Gu Qingcheng, having returned to wearing women's clothing, sought out a skilled seamstress to design and modify women's attire, making it more streamlined and practical for convenience in her activities.
Several new styles were launched and were indeed popular among women. Soon, women in modified clothing filled the streets, all agreeing that this attire was convenient for daily tasks. The evolution of clothing, in a way, also propelled the evolution of people's mindsets.
Gu Qingcheng funded the establishment of a school, which accepted school-aged children and teenagers from impoverished families.
They received no additional subsidies for attending school, but all necessary learning materials were provided free of charge, including stationery and tuition. As long as one was willing to study, there were people willing to teach for free.
To achieve "paper freedom," Gu Qingcheng also built paper mills and pen factories, lowering the cost of the "Four Treasures of the Study" to an all-time low.
Before, reading and attending school were exclusive privileges for a select few because of the high tuition fees and substantial expenses. Ink, brushes, paper, and inkstones could cost a family their entire year's living expenses.
Gu Qingcheng was also leveraging the influence of the supermarket to guide ordinary people's awareness of the importance of education.
All employees hired by the Shan Mao Supermarket, even the most ordinary sales assistants, were required to recognize over a thousand characters and be able to recite the "Three Character Classic" at least fluently.
The common people's current aspiration was to support their children in attending the free school, hoping they could find employment at the docks or at the Shan Mao Supermarket in the future.
In the blink of an eye, another year passed. Tea Hut Island, due to the presence of the massive Shan Mao Supermarket, attracted a large influx of people from other islands for shopping. The entire island bustled with activity, a stark contrast to its former days.
People represented money.
Gu Qingcheng felt greatly comforted seeing the Shan Mao Supermarket yielding such abundant returns.
Previously, she had treated this place as a trial field, testing whether the model she implemented could function. Now, it was proven that both establishing a school and operating a supermarket were feasible, even across different dynasties.
Gu Qingcheng patiently watched the seeds she had sown gradually emerge, sprout new shoots, and grow new leaves, experiencing the joy of a farmer witnessing a bountiful harvest.
On the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, when the moon was full and round, Gu Qingcheng illuminated her back courtyard rooms with solar-powered bulbs, making them as bright as daylight.
In the rock garden and pond, frogs croaked, creating a joyful ambiance reminiscent of a bountiful harvest amid fragrant rice paddies.
Gu Qingcheng took out the Da Hong Pao tea she had stored, examined it, and then put it back. She had originally intended to share this Da Hong Pao with Du Lanyue but had not found an opportunity for a quiet tea talk with her recently.
They were both busy with their respective endeavors.
Just then, a servant reported that Du Lanyue had come to see her.
Gu Qingcheng was overjoyed upon hearing this. It was as if they had telepathic communication; the moment she thought of Du Lanyue, she appeared.
Gu Qingcheng immediately went out to greet her, seeing Du Lanyue entering with a basket of fresh fruit.
Upon seeing Gu Qingcheng, Du Lanyue handed her the basket of fruit and said,
"These are immortal peaches. Someone just introduced them from another region. They are fresh and delicious, so I brought some over."
Gu Qingcheng accepted the fruit basket, grinning, and invited Du Lanyue inside, saying,
"Sister Lanyue, I was just about to brew some exquisite tea. This tea, I've been waiting to share with you since last year, but we never had the chance.
So, a chance encounter is better than an arranged meeting. Tonight is the fifteenth, and the moon is full and bright, perfect for tea tasting."
Du Lanyue was also very happy to hear this, realizing Gu Qingcheng still had her in mind and was thinking of brewing premium tea for her upon seeing her.
The two sat in the tea room. The ostentatious fish-themed tea table had been replaced with a regular one, and a charcoal stove was placed beside it, bubbling with heat.
Gu Qingcheng took the Da Hong Pao from the storage cabinet, poured it into the teacups, and began to brew the tea.
As soon as the boiling water was poured into the teapot, a fragrant aroma wafted out.
Du Lanyue felt invigorated and smiled, saying,
"Even before drinking it, I know it's good tea. Such a rich fragrance is rare."
"Indeed. This tea is produced only about an ounce a year, and after the great natural disaster, that tea tree was likely destroyed. It can be said that this is the last brew of Da Hong Pao in the world,"
Gu Qingcheng said with a hint of regret.
"Is that so? Then this brew is exceptionally precious."
Du Lanyue sipped the tea slowly, finding its taste indeed more mellow and delicious than any tea she had drunk before.
"Taste it. No matter how good a tea is, it has no meaning without someone to appreciate it. If it meets someone who appreciates it, even if it's extinct now, its beauty will forever remain in the heart of those who love it most.
With us appreciating it, it has been worthwhile, not having appeared in this world in vain."
Du Lanyue was deeply moved by her words. She picked up her cup and savored the tea again, finding it truly an unparalleled delicacy, sweet and mellow on the palate, with a lingering aftertaste and a rich aroma.
Perhaps it was Gu Qingcheng's narration of its preciousness that strongly influenced her psychologically. As soon as the tea touched her lips, she felt as if a gentle breeze were wafting from her armpits, an indescribable sense of joy.
"Your words, more than your tea, have given me greater insight and endless benefits."
Gu Qingcheng smiled and said, "Sister Lanyue, I was just speaking casually."
The two women smiled at each other.
As the tea's flavor began to weaken, Gu Qingcheng replaced the leaves with Huangshan Maofeng, Xinyang Maojian, and Hangzhou Longjing, tasting them one by one.
Gu Qingcheng asked, "Sister Lanyue, have you been on any blind dates recently? Your father seems quite anxious. He's mentioned it to us several times, asking us to help recommend candidates."
"Yes, my father arranged a few, but I scared them all away every time I went. They'd see me and turn to run. So, nothing has worked out yet.
They don't bother me anymore, saying that if my brother and sister-in-law have children, they can just give one to me to raise."
Gu Qingcheng burst into laughter, saying, "Your parents seem quite open-minded!"
"What else can be done? My reputation is too great. Even if I tell them who I am before they arrive, when the man arrives and sees me sitting there, he acts as if he's seen a ghost and bolts."
Du Lanyue described it so vividly that Gu Qingcheng couldn't help but chuckle.
"You're exaggerating. You're not that ugly. It's just that those men lack appreciation."
Gu Qingcheng understood that it was likely the men who were intimidated upon seeing their superior coming for a blind date. Accustomed to her stern demeanor, they would become weak-kneed upon seeing Du Lanyue.
Most men had self-awareness and wouldn't want to marry a woman more capable than themselves.
"Haha, from their eyes, I felt like a fierce and menacing demon!"
Du Lanyue couldn't help but touch her face.
Gu Qingcheng disagreed, saying, "How are you ugly? Our Sister Lanyue is the most beautiful, like a celestial fairy. It's just that those men can't handle you or appreciate you, so they flee in disarray."