The courtyard gate was pushed open softly. Lin Wan had been dozing off on the table and jolted awake at the sound, lifting her head.
Lu Zhanye stood at the entrance with his backpack. He carried the coldness of the night wind on his body, but his eyes were clear and his expression relaxed.
The weight in Lin Wan’s chest finally eased. She quickly stood up. “You’re back?”
“Mm.” He set down his backpack and looked slightly surprised. “Didn’t I tell you not to wait for me? Why are you still up?”
“If you don’t come back, I can’t sleep anyway.” Lin Wan admitted honestly. She walked closer and caught the faint smell of smoke and night dew on him. “You rest for a bit. I’ll heat up some food—it’ll be quick.”
“You made food?” he asked, even more surprised.
“Mm. I figured you’d be hungry when you got back.”
She turned and went into the kitchen. Watching her hurried figure, warmth rose in his heart.
He washed his face and sat down at the table. Soon, Lin Wan brought out a large steaming bowl of dumpling soup and a small dish of mixed pickled vegetables.
The soup was still warm—green wild greens and golden egg bits floating on the surface, appetizing at a glance. The pickles smelled sour, spicy, and fragrant with chili oil and sesame oil.
Lu Zhanye was indeed hungry. From evening until now, five or six hours had passed, his nerves constantly tight, his body exhausted. He took the bowl and began eating immediately.
Soft dumplings, tender greens, and a lightly salted broth. With each mouthful of hot soup, warmth spread from his throat to his stomach, easing his fatigue.
He ate quickly, though not rudely. In just a few bites, half the bowl was gone. Lin Wan quietly added more for him.
“Slow down. There’s more in the pot,” she said.
He nodded and slowed his pace, picking up a piece of pickled vegetable. The sour crunch, chili aroma, and sesame fragrance made it especially appetizing.
By the time he finished the second bowl, sweat had formed on his forehead. Lin Wan handed him a towel. “Wipe yourself.”
He took it and wiped his sweat, looking at the empty bowls and plates on the table, letting out a satisfied breath. “Delicious.”
Lin Wan smiled and began cleaning up.
“Wait.” Lu Zhanye stopped her. He untied the small cloth pouch from his waist and poured out the money and vouchers, then pointed at the backpack. “I made twenty-five yuan tonight, not counting these goods.”
Lin Wan’s eyes widened slightly. “So much?”
“Mm.” He opened the backpack and took everything out—cured meat wrapped in oil paper, pastries wrapped in yellow paper, a tin of malted milk powder, several red apples, and more than a dozen duck eggs.
One by one, they were placed on the table. Under the kerosene lamp, they looked like a small mountain.
“The cured meat can last. Use it for stir-frying or stewing. The pastries are snacks. The malted milk powder is good for your health—you can drink it in the morning. Apples are rare now, try them. And the duck eggs…” He paused. “Can you make salted eggs?”
“Yes,” Lin Wan nodded, looking at everything with mixed feelings.
Twenty-five yuan was almost a full month’s wage for an ordinary worker. And he had earned it in a single night, not even counting all these real supplies.
“This… isn’t it too risky?” she said softly.
Lu Zhanye held her hand. “I know my limits. I only deal with regular contacts, don’t stay long, and leave as soon as it’s safe. See? I’m fine, aren’t I?”
Seeing that he truly was unharmed, Lin Wan finally relaxed a little.
“I’ll put these away,” she said. “We’ll pickle the eggs tomorrow. Hang the cured meat up. Store the apples somewhere cool… and you should drink the milk powder too, not just save it for me.”
“You drink it,” he insisted. “You’re too thin.”
They worked together to store everything. The cured meat was strung up and hung from the kitchen beam. The apples were placed in a basket and covered with cloth. The pastries and milk powder were put in the cabinet. The duck eggs were left in a cool place for now.
By the time they finished, it was already deep into the night.
The kerosene lamp was extinguished again. They lay down together, and Lu Zhanye naturally pulled Lin Wan into his arms.
“Don’t wait for me anymore,” he said in the dark. “Sleep early.”
“If you’re not back, I can’t sleep,” she murmured against his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat. “Next time… be more careful.”
“Mm.” He tightened his arms slightly. “Sleep.”
Lin Wan closed her eyes. The faint scent of soap and smoke on him lingered at her nose. Strangely, the mixture made her feel safe.
Outside, the moon had already tilted westward. The village was quiet—no barking dogs, no movement at all.
Inside this small home, two people slept in each other’s arms, their warmth driving away the chill of the spring night.
Tomorrow, the duck eggs would be pickled, the garden watered, the chicken coop topped with fresh straw…
Life went on like this day by day. There were risks, there was hardship—but there was also hot food, and hearts that worried about each other.
And that was enough.
Before sleep fully took her, Lin Wan thought hazily:
At least right now, they were together.