That evening, Gu Yunche came knocking on Mu Guiying’s door.
“Xiao Mu, get up and let’s go eat.”
Mu Guiying was too exhausted to move.
Her cloth shoes had thin soles that offered little cushion, and after walking from the county hospital in the south all the way back to the northern guesthouse, her feet ached terribly.
“I’ll just have two eggs for dinner. Eldest Brother Gu, you go ahead and eat out!”
Mu Guiying had already applied her medicine and was lying on the moderately firm wooden bed, completely unwilling to budge.
The previous night, she had slept on the hard kang at the Party branch secretary’s home, which left her back and waist sore.
Although the bed at this guesthouse couldn’t compare to the Cloud Foam Rubber Mattress she used to have at home, it was at least more comfortable than the kang.
Her eyelids heavy with sleep, Mu Guiying dismissed Gu Yunche and quickly dozed off.
Gu Yunche didn’t overthink it and went out alone to have a bowl of noodles.
When he returned to the guesthouse, Mu Guiying’s room was dark. He frowned, stared for a moment, then headed back to his own room.
After entering his room, he took off his shirt to examine the wounds on his back. Though not deep, the bloody marks were startling to see.
Gu Yunche sighed inwardly at his own carelessness—he had forgotten to buy any wound medicine.
If his mother saw these injuries, she would surely fret over him and nag endlessly. But at this hour, going to the hospital was clearly not an option.
After washing his face and brushing his teeth, Gu Yunche wrung out a towel to wipe himself down briefly, then lay down shirtless. He slept on his side, allowing the wounds to air out and prevent festering.
In the middle of the night, Mu Guiying woke up, washed up, and changed her dressings.
Once done, it suddenly struck her that Gu Yunche, who was also injured, hadn’t treated or changed his bandages.
Mu Guiying got dressed, grabbed gauze, medicinal powder, and iodine, and went to knock on Gu Yunche’s door.
Gu Yunche had just fallen asleep. Hazily, he heard knocking but thought he was mistaken and ignored it.
Mu Guiying knocked harder, and the door swung open.
Had Gu Yunche really gone to sleep without locking his door?
Hmm, even handsome boys ought to protect themselves—especially with so many looks-obsessed young women around, like her!
It was a line Mu Guiying often used during her livestreams.
Now, bathed in moonlight, she found herself staring unabashedly at a scene of a handsome man sleeping half-naked—at least, his upper body was bare.
Gu Yunche’s back was broad and solid, with clearly defined contours. Each muscle seemed sculpted, and the wounds across them looked like a man’s finest attire—wild and bold.
At this moment, he radiated raw masculinity and charisma, his battle-worn appearance strikingly attractive. The narrow waist tapering down from his spine was cinched by a belt, forming a near-perfect male physique that was inexplicably alluring.
Mu Guiying’s inner fangirl screamed silently as her eyes roamed freely.
She gulped audibly, then sighed with a mix of envy and regret. “Bai Lin really has it good!”
Gu Yunche, who had woken up some time ago, listened to Mu Guiying’s muttering behind him. He clenched the pillowcase tightly, ready to throw her over his shoulder if she dared take another step.
Feeling awkward, Mu Guiying averted her gaze and tiptoed forward, intending to leave the medicine and go.
Gu Yunche’s internal alarms blared; the pillowcase in his hand twisted like a rope.
What was she trying to do?
He caught the faint scent of jasmine soap, threads of fragrance drifting into his nostrils, growing stronger as she drew nearer.
Mu Guiying meant to place the gauze and medicine on the bedside table.
But as she approached, a large hand clamped around her wrist.
In the darkness, Gu Yunche abruptly sat up from the bed, his voice cold as he demanded, "Who let you in?"
As he spoke, he switched on the bedside lamp.
In the dim light, Mu Guiying stood wearing a white blouse with red floral prints, brown striped dacron trousers, and black lace-up cloth shoes.
But she had just finished washing up—her hair was still damp and dripping, water droplets splattering against her chest and spreading. Her fair cheeks were flushed with the rosy warmth left by her bath.
Gu Yunche’s heart tightened sharply. Instinctively, he pushed Mu Guiying away and spoke with biting coldness.
"Mu Guiying, keep your dirty thoughts to yourself."
Gu Yunche turned his head away, shifting his gaze elsewhere. "Ruining your own reputation and framing others will only make me think even less of you."
Mu Guiying saw the resolute contempt etched across the man’s face.
She snorted inwardly, wondering if Gu Yunche had some kind of persecution complex.
Her wrist ached where he had grabbed and then flung it away. Annoyed, she rubbed it gently.
"I know you’re injured, so I brought you some medicine."
Medicine?
What a lame excuse!
Gu Yunche pulled on his shirt and stood up, locking eyes with Mu Guiying.
"Why not earlier or later? Why wait until I was asleep to bring it?"
Irritated by his sarcastic tone, Mu Guiying set the medicine on the nightstand and retorted sharply.
"That’s because I walked all the way from the north of the city to the county hospital in the south and back. I was so exhausted I couldn’t move, so I slept for a while before getting up to tend to my own wounds."
She shot a glare at Gu Yunche.
"If it weren’t for the fact that you got hurt because you were trying to take me with you, do you think I’d bother bringing you medicine? Do you think I’m so shameless that I enjoy being insulted and looked down on by you?"
All the grievances she had endured over the past few days erupted at once.
The loneliness, strangeness, and fear she had felt since arriving in 1984 from the modern world had long weighed heavily on her heart. With no outlet for her emotions, she had to endure Gu Yunche’s disdain and sarcasm.
What terrible sin had she committed to deserve all this?
Mu Guiying wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. "I know all of you look down on me, despise me. Well, I don’t want to humiliate myself either!"
She turned, grabbed the ointment and bandages, and stormed out, slamming the door with a deafening crash.
Gu Yunche froze for a moment, his jaw tightening uncomfortably.
He glanced at the empty nightstand, his mind troubled. He had wrongly accused Mu Guiying, and worse, he had made her cry.
After a moment of reflection, Gu Yunche walked to Mu Guiying’s door and raised his hand to knock.
Mu Guiying’s room was unlit. Sitting on her bed, she sniffled quietly and wiped her eyes, then noticed a tall, upright silhouette appear against the white cloth curtain covering the door.
She knew it was Gu Yunche coming to see her.
Outside, Gu Yunche lifted his hand to knock but noticed the room was dark. He withdrew his hand, slipping both into his trouser pockets.
He stood by the door for a while before finally returning to his own room.
Mu Guiying knew then that she shouldn’t hold even the slightest hope for someone who held no affection for her—not even an apology.
She took off her shoes, pulled up the covers, and went to bed. What could ease her sorrows? Only deep sleep!
The next day, after washing up and getting ready, Mu Guiying opened her door to find the impressively tall Gu Yunche standing refreshed before her.
His peach-blossom eyes studied her for a moment before he handed over a brown paper bag.
"I bought you fried cakes and hawthorn flakes. Eat them while they’re still warm."
Mu Guiying was somewhat taken aback by the unexpected kindness.
She took it, a faint buttery aroma wafting from the brown parchment.
Mu Guiying looked at Gu Yunche, a trace of mockery curling at the corner of her lips. "Are you using these to apologize to me?"