After settling the deal with Boss Zhao, Lin Wan felt she had a clear plan in mind.
Seeing that it was still early, she decided to put it into action immediately.
Even the finest wine can’t be found if the alley is too deep; if she wanted to sell her items, she first had to be seen, to make people take notice.
In recent days, the only thing in the mining area that could attract attention was her—“Gu Ye’s fiancée.”
She decided to start with herself.
Back in her room, she carefully selected a few of the hair ties and clips she had redesigned and was most satisfied with.
In front of the reflective window, she combed her hair neatly, pinned on a pale blue hair clip decorated with tiny beads, and replaced her old hair tie with a new one that matched her outfit.
She hadn’t put on much makeup—just a touch of lip color to give her a healthy, rosy look.
Finally, she tucked some milk candies wrapped in greaseproof paper and a few sample pieces into a small cloth bag and stepped out.
She deliberately took a slightly longer route and politely asked anyone she met along the way:
“Comrade, could you please tell me the way to Sister-in-law Wu Hongxia’s house?”
She was already strikingly beautiful, with a graceful figure visible even under her slightly loose clothes.
With a little styling, she stood out in the gray-and-black-toned mining area like a flower blooming after the rain.
Along the way, she caught many glances and whispers—some overt, some subtle.
“Oh, could that be Gu Ye’s fiancée? She’s dressed so pretty!”
“Look at that waist, that face… no wonder she managed to get Gu Ye, even with such a high bride price.”
“What’s that on her head? Shiny and sparkling, looks good too.”
“Bought it in town, right? The mining area doesn’t have such things.”
There were also voices tinged with jealousy or criticism:
“Hmph, such a fox spirit, dressing up for whom? Trying so hard to attract attention?”
“Yeah, the way she walks—what’s that for? Clearly not someone who lives a quiet life!”
Some onlookers couldn’t help but defend her softly:
“What’s wrong with that? A young girl dressing nicely—so what?”
“Do we have to look dull every day to be considered decent? The mining area is already filthy; why can’t someone look bright and fresh?”
“I think you’re just jealous!”
Lin Wan paid no attention to the chatter. People shouldn’t be afraid of being talked about. As long as it served her purpose, the more discussion within a controllable range, the better.
After all, that was exactly the effect she wanted—
to be seen, to be talked about, to make people notice the differences she carried.
After walking for a while, she followed the directions and arrived at a relatively concentrated residential area for workers’ families.
Here, Lin Wan finally got a real sense of Gu Ye’s family conditions. Though not large, they lived in a brick-and-tile house with a small yard.
Most houses here were low mud-brick homes, tightly packed in rows, with small kitchens or piles of coal and firewood in front.
Wu Hongxia’s house was among them, and the entrance was relatively clean.
She knocked on the door, and a voice came from inside:
“Who is it?”
Seeing her, Wu Hongxia was momentarily surprised, then her face lit up with a warm smile:
“Wan, it’s you! Come in, come in!”
“Wow, you look so pretty today!”
Wu Hongxia’s eyes brightened at Lin Wan’s appearance.
The room wasn’t large, with dim lighting, but neatly kept.
A bed leaned against the wall, with sheets washed to a faded white, and the table gleamed from being polished.
On the floor were a few old chairs, and a little girl of about five, with two tiny pigtails, was leaning on the bed playing with a worn cloth doll.
“Sister-in-law, hope we’re not disturbing you?”
Lin Wan smiled and explained her visit: “Gu Ye has been meaning to take me out to meet people and socialize, but he’s been so busy lately.
I’m free today, and there aren’t many people I know in the mining area, so I took the liberty of coming to see you myself. Please don’t mind.”
Wu Hongxia quickly pulled her inside: “Oh, don’t be so formal! My husband, Lao Zhang, is on the same team as Gu Ye. You’re welcome here just like your own home. Come, sit!”
She turned to the girl on the bed: “Niuniu, go say hello. This is the auntie who gave you the new hair tie last time. Aren’t you going to thank her?”
Niuniu looked up, shy and curious, her gaze caught by the sparkling hair clip on Lin Wan’s head. She murmured softly, “Thank you, auntie.”
