Yan Zhao suddenly felt a surge of energy.
With Gu Yu not around, it was as if her mind had returned to her own body.
She patted her cheeks to wake herself up, then looked up at the sky. The sun was shining brightly, illuminating everything.
Such fine weather would be a waste not to air the quilts.
She carried the quilts outside and had just spread them out in the courtyard when, before she could even smooth them out, someone snapped impatiently, “This is right in front of my house. What are you airing here?”
Yan Zhao was taken aback.
She truly hadn’t expected that even airing quilts had its own rules.
She didn’t say a word and carried the quilts back inside.
After circling the courtyard, she finally found a spot in the corner that seemed relatively empty.
This time, she simply laid out both quilts together, pressing them flat and smooth before heading back inside to clean with peace of mind.
But when she came out again, her footsteps abruptly halted.
Her own quilts had been thrown on the ground.
And the spot where she had just laid them out was now occupied by someone else’s quilts.
Yan Zhao’s mind buzzed.
Anger surged within her instantly.
She walked over, picked up her quilts from the ground, and dust clung to her clothes all over.
A crowd had already gathered around, watching the commotion.
Some gazes were curious, while others were clearly waiting to see her make a fool of herself.
Especially the older woman who had previously tried to introduce her daughter to Gu Yu and had been rejected by Yan Zhao. She now stood to the side, her expression tinged with an indescribable smugness.
Yan Zhao guessed right away that this woman was behind the trouble.
She didn’t speak but instead carried her quilts back inside.
A short while later, when she emerged again, she was holding a bucket of water.
She walked straight to the two quilts and, without the slightest hesitation, poured the water over them.
The water splashed down with a loud splash.
The next second, a scream erupted.
The courtyard instantly erupted into chaos.
The woman froze for a moment before lunging toward her now-soaked quilt. She reached out to touch it, and her face immediately changed.
The next moment, she spun around and charged straight at Yan Zhao.
Her curses were sharp and vicious: “You little hussy! How dare you touch my quilts! I’ll tear your face apart today!”
Her voice was piercingly shrill.
Yan Zhao stood her ground without retreating.
She might not be able to handle those sharp-tongued, cunning city girls.
But when it came to those who resorted to hysterics and violence right from the start, she had seen plenty of them back in the village.
Before the woman could even reach her, Yan Zhao had already moved first.
She reached out and grabbed the woman’s wrist, then lifted her foot and delivered a sharp kick to the woman’s leg.
Her movements were swift and decisive, without a hint of hesitation.
She had learned how to kick someone from Gu Yu.
The woman never expected her to fight back, let alone with such ruthlessness. Losing her balance, she let out a pained cry and stumbled backward.
The surroundings fell silent for a moment.
No one had expected this seemingly delicate, quiet girl to be so fierce when she took action.
Yan Zhao stood there, her back straight, breathing a little heavily but her gaze steady.
She raised her hand and pointed directly at the woman who had first claimed, “The spot in front of my house belongs to me.”
“Was it you who said that earlier? That the spot in front of your house belongs to you? This spot is right in front of my house. Can’t I air my quilts here?”
The woman who had been kicked down refused to give up, gritting her teeth as she tried to charge forward again, cursing viciously, “Your family just moved in yesterday! There’s no space for your things in this courtyard!”
Yan Zhao swung the bucket and aimed it directly at the leg the woman had just been kicked in.
With a loud clang.
The woman howled in pain.
Yan Zhao stood tall and straight, her voice unwavering, “If you couldn’t air your things, couldn’t you just say so? Did you have to throw my family’s quilt on the ground?”
She set the bucket down with a thud, her tone icy and fierce, “This time, I poured water. Next time, don’t blame me if I pour urine!”
Water could still dry.
But urine would make the quilt truly unusable.
The onlookers who had been watching the commotion were stunned, exchanging glances with one another.
No one had expected this fair-skinned, quiet-looking girl to have such a fiery temper.
After Yan Zhao’s confrontation, those who had been about to chime in now fell silent.
No one dared say another word.
Just then, the daughter of the beaten woman returned.
As soon as she entered the courtyard, she saw her family’s quilt soaked through and her mother sitting on the ground wiping away tears. She immediately rushed over, only to be grabbed by the woman, who began wailing and complaining bitterly.
Curses mixed with grievances, each sentence more exaggerated than the last.
The daughter’s face instantly darkened, and she raised her voice, shouting, “I’m calling the police!”
Yan Zhao wasn’t afraid. In the past, she had feared the police, but after what happened with that widow in her previous life—when the police didn’t even intervene and released the person—she knew the police didn’t arrest people for everything.
