April 19, 2023, Wednesday, sunny turning cloudy, 18~27°C.

“Ring-ring-ring—”

The alarm clock rang incessantly.

Zhao Yaqian reached out groggily, groping around her pillow until she finally grabbed her phone. The morning twilight was just breaking outside, and the room was still dim. The phone's glow highlighted her defined features. She absentmindedly pressed the stop button, her eyes half-closed, still immersed in her dream.

Soon, soft snores filled the room again as she drifted back to sleep.

The morning sun gradually rose, making the room increasingly bright.

“Knock, knock, knock—” A knocking sound echoed.

After waiting a bit with no response, He Liting pushed the door open and found Zhao Yaqian sound asleep. She lay half-sprawled on the bed, her long black hair spread out, one fair and full leg exposed.

He Liting raised an eyebrow in surprise, “Qian Qian, why aren’t you up yet? I thought you’d be ready by now. Aren’t you going on a road trip with that programmer friend today?”

“Huh?” Zhao Yaqian turned over, lifting her head and blinking sleepily, “What?”

“Your road trip! Did you forget?”

Zhao Yaqian blinked her big eyes and checked the time.

[8:04 AM]

“Ahhh!” Zhao Yaqian was instantly wide awake, jumping out of bed and standing barefoot on the floor, grabbing her messy hair with both hands. “Only 26 minutes left! I won’t have time to get ready. What should I do?!”

He Liting shook her head in exasperation, “You’re really something. You arranged to be picked up at 8:30 this morning, and you slept till now.”

“I...I was just too tired.” Zhao Yaqian’s voice was weak. She had a habit of sleeping in and was used to waking up around eight or nine due to her late work hours at the hair salon.

“Even 10 hours of sleep isn’t enough for you. I’m amazed.” He Liting sighed, “Well, hurry up and get ready. I have to leave for work. Don’t make him wait too long.”

“Help me with my hair, Ting Ting!” Zhao Yaqian pleaded, hugging her tightly and rubbing her face against He Liting's head. “Just 10 minutes, please?”

He Liting sighed helplessly, “Alright, alright. Hurry up and brush your teeth and wash your face.”

“Thank you, Ting Ting!” Zhao Yaqian quickly put on her slippers and rushed to the bathroom. She had taken a shower the night before, so a quick wash would suffice now.

Sitting at her vanity, Zhao Yaqian laid out her makeup products. He Liting prepared the straightener and curling iron, and they started working simultaneously. Full makeup was out of the question; they opted for a quick five-step routine.

After spraying her face with mist three times for hydration and applying a lip mask, she applied sunscreen. Using a primer instead of foundation to keep the makeup light, she evened out her skin tone. Her skin was good enough that a thin layer was sufficient. She used concealer for blemishes, followed by a flesh-colored powder to set the makeup. For her eyebrows, she used three shades of brow powder, starting with the darkest shade at the base and filling in, then using lighter shades for contouring. For her eyes, she used a single gray-toned shadow to keep it simple. She applied a medium-toned blush from her cheekbones to her nose for a healthy glow. Finally, she applied a matte milk tea-colored lip tint, blending and deepening it to give her lips a plump look.

In just 10 minutes, Zhao Yaqian had flawless, natural-looking makeup.

With her already fair and hydrated skin, she looked exquisite.

He Liting put down the curling iron and patted Zhao Yaqian's head, “I need to catch the 8:26 bus. Your room is a mess. Make sure to clean it when you have time.”

“Okay! Be careful on your way!” Zhao Yaqian replied casually, checking the time.

[8:20 AM]

Only 10 minutes left.

She opened her wardrobe, throwing out prepared clothes piece by piece. Underwear, white socks, denim mini-skirt, apricot base layer, pink sun protection jacket. Although they were inexpensive, they looked particularly beautiful and sexy on her.

She embodied a sweet and cool spring vibe.

Finally, she slipped on a pair of light-colored platform shoes.

Standing in front of the living room mirror, she twirled, letting her silky hair cascade. Her big eyes blinked, fully immersed in her own beauty.

As expected, just a little effort was enough to reach the pinnacle of this tier.

My programmer friend, Zhao Beauty really didn't mean to brush you off!

“Ding-dong ding-dong—” Her phone rang.

Zhao Yaqian perked up and quickly answered.

“Hello, Brother Song. Yes, I’m ready and just waiting for your call! Coming down now!”

“Bang!” The door slammed shut.

“Tap tap tap—” Her quick footsteps echoed.

She pushed open the main entrance, stepping into the clear, bright 8:30 AM sunlight.

A white Wuling Hongguang parked outside, looking clean and refreshing. Tang Song stood by the car, waving at her with a smile.

Following Yaoyao Ling’s advice, Tang Song sincerely praised her, “Ms. Zhao, your eye makeup is so layered today, and your lipstick shade suits your outfit perfectly. Your curls have such a nice texture; I can tell you put a lot of effort into it.”

Zhao Yaqian’s expression froze momentarily, her face flushing as she looked away, “Thank you. I got up early and spent a lot of time on it.”

Seeing her shy reaction, Tang Song mentally praised Yaoyao Ling, truly an expert!

“Shall we get going, Ms. Zhao? Let’s start our road trip.” Tang Song patted his car affectionately.

Zhao Yaqian walked to the car, curiously inspecting it, “This is a Wuling Hongguang? It looks like it can carry a lot.”

Tang Song chuckled, “Wuling Hongguang S, just bought it a few days ago. If you ever need to transport equipment for the beauty salon, just let me know, and we can fit everything in one trip.”

“You bought this car?” Zhao Yaqian asked in surprise.

“Of course, just transferred ownership on Monday.”

Hearing this, Zhao Yaqian's eyes lit up, and she eagerly circled the car, “The stickers are so cute, and the car is really nice. I’ve seen the Hongguang Mini EV on TikTok and thought about getting one when I can afford it.” Fresh chapters posted on novel·fire.net

Tang Song opened the passenger door and winked, “Let’s get started. Hop in and experience it.”

“Alright!” Zhao Yaqian flashed a bright smile and bent down to get in.

The sight of her white thighs between her denim mini-skirt and socks caught Tang Song’s eye. Her slim waist and ample chest created perfect curves.

Tang Song’s nose twitched as he glanced at her outfit, wondering what she wore underneath.

After they settled in, Zhao Yaqian touched everything with curiosity, her eyes wide with wonder, “The interior is beautiful, and it’s really comfortable. Did you customize it, Brother Song?”

“It’s a second-hand car. The previous owner, a girl, customized it.”

“Then you got a great deal! It’s like buying a second-hand house with renovations!” Zhao Yaqian didn’t know much about cars but felt the Wuling’s interior was pretty.

“We’ll head to Hanbi Park first, which is about a 50-minute drive.” Tang Song pointed to the glove compartment, “There are some snacks for you in there, and there are drinks in the door storage. Should be enough for the trip.”

Zhao Yaqian’s eyes sparkled as she opened the compartment, “Wow! Popcorn, crispy chips, cookies, and king-sized sausages! And my favorite lime juice! Brother Song, you’re my hero!”