run a business and live well, and I’m satisfied."

These words were naturally inspired by Tong Huaqiong.

To Gu Ruinian, this meant he had thoroughly figured out Gu Taohua.

"Think over what I’ve said."

Gu Ruinian left, satisfied, taking steady steps.

Gu Taohua, as a transmigrator, was far less intimidating than Gu Jingzhe.

No matter how capable she was, she was just a girl.

Gu Taohua was right; fortunately, women of this era couldn’t take exams or become emperors, or she would indeed be his great trouble.

A girl, no matter how outstanding, would ultimately have to marry and be confined to the household.

However, now Gu Taohua’s abilities had already manifested, not only helping the main house with bakery, pig farming, and other businesses but also earning a good reputation for her aunt.

Being a modern woman with higher education, Gu Taohua in this era was unable to study or take exams, and she was certainly not content.

Since she couldn’t change the world, her only choice was to support Gu Jingzhe with all her might.

She could use money from business to pave the way for Gu Jingzhe.

Therefore, eliminating Gu Taohua and cutting off Gu Jingzhe’s support was necessary.

Gu Ruinian turned back, seeing Gu Taohua, Gu Jingzhe, and Lu Zhaozhao walking along the village path, especially Gu Jingzhe and Lu Zhaozhao, appearing as a beautiful couple.

The sight sorely pained Gu Ruinian’s eyes.

Everything here had originally belonged to him.

Gu Ruinian thought of Miss Lian from Pingchuan County, since he failed in the exams, Matchmaker Wang hadn’t been visiting.

A few days ago, unable to resist, he sought out Matchmaker Wang and inquired if she’d conveyed his message to Miss Lian. Matchmaker Wang stuttered but later revealed, after he paid her a silver ingot, that she had conveyed his words, and Miss Lian said he was an ambitious man.

But now he had failed, so she felt awkward continuing to propose to the Lian Family for their marriage.

However, for the sake of the silver ingot, she agreed to pass a message to Miss Lian that they should meet.

He didn’t know how Miss Lian looked yet, whether she was more beautiful than Lu Zhaozhao.

Hopefully, her appearance would overshadow Lu Zhaozhao’s.