Chapter 32: If Life Had an On/Off Switch

"BGM: It’s you, it’s you.

The youth behind me is all you.

Painted into my mountains, rivers, and flowing streams.

Pouring down a torrential rain for me.

..."

The music leaped in their ears, and sunlight filtered through the car windows, dappling the interior.

Zhao Yaqian sat in the passenger seat, chewing on crispy potato chips, her body swaying slowly to the music, humming along every now and then.

The car’s audio system had been meticulously modified by Gao Mengting, and the actual experience was superb.

The front soundstage featured Rainbow three-way speakers, the rear used Audiopipe, and there was a JL Audio 10TW3 subwoofer. Combined with the soundproofing modifications to the door panels, listening to music was a pure pleasure.

According to Li Mingjun, the three-frequency transition was balanced, authentically restoring the original sound of the music.

She seemed to notice the glances Tang Song cast her way from time to time.

Zhao Yaqian subconsciously smoothed the bangs on her forehead, took a sip of lime juice, and said softly, "Brother Song, am I singing terribly? My best friend says I’m tone-deaf and never takes me to karaoke."

The corners of Tang Song’s mouth lifted. "Your voice is very pleasant. No matter how you sing, it can’t be bad. You’re much better than me."

Zhao Yaqian shifted her body, feeling embarrassed. "It’s just alright, I guess."

Ever since they met, Tang Song had been praising her constantly—from her makeup to her outfit, from her eating habits to the tone of her voice.

This made Zhao Yaqian blush.

She was indeed very confident in her figure and looks; she had many pursuers in school, and quite a few since she started working half a year ago.

But apart from that, she had absolutely no talents.

Drawing, singing, dancing, public speaking...

All of them were terrible.

Even if she wanted to be an internet influencer, she could only resort to "borderline" content.

A friend had once advised her to do that, but Zhao Yaqian had just graduated from high school back then and couldn't bring herself to do it.

She still wanted to learn a trade to make good money.

Because she liked skincare and cosmetics, she ended up on the path of becoming a beautician.

"Brother Song, you work in IT. What is your daily work like? Is it very busy? Is it 996?" Zhao Yaqian crossed her legs and turned her face to look at him.

Tang Song’s gaze subconsciously swept over her legs, his throat bobbed, and he quickly looked back at the road.

"It’s not that exaggerated. There are times when it’s not busy, but when rushing to launch a project, 997 is possible. When I first started working, in order to gain the leadership's approval and fix bugs, I often pulled all-nighters..."

"No wonder your skin is bad. That kind of schedule, combined with a lack of proper care, is a huge blow to oily skin like yours."

"Yeah, so I’m trying hard to adjust now. I need Teacher Zhao’s help."

"Actually, my level isn't that high, and I don't have much experience. When I first started, the Li-jie who trained me often called me an idiot, and the boss would deduct my performance bonus when paying my salary."

"That’s because they were jealous of your beauty."

Zhao Yaqian beamed and nodded. "I really am the prettiest in our shop, so the boss always makes me work part-time at the front desk to greet customers."

"BGM: Relax and slowly ascend.

Dreaming in the blankets.

There’s too much noise outside.

Saying 'don't wanna know.'

..."

The song in the music player changed again.

In the golden sunlight, the Wuling Hongguang made a turn, heading from east to west toward their destination in the suburbs.

The car, devoid of any air freshener, was filled with the fresh scent of Zhao Yaqian.

Following the advice of his "cyber strategists," Tang Song kept the speed as slow as possible, chatting with Zhao Yaqian about their work and pasts, enjoying the pleasure of being alone together.

The scenery along the way flashed past the windows, and the hustle and bustle of the city gradually faded behind them.

The smile on Zhao Yaqian’s face grew wider.

She would occasionally point at a uniquely shaped building and ask what place it was.

Having been in Yancheng for over half a year, this was her first time going out for leisure.

In the past, when she wasn't busy, she would just go shopping, watch movies, or eat delicious food with He Liting and the others.

For her, this was the first time she had truly let go of everything to enjoy the pleasure of a trip.

It seemed that every turn and acceleration of the car made her feel happy.

Music and scenery intertwined, and the cozy Wuling Hongguang seemed to be traveling through a painting.

She turned her face to look at the programmer friend’s side profile, which rose and fell like mountain peaks, and said with a smile, "Brother Song, this is the happiest day I’ve had since I started working."

"As long as you're happy." Tang Song pointed to a cluster of buildings in the distance. "Our destination is almost here. This place is very beautiful this time of year; you’ll definitely like it."

"Mm-hmm!" Zhao Yaqian’s eyes sparkled.

After parking in the lot on the west side, the two got out of the car one after the other.

Bathing in the sunlight, Zhao Yaqian jumped in place and gave a big stretch, her slender waist looking exceptionally fair and alluring.

Tang Song picked up a travel backpack from the back seat, took out a small bottle of sunscreen spray, and handed it over. "The UV rays are quite strong today. I don't know if you've applied any."

Zhao Yaqian took it with pleasant surprise and said happily, "Thank you, thank you! This is a huge help; I really didn't prepare."

After saying that, she hurriedly sprayed it over her arms, long legs, and neck.

She had been too rushed in the morning and only applied a layer of sunscreen to her face; she had been worried about getting her legs tanned.

Brother Song is so thoughtful!

"No need to be so polite. Let's go!" Tang Song smiled and waved at her.

It was already past 9:30, and tourists were arriving one after another outside the park.

The two walked along the clean asphalt road toward the South Gate.

Under the blue sky and white clouds, the cluster of buildings, full of simple and elegant charm, was right before their eyes.

White walls, blue tiles, horse-head gables, surrounded by green water and green mountains.

After scanning the code to enter the park, they didn't have a planned route; they just went wherever looked good, completely following their mood.

Layered courtyards, high ridges and flying eaves, winding paths and corridors, pavilions and terraces, flowers and greenery.

The Huizhou-style park, with its rich Jiangnan charm, unfolded before them bit by bit.

The sun gradually rose higher.

"Wow! This sun hat is so beautiful. I love it. Thank you for the gift, Brother Song!"

"You even brought strawberries? They’re so big! Mmm! So sweet!"

They walked and stopped, passing through various courtyards and exhibition halls.

Tang Song held his phone, helping Zhao Yaqian take photos from time to time, while also capturing the beautiful scenery with its unique Jiangnan ink-wash style.

Her excellent figure proportions, pretty face, and bright smile, paired with the lattice windows, flying eaves, black tiles, Huizhou carvings, moon beams, column bases, and bird-shaped brackets...

His phone gallery quickly became colorful and diverse.

"Thanks for the treat, Brother Song. This is the most delicious pork floss roll I’ve ever eaten."

"No, no, I’ve eaten too much. If I eat any more, I’ll get fat!"

"Zero-sugar, zero-fat, zero-calorie sparkling water? Brother Song, are you Doraemon?"

The remote "casting" from hundreds of cyber strategists gave the novice Zhao Yaqian a small shock.

From childhood to now, this was the first time she had felt this kind of warmth reaching the bottom of her heart.

Unknowingly, her gaze toward Tang Song grew brighter, and the smile on her face grew wider.

The gloom and troubles of this period all vanished.

She opened WeChat, found a few of her favorite photos—some on the road, some of Tang Song, some of herself, and some of the scenery—and shared them directly to her Moments.

Caption: "If life had an on/off switch, then the appearance of a friend is the key to happiness!" ===== CHAPTER 34 =====