Chapter 0037: Flourishing with Joy in the Heart

By midday, the group had successfully moved everything to the manor. The main belongings weren't many—just a package for each person containing their essential items. The bulk of what had to be moved was food. With everyone working together, the task was completed quickly. There were just over fifty people in total, of whom only about twenty were adult men, the rest being elderly, women, and children. The men had already been organized into a guard team by Di Ping, and all were assigned rooms on the ground floor of the castle. Families were given single rooms to make do. Meanwhile, the elderly and women were sent to the manor, where Derlin was responsible for overseeing their work.

Upon entering the manor, these individuals were assigned to a training room where they seemed to undergo knowledge transmission through the manor system. They quickly became proficient in simple tasks. According to Derlin, with just ten days to two weeks of training, everyone would become skilled at their work.

The five women rescued from Wang Delin's group—Ye Lu and Liu Bingyu, for instance—couldn't be assigned to work in the manor, as Ning Nan, who was a doctor, was a valuable asset to the base and there was no need to send Ye Lu and Liu Bingyu to the manor. The other two women, however, were not so fortunate. Originally intended for manor work, they were instead assigned to the castle, where they would help with housekeeping and cooking for the guard team. Since the group was small, the two women managed the tasks easily.

Meanwhile, Yu Shujie continued to handle the food for Di Ping and his close companions. Di Ping had grown accustomed to her cooking, and he found it hard to accept meals prepared by others. Originally, according to the estate manager Barton's instructions, a few maidservants were supposed to be recruited to serve Di Ping, but Di Ping refused. He was not interested in elevating himself to the status of a landlord or emperor at this stage, as it would make him seem detached from the people and dishearteningly arrogant. He was not the type to let small successes go to his head.

Standing in his room, Di Ping gazed out through the large floor-to-ceiling windows. The tower he was in was very high—at least thirty meters. From this vantage point, he could see the entire area: guards patrolling the castle walls, people moving in and out of the manor, and workers cultivating the fields. Farther away, Buji led the guards on patrol, keeping watch for mutated animals that might attack the workers. Everyone in the base had something to do, and from his perspective, he could see the smiles on their faces, filled with joy and a sense of safety. The entire scene looked vibrant and full of life.

Seeing this, Di Ping felt that all his efforts had been worthwhile. Even though he was not familiar with these people, their presence gave him a secure environment to live in. The warmth he felt in his heart brought a sense of happiness. After all, wasn't he supposed to be happy?

"Di Ge! Tea!"

A soft feminine voice interrupted his thoughts. Without needing to turn around, he knew it was Yu Shujie. She was the only one who could enter the tower without permission, as this place was highly secured. The castle was not like a traditional ancient stronghold; instead, it resembled a sci-fi military fortress, with a fully automated electronic control system. The high tower was strictly controlled, and no one could access it without Di Ping's authorization. The castle itself was equipped with many weapons, and it was easy to get killed without even understanding how.

Now, however, he had opened up the permissions to a few of the people he trusted the most. Except for the central command office, the rest of the castle had been authorized for his closest companions. He didn't want to become an isolated figure who was distant from the people; he didn't want to act like a lord or emperor. He wasn't someone to become arrogant after a small achievement.

Standing in the large living room, Di Ping watched as Yu Shujie entered with a teapot, offering him tea.

"Thank you, Yu Jie!"

Di Ping smiled as he accepted the tea. The fragrance of the tea mixed with Yu Shujie's scent, drifting into his nose. At that moment, he realized that she had likely just taken a bath. Her hair was still damp, hanging loosely over her shoulders, and her fair skin had a faint rosy glow, as if it were about to drip with water. She was wearing a tight gray dress that hugged her curves perfectly, revealing her shoulders and long, delicate legs. Di Ping quickly averted his gaze, embarrassed. He couldn't help but feel a rush of warmth in his nostrils.

He hurriedly accepted the tea and sat on the wicker chair by the window to conceal his discomfort. As he drank the tea, he turned his eyes away, not daring to look at her again. He was a young, vigorous man, and he wasn't immune to such subtle temptations. It was remarkable that he hadn't acted on his feelings; his self-restraint was truly exceptional.

Yu Shujie, noticing Di Ping's awkwardness, couldn't help but smile to herself, a light flush creeping up her own face. She hadn't intended to dress this way when she came to bring him tea. She rarely wore this type of clothing in front of her husband, as it always made her feel shy, but today, after her bath, she impulsively put it on. She couldn't explain why she chose to visit Di Ping dressed like this.