Late at night, Gu Fang's brows were tightly furrowed in his sleep, with fine beads of cold sweat on his forehead—clearly trapped in a nightmare.
In the dream, he seemed to have returned to the moment when the rocks tumbled down. But this time, he couldn't dodge; the heavy boulder crashed down, trapping him underneath, unable to move. The immense weight made it hard to breathe, his chest felt tight, and a strong sense of resentment and despair surged within him...
Just as his consciousness was about to be swallowed by darkness, Gu Fang jolted awake with a start, immediately understanding the source of the suffocating pressure in his dream.
Lin Yi was sleeping soundly and defenselessly, with one arm and half her body sprawled across his chest.
Gu Fang stared at the canopy and let out a silent sigh. He gently moved Lin Yi's arm away and pushed her body slightly to the side.
Outside the window, the sky was still dark; it was early and there was time to sleep a bit more. With the weight removed from him, Gu Fang closed his eyes again, trying to fall back asleep.
However, about half an hour later.
Under a familiar, suffocating pressure, Gu Fang opened his eyes again with difficulty.
Sure enough, Lin Yi, whom he had moved aside earlier, had rolled back again at some point. This time, she was almost lying on top of him, sleeping even more soundly.
Gu Fang: "..."
The room was silent, save for Gu Fang's speechless figure staring at the canopy and Lin Yi's steady breathing on him.
---
Lin Yi woke up naturally, stretching contentedly before slowly opening her eyes. The spot beside her was already empty; Gu Fang had gotten up at some point without her noticing.
She called Xiao Zhu to help her wash and dress. After getting ready, she had Xiao Zhu lead the way to the dining hall for breakfast.
On the way, Lin Yi was still pondering. From their brief interaction yesterday, Gu Fang seemed gentle and principled—a true gentleman. But one meeting wasn't enough to see the full picture. The most important thing now was to spend more time with him and understand his character and nature. After all, Gu Fang held the highest prestige and connections in Great Qian, making him the ideal partner for her mission to improve survival rates.
The dining hall wasn't far from the main courtyard, and they arrived shortly. Lin Yi stepped inside and was surprised to find Gu Fang still sitting quietly at the table, having his breakfast.
Lin Yi was astonished. She knew her own schedule was completely different from that of ancient people. On her first day at the General's Mansion, no one had woken her up—maybe Xiao Zhu was being considerate, or perhaps the servants didn't dare disturb the new mistress. But by ancient standards, the sun was already high in the sky. Gu Fang, as the head of the household and a former soldier, why was he still having breakfast at this hour? Could he be a late sleeper too?
Lin Yi quickly sat down beside Gu Fang and turned to look at him. "Did I get up too late? Husband, you weren't waiting for me on purpose, were you?"
"Mm-hmm." Gu Fang put down his chopsticks. His voice was gentle, with no trace of resentment from being disturbed several times the previous night. "Since you're new here, I should tell you about the people and affairs in the mansion." He pointed to a kind-faced middle-aged man standing nearby. "This is the butler, A Fu. He watched me grow up. If you need anything in the future, feel free to consult him. After breakfast, he will show you around the mansion."
Lin Yi followed Gu Fang's gaze and saw a slightly plump handsome uncle. She immediately responded with a smile, "Alright then, I'll have to trouble Butler A Fu to take care of me from now on."
"You flatter me, madam. It is my duty." A Fu bowed with a smile.
Lin Yi turned her gaze back to Gu Fang and noticed the faint dark circles under his eyes. She was slightly startled and asked with concern, "Husband, did you not rest well last night?"
Gu Fang turned his head at her words and met her inquiring gaze. "It was fine. Why do you ask?"
"You have dark circles," Lin Yi said, lightly tapping under her own eye to show him. "Very obvious."
Gu Fang subconsciously touched the corner of his eye, a faint, barely perceptible look of surprise crossing his face. "Is that so?"
"Yes," Lin Yi leaned in a little closer, her tone worried. "Is it because I sleep badly and disturbed you?"
Seeing Lin Yi's expression of concern mixed with a hint of guilt, Gu Fang comforted her gently. "It has nothing to do with you. Perhaps I'm just not used to having someone beside me yet."
Listen to that—a textbook example of high emotional intelligence! Lin Yi silently praised in her heart. She had slept wonderfully last night, feeling especially at ease beside Gu Fang for some reason. If that's the case, she must immediately nip any thought of separate sleeping in the bud!
So Lin Yi quickly looked up, trying to make her eyes appear innocent and pitiful, softening her voice. "Husband, you'll get used to it gradually, right? I don't want to sleep apart from you."
Gu Fang looked at Lin Yi's instantly shifting expression, momentarily at a loss for words. In the end, he relented with a tone of indulgence. "...Alright, I will adapt as soon as possible."
Seeing that Lin Yi still hadn't picked up her chopsticks, Gu Fang naturally changed the subject. He pushed a plate of delicate pastries toward her and said warmly, "You must be hungry. Have breakfast first."
