As for whether she would go through hardships and choose to return to peace after growing up, that was her own choice.
But first, she had to experience the joys and sorrows of the human world before she could draw conclusions.
Gu Qingcheng's idea of descending the mountain was immediately approved by her parents, which surprised her a little. She thought that after the last incident, her parents would want to keep her at home and prevent her from causing trouble.
But she never expected her parents to be so open-minded.
Their trust in her made her feel even stronger internally.
Gu Qingcheng decided to change into men's clothing and found a high-grade rubber mask from the beauty store in the Mountain Cat supermarket to wear.
At this moment, she looked nothing like herself, but rather a pale, slightly sickly, and thin young man.
The reason he was called thin was that compared to the young man he was impersonating, her frame was smaller, making her appear thin. If placed among girls of the same age, Gu Qingcheng was considered tall and well-proportioned.
Mi Guo was also like Gu Qingcheng, with a slight disguise. He drew his eyebrows thicker and pulled his windproof hat down low, so he wouldn't be recognized if one wasn't paying close attention.
After the two descended the mountain, the initial part was all done on skis.
Now, they were proficient with their skis. For steeper slopes, they could ski down and land smoothly and steadily.
The exhilarating freedom of skiing ignited their youthful spirits. They chased each other, having a great time. Gu Qingcheng kept Cola tucked in her embrace, while Wangcai, being too large, could only trot behind on its four legs, trying its best to keep up.
Gu Qingcheng also reaped rewards. In this joyous play, it was like activating a combo gold coin buff in a game, constantly receiving satisfaction points from the system.
In just a six-minute ski ride, she gained over 20 satisfaction points.
No wonder she couldn't stay cooped up at home. As long as she moved and took action, she was practically a satisfaction point harvesting machine.
Gu Qingcheng thought happily. At this moment, the system also conveniently sent her two more satisfaction points, rewarding her pleasant mood.
Reaching the foot of the mountain, Gu Qingcheng put both her and Mi Guo's skis into her storage locker. The two of them crunched their way through the snow towards the town.
Passing by Mr. Zhang's shop, Qingcheng saw that it had reopened, selling coal. The business was naturally booming.
Even ordinary families needed coal to get through the extreme cold.
From the price notice hanging outside the shop, Qingcheng could tell that Mr. Zhang was also price gouging; the price of coal had more than doubled.
However, she guessed that Prince Xia had intervened to stabilize coal prices, otherwise, they would have skyrocketed.
Gu Qingcheng did not go in to visit.
Passing by Mr. Sun's shop, Gu Qingcheng was surprised to find that it had also reopened. It had been closed when they passed by before.
Gu Qingcheng hesitated for a moment before going in to take a look.
Upon entering, a strange young man greeted them.
Gu Qingcheng said, "May I ask if Mr. Sun is in? We are former customers of his."
The young man, upon hearing this, knew they weren't asking about him and said sternly, "Oh, my eldest uncle unfortunately passed away during the harsh winter."
The young man looked somewhat like Mr. Sun at first glance. It turned out he was his nephew, and it seemed he had inherited his business.
"Oh, my family used to be customers of Mr. Sun. We saw the shop was open today, so we came to inquire. What about Aunt Sanniang?"
Gu Qingcheng was saddened to hear that Mr. Sun hadn't survived the severe cold, as he had helped them a lot.
"My aunt also didn't make it through that extremely cold night."
The sadness on the young man's face was genuine.
Gu Qingcheng fell silent for a moment, unsure of how to comfort him. Anything she said seemed inappropriate.
Mainly, too many people in the city had suffered similar misfortunes. Everyone had lost many loved ones at once, and they were unable to cry.
When they gathered to remember the deceased, they could only offer wry smiles, count their remaining family members, and feel a sense of regret and relief, silently mourning their lost relatives.
Gu Qingcheng left a tael of silver, asking the young man to help them buy incense, candles, and paper money to burn for their family during a memorial.
The young man asked for Gu Qingcheng's name and expressed his gratitude.
Leaving Mr. Sun's shop, Gu Qingcheng walked silently through the town.
Mi Guo also said nothing.
Wangcai followed them obediently.
Only Cola, nestled in Gu Qingcheng's embrace, was the most comfortable, fast asleep and making snoring sounds.
The sound was inexplicably soothing. Gu Qingcheng reached into her embrace and gently stroked Cola's soft fur, and her mood slightly improved.
"Let's go, I'll take you to see two brothers I know at the military camp."
Gu Qingcheng took Mi Guo to see the brothers Dapeng and Xiaopeng.
The military camp had returned to its usual solemnity. Guards were stationed at the barracks, and unauthorized personnel were not allowed entry.
Gu Qingcheng took out the waist token previously issued by Prince Xia and flashed it at the guarding soldier. To her surprise, the token was still effective. The soldier not only quickly let Gu Qingcheng in but also bowed deeply to her.
Mi Guo was dumbfounded.
He never expected his sister to carry such a powerful item that even soldiers showed her utmost respect.
Seeing the soldiers exuding a murderous aura, Mi Guo's legs had turned to jelly. But seeing them bow to his sister, Mi Guo immediately straightened his back.
His sister, he realized, was truly omnipotent.
The group strode into the military camp.
As Gu Qingcheng was wondering where to find the brothers, she saw Xiaopeng walking towards them carrying a bucket of water. Upon seeing Gu Qingcheng, he exclaimed happily, "Young Master Gu, is that you?"
Xiaopeng's face lit up with joy upon seeing Gu Qingcheng.
Gu Qingcheng was his savior, and with his simple nature, he had always remembered it.
"Brother Xiaopeng, long time no see. I've brought my brother to see you all."
Gu Qingcheng noticed that his complexion had improved considerably and he looked well-fed, making her wonder if something good had happened to him recently.
Indeed, Xiaopeng happily led them to the kitchen in the backyard, saying that he and his brother had been promoted to work in the kitchen. Now they had enough to eat and drink, and their lives were much better.
Dapeng was busy peeling pumpkin skins in the kitchen. Upon seeing them, he quickly got up to greet them and enthusiastically said hello to Gu Qingcheng.
Xiaopeng then fetched two bowls of hot water from the stove and brought two freshly steamed buns for Gu Qingcheng and Mi Guo.
Dapeng chuckled and said, "Young Master Gu, our lives are much better now that we work in the kitchen. We have plenty to eat and drink."
Gu Qingcheng did not refuse their kindness, taking a sip of hot water and biting into a bun.
These buns from the military camp were probably similar to the sourdough buns sold in later generations, fermented with real yeast. They had a slightly sour taste but were subtly sweet when eaten, fluffy and chewy, and quite delicious.
"Oh, you two are living well. You've both gotten stronger," Gu Qingcheng joked.