Chapter 92: First Update

Chapter 92: First Update

"I mean it literally." Qin Yao lifted her chin, wondering why they were fighting over someone like Xu Lu, as if he was worth all the fuss.

Lan Baiyu’s eyes widened in shock. "You’re calling Xu Lu a pig!"

She wasn’t sure if Qin Yao was complimenting or insulting Xu Lu. Back then, pork was one of the most expensive meats, second only to chicken.

Her face flushed with embarrassment. Qin Yao’s phrase "driving up the price of pork" was both sharp and accurate. But Lan Baiyu couldn’t believe that Qin Yao wasn’t infatuated with Xu Lu.

No woman could resist Xu Lu’s charm.

"You don’t like pork?" Lan Baiyu asked in the broadcasting tone of their era.

Qin Yao was taken aback: "..."

Qin Yao was taken aback. Lan Baiyu was feeling rather smug. Qin Yao didn’t understand the current market; in her upbringing, pork was cheap, but in the sixties and seventies, everyone craved pork.

Pork was equivalent to a "prized item."

To Lan Baiyu, comparing Xu Lu to a pig wasn’t an insult—it was a backhanded compliment.

Coming to her senses, Qin Yao said, "Well, I’d have to pick a handsome pig."

"That pig would also have to be wholeheartedly devoted to me. I don’t want a pig that betrays me."

Lan Baiyu’s expression became strange: "..."

She couldn’t continue the conversation with Qin Yao. This back-and-forth of comparing Xu Lu to a pig was too much. Qin Yao even sarcastically called Xu Lu a "treacherous pig."

"Xu Lu is the best-looking man in our cultural center. If he isn’t considered handsome, then are all the other men just specimens or mummies?"

Qin Yao analyzed honestly, "I won’t even mention others. Don’t you think the young photographer Tang Runjie, who takes Xu Lu’s photos, looks better? He just doesn’t know how to dress well."

"Tang Runjie? Are you serious, Qin Yao? What kind of taste do you have?" Lan Baiyu’s expression became difficult to describe.

Xu Lu loved having his photos taken and went on outdoor shoots almost every week. The thin and scruffy Tang Runjie was Xu Lu’s assistant photographer, with messy hair, always keeping his head down and speaking softly.

Qin Yao curled her lips into a smile. "Don’t believe me? Want to make a bet?"

Qin Yao didn’t intend to stir things up, but now that she was annoyed, she might as well make the situation messier.

What if the self-absorbed peacock’s sidekick suddenly started shining?

In her past life, Qin Yao had been an editor, but due to her work, she often had to look at various fashion magazines. Her taste was unique, her sense of aesthetics was excellent, and she was good at designing styles for others.

This time, she would show the people of the seventies what a male makeover looked like.

Lan Baiyu became interested. "Alright, what are you going to do?"

Qin Yao and Lan Baiyu called the shy and introverted Tang Runjie over. Dressed in yellowed, old clothes, Tang Runjie kept his head down, his hair messy, and his voice soft. "Do you need a photoshoot?"

His hoarse voice barely reached them as he avoided eye contact. He had a skill for photography and usually loved taking pictures of scenery. He didn’t enjoy photographing people, but if someone begged him, he wouldn’t refuse.

This was how he became Xu Lu’s "exclusive photographer."

It wasn’t that Tang Runjie didn’t have money; he just didn’t want to spend it on himself. Most of his money went towards buying camera films, and the rest was saved, dreaming of purchasing a better camera.

Both Qin Yao and Lan Baiyu were considered great beauties in the cultural center. Tang Runjie didn’t dare talk much to them, and when he did, he deflated quickly, keeping his head down and staring at his toes.

"Little Tang, go get a haircut. It's too long and it's blocking your eyes." Qin Yao was really bothered by the fact that men of this era had a lot of hair that was often left to grow long, probably to save on haircut costs.

Someone like Xu Lu went a step further, using hair oil and gel to style his hair.