Now, all she had done was pour water on two quilts. Even if the police were called, it wouldn’t amount to much.
Besides, she wasn’t the one who had touched her quilt first.
Yan Zhao stood there, holding her family’s quilt, her expression calm and unflustered.
But just then, footsteps sounded at the courtyard entrance.
Gu Yu had returned.
As soon as he stepped into the courtyard, he sensed the tense atmosphere. His gaze swept around before finally settling on Yan Zhao.
In that instant, Yan Zhao’s heart tightened slightly.
Before she could speak, the other family’s daughter froze.
She stared at Gu Yu for a moment, her expression suddenly changing as she blurted out, “Gu Yu?”
Yan Zhao hadn’t expected this girl to know Gu Yu.
Gu Yu ignored the others in the courtyard.
His gaze bypassed all the noise, landing directly on Yan Zhao.
Under his stare, Yan Zhao’s heart clenched uncontrollably again.
She instinctively straightened her posture and lowered her voice, recounting everything that had happened—airing the quilt, having it thrown down, pouring water, and the confrontation—exactly as it occurred.
She didn’t exaggerate or complain tearfully.
She simply stated it all calmly.
After listening, Gu Yu clenched his fists tightly but quickly composed himself.
He couldn’t scare this woman again, nor could he bring the negativity around him into her life.
Gu Yu steadied his emotions and let out a soft “Hmm.”
As if confirming the sequence of events.
Then, he looked up at the girl who had threatened to call the police. His gaze was indifferent, devoid of emotion or lingering attention.
The next moment, he reached out and took Yan Zhao’s wrist, his tone steady, “Let’s go back inside.”
Yan Zhao was practically pulled along as he turned.
The noise in the courtyard faded behind them.
Meanwhile, the beaten woman could no longer focus on cursing. She dragged the soaked quilt into her room, heartbroken, while pulling her daughter along.
Her tone was a mix of shock and barely suppressed excitement.
She lowered her voice and asked urgently, “Nannan, do you know that guy from Peking University?”
The girl nodded, her tone hushed but unable to conceal her excitement. “He’s the campus heartthrob at Peking University. I never expected him to be living in our courtyard.”
At this point, she grew even more animated, turning to grab the woman’s arm. “Mom, how long has he been staying here?”
The woman replied, “He just arrived yesterday.”
As soon as the words were spoken, the girl’s eyes lit up completely.
…
Back in the room, Yan Zhao didn’t detect any anger on his face and quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
Gu Yu, carrying something in his hand, closed the door securely after entering.
He placed a ceramic cup and two lunch boxes on the table, lifting the lids to reveal a bowl of hot soup and a prepared meal.
The aroma instantly filled the air.
He set out the bowl and chopsticks for her, his tone casual. “Hungry?” Then, as if he had already planned it, he added, “After we eat, I’ll take you around the campus today.”
Yan Zhao was taken aback and instinctively shook her head. “No need, I was planning to—”
She stopped mid-sentence.
Gu Yu knew she had something to say. He had already put down his chopsticks, looking at her with a serious, quiet, and focused expression.
His meaning was clear.
He was waiting for her to continue.
Under his gaze, Yan Zhao’s heart skipped a beat.
She pursed her lips, hesitating for a moment before finally whispering, “Can I use some money?”
After speaking, Yan Zhao nervously twisted her hands in her clothes.
When she first arrived, she had said she didn’t need money, but now she was asking for it…
Gu Yu didn’t ask for a reason.
He simply reached into his pocket and pulled out a stack of money.
Red and green bills were mixed together, and it looked like a considerable amount.
Without even counting it, he placed it in front of her. “This is what I earned this month. Take it and spend it.”
His tone was as calm as if he were discussing the most ordinary matter.
Yan Zhao looked at the stack of money, her fingertips curling slightly, her heart warming.
Gu Yu didn’t ask what she needed the money for.
Nor did he show the slightest hesitation.
The stack of money lay quietly on the table, as if it had always been meant for her.
Yan Zhao stared at it, feeling a slight tightness in her chest.
She took a breath and decided to explain voluntarily. “I want to go out and see what everyone is selling. I… I…”
She didn’t finish her sentence, but Gu Yu understood.
However, as if remembering something, his tone grew more serious. “It’s not safe for you to go out alone. I’ll go with you.”
Yan Zhao shook her head. “No, no, you’re busy too, and I’m just planning to wander around casually.”
Gu Yu neither agreed nor refused, simply saying, “Let’s eat first.”
The room fell into a brief silence, broken only by the sound of bowls and chopsticks.
