Post-match kiss

Not far away, a young man with broad shoulders and a narrow waist raised his eyelids, and his eyes were dark and deep in the shadow of his brow.

His sweat-dampened hair clung to his temples as he raised his calloused hand and casually wiped away the sweat, a gesture brimming with wildness.

He had two tires on his shoulders, which were slightly heavy, but his feet didn't stop moving, as if he hadn't heard what Manager Li said.

"This kid really doesn't give Manager Li any face at all," someone chuckled quietly.

There were only a few people in this area, so even if they spoke softly, their voices couldn't be concealed, and Manager Li's expression changed instantly.

He strode over there, his large belly protruding.

However, the other party was carrying two tires and walked even faster, and Manager Li almost couldn't catch up.

"You...you brat...stop!" Manager Li stopped him, panting, his fingers waving incessantly as if he were about to suffocate.

After finally catching his breath, Manager Li flipped open Zhou Zheng's employee badge. "Zhou Zheng! I called you, didn't you hear me? Are you deaf?"

Zhou Zheng looked him up and down, glancing at his employee badge as well. "We're not in the same department, so what good could you possibly want from me?"

Manager Li's face was instantly humiliated, and he blushed deeply.

"You're just a handyman! If other departments have work for you, you have to do it, even if you don't like it!"

Zhou Zheng remained unfazed, instead giving him a bewildered look as he lashed out. "Yes, I'm the one doing odd jobs. Why don't you just get to the point and stop wasting time?"

Seeing his calm demeanor, Manager Li became even angrier and slapped a piece of paper onto his chest.

"Find the parts the customer needs within ten minutes!"

The auto parts factory's warehouse was large, and the employees were clearly assigned tasks. This job shouldn't have fallen to Zhou Zheng in the first place, but the group of veteran employees were happy to stir up trouble. They hid not far away to watch the show, openly glancing in this direction, waiting to see him make a fool of himself.

"Ten minutes? Even if you give them that, they can't do it." Zhou Zheng glanced at the few veteran employees.

Manager Li scoffed, "Never mind others, this menial work is your job! A casual worker expecting the treatment of a long-term employee? You don't want today's pay?"

Zhou Zheng stared at him for a good ten seconds, until Manager Li felt uneasy, before finally chuckling and nodding, "Okay. Wait."

The thin piece of paper listed many parts, and Zhou Zheng could roughly tell their locations with a glance. Ten minutes was a tight schedule, and he couldn't afford to stop for a moment.

He put the paper in his pocket, first unloaded the tire from his shoulder onto the car, and then began to look for the parts scattered in various areas.

The warehouse was large, so he had to run around to avoid wasting his time. He still needed to visit his grandfather after get off work and didn't want to be delayed by this trivial matter.

Manager Li hadn't told him beforehand that some parts were out of stock. When he saw a card indicating that the parts were being restocked lying in the empty basket, he clenched his teeth even tighter.

When he finished gathering most of the parts and placed them in front of Manager Li, Manager Li was arrogantly timing him with a stopwatch. "Nine minutes and forty-seven seconds, you're fast!"

Zhou Zheng wiped the sweat from his brow and onto his trouser leg, panting slightly. "I haven't finished moving the tires yet."

"Take your things." Manager Li waved his hand graciously, then walked away with a hint of disdain. "You smell like engine oil. Remember to wash yourself off after get off work, or you won't be able to find a girlfriend."

Zhou Zheng frowned, said nothing, and stood there with his hands on his hips, staring at the old employees.

Feeling guilty, the veteran employees whistled as they returned to their posts.

Manager Li reappeared in front of that clear French window. Zhou Zheng didn't leave; he just stood there, watching him fawn over the customer.

Suddenly, his eyes widened.

The customer's clothes looked familiar; I had just seen him today.

Su Jin sat on the sofa with her back to him, her hair piled up to reveal her swan-like neck. Her gentle profile was exquisitely beautiful under the light, and her red lips opened and closed as she spoke.

She wasn't wearing that flamboyant beach dress, nor did she have any particularly elaborate makeup, but Su Jin still exuded an attractive natural charm—the confidence that only a privileged family could cultivate.

Separated only by a glass pane, Zhou Zheng glanced down at his filthy hands. His clothes were patchy with black and white stains, and some wall dust, which he didn't know where it had come from, was stuck to his cuffs, leaving a red mark on his arm.

Su Jin and Manager Li were discussing picking up the parts when suddenly Su Jin felt a tightness on her back, as if she had sensed someone's gaze, and she turned around gracefully.

However, she only caught a fleeting glimpse of dark gray and couldn't make out the person clearly.

"What's wrong, Miss? Is your neck bothering you?" Manager Li asked, touching his neck.

Su Jin turned around and subconsciously touched her forehead. "No, I just wanted to take a look at your warehouse. It's quite unique; it's even open to customers."

"Of course, our warehouse..." Manager Li was about to continue his introduction when Su Jin couldn't help but raise her hand, palm facing him, and paused.

Su Jin took a deep breath, smiled, and said, "Thank you for the introduction. I forgot to turn off the gas at home, so I have to go now."

Next time we meet, I hope you won't call me "Miss" anymore. It's really... disgusting.

Manager Li's enigmatic smile crumbled, and he awkwardly scratched his face. "Take care..."

Su Jin took the parts back to the tavern's garage, picked up the tools next to her, and began to disassemble the car, preparing to give it a full overhaul.

The small garage was equipped with all sorts of tools; it was quite well-equipped. Once Su Jin got used to where the tools were, she found them easy to use.

She was so engrossed in dismantling the car that she forgot about time. She spent the entire afternoon clanging and banging away before finally finishing the basic work.

When Zhou Zheng returned, he heard strange noises from the garage and thought a thief had broken in. But when he went to the garage with a broom to check, he found that Su Jin was dismantling the car.

Tu Ying peeked out from the second floor to watch her dismantle the car, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle. Noticing Zhou Zheng's return, he gestured for Zhou Zheng to come upstairs.

Zhou Zheng carried his change of clothes upstairs; his clothes were so dirty they were unsightly.

"How long has she been doing this?" Zhou Zheng raised his chin.

Tu Ying clicked her tongue twice. "I slept all afternoon, and she probably spent the whole afternoon working on this. I don't think she's had lunch yet. She must be starving."

As she spoke, Tu Ying winked at Zhou Zheng, giving him a clear hint.

"They've worked so hard dismantling the car, shouldn't you show your appreciation?"

"I didn't beg her to dismantle the car."

Zhou Zheng leaned against the windowsill, and from his perspective, he could see Su Jin sitting on a small stool deep in thought, holding a wrench and some parts, seemingly figuring out where to start.

She remained in that position, deep in thought, when suddenly, as if struck by a thought, she sprang up and resumed working.

Zhou Zheng stared at her back for a long while before getting up to take a shower.

He glanced back at Tu Ying. "Let's have her stay for dinner tonight."