"Honglian, who is this handsome guy?"
When Qin Chuan and Shang Honglian appeared at the multimedia stall in Jingxi, the two female employees inside's eyes widened, filled with curiosity and gossip.
Qin Chuan's appearance and attire were truly outstanding, coupled with his tall, upright figure and his calm demeanor cultivated through two lifetimes, he was clearly no ordinary person.
Standing in the bustling market, he was like a swan in a flock of chickens, exceptionally eye-catching.
"Oh... this is Qin Chuan Ge from my hometown. He's in the capital on business and decided to drop by and see me," Shang Honglian quickly introduced.
Then, she turned to Qin Chuan and said, "Qin Chuan Ge, this is Xiaoxia, and this is A Li! They are both my colleagues."
Qin Chuan smiled slightly and greeted the two girls, "Hello!"
"Hello, handsome!"
The two girls were lively, around the same age as Shang Honglian, exuding youthful energy, pretty and cute.
"Qin Chuan Ge, please sit down. This stall is all our territory!" Shang Honglian pointed to a stool beside her. Then she added,
"Xiaoxia, A Li, what flavor milk tea do you want? I'll treat you all to milk tea!"
"I want strawberry!"
"I want blueberry!"
Xiaoxia and A Li exclaimed cheerfully one after another.
"Qin Chuan Ge, what about you? What flavor milk tea do you want?" Shang Honglian's beautiful eyes blinked, fixed on Qin Chuan with an expectant expression.
"I... I'll have the original flavor!" Qin Chuan replied after some thought. If the girls hadn't reminded him, he would have almost forgotten what milk tea tasted like.
Strictly speaking, he was only about the same age as Shang Honglian, twenty-two this year, turning twenty-three after the New Year, in the prime of his life.
However, his extensive experiences prevented Qin Chuan from truly blending into this young group, or perhaps he lacked the time. His days were not filled with play, but with thoughts of making money and expanding the factory.
Because if he slacked off even slightly, hundreds of mouths would go hungry. The heavy corporate responsibilities and burdens on his mind left no room for Qin Chuan to experience the joys of youth.
"Then please wait for me here for a moment. I'll be right back."
Shang Honglian flicked her long ponytail and ran off quickly, clearly in a good mood.
Only Qin Chuan and the two girls remained at the stall.
"Beauties, where is your boss? Why are only the three of you here?" Qin Chuan asked.
"Our boss went out to negotiate business today," the girl named Xiaoxia replied.
"Is your boss named Liu Dongqiang?" Qin Chuan asked again.
"Yes!" Xiaoxia nodded.
"Handsome guy, how do you know our boss's name? Honglian told you, didn't she?" A Li asked.
"Yes, Honglian told me," Qin Chuan nodded with a smile.
Unexpectedly, A Li asked excitedly, "What exactly is your relationship with Honglian? You traveled all the way to the capital just to see her?"
Qin Chuan's expression remained unchanged as he replied with a smile, "We're just ordinary friends. I'm just passing through the capital and decided to visit..."
"Hmm... who would believe that!" Before Qin Chuan could finish, Xiaoxia let out a peculiar sound.
"Handsome guy, Honglian isn't here right now. You don't need to hide anything. We've heard too many excuses like this; they're not fresh at all!"
"Honglian is so beautiful, I don't believe you have no intentions towards her?"
Qin Chuan looked stunned, then couldn't help but laugh. How did this misunderstanding happen!
He was genuinely just passing by to visit.
"Handsome guy, I'll tell you honestly, if you really like Honglian, you need to act fast! Honglian is the flower of our entire market, and there are many people who secretly like her!"
"If you continue to be timid and secretive, the girl you like might be snatched away by someone else!" A Li said earnestly.
Qin Chuan: "..."
Just as he was about to say he already had a girlfriend, Shang Honglian suddenly appeared around the corner, holding four cups of milk tea.
"Quick, help me, or they'll fall!" Shang Honglian shouted.
Qin Chuan, being outside the stall, was in the most convenient position, so he rushed over to help.
A few minutes later, Qin Chuan and the three girls were gathered together, chatting while drinking milk tea.
Watching the milky white milk tea stain the girls' rosy lips through their straws, Qin Chuan suddenly felt a bit wicked. He quickly finished his milk tea and threw the cup into the nearby trash can.
"So, the three of you live together now?"
"Yes, the three of us rent a small place together. We split the rent and utilities, it's the fairest way," A Li said crisply.
"However, we can't compare ourselves to Honglian."
"What do you mean?" Qin Chuan's interest was piqued.
Just as A Li was about to elaborate, a large group of customers arrived, seemingly for a group purchase.
Shang Honglian also quickly apologized to Qin Chuan and joined in to help.
They were busy without a break, indicating that the business at Jingxi Multimedia was very good.
Qin Chuan didn't feel bored; he quietly watched the three girls work.
Unknowingly, it was already the market's closing time. The operating hours for the entire market were uniformly regulated.
"Oh, finally off work!"
The three girls gathered together, chattering and packing up to leave.
"Doesn't your boss come by after closing? How is the day's revenue handled?" Qin Chuan couldn't help but ask curiously.
"Handsome guy, don't you know? Honglian is our finance manager. She handles all the daily income and expenses for the stall. Our boss trusts her immensely," A Li explained.
Qin Chuan was genuinely surprised this time: "Honglian is that highly valued by your boss? She manages the finances?"
"Of course!" A Li, being the most lively, and her mouth the fastest, chattered, "Honglian has many roles. Not only is she our finance manager, but she's also a partner with our boss!"
"Partner?" Qin Chuan's eyes were filled with confusion as he turned his curious gaze to Shang Honglian.
Feeling Qin Chuan's gaze, Shang Honglian's pretty face blushed slightly. She playfully punched her partner with her small fist, "A Li, you big mouth, why do you say everything!"
"It's nothing. Isn't Qin Chuan your best friend? He even traveled all the way to the capital to see you, so he should know more about you!" A Li said with a giggle, then winked at Qin Chuan.
Qin Chuan responded with a helpless smile; it seemed to be a genuine misunderstanding.
However, it didn't matter. The most important thing at the moment was to understand Shang Honglian's situation.
"Honglian, what does 'partner' mean?"
Shang Honglian hesitated for a moment before finally saying, "Qin Chuan Ge, this is a long story. Let's talk as we walk!"
"Alright, then tonight I'll treat you three beautiful ladies to dinner. You can have whatever you want," Qin Chuan immediately said.
"Really? Handsome guy?"
"Wow, looks like we're benefiting from Honglian!" Xiaoxia and A Li were overjoyed to hear Qin Chuan was treating them to dinner, hopping and skipping with excitement.