Upon returning to Cha Liao Island, Gu Qingcheng naturally went to rest and recuperate.
Although the quality of life on the ship was good and she was not affected by the unfavorable local environment, living on a ship was, after all, not as pleasant and relaxing as life on land.
Furthermore, the intensive cooperation negotiations over the past six months had left her physically and mentally exhausted.
During these six months of negotiations, she had witnessed various aspects of human nature, greatly benefiting from the experience and broadening her horizons.
Some merchants were straightforward; once terms were discussed and found agreeable, deals were easily struck.
Others were hesitant, wishing to seize all the profit for themselves. Gu Qingcheng did not indulge such individuals.
To merchants who were straightforward and offered better terms, she showed leniency and made concessions. To those who were greedy for profit, she either found new partners or drastically lowered their terms, delivering a resounding blow.
Although the past six months had been tiring, interacting with all sorts of people had also led to her rapid growth. When her gaze sharpened, a hint of ferocity remained. Even Mi Guo had remarked that if her sister were to unleash her aura, he would not dare to meet her eyes.
Through repeated trials, Gu Qingcheng had forged herself into a "bane of existence" at the negotiation table.
Returning to her residence on Cha Liao Island, Gu Qingcheng collapsed into sleep, resting for a full day and night without eating, only waking up naturally.
As a result, she felt refreshed and invigorated upon waking.
The house on Cha Liao Island had not been fully renovated when she left. Now, more than half a year later, the construction had naturally progressed significantly. Not only had the planted bamboo sprouted new shoots, but the courtyard had also more than doubled in size.
The courtyard had been beautifully redecorated in the style of Suzhou gardens, featuring bamboo, Taihu stones, and shrubbery, transforming the house into Gu Qingcheng's preferred aesthetic.
It was a pity that the only drawback of the new residence was the short trees and new walls; it would take time for the plants to grow tall enough to provide shade.
After a hearty meal, Gu Qingcheng brewed tea in her favorite tea room.
She took out her best Wuyi Da Hong Pao from the storage cabinet. After looking at it, she reluctantly put it back, then sent a servant to invite Du Lanyue.
However, upon further consideration, it seemed inappropriate. She called the servant, who had just reached the door, back and said:
"Never mind, I'll go invite her myself when I have time."
Gu Qingcheng did not know how to apologize to Du Lanyue, having inadvertently affected her romantic prospects by disguising herself.
After much thought, Gu Qingcheng suddenly felt she should make a decision.
For her, who was currently enjoying smooth sailing, making such a decision was not easy and might challenge some people's perceptions.
However, Gu Qingcheng felt that rebuilding after a disaster was precisely about breaking old orders. If her decision could re-establish a new order, she should bravely act.
Three days after Gu Qingcheng's return to the island, Du Lanyue was engrossed in accounting at the pier's cashier office.
At that moment, a servant reported that a young lady was looking for her outside.
Du Lanyue assumed it was some young lady from the city come to visit and paid little attention, gesturing for the servant to let her in.
As the person stepped into the room, Du Lanyue looked up and saw the servant's somewhat bewildered expression.
She found it strange and was about to ask what was wrong when she saw the woman the servant was looking at and finally understood why the servant looked so conflicted.
The woman was dressed in practical, short women's attire, exuding a heroic spirit, but her face was Gu Qingcheng's. No wonder the servant was stunned.
Most of the workers at the pier knew Gu Qingcheng. Perhaps he thought this was Gu Qingcheng's twin sister?
Du Lanyue said joyfully:
"Qingcheng, you're back? When did you return?"
Hearing Du Lanyue call her that, the servant was surprised and doubtful, but ultimately, it was inconvenient to stand there in a daze, so he sensibly withdrew.
Gu Qingcheng, dressed in women's clothing, nodded with a smile and said:
"Sister Lanyue, hello. I returned three days ago, handled everything, and came to find you immediately."
"Ah? Why are you wearing women's clothes? Didn't you say you had to conceal your identity?"
Du Lanyue asked worriedly.
Sister Lanyue is so kind, even now, she's still worried about me.
Gu Qingcheng muttered to herself.
However, she also sensed that Du Lanyue bore no ill will towards her for potentially disrupting her romantic prospects.
"Haha, I've thought about it. In the past, it was said that women shouldn't be seen in public. While rules are rules, aren't rules meant to be broken in times of chaos?
So, I've decided to wear women's clothes from now on and no longer confuse people with men's attire. This will also prove that women's abilities are no less than men's."
Gu Qingcheng frankly stated her intentions.
"While I can accept it, I don't know if everyone else will. Will it be detrimental to your business on Cha Liao Island?"
Du Lanyue voiced her concerns.
"Don't worry. If it's detrimental to my business, then I don't want such a business.
Besides, I believe that in the face of profit, they will prioritize profit over gender."
Gu Qingcheng declared confidently.
Du Lanyue was somewhat speechless. She hoped things would unfold as Gu Qingcheng predicted.
However, she couldn't be entirely sure if those old conservatives could truly accept that the "Young Master Gu" they knew was actually Miss Gu?
Would they, who were polite and treated her as a peer, now reprimand Gu Qingcheng, telling her to return to the inner chambers and tend to her husband and children?
While she was worrying, Gu Qingcheng smiled and asked:
"Sister Lanyue, you've always been the eldest daughter of the Lu family, and everyone knows your identity as a woman. Have they become an obstacle to your career?"
"No," Du Lanyue immediately understood upon hearing this.
Her first step was taken as a woman, and due to her outstanding abilities, she managed the affairs of Cha Liao Island very well, earning everyone's strong endorsement. No one looked down on her because she was a woman.
Of course, her powerful father and Gu Qingcheng's strong support behind the scenes also played a role.
But Gu Qingcheng was right: if you can create benefits for people, they will recognize your abilities.
If you cannot generate as much profit, people will dislike you regardless of gender.
Du Lanyue sighed and said with lingering concern, "Whether you are Young Master Gu or Miss Gu, no matter what happens, I will support you."
Gu Qingcheng laughed, "I knew Sister Lanyue was the best friend. That's why after changing back to women's clothes, I came to you immediately, wanting your support."
Du Lanyue stepped forward, took Gu Qingcheng's hand, and playfully tapped her forehead.
However, this was truly wonderful. Now they could play together happily without any gender concerns.
Gu Qingcheng threw an arm around Du Lanyue's waist and said with a giggle:
"I'm so happy to be myself again."