LRAB Chapter 9 Dating
Chapter 9 Dating
In mid-August, Jiangning was as hot as a steamer.
Yu Chen's life is divided into several fixed segments: in the morning, he does data analysis and writes process optimization plans in his cubicle in the "Innovation Park";
In the afternoon, I visited the customer's factory to resolve issues on-site; in the evening...
Maintaining the "Jiangda Baishitong" website and handling those trivial but stable small orders.
The website is performing better than expected.
After graduation season, there are fewer rental listings and textbook transfers, but the demand for small-scale purchasing, queuing assistance, and information inquiries still exists.
After deducting server costs and the occasional cost of hiring students to maintain the server part-time, his daily net income is stable at around 150 yuan—not much, but it's consistent, like a trickle of water quietly flowing into his cash pool.
Including his main job in technical consulting, his total income last month exceeded 25,000 yuan for the first time.
On Saturday morning, Yu Chen had just finished updating the "Comparison Table of Printing Shop Prices in Jiangning Districts" on Baishitong when his phone rang.
It's a local, unfamiliar number.
"Hello, this is Morningstar Technical Consulting."
There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone, followed by a light, tentative female voice: "Yu Chen? This is Nie Xiguang."
Yu Chen's fingers paused on the keyboard: "Senior? You're back in China?"
"Yeah, I've been back for three days." Nie Xiguang's voice was relaxed. "I was packing my things and came across the documents you gave me before. I remembered you said I could ask you for help if I had any questions. Are you free at noon today?"
"I'll treat you to dinner, and we can talk about Shuangyuan Photovoltaic while we're at it."
It's very direct, and the reasons are sufficient.
"I'm free. What area would you like to discuss, senior?"
"The relationship between technical parameters and cost data," Nie Xiguang explained in detail. "I'm going to work as a management trainee in the finance department of Wuxi Shuangyuan, but I don't want to be someone who can only look at reports and is completely clueless. At least I need to understand what the production department is saying."
Yu Chen glanced at the time: 10:40.
"Okay. Location?"
"That 'Little Jiangnan' restaurant near the north gate of Jiangnan University, 11:30? Their steamed sea bass is pretty good."
"Okay, I'll be there on time."
After hanging up the phone, Yu Chen saved the document and turned off the computer.
He got up and walked to the bathroom mirror. The person in the mirror was wearing a simple light gray cotton T-shirt and dark casual pants, clean and neat, but definitely too casual.
After hesitating for two seconds, he changed into a light blue striped shirt.
After changing and looking in the mirror, I felt more refined and scholarly, and less rough around the edges like a skilled worker.
It should be... alright.
---
11:25 AM, at the "Little Jiangnan" restaurant.
Yu Chen pushed open the glass door, and a rush of cool air mixed with the aroma of food wafted out.
This shop is small and simply decorated, but it's very popular and almost always full on weekend lunchtimes.
In the corner by the window, Nie Xiguang was already sitting, looking down at the menu.
She wore a simple white short-sleeved shirt and a light blue denim skirt, her hair tied in a high ponytail, revealing her smooth forehead and slender neck.
Sunlight streamed through the glass window and fell on her profile, revealing her fair skin and the faint shadows cast by her eyelashes beneath her eyes.
"Senior sister." Yu Chen walked over.
Nie Xiguang looked up, her eyes crinkling into a smile: "You're here. Sit down."
Yu Chen sat down opposite her.
The waiter handed over the menu, and the two quickly ordered: steamed sea bass, water spinach with garlic, winter melon and pork rib soup, and two bowls of rice.
While waiting for the food, Nie Xiguang took out a notebook from his canvas bag.
"I did some research beforehand." She opened her notebook and pushed it to the center of the table. "The materials Shuangyuan gave me contained a lot of technical terms: PERC cells, EL testing, LID degradation, non-silicon costs... I looked up the concepts, but I still don't quite understand how they specifically affect financial data."
Yu Chen took the notebook and quickly browsed through it.
Nie Xiguang's notes were very neat, with his own understanding and questions following each term.
For example, after "EL testing," it says: "Used to detect microcracks in components; defective products need to be reworked or scrapped, but how should the rework cost be accounted for?"
"Is the loss from scrapping fully accrued or only partially?"
The questions were all very practical, and it was clear that she was really preparing seriously.
"My senior is very dedicated," Yu Chen said sincerely.
"I can't just be a decoration." Nie Xiguang rested his chin on his hand. "Although it was arranged by my mother, I want to do something practical. At least... I can't embarrass my family."
