Chapter 57 : State-Owned Hotel

“What about the interview content? Are there any specific requirements?”

“It’s pretty simple. You just need to introduce yourself in front of the leaders, then read an article aloud, and answer a few questions at the end. It’s nothing too difficult, so don’t be nervous. As for the requirements, there are some. The basic ones are to have a pleasant appearance, speak Mandarin, be literate, and ideally be able to write your own scripts…”

“But don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll pass the interview with flying colors,” Huang Yali said confidently, waving her hand.

What Huang Yali described was quite similar to what Liang Qingqing had guessed. Hearing this, Liang Qingqing’s anxiety eased significantly. With fewer hidden manipulations, her chances of passing the interview increased greatly. Not to mention, her early preparation gave her a significant advantage.

Thinking of this, Liang Qingqing’s smile grew even brighter. She was very grateful to Huang Yali. Since she wanted to befriend her, she decided to take out two fresh peaches from the bag that Fan Yanxing was holding. “Thank you so much for sharing this information. I really appreciate it. Please take these two peaches.”

Seeing the pink peaches pressed into her hands, Huang Yali’s eyes brightened. She had wanted to buy these peaches when she passed the cooperative yesterday but hesitated because of the price. She never expected that just for sharing some non-confidential news today, she would receive these two peaches from this girl.

Noticing their fine clothing, distinguished demeanor and generous gesture, Huang Yali guessed that although they were from the countryside, they were likely well-off and well-mannered, possibly even educated youth from good backgrounds.

Regardless, Huang Yali liked Liang Qingqing’s personality! She was neither servile nor arrogant, beautiful and respectful, and had a perfect grasp of social etiquette. Interacting with someone like her was simply pleasant.

Huang Yali was determined to make this friend. Seeing how straightforward Liang Qingqing was, she didn’t refuse and cheerfully accepted the peaches. “Since Comrade Liang is so kind to me, I can’t accept these for free. While we’re still on break, let me share some tips on what to pay attention to as a broadcaster.”

“Don’t call me Comrade Liang. Just call me Qingqing,” Liang Qingqing said with a playful smile, her eyes shining brightly.

“Then you should call me Yali.”

The two of them quickly bonded, leaving Fan Yanxing completely out of the conversation. They started discussing everything about being a broadcaster, from attire and hairstyles to hair ties…

Girls, especially those who care about their appearance, always have endless topics to talk about.

Huang Yali went to her desk and brought back three new hair ties, each adorned with colorful decorations—yellow stars, red flowers, and other bright colors. These hair ties could add a splash of color to everyday black, white, and gray outfits. They were quite popular among girls in this era, not overly flashy but very attractive.

However, the design of the hair ties also had its nuances. Cheap ones were often uniform and plain, while more expensive ones were usually avoided due to their cost. Therefore, if someone wore a uniquely styled hair tie, it could attract a lot of attention and questions.

“These were bought for me by my aunt when she went on a business trip to the provincial capital. They aren’t sold in the county town.”

“They’re really beautiful!” Liang Qingqing exclaimed.

“What’s beautiful?” A familiar yet unfamiliar voice suddenly came from outside. Everyone turned to see Li Qingfeng standing at the door, holding a bag. “Qingqing, why are you here?”

Li Qingfeng had been unsure until she saw Liang Qingqing’s stunning face and then smiled.

“Yali gave me some hair ties, and we were just talking about them,” Liang Qingqing said as she stood up from the bench to greet Li Qingfeng. Her face lit up with a gentle smile, and the sunlight made her porcelain skin look even more radiant.

“I came to see you, Sister Feng and also to bring you some things.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Fan Yanxing brought over the watermelons and peaches he had been carrying.

“Oh my, you came and even brought gifts?” Li Qingfeng was momentarily stunned by the sight of Liang Qingqing’s familiarity with Huang Yali. Although it should have been their first meeting, they seemed quite close. However, friendships among young girls often develop quickly, so she didn’t dwell on it.

She was more surprised by the contents of the bags. She hadn’t expected Liang Qingqing to remember her after so long and bring so many nice things.

“You helped me a lot last time. This is just a small token of appreciation. Please don’t be polite,” Liang Qingqing said with a soft and affectionate tone that made it hard for anyone to refuse.

Li Qingfeng pursed her lips, wanting to say something, but after meeting Liang Qingqing’s sincere gaze, she eventually nodded and accepted the bags from Fan Yanxing. Her gaze then shifted to him. Seeing the tall and handsome man in front of her, an idea suddenly came to her mind. She turned to Liang Qingqing and asked, “And this gentleman?”

“This is my boyfriend,” Liang Qingqing introduced Fan Yanxing smoothly, clearly at ease and without any discomfort.

Fan Yanxing appreciated Liang Qingqing’s straightforward approach to their relationship, feeling comfortable and open about it. It gave him a sense of being acknowledged, though he wondered how long it would be before he received such treatment in front of her family. Well, it was a long journey, one step at a time.

The young intellectuals’ station will be finished soon, and once he moves out of the Liang family’s house, their relationship can be made public!

