The next day,
Lin Wan hadn’t even opened her eyes when Wang Lei and his group arrived.
It was Gu Ye who opened the door.
Wang Lei worked efficiently. Not long after returning yesterday, he had already gathered three or four miners who were struggling financially and needed extra work.
Gu Ye cast a quick glance and sized up the men.
He led them to stand outside his somewhat dilapidated courtyard, scanning the earthen walls that needed raising and the spot for the toilet that needed planning. A plan formed in his mind.
He stated his requirements succinctly: “Raise the wall by half a meter, top it with broken glass, dig the toilet along the lines I drew, expand the footprint, and separate the middle…”
He intended to use the larger room as a dedicated bathing area. Lin Wan hadn’t mentioned it, but he knew this was definitely what she wanted.
The miners nodded eagerly. One of them, simple and honest, smiled and said, “Don’t worry. We do this kind of work all the time. We’ll make sure it’s done properly.”
Gu Ye responded with a grunt, took out a bundle of bills, counted some, and handed them to Wang Lei: “This is the deposit. Use sturdy materials. Pay the rest when it’s finished.”
Though he usually kept to himself at the mine, his skill and occasional displays of strength commanded respect, making many workers both wary and impressed.
Now standing there, directing the work, he exuded a natural authority.
Wang Lei didn’t hesitate, taking the money, but only after a moment did he realize:
“Brother, you’re not at home today?”
Otherwise, why give him the money? Couldn’t he pay it himself?
“Mm. Make sure to keep an eye on the site.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I…” He was about to speak when—
“Gu Ye—”
A call interrupted him.
The voice came from inside the house, still a bit hoarse and unclear, obviously just waking up.
With the doors and windows closed, Wang Lei could only watch from outside.
Alright, no need to say more—it was clear he was accompanying his sister-in-law.
The question had been entirely unnecessary.
Listen, his throat was hoarse from just waking up.
Wang Lei gave a deliberately ambiguous look, then turned and got the workers started.
Gu Ye shot him a bewildered glance.
What on earth is he doing now?
He turned and crossed the courtyard. Opening the door, he saw Lin Wan sitting up, still drowsy.
The morning light, weak and gentle, filtered through windows covered with old newspaper, casting a soft glow in the room.
She was still hugging the blanket, clearly not fully awake. Her long black hair lay messy over her shoulders, highlighting the delicate fairness of her face.
Her heavy-lashed eyes blinked slowly like tiny fans, corners still moist from just waking.
Perhaps feeling warm in her sleep, the top two buttons of her undergarment had come undone at some point,
leaving her collarbone exposed—slender, delicate, with smooth skin beneath that glimmered faintly in the soft morning light.
Gu Ye’s breath caught, and instinctively he turned his back, his Adam’s apple rolling unnaturally.
All he could hear was his own racing heartbeat.
In that instant, he understood what Wang Lei’s last ambiguous glance had meant.
“What are you doing? Reflecting on your sins?” The voice behind him still carried the lazy grogginess of just waking.
“Put your clothes on.”
Lin Wan looked down and finally noticed her collar.
Just that?
Well, times were different. If this were modern times, Gu Ye would probably have to stick to the walls every time he left the room.
“We’ve already stayed under the same roof,” she said slowly as she buttoned up,
“here at the mine, in everyone’s eyes, do we even need to explain what our relationship is? And now you suddenly remember to avoid suspicion?”
Adding a little teasing, she pouted and said, “I think you just don’t like me.”
Gu Ye stood there, back to her, unable to shake the image of that pale collarbone from his mind. Her words, “stayed under the same roof,” kept echoing repeatedly.
He found he couldn’t find a single thing to argue back.
She always had a way of effortlessly throwing him off balance.
But there was one thing he had to argue.
Lin Wan finished her little complaint and lay back into the blanket.
The bed had the cotton padding Gu Ye had laid out last night—soft enough to make anyone drowsy, almost impossible to open one’s eyes, wanting to stay glued to it.
Just as she was drifting back into sleep, a voice came from the bed’s side.
“I didn’t dislike you.” Gu Ye frowned, having moved to the bedside at some point.
Lin Wan squinted: “Then why didn’t you sleep with me last night?”
Indeed, Gu Ye had come back, not gone out to squeeze in with someone else.
But he had slept on the floor.
Lin Wan was both amused and exasperated, wanting to punch him twice in frustration.
“I did it for your own good.” Gu Ye looked a bit helpless.
He realized Lin Wan thought differently from others.
Other girls, due to social customs and environment, would avoid too much contact with men, keeping everything modest and proper.
She, however, was frank and open, daring to say anything.
Her approach was not at all like a typical country girl, yet such a blatant slip made Gu Ye hesitant to question it.
He was afraid she’d claim he had taught her this before.
Gu Ye thought the version of himself in her memory was… complicated.
“You’re just refusing under the guise of doing it for me.”
Lin Wan didn’t want to listen.
“You’re not me, how would you know what I think?”
Gu Ye didn’t want to argue further. If he did, he might end up being tricked into the bed tonight.
In terms of words, he admitted he couldn’t match Lin Wan.
“Get up. The workers are already here. If we wait too long, we’ll be behind schedule.”
Lin Wan lazily yawned, showing no intention to move, even rolling over.
Gu Ye, still with his back to her, listening to the rustle of her clothes, added: “I’m taking you to town today.”
Finally, that got some response.
A drowsy, nasal voice came: “Going to town… for what?”
“To the market.”
“To buy supplies.”
“Whatever the household needs, we’ll get it all.”
The words “household” slipped out naturally, and even Gu Ye paused slightly after saying them.
Lin Wan’s reaction was immediate.
She opened her eyes almost instantly, the lingering sleepiness fading, her voice full of astonished delight and a hint of doubt:
“We can go out?”
She remembered clearly that the mine was remote, tightly controlled, and workers and their families didn’t move freely—mostly to prevent leaks and avoid trouble.
It had been lucky enough that she had managed to sneak in and find Gu Ye before. Now she could go out freely?
Gu Ye finally turned to face her, but his gaze stayed controlled on her face, avoiding anything below the neck.
Seeing the light in her eyes, some of his unease dissipated. His voice remained calm as ever, yet carried a reassuring strength:
“Yes. I’m taking you, so we can go out.”
The words were plain, but full of confidence.
He had his channels and ways.
Seeing his resolute expression, Lin Wan’s doubts vanished in a flood of joy.
Men had their own pace; she didn’t feel the need to probe every detail. She would enjoy whatever benefits and conveniences came her way.
To leave this gray, dusty mine, see the outside world, and even buy things—why not?
She immediately threw off the blanket, moved quickly out of bed, her face brimming with excitement:
“Then wait for me! I’ll be ready in a minute!”