The two of them grabbed their cameras and left the department store, then eagerly loaded the film and started taking pictures.

Lin Chen becomes a photographer and takes pictures of Jiang Ning.

"Turn your head a little to the left," Lin Chen instructed while filming.

Beside the silver-clad willows, Jiang Ning, dressed in a red cotton-padded jacket, stood out conspicuously.

In Lin Chen's eyes, every smile and frown of hers was beautiful, like a fairy who had fallen to earth, vivid and lively.

They were located on the riverbank in the county town, where half of the river was covered by snow, with only a thin stream flowing through the middle.

At this temperature, it will freeze in a few days.

Time flew by, and around noon, the two composed themselves and went arm in arm to the state-run restaurant.

Not many people are out and about these days, so the restaurants are mostly empty.

The two found a place to sit down, and soon Song Jia came over with a young and handsome man.

The man was at least 1.8 meters tall, only slightly shorter than Lin Chen. He had a rugged face, deep-set features, and a somewhat dignified air about him. He was around 27 or 28 years old.

When Song Jia introduced him as her boyfriend He Xiao, Jiang Ning was stunned.

This is the so-called "older man" she hesitated to marry.

They are indeed seven years apart, but that doesn't mean they're old!

Moreover, he became the deputy factory director at such a young age, and he's also so tall and handsome; quite a few girls must like him.

She felt like Song Jia was in Versailles.

When ordering food, Jiang Ning said that she had come to ask for a favor, so she should treat everyone.

He Xiao smiled and said "Okay," his voice a pleasant baritone.

Jiang Ning felt that Song Jia and he were a perfect match, and it would be an injustice if they weren't together.

During the meal, He Xiao told Jiang Ning that he had already communicated with several departments by phone and contacted the cotton station staff. There shouldn't be any major problem transferring a ton of cotton from the warehouse.

Moreover, he has entrusted the labor union to organize fundraising, asking employees to donate their unused cotton-padded coats.

Jiang Ning raised an eyebrow at Song Jia in surprise: "Your boyfriend is amazing. We thank you on behalf of Chayuan Village."

She then offered a toast to the two of them, using tea instead of wine.

He Xiao said with a slight smile, "It's rare for Jiajia to ask, so I will definitely try my best to accommodate her. Her friends are my friends, and we can sit together more often in the future."

After he finished speaking, he glanced at Song Jia silently, with a hint of tenderness in his eyes.

Song Jia, however, was eating her food without a care in the world, her eyes clear and bright.

Jiang Ning spent 10.6 yuan on the meal, which she felt was well worth it. She got a receipt from the restaurant and planned to ask Secretary Lin for reimbursement.

This could be considered a business trip paid for by her.

After the meal, He Xiao suggested going for a walk to aid digestion.

The four of them strolled to the riverbank in the city and took a walk along the river.

At first, Jiang Ning and Song Jia walked ahead, chatting about gossip, while Lin Chen and He Xiao walked behind, talking about the weather.

Later, Jiang Ning took Lin Chen away, leaving Song Jia and He Xiao alone.

"I'm having a great chat with He Xiao, where are we going?"

Lin Chen looked puzzled.

That's how men are; once they get into a lively conversation, they lose all sense of propriety.

Clearly, He Xiao did this big thing for them entirely to please Song Jia!

After Jiang Ning walked away, Song Jia said with a smile, "I didn't expect you to be so eloquent. You're usually so quiet."

He Xiao looked down at her: "You and your friend seem to be getting along quite well."

Suddenly, two children playing around ran past, almost tripping Song Jia. He Xiao took the opportunity to support her waist and then, to prevent her from slipping, took her hand.

Song Jia's small hands were enveloped by his large hands, and she immediately felt a warmth.

This was the first time he had ever held her hand.

He had asked her out to the movies or for a walk many times before, but she always declined, citing other commitments.

She did go to his office twice, both times because of Jiang Ning. She asked him for help and she said it with such confidence.

But he always did his best to handle it.

"When I think back to the first time we met, you barely said a few words. I even suspected that my dad had the wrong job title for you."

Song Jia continued.

They met through a matchmaker. Her father saw that He Xiao had a good position and a good reputation, so he insisted that Song Jia must date him, or he would bring up her deceased mother.

Their first meeting was at a restaurant, with the matchmaker constantly trying to set them up. He Xiao just lowered his eyes shyly, glancing at her every now and then, looking as innocent as a teenage boy.

He Xiao pursed his lips, but his thoughts drifted back to their first real meeting.

It was a sunny afternoon. He Xiao had just been promoted to deputy factory director, and the personnel department asked him to submit a two-inch photo, so he went to the photo studio to have his picture taken.

Just as the curator was posing him for a photo, a girl rushed in and said, disregarding everything else:

"Dad, where did I put my red dress? I can't find it. I was going to wear it to the factory's singing competition."

The curator told her it was in the cabinet by the bed, and she pouted, saying that was the only place she hadn't looked.

That day, she wore a white shirt and black pants, with two loose braids hanging down her chest. It was an ordinary outfit, but it gave people a refreshing feeling.

He was slightly disappointed after she turned and left.

Unexpectedly, a few seconds later, she ran over again with a flushed face, saying that she couldn't find her pair of white shoes either.

The curator could only sigh and say, "Oh dear, can you let me finish taking this photo first?"

She stuck out her tongue and waited obediently to the side, fiddling with her braids.

Because he was nervous, it took him a long time to take that photo.

Later, he went to the photo studio to take pictures several times and learned that her name was Song Jia and that they worked in the same factory.

Later, he asked his family to find a matchmaker, and the two naturally started dating.

I don't know why, but when he's with other people, he talks very naturally. But when he's with her, he has that feeling of wanting to get close to her but also being nervous.

Recalling these memories, He Xiao smiled and said, "We can go out more often in the future, so you can get to know me better."

Upon hearing this, Song Jia's ears turned slightly red, and she said something unpleasant, "Don't you have to go to work this afternoon?"

"I took two hours off to go see a movie."

He Xiao smiled.

"But I didn't ask for leave," Song Jia continued to disappoint.

He Xiao stopped in his tracks, put his hand on her shoulder, and looked at her with a smile: "You think I'm more attractive when I'm at work?"

At that moment, his gaze drifted past her shoulder and was drawn to a couple under a willow tree not far away.

Jiang Ning and Lin Chen, using the willow tree as cover, embraced and kissed.

He Xiao quickly covered Song Jia's eyes with his large hand to prevent her from seeing.

The more he tried to stop her from looking, the more curious she became. She pried his hand away and followed his gaze. From this angle, she could see their lips intertwined.

She quickly closed her eyes and threw herself into He Xiao's arms...