033 Design Details

“All right, I’ll bring some over tomorrow.”

After hearing this, Yang Chenguang thought it sounded like a good idea and nodded, agreeing casually without mentioning any division of profits—talking about such things would only make it feel awkward and distant.

As they spoke, the two had already circled around the tavern and arrived at the entrance of the small courtyard.

“The yard was cleared of weeds today, and we laid down fresh stone. I’ve ordered some tables and chairs online—they should arrive in a couple of days. The outer wall and gate were repainted this year, so there’s no need to replace them, but the lock is an old-fashioned one, not the hotel kind with a card.”

Yang Chenguang guided Du Ruo on a tour; many traces were new, clearly the result of today’s efforts.

“The wiring has been redone, someone will come tomorrow morning to install the internet, and the furniture, cabinets, and beds for the rooms are all newly ordered. They’ll arrive gradually over the next few days. You don’t need to worry about the quality, and the landlord has already covered these expenses—no extra payment required. He’s not expecting to make money from this, nor does he want to turn it into a big homestay renovation.

I’ve told him about your character; he believes you won’t damage the house. The landlord just wants someone living here so the house isn’t completely deserted in a few years. What do you think?”

Yang Chenguang seemed to be explaining while gently reminding Du Ruo to take care of the house, lest he, as the intermediary, be caught between both sides.

“It’s all quite good. The lighting’s a bit dim—I prefer it brighter. Just swap in a larger lamp and it’ll be fine,” Du Ruo replied, understanding Yang Chenguang’s meaning. He didn’t offer any promises; there was no need. Du Ruo wasn’t someone careless or neglectful.

“Yes, it is a bit dark. I’ll note that. If there’s nothing else, everything should be finished in about two days. I’ll prepare a contract, and once you sign, you can move in.”

They walked around a bit more, and by then, dusk had fully set in. Du Ruo was quite satisfied with the house and declined Yang Chenguang’s invitation to dinner, seeing him off before heading home.

Passing by the tavern, Du Ruo noticed it was open and the lights upstairs were on—Xiang Yuanyuan and Li Qiyao must have returned from their hike.

He didn’t rush in to greet them. After all, they’d been out hiking all day; it would be tactless to visit immediately.

Returning to the homestay, Du Ruo took out some tea leaves and began brewing tea in the courtyard.

“Boss Du, such leisure! Didn’t train today?”

After brewing three rounds of tea, the pile of stones beside him was used up once more. At that moment, Xiang Yuanyuan’s voice sounded from the entrance.

“You’re here! The courtyard gate isn’t locked—come in!”

Du Ruo looked outside; Xiang Yuanyuan and Li Qiyao were standing at the gate. He quickly invited them in, emptied the teapot, and began steeping fresh tea.

“Tea’s ready. So, how did you do—did you conquer the mini Huangshan?”

Du Ruo beckoned the two to sit, sizing them up. Xiang Yuanyuan wore loose pajamas that hid her figure, with only the occasional breeze revealing hints. Li Qiyao was in a long, pale green floral dress, looking delicate and gentle. Their hair was still damp, and as they moved, a faint fragrance lingered—clearly, they’d just finished washing up.

“You underestimated us! I climb Huangshan once a month, and it’s always a breeze,” Xiang Yuanyuan replied, placing a small jar on the table, then draining the tea cup Du Ruo pushed in front of her in two gulps. Smacking her lips, she found the tea a bit bland, opened her jar, and the strong aroma of alcohol spread. She took a sip, finally smiling.

“Thank you~” Li Qiyao set a cloth bag aside, thanked him, and gently sipped her tea.

“Yuanyuan, every time I see you, you’ve got a drink in hand. That’s quite the habit you’ve got there,” Du Ruo said, refilling their tea. Seeing Xiang Yuanyuan uninterested in more tea, he picked up his phone and messaged the night snack stall owner to send over some dishes to go with the drinks.

“I don’t have a drinking habit. How could drinking ever become addictive?” Xiang Yuanyuan shrugged indifferently, taking another sip.

“What would happen if you went three days without a drink? I’ve heard people with a drinking habit get shaky hands after three days.”

“I wouldn’t know. I drink every day, so I’ve never gone that long without it,” Xiang Yuanyuan replied nonchalantly, though Li Qiyao couldn’t help shooting her a sidelong glance.

The night snack stall owner soon delivered some dishes, which made Xiang Yuanyuan all the more cheerful.

“Boss Du, here’s a design sketch I drew last night based on your plans. It’s fairly rough. Have a look and let me know any details, so I can make adjustments.”

After a brief chat, Li Qiyao took out a sheet of white paper from her cloth bag for Du Ruo to examine.

“Of course, just a moment while I tidy up the table.”

Seeing that she’d already produced a draft, Du Ruo hurried to clear away the tea set, leaving only a corner for Xiang Yuanyuan’s snacks. He fetched a dry towel and wiped the table clean.

Once finished, he took the paper from Li Qiyao and spread it out on the table.

The courtyard lights were bright, making it easy to study the design even at night.

The paper was large—not a casual A4, but seemingly specialized drawing paper. The sketch Du Ruo had made was neatly redrawn in pencil.

“Amazing! No wonder you’re a professional—much better than mine,” Du Ruo couldn’t help but praise after a single glance. Xiang Yuanyuan leaned over to look, then pursed her lips. “Better” was an understatement: Du Ruo’s ring was just a ring, the dragon he drew looked more like a lizard, and the thread was simply a single line.

Li Qiyao’s ring resembled fine jewelry, her dragon seemed to come alive, and even the simplest threads had shading that gave them a translucent feel. Beside each part, elegant handwriting recorded the requirements and descriptions.

By comparison, Du Ruo’s original drawing was simply unpresentable.

“Tell me the details you want changed. I’ll jot them down,” Li Qiyao said, taking out a glasses case and putting on a pair of glasses. One hand held a pen, the other a small notebook, and she regarded Du Ruo with professional focus. With the glasses on, her gentle gaze was replaced by an air of competence.

It only made her more alluring—Du Ruo had always been weak to women in glasses.

“Ahem, first, the dragon’s claws here—they need to be tighter, and the tail should be flattened. It’s meant to be able to project outward… Then, the inner mechanism of the bracelet—I have a set of detailed measurements and specific requirements for each component. Please note these down… And…”

Du Ruo took a sip of tea, suppressing distracting thoughts, and began explaining the drawing in detail, down to the size of every part and the degree of each curve.