The banquet came to an end at half past two in the afternoon.
The relatives who had come to visit were nearly all rubbing their full stomachs as they left—clearly, they had eaten to their hearts' content.
In all their years, they had never enjoyed such a lavish feast. Luxuries like lobster, abalone, and seafood were dishes they had only seen on TV, yet today, they had eaten until they could barely move.
And even then, there was plenty left uneaten on the tables.
However, they upheld the fine tradition of frugality—many carried bags with them, taking home the leftovers.
Liu Yutong didn’t look down on them for packing food. On the contrary, she actively helped the older relatives pack their portions. There was no shame in it.
The real disgrace was the habit of greedily snatching food to pack away the moment it was served. Taking home what couldn’t be finished was perfectly normal.
After seeing off the relatives, she called for the car.
Grandfather had been in high spirits today and had drunk quite a bit. Liu Yutong and Grandmother supported him on either side as the three of them stood by the entrance, waiting for the car.
The elderly couple weren’t heading back just yet—they planned to stroll around the county town, have dinner at Liu Yutong’s restaurant in the evening, and return home the next day.
Grandfather gazed at his granddaughter, now grown into a graceful young woman, and sighed with emotion. "In the blink of an eye, you’ve become so accomplished. I’ve never been prouder in my life—you’ve truly brought honor to our family!"
"It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this carefree," he added.
Truth be told, for many years, because of his two sons, he had carried a weight on his shoulders.
The village was like a small society, where idle elders often gossiped and compared themselves to others.
Liu Chengjiang had been the subject of many conversations—not necessarily negative, since he had once served as a village official, mainly handling finances.
Back then, he was considered highly educated for the village, even having studied Russian, and was well-liked among the locals.
In the village, mentioning other members of the Liu family might not ring a bell, but if you said you were Liu Chengjiang’s son or granddaughter, people would immediately know who you were.
Despite being a respected figure, his two sons had been the subject of whispered criticism for years—how Old Accountant Liu had toiled his whole life, only for his sons to turn out this way or that…
That was why today had been so uplifting for him, lifting a weight off his chest.
Liu Yutong smiled at her grandparents. "Grandpa, Grandma, your best days are still ahead! Once I graduate, I’ll take you to enjoy life—no more labor, just traveling and sightseeing!"
Grandfather’s wrinkles smoothed out as he nodded repeatedly. "Good, good! Having a granddaughter like you is all the happiness I need in this lifetime."
Grandmother, however, hesitated. "But what about the fields at home? Are we just going to stop farming?"
Liu Yutong chuckled. "Grandma, how old are you now? Still thinking about farming? Let’s just lease the land out."
Grandmother still seemed reluctant. "But..."
Grandfather patted her hand reassuringly. "Our granddaughter’s right. If we can’t work anymore, we shouldn’t force it. That rascal second son isn’t cut out for farming anyway—better to lease the land."
Though he spoke lightly, Liu Yutong knew how deeply the older generation cherished their land. Letting it go wouldn’t be easy for him.
But she already had a plan—the family’s fields might not need to be leased out after all.
She thought of her supermarket. In the future, they could switch to growing vegetables to supply it.
She had clear plans for the supermarket—ensuring fresh produce met strict pesticide residue standards, even aiming for organic, pesticide-free vegetables in the future.
Pesticide use was rampant now, leaving residues in the soil, especially in vegetables like leeks, which were prone to pests and carried alarming contamination levels.
But that was for the future. Right now, the priority was building the supermarket’s reputation so customers would trust its quality.
Of course, if her grandparents really couldn’t sit idle, she could first convert their land into experimental plots, hiring help to manage them.
If the results were promising, she could expand by leasing more land—their few acres alone wouldn’t be enough.
Just then, a brand-new black Mercedes-Benz S-Class with a prominent hood ornament pulled up in front of the hotel.
Grandfather and Grandmother froze at the sight.
"Are… are we riding in this?"
Liu Yutong smiled. "A friend gifted it. His family has plenty of cars—it’s no big deal."
"Come on, Grandpa, Grandma, let’s get in."
Settling into the back seat, the elderly couple remained slightly stiff.
After all, this was their first time in such a luxury vehicle.
The most they had ridden before was a tractor—even going to the market was done on one. They had never imagined sitting in a car reserved for the wealthy.
However, after they inspected the restaurant and Xinglong Supermarket and got back into the Mercedes-Benz, they were no longer as nervous.
Their granddaughter hadn’t even gone to college yet, yet she was already so impressive—running a restaurant and about to open a supermarket. Would they really have to worry about not being able to afford a luxury car like this in the future?
That night, after Liu Yutong settled her grandparents in their accommodations and was about to rest, her phone suddenly rang.
She glanced down and saw an unfamiliar number, instinctively rejecting the call.
Not long after, the same number called several more times, but she still didn’t answer, hanging up each time.
On the other end of the line…
In an abandoned factory, Niu Ben scowled, glaring at the middle-aged man tied to a chair.
The man’s face was covered in bruises, blood still trickling from the corner of his mouth—clearly, he had just endured a brutal beating.
Niu Ben stepped forward, grabbing the man by the collar and snarling, "Didn’t you say Liu Yutong is your daughter? Then why isn’t she answering your damn calls?!"
Liu Jianyi sobbed, "Boss… don’t you think it’s possible she just doesn’t pick up calls from unknown numbers…?"
Niu Ben paused. "Fair point!"
He then ordered one of his lackeys to send Liu Yutong a message.
The message roughly read: Your father is in my hands. If you don’t want anything bad to happen to him, don’t call the police. Come alone to XX location.
After sending the text, the lackey leaned in and whispered, "Boss, do you really think that woman will just obediently show up alone?"
"And also… wasn’t her dad supposed to be the former boss of the Yilian Society? Could we have grabbed the wrong guy?"
Niu Ben shot him a glare. "Who said a person can only have one father?! Are you stupid?! This guy’s probably her adoptive dad or something!"
His voice was a little too loud, and Liu Jianyi overheard.
Liu Jianyi, who had been hanging his head, suddenly looked up, utterly bewildered. "Wait… so you’re saying… I was cuckolded?"
Once the thought entered his mind, it spiraled out of control.
And the more he thought about it, the more suspicious it seemed.
His son took after him—completely unmotivated, dropping out of middle school to fool around—but his daughter was exceptionally driven. That really didn’t add up!
The more he dwelled on it, the angrier he became, and he finally exploded. "Damn it, Jiang Lu! You’ve been cheating on me all these years, no wonder you ran off—you were guilty as hell!"
For years, he couldn’t figure out why his wife had disappeared without a word. Now, at last, he understood.
