It rained.
In Yongcheng's autumn, rainy seasons were scarce, and the air was slightly dry.
An autumn rain was like a timely downpour after a long drought.
"Wait at the entrance for a bit, I'll go get the car,"
Tan Jincheng said, releasing Gu Qingqing's hand.
Gu Qingqing nodded gently, watching Tan Jincheng walk out into the rain, her eyes complex.
She never expected that a curious part-time encounter would lead their relationship to this point.
Was this fate?
It should be.
From work to life, then to romance, there was no love at first sight between them; it was more of a natural progression, without many exciting moments.
Gu Qingqing was captivated by Tan Jincheng's talent, and certainly his good looks played a part.
Tan Jincheng, on the other hand, felt he had met a woman who could communicate with his lonely soul, so they were mutually attracted.
To those familiar with Gu Qingqing and Tan Jincheng, their pairing seemed mismatched, and they wondered how it had progressed to this stage.
Gu Qingqing's roommates privately thought Tan Jincheng was a bit handsome, rich, and too busy.
Rich people are usually unfaithful, and Gu Qingqing's family background was good.
Plus, she was only a sophomore, so the future was too uncertain.
There was no need to find such a hidden danger for herself.
The reason they offered her various ideas was merely youthful romanticism; in reality, they weren't particularly optimistic about this relationship.
From Tan Jincheng's good brother Zhang Xupeng's perspective, Tan seemed to be solely focused on his career and didn't show much interest in women.
The bosses who went to KTV with him before had said that although Tan could joke around with everyone, his eyes remained clear and unwavering, no matter how the women in the entertainment venues tried to seduce him.
A spirited young man facing women with different tactics, to be able to do this, he either has great ambition or no interest in these women.
But in either case, it's hard to imagine such a self-disciplined young man who adheres to his bottom line suddenly falling in love with a girl.
Gu Qingqing was very good, but with Tan Jincheng's current age and wealth, it would be easy for him to find someone better than Gu Qingqing.
Judging by his method of throwing money around for endorsements, it wouldn't even be difficult for him to informally "patronize" any female celebrity.
This was also the main reason Zhang Xupeng couldn't understand why Tan Jincheng suddenly started dating.
A college student paired with a billionaire? Dating seriously? It sounded quite fantastical.
"What are you thinking about? Get in the car, didn't you say you have an 8 AM class?"
Tan Jincheng honked the horn and handed an umbrella through the car window.
Gu Qingqing finally snapped back to reality.
Taking the umbrella, Gu Qingqing chose not to open it.
Instead, she quickly walked to the passenger seat and sat down naturally.
Seeing Gu Qingqing's unusual expression, Tan Jincheng asked,
"What's wrong? What were you just thinking? I called you and you didn't hear me."
Gu Qingqing carefully scrutinized Tan Jincheng.
With sword-like eyebrows, starry eyes, and a face like jade, he was truly a standard handsome man, except for his preference for a buzz cut which affected his looks.
With this face, let alone being rich, he wouldn't lack girlfriends even without money.
Not until Tan Jincheng felt a bit uneasy did Gu Qingqing softly ask,
"They say men don't cherish what they've obtained anymore. Will you be like that too?"
"Ah?"
Tan Jincheng was still savoring last night's joy and was momentarily confused by the question.
But he quickly understood.
This was a normal reaction after a woman's first time, the fear of gain and loss; he had experience with this.
Squeezing Gu Qingqing's hand, Tan Jincheng also replied softly,
"How could I? Don't overthink it."
"You're so handsome, capable, and rich. You could easily find someone better than me. What do you like about me?"
Gu Qingqing continued softly.
Ah, the 8 AM class was out of the question.
She was so anxious on the bed just now, but now she was feeling sentimental.
Was it because of the rain?
"Don't belittle yourself. You're very beautiful too. I like your beauty. Even if you stand next to Liu Yifei, you're much better than her flat figure, and your looks are also great."
"The first time I saw you, I was attracted by your figure and your attire. Your clothing perfectly matches my aesthetic. Although I've invited Brother Chun to be a spokesperson, that's purely from a business perspective. I actually can't really accept non-mainstream styles."
"I like your confidence, your eagerness to learn."
"I like your rationality, your understanding, and your gentle personality."
"And, you understand me."
This last point was the most important.
There were many beautiful girls from affluent families, but most carried an air of arrogance, a product of their upbringing.
It wasn't necessarily bad, but Tan Jincheng wasn't used to such girls.
If he met a "little fairy," it would be even more annoying.
"Little fairies" exist in every era.
Gu Qingqing showed none of these traits.
When he was busy and couldn't accompany her, she would quietly sit nearby and study, instead of demanding that Tan Jincheng stop working to be with her.
When he traveled for business, she would call to check on him, but not in an untrusting tone.
When they went shopping or sightseeing together, she was joyful.
If they encountered any troublesome situations, she wouldn't impulsively force him to step forward.
As the old saying goes, a good wife prevents misfortunes at home.
Whether she was a "good wife" remained to be seen, but as a girlfriend, Tan Jincheng was very satisfied.
It was indeed as she said; finding another, or even several, prettier girls wouldn't be difficult.
