Chapter 165: Acknowledging Ancestry

Chapter 165: Ancestral Recognition

Shi Lv's birthday was just a few days away. He planned to host a small gathering at home, inviting classmates such as Song Yi who had helped him, as well as student council members in charge of part-time job coordination, as a gesture of gratitude.

He had already decided on most of the menu and bought a small cake. However, Liang Xu’s position made it awkward for him to dine with them, so Shi Lv decided to send his classmates off first and have a private dinner with Liang Xu in the evening.

Mentally reviewing his plans, Shi Lv headed home. From a distance, he spotted a car parked at the entrance of his neighborhood. Though not an expert on cars, his time at New Leaf Group had familiarized him with luxury vehicles, and he immediately recognized that this one was expensive.

He lived in an old residential area with few remaining residents—mostly elderly or tenants like him. Nobody there owned luxury vehicles, so Shi Lv took a detour to avoid the entrance.

Yet when he reached his building, he froze.

Right at the entrance stood several men in suits, their hair slicked back, with walkie-talkies clipped to their shirt collars—straight out of a spy flick.

Among them was a scar-faced man in his fifties, his sagging eyelids forming a triangular shape over his eyes, giving him an unsettlingly sinister look.

Shi Lv made to leave, only to find his path blocked.

These men hadn’t just stationed themselves at his building—they’d cordoned off the whole area.

Assessing the physical disparity between himself and the group, Shi Lv remained cautious. Though tall, he had never focused on building muscle, while these hulking men all stood over six feet. In a fight, he’d be at a clear disadvantage.

Clutching his phone, finger poised over the emergency call button, he eyed them warily. "Gentlemen, what’s this about?"

Had the original owner of this body left behind debts, and now creditors had come knocking?

But upon seeing him, the middle-aged man at the front plastered on a smile. His gaze turned almost affectionate, but the kindness in his expression clashed eerily with his leathery, wrinkled face. "You must be Shi Lv, right? New Leaf Group—it’s owned by the Ye family."

He spoke warmly, almost deferentially.

Shi Lv remained on guard.

The executives at New Leaf were all polished corporate types, all crisp efficiency. But these men radiated triad enforcer energy.

The leader took a step closer. "I’m Qiao Si, the Ye family patriarch’s driver. May I ask—do you only have a mother, with no knowledge of your father’s name? Oh, don’t be nervous. We mean no harm. A couple of days ago, you donated blood at the blood donation van on Fuping Road and had your pheromones tested. We saw your report."

That they’d gotten hold of his medical records showed their reach.

Shi Lv frowned. "What exactly do you want?"

Qiao Si: "Our patriarch lost a child many years ago and has been searching ever since. It wasn’t until your blood donation that we confirmed—you are the Ye family’s child."

They ushered Shi Lv into the car with utmost respect. Hemmed in by giants, there was no escaping. Shi Lv kept his phone at the ready, prepared to call for help. Yet the car drove deep into the mountains, where, hidden among the trees, loomed an estate.

The estate was clad in dark marble, with two massive half-meter pillars framing the entrance. From afar, it looked foreboding and grand, reminiscent of a medieval noble’s residence.

This was Shi Lv’s first time crossing into the Ye family’s world.

And the moment the old mansion reflected in his pupils, a robotic voice crackled in his head.

"Host, please note: Main quest, 'Return to the Ye Mansion,' has been activated."

"Host, please note: Main quest, 'Ancestral Recognition Banquet,' has been activated."

"Upon completing the main quests, side quests will gradually unlock. The host must strictly follow the requirements to fulfill the corresponding plotlines. After completion, a 'Return to Original World' opportunity *1 will be rewarded based on plot completion rate."

This time, Shi Lv was truly stunned.

After a long silence, he whispered, "I... can go back?"

Shi Lv had died in his previous life from sudden cardiac death due to insufficient blood supply to the heart. Being able to live again in this ABO universe, a subgenre of omegaverse fiction, was already a blessing—he had never even considered the possibility of returning.

If given the choice, of course, the familiar 21st century with his family and friends would be far better.

Hearing this, System 66 was stunned.

Previous hosts had been increasingly unruly, showing little interest in going home. Shi Lv was the first to express such a desire.

It grew excited: "Of course! As long as you complete the corresponding tasks, you can go back!"

Shi Lv lowered his gaze. "What do I need to do?"

With the host taking the initiative to ask, System 66 could finally reveal the upcoming plot.

The storyline wasn’t complicated. Shi Lv would return to his roots, change his name, and Elder Ye, overjoyed at suddenly gaining a late-life heir, would immediately hold a grand lineage banquet. The business magnates and political elites of Haicheng would all attend, with music, dance, and lavish feasting. Everyone would know that from then on, Haicheng had gained another rising power not to be crossed.

For this long-awaited heir, Elder Ye spared no effort. After years of seclusion, he personally stepped back into the world just to pave the way for his son.

First, he handed Shi Lv numerous properties, then directly installed him into the New Leaf Group’s board of directors, taking over Liang Xu’s position—now that the rightful heir had arrived, Liang Xu naturally became redundant. Wary of his capabilities, Elder Ye shunted him to a ceremonial post.

At this point, Shi Lv paused.

He pointed at himself, incredulous. "I’m taking Liang Xu’s place?"

Was this a joke? With skills below even an intern’s caliber, throwing him into the executive den of wolves wouldn’t just sink New Leaf?

