Chapter 109 : Song Shenglin

Parting is always sorrowful, and the weather changed to match the mood after several days of clear skies, it began to rain lightly the next morning. The temperature dropped significantly, so Liang Qingqing donned a thick down jacket and, holding an umbrella, set off with Fan Yanxing for the county town.

Xiao Jinhua and the others had already packed up their belongings. After they arrived, they set off for the train station.

“See you at the Spring Festival,” Xiao Jinhua said, patting Liang Qingqing’s hand and reminding her to call them frequently. Reluctantly, he then entered the station.

Watching them disappear through the doors, Liang Qingqing’s mood suddenly became a bit downcast. She stood there for a long time before letting out a sigh and saying, “Your family is really good to me.”

Hearing this, Fan Yanxing squeezed her hand and smiled softly, “They’re your family now too.”

They exchanged a glance and shared a knowing smile.

The honeymoon period quickly ended, and Liang Qingqing and Fan Yanxing returned to their respective work, enduring the weekly separation.

“Happy newlyweds.”

“Thank you.”

Since the successful completion of her last business trip, Liang Qingqing’s name had gained recognition at the Provincial Broadcasting Bureau. Observant people noticed that Tian Fengchun seemed to have plans to groom her as his successor, and as a result, she found herself surrounded by many who were eager to befriend her.

“The more this happens, the more you need to focus on doing things well,” Tian Fengchun said from behind his desk, tapping a pen in Liang Qingqing’s direction. In response to this advice, she smiled modestly and replied, “I will definitely follow your guidance.”

Tian Fengchun nodded in satisfaction before changing the topic, “In a few days, a team from Shanghai will come to collect information on local customs and cultural specialties. They need a professional broadcaster to record the material, and I recommended you to the bureau. Do you have any thoughts on this?”

“Of course, I’d like to go,” Liang Qingqing’s eyes lit up, and she agreed almost without hesitation.

Having her voice recorded for posterity seemed like a meaningful keepsake, something she could listen to in her later years. She preferred this task over many other jobs.

Tian Fengchun smiled, thinking that this girl might not yet realize the full scope of the job’s difficulty. This task was usually given to the more experienced veterans at the bureau, who could handle it swiftly. Only someone like her would be so enthusiastic about it.

But while the job was tough, the rewards were substantial. Generally, the effort and the return were proportional.

“They’ll arrive the day after tomorrow morning. You’ll need to go to the train station with Xiao Yang to meet them.”

Xiao Yang was the bureau’s dedicated driver. Aside from picking up and dropping off leaders, he was usually idle. Given that important figures were likely to accompany the visiting team, Liang Qingqing quickly understood the key points of the task. She adjusted her expression and nodded, “Okay.”

With Tian Fengchun’s guidance, Liang Qingqing got up early on the day of the pickup. She styled her long hair in a bun, exposing her entire face. She wore a shirt with a sweater, autumn pants with dress pants, and topped it off with a black coat for warmth and a professional appearance.

Typically, at work, she would opt for the simplest attire to downplay her age and appearance. While the effect might not be perfect, it would at least highlight her capabilities.

She checked herself in the mirror, added a touch of light lipstick to brighten her complexion.

As the weather had been getting colder, Liang Qingqing’s hands were icy after spending time outdoors. She waited at the gate, rubbing her hands together while chatting with Lao Ding. She had brought him some gifts on her first day at the bureau, and she greeted him every time she passed by. Their relationship had grown friendlier, and Lao Ding always eagerly provided directions or information whenever someone came to the bureau looking for her.

When Xiao Yang’s car arrived, Liang Qingqing said goodbye to Lao Ding and got in the vehicle.

The train station was neither too far nor too close to the broadcasting bureau. It wasn’t long before they reached the entrance. Liang Qingqing got out of the car with the pastries she had bought from the supply and marketing cooperative, while Xiao Yang stayed by the car.

The train station was still crowded as ever, with people carrying luggage everywhere. Liang Qingqing, spotting a sign she was holding, drew curious glances from many. Despite the attention, she remained calm and even took the time to count the people. When she reached forty-five, she noticed several individuals in military coats emerging from the entrance.

They all carried leather suitcases and wore similar clothing, their faces showing an unmistakable fatigue.

Liang Qingqing had a strong feeling that these were the people she was supposed to meet today. She instinctively looked at the leading man. He was tall, estimated to be over 1.85 meters, with standard peach blossom eyes. His long, thick eyelashes and a small mole under his eye added a touch of sensuality.

His elegant demeanor, deep and imposing features, and the military coat he wore made him even more formidable. Liang Qingqing couldn’t help but look at him a few more times. Before she could look away, he abruptly turned his gaze towards her, sending a chill down her spine.

In the next moment, he strode over to her. Liang Qingqing swallowed nervously and tightened her grip on the sign.

“Hello, comrade. My name is Song Shenglin, and I’m the team leader for this task.”

Song Shenglin extended his hand towards Liang Qingqing with a friendly smile, as if the cold and piercing gaze from moments earlier had never existed.

Liang Qingqing couldn’t help but marvel at his swift change in demeanor but maintained a polite smile herself. “Hello, Comrade Song. My name is Liang Qingqing, and I’m the announcer responsible for the recording for this project.”