Reminded by Gu Fang, Lin Yi realized she was indeed famished, so she enjoyed the breakfast before her. After finishing, when she saw Gu Fang about to rise, she quickly asked, "Husband, what do you plan to do later?"
"On usual days when I have nothing to do, I spend time in the study, practicing calligraphy or reading to pass the time," Gu Fang replied. "I'm headed to the study now."
Lin Yi, who had been wondering what to do, perked up at this. She thought it would be a good chance to observe him more, so she suggested, "Then can I go to the study with you first? I can have Butler A Fu show me around the mansion later."
Gu Fang had no objection to this and said gently, "As you wish."
They went to the study together. Lin Yi tactfully didn't disturb him and sat quietly by the window. At first, she watched Gu Fang grind ink, spread paper, and write. But as she watched, her gaze involuntarily drifted outside the window, staring blankly at the flowers and trees in the courtyard.
It wasn't until Gu Fang put down his brush and indicated he was done practicing that Lin Yi snapped back to reality. She stood up, bid farewell to Gu Fang, and went out to find Butler A Fu, officially beginning to familiarize herself with her future living environment in the General's Mansion.
Butler A Fu led the way, dutifully introducing the layout of the mansion. Lin Yi followed behind, listening, but her eyes unconsciously fixed on the steps and thresholds.
Suddenly seeming to remember something, Lin Yi asked, "Butler A Fu, the general is now inconvenienced by his legs, but I see he still walks alone with crutches. Isn't that both strenuous and dangerous?"
A Fu clearly hadn't expected the new mistress to suddenly ask this. He paused slightly, a complex expression flashing across his face. He turned around, smiled bitterly, and shook his head, his tone full of helplessness and sympathy. "To be honest, madam, the general is very strong-willed. He insists on doing things himself as much as possible, not wanting everything done by others. The old servant and everyone in the mansion are anxious, but no one can persuade him."
"I see." Lin Yi nodded thoughtfully. "Then is there a tool that allows him to move on his own without being as tiring as crutches?" In her mind, the image of a wheelchair appeared, but she wasn't sure what it was called in this era.
A Fu looked confused at her question and pointed to the crutches Gu Fang usually used. "Madam, isn't that what you mean by a tool? The general is already using them."
Lin Yi was taken aback at first, then suddenly realized—this era might not have the concept of a wheelchair! She immediately gave an embarrassed smile and quickly covered for herself. "Haha, look at me, my mind hasn't caught up yet—I'm being silly!" However, a clear and definite idea had already taken root in her heart.
---
After two days of getting along, Lin Yi felt she had become much more familiar with Gu Fang.
Due to his leg injury, Gu Fang had taken leave to rest at home and didn't need to attend court. Most of his time was spent in the mansion. Since Lin Yi was new and hadn't gone out yet, for these two days, wherever Gu Fang went, she followed.
Gu Fang perhaps interpreted Lin Yi's clinginess as unease in a new environment. He showed no impatience; instead, he tacitly allowed her to follow him like a shadow.
Gu Fang's thoughtfulness was subtle and silent. He never said any empty reassurances like "don't worry" or "don't be afraid," but expressed it through actions. Even though he got up early every day, he would always wait quietly in the dining hall until Lin Yi, who slept until the sun was high, came slowly to have breakfast together, marking the start of the day.
Today was the same. After breakfast, Lin Yi followed Gu Fang to the study as usual.
Now, the study had a spot for Lin Yi as well. She walked familiarly to the small desk prepared for her by the window, sat down, picked up the unfinished design drawing, and began writing and drawing again.
Yes, the design drawing in Lin Yi's hands, repeatedly revised, was the third draft of an ancient-style wheelchair.
To be honest, making a movable chair wasn't hard. It didn't even require a blueprint—just telling a carpenter to "add two wheels to a chair" would do. But Lin Yi didn't want to be so perfunctory.
This effort came partly from the past two days of interaction. Gu Fang's gentleness and consideration made her genuinely want to do something for him. Another part was more pragmatic: a well-designed, thoughtful wheelchair would not only greatly improve Gu Fang's quality of life but also make him intuitively perceive her sincerity and ability. This way, when she later proposed a cooperation plan, there would naturally be less resistance.
For this reason, Lin Yi had been racking her brains these past few days. How to determine the most effort-saving wheel size based on Gu Fang's height and arm length? How to achieve basic shock absorption using the natural elasticity of wood and multi-layer structure in an era lacking rubber, to cope with the uneven cobblestone roads of ancient times? Faced with ubiquitous thresholds and steps, could a clever, simple lever mechanism be designed so that Gu Fang could easily lift the front wheel over obstacles with just arm strength?
These questions lingered in her mind day and night. However, heaven helps those who help themselves. Looking at the nearly completed drawing before her, a sense of accomplishment surged in Lin Yi's heart—she was about to succeed!
Author's Note:
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