Sometimes, certain things can be predicted.
Zhuang Zhixi knew that as long as Aunt Zhou was around, there would always be some commotion. Today was no exception; he had guessed right. He had thought they might cause a ruckus over hospital fees, but it turned out to be an internal struggle. Aunt Zhou had been to the security office before, so she should have learned to be more cautious, knowing that not everyone would indulge her.
He tiptoed to watch the spectacle. Several men from the hospital security office arrived. It was understandable; you couldn't expect the nurses to break up a fight; they valued their lives too. With the security officers' intervention, the brawl finally subsided. This time, everyone fought more restrained.
After all, getting injured meant spending money!
No one wanted to waste their hard-earned cash. Fighting was one thing; spending money was another.
Aunt Zhou pointed at Bai Fendou and cursed, "You barren wretch, always hanging around old and young widows. No wonder you're over thirty and still single. In my eyes, you'll stay this way forever, childless!"
Bai Fendou, who had initially held back because of the old woman's age, suddenly erupted. He charged forward, howling, "I'll beat you to death, you old hag! You talk too much! If you're not childless, let your son have a child and show me! I bet it's your family that's cursed! It's all your fault, you old jinx, for making your son childless. You deserve it, damn it, you really do!"
He shouted loudly, and the security officers restrained Bai Fendou. But his mouth was just as venomous, "I know what you're up to. You're jealous, jealous of Aunt Su having three strapping sons. But jealousy won't help; you're just a barren soul!"
"You're barren!"
"You're barren!"
An old woman and a young man, both hurling accusations of barrenness, made Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu's faces turn as dark as coal.
Zhou Qun: "Bai Fendou, that's enough. Who are you calling barren? My wife and I will have kids when we're ready. If you have the guts to call us barren, go find a woman and have kids yourself. Can't even find a wife and you're here blabbering. What, you think you're smart?"
With the security officers present, physical violence was out of the question, but it didn't stop the verbal sparring.
Bai Fendou: "Pfft! I, Bai Fendou, am handsome and dashing. I can find any woman I want. Do you think you're special for landing Jiang Lu, that barren hen? Pfft, I tell you, I can find a woman a million times better than yours. Aunt Wang promised to introduce me to someone better. I have plenty of girls chasing me; I can take my time. Unlike you, stuck with just one woman."
"Bai Fendou, you scoundrel, you deserve to die!" Jiang Lu's eyes reddened with fury. "I'll kill you, you scoundrel, you who only grovels to widows..."
"Wife, wife, don't lower yourself to his level. I know you best, how good you are. We shouldn't let an outsider's words upset us. He's just jealous that I found such a great wife, trying to sow discord. I won't fall for it. No matter what you're like, whether you can have kids or not, you're the best wife to me. I know you're good to me and take good care of my mother. You're wonderful, we all know that. Why let this foul-mouthed dog ruin your mood? Look, he's just jealous, jealous to the point of madness, slandering you. In my heart, no woman in this world is better to you."
Zhou Qun pulled Jiang Lu back, comforting her.
His words softened the women's gazes, making them think he was a great man. In most households, a wife unable to bear children might cause trouble, but look at this man, how good he is to his wife.
Jiang Lu felt immensely warm and threw herself into Zhou Qun's arms, wailing, "Qun, I know, I know you're the best..."
Zhou Qun gently patted her back, soothing her, "Don't pay attention to this petty man. He's just a pile of dog shit."
"You bastard, who are you calling..."
"Whoever talks nonsense. Bai Fendou, you can say whatever you want about me, but I won't let you insult my wife. I don't even dare to say a word against her; who do you think you are?"
"You!"
As they bickered, others nodded, saying, "This man is a real man."
"Indeed, anyone who finds such a man won't regret it. Look how he stands up for his wife in crucial moments."
"If my man were like this, I'd be moved to tears."
Seeing everyone's reactions, Zhuang Zhixi couldn't help but sigh: Zhou Qun really knows how to put on a show. No wonder he often gets praised. He knows just the right words to make people feel at ease. Look at Jiang Lu, she's trembling with sobs, but it's not out of sadness—it's out of gratitude.
And with Zhou Qun's words, everyone began to point fingers at Bai Fendou. Bai Fendou retorted, "I... I'm not wrong! This old hag started it!"
"His grandson stole from my house when we weren't home. Is that right? Every time, it's just brushed off. My mom couldn't take it anymore. You think it's wrong to be angry? They raise thieves, and we're the ones with the tempers?"
"No, petty theft is wrong."
"That's true."
"If someone stole from me, I'd break their legs."
The crowd buzzed with discussion. Aunt Su also covered her face and cried, knowing that petty theft was deeply resented. Harshly put, if you caught a thief, some might even cheer if you killed them.
So she had to do something.
"I'm sorry, really sorry..."
