“Of course!”
She never procrastinated when it came to getting things done.
Jiang Baizhou had no choice but to follow Wen Yan’s pace, dragging out his tone with a long, drawn-out “Okay.”
Soon enough, Jiang Baizhou witnessed Wen Yan’s extraordinary drive firsthand.
Wen Yan nudged Jiang Baizhou’s arm and said, “Turn around and don’t peek at the test questions.”
Jiang Baizhou chuckled helplessly and obediently turned his back, softening his tone. “Then don’t make it too hard, okay?”
Wen Yan, with her back to him, stifled a laugh. “Okay, not too hard.”
How could a grown man be so good at acting cute!
Sigh!
What else could she do? She’d just have to indulge him.
Feeling like she was taking the lead in their dynamic, Wen Yan quickly started writing the questions, finishing in less than ten minutes.
She poked Jiang Baizhou’s back with her finger.
A tingling sensation spread from where Wen Yan had poked him, but Jiang Baizhou forced himself to stay composed as he turned around.
“Done already? That fast?”
“Mhm, not many questions. Start working on them.”
Jiang Baizhou picked up a pencil and began answering, but it wasn’t long before he genuinely frowned—not as an act.
He truly had never attended school, but he knew he needed to be literate to advance, so he’d spent a lot of time studying in private.
However, when it came to subjects like math, chemistry, and physics, he was completely lost.
Most men would feel embarrassed in such a situation, making excuses to save face or lashing out preemptively, but Jiang Baizhou had a different idea.
“Wen Yan…”
Jiang Baizhou called out pitifully, making Wen Yan’s ears inexplicably warm.
“Wen Yan, I don’t know how to do this. Am I too stupid?”
Jiang Baizhou had straightened up at some point, leaning close to Wen Yan.
As he spoke, his warm breath brushed faintly against the edge of Wen Yan’s ear, causing it to flush slightly.
Noticing this, Jiang Baizhou doubled down on his pitiful act, tugging at Wen Yan’s sleeve. His voice, usually clear and bright, now carried a soft, pleading tone. “Teach me, please.”
Wen Yan’s heart instantly melted.
She patted the back of Jiang Baizhou’s hand, the soft, delicate sensation seeping into his skin and leaving him entranced.
“Alright, alright, it’s not your fault. I made the questions too hard. We’ll start with the basics. It’s fine.”
Wen Yan, willing to “indulge” him, was especially gentle, showering him with sweet words that, paired with her soft, fair, and innocent face, were twice as effective.
Jiang Baizhou desperately wanted to immerse himself in the moment but knew when to stop. He quickly dropped the act and began listening attentively to the lesson.
Sure enough, seeing Jiang Baizhou take his studies seriously, Wen Yan’s smile grew a little more genuine.
As she taught, Wen Yan realized Jiang Baizhou truly didn’t know the material, but he wasn’t stupid.
One taught, the other learned, and they spent over an hour hunched over their work.
Wen Yan checked the time and rubbed her lower back. “Let’s stop here for today. Tomorrow, I need to find a table. This is too tiring.”
Hearing this, Jiang Baizhou wanted to offer to massage her but thought it might be too forward. Better to take things step by step.
“We do need a table. You pick one out, and I’ll move it when I get back.”
Wen Yan hummed in agreement. After packing up her things, she went out to use the restroom, accompanied by Jiang Baizhou.
The Land Reclamation Regiment had several large public restrooms.
They were made of earthen walls about 1.7 meters high, topped with thatched roofs, and marked with red characters for “men” and “women” on the outside.
All waste was collected uniformly to be used as fertilizer in the spring.
Although the restrooms were freezing in winter, the upside was that there was hardly any smell.
The two returned not long after, closing the door, tending to the fire, and climbing onto the kang. Wen Yan took off her padded jacket, leaving only her long underwear.
Fortunately, she had washed and changed her undergarments while Jiang Baizhou was away, drying them over the stove after a good round of baking—they were finally dry.
Otherwise, things would have been awkward right now.
