The Real Heiress Has an Appraisal System

Zhao Dehai laughed out loud. "It’s a very complicated matter with a lot of red tape. Your current qualifications definitely aren’t sufficient. But Mr. Zhang and I will both help you, right?"

Zhang Zhengyi said with a sigh of resignation, "Yes, yes. I’m an academic, and now I have to consider all sorts of things. It’s truly exhausting."

Gu Shengsheng immediately smiled.

She knew that establishing a private museum involved a lot of red tape, but that part was manageable as long as the paperwork was in order and the venue was suitable. The main hurdle was the qualification to establish a private museum in the first place.

One component was a ’comprehensive founder assessment.’ This evaluation included the founder’s charitable activities, contributions to society, and even contributions to Huaxia.

Currently, Gu Shengsheng had very little to show in that regard. And as for... the ’contributions to Huaxia’ part, that was extremely difficult. ’If I worked for the Ministry of State Security, it might be possible...’

So, the matter was very difficult and uncertain.

However, if she were to start preparing now, she would need to amass a collection of at least several hundred pieces, which would also take a very long time.

Agreeing to go to Anxi City this time was a good opportunity, then.

Anxi itself was an ancient city with a deep historical and cultural heritage, making it a paradise for antique appraisal. She would also get to see the real Terracotta Warriors, and Gu Shengsheng was rather eager to go.

This time, she would be accompanying Zhang Zhengyi and his team directly to the ancient tomb. The compensation they offered was quite good, and Gu Shengsheng was not an ungrateful person.

She looked at Zhang Zhengyi.

She said, "I don’t have much going on anyway, Mr. Zhang. I’ll go to Anxi with you."

"Wonderful!" Zhang Zhengyi’s face was filled with excitement. "Our team is in desperate need of a talent like you right now!"

"Shengsheng, you should consider coming to Qing University to be one of my graduate students. That would be great, too. There’s no harm in furthering your education."

Gu Shengsheng smiled without saying anything.

’It wasn’t that she didn’t want to further her education; she just never had the chance before.’

Then, she said sincerely, "I’d like to. Once I get through this busy period, I really should work on self-improvement."

’Wasn’t earning all this money for the sake of giving herself a better life?’

’Taking control of one’s own life... and learning is the best way to achieve intellectual and personal growth.’ Gu Shengsheng had no reason to refuse.

Besides, it was something she had always yearned for.

Zhang Zhengyi looked at her, thinking what a rare find she was.

A young woman like her, so pure-hearted and dedicated to appraising treasures, had not been blinded by the allure of money.

She was a truly down-to-earth person. He had heard her family background wasn’t great. To have come from a place like that and made it this far, Zhang Zhengyi felt she must have endured a great deal of hardship.

He felt a pang of sympathy for her.

Faced with these two kindly elders, Gu Shengsheng didn’t quite know what to say.

She asked, "Mr. Zhang, when are we leaving? I need to pack my bags."

Zhang Zhengyi frowned, his expression turning grim. "If possible, it would be best to leave today."

"A tomb has been discovered, and although the information has been locked down, we can’t rule out the possibility of tomb raiders in the area. A professor from the university over in Anxi has already gone to take a look, so we must get there as soon as possible."

Gu Shengsheng nodded. "That’s fine with me. I’m ready whenever."

In her previous life, she had often done fieldwork and had never turned down an assignment. She had accompanied her professor on paleontology research and had been to sites like this before.

She had even explored tombs.

But this would be her first time visiting an ancient tomb in this world, so she wouldn’t be careless.

Once things were decided, plane tickets were booked for that evening.

So, Gu Shengsheng hurried to pack her bags. After they agreed on a time to meet that night, Zhao Dehai and Zhang Zhengyi took their leave.

After texting Grandma and Linnin to let them know she was going on a business trip, Gu Shengsheng got ready to finish packing and leave.

The old lady and Lu Linlin had gone fishing at a farmstead, planning to bring back a fresh catch for Gu Shengsheng.

When she saw the message, the old lady’s sunglasses slipped right off her face and fell to the ground.

She quickly took a screenshot and sent it to Lu Shijing.

"You brat, Shengsheng is going on a business trip. Take good care of her. And treat her to some good food. Also! Don’t forget to see her off."

Lu Shijing replied instantly: "Mm."

A moment later, there was a knock on Gu Shengsheng’s door.

She set her suitcase aside, opened the door, and saw Lu Shijing.

Before she could ask what he wanted, Lu Shijing said, "Are you leaving?"

"Yes, I’m off to Anxi for a business trip. Oh, Mr. Ryan, my grandmother and sister might not have anyone to look after them. If you see them collapsed on the street or something, could you call my husband’s former assistant?"

"His name is Lin Kai. You two have met."

"Sorry to trouble you, Mr. Ryan."

He made a mental note of it and asked casually, "How long will you be gone?"

"I’m not sure yet. Maybe half a month, or a whole month. I might even decide to stay longer and have some fun, you never know," Gu Shengsheng explained with a laugh.

"Oh." He nodded.

"I never properly thanked you for that ID code Miss Lu gave me. Can I treat you to a meal today?"

Gu Shengsheng waved her hand dismissively. "Anyone with eyes can see I got the better end of that deal. You don’t have to treat me to a meal..."

Besides, Gu Shengsheng didn’t feel like going out. She would rather stay home and order takeout by herself than eat in a restaurant. The attentive service always made her feel uncomfortable.

’Just like people say,’ she thought, ’I wasn’t born to be rich.’

"Mm."

"But I already ordered delivery from Manye Restaurant. I also brought over some coconut cake and other small pastries from the Blue Pavilion Cafe."

"Miss Gu, if you don’t eat, it’ll probably all go to waste. I can’t possibly finish it all by myself," he said, feigning disappointment.

Gu Shengsheng’s eyes instantly lit up.

She had an iron will when it came to most things, but for food, she was completely powerless.

It was mainly because the food from Manye Restaurant and the treats from the Blue Pavilion Cafe were some of her absolute favorites.

She was going to be in Anxi for a long time and probably wouldn’t get to eat anything this delicious. Plus, she could enjoy it at home without going out—what could be better?

It wasn’t like she would ever buy it for herself. A single meal from those places cost tens of thousands of yuan. When she was on her own, a ten-yuan bowl of rice noodles was good enough for her.

"What a coincidence," Gu Shengsheng said with a smile. "Well, I’ll treat you next time, then."

Just as she said that, the delivery arrived.

Lu Shijing brought the food inside, and the two of them sat down to eat at the dining table.

He glanced at the unused-looking kitchen and frowned. "You never cook?"

"Nope. Takeout gets the job done. Cooking is too much of a hassle." Sometimes she would crave something, but the thought of having to cook would make her give up on the idea.

Conveniently, her sister and grandmother weren’t fans of cooking either.

Lu Shijing let out a barely audible sigh. "Next time you treat me, I’ll buy the groceries, and we’ll cook at your place. You can try my cooking."

"Sure," Gu Shengsheng agreed, her mouth already stuffed. She had no desire to speak for the moment.

She was only halfway through her enthusiastic meal.

When a call came in from Zhang Zhengyi.

He said, "Shengsheng, there’s been a problem!"