Aunt Su suddenly knelt down, crying, "It's my children's fault, I didn't teach them well. Blame me, it's all my fault. But the kids are young; they were just hungry, they're not bad-hearted. The feeling of hunger is terrible. My husband and son are gone, and I'm a widow with three growing boys. It's tough. But don't worry, I'll discipline them properly, it won't happen again. I'm sorry, I'm begging you..."
Aunt Su's act of weakness immediately changed the situation.
People are generally lenient towards the weak. Seeing the scene, Zhuang Zhixi pouted and walked away. The outcome was obvious; there wouldn't be a fight. It would just end with some muddled compromise.
Below that, it would be about compensation, but their injuries weren't severe, so they could still be discharged. Their courtyard would soon be lively again.
It seemed that Aunt Zhou's three-day adventure in the security office hadn't affected her mood at all. She remained as troublesome and mischievous as ever. She was truly a mentally resilient person.
Zhuang Zhixi went downstairs to attend to his business. As he counted the gauze, someone called out to him, "Zhuang Zhixi?"
He looked up in surprise, "Teacher Xiang?"
Teacher Xiang was Zhuang Zhixi's high school math teacher, with whom he had a good relationship. However, three years ago, Teacher Xiang stopped teaching due to his background and cut off contact with all colleagues and students.
Zhuang Zhixi and a few classmates had looked for Teacher Xiang several times, but he always avoided them. They knew that Teacher Xiang wasn't too proud to see them because of his changed status but didn't want to cause them trouble.
Unexpectedly, they met here. Zhuang Zhixi was astonished, "Teacher Xiang, why are you here?"
Looking at Teacher Xiang's hospital uniform, he replied, "I work in the hospital morgue."
Zhuang Zhixi: "..."
Teacher Xiang smiled lightly, "It's not bad here."
Zhuang Zhixi pursed his lips, feeling a bit sad. He wasn't the type to easily open up to people, but he was very close to Teacher Xiang. He quickly asked, "When did you get here? Have you been here all along, or...?"
His questions were numerous. Teacher Xiang waved his hand, looked around, and seeing no one around, said, "Come to the basement level two in ten minutes."
He left first, and Zhuang Zhixi quickly followed behind. The basement level two was the morgue. Just thinking about it made Zhuang Zhixi's legs feel weak. He descended the stairs, feeling the cold intensify with each step. He took a deep breath and encouraged himself, "Zhuang Zhixi, you're a man, how can you be so scared? This won't do."
A burst of laughter echoed in the corridor. Zhuang Zhixi exclaimed, "Oh my god!"
Teacher Xiang walked over, amused and exasperated, "What are you afraid of?"
Zhuang Zhixi looked around and asked, "Is this where you work?"
Teacher Xiang nodded and said, "I resigned back then and used my connections to get this job."
He sat down on the steps and said, "Come, sit."
The two sat down together. Teacher Xiang said, "My older sister married to Hong Kong, and our family's background is average. There was no way I could stay at the school. If I didn't leave, something bad would have happened sooner or later. Instead of being controlled by others, I thought I'd better find a way out. A friend of mine suggested that the more inauspicious and undesirable places are, the safer they are. So I used my connections to get this job. Surprisingly, although this place looks cold and inauspicious, it's actually quite a good place. These years, I've lived very peacefully."
Zhuang Zhixi glanced around. It was pitch dark, with only a small lamp. He said, "As long as you're fine. There have been a lot of chaotic things happening these years."
Teacher Xiang replied, "Who says otherwise? But I'm fine, living quite well. I've seen you several times but didn't dare to greet you. Today, I thought I should at least let you know. You, this kid, look carefree, but you're very loyal. I was afraid you'd worry about me. See, I'm doing well, aren't I?"
Zhuang Zhixi pouted, "Well, what's good about it? Look how dark it is here. People can't live without sunlight."
Teacher Xiang said, "As long as I can live without suffering, that's good enough. I actually think it's quite good now. The work is not much, no worries about food and clothing. Although it feels a bit like living like a rat, my life is not bad. I can even sneakily read books here. If I went out, would I dare to read?"
Zhuang Zhixi asked, "What about Teacher Xiang's wife?"
Teacher Xiang replied, "We divorced. She took the kids back to her parents' home."
Zhuang Zhixi remained silent. Back then, Teacher Xiang and his wife had a very good relationship. They had even brazenly gone to the Xiang's home to eat. The wife had always been very polite to them. Unexpectedly, they got divorced...
Teacher Xiang said, "What kind of expression is that? We had a good relationship, it wasn't that she abandoned me. I was the one who proposed the divorce. If we hadn't divorced, I was afraid it would have implicated them. So I came up with a plan. My mother-in-law went crazy with grief after my father-in-law suddenly passed away, often picking up a knife at the slightest disagreement. I said I had enough of it, that I was tired of her madness. We had a big fight and then divorced. She took the kids and moved back to her parents' house. With my mother-in-law, who often picks up a knife, and my wife's siblings around, I'm not worried about them being bullied. I moved out, leaving everything behind, and now live here."
