068, Loosening the Soil, A Captivating Smile

After breakfast, Jing Qingxin and Gao Shen each held an enamel cup, sitting in the small courtyard, sipping floral health tea. The two of them were probably the most leisurely people in the entire production brigade, with no assigned labor tasks and no land under their names to cultivate.

Their peaceful and contented demeanor made them seem more like vacationers at a country retreat. This tranquil and pleasant rural life filled Jing Qingxin with satisfaction, a sense of spiritual fulfillment.

The serenity inside the farmhouse courtyard contrasted sharply with the bustling fields outside the mud wall—just a wall apart, yet it felt like two different worlds.

Looking at the bare courtyard, Jing Qingxin couldn't help but recall the garden of her own villa, and her grandmother’s country home, the blooming “Heart’s Delight Garden.” The scene before her and the image in her mind formed a striking contrast.

“Gao Shen, let's tidy up this courtyard,” Jing Qingxin suggested softly. “It looks a bit desolate with nothing here.”

“Alright, how would you like to do it?” Gao Shen replied cheerfully.

To Gao Shen, the state of the courtyard didn’t matter much. Years of simple barracks life had made him indifferent to such things. Most men in the army were rough and unrefined, not concerned with such details. But if it could make Jing Qingxin happy, he was more than willing to help.

Jing Qingxin thought for a moment and said, “The courtyard is fairly spacious. Let’s dig a vegetable patch on the left, and plant some flowers on the right. What do you think?”

“Sounds good. We’ll do it your way.” Gao Shen had no objections at all. As long as she was pleased, that was enough.

Jing Qingxin was a woman of action—she didn’t like to procrastinate. She quickly placed their cups on the table inside, and, using the mud wall as cover, took two iron shovels from her “Glorious Brocade” space.

She always kept some basic gardening tools in her space for maintenance, though she didn’t have a hoe—such tools were rarely used anymore in her era, mostly replaced by advanced machinery.

Inside “Glorious Brocade,” there were not only flowers and medicinal herbs, but also some vegetable seeds—not collected by her, but by her mother before Jing Qingxin inherited the space. Her mother had originally grown vegetables and fruit trees there, but after the inheritance, for some unknown reason, every trace of her mother’s cultivation mysteriously vanished, leaving only bags of seeds.

Normally, Jing Qingxin never worried about having fresh vegetables or fruit to eat. Every week, someone from her grandmother’s country home delivered fresh produce to her family, so she never bothered to plant anything herself. Before the age of eighteen, her time was completely occupied by studies and hobbies—she had no time to play the role of a little farm girl.

Now, Jing Qingxin felt very fortunate. Even though she lived in this impoverished era, with “Glorious Brocade” as her greatest cheat, being a farm girl was so easy!

Since she had the means and ability, Jing Qingxin wanted herself and those around her to enjoy a more comfortable living environment.

With that thought, she energetically took up a shovel and got to work. Seeing Gao Shen join in with the other shovel, she couldn’t help but remind him, “Gao Shen, your leg just recovered, so be careful and don’t stand for too long!”

“Don’t worry. I took the pill you gave me this morning, and my right leg feels much stronger now.” Gao Shen loosened the soil as he spoke. He knew his own condition well—at this moment, he couldn’t feel any difference between his legs, almost as if he had never been injured. Gao Shen couldn’t help but marvel inwardly; his wife was truly remarkable!

After breakfast, Jing Qingxin had given him a potent pill for muscle and bone recovery, much more effective than the diluted medicinal juice she’d applied to his wound before. She’d originally chosen the diluted treatment to avoid a suspiciously rapid recovery. Now, with their relationship open and honest, she could help Gao Shen recover quickly and ease his daily inconvenience. Still, in front of outsiders, they would have to keep up appearances for a while, lest it seem too conspicuous.

By noon, they had managed to clear half of the land along the courtyard wall. The soil, left untended for so long, had hardened and was mixed with broken tiles and stones. To plant vegetables, they first had to loosen and prepare the soil.

Seeing the time, Jing Qingxin realized it was almost time to make lunch. After a morning of hard work, she felt hungry. Turning, she saw Gao Shen still busy digging, his hair and sweat-soaked shirt clinging to him. Although only half the land was cleared, seventy percent of the work was thanks to Gao Shen’s strength and agility.

Jing Qingxin went inside, poured two cups of water from her space’s stream, took a towel, and walked to the wooden bench in the courtyard. She called, “Gao Shen, come over and take a break.”

Hearing her, Gao Shen put down his shovel, wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand, and walked toward Jing Qingxin.

After his injury, he had spent almost a month lying down, and hadn’t exercised like this in quite a while. The sudden labor made him feel slightly strained, which was not a good sign. Gao Shen silently resolved to resume training soon, increase his activity, and restore his pre-injury condition.

As Gao Shen approached, Jing Qingxin handed him an enamel cup and, with the towel, gently wiped the sweat from his face. Fortunately, she was tall enough not to need to stand on tiptoe; her hand reached just right.

Gao Shen stood quietly, feeling the tenderness in Jing Qingxin’s fingertips. The corners of his lips curled slightly. Ever since she came into his life, his usually calm expression always seemed to brighten, his emotions easily swayed by her presence.

For a soldier like Gao Shen, such uncontrollable behavior might not be good—it could give enemies a point of weakness. But he knew that if the one affecting him was Jing Qingxin, he would gladly accept it.

Jing Qingxin finished wiping his face, then noticed Gao Shen staring at her, cup in hand, in a daze. Her cheeks flushed with a shy blush as she murmured affectionately, “Why are you staring at me like that? Drink up. This is stream water from my space, imbued with a hint of spiritual energy, so it’s beneficial for your health.”

Gao Shen smiled brightly and said, “You should drink too!”

Suddenly, Jing Qingxin gently patted his cheeks, pressed his lips together, and hummed playfully, “No more smiling! Actually, from now on, you’re not allowed to smile like that at other women, understand?”

His radiant smile was as dazzling as the sun, so brilliant it made her heart bloom. Jing Qingxin thought to herself, Gao Shen was fine when he didn’t smile, but once he did, it was blinding. If she hadn’t been tempered by her modern perspective and self-control, she might not be able to resist him at all!

She mused that if a girl from this era saw Gao Shen’s sunny smile, she’d probably be completely captivated.

——— Extra note ———

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