The Salted Fish And Protagonist A Ended Up Together - Chapter 40

Waking up naturally from a deep sleep, Wen Mian slowly opened her hazy eyes and stretched with a yawn, checked her phone and immediately tapped her head in frustration. “See what happens when you binge-watch dramas? You’ve woken up late! I wonder what Gu Man is doing now?”

Slipping into her slippers, Wen Mian finished washing up quickly. Without even changing out of her pajamas, she hurried downstairs.

When she spotted Gu Man’s back, Wen Mian slowed her pace. She walked over and sat on the single sofa next to Gu Man, looking at her and saying, “I accidentally overslept today.”

Gu Man’s expression softened. She comforted her in a low voice, “That is your right. You don’t need to explain it to me.”

As she spoke, she stood up and brought out a bowl of red date milk oatmeal that had been kept warm in the microwave, placing it on the table in front of Wen Mian. “Even though it’s almost lunchtime, breakfast is important, so have a little something to fill your stomach.”

She sat back down on the middle sofa, but this time, she sat a bit closer to Wen Mian.

Wen Mian picked up a spoon and slowly began to sip the oatmeal, asking curiously, “Where are Xixi and the others?”

Gu Man’s hand gripping her script tightened involuntarily, a dark, turbulent light hidden beneath her half-closed eyes. Zhang Yunxi again! Does Wenwen want to be with her forever?

No! Impossible! Wenwen promised me!

I have to believe in Wenwen!

Believe in her!

But…

Why is there always someone clinging to Wenwen?

Why must Wenwen’s gaze, her attention, and her smiles be given to her?

Wenwen…

Why can’t everything about Wenwen belong to me alone?

As if her soul were being split in two, Gu Man forced down the dark, unsightly thoughts in her heart. No! I can’t! I can’t think like this! Wenwen will be frightened!

Finally, she succeeded.

Gu Man replied in a low, gentle voice, “They went out to pick vegetables.”

Wen Mian gave an “oh” and didn’t ask further, quietly holding the bowl and drinking her oatmeal.

Glancing at Wen Mian’s obedient face while she ate, the corners of Gu Man’s mouth curled up, and her dark emotions vanished instantly.

After finishing, Wen Mian put down the bowl and intended to go to the kitchen to wash it.

Gu Man, who had been watching her out of the corner of her eye, acted immediately. She picked up the bowl, stood up, fixed her eyes on Wen Mian, and asked softly, “Shall we go together?”

Staring blankly at Gu Man’s series of movements, Wen Mian really wanted to say: Did you even give me a choice?

However, since it was her own bowl, Wen Mian stood up to give her some face. “Sure.”

Gu Man let out a secret, light laugh, walking half a step behind Wen Mian. Watching her hop along, Gu Man felt an itch in her palms.

So cute, like a kitten.

Her fingers twitched, she really wanted to smooth Wen Mian’s hair like she did back in the small town, but considering their current dynamic, she helplessly gave up on the idea.

Wen Mian leaned against the doorframe watching Gu Man wash the dishes. It felt as though everything had returned to how it was before. A warm atmosphere enveloped Gu Man, and Wen Mian couldn’t help but wish this moment could last a little longer, just a bit longer.

But no matter how slow she was, the bowl was eventually clean. Gu Man dried it, put it in the cabinet, and turned to look at Wen Mian.

Wen Mian had her arms crossed, her eyes soft. Seeing Gu Man suddenly look her way, she was startled for a moment, then straightened up and said calmly, “Thanks.”

Gu Man’s fingers tightened, tearing a paper towel into two pieces. The corners of her eyes flushed slightly as she spoke in a raspy voice, “Don’t say that to me.”

Wen Mian froze, her expression immediately becoming flustered. Wait, what? I didn’t say anything wrong, did I?

She hurriedly tried to comfort her: “Okay, okay, okay, I won’t say it! Don’t cry!”

Gu Man’s downcast eyes suddenly snapped toward Wen Mian, and she rasped, “I’m not crying.”

And yet, tiny droplets of moisture clung to her eyelashes, and the small mole at the corner of her eye was shrouded in a layer of red.

Wen Mian didn’t argue with her now. She nodded urgently. “You’re not crying. I misspoke.”

Gu Man still shook her head. “You didn’t say anything wrong.”

