"Noble family? Don't all young people starting businesses have to rely on themselves? How can one lie flat on the merits of their predecessors?"
Gu Qingcheng reacted immediately and retorted without politeness.
"Ah? This!" Du Lancheng was dumbfounded, unable to answer for a moment.
Gu Qingcheng's words were too sharp, hitting his most vulnerable spot.
Didn't his father always complain about him not being self-reliant? Didn't he always praise Gu Qingcheng for being capable, for building a vast family business through his own efforts?
Now, he had handed the knife directly to Gu Qingcheng, stabbing himself in the place he feared most.
Du Lancheng's expression changed, and he forced an awkward smile.
"Brother, Young Master Gu, what are you two chatting about? You seem so happy?"
Du Lanyue walked over from behind.
Ever since getting on the boat, the thought of going to Phoenix Village and seeing Gu Qingcheng's living environment with her own eyes had made Du Lanyue incredibly happy. She felt brighter than ever.
Gu Qingcheng turned and saw her, then said cheerfully,
"Sister Lanyue, good morning. You seem to have rested well? You look refreshed, your complexion is much better than before. We were just chatting aimlessly."
Du Lanyue also felt her spirits lifted and smiled,
"Coming on the boat and walking around everywhere has broadened my horizons."
"Then you should come out and walk around more often in the future."
Gu Qingcheng signaled for the ship's crew to bring out a tea table and invited them to sit down for tea.
Looking at the rippling blue water, the reflections all around, and with dear friends by her side, Gu Qingcheng felt that days like these, though difficult at times, were also filled with much sweetness.
Three days later, the ship arrived at Phoenix Village pier as scheduled and without incident.
As the rising water levels stabilized, Phoenix Village transformed its frequent mooring spots into a proper dock, where all incoming and outgoing vessels stopped.
As soon as Gu Qingcheng appeared, countless respectful greetings followed her.
"Young Master Gu, long time no see! You've worked hard this time!"
"Young Master Gu, how long will you be staying this time? Everyone misses you!"
Men and women, young and old, all greeted Gu Qingcheng with warmth and respect.
Du Lancheng stared with wide eyes, completely astonished by the genuine respect the villagers held for Gu Qingcheng.
The respect some servants show their superiors is cultivated through whips and violence, through sheer power, but this kind of respect, coming from the heart, was visible to the naked eye, their eyes shining with longing and admiration.
Du Lancheng didn't even need to enter the village; seeing how the villagers treated Gu Qingcheng, he let out a silent wail. It seemed his father's evaluation of Gu Qingcheng was not exaggerated.
Hearing the villagers' address, Du Lanyue silently strengthened her resolve to keep Gu Qingcheng's identity a secret.
Clearly, even in Phoenix Village, the place Gu Qingcheng called home, the villagers did not know her true identity.
It made sense. If everyone knew Gu Qingcheng was a woman, would they be so obedient?
In a family, men were always the primary figures, and women were secondary.
If everyone knew Gu Qingcheng was a woman, would they still be willing to follow her?
There might be men who would resent it and try to overthrow her.
That would not do.
Du Lanyue made up her mind to seal her lips tightly and protect Gu Qingcheng's secret.
There wasn't much else she could do, but she was sure she could manage this small matter.
She was willing to do anything that was beneficial to Gu Qingcheng.
Moreover, the thought that almost everyone was unaware of Gu Qingcheng's true identity, and only she knew it, brought her a peculiar sense of joy.
"Sister, is this Phoenix Village? Why does it feel like a small town, and it's so heavily guarded? They even have an army!"
Du Lanxing, like a curious baby, leaned against Du Lanyue, chattering incessantly.
A patrol squad happened to pass by. Seeing their neat uniforms, spirited demeanor, and excellent weaponry, Du Lanxing couldn't help but be amazed.
Du Lanyue felt a surge of pride for some reason.
This was a village built entirely by Gu Qingcheng.
When they were bored in the cave, Gu Qingcheng would also talk to her about many things concerning Phoenix Village.
To be honest, Du Lanyue found it hard to believe, thinking Gu Qingcheng was exaggerating, but seeing the scenery of Phoenix Village unfolding before her, she, like Du Lanxing, was stunned.
As the group entered Phoenix Village, they were like Liu姥姥 visiting the Grand View Garden, exclaiming in surprise at every turn, finding everything here beyond their expectations.
The houses in Phoenix Village were neat and orderly, now covered with grey tiles and white walls. Although there had been a wind disaster, as the village was located in a sheltered area on the ridge, the impact was not significant.
The wooden houses of the past had been replaced with brick walls, sturdy and reliable. Even though there was some damage, it was not severe, and repairs were generally completed within a month.
Therefore, what Du Lanyue and the others saw was still the new and orderly Phoenix Village.
"Young Master Gu, you're finally back! I missed you so much!"
A charming and graceful young woman with a seductive air walked towards them. Without any hesitation, she took Gu Qingcheng's hand, examined her from head to toe, and then brushed away nonexistent dust from her clothes.
Du Lanxing watched, dumbfounded.
"This is our village's logistics minister, Sister Qin Yue."
Gu Qingcheng also held Qin Yue's hand affectionately and introduced her to everyone.
Du Lancheng looked at Qin Yue, feeling she was radiant, completely different from the charm of a young girl, and couldn't help but stare at her a few times.
Du Lanyue looked at Gu Qingcheng with a half-smile.
Qin Yue certainly didn't know Gu Qingcheng's true identity, yet she was so intimate. Gu Qingcheng must be incredibly attractive.
"Oh my, are these Young Master Gu's guests? Welcome to Phoenix Village! There's no need to worry about food or drink. All the villagers here owe their lives to Young Master Gu, so if you are Young Master Gu's friends, you are our friends."
Upon seeing the Du family, Qin Yue became even more enthusiastic.
She also paid special attention to Du Lanyue and Du Lanxing, muttering to herself, "Could these be Young Master Gu's partners?"
Thinking this, Qin Yue became even more hospitable.
"Sister Qin, I'll take them home first. You can inform the communal canteen later to prepare our specialty dishes for lunch to entertain everyone."
The Du family, including their servants, numbered over twenty people. They wouldn't fit comfortably at Gu Qingcheng's home, nor was it necessary. Hence, Gu Qingcheng gave this instruction.
Qin Yue responded sweetly and immediately went to inform the communal canteen.
"What is a communal canteen?"
After entering the village, Du Lancheng was overwhelmed by the palpable aura of Gu Qingcheng's remarkable success, which was even stronger than his father's scolding.
Everyone who saw Gu Qingcheng showed a grateful smile. If they hadn't noticed the unfamiliar group of people, they would have rushed forward to inquire about Gu Qingcheng's well-being, as if afraid their Young Master Gu had suffered any losses during his absence.
Du Lancheng felt his heart being struck by ten thousand critical blows.
His father didn't command such respect from his subordinates, let alone him.
Upon arriving at Phoenix Village, Du Lancheng dejectedly realized that the gap between himself and Gu Qingcheng was not narrowing, but widening.