The prison was dark and lightless, with only a bean-sized oil lamp lit in a niche on the wall. Prisoners had to adapt for a long time to see in the darkness, as everything was pitch black.
To allow Gu Qingcheng to better appreciate the prison scene, the Huo family's servant lit a bright torch, illuminating the conditions inside.
The sudden sight of a large crowd of people in the torchlight made Gu Qingcheng gasp.
One could only describe the prisoners as existing in a world of misery. Each was skin and bones, their features distorted, their eyes filled with either utter despair or a vacant stare.
Having been in the dark for so long, even the brightness of the torch stung their eyes, and they all turned towards the source of the light.
However, they soon doubted if they were seeing correctly.
Because the young girl who appeared in the torchlight was like a little fairy. Her hair was dark and clean, her skin snow-white, her features delicate and pretty, and most importantly, she was spotlessly clean, dressed in a lovely pink cotton jacket.
Gu Qingcheng's appearance was like finding a piece of sweet, delicious pastry in a pile of garbage, attracting the hungry gazes of everyone present.
Under the collective, suggestive stares of so many prisoners, Gu Qingcheng felt as though her skin could be pierced by their gazes.
If it weren't to witness the fate of Old Man Gu's family, she would have wanted to leave.
The smell in the prison was unbearable, with all sorts of foul odors assaulting her senses: the stench of rot, the fishy smell, and the stale odor of unwashed bodies...
Overwhelmed by the stench, Gu Qingcheng could only pinch her nose and walk forward.
Suddenly, she saw a familiar face leaning against the wooden bars of a cell, looking as if he were about to die. Wasn't that Old Master Gu?
It seemed the Gu family was indeed here.
Gu Qingcheng's appearance caused a commotion among the prisoners, even making the men of the Gu family open their eyes.
When they saw the girl who appeared in the bright torchlight outside their cell, they were stunned.
Who else could this pretty girl, dressed in clean new clothes, with a rosy complexion and watery eyes, be but Gu Qingcheng?
This formerly weak Gu Qingcheng, whom they had trampled, verbally abused, and bullied, was now inspecting them under the protection of well-dressed guards, like a young lady of high status.
The jailers in the prison were all respectful to Gu Qingcheng, addressing her as "Miss Gu" at every turn.
"Qingcheng, you wretch, how dare you flaunt your power! Let us out! You rebellious little vixen!"
At this moment, Grandma Gu shakily managed to stand up in her cell, walked to the bars, and weakly cursed.
Gu Qingcheng snorted coldly and said without a hint of fear:
"Oh, you're still so wicked even when you're locked up? It seems you haven't suffered enough."
The guard beside Gu Qingcheng gave a look to the jailer.
The jailer understood and gestured towards the shrew in the cell.
The shrew understood and stepped forward, slapping Grandma Gu across the face.
Grandma Gu cried out in pain, and it was then that she suddenly realized that Gu Qingcheng was no longer the Gu Qingcheng of the past.
She didn't know what backing they had found, but in short, people had now climbed above her, and she was no longer the weak girl they could beat and scold at will.
Grandma Gu quickly shut her mouth, daring not to curse again, and even pleaded for mercy.
Gu Qingcheng sneered and asked:
"Where are Liu Cui and Zhang Manzhi?"
She knew these two had also been involved in the plot to sell her and wanted to see their fate.
But when she saw them, Gu Qingcheng regretted it. These two women were no longer human. They were dirty and smelly, terrified and rambling, and couldn't even recognize Gu Qingcheng.
Gu Qingcheng felt a surge of pleasure.
They were suffering greatly, but if her father hadn't saved her, she would have been buried with the earth long ago. Therefore, she felt no sympathy for them, only schadenfreude.
She intentionally brought up Gu Qingcheng's name.
As a result, Zhang Manzhi mumbled:
"Who is Gu Qingcheng? I don't know her. Ah? I think I remember, she's a wicked little vixen!"
"Gu Qingcheng is my enemy. I want to eat her flesh and skin her alive," Liu Cui muttered maliciously.
Gu Qingcheng didn't expect Liu Cui to be so cruel. No wonder she raised such a cold-blooded and heartless whelp like Gu Dou.
It was good that they were suffering here; it was more satisfying than a swift death.
Gu Qingcheng saw Gu Xiaohua trembling in the corner.
She glanced at Gu Xiaohua but said nothing.
Despite growing up together and suffering together, she now felt no inclination to help Gu Xiaohua.
The Gu family members all carried inherent sins. They all knew about their plan to sell her, yet not a single one tried to dissuade them.
If Gu Buku hadn't risked his life to send her a message, she would have been buried alive by now. Therefore, seeing them in such a miserable state, she felt no sympathy at all.
Gu Qingcheng had seen enough and announced she was leaving to buy silk, gold bracelets, and eat sea cucumber and pig trotters at Xinghua Restaurant...
The Huo family guards cleared the way in front and escorted Gu Qingcheng from behind. Gu Qingcheng, hands clasped behind her back, swaggered away.
The jailers also bowed and scraped as they saw Gu Qingcheng off.
The Gu family members were utterly dumbfounded, filled with jealousy, hatred, and regret!
At that moment, they must have been thinking that if they hadn't separated from Old Six Gu in the first place, if they had treated Old Six Gu's family better, or if they hadn't harbored the idea of abducting Gu Qingcheng, they would still have their freedom now, no matter how bitter their lives were.
Extreme regret, unwillingness, and indignation churned in their chests, disrupting their peace.
Gu Qingcheng's trip yielded 1002 'satisfaction points,' a considerable profit!
This was also the important reason why Gu Qingcheng deigned to visit the prison for a "family reunion."
Seeing those who had bullied and betrayed her suffer, who wouldn't feel satisfied?
And exceptionally satisfied at that!
Otherwise, she wouldn't have bothered going to the prison!
Putting aside the prisoners' terrifying gazes, the very air inside, to put it one way, made one feel: even breathing was wrong.
She never wanted to set foot in such a place again in her life.
Emerging from the prison, Gu Qingcheng breathed in the fresh air outside, feeling as though she had returned to the human world from hell. She secretly sprayed herself with a deodorizing spray, which made her feel much more comfortable.
However, the smells from the prison had inevitably seeped into her hair and the folds of her clothes. She could occasionally catch a whiff of that lingering scent, elusive and persistent.
Helpless, Gu Qingcheng knew she would have to bathe and change clothes at home to completely get rid of the odor.
Afterward, she happily went to the street to shop.
She decided not to join the rush for goods like grain, salt, oil, and meat, whose prices had skyrocketed due to the cold weather.
She focused mainly on hot and fresh snacks, various fried, pan-fried, steamed, and boiled delicacies.
These delicacies varied in flavor from shop to shop, each with its own unique skill. Even if they could make some of them themselves, they couldn't replicate that specific taste. Therefore, Gu Qingcheng bought a large quantity at every place she visited.