Frowning, he asked, "Can this part of the plot be avoided?"

Shi Lv knew how much Liang Xu had dedicated to New Leaf. He couldn’t just steal someone else’s achievements—especially when Liang Xu was far more capable than him.

Moreover, if he really pushed Liang Xu to the sidelines, how could he face him?

Would Liang Xu distance himself, grow to resent him, and drift further away?

System 66’s sensors detected the possibility of plot divergence. It immediately turned stern: "Host must strictly follow the plot. Otherwise, not only will you fail to return, but there will also be... consequences." The system’s gaze shifted. "Punishments."

—There were no punishments. 66 made it up.

Replacing Liang Xu was the prerequisite for all future conflicts. Without this, the subsequent plot couldn’t unfold.

Shi Lv: "...Fine."

He felt a bit sullen.

Qiao Si led him to the entrance, went inside to announce his arrival, then quickly returned, bowing to Shi Lv. "Please."

His attitude was like a servant from the old century addressing his master, sending shivers down Shi Lv’s spine.

Elder Ye had lived in seclusion for years. Aside from the older generation, few knew him, let alone his true nature. Shi Lv knew nothing at all. Meeting the old man, he was noticeably ill at ease. For some reason, despite Elder Ye’s outwardly kind and gentle demeanor, Shi Lv inexplicably felt cold sweat break out on his brow. The man’s eyes, half-smiling yet dark and depthless, gave the impression of a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Every time Elder Ye’s gaze shifted toward him, Shi Lv felt as if he were being watched by some sinister apparition.

Meanwhile, Elder Ye, upon seeing his only bloodline—educated, well-mannered, and nothing like his first frail, sickly child—found him utterly satisfactory. He immediately decided to hold a banquet to introduce him to the world.

Impatient, Elder Ye deliberately set the event for two days later—coincidentally, the very day of Shi Lv’s birthday.

Shi Lv opened his mouth, about to mention it, but inexplicably felt Elder Ye didn’t care. Just as he hadn’t cared about Shi Lv’s mother—the Omega who bore him a child, suffered, and died. He didn’t care about Shi Lv himself. All that mattered was that this body carried his blood.

Shi Lv thought bitterly to himself, "What a shame."

A shame that this was a body the system had altered for the plot. Shi Lv came from the 21st century, and so did his body. He had warm, doting parents—not a single drop of him was truly Ye blood.

Shi Lv inched away from the table and made small talk with 66: "Is there anything I should pay attention to at the banquet?"

66 checked the script: "You just need to sit far from Liang Xu and avoid talking to him—play it cool."

In the original story, Shi Lv and Liang Xu couldn’t stand each other. From the very first day of his homecoming, Shi Lv made no secret of his contempt for his former sister-in-law. The executives of New Leaf Group, political animals, fell over themselves to suck up to the newly recognized crown prince while giving the cold shoulder to Liang Xu, afraid of backing the wrong side. This left Liang Xu in a difficult position.

The original plot required outright hatred, but 66 doubted its host could fake that level of dislike. The real concern was whether Shi Lv might end up making goo-goo eyes with Liang Xu on the spot, enraging his new dad. After careful consideration, 66 watered it down, simply instructing Shi Lv not to speak to Liang Xu.

After all, as the new crown prince, refusing to speak to the current head of the family was already a strong enough display of aversion.

As for the more extreme developments later in the plot, 66 kept them hidden for now, planning to guide the host step by step and figure out how to coax him into compliance.

Shi Lv didn’t question it. He had a rushed meal with his long-lost father, his skin crawling under the man’s kindly smile before excusing himself with a few perfunctory words.

The sudden change in status left Shi Lv spaced out. He politely declined the old man’s offer to buy him property and rode back to his rented apartment in Qiao Si’s luxury car. Even as he cooked, his mind remained elsewhere—he burned the ribs in the pan without realizing it.

Lowering his gaze, Shi Lv asked the system, "So, the reason you told me not to work anymore… was this?"

66 nodded.

Shi Lv had no appetite left. He salvaged the burnt ribs and ate them without enthusiasm.

Then, a message from X popped up.

X: "What do you want to eat for your birthday?"

He sent over a few restaurant options.

Shi Lv poked at the ribs. "...Anything’s fine. What do you want?"

Right now, he wasn’t in the mood to celebrate.

X chuckled. "Then I’ll pick?"

Since their last heart-to-heart, their interactions had grown noticeably closer. Their conversations, once limited to food, economics, and cats, now covered everything.

X remained as gentle as ever. News of the banquet hadn’t spread yet—Liang Xu had no idea his life was about to be turned upside down. Meanwhile, Shi Lv gripped his phone, a heavy feeling in his chest.

He typed and deleted repeatedly, wanting to tell X that Elder Ye had come knocking, that Shi Lv might not be Shi Lv for much longer. According to the plot, he’d be given a new name.

New Leaf Group’s leadership was also in for a bloodbath, especially the positions Liang Xu had worked so hard to build. But no matter how many times he tried, he couldn’t find the right words.

As Shi Lv fought with his keyboard, X was the first to say goodnight: "It’s late. Get some rest."

Shi Lv paused, then deleted everything he’d written. "...Yeah, okay. You too."

Just as Shi Lv flung his phone away and collapsed onto his bed, Zhang Ping knocked on Liang Xu’s door.

His face was tense as he hurried over and whispered a few words. Liang Xu’s normally poker-faced demeanor faltered—his complexion paled instantly.