Wen Mian sighed helplessly. Trying to make Gu Man smile, she said, “Mhm. So can you dry your eyes? Aren’t you afraid your fans will laugh at you?”

Gu Man lightly wiped the corner of her eye.

Seeing Gu Man return to normal, Wen Mian finally breathed a sigh of relief and waved her over. “Let’s go, let’s watch TV together.”

Gu Man followed immediately, whispering a single sentence, “I’m not afraid.”

I’m only afraid you’ll ignore me.

Her voice was so low that Wen Mian didn’t hear it.

The viewers in the livestream were first shocked by this scene, then wide-eyed, then silent.

Especially the fans, their hearts were filled with mixed emotions.

【It seems Manman has really fallen for her…】

【Plus one. In these past three years, this is the first time I’ve seen Manman like this.】

【Agreed. First time seeing Manman cry. To be honest, I always thought she was stone-faced.】

【It’s a bit sad, but girl, you’re funny. I thought so too.】

【Even though I’m a solo fan, as long as Manman is happy, I can accept Wen Mian.】

【Me too. As long as Manman is happy.】

This time, it wasn’t the “CP fans” (shippers) who posted first. Instead, unusually, it was Gu Man’s own fans who took the lead in accepting Wen Mian.

【Ugh, you guys are making me so emotional. That saying is true, if you find happiness first, we will weep for you.】

【Manman’s fans are such good babies. On behalf of the ‘GuMian’ ship, I thank you all.】

【+1, I almost cried to death.】

The bullet comments were filled with a peaceful atmosphere. Many passersby were moved and joined in, Wen Mian’s fan count began to grow exponentially, and Gu Man’s followers increased as well.

The most obvious surge, of course, was in the couple’s CP fans.

After watching TV for a while, Zhang Yunxi and the other three walked in from outside, their shoes stained with a bit of mud.

Seeing Wen Mian sitting on the single sofa next to Gu Man, Zhang Yunxi’s eyes widened instantly. She jerked her head twice as if to signal: How is it? How is it going?

Wen Mian gave a tiny “thumbs up” and blinked, indicating: Very good, the results are significant.

Zhang Yunxi gave a secret smile and returned a thumbs up: As expected of you.

After lunch, Zhong Li finally began to announce the mission.

“Today is our second day in Qingjiang. As everyone knows, besides the mountains, Qingjiang is most famous for its ceramics. So, everyone is going to experience making pottery.”

Zhang Yunxi cheered, “Awesome! I can finally make a bowl for my dog.”

Wang Mo also smiled. “Then I’ll make a teacup for myself.”

Mu Ya and Su Shiqiu nodded, their expressions full of anticipation.

Wen Mian glanced at Gu Man out of the corner of her eye. Should I make one more piece of pottery?

With different thoughts in mind, the group arrived at the ceramics shop.

The Celadon felt warm to the touch, like the sky after rain, the painted porcelain was beautifully colored with delicate lines, each having its own charm.

Wen Mian quietly admired the various ceramics in the shop, thinking about what to make. A cup? That seems good.

The owner, wearing an apron and smelling faintly of celadon, walked up to them.

“What would everyone like to make? We can do cups, small bowls, or vases here.”

Wen Mian glanced at Gu Man and finally decided, “Can I make two cups?”

The owner smiled and replied, “Of course, though it might be a bit slow.”

Wen Mian shook her head. “That’s okay.”

Gu Man soon made up her mind as well. “A small bowl.”

Once everyone had chosen, the owner led them to the prepared clay and taught them how to knead the clay to remove air bubbles.

The clay wasn’t soft and required a lot of effort to knead, but to prevent cracking later on, everyone gave it their all.

After kneading, they placed the clay on the wheel, dampened their hands, and began pressing to shape it.

Wen Mian focused intently on the clay in her hands, afraid she might ruin it by mistake.

Once the shape of a cup emerged, she quickly picked up a scraper to refine it. Only then did she have a spare moment to look at Gu Man.

Gu Man was also looking down, seriously using a scraper to smooth the surface. Wen Mian smiled lightly and retracted her gaze.

Soon, the first cup was finished. After handing it to the owner, Wen Mian threw herself into making the second one.

By the time the second cup was done, the clay had dried, and everyone moved to the tables to paint.

