Shen Suyu was a bit dazed, not expecting Gu Yanshen to be so easy to talk to. Gratitude and a hint of embarrassment showed on her face.
“Won’t this trouble you? I’ll make sure it’s convenient for you first. If it’s not possible to make room, that’s fine—I can find another place myself,” she said, her mind racing. Outwardly polite, she secretly hoped Gu Yanshen wouldn’t agree. After all, on this small island and in this little village, she really hadn’t found anywhere else to stay.
“It’s not a bother. It’s just that it’s mostly men going in and out, so it might be a bit inconvenient. If you can accept that, it’s fine. The room is in a corner, so it won’t be too disruptive,” Gu Yanshen said, shaking his head slightly, feeling a pang of sympathy for her. She was just a young girl, yet she had already gone through so much—betrayed by friends and having her reputation defamed.
“Then I won’t be polite. I do need a place to stay for now. Don’t worry—as soon as I have money or someone else is willing to take me in, I’ll move immediately. I promise I won’t trouble you at all,” Shen Suyu said with a bright smile, stopping all unnecessary words. In the face of reality, pride was meaningless—securing a place to stay was far more important.
“It’s fine. It’s not safe for you to stay here anyway. As a young girl, you should be in a safer environment. Pack your things and come with me,” Gu Yanshen said, his tone cold and expression unreadable, though inside he was quietly thrilled. For some reason, the thought of being close to Shen Suyu made him happy.
“Really?” Shen Suyu was astonished. She had thought it would take until tomorrow, but it was happening so quickly. Not daring to insist on keeping face, she nodded quickly.
“Then this will trouble you, Commander. My things aren’t too many, just a quick pack, though moving them will require some effort.”
“Will you help me move them yourself?” Shen Suyu asked cautiously, not wanting to assume too much, since Gu Yanshen hadn’t explicitly offered.
“In this place, apart from me, who else can help you move? Shen Suyu, your eyesight isn’t great,” Gu Yanshen said with a faintly teasing tone, causing Shen Suyu’s face to burn red. She had thought he was generous, but now she realized he was just being himself.
“Hurry and pack your things. I’m not sure if I can enter your dorm without disturbing anyone, but I’m worried you’ll take too long,” Gu Yanshen added, his ears slightly red. Normally, he wouldn’t interfere, but since it concerned Shen Suyu, he couldn’t stand idly by.
“Time’s getting late, so if you pack quickly, you can rest earlier,” he said, still slightly flustered.
“Don’t worry. You, Commander, are well-respected here. No one will say anything if you enter, but it’s still best to be cautious,” Shen Suyu replied.
“I’m leaving soon, and I don’t want to cause any trouble for you, so I’ll trouble you just a little,” she said, waving her hand dismissively. Gu Yanshen nodded, not insisting.
The two of them immediately got to work, packing her things as quickly as possible. The other sent-down girls watching were flustered—if they had known Shen Suyu had such powerful backing, they wouldn’t have provoked her.
“Shen Suyu, don’t be angry with us. We didn’t mean to slander you; it was Meng Zhiqing manipulating us, throwing dirt on you,” the girls cautiously explained, keeping an eye on her expression. No one knew that Shen Suyu had Gu Yanshen as her backing—truly a headache for them.
“Yes, we won’t trust her one-sided words next time. We’ll make sure to hear your side,” they added carefully.
“We weren’t doing it on purpose, so don’t take it to heart,” they continued. Shen Suyu felt disgusted—what good were their apologies after everything had happened?
“You don’t need to speak politely just because Commander Gu is here. I’m just ordinary friends with him. Do as you please. I find all your fawning expressions annoying,” Shen Suyu said bluntly, her words leaving the girls pale. If it weren’t for Gu Yanshen standing there, they might have cursed her out.
“Everyone should be careful. You’ve all been educated, and you know the legal consequences of spreading false rumors,” Shen Suyu warned. “I won’t pursue today’s incident, but next time, I won’t just stand by.”
Her words were shocking even to Gu Yanshen, but he didn’t overthink it. He focused on standing by Shen Suyu.
“Yes,” the girls replied, instantly subdued by Gu Yanshen’s presence. With the situation so clearly laid out, defiance would be foolish.
“Alright, these are my things. The rest you can have your people throw away,” Shen Suyu said.
“Can you help me move these to the car? We can leave now,” she added impatiently, not wanting to linger another second. Gu Yanshen sensed her mood and nodded without a word.