Qin Yao and Lan Baiyu took Tang Runjie to get a haircut. Little Tang didn’t dare to protest, keeping his head low. When they arrived at the barber shop, Qin Yao instructed the barber to give Tang Runjie a clean and tidy haircut that fit snugly around his face, with a slight wispy bang that didn’t cover his forehead, resembling a neat, schoolgirl-style cut, fully exposing Tang Runjie's face.

While Tang Runjie was getting his haircut, Lan Baiyu's eyes widened in surprise. She noticed that Little Tang had very refined features, a full forehead, and a smooth facial structure. Without all the messy hair, his entire forehead and chin were revealed.

What a fresh and handsome young man, with a demeanor that made him seem almost well-behaved. Tang Runjie, who was usually quiet and shy, preferred to hide behind his hair. Now that everything was exposed, he sat there uneasily, head lowered.

"What do you think?" Qin Yao winked at Lan Baiyu. Anyone with eyes could see how good Tang Runjie's features were, far superior to Xu Lu's.

Lan Baiyu was silent for several seconds, her mind conflicted. She believed that Xu Lu's charm wasn't just about his looks, but the impact of seeing Tang Runjie in front of her couldn't be ignored.

This Little Tang was actually quite handsome?

"He, he... how did you notice him?" Lan Baiyu began to doubt her own eyes. Had her sense of beauty been off all this time? Had she lacked the ability to see true beauty?

How had she never noticed that the shy photographer by Xu Lu's side was actually quite handsome?

"I saw it with my eyes." Qin Yao pointed at her eyes. Of course, this was a casual response to Lan Baiyu. Actually, Qin Yao had noticed Tang Runjie because he resembled "Little Gu" from their first meeting.

He could be considered a simpler version of Little Gu.

Compared to "Little Gu," Tang Runjie was still a bit rough around the edges, with less dense eyelashes, a less defined nose, and thicker lips that gave off a somewhat rustic air.

Thinking of this, Qin Yao missed the long-unseen Little Gu. Recently, it had always been Captain Gu appearing, but the memory of Little Gu, with his bright, clean-cut smile, remained in her heart.

While Tang Runjie’s shy and reserved nature lacked some of Little Gu’s brightness, it was still incredibly endearing.

Compared to Gu Cheng, the "big shark," Tang Runjie was a harmless little goldfish.

Every time she saw Tang Runjie, Qin Yao was reminded of Little Gu, tugging at her heartstrings.

She really loved Little Gu!

Qin Yao had thought that, for her now, whether it was Little Gu or Captain Gu, they were the same person, the father of her child, with no essential difference.

But in fact, she was wrong. Little Gu would always be the white moonlight in her heart.

The next day, when Tang Runjie came to work in a brand new white shirt, looking clean and fresh, everyone in the cultural center was stunned, including the middle-aged men and women.

Unbelievably, right before their eyes, an ugly duckling had quietly turned into a swan.

"You, are you Little Tang?"

"How did we never notice you were quite handsome!"

...

Tang Runjie was surrounded by a group of aunties from the cultural center. His shy and harmless expression made the aunties all dote on him. Oh my, like a little chick, so lovable.

With his clean and refreshing appearance and harmless temperament, even the most critical person had to praise him. His shy nature made him blush easily, even at the slightest teasing, making him the new favorite of the aunties in the cultural center.

Tang Runjie was taken aback by all the attention. Even Lan Baiyu couldn't resist teasing him a little.

"Little Tang, do you have time to snap some photos for us?"

"A few of us sisters are going on an outing in a few days. How about you join us and take some pictures?"

Everyone at the cultural center knew that Tang Runjie was an excellent photographer. The aunts loved calling him over to take photos, especially since it gave them a chance to admire a handsome young man. Who wouldn’t enjoy that?

When Xu Lu saw how much Tang Runjie had changed, his face turned green with jealousy. The former green leaf who had once accompanied him was now outshining him.

“Little Tang, why have you changed so much?”

“Comrade Lan and Comrade Qin said my hair was too long and asked me to cut it.” Tang Runjie scratched his head innocently.

“Sister Chen and the others told me I should start taking better care of my appearance. Brother Xu, this snow cream was given to me by Sister He. Is it really good for my face?”

