23: Jingxi Guesthouse!

Jingxi Hotel.

After getting off the plane, Peng Lin drove directly here.

The Jingxi Hotel is located in a military restricted area on West Chang'an Avenue in Yanjing, adjacent to CCTV and the Military Museum.

This hotel belongs to the internal system of the military and is not open to the public.

Peng Lin was staying here because he was recommended by the military as a National Advanced Science and Technology Worker.

The gate of Jingxi Hotel has guard posts and a reception room, and vehicles and personnel need to go through multiple security checks to enter.

It is divided into Area A and Area B, used for meetings and accommodation, respectively.

The eight-story building in Area B, where Peng Lin was staying, was a typical Mao Xiong-style building.

The exterior walls were built with grey bricks, and the top was decorated with blue glazed tiles, giving it a solemn and dignified appearance.

"It's absolutely safe to live here."

Entering the room and standing by the window, Peng Lin exclaimed.

Looking out from his fifth-floor room, he could see tall brick walls and barbed wire.

And armed guards on duty 24 hours a day at the hotel entrance.

In addition, the single bed in the room had white sheets and a military-green quilt, and there was a desk lamp and an internal phone on the bedside table.

Peng Lin was very satisfied with this accommodation environment.

After putting down his luggage, he walked out of the hotel and took a bus to the department store in Wangfujing.

He wasn't particularly interested in such shopping malls, but he had been entrusted by others and couldn't refuse.

Changhe Factory is located in a third-line city, and goods and materials are very scarce.

Director Feng and Professor Liu Wen, among others, all wrote notes asking him to bring some things back after learning he was coming to Yanjing.

"In this era, are Yanjing's shopping malls actually so prosperous?"

After stepping into the department store's main entrance, Peng Lin was shocked by the sheer number of people inside.

This was a scene absolutely impossible to see in the supply and marketing cooperative of Changhe Factory.

"Buy shirts and trousers for Professor Liu Wen's daughter."

"Director Feng's wife wants a dress..."

Peng Lin carried his shopping list, somewhat amused, as he selected styles.

However, the attitude of department store salesclerks in this era was not very good; they were often indifferent when asked about things.

So he could only rely on his own aesthetic to choose a dress for Director Feng's wife.

Although the style was chosen, Peng Lin was unsure about the clothing size.

He could only look around, preparing to find someone of similar height to Director Feng's wife to help him try it on.

"Beautiful lady, could you please help me try on this dress?"

Peng Lin was not shy and stopped a girl of similar height to ask.

"Help you try on a dress?"

The girl's face turned red, and she took a step back, somewhat startled by Peng Lin's bold move.

Her female companion next to her also quickly grabbed her arm in fright.

Seeing the two girls' extreme reaction, Peng Lin realized he had been a bit presumptuous.

Although people in this era were simple and helpful, they were not so open about male-female relationships.

Especially direct street solicitations were rare.

Moreover, even in later generations, asking a strange girl to help try on clothes seemed impolite.

"It's really just to try on the dress; I'm from out of town for a meeting, helping a friend bring back clothes."

"I saw you were of similar height, so I wanted to ask for your help."

Peng Lin quickly explained, afraid of being misunderstood.

At the same time, he also carefully observed the two girls in front of him.

However, this closer look revealed something; Peng Lin actually found the girl he had approached to be unusually familiar.

And the more closely Peng Lin looked, the more she resembled someone!

"Zhu Lin?"

He silently thought of her name in his heart.

Many people might not know her full name, but her role as the Queen of the Women's Kingdom in the 86' version of Journey to the West left an unforgettable impression on every Chinese person.

Even though Sun Wukong was undoubtedly the protagonist in the 86' version of Journey to the West.

But when the Queen of the Women's Kingdom appeared, her unadorned beauty still captivated everyone's attention.

That kind of peerless beauty, perfectly aligned with the aesthetic standards of all Chinese people, was truly unforgettable.

And at this moment, Zhu Lin, only in her twenties, was even more youthful and charming.

"Hey, you look like an official; can you stop staring at a girl like that?"

Zhu Lin's female companion glared at Peng Lin and said.

"Your friend looks familiar, so I took a couple of extra glances."

Peng Lin explained.

"That's a lie; you're looking because my friend is pretty, aren't you!"

"We've seen plenty of people like you on the street."

Zhu Lin's female companion exposed Peng Lin without hesitation and continued.

"Indeed, she's the prettiest girl I've ever seen. May I know your friend's name, and does she have a boyfriend?"

Peng Lin admitted without blushing.

But facing such a straightforward Peng Lin, Zhu Lin, beside him, even had her earlobes turn red.

She had never met anyone who so openly stated all their intentions before.

"My name is Zhu Lin."

"Which dress did you like? I'll help you try it on."

Zhu Lin realized that Peng Lin was genuinely struggling with the size of the sweater, so she agreed to his request.

During this process, Peng Lin kept chatting with Zhu Lin.

And confirmed that she did not have a partner.

To be honest, encountering Zhu Lin in the department store, with her stunning beauty and youthful charm, made Peng Lin's heart flutter.

Deep down, Peng Lin was very keen to get to know her better.

So at checkout, whether out of gratitude or other reasons, Peng Lin also picked up two more "Meijiajing" lipsticks and two aviator glasses.

"I was quite presumptuous earlier."

"These are small gifts to thank you for helping me choose clothes."

Peng Lin handed the two items to Zhu Lin and her friend, respectively, and said.

"These are too valuable; we can't accept them."

"That's right, we can't take them."

This time, Zhu Lin and her female companion refused almost in unison.

Although Meijiajing was a domestic lipstick, one tube cost around twenty yuan.

As for the aviator glasses Peng Lin bought, they were foreign brands with special designs, costing dozens of yuan.

Together, these two items would cost at least a hundred yuan, which was equivalent to two months' salary for an ordinary person.

"Please take them; I've already paid the bill."

"Without your help trying on clothes, I really wouldn't know what to do here."

"If you two are free, you could help me pick out a few more; they're all for colleagues at the factory who asked me to buy things for their wives."

Peng Lin deliberately exaggerated the favor, telling her.

And after accepting Peng Lin's items, the other party indeed felt too embarrassed to refuse his request any longer.

Subsequently, until evening, Zhu Lin and her female companion accompanied Peng Lin throughout the department store.

Later, after Peng Lin finished buying things for others, he even bought some items for himself.

And after an afternoon of interaction and conversation, Peng Lin gradually became familiar with them.

Especially Zhu Lin and her female companion were very impressed by Peng Lin's witty conversation and extensive knowledge.

When they parted, the three of them specifically exchanged addresses and work phone numbers.

And since tomorrow was the weekend, Peng Lin invited them again to explore Yanjing's historical sites with him.