Chapter 32: My Programmer Friend, I Really Wasn't Being Perfunctory!

April 19, 2023, Wednesday, Sunny to Cloudy, 18–27°C.

"Ring ring—ring ring—"

The alarm clock rang incessantly.

Drowsily, Zhao Yaqian reached out, fumbling around her pillow for a while before finally grabbing her phone.

The hazy dawn light was just beginning to break outside, leaving the room somewhat dim.

The faint glow from the phone screen illuminated her well-defined features.

Pressing the stop button casually, Zhao Yaqian kept her eyes half-closed, seemingly still immersed in her recent dream.

Soon, light snoring began.

As the morning sun gradually rose, the room grew brighter.

"Knock, knock, knock—" A knocking sound rang out.

After waiting for a while with no response, He Liting pushed the door open directly and saw the sleeping Zhao Yaqian.

Half-lying on the quilt, her long black hair was sprawled out, and one long, fair, shapely leg was exposed.

He Liting raised her eyebrows and said in surprise, "Qianqian, why aren't you up yet? I thought you were all packed. Aren't you going on a road trip with that programmer friend today?"

"Oh?" Zhao Yaqian rolled over, lifted her head, and said through bleary eyes, "What?"

"The road trip! Did you forget?"

Zhao Yaqian blinked her large eyes and checked the time.

【8:04】

"Ahhh!"

Zhao Yaqian snapped awake instantly, jumping straight out of bed. Her bare feet hit the floor as she ran her hands through her messy long hair.

"There are only 26 minutes left! I don't have time to get ready at all! What do I do!? What do I do!?"

He Liting said irritably, "You're so carefree. You promised him last night that he'd pick you up downstairs at 8:30, and you slept straight through until now."

"I... I... I was just too sleepy," Zhao Yaqian said weakly.

She had always had a habit of sleeping in, and since her shifts at the hair salon started relatively late, she was used to sleeping until eight or nine.

"Ten hours a day isn't enough for you. I'm truly speechless."

"No, I have to hurry and wash up and do my makeup. Tingzi, help me with my hair!"

He Liting curled her lip and shook her head. "I have to go to work too. If I'm late, I'll lose my perfect attendance bonus."

Zhao Yaqian lunged forward, hugging her tightly and rubbing her face against He Liting's head. "Ten minutes! Just ten minutes of your time, okay Sister Ting? I'm begging you."

"He's just an ordinary friend. Anyway, it's not like you want anything to happen with him, so just wing it."

Zhao Yaqian arched her brows and pleaded, "When going out with a guy, makeup and dressing up is the most basic form of respect. Sister Ting, once I get my paycheck, I'll definitely get you a nine-color eyeshadow palette."

He Liting sighed helplessly. "Hurry up and go brush your teeth and wash your face!"

"Mhm, mhm!" Zhao Yaqian nodded hurriedly, frantically putting on her slippers and running into the bathroom with her long legs.

Fortunately, she had just showered last night, so she only needed a quick wash now.

Sitting down at the vanity, Zhao Yaqian laid out her cosmetics. He Liting grabbed a straightener and a curling wand, and the two began working in sync.

A full face of makeup was definitely out of the question, so they went straight for a five-step "lazy version" daily look!

First, she sprayed three layers of facial mist to provide basic hydration and applied a lip mask.

After applying sunscreen, she used a primer instead of foundation to lighten the heavy feel and even out her skin tone; since her skin was excellent, a thin layer was all she needed.

She used concealer to touch up imperfections, and to ensure it didn't look obvious, she set it with a skin-toned powder.

For the eyebrows, she used a three-color brow powder, starting with the darkest shade to fill in the thickest parts of the hair and grooming them neatly, then using a lighter shade to refine the brow shape.

For the eye makeup, she used only a single eyeshadow—a grayish contour shade—because there was no time for multiple colors. She used a medium-toned blush, sweeping it from the cheekbones toward the nose to instantly brighten her complexion.

Finally, she applied a reddish milk-tea colored matte lip glaze, applying it thinly, blending it, and then adding depth to give her lips a plump, pouty look.

Ten minutes—it only took ten minutes!

Zhao Yaqian now wore a complete "no-makeup" makeup look.

Combined with her naturally fair and supple skin, she looked exquisite and beautiful.