Their hands touched briefly before they exchanged introductions and then headed toward the parking area.

“These are some local pastries from our Changbei Province. Would you like to try them? They’re sweet but not overwhelming and might help fill your stomach.”

Liang Qingqing took out the pastries she had prepared earlier and handed one to each person. She had checked the number of people in advance, so each portion was wrapped in individual oil paper, making it especially convenient and clean.

“Thank you, Comrade Liang. You’re very considerate.”

After a series of thanks, a young man with a buzz cut turned to Liang Qingqing and smiled, “Comrade Liang has a keen mind. It looks like our cooperation will go smoothly from now on.”

Liang Qingqing smiled gently and didn’t respond to the comment. Zhang Weiqin then cheerfully pointed to the sign in her hand. “This is also an idea you came up with, right? If it weren’t for this sign, we wouldn’t have known where to find the person picking us up.”

“I was worried about this kind of situation, so I made the sign at the last minute,” she explained. This kind of solution is very common in modern times, she just used it.

“Our team leader likes to work with smart people. It seems we’ll have an easier time in the future,” Zhang Weiqin winked at Liang Qingqing, implying something more.

As soon as the words were out, Song Shenglin gave Zhang Weiqin a faint glance, making Zhang Weiqin tighten his lips and fall silent.

Seeing this, Liang Qingqing felt relieved. She had a hard time dealing with people who were so socially adept upon first meeting. She would often feel awkward and not know how to respond. So, Song Comrade’s glare was indeed effective.

The group got into the car and headed straight for the state-run restaurant. The bureau had already reserved a table and private room in advance. Besides Liang Qingqing, a leader from the bureau also accompanied them. During the conversation and laughter, it was inevitable that a few drinks were consumed.

The alcohol was strong and had a considerable aftereffect. By the time Liang Qingqing realized this, her head was somewhat foggy. She excused herself to go to the restroom and left the private room. Looking around, she decided to go to the end of the corridor to get some fresh air.

The state-run restaurant had three floors and featured a traditional Chinese retro style, elegant yet understated, making it the preferred place for social events in the city.

As Liang Qingqing walked along the corridor, supporting herself against the wall, she discovered a person standing in the corner. Upon hearing the noise, the person turned around abruptly. For a moment, both their eyes showed a hint of surprise and embarrassment.

She remembered that this person’s excuse for leaving was also to use the restroom, but the restrooms and this place were in opposite directions.

It seemed he was also here to escape for a bit.

“I’m going back now.”

Liang Qingqing immediately abandoned the idea of getting some fresh air. She gave Song Shenglin a slight nod and was about to return to the private room when he called out to her.

“Just stay here. I’ll be done soon.”

It was then that Liang Qingqing noticed the half-burned cigarette in his hand. Song Shenglin’s hands were particularly good-looking slender and elegant, with a smooth, fluid motion as he tapped the ash from the cigarette.

She glanced briefly and then looked away, since she had already seen more attractive hands from Fan Yanxing.

“Alright.”

He was clearly lying through his teeth, but Liang Qingqing pretended not to notice. She watched him extinguish the cigarette before turning to leave.

Once he had completely disappeared from view, Liang Qingqing relaxed, bending her straight back to lean against the wall and exhaling deeply.

The faint smell of cigarette smoke lingering in her nose made her wrinkle her brow in discomfort.

It was cold outside, so she returned to the private room shortly. The people inside were still drinking and chatting, with Zhang Weiqin being the most lively, nearly standing on the table to discuss everything from the charm of the Shanghai market to the vast deserts of the northwest and the icy northern regions.

Their group had traveled all over the country, seeing almost all of China’s beautiful landscapes.

Liang Qingqing listened with great interest, occasionally asking a few questions. When the conversation turned to local delicacies in the Xinjiang region, Zhang Weiqin hesitated, and after some thought, the others could only come up with two or three dishes. Just as she was about to change the subject, Song Shenglin, sitting next to the main seat, spoke up.

“Grilled naan, big plate chicken, pilaf, yogurt dumplings, milk tea, lamb…”

His prompt made Zhang Weiqin finally remember, his face flushing red with excitement as he added, “Especially the roasted whole sheep. You wouldn’t believe how delicious it is! The lamb actually has a hint of milk flavor crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. It’s the first time I’ve had lamb without the usual strong smell. It’s incredible.”

“Haha, I’d love to try it if I get the chance.” Hearing this, Liang Qingqing remembered the roasted whole sheep she had tasted during a trip to Xinjiang in her previous life, and she couldn’t help but swallow her saliva.

A light chuckle suddenly reached Liang Qingqing’s ears. Turning towards the sound, she saw the lingering smile on Song Shenglin’s lips.

A faint blush appeared on Liang Qingqing’s face as she realized that he had caught her in the act of greedily swallowing. However, she couldn’t help it, Zhang Weiqin’s description had been so vivid that anyone would have wanted to taste it.

With this thought, Liang Qingqing shot a resentful and embarrassed glare at Song Shenglin. He was momentarily taken aback, then lowered his head, pressing his fist to his mouth to hide the corners of his lips, which were gradually curving up.