Amidst the rustling sounds, Wen Yan slipped into the quilt first. Jiang Baizhou followed a step behind, lying down and turning on his side to ask, “What kind of porridge should we cook tomorrow morning…”
“Huff… puff…”
Jiang Baizhou froze, his expression both annoyed and curious, finding it simply unbelievable: She fell asleep again?
What kind of sleep quality is this?
Unwilling to give up, he propped himself up and leaned closer to Wen Yan, whispering, “Wen Yan?”
The only response was her steady, even breathing. Jiang Baizhou stared at Wen Yan for a long moment before finally unable to resist, he gently pinched the tip of her small nose.
Light and quick.
“You little heartless thing, you really do have a carefree heart.”
Jiang Baizhou chuckled as he retreated to his own quilt, resting his hands under his head. Lulled by Wen Yan’s breathing, he slowly closed his eyes.
The next morning, when Wen Yan woke up, her nose twitched slightly—it didn’t feel as cold as yesterday.
She had always slept soundly, something her classmates had often envied.
But her brain took a while to boot up in the mornings, leaving her a bit groggy.
Jiang Baizhou was heating breakfast, keeping an eye on Wen Yan’s movements. As soon as she opened her eyes, he walked over.
“Awake?”
A gentle, clear voice sounded above Wen Yan’s head. In her dazed state, with her brain still not fully online, Wen Yan smiled a bit foolishly. “Who’s this handsome guy?”
Jiang Baizhou was momentarily stunned, but his mind reacted quickly, and he replied with a laugh, “Yours. Am I handsome, Wen Yan?”
Wen Yan struggled to open her eyes, trying to prove the sincerity of her words. “Handsome!”
Jiang Baizhou held back a laugh, thinking: Little liar. If I’m so handsome, why do you fall asleep so quickly every night?
He didn’t tease her further, worried she might feel awkward once she fully woke up. Instead, he lightly tapped her forehead with a finger. “Get up. I’ve heated the food—remember to eat. It’s time for me to gather with the others.”
Wen Yan mumbled an acknowledgment. Not long after, she heard the door close, and her brain gradually regained control.
“Oh my god… Did I just flirt with Jiang Baizhou?”
Wen Yan sat bolt upright, her expression conflicted for three seconds before she finally nodded. “It’s fine. We’re family, so it shouldn’t count as… flirting, right?”
Wen Yan quickly convinced herself, then got dressed, folded the quilt, and climbed down from the kang.
As she prepared to wash up, she noticed the thermos was filled with hot water, and the room was warmer than yesterday. Jiang Baizhou must have gotten up early to heat the place.
Wen Yan checked the time, questioning her life choices. “I didn’t wake up that late, did I?”
She brushed her teeth, washed her face, and applied snowflake cream.
Breakfast consisted of corn pancakes and shredded potatoes brought back from the canteen, along with half an aluminum lunchbox of millet porridge, kept warm on a stone slab over the fire.
Jiang Baizhou had likely cooked the porridge for her that morning.
As she ate, Wen Yan made a decision: she needed to be nicer to Jiang Baizhou too.
Once she finished eating and tidied up, Wen Yan slung her canvas bag over her shoulder and headed out. As soon as she stepped outside, she saw Bai Shanshan squatting in the snow, doodling aimlessly.
Wen Yan greeted her. Bai Shanshan stood up awkwardly but with a hint of “showing off” in her demeanor. “I got your job application approved.”
Wen Yan had already known since yesterday, but she still expressed her admiration. “You’re amazing! Was it difficult to get it approved?”
Bai Shanshan pretended it was no big deal. “What’s so hard about it? They agreed as soon as I mentioned it. You should know who I am.”
Wen Yan didn’t know Bai Shanshan was “bragging and showing off.” She only brightened up, causing Bai Shanshan to warily take a step back.
Yesterday, Wen Yan had worn this exact expression, and Bai Shanshan had inexplicably ended up on a pirate ship.
Bai Shanshan’s voice carried a barely noticeable tremor: “What… are you trying to do now?”