Gu Ye, his hair a disheveled mess, greeted with a yawn, "You're up early too—woken by the noise as well?"
Jiang Mo, still groggy, mumbled, "I’ll go downstairs to see what’s going on."
In the courtyard below, Gu Baotian was practicing his whip-cracking routine, the specially crafted lash cutting through the air before striking the ground with a sharp crack. The sound they’d heard in their sleep was the whip’s relentless rhythm.
"You two sleep in so late," Gu Baotian remarked without pausing his movements. "The rooster’s crowed three times already."
"Grandpa, it’s only 6:30—how is that late?" Gu Ye scratched his head. "Besides, what young person doesn’t love sleeping in?"
Gu Baotian finally coiled the whip. "That’s exactly why you youngsters are so frail—can’t even keep up with an old man like me. Up all night, asleep all morning."
Since they were already awake, there was no point trying to go back to sleep. Jiang Mo patted her cheeks to shake off the drowsiness and decided to make breakfast.
"Grandpa Gu, what would you like for breakfast?" she asked.
"No need to cook. Someone’s bringing food over soon. Just wash up and wait."
The two retreated upstairs to freshen up, with Jiang Mo finishing first and heading back down.
The early April air in the countryside was crisp and cool, a faint mist lingering in the distance. Stretching, she grabbed the dog food from the living room to feed the golden retriever, Da Huang, and gave the little dog, Fu Gui’er, a good scratch behind the ears.
Puppies really were the best.
Just then, the courtyard gate creaked open, and a booming voice announced its arrival before the person did.
"Brother Gu, I’ve brought breakfast!" A woman’s loud voice rang out.
The gate swung wide, revealing a woman in a knitted sweater and a dress, stepping inside with purpose. Spotting Jiang Mo, she approached warmly. "You must be one of Brother Gu’s family?"
The woman, likely in her sixties, was dressed stylishly—quite the standout in rural fashion. Seeing her arms full of bags, Jiang Mo quickly helped carry some.
"Please, come inside. Grandpa Gu’s in the house. I’m just helping out here," she explained before calling out, "Grandpa Gu, you have a visitor!"
Gu Baotian emerged from the backyard. "Cuifen, you’re here."
"I brought some breakfast. Wasn’t sure what the kids would like," Wang Cuifen said, clearly familiar with Gu Baotian.
Jiang Mo poured her a cup of hot tea.
Right then, Gu Ye came downstairs and nodded politely at the stranger before sidling up to Jiang Mo.
"Who’s that?" he whispered with a glance.
Jiang Mo shook her head. "No idea."
"You brat, where are your manners?" Gu Baotian scolded. "Call her Granny Wang."
Gu Ye: "...Granny Wang."
"Don’t be so hard on him. Young folks are shy, and it’s their first meeting," Wang Cuifen chuckled. "Such a handsome boy—looks just like you, like a movie star!"
"Must be hungry, eh? Dig in before the food gets cold."
The spread was impressive: soy milk, eggs, beef-stuffed buns, fried dough sticks, and egg wine.
While the elders chatted, the younger ones ate quietly, eavesdropping on village gossip.
Stories of feuds over inheritance, families brawling at funerals. A son gambling away his money and "marrying off" his mother to settle debts.
"Remember the family west of the village with the geese? Two days ago, the head of the household came back with a young woman, lugging bags of stuff."
Jiang Mo, mid-bite, widened her eyes. "And then?"
Wang Cuifen grinned at her eager reaction. "Turns out the ‘young woman’ was their eldest daughter, back from working in the city after years away."
Jiang Mo: ...So this was how rural rumors were born.
After breakfast, Gu Baotian eyed them. "Full?"
Jiang Mo nodded. "Very."
"Mostly," Gu Ye admitted, picky as ever.
"Good. Then let’s head out."
Gu Ye, who’d been hoping for a nap: "Out where?"
"Don’t worry about it. Just follow me."
Gu Baotian led them to his three-wheeled electric bike—except today, Jiang Mo took the spot where Fu Gui’er usually sat.
After winding through the village, they stopped at an orchard.
It was peak season for summer oranges, the trees heavy with fruit.
"Your task today: help harvest these," Gu Baotian said, tossing them gloves, shears, and baskets.
"Your family owns an orchard too?" Jiang Mo asked.
Gu Ye looked just as lost. "No clue. Never heard of it."
Jiang Mo turned to Gu Baotian. "Grandpa, we have an orchard this big?"
"Who said it’s ours?" Gu Baotian replied leisurely. "It’s Granny Wang’s."
Jiang Mo: ...
Gu Ye: ...
So they’d been tricked into unpaid labor.
Wang Cuifen brought them bottled water. "Thanks for the help. Your grandpa mentioned you two wanted more chores to stay active. Perfect timing!"
Jiang Mo forced a smile, too polite to refuse.
"You’re really doing this?" Gu Ye muttered. Had he known, he wouldn’t have bothered grooming himself that morning.
Jiang Mo pulled on her gloves. "Feel free to negotiate with Grandpa."
Watching Gu Baotian and Wang Cuifen chatting animatedly, a horrifying thought struck Gu Ye. He shuddered.
"Jiang Mo... you don’t think Grandpa’s having a late-life romance, do you?"
"What?!" Jiang Mo gasped. "Why would you—?"
"Look." He pointed ahead.
Beneath the orange trees—no peach blossoms, but scenic enough—Gu Baotian was directing Wang Cuifen’s photo shoot.
"Probably not... right?" Jiang Mo said uncertainly.
They kept watching.
If true, this was wild.
Eventually, they resigned themselves to picking oranges.
Exhausted, Jiang Mo crouched under a tree to rest, snapping photos for her WeChat group.
Li Wan’er was shocked: "Girl, did you get exiled to the countryside?"
Zhang Qingqing zeroed in: "Orchard life! How’s the fruit? Mail some to us!"
Jiang Mo explained she’d be staying until after Qingming Festival.
"Didn’t know housekeepers traveled for work," Li Wan’er quipped. "Btw, seen ‘Kiss the Stars’? The male lead, Gu Ye, is hot."
She spammed the chat with screenshots.
Li Wan’er cycled through idols like seasonal trends.
Jiang Mo studied the photos. "Not bad-looking."
"What’re you looking at?" Gu Ye wandered over.
Jiang Mo quickly closed the chat window. "Nothing, I was just checking the price of oranges per pound."