Lin Wan’s heart softened. She walked to the kang (heated bed platform), took out the milk candies, and gently said, “Niuniu, you’re such a good girl. Here, auntie will give you some candy.”
She also took out a red hair tie with a small pom-pom and held it in front of Niuniu.
“Do you like this, Niuniu? Auntie can tie it on your braids—it’ll look even better than a New Year’s poster doll.”
Niuniu looked at the candy, glanced at Wu Hongxia who didn’t object, and then opened her mouth to take it.
When she saw the pretty hair tie, her eyes lit up and she nodded slightly.
Lin Wan carefully tied the hair tie with the little pom-pom onto Niuniu’s braids. The child shook her head happily, making the pom-poms bounce lightly.
Niuniu smiled shyly yet happily, running off to look at her reflection in a nearby basin.
Seeing her daughter so delighted, Wu Hongxia felt even closer to Lin Wan, though she teased her aloud:
“You spend too much, giving candy and hair ties too.”
“Why be formal with me, Sister-in-law? As long as Niuniu likes it, that’s enough. Besides, you were the one who introduced Gu Ye to the master chef last time.”
Lin Wan smiled and finally turned her attention to the young girl who had been quietly sitting inside.
The girl, about eighteen or nineteen, wore a slightly worn plaid shirt, hands neatly on her lap.
When she noticed Lin Wan looking at her, she pressed her lips together nervously and avoided eye contact, but her peripheral gaze couldn’t help stealing glances, especially at the delicate pale blue hair clip in Lin Wan’s hair.
Following Lin Wan’s gaze, Wu Hongxia clapped her thigh:
“Focus on Niuniu and forgot to introduce her. This is Xiao Fang. She helps in the canteen and usually sticks close to me. She’s off today and came to sit for a bit.”
She continued to Xiao Fang: “This is Lin Wan from Gu Ye’s family. You can just call her Sister Lin Wan.”
Xiao Fang quickly looked up, cast Lin Wan a brief glance, and softly said, “Sister Lin Wan.”
Her cheeks flushed slightly, a mixture of intimidation from Lin Wan’s beauty and presence, and a faint trace of envy she couldn’t hide.
So this was Gu Ye’s fiancée—no wonder she drew so much attention immediately. She looked like a painting come to life.
Before seeing her, Xiao Fang had wondered who could catch Gu Ye’s eye.
Now, seeing her, she thought such a beauty could match not just one Gu Ye, but ten.
Gu Ye deserved good, but not the best.
Lin Wan didn’t know Xiao Fang’s thoughts. She smiled kindly at her, her tone gentle:
“We’re about the same age, so I’ll take the liberty of calling you little sister.”
Noticing Xiao Fang’s nervousness, she switched to a light topic:
“Working in the canteen must be hard, right? Smoke and fire all day.”
Her words seemed to hit home. Xiao Fang sighed softly, furrowing her brow:
“Yes… there’s always the smell of cooking on me, can’t wash it off.”
She unconsciously fiddled with her shirt, showing her worry.
Lin Wan asked: “What’s wrong? Is something bothering you?”
Wu Hongxia took over: “Ah, nowadays, what work isn’t hard?”
Her tone carried the concern of an elder and a hint of helplessness: “It’s just that she’s been worried about this lately.”
Lin Wan: “Oh? What is it?”
Wu Hongxia lowered her voice: “Her family arranged a matchmaking meeting for her, with a junior officer in the mining office. He’s said to be quite particular.
Xiao Fang is worried that when they meet for the first time, he’ll think she’s… plain, that she doesn’t know how to dress up.”
Lin Wan understood immediately. She thought, today’s visit turned out perfectly—an unexpected gift: a precisely targeted customer delivered to her door.
But she didn’t show it, only a look of understanding and a softer voice:
“I see. A matchmaking meeting is a big deal. It’s normal for a girl to feel nervous and want to make a good impression.
First impressions are important. When I first saw Gu Ye, I was drawn to him too—simply because he was handsome.”
Xiao Fang froze, surprised that Lin Wan’s reason for liking Gu Ye was so straightforward.
But thinking about it, it made sense: a beautiful girl liking a handsome guy seemed natural.
After all, when you’re that good-looking, you can’t very well aim for someone unattractive, can you?