NOVEL NEXT Chapter 205: Visiting
Chapter 205
Gu Sang listened attentively, admiring this Elder Sister's wisdom in marriage.
As they were talking, the Elder Sister's husband returned, bringing a pair of slippers for her. He crouched down, gently lifting his wife's foot with one hand, and placed a band-aid on her heel.
"Let me know if your foot feels uncomfortable," he said.
Seeing his wife nod, he tenderly stroked her hair, his gaze soft and full of concern.
Then he turned to Gu Sang, saying apologetically, "Don't be fooled by her strong and intimidating exterior. She actually hates troubling others."
"She's full of contrasts like that. That's why she admired how you boldly confronted that sleazy guy last time."
"Miss Gu, if you have time, you should come chat with her more often."
"I'm still in school, so my time might be limited, but I'd be happy to meet up when I can," Gu Sang replied, nodding. She had taken a liking to this Elder Sister as well.
During dinner, they had already exchanged WeChat contacts for future communication.
The Beautiful Elder Sister said, "Are you free tomorrow? If so, why don't you come over to my place?"
"I've been learning to cook recently, and I could use someone to taste my creations."
Seeing Gu Sang's hesitation, the Beautiful Elder Sister glanced at her bag and smiled, "I noticed you have some strategy books in your bag. I'm guessing you're studying history or literature?"
"Actually, we have a rare edition of the Thirty-Six Stratagems at home, as well as first editions of the Barefoot Doctor manual and 'Ten Thousand Whys'..."
"The versions of these books available in the market now have been revised several times, quite different from the originals..."
"My husband loves collecting these books. Our collection is even more comprehensive than the library's. Feel free to take any book you like."
Hearing about these books, Gu Sang was thrilled internally.
The original edition of "Ten Thousand Whys" even included high-tech information like how to make firearms and artillery shells, and the Barefoot Doctor manual was from the wartime era...
With these resources, the Elder Princess would find things much easier!
"Elder Sister, these books sound too tempting to resist. I don't think I can say no," Gu Sang said.
"I'll borrow them for a month and then return them," she added.
"It's fine, I've read all those books. If you like them, just keep them," the Elder Sister's husband said with a polite smile.
"I just want to study them. I'm not really into collecting books, and it would be a waste for rare editions to stay with me," Gu Sang thought to herself. A month would be enough!
She could use the system to send the books to the plague-stricken city, giving them a month to copy everything.
Since she chose to continue streaming, the system had added a new feature allowing her to send books to the past, but only for a month at a time.
As her merit increased, it might become possible to send seeds, grain, medicine, and medical equipment.
As for missiles and firearms, Gu Sang, being an ordinary person, couldn't obtain those. But with these books, they might be able to manufacture them in the Elder Princess's era.
After parting ways with the couple, Gu Sang ended her livestream.
Back home, she asked the system to send the books she borrowed from the library to the Elder Princess.
"Ding!"
"You have unclaimed books!"
"Do you want to claim them?"
Hearing the system's sudden voice, the Elder Princess rushed home and waited quietly for a few minutes, expecting the system to deliver the books.
But after a quarter of an hour, nothing appeared before her.
Then, the system's prompt sounded again.
"Do you want to claim them?"
The Elder Princess tentatively replied, "Yes."
In the next moment, several books from the future appeared on her desk.
"Books delivered!"
-
In the Empress's palace.
Gu Qingrou dismissed all her attendants and sat alone in the opulent palace.
None of her previous livestreams had left her feeling as despondent as today's.
Before, she had always watched the prosperity of the future world as a mere observer. While everyone else envied the freedom of love, marriage, and national prosperity of the future, she understood clearly.
The reason the future could be so open-minded was because it had gone through a long and painful history before changing.
So she had always watched the livestreams from her lofty position, her heart occasionally rippling with emotion.
She was already the Empress of a nation.
What didn't she have? Why should she envy the future?
Her only worry had been that the Emperor didn't love her, a fear that haunted even her dreams.
But this livestream had torn apart her imagined love story with the Emperor, forcing her to break her illusions and face reality.
"Gu Sang, your revenge is cruel, just like your style."
"I schemed against you, taking away the position of Empress that should have been yours, so you retaliate by using the love I care about most to mock me, ridiculing me for deceiving myself."
"What do you know! What do you understand!"
"I won, but it's a miserable victory. I'd rather have lost. Heh heh heh..."
An endless, cold loneliness howled through the vast palace, a chill unlike any before piercing straight into her heart, making her teeth chatter with cold.
Gu Qingrou suddenly felt an overwhelming fatigue.
She was tired...
She didn't want to fight anymore...
-
In Jiangnan.
After a day of business, Xue and her sisters were chatting and eating in the courtyard.
Their lipsticks, face masks, and other women's products had already made a name for themselves in Jiangnan.
Even merchants from other provinces had started coming to stock up from them.
Although they had gained some fame, Xue and her friends were unwilling to separate. So instead of opening branches everywhere, they chose to serve this city properly.
They had moved from their original small location and bought a quiet but cost-effective plot of land, expanding their business once again.
Their once tiny shop had now tripled in size. The first floor was for selling products, while the second floor provided skincare services for ladies.
They had hired several workers, and with their personal management of accounts and customer service, along with their exclusive secret formulas and unique focus on female customers, the shop was bustling with women patrons every day.
After a busy day, the group was enjoying some wine and pastries, filled with longing for the future world.
"The men in the future are so wonderful! When will I find a man who's wholeheartedly good to me, who understands and respects me?" Xue said enviously.
The others laughed, "Oh, Xue, you're starting to feel lovesick, aren't you? Should we get a matchmaker to introduce someone to you?"
Hearing this, Xue shook her head vigorously. "No, no, no. Right now, I just want to focus on making money. Oh, come on, don't laugh at me. Are you saying you weren't moved by that man we saw today? I don't believe you wouldn't be touched by a man like that."