Chapter 599: Sweet, Silky Flavor

Mid‑May, just after the summer solstice.

The sunlight isn't yet scorching; the early‑summer sunset gently bathes the Grand Courtyard.

Lu Cheng sits on the steps, smoking, while pondering his next plan.

All the blueprints are finished; next comes the fabrication of the internal combustion engine, and little time remains for him.

Or rather, little time remains for Lei Zhan Ge.

Lu Cheng plans to take the train tomorrow to the Shencheng Vehicle Factory and discuss the upcoming work in detail with Chief Engineer Tan Kaiping.

In short, everyone has a single goal: to produce the internal combustion engine as quickly as possible.

"Third, what are you thinking about while sitting here?"

Zheng Guoping, fresh from the bathhouse, plops down on the steps beside him.

Lu Cheng flicks away his cigarette stub: "Nothing special, just getting ready to go to Shencheng tomorrow to discuss the later‑stage work."

Zheng Guoping sighs; he knows Lu Cheng is doing this for Captain Lei, and during this period Lu Cheng even neglected his Train Police duties, though the bureau is very supportive.

The topic feels heavy, so Zheng Guoping changes the subject.

"Are we still going out for dinner tonight or not?"

Lu Cheng glances: "That's a pointless question. I promised everyone we'll definitely eat, so drink more tonight."

Zheng Guoping chuckles, leans in and says, "Then why don't you call Xiao Yang over so we can all eat together?"

Lu Cheng looks up at the sky; since staying at the Research Institute and sharing meals and lodging with everyone, he hasn't seen Yang Yin for several months.

He's mostly had no time to think; exhausted each day, he can fall asleep right on his desk.

Now the project can finally be implemented, and Lu Cheng's tense nerves relax.

The pure‑hearted girl also surfaces in his mind, sometimes hopping, sometimes standing with crescent‑shaped eyes, her ponytail swaying lightly…

But seeing Zheng Guoping's hesitant expression, Lu Cheng guesses the guy must have something else on his mind.

So he says, "Why would I call her? We guys eat, drink, swap lewd jokes, brag—having a girl there would be inconvenient."

"No! Call her over, really…"

Lu Cheng laughs: "Can you hurry up and cut the crap?"

Zheng Guoping scratches his head sheepishly: "Actually I want to bring Comrade Zhuang Yu to dinner. You said it's a bunch of old‑men; if Zhuang Yu were a female comrade, it'd be awkward."

So if we call Xiao Yang too, the two of them can have someone to chat with…

"Zhuang Yu?"

Lu Cheng quickly recalls who it is—the girl who clashed with the women's bathhouse that day, quite feisty.

Seeing Lu Cheng lean back and flash a mischievous grin, Zheng Guoping can't help asking,

"What are you laughing at?"

"Honestly, when did you and Comrade Zhuang Yu get together?"

Zheng Guoping pouts: "You're such a person, speaking so harshly—what do you mean 'get together'!"

"My interactions with Zhuang Yu are normal revolutionary exchanges; who knows, we might become revolutionary partners someday."

"Yo, yo, yo, you're being all grand now, spouting revolution with your mouth… wait, no!"

Lu Cheng suddenly remembers: "We've been eating and living together all this time, yet I've never seen Zhuang Yu come to see you!"

Lu Cheng has no recollection, but Zheng Guoping insists she has.

"She came a few times to bring me meals; you were either busy with work or sleeping. I never delayed work—just ate quickly, chatted briefly, and sent her off."

Lu Cheng nods, then kicks out: "You damn scoundrel, you're hogging the food!"

"My sister's braised pork was shared with you all; this isn't right."

Zheng Guoping laughs: "Hehe, mainly she's afraid of affecting our work, so she didn't greet everyone."

Seeing Zheng Guoping looking rather happy, Lu Cheng asks, "So how did the two of you hook up?"

"You see, you keep saying that… fine, fine, I'll be honest: this time I wasn't the one who initiated; she was."

Lu Cheng, still curious, has Zheng Guoping recount the first time Zhuang Yu approached him.

"That day, you were so exhausted you fell asleep on your desk. She knocked on the glass beside you, and I thought she was here to settle the bill."

But instead, she gestured for me to get up. To my surprise, her first words were an apology, saying she shouldn't have mocked my injured leg that day."

Lu Cheng nods slightly; Zhuang Yu seems genuinely good—sharp‑tongued but kind‑hearted.

"So does that count as officially dating?"

Zheng Guoping shakes his head: "We haven't broken through that thin veneer yet, but I feel she's interested in me, and I think she's nice too."

Lu Cheng understands, stands, pats Zheng Guoping's shoulder: "No problem, I'll back you up tonight. I'm going to fetch Xiao Yang now."

The early‑summer university campus is lush and verdant.

Lu Cheng rides his bicycle around and finally spots Yang Yin at the Cafeteria.

Yang Yin still has that pure, charming look, walking with a few female classmates to the Cafeteria for dinner.

When a female classmate points to a nearby spot where Lu Cheng is perched with a leg draped over, Yang Yin's eyes light up with surprise.

After whispering a few words with the other girls, Yang Yin grabs her aluminum lunchbox and jogs over.

"Why are you here?"

Yang Yin's voice still carries unmistakable delight; Lu Cheng even thinks that if not for the crowd, he could pull her into his arms.

Lu Cheng rubs her head: "What, you didn't want to see me?"

"Of course not. I thought you wouldn't be able to come until the end of June… So, is your project finished?"

Lu Cheng nods: "Sort of. In any case, the R&D work here can wrap up. I'm heading to Shencheng tomorrow, so today I'll take you and everyone out for a meal."

Yang Yin's eyes form a crescent: "Perfect, I'm starving."

Lu Cheng gestures: "Get on the bike."

With Yang Yin sitting sideways behind him, Lu Cheng pedaled his bicycle through the campus, and many male classmates glanced at Yang Yin in the back, then at Lu Cheng.

Lu Cheng sighed, "You say I haven't looked for you these past few months—does that mean many people have been after you? Look at their eyes, each one as if they could eat me."

Yang Yin laughed from behind, "Who let you run off with the school's most beautiful girl?"

"Heh, you're not modest… If there were a boy more outstanding than me, would you be run off by someone else?"

"Pfft, I would never run with anyone else, unless you have the heart to leave me."

Lu Cheng smiled ahead, and until the bicycle left the campus, Yang Yin suddenly from behind hugged his waist.

"Lu San'er, I miss you so much… While you were away, I counted the days each day, looking forward to this moment of reunion with you."

Listening to Yang Yin's murmuring words, Lu Cheng felt that the early‑summer breeze was tinged with a sweet scent.