Dimensional Store: Welcome to the Apocalypse Apartment - Chapter 161

Chapter 161

Xiling Yuan was a real person.

His personal records indicated he was an orphan who grew up in an orphanage funded by a charitable project under the Xiyuan Group.

Gu Huaiwei and her sister had also lived in an orphanage for a period during their childhood. Looking back to investigate that orphanage now, she discovered it had also been sponsored by the Xiyuan Group.

As a multinational corporation, the Xiyuan Group engaged in philanthropy across various sectors.

Sponsoring a few orphanages didn’t seem like a big deal.

Was it truly just a coincidence?

If there was one thing Gu Huaiwei didn’t believe in, it was coincidence.

Xiling Yuan’s body was still at the funeral parlor.

Acting as a friend, Gu Huaiwei went to the funeral parlor to claim Xiling Yuan’s remains.

“This person’s body has been here for a long time without anyone claiming it. If you want to take the ashes, you’ll need to settle the previous cremation fees first,” a staff member said, pulling out a bill to calculate the costs.

Gu Huaiwei swiped her Paradise Card to pay.

After issuing the receipt, the staff member shook his head with a sigh. “I heard this guy was a big boss when he was alive. Who would’ve thought that after he died, he’d have to rely on a friend to buy him an urn?”

Gu Huaiwei took the heavy urn and asked, “Did he leave any belongings?”

“All his valuable assets were donated. There are just some worthless old clothes left. If you want them, take them,” the staff member replied. He had originally planned to throw the tattered items away as trash.

Xiling Yuan’s remaining possessions were only enough to fill a small suitcase.

As Gu Huaiwei was leaving, she ran into a salesperson pitching Cemetery plots.

She wasn’t short on money; the Gold Coins she had earned in the Wasteland World had given her financial freedom in the Real World.

Ensuring the deceased could rest in peace was a simple enough task to handle in passing.

When the money was right, the service was naturally comprehensive. Gu Huaiwei didn’t need to worry about any of the follow-up arrangements herself.

After bringing Xiling Yuan’s belongings home, she began searching through them.

Aside from some old clothes, Gu Huaiwei actually found something useful.

Among Xiling Yuan’s personal items was a palm-sized oil painting. The subject of the painting was a scene of beasts sharing a meal.

Six ferocious beasts sat around a dining table. They had the heads of animals but the bodies of humans, and they held knives and forks in their hands. On the table, instead of delicious delicacies, were the dismembered limbs of humans.

A forest surrounded the scene. At the edge of the woods, a group of terrified humans huddled together, surrounded by beasts that hadn’t made it to the table. Those beasts weren’t directly biting the humans’ necks; instead, they were toying with them.

In the upper right corner of the oil painting, a Ferris wheel in an amusement park could be seen in the distance.

Despite it being a static image, Gu Huaiwei could feel that the Ferris wheel was turning.

It was Paradise.

This Xiling Family had countless inextricable links to Paradise.

Xiling Yuan’s death was no accident.

The Xiling Family should also be a real, existing family.

On her way to the funeral parlor, Gu Huaiwei had been photographed by the Paparazzi, who posted the images online.

The Hot Search headlines became:

“Gu Family Orphan Girl Suspected of Having Plastic Surgery, Returns After Inheriting Massive Fortune from Mysterious Tycoon”

“Gu Changge’s Younger Sister Visits Funeral Parlor to Claim a Body”

“Gu Family Group Makes a Comeback, Enters the Funeral Industry”

“Jiang Family Eldest Young Master and Gu Changge’s Younger Sister Suspected of Starting a New Romance”

Gu Huaiwei suspected the last topic was a rumor started by the Jiang Family, who likely bought the Hot Search to control the narrative.

Many voices of doubt also appeared under that particular topic.
The most discussed topic was Gu Huaiwei’s face.

That day at the funeral parlor, Gu Huaiwei had worn a simple black dress. She didn’t usually put much effort into her appearance, and her looks were merely pleasant. However, when the paparazzi saw her, they felt their hearts race with a sensation akin to a first love.

One paparazzo took a photo and wrote hundreds of words, recording the ethereal feeling of seeing Gu Huaiwei in person. But when he posted the photo online, the netizens couldn’t relate to his emotions at all.

The photo lacked that certain magic.

Consequently, the paparazzo was lambasted in the comments.

Jiang Richen had tried to approach Gu Huaiwei every time she returned, but she never gave him the time of day. Recently, since Gu Huaiwei had moved into the villa district, Jiang Richen had even fewer opportunities to harass her.

The Jiang Family residence.

After finishing his work, the light from the study lamp cast a shadow over half of Jiang Richen’s face. He stared at his phone, looking at the three text messages he had sent to Gu Huaiwei. Not a single one had been replied to. His expression was dark.

He tossed his pen aside in frustration.

“What a difficult woman to deal with.”

Meanwhile, Jiang Yingyue had locked herself at home, not stepping out for months.

She hid in her dark room like a light-shunning rat, constantly stirring up trouble on the computer under topics related to Gu Huaiwei.

She fabricated stories about the Gu Family’s money being ill-gotten, claimed Gu Changge had a scandalous private life, and suggested that Gu Huaiwei only regained her wealthy lifestyle by clinging to overseas tycoons.

Envy.

It was the only one of the Seven Deadly Sins that brought no pleasure to the sinner.

Gu Changge had been missing for a long time, and the Jiang Family had acquired the Gu Family’s former industries. Jiang Yingyue had originally thought she would never have to live in Gu Changge’s shadow again. However, since entering the business world, people still constantly compared her to Gu Changge, both openly and in secret.

Why?

Why was it that whenever she achieved something in her career, others assumed it was because of the resources provided by her family?

And why did those people in the business world think that whether it was Gu Changge or Gu Huaiwei, they were self-made women who had built their empires through their own sheer will and courage?

The more Jiang Yingyue tried to replace Gu Changge, the more she realized that Gu Changge was irreplaceable.

Her imitations were nothing more than a joke in the eyes of those in the inner circles.

Meanwhile, Jiang Xingyi clutched a photo of Mu Lingxi, sighing repeatedly. He was immersed in the disappointment of unrequited love, unable to pull himself out.

“I told you that your ex-boyfriend was a bad person. Why won’t you believe me?”

“I’ve already turned over a new leaf. Why won’t you give me a chance to love you?”

Jiang Xingyi poked Mu Lingxi’s face in the photo with his finger, his own face twisted in misery.

The three younger members of the Jiang Family had not been having a good time lately.

Oasis Matchmaking Agency.

With only one Branch Store left to unlock, Gu Huaiwei left the final task of unlocking it to He Xueyi and Bai Miemie.

Before making the Dimension jump, she needed to visit the Dawn Alliance.

Before leaving, Gu Huaiwei instructed, “Unlock the last Branch Store in ten days. Before you do, make sure the new recruits are well-trained.” Gu Huaiwei placed the shop keys into Bai Miemie’s palm.

Bai Miemie gave a salute, her small head tilted up and her nose slightly red as she vowed, “Mission guaranteed to be accomplished!”

Gu Huaiwei patted her soft, curly short hair.

He Xueyi looked at Lin She, who stood behind Gu Huaiwei. The golden film over his eyes dimmed slightly. He tilted his head gently and asked, “Shop Manager Miss, wouldn’t it be better to take me along too?”