At this point, Fan Yanxing was unaware of how unwelcomed he was by his future mother-in-law. Sometimes, it’s best not to get too happy too early! But that’s a story for another time.

“Hello,Sister Feng. I’m Fan Yanxing, Qingqing’s boyfriend.”

With her guess confirmed, Li Qingfeng couldn’t help but take a few more looks at Fan Yanxing, growing increasingly satisfied. His standard Mandarin was pleasant to her ears. After spending so much time at the broadcasting station, she had grown to appreciate young, handsome men who spoke excellent Mandarin!

Moreover, the man before her was neatly dressed, exuding an air of youthful vitality and uprightness, clearly an earnest and upwardly mobile young man. He was a perfect match for a pretty and sensible girl like Qingqing.

“Hello, hello,” Li Qingfeng said with a smile that made her eyes crescent-shaped. Remembering something, she quickly pulled out a bag she had been carrying. “These are pork dumplings I made myself. Try them.”

She had been so busy lately that she hadn’t had a moment to rest. Tonight, she would likely have to work overtime, so she had decided to reward herself by making some dumplings. She had brought them to have for dinner and a late-night snack, but now she was willing to set that aside. If necessary, she could go to the cafeteria or a state-run restaurant in the afternoon.

Since they had brought such good fruit, she felt she needed to reciprocate.

Otherwise, she would feel uneasy accepting gifts without giving anything in return.

Unfortunately, Liang Qingqing declined, “Let’s skip it this time. I still need to accompany him to mail a letter. If we don’t go early, we might not get a chance later when the post office gets crowded.”

Today was a holiday for many towns in the countryside, and a lot of people would be coming to the country town to send letters. If they didn’t queue up early, they might end up waiting until the post office closed.

“Then next time you come to see me, i will take you home for a meal,” Li Qingfeng said, understanding the situation well as someone who grew up in the county town. She and Huang Yali could only see them off at the entrance.

Once they disappeared around the street corner, Li Qingfeng and Huang Yali returned their gaze. Li Qingfeng, having learned from Huang Yali that Liang Qingqing was preparing to participate in the rural announcer selection, couldn’t help but smile with satisfaction. “She’s ambitious. If only she had an urban household registration…”

With proper training, it wouldn’t be impossible for her to join the provincial broadcasting bureau in the future!

But, of course, such words were of no use right now. The current hiring restrictions were quite stringent, and unless one had connections, the positions in urban areas were highly competitive, leaving little chance for rural candidates.

Huang Yali understood the unspoken implication and added, “Qingqing’s Mandarin is even better than mine. It’s truly a shame.”

The two exchanged a glance and sighed.

Meanwhile, Liang Qingqing and Fan Yanxing hurried to the post office. Next to the post office was a state-run restaurant. Fan Yanxing, reluctant to have her wait under the scorching sun, asked her to go inside and order while he finished up his business.

“There’s an umbrella,” Liang Qingqing glanced at the large black umbrella overhead. Despite that, the midday sun was intense, leaving most of her lower legs exposed. The thick fabric of her dress made her feel like she was inside a hot furnace.

She actually wanted to stay in the cool indoors, but she said warmly and obediently, “It must be so boring for you alone out here. I want to keep you company and chat while we wait.”

Her words made Fan Yanxing’s lips curve into a smile, his eyes showing a glimmer of pleasure. Still, he maintained a serious tone, “Be good and wait inside.”

“But…”

Fan Yanxing narrowed his eyes, giving her a look that brooked no argument. Liang Qingqing’s heart fluttered, but she continued to act reluctant and repeatedly looked back at him, clearly reluctant to part.

Just as she was about to reach the entrance of the state-run restaurant, she turned back again. Fan Yanxing, prepared to ask what was wrong, saw her lift her face and ask, “What do you want to eat?”

In that moment, Fan Yanxing’s heart was softened, and he resisted the urge to kiss her. He squeezed his palm and said, “I’m not picky. I’ll eat whatever you choose. Pick what you want.”

“Okay.” Liang Qingqing nodded and then reminded him, “Hurry back after you finish mailing the letter.”

“Okay.”

Only when she stepped into the state-run restaurant and could no longer see Fan Yanxing did Liang Qingqing smile with satisfaction. She happily found a cool spot by the window to sit, noting that the table was empty, with nothing on it. This was her first visit to the state-run restaurant. She glanced around with curiosity before turning her attention back.

“What would you like to eat, Comrade?” A waiter soon approached. Noting her outstanding appearance and fashionable dress, his smile widened. “Except for the rightmost column, all the dishes on the wall can be made today.”

Some ingredients were not available every day, and only a few popular dishes were guaranteed to be available.

Liang Qingqing looked up at the wall, which was covered with a red paper listing dishes in black ink. The menu was extensive and overwhelming. After scanning it, she ordered her favorite sweet and sour ribs, followed by cilantro beef, stir-fried water spinach, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and two bowls of rice.

“That’s a lot of food. Will you be able to finish it by yourself?” The waiter kindly warned.

Liang Qingqing smiled gently, “I’m not alone.”