“The car is ready, and my men are waiting outside. I’ll have them come in to pack, and we’ll leave together.”
“Don’t pressure yourself. Handle things as they come—I’m here anyway,” Gu Yanshen said gently. Shen Suyu was slightly surprised; they weren’t close enough for such kindness, yet he was being so considerate.
“Okay,” she said. Despite her curiosity, she didn’t reveal anything in front of the others. The girls behind them grew even more suspicious. No wonder Shen Suyu had been untouchable all this time—she really had powerful backing.
Later, as they walked, Shen Suyu finally spoke again.
“Commander Gu, am I really going to live here?”
“Yes. This is the only empty room in the military dorms. My room is right next to yours, so if you need anything, you can reach me immediately. If it doesn’t suit you, I can help you find another place.” Gu Yanshen realized there was no need to dwell on small things—they were just ordinary friends, and he shouldn’t overthink.
“This place is perfect—so much better than the sent-down youth dorm, and it even has its own small space. I’m really happy,” Shen Suyu said, walking around excitedly before coming out to tell him.
“Like I said, I made it available for you. You don’t need to worry about complicating our relationship. The room was empty anyway, it doesn’t matter who stays here,” Gu Yanshen said, his expression cold.
Shen Suyu quickly explained, “I didn’t mean it like that. I just mean that if I stay here, someone will be using the place, and I don’t want to trouble anyone.”
“It’s true, you don’t need to pay rent. Live as you like. Even if you didn’t stay here, the room would remain empty. Don’t be polite.”
“I’ll have my people move your luggage in. You can organize things, and if you need anything, let me know. I’ll have it brought to your room,” Gu Yanshen added.
Shen Suyu still felt a little embarrassed but didn’t insist on politeness. Life is about mutual give and take—sometimes helping each other draws people closer.
“I just need a few daily necessities, like laundry powder. In the youth dorm, we shared everything in one bag. Now I’m moving out on my own, I feel bad taking too much, so I’ll need your help. Could you tell me where to get supplies in the base?” Shen Suyu asked.
Gu Yanshen smiled faintly, taking the responsibility on himself. “I’ll have people prepare everything for you. You don’t need to buy anything—these are all military-issued benefits. Now that you’re here, you can claim them too. Any future items will be delivered to your room.”
Shen Suyu became even more shy. She had only wanted a place to stay, not to take so much advantage.
“Commander Gu, just to be clear, otherwise I’ll feel awkward living here. It’s fine you helped me find a room, but so many extra things…”
“You don’t need to pay. Instead, you can help with some light cleaning here. There’s a cleaning lady, but sometimes she can miss spots—just tidy up anything you notice,” Gu Yanshen suggested after thinking it through. Shen Suyu sighed, realizing there was no need to argue—he had clearly thought long and hard about this.
“All right!” she said.
“Consider this little task my responsibility. I’ll pack up the room. Commander, you should rest early; we’ll see each other every day from now on.”
“Please take care of me,” Shen Suyu said, extending her right hand with a lively demeanor. Gu Yanshen couldn’t help smiling. The cold atmosphere in the room instantly warmed, and Shen Suyu stared, stunned. His smile was really handsome.
“Let’s look after each other,” Gu Yanshen said softly, his ears slightly red, not paying attention to her reaction as he turned and left. Once the door slammed shut, Shen Suyu finally realized, looking a bit puzzled.
“People back then are really innocent—just a handshake, what’s the big deal? Didn’t they study etiquette abroad?” she wondered aloud, amused.
She decided to accept the situation and rest, thinking about how to handle the days ahead.
“Business!” Shen Suyu closed her eyes, lying on the bed, thinking intently. Her eyes sparkled with determination. She was a modern woman, transported from the 21st century to the 1970s, with skills and ideas to make money. She couldn’t waste them.
“That’s decided. The work with the sent-down youth doesn’t matter—my presence makes little difference, and I don’t get along with them anyway. I’ll see how to start a business; money is power. In the 1970s, money is golden—I can’t give up,” she thought, smiling as she drifted to sleep. Thankfully, she knew how to make silk and weave cloth; otherwise, she wouldn’t even know where to start.
The next morning, Shen Suyu got up early. Upon opening the door, she found Gu Yanshen standing there, startling her.
“Commander Gu, you’re up so early. Are you looking for me? Why have you been waiting at my door? You could just tell me if there’s something.”
“You helped me so much yesterday; I should express my thanks properly. Don’t be polite with me,” she said, her tone gentle, with a warm, approachable smile.