At this time, Qin Huairu was still a young maiden, her figure not yet altered by childbirth, her face untouched by the marks of time. In the 21st century, she would have easily met the standards for a visual-focused female idol debut.
The number one beauty across ten villages and eight townships, the future flower of the Steel Rolling Plant—her reputation was truly well-deserved!
At this moment, Zhang Yuanlin couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
“Who knows what kind of dumb luck Jia Dongxu stumbled upon to land a match with such a young girl—and actually managed to sweet-talk his way into winning her over.”
“Well, my good friend, your blind date is excellent, truly remarkable. So now, she’s mine!”
Since Qin Huairu hadn’t yet married into the compound, and the impression from TV dramas was of a widow burdened with three children, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, her figure distorted, looking aged and draining others dry, Zhang Yuanlin naturally hadn’t been interested.
But now it was different—before him was a fresh, beautiful young girl!
Ah, the scent of youth!
In short, this version of Qin Huairu was one that could catch Zhang Yuanlin’s eye.
Intelligent, family-oriented, hardworking, capable, and obedient—key points being young, beautiful, with an exquisite and supple figure.
Didn’t this perfectly meet all of Zhang Yuanlin’s requirements?
Hey, the virtues of a nineteen-year-old Qin Huairu—only the one who marries her would know!
As for what Qin Huairu would look like in the future, Zhang Yuanlin wasn’t worried.
In the TV drama, Qin Huairu appeared aged and out of shape precisely because of overwork, lack of proper nutrition, and constant worry over feeding her children.
With a unreasonable, sharp-tongued, and endlessly demanding mother-in-law at home, and three disobedient, ill-behaved brats below—how could she possibly fare well?
Because her own life was so difficult, Qin Huairu felt too ashamed to return to her hometown and ask her parents for help. In the end, she had to bear the hardships alone.
But if Qin Huairu became his wife, she would naturally eat well, drink well, use high-quality skincare products, and when they had children, they would be carefully raised. By then, things would surely be completely different.
Of course, the daily chores would still have to be done without fail—she shouldn’t indulge too deeply in comfort, lest the true situation be exposed, which wouldn’t be good.
But that was all for later. Right now, he had to find a way to intercept Qin Huairu first!
Zhang Yuanlin knew that Qin Huairu had come this time specifically for a blind date with Jia Dongxu, because based on the timeline, it was about this period.
So, Zhang Yuanlin had to find a way to cut in, or else Qin Huairu would become someone else’s wife.
Through observation, Zhang Yuanlin noticed that Qin Huairu was accompanied by an older man and woman—likely her parents.
First, confirm the number of people, then formulate the next steps of the plan.
Just then, Zhang Yuanlin heard Qin’s mother say anxiously:
“Oh dear, what do we do now that the bus broke down on the road? We promised the matchmaker we’d make it in time for lunch and the blind date. That’s why we came early, since we don’t know the way. I’m really afraid that even arriving early won’t be enough, and we’ll be criticized!”
Qin’s father comforted her briefly, then went to ask the driver about the situation.
Meanwhile, Qin Huairu widened her eyes, curiously taking in everything about the city.
Soon, Qin’s father returned, his face full of helplessness as he said:
“The driver said he already called the company from a phone booth, but today is a public holiday. It’ll take at least an hour and a half for someone to come and fix it.”
Upon hearing this, Qin’s mother grew so anxious that she began pacing back and forth.
“Oh dear, what should we do? We’ve finally found someone willing to accept a rural household registration. If we miss this chance, it could ruin Huairu’s bright future!”
Meanwhile, the naive Qin Huairu was completely captivated by the novelty of the city. This was her first visit – usually only her father would come to sell village specialties at the market for income.
Train tickets were expensive, and the family had no spare money for leisurely city trips.
Besides, everything in the city was costly. Unless they had relatives to host them, every activity required money they couldn’t afford.
Not only were Qin Huairu’s parents anxious, but other passengers were equally restless – some had appointments to keep, others needed hospital visits, and some had urgent business to attend to.
“Perfect! Now’s my time to shine!”
