Chapter 56 : I am her boyfriend

When they came out of the cinema, it was high noon, with the sun hanging directly overhead, making it so hot that people just wanted to hide under the shade of a tree.

According to their plan, they first went to the supply and marketing cooperative. It had been a while since they had last been there, and as soon as they entered, Liang Qingqing noticed something different. Unlike the casual atmosphere from before, this time all the sales clerks were wearing standardized uniforms and working orderly at their posts. They no longer had the haughty demeanor they previously displayed towards customers.

“Did someone get training?” Liang Qingqing leaned over and whispered to Fan Yanxing. She still remembered the last time she bought soda here and had been met with the clerk’s sarcastic attitude.

Fan Yanxing cleared his throat lightly. He was surprised that Liang Qingqing noticed so quickly. Shrugging, he smiled and hinted, “Maybe someone didn’t like the work environment here and reported it to the higher-ups.”

“That’s quite possible.” Liang Qingqing didn’t think too much of it and dragged Fan Yanxing straight to the fruit section.

At this time of year, peaches and watermelons were in abundance. Each piece on the counter was carefully selected. They weren’t very good at picking fruits, so they just chose the ones that looked the best. Liang Qingqing bought two portions: one to take home and one to give away later.

The watermelons were as large as her head and quite heavy. She could barely manage to carry them with both hands. Fortunately, after purchasing them, they could be temporarily stored at the cooperative’s counter. She would pick them up when they returned to the village later.

In addition to the fruit, Liang Qingqing also bought some mung beans and brown sugar, planning to make mung bean soup at home.

Passing by the pastry counter, she couldn’t resist buying a pound of sweet rice sticks. These weren’t cheap, as they were made with high-quality ingredients and coated with white sugar. They were very crispy and had a sweet aroma that lingered in the mouth.

After eating two pieces, Liang Qingqing had Fan Yanxing carry the rest. Sweet rice sticks are made from glutinous rice flour and can’t be eaten in large quantities at once otherwise, they are hard to digest. Besides, they were about to have lunch, so she didn’t want to eat too much.

Seeing that no one was paying attention, Liang Qingqing slipped the remaining piece of sweet rice stick into Fan Yanxing’s mouth and asked with a smile, “How does it taste?”

With something in his mouth, Fan Yanxing spoke a bit unclearly, but Liang Qingqing understood. He squinted his eyes and nodded with a smile, “Mm, it’s delicious.”

As the crispy texture of the sweet rice stick faded, leaving only a subtle sweetness, Fan Yanxing appreciated Liang Qingqing’s playful comment. “Then buy more. Your boyfriend has money.”

“I wouldn’t be polite about it.” Since they were dating, Liang Qingqing had no intention of being polite with Fan Yanxing regarding money. She was very clear about her intentions from the beginning and was well aware that Fan Yanxing had given her all his savings, which meant he didn’t mind her spending.

Speaking of which…

Liang Qingqing sneaked a glance at Fan Yanxing. Who would have thought that this seemingly unassuming young man could have so much money!

Every time Liang Qingqing thought about that day when she opened the wooden box, a smile would inevitably creep onto her lips, and her heart would start to race faster. She took a deep breath to calm her excitement and instinctively touched the key hanging around her neck to make sure it was still there before she could relax.

After finishing their shopping and leaving some items at the cooperative for safekeeping, the two of them headed to the broadcasting bureau. Liang Qingqing had been here once before, so this time she was more familiar with the way. To avoid interrupting Sister Feng’s work, they specifically came during the staff’s break time, but no one was there.

Only a young girl was sitting at the window, reading a book.

“Hello, is Comrade Li Qingfeng here?” Liang Qingqing asked.

Hearing the noise, the young girl looked up and said in a neutral tone, “She’s not here right now. It’s lunch break, and everyone has gone home to eat. Are you looking for Sister Feng for something?”

The young girl behind the window was wearing a white blouse and a blue long skirt, with her long black hair styled in two braids. She was youthful and beautiful, with a small face and a pleasant appearance. Liang Qingqing couldn’t help but glance at her a few more times, though the girl’s expression was anything but friendly.

“I’m Sister Feng’s younger sister,” Liang Qingqing explained.

Upon hearing this, Huang Yali’s expression changed, and she broke into a big smile. She opened the door next to the window and stepped out. “It’s not long until the afternoon shift starts. If you’re not in a hurry, you can wait here for a while.”

“Alright.” Liang Qingqing was somewhat puzzled by Huang Yali’s sudden change in attitude but returned the smile and sat down on the waiting bench in the corridor with Fan Yanxing.

Just moments ago, Huang Yali had been separated from Liang Qingqing and Fan Yanxing by a wall and a window, so she hadn’t had a clear view of their appearances. Now that she was face-to-face with them, she couldn’t help but be taken aback. The combination of this handsome man and beautiful woman was quite rare, even among the broadcasting bureau known for its appearances, and even in the cultural sector.

Although Huang Yali herself was among the standout broadcasters, she felt somewhat overshadowed in front of Liang Qingqing.