Xu Lu could barely maintain his composure. Inwardly, he cursed, never expecting that Tang Runjie would turn out to be such a scheming man!

“Young Xu, you should learn to take photos too. Take more pictures of Little Tang. He’s so good-looking; it’d be a waste not to get some shots. Our cultural center has gained a new star.”

……

Hearing these words, Xu Lu felt his heart sink. He was too preoccupied to care about Qin Yao now; he had to find a way to reclaim the spotlight and prevent Tang Runjie from outshining him.

Xu Lu decided to dress up, planning to wear a trendy floral polyester shirt to work.

Around this time, middle school teacher Cui Ying came to the cultural center to visit Xu Lu. Upon arrival, she still headed to see Comrade Lan Baiyu first. The two greeted each other excitedly, maintaining their superficial friendship.

Cui Ying twirled her braid and asked, “Where’s Xu Lu?”

“Isn’t he with Little Tang? They’re always together like peas in a pod. I made a new dress; can I ask Little Tang to take a photo for me?”

On the surface, Cui Ying was looking for Little Tang, but in reality, she just wanted to spend more time with Xu Lu and chat with him.

Lan Baiyu’s expression turned strange. “Then you won’t get a chance.”

Cui Ying froze. “!”

“Little Tang is very busy now. If you want photos, ask Xu Lu to take them for you.”

Cui Ying was puzzled. “Ah!?”

“Go see Little Tang for yourself. He’s in high demand now. Many older women are vying to set him up with potential matches.”

Compared to Little Tang, Xu Lu, who already had a partner, had become old news.

When Cui Ying saw Tang Runjie, she was shocked. “This is Little Tang?”

“Yes.”

“He looks quite charming when he’s shy!” Cui Ying’s eyes sparkled. Unlike Lan Baiyu, Cui Ying enjoyed spending time with Xu Lu because he was good-looking and knew how to handle social situations, which fed her vanity. However, she had never considered dating Xu Lu. After all, Xu Lu already had a partner, and she had a respectable job as a middle school teacher. She didn’t want to ruin her reputation.

Seeing Tang Runjie’s clean-cut charm and how easily he blushed, she found herself instantly drawn to him. Compared to Xu Lu, who was already taken, the single and pure Tang Runjie was a more suitable marriage candidate. And to top it off, he could take photos! Becoming his wife would surely make many women envious.

Thinking of this, Cui Ying immediately forgot about Xu Lu and eagerly approached Tang Runjie. “Little Tang, do you remember me? I’m Cui Ying, Teacher Cui…”

Seeing Cui Ying’s reaction, Lan Baiyu was stunned. Even though everyone now found Tang Runjie more handsome, Lan Baiyu remained loyal to Xu Lu.

She and Cui Ying were fake friends. Before this, her source of joy in life was competing with Cui Ying over Xu Lu, feeling jealous and bitter.

Now that Cui Ying was no longer competing for Xu Lu, she felt an inexplicable sense of loss. Looking back, she realized that Xu Lu, whom they had once fought over, wasn’t as appealing as she had thought.

——Everything tastes better when you have to compete for it.

With her rationality returning, Lan Baiyu began to question why she had been so fixated on Xu Lu, a man who already had a partner, despite being so beautiful herself.

……Even if she were with Xu Lu now, Cui Ying wouldn’t even feel a hint of jealousy.

What would be the point of that?

Lan Baiyu felt as deflated as a frost-bitten eggplant, completely losing interest. Tang Runjie was attractive, but not her type. Without Cui Ying to compete for him, Xu Lu didn’t seem as appealing anymore.

Lan Baiyu was struck and felt down. Jia Hui and Cui Ying preferred to chat with Little Tang, and everyone wanted to schedule a photoshoot with him. Xu Lu’s usual group of friends quickly dispersed.

Qin Yao had successfully kept a low profile, and no more rumors were circulating about her.

The only downside was that Little Tang was incredibly easy to embarrass. At the cultural center, he’d frequently blush when teased by the older ladies, which made Qin Yao curious and a little mischievous. A mischievous idea popped into her head:

——She wanted to see Little Gu blush and squirm!