So Zhong Yongliang's plan was to talk to Shen Yushu first. As long as Shen Yushu was willing to help, she could coax Gu Mengyao out to watch his fire-tree-and-silver-blossom display, and he was sure Gu Mengyao would come. Then, moved by the sight, she might just fall for him...

"Yaoyao, go and rest. Xiaoshu is right, you need to lie down for a while!" Zhong Yongliang chimed in, following Shen Yushu's lead.

Gu Mengyao was only too glad that Zhong Yongliang had stopped pestering her. Since he was the one telling her to leave, she certainly was not going to refuse.

Once Gu Mengyao was out of earshot, Shen Yushu winked at Zhong Yongliang. "Little Liang, if there's something you want from me, just say it!"

"Uh... how did you know I wanted to ask you for something?" Zhong Yongliang was startled. This Shen Yushu really could read minds.

"Every time you come looking for me, isn't it to get my help?" Shen Yushu said with a grin, handing him the shovel. "First dig me a hole, and tell me what it is. I'll see what it is before I decide."

"All right, all right!" Zhong Yongliang took the shovel at once and started digging, looking at Shen Yushu with gratitude. In the past, whenever he asked her for help, she always made trouble; today she was being so agreeable!

If Gu Mengyao knew, she would probably keel over in shock. Shen Yushu had not agreed to a single thing; she had merely been a little nicer, and already she had him doing hard labor for nothing, and he was not even grateful for it. In all the world, probably only a fool like Zhong Yongliang would fall for it.

"I'm thirsty. Tell your sidekick to go buy some iced drinks." Shen Yushu sat down on a mound of earth nearby, hugging her knees, and spoke to Zhong Yongliang.

"Sure!" Zhong Yongliang immediately shouted to Gao Xiaofu, who was not far off: "Xiaofu, go buy some drinks, iced ones! Hurry back!"

Gao Xiaofu went off to buy the drinks as ordered, and only then did Zhong Yongliang say, "Xiaoshu, there really is something I want to ask you to do..."

"Oh, go on then, what is it? Let me see if it's doable." Shen Yushu nodded carelessly. Seeing that Zhong Yongliang had stopped digging, she grew a little displeased. "If you won't dig, I'll dig myself. And you don't need to tell me, either. Wait until I'm done digging."

"I'll dig, how could I let you dig..." Zhong Yongliang was alarmed and hastily resumed digging. "I'll talk while I dig. The thing is, there's a kind of tree called the Eskimo tree. They say it's a symbol of love. Legend has it that if you confess to the girl you like beneath this tree, you can win her heart..."

"Don't tell me you've brought an Eskimo tree here?" Shen Yushu thought to herself, Is there really such a fool in this world, believing in such a far-fetched legend?

"Yes, I had one flown in. I've already sent Gao Xiaofu to prepare some confession notes to hang on the tree," Zhong Yongliang said.

"Is that so?" Shen Yushu toyed with her phone and answered flatly.

"Of course, that's not the main event. I've prepared a show called 'Fire Trees and Silver Blossoms, a Night Without End.' I'm going to set off fireworks in the tree, and then they'll form Yaoyao's name in the sky, and that's how I'll confess to her!" Zhong Yongliang had no idea whether Shen Yushu was even listening to him. He was grinding his teeth in frustration, yet he did not dare get angry.

"Oh, fireworks? How fun! I'll definitely come watch. Don't worry, I'll bring Sister Yaoyao with me." The moment Shen Yushu heard about such magical fireworks, she naturally had to go see for herself.

"That's wonderful!" Zhong Yongliang was overjoyed, and his digging sped up considerably. Before long he had dug a big hole. "Xiaoshu, is this hole all right?"

"It'll do. Now dig another one beside it," Shen Yushu said with a satisfied nod.

"Another one?" Zhong Yongliang's face immediately fell. Digging one had already worn him out, and now he had to dig a second?

"This one's mine. The other one you dig is for Sister Yaoyao. But if you don't want to, forget it. I'll call Sister Yaoyao over to dig it herself, and I'll tell her you didn't want to help her." Shen Yushu stood up and made as if to go call Gu Mengyao.

"Don't... don't do that!" Zhong Yongliang was on the verge of tears. He had worn himself out all this time, and wasn't it all for Gu Mengyao's sake? If Shen Yushu shouted that out, all his effort would be wasted, and who knew, she might even sabotage him and make sure tonight's plan went wrong... At that thought, Zhong Yongliang could only grit his teeth and accept. "I'll keep digging. How could I let you and Yaoyao dig? Leave this sort of thing to us men!"

"Then carry on. Sister Yaoyao said she likes guys who are a bit stronger," Shen Yushu said, sitting back down.

"I'm very strong. Look, digging doesn't tire me at all. I'm only using thirty percent of my strength, and I can go even faster!" Zhong Yongliang said hurriedly.

Before long, Gao Xiaofu came running back with several bottles of drinks in his arms. "Brother Liang, I've bought them. Is this enough?"

"Enough!" Zhong Yongliang waved a hand to dismiss Gao Xiaofu, then handed two of the bottles to Shen Yushu. "Take one to Yaoyao too, would you?"

"All right, I'll go then. Dig slowly, and call me when you're done!" Shen Yushu took the drinks, left him with that instruction, and ran off toward Gu Mengyao.

Dripping with sweat, Zhong Yongliang dug desperately with the shovel. To show how strong he was, he clenched his teeth and kept a broad smile on his face, exhausted as he was...

"Sister Yaoyao, here's one for you." Shen Yushu handed Gu Mengyao a bottle.

"I won't drink it. You have it." Gu Mengyao shook her head. She was always careful, and as a rule she never gave Zhong Yongliang any opening, especially not by accepting a favor that would put her in his debt.

"Then I'll drink it myself!" Shen Yushu did not care in the least. She was long used to extorting things out of Zhong Yongliang.

"Did you trick him into thinking I was the one who wanted him to dig?" Gu Mengyao frowned, watching Zhong Yongliang put his back into it.

"No, I just said that Sister Yaoyao likes strong guys, and he decided to show off on his own," Shen Yushu said with a grin.

"When did I ever like strong guys?" Gu Mengyao was slightly taken aback. She had not expected Shen Yushu to make up such an excuse to trick Zhong Yongliang into working.

"Isn't Arrow Bro pretty strong? Don't you like him?" Shen Yushu asked.

"Why bring him up again? How could I possibly like him? A man with eyes but no sight, I can't be bothered with him!" Gu Mengyao glanced toward Wei Zhao and said resentfully.