The pattern Wen Mian chose wasn’t difficult, the hard part was the shaping earlier. Now she just needed to color the handle, the cherries, and the cup itself.

She painted quietly, not forgetting to peek at Gu Man.

The small bowl Gu Man made came with a spoon. The top of the spoon was shaped like a cherry blossom. The rim of the bowl was wavy, adorned with two cherry blossoms, and the overall color was a soft, tender pink. it looked very aesthetic.

Wen Mian’s eyes crinkled with a smile. She looked down at her own warm green, flower-rimmed cup and started to wonder what it would look like after being fired.

After finishing the coloring, they reluctantly handed their pieces to the owner. The production crew then took them to eat local specialty dishes.

After an afternoon of staring intently at their ceramic paintings, everyone was starving. They ate quickly, filling their stomachs in record time.

Returning to the villa, Wen Mian went from being excited to quiet, her face turning pale.

Motion sickness is the worst. Wen Mian felt both broken and nauseous. She slumped listlessly on the sofa.

Gu Man’s eyes were full of heartache. She silently poured a glass of warm water and handed her some motion sickness medicine.

Wen Mian took the water, tossed her head back to swallow the pill, and then looked up curiously. “Where did you get motion sickness medicine?”

Gu Man sat down slowly beside her and answered, “I bought it just now. Do you feel any better?”

I’m still dizzy, Wen Mian answered in her head. but seeing Gu Man’s worried expression, she shook her head and said, “Much better. Than…thanks to you.”

She originally wanted to say “Thank you,” but remembering what she promised Gu Man in the kitchen, she immediately changed her wording.

The corners of Gu Man’s mouth lifted slightly, her eyes tender.

Wen Mian lay quietly on a pillow, facing the back of the sofa, a smile touching her features.

After a while, the medicine kicked in, and the dizziness faded. Wen Mian stood up and glanced sideways at Gu Man.

Gu Man’s eyelids had a faint blue-gray tint to them, as if she hadn’t slept well last night. Her eyes were closed now, her lashes casting shadows beneath them. Her back rested lightly against the sofa, but her brow was slightly furrowed, as if she were facing a difficult problem.

Wen Mian felt a pang of sympathy. She wanted to smooth out those furrowed brows. Her arm lifted slightly, hovering over Gu Man’s forehead, hesitant to land.

Finally, Wen Mian let out a breath and chose to give up.

She withdrew her hand, turned her head to look at her phone, and took no further action.

The red light of the camera flickered, quietly recording this scene.

The viewers in the livestream were so anxious they felt like jumping through the screen to shake Gu Man awake.

[Sister Gu, Mianmian is worried about you! Did you see that?!]

[This is killing me! Why on earth are they having a conflict?!]

[Exactly, it’s obvious they both have each other in their hearts!]

The clock hands ticked around twice. Gu Man slowly opened her eyes, and realizing something, she urgently turned her head to look at Wen Mian.

Sensing Gu Man’s gaze, Wen Mian raised her eyes and spoke: “Let’s go, go upstairs and rest.”

Staring at her regained rosy complexion, Gu Man’s urgently clenched hands gradually relaxed, but her heart was flooded with bitterness due to Wen Mian’s distant, almost cold tone just like the weather outside, covered by a layer of gloomy cloth.

She nodded softly, “Okay.”

Wen Mian stood up first and walked ahead of her, not saying a word the whole way until her hand gripped the doorknob.

“Goodnight,” Wen Mian suddenly said.

A smile hooked at the corner of Gu Man’s eyes, and she hummed in response, “Goodnight, sweet dreams.”

Wen Mian pushed open the door, and at the moment she closed it, she took one last look at Gu Man, her fingers tightening.

With a click, the door was shut.

The smile at the corners of Gu Man’s eyes instantly dimmed. She stared at the door for a few minutes before slowly walking back to her own room.

Wen Mian didn’t feel good either; she was forcing herself not to pay attention to Gu Man.

Sitting on the bed, Wen Mian looked down at her phone, but her thoughts had long since drifted away. She seemed very sad, maybe I should just forget about it?

Just as this thought emerged, her phone suddenly vibrated. Wen Mian was startled, quickly checked it, and answered.

“Mianmian, how has your mood been these past two days?” Xu Qing asked cautiously.

“It’s okay, is something wrong?” Wen Mian was puzzled. Did she watch the livestream?