For the past few days, due to Yingzi's business, the medicinal herbs collected by Chi Wu hadn't been tended to at all.

But that kid Chi Wu was quite the mover; not only had he enriched himself, but he had also brought wealth to Cheng Ming and his entire crew. After all, every successful man needs his supporting cast, and there was no reason not to uplift his own people. Consequently, the remote herb collection points managed by Cheng Ming were all overseen by people loyal to him.

When Chi Wu was driving the truck, preparing to load up with Cheng Ying, Cheng Ming couldn't help but stare at Chi Wu's hairstyle, taking several extra glances. He figured the kid must have gotten a haircut while in the city; things changed so fast in the city, he couldn't keep up. "You can tell you’re from the provincial capital. Your hair is just too unusual." It was frankly enviable. "It's not that I'm less handsome than you, Brother, it’s just that I didn't make it to the right place in time."

That single sentence served as a review of Cheng Ying's diligent, late-night efforts from the previous day. Cheng Ying stood nearby, feeling that praising Chi Wu was akin to praising herself—she felt a sense of reflected glory. Chi Wu touched his own head. While he felt a bit smug about it, he absolutely did not want Cheng Ying trimming other people's hair. "Mmm, the master of this craft is indeed quite skilled." He said no more than that. Cheng Ying inwardly mused that the boy was shrewd; he wanted to claim all the credit for himself. However, she also wasn't keen on messing with anyone else's hair—who knew if those young brats had lice on their heads? And so, the two of them kept Cheng Ying's specific skill a secret.

Chi Wu and Cheng Ying hadn't rested for days, focusing entirely on handling the medicinal herbs. They hauled cartload after cartload to their grandfather's place. After receiving the grandfather's approval, they upgraded to larger trucks and began transporting goods to the provincial capital. This was a new approach Chi Wu had figured out; he wasn't limiting himself to just one point of sale. This way, the profit margins were significantly larger. Of course, they needed connections along the route; otherwise, getting intercepted by bandits would be a real headache. This was why some businesses were naturally best suited for those who grew up in established compounds—they possessed that inherent advantage.

When Cheng Ying and Chi Wu arrived in the provincial capital, Cheng Ying went directly to see her biological younger brother, and did not accompany Chi Wu to deliver the herbs. Chi Wu navigated the process with practiced ease, not requiring Cheng Ying's assistance. He approached the big boss and asked, "Got any good stuff you need?" The boss simply responded, "What grade are we talking about?" Chi Wu's reply sounded grand: "Ginseng, velvet antler, or Ula grass—which one do you want?" That was a bold statement, even managing to momentarily stun the big boss. "Kid, don't try to fool me. You actually have it?" Chi Wu’s small face instantly hardened, making him impossible to ignore. Besides, how could this kid even secure a conversation with him without connections? Though small, his background was solid. "Sure. You need to let me see it first, though." Chi Wu took out a slope-sided box from his waist—a repurposed pastry box he had painstakingly glued together, certainly not presentable. The big boss opened the box, sat up straighter, and said, "Ginseng!" Then he smacked his lips. "I can't tell the age, but looking at the size, it's not bad, right? Not small?" Chi Wu: "No fooling you. It's a freshly harvested four-year-old." The big boss held the ginseng, reluctant to let go. "Really excellent. Brother, you actually managed to procure something like this?" Chi Wu cut to the chase: "Do you want it or not?" The big boss: "Want it, of course I want it!" Chi Wu was anxious to get home; Yingzi had gone back alone, and he felt uneasy leaving her. "How much do you need?" The big boss turned, looking at the child Chi Wu as if questioning him, "You have more?" Chi Wu: "How many do you want?" One couldn't entirely blame the boss for his limited insight; ginseng wasn't sold like this often in those days, and they weren't a family rooted in cultivating medicinal herbs, so they genuinely lacked exposure. "How much do you have?" the boss asked somewhat foolishly. Chi Wu: "One hundred pieces like this—do you want them?" The big boss rubbed his hair, then patted his stomach. "Are you serious?" Chi Wu: "I'm waiting for school to start. I don't have time to play games with you." The big boss: "This much inventory... it’s not cultivated, is it?" Chi Wu: "Raised in the mountains. A bit inferior to wild, but close." The big boss: "Wuzi, tell Uncle, where is this place? And this skilled person—can you introduce me?" Chi Wu pursed his lips and smiled faintly. "No. Name your price." The boss felt this was a path to immense fortune and absolutely had to connect with it. "Wuzi, we've known each other for a couple of years now; you know me. Be honest with Uncle. If we strike it rich together, I definitely won't forget you." Chi Wu continued to smile. "It’s from my own place. I'm not getting rich with you. You give me a price, and if I find it acceptable, I'll sell it to you. Otherwise, I'll find another buyer." The boss couldn't believe Chi Wu could cultivate ginseng himself. It seemed the kid wanted to keep this venture entirely for himself. "Fine. Uncle doesn't understand this stuff. I need to find someone to look at it. Trust me, I'll take this now, and I’ll let you know tomorrow, alright?" Chi Wu stood up to leave, not wasting any more words. They had plenty of that item at home; Yingzi had loads of it, so there was really nothing to worry about.

The big boss watched the small figure depart, then picked up the ginseng. "He's really treating this like his own production, and he trusts me enough to leave it here. This kid is truly generous. I suppose that's what happens when you come from a distinguished background." The last part of that comment held a faint edge of sourness. Only after that did he leave. It was difficult to conduct business in those years; people practically conducted deals like thieves, standing by the roadside just to talk. If they could find a doorman’s shack to sit in, that was considered good fortune. Negotiating business over dinner at a restaurant wasn't common practice at all. So, in a way, Chi Wu's current method of doing business saved him an expense.

When Cheng Ying arrived to see her brother, she immediately noticed that only Auntie and Old Mrs. Chi were home. To be honest, she wasn't entirely pleased, but facing her own little brother, Cheng Ying found it impossible to remain unhappy. She adored him; truly, she did. This was a connection forged by blood. She figured that in this lifetime, besides her future son, this boy would be the closest person to her. Cheng Ying greeted the old lady: "Hello, Grandma Chi." Old Mrs. Chi's mood was never quite stable upon seeing Cheng Ying. She truly wished this young girl wouldn't show up at her house. If guests arrived, how was she supposed to introduce her? Her daughter-in-law's former daughter? Just thinking about the relationship tangled up her mind. Her own son, she felt, had been ensnared by this mother-daughter pair. Her expression shifted three times before she finally spoke, "Yingzi is here. Come in and sit." Cheng Ying felt like watching a Peking Opera performance every time she saw Old Mrs. Chi. It was a pity the old lady's face-changing act never got old; couldn't she try something new?

Ignoring the glances from the nanny, Cheng Ying walked straight over to the little boy from the nanny's arms and took him. Sorry, this child was the dearest to her; she wouldn't let anyone else hold him. Therefore, even if Old Mrs. Chi had an objection, she wouldn't heed it. Cheng Ying hugged the chubby little bun tightly, feeling extremely excited. "Fatty, did you miss me?" The boy, who was three years old, almost four, genuinely expressed his feelings: "Missed you." Cheng Ying felt a surge