Yu Chen nodded, picked up a pen, and began to write in the blank space of his notebook.
"Let's start with the most crucial aspect: 'conversion efficiency'."
He drew a simple formula: "The conversion efficiency of the solar cells directly determines how much electricity each cell can generate. A 1% increase in efficiency means that the same area can produce 1% more electricity, thus reducing all fixed costs."
He pointed to "non-silicon costs": "Silver paste, backplane, glass, aluminum frame... the cost of these materials is calculated 'per watt'. The higher the efficiency, the lower the material cost per watt."
Nie Xiguang listened attentively and took notes, occasionally asking questions such as, "So, is the value of process optimization mainly reflected here?"
"Yes." Yu Chen nodded. "For example, by improving the screen printing process to make the grid lines finer and more uniform, we can reduce the amount of silver paste used—this is a direct reduction in material costs. Or by optimizing the sintering temperature profile to improve battery efficiency, this is an indirect way to reduce costs."
The food arrived. The two ate while continuing their conversation.
Yu Chen spoke very frankly, without showing off his technical jargon.
Each technical point corresponds to a specific cost item and financial impact.
Nie Xiguang's questions gradually extended from technical parameters to management:
"If I want to push forward a cost reduction project, how should I communicate with the production department? They might think that the finance department doesn't understand technology and is giving orders blindly."
"Let the data speak for itself." Yu Chen picked up a piece of fish. "Choose a small aspect for pilot testing, such as adjusting the cleaning solution ratio. Record the yield rate, consumable usage, and working hours before and after the pilot test. Calculate clearly: how many percentage points the yield rate improvement is equivalent to how many silicon wafers are saved; how much consumables are reduced and how much is the reduction worth; and how changes in working hours affect labor costs."
Nie Xiguang pondered: "Use their language to solve their problems."
"That's right." Yu Chen smiled. "The production department values practical results the most. If you can help them save time and increase efficiency, no one will refuse."
Halfway through lunch, the technical discussion came to an end. Nie Xiguang put away his notebook, his tone more relaxed:
"By the way, do you have any plans for this afternoon?"
Yu Chen shook his head: "It's Saturday today, everything with the clients is done."
"Well..." Nie Xiguang took a sip of soup, as if mentioning it casually, "Come with me to the mall? I want to buy some clothes."
She paused, then added, "Although Shuangyuan is a factory, the finance department is in the administration building, so we don't have to wear factory uniforms. Besides, we still need some clothes of our own on weekends."
The reasons are sound, and the tone is natural.
Yu Chen nodded: "Okay. The Central Department Store has a wider selection of brands."
---
At one o'clock in the afternoon, the two walked out of the restaurant.
Under the blazing sun, the streets were sweltering.
Nie Xiguang held up a light blue parasol and naturally tilted it towards Yu Chen.
"The sun is too strong," she said. "Shall we share some shade?"
Yu Chen readily complied and stepped into the shade under the umbrella. As they drew closer, she exuded a faint fragrance, like laundry detergent mixed with sunshine—fresh and clean.
The Central Department Store is not far away, a ten-minute walk. The store is crowded on weekends, and the air conditioning is blasting.
Nie Xiguang went straight to the women's clothing section on the second floor.
"Actually, I'm a bit conflicted." She lingered in front of a row of clothes racks. "It's a factory environment, so I can't dress too formally, but I can't dress too casually either."
Yu Chen glanced at her outfit today—a white shirt and denim skirt, fresh but definitely too student-like.
"Consider a 'smart casual' style," he suggested. "You don't need to wear suits, but the clothes should have a certain quality. For example, cotton or linen shirts, well-draped trousers, and simple dresses. Choose neutral colors, which are easy to match."
Nie Xiguang raised an eyebrow: "You know a lot."
"After meeting so many clients, I roughly know what to wear for different occasions," Yu Chen said frankly. "Although the bosses of small factories don't care about luxury goods, they do have requirements for 'appropriateness.' If you dress too student-like, they might look down on you; if you dress too formally, you'll seem out of place."
"That makes sense." Nie Xiguang nodded and began to carefully select clothes from the racks.
She picked up a light gray linen shirt: "What about this one?"
"The fabric is comfortable and suitable for summer. However, linen wrinkles easily, so it may need ironing if worn to work."
He picked up a pair of navy blue casual pants: "Would you like these with it?"
"The color is nice, and the cut is good too," Yu Chen commented objectively. "You can give it a try."
