Yin Xiangxue generously made a promise to Gu Qinghe.
At the same time, she couldn't help feeling inwardly that this was indeed a Level 3 plane, unlocked with such difficulty, and it really was different.
It was countless times better than those two clumsy, useless ones she had dealt with before.
Hearing this, however, Gu Qinghe smiled and shook her head. "No, even if I gave this to you, you wouldn't be able to use it in your world."
"Why?" Yin Xiangxue, whose face had been full of joy, saw her smile freeze instantly as she asked in utter astonishment, "Why can't I use it?"
Had Gu Qinghe's expression not been entirely sincere, she would have suspected that the other person was deliberately taking out a lamp that couldn't be used in Beiye State just to toy with her.
Gu Qinghe patiently explained the principle and function of electricity to her.
Right before her eyes, she demonstrated how plugging in the radio and turning on the switch allowed one to listen to broadcasts.
Yin Xiangxue nodded with a half-understanding look. "Oh, I see now. All these things you're showing me need a kind of energy called 'electricity' to work, right?"
"More or less," Gu Qinghe said.
Yin Xiangxue pursed her lips in dissatisfaction, a grievance lingering in her eyes as she complained, "It's certainly a treasure, but if I can't use it here, how is it any different from trash?"
Her initial excitement regarding Gu Qinghe's Level 3 plane slowly faded, replaced by a faint sense of disappointment.
The items were good, but completely useless to her—they weren't even as good as the lower-tier planes she had encountered before!
Gu Qinghe curved her lips and said unhurriedly, "Just because these items requiring electricity can't be used in your world doesn't mean other things won't work."
Having already been teased once by Gu Qinghe, Yin Xiangxue was hesitant to believe her words. Frowning, she said, "Then bring out your other things and let me have a look."
Gu Qinghe knew what she was thinking and did not get annoyed.
She took a brightly colored tube of lipstick from her spatial storage. "Rest assured, the items from my plane are guaranteed to satisfy you."
As she spoke, she uncapped the lipstick, extended her fair arm, and drew a stroke along the inside of her wrist.
Then, facing Yin Xiangxue, she applied it to her own lips. "This is called lipstick, or what you often refer to as rouge, but it's much better to use than rouge."
Seeing Gu Qinghe's originally pale cherry lips instantly turn vibrant and alluring,
any trace of anger vanished as Yin Xiangxue's eyes lit up with eagerness. She eagerly desired to trade with Gu Qinghe.
"I want it, I want it!"
The shops under her name sold rouge and powder, but none of them could compare to the lipstick in Gu Qinghe's hand.
If she took it out to sell, it would surely be treasured like a priceless artifact by the noble ladies of the inner courtyards.
Yet Gu Qinghe, whose expression had previously been gentle, suddenly narrowed her apricot-like eyes and gestured with a rubbing motion of her fingers, smiling half-mockingly at her.
"Then what are you going to use to trade with me?"
Yin Xiangxue paused at this, muttering discontentedly, "You really are shrewd, completely unwilling to suffer even the slightest loss."
Despite saying this, she didn't stop her hands; she turned the video camera back toward her bedchamber and said generously, "Of all the things I have here, pick whatever you like!"
Without hesitation, Gu Qinghe answered directly and decisively, "Gold."
The ancient plane where Yin Xiangxue resided offered her very little benefit.
Antiques couldn't fetch a good price, and complex traditional garments and jewelry were things no one wore in her era.
Therefore, the only thing useful to her was a universally accepted hard currency—gold.
Yin Xiangxue stared in shock. "You certainly know how to pick!"
Gold was extremely valuable in her plane as well.
Even selling it to the system store could earn a significant amount of plane currency, yet Gu Qinghe casually demanded gold right off the bat.
"Don't worry, my prices aren't high. Only ten taels. For a favored concubine of a prince's estate like you, that shouldn't be much at all, right?"
With arched brows and smiling eyes, Gu Qinghe produced a jar of vanishing cream. "This is for the face. It has whitening, moisturizing, and skin-nourishing effects. If you take this out to sell, it's bound to be immensely popular."
"Fine!"
Yin Xiangxue, who had been hesitating, heard that it only cost ten taels of gold and decided on the spot, gritting her teeth as she readily agreed.
"I'll buy it. I want as many as you have."
With that, she placed twenty taels of gold onto the trading interface with absolute sincerity.
Gu Qinghe placed the lipstick and vanishing cream up as well.
Upon receiving the lipstick and vanishing cream, Yin Xiangxue couldn't wait to pick up a bronze mirror and begin applying them to her face.
Seeing this, Gu Qinghe gave a sly smile and pulled out a completely ordinary small mirror.
"Do you want this? It's much clearer than a bronze mirror."
When Yin Xiangxue saw that the mirror in Gu Qinghe's hand could clearly reflect a person's image, how could she refuse? She immediately fished out another ten taels of gold.
Next came watches, lighters, matches, and flashlights—novelties Yin Xiangxue had never seen before.
She wanted every single one of them, nearly emptying her little treasury in the process.
And as a female physician, she finally managed to give Gu Qinghe something useful besides gold.
"This is soul-stealing powder. Colorless, odorless, and extremely potent. Once sprinkled, anyone who inhales it will lose consciousness shortly after. You can use it for self-defense," Yin Xiangxue said, producing a packet of powder.
Gu Qinghe raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued. "What do you want in exchange?"
Yin Xiangxue waved her hand magnanimously, wrinkling her nose and humming, "Forget it, forget it. I have piles of this stuff in my storage, so I'll just give it to you for free. I'm not as petty, stingy, and calculating as you."
Knowing full well that she was someone with a harsh tongue and a soft heart, Gu Qinghe didn't argue with her.
Instead of taking the poison for free, she reciprocated with some delicious candies and candied fruit snacks.
Yin Xiangxue was initially trying to maintain her dignity, saying things like aren't these just a few candies, she didn't care for them at all.
Yet upon insisting and tasting one, she was instantly dazzled by the sweet flavor, her eyes widening in surprise.
"Mmm, delicious! Give me some more of these."
Gu Qinghe chuckled softly. Knowing all along that she would love them, she fetched some more for her.
Just as Yin Xiangxue was about to fish out gold, Gu Qinghe made a rare display of generosity and refused.
"Considering that you gave me the medicinal powder, I'll let you have these snacks as a gift."
Yin Xiangxue initially refused to believe that an iron rooster as calculating as Gu Qinghe could be so generous.
It wasn't until the snacks actually appeared on the trading interface that she realized Gu Qinghe was telling the truth and wasn't toying with her, and her face immediately lit up with joy.
"Not bad, not bad. Gu Qinghe, you really suit my taste. You truly live up to being someone from a Level 3 plane."
Gu Qinghe raised an eyebrow. "Today's items are just appetizers to let you get a taste. There are plenty more good gadgets, available in bulk and cheaply priced, guaranteed to make you rake in a fortune in ancient times!"
Yin Xiangxue wore a knowing smile, chuckling mischievously at Gu Qinghe.
Unable to hold back anymore, Gu Qinghe joined her in throwing back her head with laughter, the scene warm and harmonious.
Meanwhile, having endured hardships and obstacles and switched through several modes of transportation, Zhou Huiru and Gu Yunyan finally arrived in Bao'an County within Guang Province.
Gazing at the prosperous, skyscraper-filled metropolis across the river not far away, they shed two lines of hot tears of emotion.
Hong Kong City—they had finally arrived!