Chapter 20: Protecting You

Mu Wanguan never thought Fang Yinnian was stupid.

It wasn't because he was the so-called male lead of a book, endowed with a protagonist's halo. In fact, after getting to know him, Mu Wanguan never once viewed him as the male lead from the story. The Fang Yinnian she knew was handsome, intelligent, gentle, attentive, gentlemanly, and possessed a keen sense of propriety.

Mu Wanguan could feel that from the very moment they first met, he had been suspicious of her. However, because he lacked concrete evidence, and because she was inhabiting the original owner's body and possessed her memories, he had been probing her in a very gentle and mild-mannered way. He was careful not to cause trouble or embarrassment for either of them.

But now...

"Has your brain been fried, too?" Mu Wanguan's eyes were full of confusion. She crouched down and leaned in close. "Fang Yinnian, or did you suddenly suffer some kind of shock that left your head empty as well?"

Recalling the insults Fang Yinnian had just blurted out, Mu Wanguan tilted her head, a playful smile dancing on her face.

Fang Yinnian finally ceased his restraint. He stopped what he was doing and looked up at the person before him. She was truly different from before—her temperament, even the sorrow and fear that used to linger in her brow, had vanished. It was as if she had become an entirely different person.

This was the reason Fang Yinnian had always felt uneasy and could not help but probe her. But this, he decided, would be the last time.

Watching Mu Wanguan smile, Fang Yinnian subconsciously smiled back. The young girl before him had clear, bright eyes; her expression was innocent and naive, like a girl who had stumbled into the human world, untouched by its complexities. Perhaps her previous demeanor was because she hadn't let go of the past, or perhaps she hadn't figured things out, leading her to keep her true self hidden.

Since she was now willing to show her true colors and follow him to this arduous farm...

Fang Yinnian set down his wrench and took Mu Wanguan's hand. "Don't worry, I will always, always protect you."

*Who asked for your protection? I'm the one who should be protecting you.*

Mu Wanguan instinctively started to retort, but the next second—her eyes widened as she looked at her snow-white hands, now stained with black grease. "Ah!"

"Fang Yinnian! You actually smeared machine oil on my hands!!!"

***

"Are you finished yet!!!"

"Is this how they repair machines?" Wu Siqi paced back and forth outside the factory building. She wanted to go in and keep an eye on them, but was blocked by Guo Changjiang and the others, who told her she didn't understand anything and shouldn't go in to cause trouble.

But now, just listen—the people inside were flirting and playing around. Is that how they were "repairing" the machine behind her back? The machine probably wasn't even broken!

"Comrade Wu Siqi!" At that moment, Huang Jian and a few others came panting into the power plant. Seeing them, Wu Siqi raised her voice, becoming even more arrogant.

"You've come at the right time. Quickly, come with me and storm in there!"

"Those two wretches, surnamed Fang and Mu, are lying to us about fixing the machine. They're actually just in there flirting. Come and listen, listen to what they—"

"What about us?" Fang Yinnian emerged from the factory covered in machine oil, followed by Mu Wanguan, who was equally dirty and fuming like a pufferfish.

The midday sun beat down from above, brilliant and scorching. It fell upon the two as they stepped out of the dark factory, making them appear as if they were draped in golden light. Everyone subconsciously squinted.

Guo Changjiang and the power plant director, Zhu Weimin, were the first to react. Zhu hurried over nervously, asking, "Comrade Fang, how is the generator? Can it be fixed? When will it be ready?"

Zhu Weimin already knew Fang Yinnian's background from Guo Changjiang and had pinned all his hopes on him. If even a top-tier talent from the research institute couldn't fix it, he was truly finished.

Fang Yinnian met his gaze calmly. "It can be fixed. This accident caused the generator's rotor windings and iron core to burn out; they need to be replaced and repaired."

"As long as it can be fixed, that's enough. Tell me whatever you need." Realizing that wasn't quite right, Zhu grabbed the men from the mechanical repair shop, specifically pushing a young man named Xiaoli toward Fang Yinnian. "Find them for whatever you need."

"Xiaoli, all of you listen up. Comrade Fang is now your leader. Whatever he needs, whatever he tells you to do, do it."

"Do you understand?" After saying this, Zhu pulled over Guo Changjiang, the head of the personnel department who managed all staff transfers at the farm. When the factory leadership was absent, he could take charge.

Guo Changjiang didn't mind his old friend using him as a figurehead. He nodded and said, "That's right, from now on, you all answer to Comrade Fang Yinnian."

Guo looked at Fang Yinnian and asked, "Comrade Fang, can it be fixed by this evening?"

"If the tools and parts are complete..." Fang Yinnian suppressed a laugh, glancing at the girl behind him who was puffing up to bite him but missing. "And with Comrade Mu's help, it should be possible."

"Comrade Mu can repair machines too?" Guo Changjiang, the other staff, and even the educated youth were stunned, all staring at Mu Wanguan.

"What are you looking at?" Mu Wanguan vented her anger directly on Wu Siqi and her group. Glaring at them, she said, "Haven't you ever seen a woman who can fix machines?"

Wu Siqi retorted, "Bullshit! How could you—"

***

"None of your business." Mu Wanguan snorted heavily and turned to glare at the culprit.

Fang Yinnian's smile deepened, though he felt a pang of guilt. He raised a fist to his mouth, wanting to cough to hide his amusement. But as he lifted his hand, he noticed the stains on his palm and paused for a second before his gaze fell on her forehead—

Right there, between her brows, was a distinct dot of black ink.

Mu Wanguan's skin was incredibly fair, poreless, and as delicate as white jade. The spot of black on her brow looked, quite unexpectedly, somewhat charming.

"What are you looking at?" Mu Wanguan instinctively touched her face, full of confusion. "Is there something on my face?"

It would have been better if she hadn't touched it. As she rubbed her face, the dust from the wrench she had been holding smeared across her skin... like a naive little kitten that didn't realize it was scratching.

"Ahem." Fang Yinnian quickly turned his head to suppress his laughter. "No, nothing."

"She..." Fang Yinnian started to explain, but saw that everyone else was staring at Mu Wanguan with looks of amazement and fascination. Especially the young, unmarried men—their gazes made him very uncomfortable.

Fang Yinnian frowned and stepped in front of Mu Wanguan, shielding her from their prying eyes. "Wanguan is my mentor's daughter. She has been hanging around mechanical workshops since she was a child. She can definitely help."

"So she's an expert's daughter. No wonder, no wonder," Zhu Weimin said excitedly.

Only Guo Changjiang was puzzled. If Mu Wanguan was an expert's daughter who could repair machines, why did she insist on working in the fields? Was it some strange hobby of the intellectuals?

The thought passed quickly. Since Fang Yinnian and Mu Wanguan could fix the generator, there was no time to delay. The farm used a lot of electricity, and any further delay would result in incalculable losses.

Thus, everyone present, except for the educated youths, was mobilized. Some helped fetch tools, others helped lift the heavy machinery, and for the tools that were missing, apprentices from the mechanical plant were sent running back to retrieve them.

After a flurry of activity, lunch passed.

Working until they were famished, the group, led by Fang Yinnian, finally replaced the broken parts and repaired the machine. By this time, the sun was beginning to set.