Seizing the moment, Zhang Yuanlin approached the broken-down vehicle with his bicycle while simultaneously materializing a wristwatch, leather gloves, a wool overcoat, and a felt hat.
Within just a few steps, Zhang Yuanlin had fully equipped himself, with a large fabric repair kit hanging from his bicycle handles.
Since everyone’s attention was fixed on the broken vehicle and the driver, nobody noticed Zhang Yuanlin’s transformation.
As he drew near, his voice cut through the clamor, quieting the crowd.
“Ah, vehicle breakdown? You all seem quite anxious. Make way, please – let me take a look. Perhaps I can fix it.”
Hearing someone could repair the vehicle, the crowd voluntarily parted without needing prompting.
The driver widened his eyes in surprise, asking curiously:
“Young man, are you serious? Can you really fix this?”
Zhang Yuanlin smiled faintly, adjusting his posture to face Qin Huairu’s family directly.
He deliberately made eye contact with Qin Huairu, instantly capturing her attention – which remained fixed on him throughout the entire repair process.
As the saying goes, clothes make the man. Zhang Yuanlin was already handsome, and his sophisticated attire made him stand out among all the men present, much like Qin Huairu’s youthful beauty distinguished her among the women.
“Whether I can fix it remains to be seen. But allow me to change first – I’m wearing this outfit to meet some gentlemen later and can’t afford to get it dirty.”
Speaking calmly, Zhang Yuanlin began removing his expensive gear.
Whispers spread through the crowd. Qin’s father, being the most worldly-wise from his frequent market trips, found himself muttering unconsciously as Zhang Yuanlin removed each piece of equipment.
“My goodness, those gloves look expensive! Hey, that should be a Plum Blossom Watch – I’ve seen one on a wealthy businessman’s wrist. Oh, this overcoat, this felt hat – how much must they cost? Good heavens, this young man…”
Hearing her father’s mesmerized murmurs, Qin Huairu – initially only attracted by Zhang Yuanlin’s elegant demeanor and handsome face – grew increasingly curious.
Handsome, wealthy, and skilled – could she really encounter such an exceptional man in her lifetime?
Qin’s mother also murmured, wishing they could find such a son-in-law. As the saying goes, when one person achieves enlightenment, even their pets ascend to heaven – the Qin family could become the most prominent household in their village!
Hearing her mother’s words, the previously innocent and emotionally unattached Qin Huairu felt her heart flutter for the first time.
Finally, Zhang Yuanlin finished changing his clothes. Though he now looked just like an ordinary worker, having seen his previous handsome appearance, even if he dressed as a beggar he would still be captivating.
Then Zhang Yuanlin stepped forward and directly entered the Still World along with the bus. He found the structural analysis of buses from this era on the computer and proceeded to repair it using 21st-century tools.
Several hours later, Zhang Yuanlin completed the mechanical work drenched in sweat. After finding a place to take a shower, he returned to the real world.
“Well, just a few parts got shaken loose. Not a big problem—I can fix it within ten minutes. Don’t worry!”
After saying this, Zhang Yuanlin took out tools from his repair kit and started tinkering away.
The onlookers still wore expressions of skepticism. The bus driver widened his eyes, thinking that if the repair went wrong, he’d need to clearly point out which parts had been tampered with to explain to his company. Otherwise, how could he ever afford to compensate for a whole bus?
After a show of pretend repairs, Zhang Yuanlin put away his tools and wiped his forehead where there wasn’t even a trace of sweat.
“Whew, it’s fixed! Driver, try starting it up!”
The driver didn’t hesitate and immediately got in to start the engine.
Rumble!
The old diesel engine roared to life, and the bus was operational again.
The driver excitedly leaned out from the cab and shouted:
“It’s fixed, really fixed! Everyone can board now!”
The passengers cheered, and the Qin family was especially amazed.
“My goodness, this young man can even repair cars! He must be that legendary high-skilled talent. I can’t even imagine how high his income must be!”
Zhang Yuanlin quietly packed his tools while secretly pricking up his ears to listen. He couldn’t help laughing inwardly:
“Hehe, before I steal the show, let me give you three a little demonstration first!”