Inside was a stamp collection.
“Dad, you’re going to sell this?”
Gu Chen asked, a bit surprised.
This was a limited-edition set of stamps from years ago.
It had significant commemorative value, and she had even seen it appraised on Quan Ge’s live stream before.
Supposedly, this set was currently trading for quite a few grand, and its value was expected to rise in the future.
It was one of the few truly valuable items in their home.
“Yeah, there’s no point in keeping it. I sold it to your Aunt Zhang. She offered a very good price.”
Dad nodded.
There was still a hint of reluctance in his eyes.
After all, he had collected them for many years and had refused to sell them even when many people asked in the past.
“Alright, I understand.”
Gu Chen pursed her lips, not wanting to pry further.
She knew in her heart that doing business required capital; he needed start-up funds for the early stages.
The reason he wanted her to be the model was to save on costs.
But, the thing about being a female model was something she really couldn’t agree to!
Especially when the products were aimed at those shut-in otakus!
“Don’t forget!”
After his final instruction, Dad walked out of the room.
Gu Chen originally wanted to go back to sleep, but she found that she couldn’t drift off.
She eventually got up, washed her face, and headed out to exercise.
She wasn’t sure if it was just her imagination, but Gu Chen felt that after becoming a girl, her physical strength wasn’t as great as before.
To put it another way, she lacked training.
Otherwise, she should have been able to handle that fight with Li Fugui with ease.
Of course, the “period cramps” had played a part in that struggle too.
Fortunately, she felt smooth and comfortable now with no lingering discomfort.
‘Damn this body.’
Gu Chen decided to be more disciplined starting today, aiming to recover her strength as quickly as possible.
After running about 3 or 4 kilometers, she found the nearest bus stop and climbed aboard.
She needed to finish the task her dad had given her quickly to avoid any mishaps.
“Now arriving at Willow Street. Passengers, please exit the bus in an orderly fashion to avoid crowding.”
As the announcement rang out, Gu Chen stepped off.
“Wow, how did it change this much?”
Returning to the place where she had grown up, Gu Chen’s mouth hung open in shock.
Since the relocation, this area had been rezoned into a commercial district.
The dilapidated shanties of the past had long since been demolished.
In their place were sprawling commercial streets and skyscrapers.
The economy was flourishing.
‘If I had known it would be like this, I would have asked for more compensation back then…’
It wasn’t that she hadn’t visited over the years, but it felt like every time she came, the place had undergone a massive transformation.
The speed of modernization in this era was truly fast.
Following the directions on her navigation, Gu Chen walked in and quickly found the collector’s shop owned by Aunt Zhang.
The shop was located at the end of the street.
It was a standalone storefront.
While the location wasn’t particularly prime, being able to open a shop here was already quite impressive.
“Aunt Zhang?”
Entering the shop, she saw a 40-year-old woman sitting behind the counter.
She was wearing glasses and peering closely at a newly acquired collectible, looking quite satisfied.
Hearing the voice, she immediately looked up.
After a few seconds of stunned silence, she finally managed to say a name: “You’re… Little Chen!?”
“Hello, Aunt Zhang. My dad asked me to bring this to you.”
Gu Chen nodded.
She took the box out of her pocket and placed it on the counter.
“You should inspect the goods first. If there are any issues, let me know now.”
“We’re old neighbors; there’s no need for such formalities. I trust your father’s character,” Aunt Zhang said with a smile.
She glanced at the stamps and put them away immediately.
Since they were old acquaintances, inspecting them right in front of her would have felt a bit awkward.
It was no wonder her father had gotten along so well with everyone back then; his way of handling people was truly flawless.
“Come, come, have a seat. I’ll get you a drink. What do you like?”
“Um, juice is fine.”
Aunt Zhang quickly brought over some juice and two plates of snacks.
She was incredibly hospitable, making Gu Chen feel a bit embarrassed.
She had no choice but to sit and chat about trivial family matters.
“They say a girl changes eighteen times as she grows up. My, my, Chen, you’re looking more and more like your mother did when she was young.”
As they chatted, Aunt Zhang couldn’t help but sigh with emotion.
“My mom?”
Hearing that unfamiliar word, Gu Chen felt a mix of complicated emotions.
After so many years, she had grown used to life without her.
Hearing her mentioned so suddenly left her unsure of how to respond.
Somehow, she couldn’t stop herself from asking, “Aunt Zhang, do you know… why she left back then?”
Although she had heard many rumors about her mother, Aunt Zhang was an old neighbor and a friend; her information was bound to be closer to the truth.
“That…”
Aunt Zhang’s expression shifted, looking as though she regretted bringing it up.
She offered a perfunctory reply.
“I actually don’t know much. Besides, it’s been so many years. How could I remember clearly? Your dad definitely knows more. It’s best to ask him.”
Gu Chen smiled bitterly.
‘If Dad were willing to tell me, would I even need to ask others?’
At the same time, she found it strange.
Why did these old acquaintances always become so secretive whenever her mother was mentioned, as if they were being threatened?
“I see. Thank you, Aunt Zhang. I’ll head out now. Let’s keep in touch.”
Gu Chen stood up and stretched.
She didn’t really want to continue the conversation, so she took her leave.
“Alright, take care. Give my regards to your dad.”
“I will.”
***
Leaving the shop, Gu Chen figured that since she was already here, she might as well wander around and revisit some childhood memories.
Seeing a breakfast shop ahead, she realized she hadn’t eaten anything since waking up.
Her stomach was growling, so she prepared to have a good meal.
*Vroom vroom… vroom vroom…*
However, just after she finished ordering, she noticed four girls nearby wearing tight jeans, crop tops, and low buns.
They were squatting by the road, shrouded in clouds of smoke from their cigarettes.
Each of them wore heavy makeup, had multicolored hair, and sported ear and lip piercings.
Their arms were covered in several exaggerated tattoos.
Parked next to them were several Ninebot electric scooters.
‘These delinquent girls really are everywhere…’
Gu Chen couldn’t help but steal a few extra glances, muttering under her breath.
The tallest girl with the heavy makeup happened to look over at that exact moment, and their eyes met.
Even though Gu Chen quickly looked away, she had already been noticed.
The group of girls whispered something to each other, and then they walked toward Gu Chen at a casual pace.
As if they were old friends, one of them slapped her on the shoulder.
“Hey sis, would you mind treating us to some breakfast?”
Gu Chen was stunned for a moment and looked them over carefully.
“Yeah! If you treat us sisters to breakfast, then we’ll be besties for life—the best besties in the whole world,” a green-haired girl among them chimed in.
Gu Chen was speechless.
‘What is wrong with their eyes?’
‘I’m clearly a gu — ah, forget it. I won’t argue about that.’
“I can treat you to breakfast, but don’t get me wrong, I’m a guy.”
Being called “sis” made Gu Chen feel incredibly weird.
She was indeed female now, but no matter how you looked at it, she was currently dressed as a boy, wasn’t she?!
“Stop joking, sis! What guy is this pretty?”
The tall girl laughed, then hooked her finger under Gu Chen’s chin.
Without a hint of politeness, she shouted to the shop owner, “First, get us sisters some soy milk, and one fried dough stick each. My good brother here is paying.”
As she spoke, she patted Gu Chen on the shoulder.
Holy crap!
‘I’m a “good brother” now?’
‘Just how cheap is a “bond” in their eyes?’
‘It’s a good thing you girls weren’t born in the Leaf Village, or Naruto would have definitely hit you with a Thousand Years of Death!’