He Liting put down the curling wand and gave her head a firm pat. "I have to catch the 8:26 bus. I'm off! Your room is a mess; remember to clean it up when you have time."

"Mhm! Be careful on the road!" Zhao Yaqian replied casually, then checked the time.

【8:20】

Ten minutes left.

She opened her wardrobe and tossed out her prepared clothes one by one.

Underwear, white calf-high socks, a denim mini skirt, an apricot-colored base layer, and a pink sun protection jacket.

Though they were inexpensive clothes, they looked exceptionally glamorous and sexy on her.

It gave off a "spring sweet-cool" vibe.

Finally, she stepped into a pair of light-colored sneakers.

Zhao Yaqian stood before the living room mirror, spun around, and brushed back her smooth long hair. Her large eyes blinked, completely entranced by her own beauty.

*As expected, even with just a slight effort, I'm already at the limit for this level.*

*My programmer friend, Beauty Zhao is really not being perfunctory! It's just an absolute necessity!*

"Ding-dong, ding-dong—" Her phone rang.

Zhao Yaqian perked up and quickly answered.

"Hello, Brother Song. Mm-hmm, I'm all ready, I was just waiting for your call! I'm coming downstairs right now!"

*Bang!* A loud door closing sound.

*Tap-tap-tap—* The sound of rapid footsteps.

Pushing open the building's main door, the 8:30 AM sunlight was clear and bright.

A white Wuling Hongguang was parked outside, looking clean and fresh.

Tang Song stood by the front of the car, waving to her with a smile.

Following Yao Yaoling's suggestion, she offered a sincere compliment: "Teacher Zhao, your eye makeup is so layered today, and your lipstick shade suits today's outfit perfectly. Your curls have such great texture; I can tell you prepared meticulously."

Zhao Yaqian's expression froze for a moment, and she looked away with a guilty blush. "Thank you. I got up very early and spent a long time on my makeup."

Seeing her shy reaction, Tang Song gave Yao Yaoling a mental thumbs-up. *She really is a pro!*

"Let's go, Teacher Zhao. Let's start today's road trip." Tang Song patted his beloved car.

Zhao Yaqian walked up to the car and looked at it curiously. "This is... a Wuling Hongguang? It looks like it can hold a lot."

Tang Song smiled and said, "A Wuling Hongguang S. I just bought it a couple of days ago. If you ever need to transport equipment for the beauty salon, Teacher Zhao, just say the word. I guarantee we can fit it all in one trip."

"You bought this car?" Zhao Yaqian asked in surprise.

"Of course. The ownership transfer just went through on Monday."

Hearing this, Zhao Yaqian's eyes lit up. She excitedly walked around the car in a circle. "This sticker is so cute, and the car is quite good too. Not bad at all. I saw the Hongguang miniEV on Douyin before and thought about buying one once I struck it rich."

Tang Song opened the passenger door and blinked. "We should get going. Get in and feel it for yourself."

"Alright!" Zhao Yaqian flashed a bright smile and leaned down to sit inside.

Between the denim skirt and the calf-high socks, her fair thighs looked smooth and radiant.

Her slender waist and high chest formed a perfect curve.

Tang Song's gaze swept over her outfit, and he felt a slight itch in his nose.

The clothes suited her perfectly, but he wondered how the inner layer looked.

Once they were settled, Zhao Yaqian poked around and looked everywhere, her eyes full of wonder. "The interior is so pretty! It's comfortable too. Brother Song, did you do some modifications?"

"It's a used car. The previous owner was a girl, and she did the mods."

"Then you really got a bargain! It's like buying a used house that's already fully renovated!" Zhao Yaqian didn't know much about cars; she just felt the Wuling's interior was very beautiful.

"We'll head to Hanbi Garden first this morning; it'll take about 50 minutes." Tang Song pointed to the passenger-side glove box. "I've prepared some snacks for you in there, and there are drinks in the door pocket on your right. That should be enough for the trip."

Zhao Yaqian's eyes brightened, and she quickly opened the glove box.

"Wow!"

"Popcorn, Crispy-Rise chips, cookies, and Wangzhongwang ham!"

"And my favorite lime juice!"

"Brother Song, you are my god!"

(End of Chapter)