Lin Wan felt Han Yi’s gaze on her, and she kept her head down, focusing on her work, afraid that if she looked up, he would no longer be looking at her.
Keep looking, keep looking, maybe if you look enough, you’ll start to like me?
In her past life, she and Han Yi didn’t have much of a relationship, and she wanted to nurture a good relationship with him this time around.
With Han Yi’s gaze upon her, Lin Wan’s mind was a bit muddled, and she made several mistakes with her stitching.
After adjusting the needle, she suddenly looked up, met Han Yi’s gaze, and gave him a gentle smile, "I’m Lin Wan, Lin as in wood, Wan as in winding path, and you?"
Lin Wan’s sudden question caught Han Yi off guard, but out of courtesy, he replied, "My surname is Han, my given name is Yi, as in learning is unending."
"Although winters here aren’t too cold, there are chilly winds during the last month of the year. I noticed you’re dressed lightly. Are soldiers very enduring to cold?" Lin Wan asked with a smile.
Han Yi was momentarily distracted, and upon hearing Lin Wan’s words, he blinked a few times to regain his focus and replied, "The army provides clothing."
"Oh." Lin Wan was a bit unsatisfied, pausing briefly before shamelessly saying, "I knit sweaters that are very nice looking, would you like me to knit one for you?"
"No need," came the cold and straightforward reply. This response slightly saddened Lin Wan, causing her to doubt whether she could become Han Yi’s wife in this life, but then, she felt relieved that Han Yi decisively refused a stranger.
Liang Hongmei came back with the meat, bypassed the shop, and went straight into the kitchen from the main door, busy with kitchen work.
Around six or seven o’clock, Lin Wan finally finished her stitching, and by then, Mom had already made porridge and stir-fried a couple of simple dishes.
Brought them to the table.
Lin Wan set the bowls and chopsticks in place and called Han Yi over for dinner.
Han Yi was about to decline when he happened to look up and see a father and son driving past in their car.
He knew those people had a meeting in the city tomorrow and would be leaving today.
After the car drove off, Han Yi wanted to thank Lin Wan, but he turned and left the shop.
"Hey, this guy..." He didn’t give any face. The meal was prepared, he should’ve at least eaten before leaving.
Still, there was progress, at least she knew his name now.
After Sister Ma’s friend’s set of woolen clothing was knitted, Lin Wan specially chose a deep blue pure wool yarn for Han Yi.
After buying the yarn, Lin Wan felt it was inappropriate and went back to buy two pounds of gray yarn.
On the third day after returning from the county seat, a young soldier came into the shop.
"Hello, may I ask if this is...?" The young soldier said half of the sentence before turning around to check the sign.
Han Yi had told him it was the girl from Mrs Lin’s Dumpling House, although he didn’t know the girl’s name.
"This is what Han Yi asked me to give you, he said it’s payment for his meal," the young soldier took out a dollar from his pocket and handed it to Lin Wan.
Lin Wan found it amusing, she had already said it was free.
She wanted to let the young soldier take it back, but then thought about it, knowing that Han Yi disliked owing others.
"Why didn’t he come himself?" Lin Wan accepted the money and asked.
The young soldier hesitated for a moment, only saying he had something to attend to, then turned and left.
The weather was getting colder, and Lin Wan knew her brother was in a very cold city, so she took some time to have Mom make him a set of padded clothes, a warm pair, and went to the county to buy him a double-breasted military coat.
A military coat costs twenty dollars, Lin Wan negotiated and brought it down by a dollar.
After buying it, she took the padded clothes Mom made and mailed them to her brother.
The padded clothes were so thick that Liang Hongmei said they were too thick, but Lin Wan said winters over there can be tens of degrees below zero. Liang Hongmei still seemed doubtful.