Huang Yali usually enjoyed interacting with attractive people, and seeing Liang Qingqing left her somewhat mesmerized. After a brief hesitation, noticing that Liang Qingqing was not a cold person, she boldly took a seat next to her and introduced herself, “I’m Huang Yali, a broadcaster at the bureau. And you?”

Liang Qingqing didn’t mind Huang Yali’s approach at all. When she learned that Huang Yali was a broadcaster, her eyes brightened. “I’m Liang Qingqing.”

She then added, “This is my boyfriend. He’s here with me today.”

Being introduced formally by Liang Qingqing for the first time made Fan Yanxing straighten up a bit. A smile appeared in his eyes, softening his otherwise cool features. The previously aloof demeanor seemed to dissipate as he nodded to Huang Yali and said, “Hello, I’m Fan Yanxing, her boyfriend.”

Ah, saying “boyfriend” so openly sounded so nice!

Huang Yali glanced between the two of them and smiled with her hand over her mouth. “I could tell even without the introduction. You make a perfect match!”

“Thank you!”

Before Liang Qingqing could say much, a deep and resonant voice came from beside her, making her blush and feel embarrassed. She wished she could just disappear into a crack in the ground. The compliment from Huang Yali had been polite, but Fan Yanxing had to make a big deal out of it!

Realizing this, Liang Qingqing shot Fan Yanxing a glare, only to receive a look of innocent and aggrieved confusion from him, as if he was questioning why she was glaring at him. This made Liang Qingqing glare at him again, her eyes full of warning, urging him to behave himself.

“Hahaha, you two really have a good relationship.” Huang Yali, who had witnessed the entire exchange, was laughing heartily. “I thought you were here for something specific. The village is starting to set up the broadcasting station ahead of schedule, and these days have been filled with work.”

No wonder Huang Yali’s expression was a bit unpleasant when she first saw them, it was due to this reason. Moreover, they had come during the break time.

“Do broadcasters have to handle these kinds of tasks too?” Liang Qingqing asked curiously.

At the mention of this, Huang Yali’s pretty face turned into a frown. “Normally, we don’t, but it’s a special time now, and the bureau is short-staffed, so they called us to help.”

Then, as if she remembered something, Huang Yali looked at Liang Qingqing and said, “By the way, since you’re Sister Feng’s sister and you speak such standard Mandarin and look so good, why don’t you come work at our broadcasting bureau? With your qualifications, you could easily get in.”

Besides, with an older sister working at the broadcasting bureau, it would be a sure thing!

However, Huang Yali didn’t voice this last part explicitly.

Hearing this, Liang Qingqing smiled wryly and said, “I actually tried out for it, but being from the countryside, I failed the initial screening.”

Fan Yanxing looked at Liang Qingqing in surprise, not having heard that she had applied for a position at the broadcasting bureau.

Noticing Fan Yanxing’s gaze, Liang Qingqing gave him a reassuring look, indicating she would explain it to him in detail later. He then continued to sit quietly, serving as a passive listener.

“What?” Huang Yali’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You’re not trying to trick me, are you?”

Her reaction was exactly like Sister Feng’s at the time. Liang Qingqing sighed and said, “Why would I lie to you? I wish I could deceive you, so I could work alongside such a beautiful girl like you, but the strict requirements are there, and they don’t accept applicants from the countryside. I just can’t get into the broadcasting bureau.”

Huang Yali was finally convinced and felt a bit sentimental, though she was also subtly relieved. If Liang Qingqing had an urban household registration, she would have been a strong contender in the broadcaster selection process.

Feeling embarrassed by her own thoughts, Huang Yali’s ears turned slightly red. She bit her lip and tried to make up for it, saying, “You may not be able to get in the city bureau, but you can try the rural one!”

“That’s what I thought too, but I’m not sure about the content of the rural interviews or who conducts them. I’ve been stressing over it so much these days that my hair is almost turning white.” Liang Qingqing’s heart raced with anticipation. She had a feeling that this trip wouldn’t be in vain.

As expected, Huang Yali clapped her hands and said, “Well, you’ve come to the right person. Since the day before yesterday, the commune has started selecting broadcasters. I happen to know some details.”

“But hasn’t the broadcasting station not even begun construction yet? How could the selection start so soon?” Liang Qingqing frowned. Wasn’t the team leader saying that the construction of the broadcasting station wouldn’t start until the end of the month? It would likely take over half a month to complete.

But now it was only the middle of the month, and construction hadn’t even begun. How could they start selecting candidates?

“It’s because they need to do training. The leaders are putting a lot of importance on this new broadcasting station. The broadcasting trainer and technicians are being brought in from the provincial capital, and they’ll be giving one-on-one training!”

“One-on-one?”

“Exactly. Even we county broadcasters have to undergo additional training. If you’re selected, we might end up training together.” Huang Yali winked at Liang Qingqing.

“For this round of rural selection, the interviews are being held in the commune itself. Leaders from both the broadcasting bureau and the commune will act as interviewers to ensure fairness and justice, leaving no room for favoritism.”

Hearing this, Liang Qingqing’s eyes lit up with excitement.