But finding someone understanding, considerate, and who truly understood him would be hard.
Perhaps many people never find such a person in their entire lives.
"Then aren't you afraid people will say I'm with you for your money? Although my family has some money, it's not as much as yours."
"So what? Liking money isn't a bad thing. I like money too, otherwise why would I work so hard? Besides, a man must always have something to attract women, otherwise why would they be with you?"
"I'll let you off the hook, take me back to school,"
Gu Qingqing suddenly chuckled.
While saying these words, Tan Jincheng had been staring into her eyes.
Her intuition told her that Tan Jincheng wasn't lying; he was speaking from the heart.
"Alright, don't overthink things. Look, our names are a perfect match. This means fate is on our side."
"How are our names a match?"
"Metal generates water, earth generates metal. Male metal, female water, husband and wife sit in the high hall, wealth accumulates joyfully, two children born proper and upright. Haven't you heard that?"
Gu Qingqing was dumbfounded.
"You know this too? Isn't that feudal superstition?"
"What's feudal superstition? This is good feng shui, okay? We business people, who doesn't believe in feng shui? If you don't believe me, go back and ask your dad."
Tan Jincheng started talking nonsense.
Besides, I've already been reborn, so a little superstition is perfectly reasonable, right?
"...Fine, whatever you say. But who said I'm your wife?"
"You are."
"I haven't agreed to marry you yet! Hurry up, take me back to school. If I miss the 8 AM class, I still have other classes."
Gu Qingqing laughed and chided him.
With Gu Qingqing's laughter, the atmosphere in the car seemed to change significantly.
Tan Jincheng raised his hand to check his watch.
Gu Qingqing couldn't help but touch her own left wrist; she also had a watch, a couple's set.
"It's already eight o'clock. Don't go to school. Come to the company with me. Gege will take you to inspect Gege's territory."
"How can I do that? I still have classes."
"What kind of college student hasn't skipped a class? Listen to Gege,"
Tan Jincheng said domineeringly.
Gu Qingqing was a bit speechless, what kind of twisted logic was that?
Ultimately, Gu Qingqing couldn't win against Tan Jincheng.
For the first time in her two years of college, she skipped class.
Previous excused absences didn't count.
The two first arrived at the new factory area.
Tan Jincheng originally planned to come here today to check on the work progress.
It was almost December, and the prototype vehicles for the Fengchi series were already out.
The progress here had to be faster, otherwise, they wouldn't meet the promotion schedule.
"I skipped class for the first time today. I won't have the face to see people when I go back."
Tan Jincheng held an umbrella in one hand and Gu Qingqing's hand in the other, softly whispering in her ear,
"It's alright. Life always has many first times. Last night was a first time, today is a first time."
Gu Qingqing paused, instantly blushing like a vibrant flower.
After a while, Gu Qingqing mumbled in retaliation,
"Some people might not know that."
"I swear to God, it's absolutely the first time."
It was indeed the first time, his first time in this life, so swearing wasn't a big deal.
"Hmph!"
Upon reaching the entrance of the workshop, both had returned to normal expressions.
Tan Jincheng casually folded the umbrella and placed it in a corner by the workshop door, then continued to hold Gu Qingqing's hand as they walked inside.
Gu Qingqing was a bit embarrassed, but after struggling a few times without success, she gave up.
She felt a little joy and shyness inside, as there were many people in the workshop.
When emotions reach a certain level, words can no longer express the warmth within; only physical contact can better convey it.
For example, holding hands, hugging, kissing, or even more.
Tan Jincheng led Gu Qingqing without changing his expression, explaining the layout of the workshop as they walked.
Occasionally, workers recognized Tan Jincheng, stopped their work to greet him, and Tan Jincheng responded to each.
Before long, Gu Qingqing became engrossed in her curiosity about the new workshop, asking Tan Jincheng questions from time to time.
Although Tan Jincheng wasn't completely familiar with the entire workshop's layout, he could handle Gu Qingqing, who was a complete novice.
If he couldn't answer, he would casually pull a worker over to ask.
Soon, the two arrived at the newly established paint shop, or more accurately, the "electric vehicle spray painting and baking booth."
The paint booth used mechanical control, saving space and being convenient to use.
It could also force-dry primers and topcoats, speeding up the work pace and improving work efficiency and coating quality.
At the time, it was considered relatively advanced equipment.
Zhang Qingliang, who was watching workers install equipment in the paint booth, noticed Tan Jincheng and Gu Qingqing walking towards them.
Seeing them holding hands tightly, he couldn't help but smile.
His leg had recovered well, and he could now walk with a crutch.
Ever since Tan Jincheng told him last time that he would let him work at the factory next year, and he had agreed, he, feeling bored at home, would occasionally ask his wife to drive him over to take a look.
Tan Jincheng had initially "conned" him over using this paint booth, saying it was his main job, but when he came, he realized it was nothing of the sort.
Although his nephew didn't speak a single truth, Zhang Qingliang didn't refuse his kindness.
As a middle-aged man, he understood the need to bow to life's circumstances.
Working for anyone was still work, after all.
"What are you two doing here?"
(End of Chapter)