The Amusing Adventures of a Directionally Challenged Dad and Daughter

They left Lingnan as summer was nearing its end.

Chang'an asked Old Gu Six, "Dad, should we stop by Yizhou?"

"No, let's head back early. There's nothing worth seeing there," nor anything worth lingering for.

Chang'an was merely asking out of courtesy. She hadn’t lived in that place long enough to develop any attachment, and she only wondered if her father might have some sentimental ties to his hometown.

Since he didn’t, there was no need to take a detour. For all they knew, their old house in the village might already have new owners.

The summer heat was still relentless. They started their journey early each morning, rested as noon approached, resumed traveling in the late afternoon, and stopped again by dusk.

The return trip felt leisurely, as if a weight had been lifted from their shoulders now that their business was settled.

With the silver wolf leading the way, they avoided cities entirely, sticking to small paths—partly because the towns outside were embroiled in war.

While others were fighting tooth and nail, how shameless would it be to knock on their gates and demand entry for a rest?

That would be downright absurd. More likely, they’d be forcibly conscripted.

And there was also the risk of running into certain people, which would be even worse.

The backroads suited them just fine. They hunted, gathered wild greens, and when it rained, they foraged for mushrooms in the mountains—utterly peaceful.

But of course, the more content you are, the more likely someone will pop up to ruin it.

Like the pair of self-proclaimed martial artists ahead—a man and a woman. The man seemed normal enough, but the woman? Chang'an couldn’t shake the feeling that she was channeling the energy of a brain-dead, domineering CEO.

Just look at that haughty tilt of her chin, the way she glared down her nose, and those narrow eyes that somehow managed to convey a full "three-part disdain" expression.

"Name your price for that mule cart," the woman demanded.

The father-daughter duo stared at her like she was insane. The man beside her shot them an apologetic glance and discreetly tugged at her sleeve.

"Rong, the next town isn’t far. We can walk there without much trouble," he said disapprovingly.

The ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‍woman ignored him, stubbornly insisting, "I refuse to take a single step. I want that cart. Buy it for me—money is no object."

The sheer idiocy of an old-school domineering male lead oozed from her. Chang'an couldn’t help but wonder—was this woman cosplaying as one?

The heavens had cracked open twice already. It wouldn’t surprise Chang'an if this world, having nearly collapsed twice, was now full of holes.

She wasn’t sure, but she’d keep an eye out.

The man didn’t indulge his fiancée. Instead, he awkwardly apologized to the father and daughter. "I’m truly sorry. She’s been spoiled by her family since childhood. She means no harm."

Old Gu Six gave a slight nod, then cast an icy glance at the woman before urging the mule cart forward.

That single look sent a bone-chilling tremor through the woman, freezing her in place. She stiffened, her words dying in her throat.

Originally, Old Gu Six and his daughter had planned to rest here at noon. Who knew a lunatic would crash their break?

The woman’s soul reeked of something foul—some lowlife masquerading as nobility.

Wait—lowlife?

Shrimp?

Oh no. He’d completely forgotten about that back in the South Sea.

"Chang'an, how much shrimp do we have left?"

She blinked, thrown by the sudden topic shift. After checking her spatial storage, she replied, "About twenty or thirty pounds. And five small bags of roasted shrimp I prepared earlier."

"Alright, we’ll have to ration it. Once we’re back, I’ll go fishing again."

Both of them loved shrimp, so they burned through their stock quickly—though Old Gu Six failed to acknowledge that he was the primary culprit.

Behind them, the couple watched the cart leave, both exhaling in relief.

The man said, "Rong, see? They’re not even going the same way as us."

The woman gave a distracted hum. That soul-deep terror earlier had made her feel like she’d dissolve into thin air.

Assuming she was just sulking over the cart, the man didn’t press further. He split their rations, handing half to her before eating his own lunch.

"Not far" was relative—they still had half a day’s walk ahead. Best to eat now.

The father and daughter traveled a bit further before stopping in a shaded, flat area to rest.

Chang'an mixed a large bowl of cold noodles, serving herself a heaping portion before handing the rest to Old Gu Six.

He cradled the massive bowl—twice the size of his head—and dug in with gusto. Originally a vegetable-washing basin, it had since been repurposed as his personal meal tub.

Chang'an found it practical—no need for multiple small servings. One big bowl, everything mixed together, problem solved.

After eating, she sprawled on a grass mat, legs kicked up lazily, while Old Gu Six sat cross-legged in front of her, shielding her as he meditated.

The silver wolf ventured into the mountains alone. Since their midday breaks were long, it took the chance to hunt.

Suddenly, Old Gu Six sensed a disturbance in his pocket realm. Sending a wisp of his consciousness inside, he found the dragon pearl bouncing around. He snatched it up.

"What’s gotten into you?"

The pearl nuzzled his hand before hopping excitedly in his palm.

He poked it gently. "No. The baby is mortal now. You can’t come out."

"It’s not time yet. Without the right opportunity, we must wait. Understood?"

The pearl seemed to sulk, launching itself into the spirit spring with a splash before ignoring him completely.

Old Gu Six chuckled softly and withdrew without disturbing it further.

By mid-afternoon, they hit the road again, the mule cart ready. The silver wolf returned ahead of time, bringing two pheasants—one for Chang'an, one for Old Gu Six. It had already eaten its fill.

Their leisurely pace contrasted sharply with the hurried refugees on the road, fleeing towns in fear of impending siege and slaughter.

Everyone sought temporary shelter, waiting for peace to return.

This time, they didn’t take any wrong turns. Even at their unhurried pace, they made good progress.

By late summer, they’d left the south behind. Focused on getting home, they didn’t wander aimlessly. The silver wolf, too, seemed sharper—had this trip somehow boosted its intelligence?

It had even learned to bark like a dog. Now, it spent most of its time leading the way outside, throwing in a few "woofs" to fool passersby.

This wolf was practically a spirit.

Once past the war zones, they occasionally stopped in cities to rest. One day, Old Gu Six realized Chang'an hadn’t bought new clothes in two years, so they detoured into Lincheng.

Not that she needed them—her old wardrobe would last until she was fifteen. But since she hadn’t grown taller, her current clothes were just cycling through the same rotations.

Right now, she wasn’t interested in new outfits. What she’d pay top dollar for was a miracle growth formula.

Lincheng was a major city, close to the capital, and thus bustling with prosperity and novelty.

Once inside, Chang'an hopped off the cart. With no rush, she wanted to explore.

The streets bustled with people, some in small groups—ordinary folks and wealthy young masters alike.

The commoners browsed the street stalls, while the rich perused gold, silver, jade, and fine silks.

Chang'an stopped at a stall selling masks, her silver-furred wolf companion settling beside her as she paused.

She picked up a snarling demon mask with bared fangs and slipped it over her face, then turned to the wolf crouched next to her. "How do I look?"

"Woof!" The sudden ghastly visage startled the wolf so badly it nearly toppled over.

The stall had little rabbits, foxes, even a pig mask—yet you had to pick that one.

Wolf here is gonna end up dead because of you and your dad one of these days.