Dai Qing was a bit puzzled as she looked at the ten bamboo stalks the shop owner had given. What kind of deal was this, no discounts but extra bamboo instead?

She had a bundle of bamboo delivered to the bus stop, paying an extra two cents for the fare because it took up so much space. After a bumpy bus ride to the factory entrance, just as she dragged the bamboo down, she heard someone calling her.

“Comrade Dai, why did you buy so much bamboo?”

Dai Qing looked up to see Cheng Hao and Ge Bing standing under the plane tree, staring at her in surprise.

“I’m taking it home to plant,” she responded.

“That’s a lot of bamboo, must be heavy. Let us help you carry it back. You’re just one girl—should’ve called someone to help,” Ge Bing said as he nudged Cheng Hao with his elbow, winking at him.

“Right, Brother Hao?”

Cheng Hao gave Ge Bing a side-eye, clearly unimpressed by his exaggerated winking. Without saying a word, Cheng Hao stepped forward, took the bundle of bamboo, and hoisted it effortlessly onto his shoulder.

“Let’s go. I’ll carry it home for you,” he said.

Dai Qing looked at him—over 1.8 meters tall, carrying the bundle of bamboo with ease. His back remained straight and his strides were strong and confident, radiating masculine strength without showing any signs of struggle.

No wonder he was a product of military training—he was made for this kind of work.

“Thank you,” Dai Qing said sincerely as she walked beside him.

Watching the two walk side by side, Ge Bing took a few steps forward, then hesitated, clicking his tongue. He turned back toward the factory. He didn’t want to intrude on their moment.

When they reached the entrance of her home, Dai Qing quickly opened the door and invited Cheng Hao inside. She went to the kitchen to pour him a cup of tea—it was iced chrysanthemum tea with rock sugar that she had prepared earlier, now perfectly chilled.

“Have some tea, take a break,” she said, placing the glass with a peony design in front of him.

Dai Qing also took a big gulp from her own cup and then grabbed a shovel from the corner, starting to dig a trench along the wall.

Cheng Hao watched her work with skilled efficiency, raising an eyebrow. He took a sip of the chrysanthemum tea—it was refreshing and sweet, though not quite to his liking. He preferred his tea without sugar.

“Are you planting the bamboo along the wall?” he asked.

“Yes, I thought the courtyard walls looked a bit bare. Planting some bamboo will make it cooler in the summer,” Dai Qing replied, focused on her digging.

Sitting under the grapevine trellis, Cheng Hao observed the courtyard. He had to admit, she had arranged everything quite neatly.

The soil was hard, and he could see she was struggling. Cheng Hao stood up and took the shovel from her hands.

“The soil’s too tough. I’ll help you.”

“No need, I can do it myself. Don’t delay your work.”

“…I’m off this afternoon,” Cheng Hao said quietly after a slight pause.

“In that case, thank you.”

Dai Qing didn’t protest further. She had indeed been struggling, so she hurried inside to fetch a larger tea flask, making sure her guest had plenty to drink while helping her with the labor.

“You live on the ground floor alone, you should be more cautious. Try not to go out after dark,” Cheng Hao advised while digging.

Although security had improved in recent years, there were still some lingering troublemakers. Even with the government’s crackdown on crime, some people still dared to act unlawfully. For a young woman living alone, being targeted could be a big problem.

Dai Qing paused at his words and then couldn’t help but chuckle, “You forgot, I work in shifts—going out at night is inevitable.”

He nodded, realizing that was true.

“My place is just ten minutes from the factory, and there are plenty of people on the same route. Nothing to worry about,” Dai Qing said as she brought the bamboo over, placing each stalk into the trench and filling it with soil.

An hour later, the row of bamboo was planted along the wall.

“Thank you so much for your help today.”