“These are the handkerchiefs Yaoyao gave you? Just two? You must have been her ordinary friend before.” Gu Cheng snatched the handkerchiefs from Zhou Fangyu’s hand in a flash. The corners of his eyes lifted in a provocative manner, looking like a mighty general on horseback, proudly gazing down at the defeated man kneeling before him.

His features were delicate, and his usual cold expression resembled the icy mountains, intimidating anyone who looked at him.

But now, with his eyebrows raised and his expression smug, he looked like a spirited young man, arrogant and carefree. His proud demeanor and provocative tone made people’s blood boil, and his words were full of disdain, making him extremely annoying.

“Yaoyao has known me for only a few months. She gave me ten handkerchiefs, each one embroidered with my name by hand.” Gu Cheng wrapped the two handkerchiefs around his fingers, playing with them.

He casually asked Qin Yao, “Is this also your blind date?”

“No,” Qin Yao denied, “I don’t know him well. He’s just a neighbor I grew up with in a big, mixed-up compound. Our houses are far apart.”

“Oh,” Gu Cheng replied, putting his arm around Qin Yao’s shoulder in a protective gesture, pulling her close to him. He stretched out his right hand, “I’m Yaoyao’s partner, Gu Cheng. Nice to meet you.”

“Zhou Fangyu.” Zhou Fangyu reluctantly extended his hand to shake the man’s hand.

Gu Cheng wasn’t polite. He gripped Zhou Fangyu’s hand hard, and the sound of bones cracking echoed.

“Ah!” Zhou Fangyu screamed from the sharp pain.

Gu Cheng sneered, his lips curling into a devilish smile. His military uniform was sharp and neat, but the smile made him look like a mischievous soldier.

He let go of his hand, and Zhou Fangyu staggered back two steps, cold sweat dripping down his forehead. The fact that this had happened outside the hospital made him feel even more embarrassed.

What surprised him more was Qin Yao’s reaction. She laughed without reservation, “Pfft.”

She had just looked like an icy beauty, but now she was smiling mischievously. When she looked at Gu Cheng, her eyes were full of warmth. The sunlight softly touched her hair, giving it a golden hue that was enchanting.

Zhou Fangyu’s face burned. In that moment, he felt as if he were completely exposed, as if everyone could see through him.

The clumsy “divide and conquer” strategy didn’t anger Gu Cheng but instead made him look like a clown.

“Doctor Zhou, Yaoyao is my partner. I hope that, except for her family and close friends, no one else calls her ‘Yaoyao.’ It’s crossing the line. Next time, please address her as ‘Comrade Qin.’ Thank you for respecting that.”

Gu Cheng politely nodded, tying the two handkerchiefs together in a tight knot, then walked a few steps forward, tossing the handkerchiefs into the medical waste bin.

Qin Yao smiled and turned to Zhou Fangyu, “Doctor Zhou, instead of trying to get physical, I’d rather you repay me the money.”

“If we’re being clear, you’ve eaten plenty of meat cooked by my father. Now, conditions on the island are tough. If you’re willing to repay me fifty yuan, I’ll pretend I never knew you.”

Zhou Fangyu’s breath hitched: “…”

His salary was only seventy yuan a month, and fifty yuan was more than half of it. It wasn’t that he couldn’t afford it, it felt like cutting off a piece of his flesh.

Wasn’t Qin Yao once infatuated with him? Why was she now severing all ties?

Gu Cheng took Qin Yao and walked away.

Zhou Fangyu’s face turned sour as he went upstairs. A curious male military doctor saw what had just happened and quickly approached, his eyes full of gossip, “Doctor Zhou, are you in love with Nurse Qin?”

“She liked me before.” Zhou Fangyu replied slowly.

The male military doctor chuckled, “You’re kidding, right? I don’t believe it.”

“Doctor He is much better than you. Nurse Qin didn’t even look at him. How could she possibly like you? You’re just deluding yourself,” the male military doctor patted Zhou Fangyu’s shoulder with a mocking “you’re so full of yourself” look.

Zhou Fangyu and Doctor He looked similar. Women might dislike Doctor He for being too blunt and lacking romance, but in the eyes of men, Doctor He was a perfect marriage material.

Zhou Fangyu’s face flushed with anger, “She gave me a handkerchief!”

“A handkerchief? My middle school classmates all gave me handkerchiefs. Didn’t we all exchange them at graduation? So she gave you a handkerchief, and now you think she likes you? Why don’t you say that all the girls in the class like you?”

“Did you even date her?”

“I had a girlfriend before.” Zhou Fangyu responded.

“A girlfriend? Are you sick? You think just because she gave you a handkerchief, she likes you? Doctor Zhou, you’re not just delusional, you’re out of your mind!” The male military doctor laughed loudly, mocking him.

Zhou Fangyu’s chest burned with anger, but he couldn’t refute it.

*

The seedlings in the germination box sprouted densely, from just a few scattered ones to a sea of green, as if it had rained, and a row of green umbrellas covered the entire street.

Qin Yao and Gu Cheng arrived at the vegetable field. Gu Cheng stood with his arms crossed, his face cold, not saying a word.

Qin Yao originally wanted to talk to him, but seeing her little seedlings growing strong, she immediately forgot about the old man.

The first to sprout were the bok choy seedlings, followed by radishes, cilantro, and tomatoes.

Now, it was time to pick the strongest seedlings from the germination box and transplant them into the field.

She glanced at Gu Cheng. He still stood with his arms crossed, his face sour. Anyone who saw him could tell he was angry, the cold air around him thickening.

