A Little Trick, the Scumbag Dad Can’t Hold the Knife After Understanding Love

The story begins with Ji Nian receiving the materials and starting to craft a healing potion—one she could make blindfolded with how familiar she was with it.

It was almost laughable. Back in her rebellious teenage years, consumed by hatred for the world, she had poured all her bitterness into concocting poisons. While others drank herbal remedies to balance their health, she vented her frustrations by brewing toxins so vile they'd have earned her nothing but scorn if released.

Each vial had represented the darkness in her heart.

Yet, in this world within the book, she found herself making antidotes and life-saving potions far more often. Even when inspiration struck for something more specialized, the results were never as ruthless as before.

With this thought lingering, Ji Nian carefully prepared an accelerated wound-healing potion, printed out the instructions for use, and called for the assistant Lu Zhi had sent over. She handed it to him, asking him to mail it to an address in Hua Country.

This was for Shen Qingtang.

Lu Zhi, knowing Ji Nian had locked herself in the lab the entire time, realized something when he saw the address. "So it was the Gu family's boy who sent her here."

But uncovering the truth only deepened his confusion.

"She offended Shen Qingtang, yet Gu Xiuyuan is helping her like this?"

From what he'd heard, Gu Xiuyuan had even intervened in her expulsion.

Lu Zhi turned to his son, whose face was entirely wrapped in bandages, and murmured, "Huai, isn't this interesting?"

"The moment she arrived, she said she wanted to help you. I originally planned to send her away, but the look in her eyes… reminded me of someone. Back then, that person also appeared out of nowhere, asking for my help. Dressed in rags, yet carrying himself like he was the young master, not me."

"The kid really is something. I thought, fine, I'll humor her—it's not like the Lu family can't afford to keep someone around."

"But now, it seems she's hiding quite a few secrets."

"Tell me…"

"Should I dare to hope a little, son?"

As always, there was no response.

...

Ji Nian was almost disappointed when she learned Lu Zhi hadn't opened the package she'd sent to Gu Xiuyuan. It had been part of her plan—to prove her skills in potion-making. Still, though things hadn't gone as expected, she appreciated Lu Zhi's respect for her privacy.

Soon, the package reached Gu Xiuyuan.

When he saw the sealed potion and Ji Nian's instructions, his expression turned peculiar.

At first, he thought she'd been fooled, silently cursing her for being an idiot.

But then he recalled her parting words. Fingers brushing over the printed paper, he muttered coldly, "What, does she think she's some kind of savior?"

With that, he closed the box and headed out.

"Prepare ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‍the car. I'm going to the Ji residence."

...

"Young Master Gu?"

Bruce, engrossed in his research, removed his glasses in surprise at his assistant's announcement.

Two minutes later, he accepted the item from Gu Xiuyuan.

"A healing potion? Where did you buy this, Young Master Gu?"

Gu Xiuyuan said it was from Country O.

Hearing that, Bruce nodded—reasonable, given Country O's advancements in potionology compared to Hua Country.

He handed it off to his assistant and returned to his work. Under Ji Tingzhou's orders, they were now focusing on developing pain-relief potions. The research for a cure wasn't abandoned, but it was no longer the top priority.

Once the potion was confirmed safe, Gu Xiuyuan took it to Shen Qingtang.

"This must have been expensive. It's just a minor injury—it'll heal on its own. You didn't have to go through so much trouble."

Hearing that Gu Xiuyuan had procured the potion from Country O, Shen Qingtang felt a sweet warmth in her chest.

But Gu Xiuyuan corrected her. "It wasn't me. Someone asked me to give this to you."

Shen Qingtang froze.

Names flickered through her mind, but none of them were close enough to warrant such a gesture.

Gu Xiuyuan didn't elaborate, letting her stare at him in confusion.

Then Shen Qingtang's gaze drifted to the glass-encased stone on her bedside. A thought struck her.

"Was it… the person who's been sending me gifts?"

A few days ago, she had pulled back her curtains as usual, only to find a comic instead. In it, a fluffy yellow chick, carrying a bundle and a wooden sword, was setting off on a journey. She had examined it over and over, only realizing the next day—when no follow-up arrived—that it had been a farewell.

"Yes, it was her," Gu Xiuyuan confirmed.

Shen Qingtang hadn't expected him to know the sender. She had even wondered if Gu Xiuyuan had hired someone to amuse her.

"What kind of person is she?"

Gu Xiuyuan paused.

"...A rather eccentric one."

Shen Qingtang burst out laughing.

"You'd actually describe someone like that?"

While the couple chatted, the lab assistants were losing their minds.

"Holy hell, has Country O's potionology advanced this far?!"

"Whose research is this?!"

The assistant had only run a basic analysis earlier, confirming the potion's safety before reporting back to Gu Xiuyuan. But when he glanced at the report again, he nearly short-circuited.

His exclamation drew the others, who were equally stunned.

"Should we… show this to the professor?"

Bruce listened to their excited chatter during his meal break.

He, too, was surprised.

Had he been stuck at the Ji residence for so long that he'd missed such a breakthrough?

But the real shock came when they scoured the internet and found no trace of this potion's existence.

"Could it be unpublished? No way—if I had this tech, I'd be bragging everywhere. Where did Young Master Gu even get this?"

Bruce made a mental note to ask around later.

As much as he itched to study the potion's effects, he was swamped with work. No matter how impressive it was, it wouldn't help Ji Tingzhou's condition.

Still, he'd have to contact his connections in Country O. If their potionology had leaped this far, perhaps genetics had progressed as well?

Yet, just days later, the Gu heir he'd been thinking of reappeared.

Holding another identical box.

Bruce frowned. "That potion worked wonders. The young lady's injuries have almost healed."

Why bring another?

The young man, barely eighteen, already carried an air of reliability. His striking features—sharp brows and piercing eyes—gave him an aloof demeanor. Even his voice held a cool detachment.

"No. This one is for Mr. Ji."