If the weather turned colder, they would have to light charcoal fires in their rooms for warmth, but ventilation would be crucial to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
While Gu Zhaobei and Hu Lanfang were enjoying their drinks, Gu Qingcheng was simultaneously eating hot pot and going on a massive shopping spree at the Mountain Cat Supermarket.
Barbecue charcoal cost 2,500 yuan per ton. She bought one ton and planned to buy more if she earned more reward points.
Anyone who had seen the sci-fi movie "The Day After Tomorrow" would know that if a severe cold snap hit rapidly, a small charcoal brazier would be useless.
Since the supermarket didn't sell charcoal basins, she bought four large copper basins to burn the charcoal in later.
She stored the charcoal and copper basins in the storage cabinets.
These storage cabinets looked like regular supermarket lockers, with large and small sizes. Once opened, any object, regardless of its size, could be smoothly stored inside. After storage, the cabinet door would automatically display the name and quantity of the stored items, along with the storage date. They were incredibly user-friendly.
Next, Gu Qingcheng continued to purchase cold-weather gear.
One Ushanka hat per person, one pair of down gloves per person, and three sets of down thermal underwear for each person.
A long down coat that covered them from head to toe, one for each of the three of them. They were white, chosen in a button-up style rather than zippers, which would allow for a plausible explanation if worn outside.
Additionally, Gu Qingcheng bought hand warmers and heat packs. Remembering her father mention that liquor could ward off the cold, she bought a case of 53-degree Jinmen Gaoliang, made from pure grains. It was good value, high proof, and made from pure grain.
For this, she also bought three hip flasks, each capable of holding 100 ml of liquor, convenient for carrying and warming up on the go.
Cold starts from the feet, so Gu Qingcheng bought three pairs of snow boots. They were made of retro leather, lined with rabbit fur, very warm, and wouldn't look out of place in this era.
With snow boots, long woolen socks were also a must.
What would be lacking during extremely cold snowy weather?
Vegetables!
Gu Qingcheng bought 500 jin of various vegetables, including bok choy, cauliflower, water spinach, and red cabbage.
She also bought 500 jin of rice, 500 jin of flour, 10 packs of MSG, five boxes of soy sauce, one box of Thirteen Spices seasoning, and 10 buckets of Luhua peanut oil.
Then there were the snacks to satisfy cravings and quickly replenish energy:
10 boxes of cake, 10 baguettes, 10 boxes of chocolate, one case of potato chips, and one case of sunflower seeds.
For powdered drinks, she bought ten boxes of Xiangpiaopiao milk tea in various flavors, one box of Nanguo coconut milk powder, one box of black sesame paste, one box of soy milk powder, and ten boxes of Mengniu high-calcium milk powder.
With money on hand, it was better to spend it and store it for peace of mind, so it could be accessed anytime.
Gu Qingcheng continued to buy 10 boxes of adult diapers, 10 boxes of sanitary pads, 100 pairs of disposable men's underwear, and 100 pairs of disposable women's underwear for herself and her mother.
Next were bath towels, hand towels, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and an electric toothbrush for each person. They could use the electric toothbrushes when there was power, as they cleaned much better than ordinary ones.
In this era, oral hygiene was essential; otherwise, there would be no dentists for dental problems.
Her father was a general practitioner, capable of handling internal and external medicine, but not dentistry.
Then, Gu Qingcheng bought 10 tubes each of burn ointment and frostbite cream, as these medicines might be needed unexpectedly.
She also bought five bottles of shampoo, two bottles of facial cleanser, ten bags of laundry detergent (one 10-jin bag of Liby), and ten bottles of dish soap, as these were used daily and required larger quantities.
After buying a case each of bandages, medical cotton, alcohol, and masks, she looked at the remaining eight thousand yuan and bought 100 cases of mineral water, with 20 bottles per case. She trusted modern technology for drinking water.
With this spree, she had almost spent all her reward points.
Seeing the storage area packed full, with everything they could possibly need, Gu Qingcheng finally breathed a sigh of relief.
With so much food, drink, and supplies, their family wouldn't need to shop for at least six months.
Gu Qingcheng exchanged another 100 taels of silver for reward points.
She exchanged so much at once because she planned to find a suitable house to buy and live in for six months. They could sell it when they left, likely without a loss.
Renting would require dealing with the landlord's surprise inspections, and they might even barge into their home. This could expose their secret, so Gu Qingcheng felt buying a house was a better option.
Gu Qingcheng was a meticulous researcher. Having studied historical records, she knew that during the Qianlong era, the average price of a house in Beijing's inner city was 33 taels of silver.
In "Dream of the Red Chamber," Xiren's monthly allowance was over two taels, meaning she could afford a small apartment within Beijing's Second Ring Road with her annual salary alone.
Housing prices in Qing dynasty Beijing were slightly higher than in the Ming dynasty.
During the Ming dynasty, a courtyard house on Zhengyangmen Street in Beijing could be bought for 33 taels of silver.
Taking the famous Qi Family Army as an example, an ordinary soldier earned over ten taels a year. If he didn't spend extravagantly, he could buy a house in Beijing with a few years' pay.
Gu Qingcheng had heard of a mountain with a gold mine called Jinsha Mountain in Jinsha City. Since there was such income and the place appeared prosperous, she estimated housing prices wouldn't be low, but she believed 100 taels of silver should be sufficient.
Hu Lanfang and Gu Zhaobei had good tolerance for alcohol. While Gu Qingcheng was on her frantic shopping spree, the couple each drank three bottles of Jiang Xiaobai.
However, by the last glass, their eyes were glazed, clearly having had a bit too much.
"Wife, daughter, although we've come to such a difficult environment, don't worry. As long as I have a bite to eat, I won't let you two starve. I will protect you both with my life!"
Gu Zhaobei patted his chest, confessing his love to his wife and daughter while tipsy.
Hu Lanfang's eyes welled up with tears, and she looked at her husband with adoration, saying:
"Husband, you are too wonderful. My life has not been in vain marrying you!"
"Heh, heh!"
The couple, drunk, shared a silly laugh before their wine glasses slipped from their hands, and they slumped onto the table, fast asleep.
Gu Qingcheng was speechless.
These two had suddenly relaxed and gotten carried away, drinking without restraint.
Fortunately, she, the dutiful eldest child, was there.
Gu Qingcheng's strength had surged, making her capable of lifting her parents, who weighed around a hundred jin each.
Without difficulty, she first carried her mother to bed, then helped her father up. Bearing most of his weight on her shoulder, she managed to get him over to her mother. They were tucked in together under the covers.
This luxurious private room consisted of one large and one small bedroom. The area where they ate hot pot served as the living room, so Gu Qingcheng also had her own bedroom and bed.
She cleaned up the leftovers on the table, washed the dishes, and put all the glass cups, bowls, and chopsticks she could save into the storage. She disposed of the trash in the bin before going to her own bedroom and lying down.
As she tidied up, Gu Qingcheng couldn't help but mutter to herself, "This family truly wouldn't function without me!"