Two days after submitting their relationship report, as expected, Liu Li and Fu Jingchen received notices from the factory's labor union and youth league respectively, asking them to come over for a "talk".

This was almost an essential step for young employees in that era after establishing a romantic relationship, carrying a strong characteristic of the time. The purpose was to understand the foundation of the relationship, emphasize "mutual progress," and remind them to manage the relationship between work and life effectively.

Liu Li first went to the factory's labor union. The person in charge of the interview was the women's director of the labor union, a middle-aged female cadre surnamed Zhou, with a kind face and a soft voice. She poured Liu Li a cup of hot water and started chatting in a friendly tone.

"Comrade Liu Li, we are all happy for you after seeing your and Comrade Fu Jingchen's reports," Director Zhou said with a smile. "You are both key members of the factory. It's great that you young people have ideas and drive. The organization is mainly concerned about how you met and what aspects of each other you find attractive." The questions seemed casual, but they were actually an examination of whether the motivation for the relationship was legitimate and whether the relationship was stable.

Liu Li was prepared and answered frankly and honestly: "Director Zhou, we mainly have more contact at work. We have technical exchanges since I was an apprentice in the workshop. Later, we worked together in the department's project team to tackle problems. He has a solid theoretical foundation, while I have more practical experience. We solved many problems by working together. I think he is serious, hardworking, and insightful. We can learn from each other when we are together."

She didn't mention any factors considered "superficial" such as appearance or family background, and focused entirely on "work" and "progress," which was both realistic and aligned with mainstream values.

Director Zhou nodded in satisfaction and then added a few more words of advice: "It's good to help each other at work, but you should also be mindful of the impact and not bring your personal emotions into your work. In life, you should care for each other and share burdens. You are all young and have a long road ahead of you. You should work together to strive to make greater contributions to the factory."

Liu Li replied earnestly, "Thank you for your concern, Director. We will remember it."

Meanwhile, in the Youth League Committee office, Fu Jingchen was facing the Youth League Committee Secretary, a young cadre surnamed Sun who was a demobilized soldier and spoke more directly.

"Comrade Fu Jingchen, you must have carefully considered establishing a relationship with Comrade Liu Li, right?" Secretary Sun asked bluntly.

“Yes, Secretary Sun. We’ve known each other for quite some time and have a fairly deep understanding of each other,” Fu Jingchen pushed up his glasses and answered in a measured tone.

"Comrade Liu Li is a technician who rose through the ranks from a worker's position. She has a good foundation among the masses and an excellent work ethic. You, on the other hand, are a technical backbone with a college degree. Your union is a good example of combining knowledge with labor!" Secretary Sun's words were encouraging, but also contained a hint of reminder. "I hope you can leverage your respective strengths, not only in your personal lives, but also in technological innovation and production tasks, to play an exemplary role. Be careful not to neglect your political studies and professional development just because you're dating."

"Please rest assured, we will prioritize our work and career, encourage each other, and improve together." Fu Jingchen's reply was as meticulous as if he were making a technical assurance.

The conversations were brief and the atmosphere was relatively relaxed. Both the mild-mannered Director Zhou and the direct Secretary Sun conveyed the same core message: support and encouragement, but also a requirement that they "progress together" and not let their romantic relationships affect their work.

After leaving the union and youth league offices, the two met at the agreed location and glanced at each other.

"Director Zhou was very kind; he just told us to work together to make progress and to be mindful of our impact," Liu Li summarized simply.

"Secretary Sun's meaning is similar, emphasizing the need to play an exemplary role," Fu Jingchen said succinctly.

Both understood that this procedural conversation meant their relationship had been formally acknowledged and implicitly approved by the organization. An invisible, regulated constraint and protection were thus established. They were no longer merely independent individuals, but rather "revolutionary partners" brought into the organization's view, expected to produce a "one plus one is greater than two" effect.

This feeling of being incorporated into the system, while lacking some of the intimate romance, carries a greater sense of historical weight and responsibility. It demands that their emotions be closely linked to the cause they are striving for, and that they be immersed together in the torrent of dedication to the country and the collective.

“Let’s go,” Fu Jingchen glanced at the sky. “The manuals for the new equipment at the technology center still need to be translated.”

"Mm." Liu Li nodded.

The conversation ended, and life and work remained the same, except now they had a partner who had been "registered" with the organization and could openly walk alongside them. With a clear path ahead and well-defined goals, they continued to move forward, keeping pace with the times.