Nie Xiguang carried several pieces of clothing into the fitting room.
Yu Chen waited outside and glanced at his phone. The Best Buy website showed that there were three more orders for purchasing services that morning, all from Jiangnan University students who wanted to buy local snacks from outside the campus.
A few minutes later, the fitting room door opened.
Yu Chen was slightly taken aback when Nie Xiguang came out.
A light gray linen shirt was loosely tucked into navy blue casual trousers, with a thin brown leather belt around the waist.
The shirt sleeves were rolled up to the elbows, revealing fair forearms.
She looks neat and capable, with a professional feel yet relaxed and casual.
"How is it?" Nie Xiguang turned around in front of the mirror.
"Very good." Yu Chen walked to her side and pointed to the neckline. "Don't button the first button; it will look more natural."
Nie Xiguang did as instructed, unbuttoning one button, and her reflection in the mirror indeed looked more relaxed.
She looked at herself in the mirror, and then looked through the mirror at Yu Chen standing to her side and behind her.
He was carefully examining the outfit, his eyes focused, and a faint, objective smile playing on his lips.
At that moment, Nie Xiguang's heart skipped a beat for no apparent reason.
It's not because he's particularly handsome.
Yu Chen's beauty is understated; it's the kind of beauty that you have to look closely to appreciate.
Rather, it's because... he has a very special aura.
Practical, but not vulgar; intelligent, but not pretentious; when he looks at you seriously, his eyes are clean and focused.
"So, this is it?" She looked away, pretending to straighten the hem of her clothes.
"You could try that dress on," Yu Chen said, pointing to another one in her hand. "Wear it this weekend."
The second item is a beige cotton dress with a simple design and a tie at the waist.
Nie Xiguang wore it and the effect was quite good; it looked gentle and refreshing.
"Let's buy both," Yu Chen said. "The shirt and pants are for work, and the dress is for everyday wear."
Nie Xiguang nodded and readily swiped his card to pay the bill.
The two pieces of clothing cost less than 800 yuan in total, which was nothing to her.
Nie Xiguang was in a good mood as she walked out of the store carrying shopping bags.
"Thank you, Yu Chen," she said sincerely. "If I were choosing myself, I probably would have just bought a couple of T-shirts."
"It's nothing," Yu Chen said, taking the bag. "Where else do you want to go?"
Nie Xiguang glanced at the mall map and his gaze fell on the movie theater icon on the fourth floor.
"There's a movie out recently... 'The Piano in a Factory,' it has pretty high ratings." She said, almost to herself, but also tentatively, "It's about the old industrial areas of Northeast China. Want to see it?"
Yu Chen paused.
This goes beyond the scope of "helping to choose clothes".
But when he looked at Nie Xiguang, her expression was natural and her eyes were clear, as if it really was just a casual suggestion.
"Okay," he said. "I want to watch this one too."
---
3 PM, Cinema Hall 4.
There weren't many people at the weekend afternoon screening, so they chose seats in the middle. The lights dimmed, and the opening credits began.
The film tells the story of a laid-off worker who builds a piano for his daughter. It is absurd yet heartbreaking, and rough yet warm.
Yu Chen watched with great interest; such works rooted in reality are so rare in this restless age.
Halfway through the movie, he glanced to the side and noticed Nie Xiguang secretly wiping away tears.
The screen light flickered on her face, and there were tear tracks at the corners of her eyes. Noticing Yu Chen's gaze, she lowered her head somewhat embarrassedly and took out a tissue from her bag.
Yu Chen didn't say anything, but simply pushed the popcorn bucket towards her.
Nie Xiguang took the tissue and said softly, "My maternal grandfather... used to be an engineer at an old factory in Northeast China."
Yu Chen understood.
Nie Xiguang's mother's family was from the north.
This movie probably triggered some family memories in her.
For the second half, both of them watched in silence until the credits rolled and the lights came on.
When Nie Xiguang walked out of the cinema, her eyes were still red.
"I'm sorry you had to see this." She smiled sheepishly.
"A good movie is one that evokes empathy," Yu Chen said naturally. "I also found it difficult to watch."
The sun was still blazing at 4:30, but it had lost the scorching heat of midday. The two stood at the mall entrance, unsure of where to go.
"Shall I buy you a drink?" Nie Xiguang said. "Thank you for spending the day with me."
Yu Chen smiled and said, "Okay."
There was a coffee shop on the first floor of the mall. The two ordered iced lattes and lemon tea and sat down by the window.
