"You useless good-for-nothing, I told you to find out information, and you came back with nothing," Li Gongzi said, his temper growing more volatile after drinking. He couldn't help but kick Er Gou.
"Li Gongzi, I haven't finished yet. I did get some news. I followed them when they went shopping and overheard them saying they're going to the karst cave tomorrow. The cave's terrain is complex, and the light is dim. Isn't that the perfect opportunity for us to strike?" Er Gou rubbed his backside, speaking obsequiously.
"Oh? Excellent, let's do that. Quickly think of how we'll kill that young master Gu tomorrow and abduct that stunning woman." Li Gongzi said impatiently.
A few cobblers are better than one Zhuge Liang. So, a group of people put their heads together, each contributing an idea, and came up with a plan they thought was foolproof.
Having received the meticulously prepared gift from Gu Qingcheng, Du Lanyue was in a good mood. She returned to her room, took out a mirror, and admired herself repeatedly.
Such a clear mirror would cause a sensation anywhere. Yet, Gu Qingcheng had given it to her without hesitation. Thinking of his thoughtfulness, Du Lanyue felt blissful.
After washing up, she lay down in bed, still holding the mirror. Finally, she fell asleep with it in her arms.
As she drifted off, Du Lanyue had a beautiful dream. In her dream, Gu Qingcheng confessed his love to her. After some shy and coy moments, she happily accepted. Hand in hand, they strolled through the streets of Chaoliao Island. People on the street turned to look at them, praising them as a perfectly matched couple. Gu Qingcheng looked delighted and proud, while she, naturally, had a smile on her face, beaming. Later, they reached a deserted corner. Gu Qingcheng embraced her and leaned in close...
Du Lanyue gasped, her heart pounding, and woke up. Upon waking, she realized it had only been a dream. Her heart was still racing. Alas, she wished she hadn't woken up so soon; she hadn't even been kissed yet... Du Lanyue felt a pang of regret.
Just then, the crowing of a rooster echoed from outside the window. Dawn was breaking. The thought of Gu Qingcheng taking her out today immediately banished the regret from her dream. She happily got out of bed and washed up. With the help of the mirror, she found applying light makeup incredibly convenient. Blusher, lipstick, drawing her eyebrows... The thought that Gu Qingcheng might one day draw her eyebrows made her eyes sparkle, and her lips curve upwards. After finishing her makeup, she gazed at her reflection in the mirror, looking even more captivating than usual. She was almost entranced by her own beauty. She figured young master Gu would like it too, wouldn't he?
Du Lanyue opened her chest and changed into a peach-colored dress. She realized her mother was right; even though she was young, she shouldn't always wear dark clothes. This brightly colored dress made her appearance even more magnificent.
Gu Qingcheng woke up with a yawn. She had talked with Wang Dapeng and the others quite late last night, but the thought of her date with Du Lanyue to go out had her system set a timer. The alarm woke her up precisely on time. Fortunately, she had the alarm, otherwise, she definitely wouldn't have woken up this early.
Since Gu Qingcheng was going to the karst cave, she changed into a short outfit, looking sharp and efficient. Then, she slung a forest-green canvas backpack over her shoulder. Such a backpack wouldn't attract attention. Although it looked a bit strange by the standards of the people here, it wasn't too outlandish, as people generally used cloth satchels. While satchels blended in better, they were inconvenient. Gu Qingcheng had tried wearing this backpack in town before, and no one had paid much attention. She put two bottles of water, some unpacked egg yolk pastries, and milk candy into the bag. This was mainly to give the impression that her bag contained things, so Du Lanyue wouldn't be surprised when she took out food. With the backpack as a cover, she could take out whatever she wanted, as Du Lanyue had no idea what was inside.
Once ready, Gu Qingcheng went to knock on Du Lanyue's door to invite her for breakfast. The moment she knocked, Du Lanyue opened the door, as if she was about to go out, which explained the swiftness.
Gu Qingcheng said with a smile, "Let's go, Sister Lanyue. We're going for dim sum. I heard there's a good dim sum place on Peach Blossom Street."
"Okay," Du Lanyue replied warmly. "The mirror you gave me is really useful. I find I can't live without it. I can't imagine how I managed before mirrors."
"Heh, I'll try to find a way to produce mirrors in the future. Once they're common, they won't be so rare," Gu Qingcheng said, seeing an opportunity to legitimize the mirrors.
"You know how to make mirrors?" Du Lanyue asked, surprised by the news as they walked.
"Yes, I asked a shop assistant, and he said a foreign merchant had vaguely mentioned it. It's not complicated. I'll try using some tools from my place when I get back," Gu Qingcheng replied candidly.
"That's wonderful! Mirrors, as soon as they're made, will surely be a very profitable business. No one can resist the allure of a mirror," Du Lanyue said admiringly. Young master Gu was simply too perfect: skilled in archery, handsome, and yet responsible, good at making money, and intelligent. The thought of Gu Qingcheng's merits made Du Lanyue's heart soar.
The two arrived at the Cantonese dim sum restaurant on Peach Blossom Street. As expected, it was bustling with people, and almost every table was occupied. Fortunately, they arrived relatively early and found a corner seat. Once seated, Gu Qingcheng ordered a table full of dishes. To Du Lanyue's delight, they were all her favorites: crystal shrimp dumplings, scallion pancakes, turnip cakes...
"That's too much! Don't order so much," Du Lanyue said blissfully. "I love everything you've ordered."
"I know. I noticed you like light and fresh flavors," Gu Qingcheng said. Being a girl herself, she found that her tastes and habits were quite similar to Du Lanyue's after spending time together. So, she took the liberty of ordering a lot, catering to Du Lanyue's preferences. Seeing how happy Du Lanyue was, Gu Qingcheng felt it was wonderful to have found such a friend. They had similar values, tastes, enjoyed doing the same things, and could talk for hours.
After finishing breakfast, they hired a carriage to go to the karst cave.
"Uncle, wait for us outside. I'll pay for your carriage for the whole day," Gu Qingcheng instructed the carriage driver.
"All right. You won't be out too soon, will you? I'll wait for you under the shade of that tree. But this karst cave is very deep with many branching paths. It's easy to get lost, so be careful," the driver warned them kindly.
"Thank you, uncle. We won't go too deep. We'll be out within a morning at most," Gu Qingcheng replied. She remembered the karst caves she had visited before, with their wondrous scenery. If Du Lanyue saw them, she would surely be captivated and might want to stay for quite a while. Thus, she extended the estimated time. Du Lanyue, lost in the pleasant prospect of spending time alone with Gu Qingcheng, was completely unaware that a great crisis was quietly approaching.