Yan Zhao noticed it. She finished her meal quietly, feeling a bit uneasy and wondering if she had said too much.
Once the meal was over, she stood up to wash the dishes, but Gu Yu took them first.
Yan Zhao was momentarily stunned and instinctively reached out. “I can do it. Aren’t you busy?”
Gu Yu had already carried the bowls to the bucket of water, his tone calm and leaving no room for discussion. “It’s fine. I’ll do it.”
She reached out to take them, but he shifted slightly to avoid her.
When she tried again, he simply placed the bowls higher up.
Yan Zhao was left with no choice but to stand aside and watch.
Gu Yu washed the bowls and, without a second thought, poured out the water.
He wiped his hands and said very naturally, “It’s not convenient to bathe at home. I’ll take you to the public bathhouse.”
Yan Zhao instinctively wanted to refuse.
Having to go out just to take a bath, and spending money on top of that, seemed like a waste in her eyes.
The words were already on the tip of her tongue, but just as she opened her mouth, Gu Yu reached out and took her hand.
Yan Zhao instinctively tried to pull back, but he held on firmly.
She didn’t dare struggle too hard, and after tugging twice, she still couldn’t free her hand.
Unfortunately, this was exactly the kind of thing she was most susceptible to.
Without saying another word, she was already being led outside by him.
Fortunately, it was already dark, and the courtyard lights were dim, so no one paid much attention.
Walking one after the other, they quickly reached the neighboring building.
As soon as the door to the public bathhouse was pushed open, a wave of steam immediately hit them.
Yan Zhao actually found it a bit strange.
Only now, after being led by him all the way, did she belatedly realize that his palm was very warm.
But soon, Yan Zhao’s attention was drawn elsewhere.
Once inside the bathhouse, she realized it was actually still midday.
There weren’t many people coming to bathe or scrub, and the sounds of movement weren’t noisy.
Moreover, men and women bathed separately, each using their own entrance.
Seeing that Gu Yu was also going to bathe, the slight awkwardness she felt actually dissipated, so she didn’t say anything more and walked inside, carrying her basin.
As soon as she entered, she froze.
The pool inside was unexpectedly large, with steam rising from the water’s surface, filling the entire space with a hazy mist.
How much firewood must be burned to heat such a large pool?
She suddenly felt a pang of regret for not asking about the price earlier.
What if it was very expensive?
Yan Zhao’s side was almost empty.
To be precise, it was empty.
When she first came in, there was an older woman in the corner who, upon seeing her, paused for a moment before immediately grabbing her basin and leaving.
Her footsteps were quite hurried.
This made Yan Zhao tense up, instinctively wondering if she had done something wrong.
Not daring to linger, she moved faster than usual and washed up hurriedly.
But the pool was truly enormous.
As she soaked in the water, the warmth seeped through her skin, and her previously tense shoulders and back instantly relaxed.
It was so comfortable that she couldn’t help but stay a little longer.
When she finally got up and went to the women’s changing area, the room was still empty.
She lowered her head to fasten her buttons and was about to tidy her hair when two girls suddenly walked in through the door.
They were chatting and laughing, their voices not quiet.
One of them lowered her voice but couldn’t hide her excitement: “That guy outside is so handsome.”
The other immediately chimed in, nodding eagerly: “Really, I feel so drawn to him.”
“Should we go ask for his name?”
“I think we should…”
Hearing this, Yan Zhao paused in her movements.
She picked up her basin and walked out.
As soon as she looked up, she saw Gu Yu.
He was wearing only a plain gray short-sleeved shirt, the fabric thin and clinging to his body, accentuating his figure clearly.
His shoulders and back were straight, his legs long, and he stood there looking tall and sharp.
His attractiveness wasn’t deliberate.
Just standing there, he was impossible to look away from.
The two girls were indeed standing in front of him, their tone clearly probing: “Comrade, can we ask your name?”
Gu Yu frowned slightly.
His gaze quickly shifted past them and landed on Yan Zhao.
Without hesitation, he said, “Sorry, my wife is here.”
As soon as the words were spoken, he was already walking toward Yan Zhao.
As natural as could be.
He reached out and took the basin from her arms, his movements smooth and practiced.
Glancing down at her hair, his brow furrowed slightly again. “Why didn’t you dry it properly?”
Yan Zhao felt a bit awkward at his question and replied softly, “It’ll dry soon.”
Gu Yu didn’t say anything more, just steadied the basin, took two steps forward, and stood beside her.
The two girls froze in place, their expressions instantly stiffening.
Because they recognized Yan Zhao—she was the girl from the room just now.
So they had been trying to flirt with someone else’s partner right in front of the person herself!