Lu Ye’s gaze moved downward and only then did he notice that Lin Wanwan had taken off her shoes and socks.
Her exposed ankles were fair and delicate. The soles of her feet were red, and two small blisters had faintly formed. Her feet looked so tiny, as though they were not even as large as his outstretched palm.
His gaze seemed to have been scalded, and he quickly looked away.
“I’ll help you cut the grass.”
After throwing out those words, Lu Ye turned around, picked up the sickle lying on the ground, and casually tied up the pheasant in his hand with a grass rope before tossing it aside.
“Huh?”
Lin Wanwan froze for a moment. Before she could say anything, he had already turned and left at a brisk pace. His tall figure somehow looked flustered.
What a strange person. Did he really enjoy doing other people’s work that much?
It made her feel rather embarrassed. After all, she was practically freeloading off his labor!
Lin Wanwan slowly put her shoes and socks back on, her gaze following Lu Ye’s every movement.
The man bent slightly as he cut the grass. His patched white shirt, which did not fit him particularly well, rode upward, revealing his strong waist and faintly visible abdominal muscles.
His abs were distinct and firm, looking powerful and full of strength.
Lin Wanwan stared blankly at them for a moment.
They looked as though they would feel very nice to the touch. If only she could—
Wait, what was she thinking?!
The man was helping her work, and she was having such indecent thoughts!
Lin Wanwan silently condemned herself. After putting on her shoes and socks, she stood up, picked up the water flask nearby, and walked toward Lu Ye.
His forehead was covered in dense beads of sweat. Large droplets rolled down his cheeks. His white shirt had been soaked through with sweat and clung tightly to his body, outlining his defined muscles.
As she got closer, a strong masculine presence and male hormones seemed to rush toward her.
Eh?
Why did the temperature suddenly seem to rise so much? It felt hot and stuffy.
Lin Wanwan’s cheeks turned rosy, her eyes shimmering with moisture. After approaching Lu Ye, she even found breathing a little difficult.
Biting her lip, she spoke softly and sweetly.
“Would you like some water? I added a little sugar. It’s very sweet.”
Lu Ye had long noticed someone approaching him. The fragrance lingering around his nose had grown much stronger.
He saw the pair of long, slender legs wrapped in bell-bottom trousers beside him. Uncontrollably, his mind recalled the girl’s jade-like feet from earlier.
They had truly been fair and tender.
A sudden warmth spread through his nose.
Something hot trickled down.
Lin Wanwan’s expression changed drastically.
“You’ve got a nosebleed!”
Lu Ye: “…”
His expression became somewhat awkward as he tried to wipe away the blood, attempting to destroy the evidence as quickly as possible.
“Don’t move.”
The petite figure suddenly stepped closer.
Holding a white handkerchief embroidered with two flowers, she stood on tiptoe and tugged his arm downward.
“Lower your head. I’ll wipe it for you.”
The sensation on his arm became especially distinct.
Her soft, delicate palm rested against the tense muscles of his arm.
One dark and one fair.
One hard and one soft.
Lu Ye’s mind went completely blank.
Obediently, he lowered his head. His gaze happened to fall directly upon the girl’s chest.
“…”
A startled cry sounded beside his ear.
“Oh my, why is the nosebleed getting worse?”
“It’s fine.”
Lu Ye suddenly stepped back two paces. His entire body was tense, and his voice turned cold and stern.
“The weather’s hot. Too much internal heat. I’ll handle it myself.”
Lin Wanwan tilted her head and looked at him.
“Oh.”
She handed him the bloodstained handkerchief.
“Use this to wipe it.”
Lu Ye accepted the handkerchief. The scent on it was exactly the same as the fragrance lingering on the girl herself.
Lowering his eyes, he said quietly,
“I’ll wash it clean and return it to you.”
Lin Wanwan had originally wanted to say there was no need. She had plenty of handkerchiefs.
But then another thought occurred to her.
Wasn’t this a perfect opportunity for future contact?
She still needed him to help suppress the aftereffects of her transmigration. A ready-made excuse was sitting right in front of her.
“Okay~”
A smile rippled through Lin Wanwan’s eyes.
Very enthusiastically, she offered him the sweet water in her flask and thoughtfully unscrewed the lid for him.
“Have some sweet water to soothe your throat.”
Holding the handkerchief against his nose with one hand, Lu Ye looked at her twice before pressing his lips together and accepting the flask.
“Thank you.” he said quietly.
He did not drink directly from the flask.
Instead, he held it a short distance from his lips, tilted his head back, and poured the water into his mouth, swallowing the sweet liquid in large gulps. His prominent Adam’s apple bobbed visibly with every swallow.
Drinking this way made it easy to spill.
The sweet water that leaked out slid from his chin onto his Adam’s apple and, with its movement, continued downward before disappearing beneath his shirt.
It was clearly an ordinary act of drinking water, yet it somehow appeared both sexy and provocative.
This man’s appearance and physique were truly exceptional.
Of all the men she had seen since transmigrating, he was by far the most handsome and masculine.
If he had lived in her previous life, he could have debuted as a celebrity on the spot and gained countless female fans.
He had been born in the wrong era.
Lin Wanwan thought regretfully.
After finishing the sweet water, Lu Ye returned the flask.
Smiling brightly, Lin Wanwan accepted it. Her fingertips “accidentally” brushed against his palm.
Feeling another comfortable warm current enter her body, the smile on her face became even brighter.
Lu Ye paid no attention to the contact.
He assumed she had touched him accidentally and simply bent down to continue cutting grass, his movements swift and efficient.
“Oh right, if I remember correctly… your name is Lu Ye, isn’t it?”
Standing nearby, Lin Wanwan looked at him with a radiant smile.
Lu Ye gave a low grunt in acknowledgment.
Lin Wanwan’s calves were beginning to ache, so she simply squatted nearby, resting her chin on her hands as she looked up at him.
“Your name sounds really nice. I’m Lin Wanwan. By the way, why do you keep coming up the mountain? Don’t you need to work?”
“I’ve already finished.”
“Huh? It’s still this early and you’re already done? You’re amazing~”
“Not really.”
“Did you come up here to catch pheasants? I heard the mountains are dangerous and there are wild boars. Aren’t you afraid?”
“I’m not.”
Lu Ye was sparing with words. His attitude could even be described as cold.
But Lin Wanwan did not mind in the slightest.
Whether he was cold or not did not matter.
As long as she could touch him, that was enough~
During their brief conversation, the large basket had once again been filled with pig grass.
“With this much, I won’t be able to carry it later…” Lin Wanwan patted her forehead.
She had been so overwhelmed by her good fortune that she had forgotten to tell Lu Ye not to cut so much grass.
It was not that she disliked Yingzi.
She simply felt embarrassed that such a young girl already had to shoulder such heavy burdens.
Lu Ye paused.
He had forgotten about that as well.
“I’ll help you carry it later.” he said quietly.
Lin Wanwan blinked.
“Really? Wouldn’t that be too much trouble for you?”
“No.”
Lu Ye stood up, casually placed the sickle on top of the grass, and picked up the pheasant he had thrown aside earlier.
“It’s still early. Go rest for a while. I’ll come back later.”
He pointed toward the shade beneath the tree where she had been resting.
Without waiting for her response, he turned around carrying the pheasant and strode down the mountain.
His steps were fast and urgent, as though something were chasing him.
“He’s really a good person. Good people live long lives.”
Watching Lu Ye’s departing figure, Lin Wanwan sincerely voiced that conclusion.
Mmm.
The next time they met, she should give him something.
She could not keep freeloading off him forever.
But what should she give him…?