People came and went outside the window, but the air conditioning inside was strong. Nie Xiguang, biting her straw, suddenly asked, "Yu Chen, how's your all-knowing website... going?"
"It's still operating," Yu Chen said. "We get some sporadic orders every day, making a little money."
"How much is 'small change'?"
"Around four or five thousand a month, after deducting costs," Yu Chen said honestly. "Not much, but stable. It's a supplement to my technical consulting work."
Nie Xiguang was somewhat surprised: "You're doing two things at the same time, are you able to manage?"
"You can always find the time if you squeeze it in," Yu Chen said, stirring his coffee. "Besides, most of the information can be handled online, so it doesn't take up too much of your energy."
He paused for a moment, then said, "Actually, these small businesses are quite interesting. You get to meet all sorts of people and see all sorts of needs. Sometimes, business opportunities are hidden in these seemingly trivial things."
Nie Xiguang rested her chin on her hand as she looked at him.
At that moment, she suddenly realized clearly that she might really have different feelings for this person.
It's not because of his face. Although Yu Chen isn't exactly handsome, he's pleasing to the eye, with clean and neat features, and his eyes sparkle when he smiles.
More importantly, he possessed qualities that none of the boys around her had: he was down-to-earth yet farsighted; pragmatic and shrewd yet sincere; and despite his humble origins, he never wallowed in self-pity.
Moreover, when he looked at her, his gaze was very equal.
There was no fawning, no scheming, and no sense of being labeled as "the daughter of the Nie family."
He treated her as an ordinary senior student, a colleague with whom he could exchange ideas and discuss things.
This feeling... is very fresh and comfortable.
"Are you planning to continue like this from now on?" Nie Xiguang asked softly, "Technical consulting, plus these small business operations?"
"That's how it is at this stage," Yu Chen said. "But what I really want to do is something that can solve real problems. For example, helping small factories with low-cost automation upgrades, or developing intelligent operation and maintenance systems for photovoltaic power plants."
He spoke very seriously, his eyes shining.
Nie Xiguang looked at the light, and her heart skipped a beat.
"I think you can do it," she said confidently.
"You trust me that much?"
"Hmm." Nie Xiguang nodded. "Your way of doing things is very unique. You don't talk big or exaggerate; you take each step very solidly. And... you have a strong learning ability and adapt very quickly."
This is a very high compliment.
Yu Chen took a sip of coffee and didn't say anything.
As dusk fell outside the window, the setting sun gilded the streets.
Nie Xiguang glanced at his phone: "It's almost six o'clock... I should go back."
"I'll walk you to the door."
The two walked out of the mall and waited for a car by the roadside. A warm evening breeze blew by.
Nie Xiguang suddenly said, "Yu Chen, next weekend... I might not be in Jiangning anymore."
Yu Chen was taken aback: "So fast?"
"Yes, I'll be reporting to Wuxi next Monday." Nie Xiguang turned to look at him, her eyes filled with complex emotions. "At that time, there might really be a lot of problems that will trouble you."
"Anytime." Yu Chen nodded, "As long as I know it."
The taxi arrived. Nie Xiguang opened the car door and turned back: "Thank you... for today."
"What are you thanking me for?"
"Everything," she said earnestly, "chatting with me, helping me pick out clothes, watching movies, and... listening to me talk about whatever comes to mind."
She paused, then suddenly smiled: "Next time you come to Wuxi, I'll take you to eat the Three Whites of Taihu Lake."
"it is good."
The car drove into traffic and disappeared around the street corner.
Yu Chen stood by the roadside, watching the sky darken, and let out a long breath.
Today, from lunch to shopping to watching a movie to drinking coffee, it was less about "asking questions" and more about a tacit understanding between us.
He shook his head, suppressing the thought.
As I turned to walk towards the "Innovation Park", my phone vibrated.
It was a text message from Nie Xiguang: "Arrived home. I had a great day. (๑‾ꇴ‾๑) Let's keep in touch."
Yu Chen looked at the smiley face symbol, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up.
He replied, "Okay, have a safe trip."
As he pressed the send button, he suddenly realized clearly that...
Something has changed.
The summer evening breeze swept through the streets, carrying a warm feeling and a vague, indescribable stirring.
Bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun, Yu Chen walked briskly toward his small cubicle.
I have work to do tomorrow, website maintenance to do, and client visits to do.
But at this moment, his heart was filled with something light, warm, and that made him smile.
Perhaps, this is how the story should be told.