Qin Yao silently looked away. Unfortunately, her “strong man” had turned rebellious, so she could only focus on her work.

She carefully pulled out the seedling, holding a small trowel to dig a hole. In no time, she planted the small cabbage in a crooked row.

Gu Cheng’s eyes twitched.

Qin Yao knew her planting was far from perfect, but growing vegetables was different from growing flowers. Vegetables thrived on “substance” rather than looks. Planting them in a staggered arrangement allowed better sunlight exposure.

Gu Cheng couldn’t stand it. He walked over, pulled out the cabbages she had planted, and replanted them properly.

Qin Yao was angry. “If they don’t survive, it’s your fault!”

“Have you read The Story of Planting Trees?” Gu Cheng said, “Once you plant something properly, don’t keep pulling it out!”

Gu Cheng turned his head. Qin Yao was squatting beside him, complaining as she dug. She wasn’t wearing a hat, her hair styled in a messy bun. From the side, her round, slightly puffed cheek and cute nose were noticeable. She was busy working and grumbling, looking incredibly adorable.

“If they don’t survive, I’ll take you to the army unit to steal vegetables,” Gu Cheng said, quickly planting the tomato seedling.

Qin Yao looked at him in surprise. “Is that what you, Commander Gu, would say? Using the word ‘steal’? Watch out, or you’ll get caught and thrown into the jail.”

“Then I’ll say we’re going to ‘coordinate’ with them,” Gu Cheng smirked.

Vegetables were practically worthless—only a few cents per pound. No one could eat a whole pound of leaves in a day. Different units often exchanged vegetables through “coordination.”

After saying this, Gu Cheng smiled and blinked, then remembered he was still angry.

He stopped smiling and let out a hum, his face clouding over like a summer storm.

Qin Yao: “…”

She tried to advise, “Don’t get so angry, it’ll make you old.”

Gu Cheng’s face stiffened. The words “getting old” hit a sore spot.

Qin Yao bit back her laughter and glanced at the nearby gourd trellis. Right now, as she and Gu Cheng squatted in the garden, they looked like two pigs sitting at a feeding trough. Even if they secretly put their paws into the trough, no one would notice.

So, she quickly kissed his face.

It was a quick kiss, like a dragonfly skimming the surface of water.

Gu Cheng turned his head. After a few such exchanges, his ears had learned not to turn red so easily.

Suppressing the urge to smile, Commander Gu said disdainfully, “Stop using the same old tricks. Don’t think this will make me forgive you.”

“You’re not sincere at all, my mouth is right in front of you.”

Someone shamelessly and blatantly hinted that human beings are inherently greedy.

She held back the impulse to kick him and, the next second, like a clam spitting sand, quickly kissed him on the lips and then quickly pulled back.

Her cheek was a little warm as she lowered her head and buried the soil. “Alright, enough, don’t push your luck. If you go too far, I’ll extend the probation period.”

Gu Cheng stared at her eyes. “Can the probation period be shortened?”

Qin Yao: “…”

His eyes gleamed with excitement as a new idea crossed his mind. “You gave two handkerchiefs to other men, so surely the probation period should be reduced by at least a month?”

“I’ll extend it by one month!”

“You dare!”

…

The two of them bickered in the garden, and when Qin Yao got too upset, she smeared mud on Gu Cheng’s face. He quickly retaliated by smearing mud on hers. They were planting vegetables, but nearly planted themselves in the process.

There was a person standing quietly behind the the gourd trellis. Head Nurse Ge had heard about Zhou Fangyu’s situation and furrowed her brow. Knowing Qin Yao was planting vegetables, she decided to check on her and maybe pick a few cucumbers.

Head Nurse Ge had introduced Gu Cheng and Qin Yao to each other and was hoping they would end up together.

From the sounds, were they arguing?

“Xiao Qin? Are you two fighting?”

The two of them froze, and Qin Yao looked back in disbelief. Gu Cheng lowered his head slightly and desperately wiped his face with his hand.

Qin Yao’s face was covered in black mud, her once-pale skin now looking like she had just returned from digging coal.

Head Nurse Ge laughed out loud. “Hahaha, Xiao Qin, what happened to you?”

“Commander Gu, why don’t you look at me?” After laughing, Head Nurse Ge’s gaze became intense as she focused on Gu Cheng.

Gu Cheng clapped his hands and stood up casually. Even though his clothes were dirty, his calm expression made him seem unaffected, like lotus roots that grew clean even in the mud.

Head Nurse Ge clicked her tongue. “You two—one with fair skin, one with white clothes, and now you’re both dirty.”

“I’ve never seen a couple like you two.”

Instead of going to the movies, strolling around the park, or chatting about literary classics or the stars and the moon, they went to the vegetable garden to quarrel.

This couple, who together were nearly fifty years old, acted like two five-year-olds. It was so embarrassing.

Hadn’t she asked Xu Yun to teach Qin Yao how to please a man? Why had she ended up like this?

Now looking at Gu Cheng, it didn’t seem like he was actually angry.

Qin Yao voluntarily spoke, “Head Nurse Ge, the probation period has been extended.”

Head Nurse Ge was stunned. She glared at Gu Cheng with disapproval, wishing she could throw mud at his face. “Extending the probation period? Commander Gu, this is too much.”

Gu Cheng’s face darkened. “Head Nurse Ge, you came at the right time. The probation period is halved, and tomorrow I’ll go file for the marriage report.”

Qin Yao shouted, “No!”

Head Nurse Ge: “?”