In the early winter evening, darkness fell early, and the north wind carried a biting chill on her face. After work, Liu Li went back to her dormitory to change out of her oil-smelling work clothes and put on her old, slightly worn navy blue wool coat, which she had bought with part of her bonus after her first promotion. She rarely wore it. She carefully tidied her hair in front of the small mirror in her dormitory. Her reflection showed bright eyes, tinged with a barely perceptible nervousness.

Fu Jingchen waited downstairs at the female workers' dormitory. He had also changed out of his work clothes and was wearing a gray Chinese-style stand-up collar cotton jacket and a dark scarf, which made him look more scholarly than usual. When he saw Liu Li come down, he quickly stepped forward to greet her, his gaze lingering on her for a moment, his eyes behind his glasses filled with a gentle smile: "Very beautiful."

Liu Li pursed her lips slightly, suppressing her slight unease, and nodded: "Let's go."

The meeting place was set at a state-run restaurant not far from the factory area. This was suggested by Fu Jingchen's parents, who were taking advantage of their business trip to stay there for one night. Since they were short on time, they chose a compromise location. The restaurant had a small storefront, but it was brightly lit inside, noisy with people, and filled with the aroma of food and the clatter of dishes.

Fu Jingchen led Liu Li to a private booth by the window. A middle-aged couple was already seated there. The man, dressed in a dark Zhongshan suit and wearing glasses, had a lean face and a composed demeanor; he was Fu Jingchen's father, Fu Mingyuan. The woman beside him wore a well-tailored dark purple cotton-padded jacket, a plain silk scarf around her neck, and her hair was meticulously combed. Her face still hinted at her youthful beauty, but her eyes held a scrutinizing quality characteristic of an intellectual woman. She was Fu Jingchen's mother, Lin Jingshu.

"Dad, Mom, this is Liu Li," Fu Jingchen introduced, his tone as usual, but the slightly tense shoulder line betrayed his nervousness.

"Hello, Uncle. Hello, Auntie." Liu Li stepped forward, bowed slightly, and greeted them politely, her voice clear and neither humble nor arrogant.

Fu Mingyuan stood up, a warm smile on his face, and extended his hand: "Comrade Liu Li, hello. I often hear Jing Chen mention you, saying that you have strong technical skills and have made outstanding contributions to projects in the factory and the ministry." His handshake was firm and brief, and his words went straight to work, showing the pragmatism of a scientific researcher.

"Uncle Fu, you flatter me. I just did what I was supposed to do, and there's still a lot to learn," Liu Li said, shaking his hand with a humble and appropriate response.

Lin Jingshu also stood up, her smile polite and standard, yet carrying a sense of distance: "Comrade Liu Li, hello, please sit down, don't stand." Her gaze swept over Liu Li quickly and meticulously, from her clothes to her demeanor, finally settling on Liu Li's hands, which, even after careful washing, still showed faint traces of roughness at the knuckles. Her eyes flickered almost imperceptibly.

The four of them took their seats. Fu Jingchen naturally sat down next to Liu Li.

When the waiter came over to take our order, Fu Mingyuan pushed the menu in front of Liu Li first: "Comrade Liu Li, take a look and see what you like to eat, don't be shy."

Liu Li didn't refuse or hesitate. She quickly and politely ordered a simple tofu dish and handed the menu back to Fu Mingyuan, saying, "Uncle and Aunt, you can order whatever you like. I'm fine with anything."

After ordering, there was a moment of silence. Lin Jingshu picked up her teacup, blew on it gently, and spoke casually, her voice gentle but her question direct: "I heard from Jingchen that Comrade Liu Li's family is local? Are her parents in good health? How many siblings does she have?" This was a typical opening line to find out about the other person's family background.

Liu Li sat upright with her hands on her knees, answering clearly and frankly: "Yes, Auntie, my home is in this city. My parents are both in good health. My father is a security guard at the Third Cotton Mill, and my mother works as a temporary worker at a cardboard box factory in the neighborhood. I also have a younger brother who is in junior high school." She made no attempt to hide anything and told the truth.

Lin Jingshu nodded, her smile unchanged. She didn't press further about her family situation, but instead asked, "So, after graduating from high school, how did you decide to become a worker in a machine factory? It must be very hard for a girl to do this, right?" Her words were filled with concern, but also with a hint of inquiry into her career choice.

“At that time, the policy required that those who stayed in the city needed to work. Fortunately, the Hongxing Factory was recruiting, and I passed the exam.” Liu Li said calmly, “It was a bit hard, but you get used to it. Besides, I feel a great sense of accomplishment when I can make qualified parts with my own hands and see the machines running.” She did not deliberately emphasize her struggles, but simply stated them in a plain manner, with the last sentence filled with sincere emotion.

Upon hearing this, Fu Mingyuan interjected, clearly more interested in the technical topic: "A sense of accomplishment is very important. Jing Chen mentioned in his letter that your ideas on thin-walled parts processing and that dynamic balancing device are ingenious and have solved many practical problems. This kind of innovation that originates from the production line is extremely valuable." He steered the conversation toward a technical field where both parties could engage in in-depth discussions.

When the topic turned to technology, Liu Li's eyes lit up noticeably, and her earlier nervousness dissipated considerably. She briefly described the problems she encountered and her solutions, using concise language and clear logic, without any empty boasting.

Fu Mingyuan listened attentively, nodding frequently, occasionally asking a key question or two, which Liu Li always answered with practical examples. Fu Jingchen added theoretical explanations as needed, and the conversation between the three gradually became smoother and the atmosphere more lively.

Lin Jingshu listened quietly most of the time, occasionally putting a piece of food on Liu Li's plate and saying, "Don't just talk, eat more." Her gaze lingered longer on Liu Li's confident and focused face as she talked about her skills. The initial scrutiny seemed to slowly melt away in the natural and tacit technical exchange between her son and the girl in front of her, and in the undisguised passion the girl showed when talking about her job.

After the dinner, Fu Mingyuan and Lin Jingshu had to catch their evening train back to the guesthouse. At the restaurant entrance, Fu Mingyuan shook hands with Liu Li again, his tone affirmative: "Comrade Liu Li, it's a pleasure to meet you. Keep up the good work; young people like you have a bright future ahead of them."

Lin Jingshu smiled and said to Liu Li, "Thank you for your time. You and Jingchen can come to my home in Beijing sometime." This invitation was warmer than the previous polite ones.

Watching Fu Jingchen's parents board the departing bus, Liu Li breathed a sigh of relief. Fu Jingchen looked at her, his eyes questioning.

“Your father is very talkative, especially when he talks about technology,” Liu Li said with a smile. She sensed Lin Jingshu's initial scrutiny, but wasn't particularly bothered by it. She believed that sincerity and personal ability were the best guarantees.

“My mom… she’s rather cautious,” Fu Jingchen explained, his tone tinged with apology.

“I understand.” Liu Li nodded, the night breeze ruffling her hair. She looked at the twinkling lights in the distance, her tone calm yet firm. “It’s okay.”

The first meeting with the parents wasn't particularly warm or intimate, but it went smoothly overall, marking the first step in gaining their approval. This was undoubtedly a positive sign for her relationship with Fu Jingchen. The road ahead is long, but she's confident she can take it one step at a time.