The conversation took a completely unexpected turn, and everyone became engrossed in discussing Gu Qingcheng’s bravery.
“See? He’s so capable, he doesn’t need me to tip him off at all,” Du Lanyue grumbled, feeling a bit dejected. What if Gu Qingcheng was a bit weaker? Would what she did then have some value?
Du Lanxing chuckled, “Sister, it’s not about whether you tipped him off or not. The main point is whether you’ve put young master Gu in your heart. I think young master Gu has already received your intentions. Anyway, you should be bold tonight. I think it’s highly likely to succeed, especially since he’s grateful and even invited us to dinner. According to Uncle Zhu’s intel, young master Gu hasn’t interacted with any young ladies on this island yet. Besides, my sister’s beauty is enough to topple cities and kingdoms, more than enough to match a noble young master. Young master Gu definitely won’t dislike you. I suspect he’s hesitant to talk about marriage perhaps because he hasn’t reported to his elders yet. Think about it, he comes from a prominent family, so there must be many rules, right?”
Du Lanyue conjured a myriad of scenarios in her mind but then managed to rationalize them. However, her sister’s words greatly stimulated her. She suddenly felt as if happiness was within her grasp. All it would take was a confession, Gu Qingcheng’s acceptance, and they would be a happy couple. A new sense of longing for the evening’s family banquet filled Du Lanyue’s heart.
Uncle Zhu’s carriage soon arrived at the Gu family’s new residence. Gu Qingcheng and Mi Guo were already waiting outside the house. Lan Xing and Lan Yue were led into the house by Gu Qingcheng and Mi Guo. As they walked in, they noticed that the mansion, having been renovated, had regained its former grandeur. The absence of low trees and new walls that lacked antiquity was non-existent; after all, it was an old house that had been refurbished. Except for repairing the dilapidated parts to their original state, the old residence still retained traces of moss and overgrown grass on the steps. However, with these repairs, the old mansion had shed its former decadant aura. Inside, landscaping had been used to ingeniously place bonsai, fresh flowers, and green plants, making the place appear vibrant and full of life. Due to the recent renovation, a faint smell of paint still lingered in the air, but it was not bothersome. Modern paints are made from pure plant extracts, unlike later paints which are mostly mixed with modern chemical raw materials and produce toxins harmful to the human body. When Mi Guo moved in, she only had Old Hu hire people to clean the place before she and her sister moved in with just their bags. Old Hu, striving to make amends, had equipped them with three cooks, five cleaning servants, and two personal attendants. Big Bear, as their bodyguard, also moved in with them, residing in the front courtyard.
“This feast was prepared by the two of us. Please try it,” Gu Qingcheng said. To facilitate matters, she did not wish to reveal her gender to outsiders for the time being, so she and Mi Guo referred to each other as brothers whenever outsiders were present.
“You prepared it yourselves? That’s truly unexpected. I’m surprised.” The Du sisters were momentarily stunned and disbelieving at the sight of the beautifully presented dishes.
“Taste it and see how it is. This is salmon, a fish from the deep sea. It’s raw, do you dare to eat it?” Gu Qingcheng thoughtfully used serving chopsticks to plate dishes for them and also introduced the condiments such as mustard and vinegar, letting them choose their preferred dipping sauce. The sisters had lived a life of luxury, and their father, Du Lao Da, doted on them, so they had experienced all sorts of delicacies and worn fine silks. However, the food prepared by Gu Qingcheng and Mi Guo truly had a distinct flavor from what they usually ate. Their appetites were whetted, and they ate and conversed. Gu Qingcheng, well-traveled and from an era of information explosion, could grasp any topic and intersperse it with interesting anecdotes and stories of famous people, captivating the sisters so much that they forgot about time. After the meal, Gu Qingcheng invited them to the tea room for tea. Gu Qingcheng’s tea room was simple and elegant, adorned with pine and cypress bonsai, creating a tranquil and pleasant atmosphere. Even without mentioning the excellent tea, the mere act of admiring the scenery and savoring the aroma made one feel reluctant to leave. It wasn’t until a servant announced that the carriage to escort the two young ladies had arrived that they realized how quickly time had flown, engrossed as they were. Fortunately, Uncle Zhu’s arrival prevented them from returning home after curfew, which would have caused significant trouble. The sisters said their farewells reluctantly. Gu Qingcheng invited them to visit anytime they felt like it, stating that since she had moved in, she would be handling official matters here and would be at home frequently. As Du Lanyue boarded the carriage, she suddenly realized she hadn’t found an opportunity to confess her feelings that evening, and felt she had returned empty-handed.
After Gu Qingcheng and the others moved into the main residence, the renovation of the three other auxiliary residences was expedited. Half a month later, the auxiliary residences were completed, and Wang Dapeng and other key personnel moved in, facilitating timely responses and further ensuring Gu Qingcheng’s safety. Wang Dapeng and his brothers were overjoyed, feeling they now had a foothold on the island.
“Young Master Gu, should we hold a banquet tonight to celebrate? We have a new home!” Wang Dapeng, with his thick skin, dared to make a request. Gu Qingcheng naturally did not refuse this reasonable request and hosted three lavish banquets that evening at the auxiliary residence where Wang Dapeng was staying. During the banquet, precious dishes such as chicken stewed with century-old ginseng, shrimp as thick and long as an arm, and small chickens stewed with matsutake mushrooms were served, much to everyone’s delight. Gu Qingcheng also brought out three cases of 40-proof fragrant soy sauce liquor for everyone to enjoy. The reason she didn’t bring out Maotai was not because she was stingy, but because she feared that the over 50-proof Maotai would get everyone completely drunk, and they wouldn’t be able to do any work the next day. Of course, these were not all the crew members, but rather the middle management personnel responsible for departments in Phoenix Village. Gu Qingcheng was accustomed to using modern terms to refer to them. After all, in the chaotic social order following the natural disasters, many new terms had emerged, such as “survivor.” This term was rarely used in the Great Zhou Dynasty before, but now “survivor” was a term understood by everyone. Those who could eat and drink here were all survivors of this great natural disaster. Gu Qingcheng, seeing them happily toasting, also had a few drinks. The housewarming banquet concluded with everyone in high spirits. Gu Qingcheng only had two glasses of wine and was a little tipsy, but upon returning home, she quickly wrote a letter to inform her family about the day’s events. Especially the news that the villagers bitten by zombies had been discharged from the hospital, she knew her father would be very happy. Previously, they had exhausted all their efforts and finally developed a zombie antidote, which could save all the people in the world from suffering. This was the most fulfilling achievement for a physician. Gu Qingcheng then mentioned their move to a new residence and asked her parents if they wanted to come for a visit. After all, staying in Phoenix Village all the time could be monotonous, with a relatively fixed population of villagers and the same familiar faces seen every day. If they wished to visit, it would be very convenient, and they could move in with just their bags. After finishing the letter, Gu Qingcheng placed it in a storage cabinet and went to bed to sleep soundly.