Zhuang Zhixi: "..."
He frowned, "How can you live here?"
"Why not? It's quite good."
He teased, "Why are you being so picky? Is this how you are now? I see you've become quite arrogant."
Zhuang Zhixi laughed, "And you weren't arrogant before."
Teacher Xiang had been very flamboyant in the past, young and able to mix well with them. Now living in such a dark place, Zhuang Zhixi sighed, feeling a bit sad. Teacher Xiang patted his shoulder and said, "Hey, why are you sighing? You're young, you should live carefree. Don't forget how I taught you? Life should be carefree to be happy. Thinking too much doesn't bring much happiness."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Heh."
He said, "So, Teacher Xiang, you didn't call me out just to catch up, did you?"
Teacher Xiang, fearing to cause them trouble, wouldn't normally seek him out. This sudden summoning must have been for a reason.
"You're quite sharp."
Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, "You used to say I had a lot of tricks, didn't you?"
Teacher Xiang also laughed and said, "Actually, it's like this. My brother-in-law was hospitalized recently and happened to be in the same ward as your nephew. He recognized you and overheard Aunt Su and Aunt Zhou gossiping about your family."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Oh?"
Teacher Xiang became serious, "I heard that your wife's grandfather is looking for a partner. What do you think of my older sister?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "Pfft!"
He almost fell down the stairs. He looked at Teacher Xiang in disbelief, feeling his head buzz. After a long while, he stammered, "Are you... are you matchmaking randomly?"
He stared at Teacher Xiang, deeply feeling that his teacher's brain had gone haywire. Could it be that living in this sunless place for too long had caused water to enter his brain?
He reached out and gently touched his forehead, saying, "Are you feverish?"
"Go away, what fever? I'm serious."
Zhuang Zhixi looked at him with a complicated expression and said, "Do you know how old my wife's grandfather is? He's about seventy, or close to it. Even if he's not seventy yet, he's almost there. You know, my wife is his youngest granddaughter, and she's already married. Your older sister..."
Zhuang Zhixi started scratching his head, his neatly combed hair turning into a tangled mess. At this moment, he finally understood why Mingmei sometimes scratched her hair. It was really quite perplexing.
"This age... it's not suitable."
Teacher Xiang: "Don't reject it so quickly, listen to me."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Alright."
Teacher Xiang: "My sister-in-law is fifty-one this year. She has never been married, although she was once engaged. When she was less than twenty years old, she accidentally fell into the water during an accident. At that time, she was already pregnant with her fiancé's child, but due to the accident, she had a miscarriage. Please don't think she is not virtuous; in fact, she is a very good person. The reason she got pregnant early was that her fiancé was going to the battlefield. But who would have thought that this accident would happen, and the doctor said she could no longer bear children. This situation was already very difficult, but unexpectedly, the family that was supposed to marry her suddenly backed out. The man couldn't go against his family and also abandoned my sister-in-law, which made her extremely heartbroken. Because many people saw her being sent to the hospital after falling into the water, the news spread, and basically no decent families came to propose marriage. At that time, before the liberation, those who came to propose were either for concubinage or to be a second wife for an old man. Seeing these kinds of proposals, my sister-in-law decided not to marry at all. She is very strong-willed and decided not to marry, always taking care of the family. Later, when my father-in-law passed away, the family only had three women, and my brother-in-law was still a teenager. My mother-in-law thought this situation would definitely lead to being bullied, so she pretended to be crazy, often picking up a knife to threaten people. In fact, she is not really sick, so you don't need to worry about any genetic issues. My mother-in-law is just pretending, so my sister-in-law is perfectly fine. Later, when my wife and I got married, their family's situation improved. They once thought of arranging a marriage for my sister-in-law, but she refused. It was then that she found out that the accident of her falling into the water was actually orchestrated by her fiancé's family. They didn't want her as a daughter-in-law because of her ordinary background, but since the marriage was arranged by their deceased elders, they couldn't back out. So they deliberately pushed her into the water, intending to catch her in a scandal of not being virtuous. Unexpectedly, before they could use this to break off the engagement, the doctor revealed that she had miscarried and could no longer bear children. They took advantage of this to break off the engagement. Her former fiancé knew about his family's actions but did not speak out. However, their family did receive their just deserts. As landlords, they didn't fare well after the liberation. The former fiancé also revealed the truth on his deathbed. After knowing all this, my sister-in-law couldn't trust men anymore and didn't want to marry again, which led to her single status until today."
Zhuang Zhixi frowned: "Then why is there a plan to marry her now?"
This matter seemed strange and mysterious.
Teacher Xiang: "Actually, it's because my sister-in-law has this intention. As people get older, they don't take things as seriously as they did when they were young and become more open-minded."
Seeing that Zhuang Zhixi was still suspicious, he smiled bitterly and said: "Don't think too much. There really isn't anything going on. People's thoughts change with time. A few years ago, could I have imagined running away to work here to avoid trouble? No way. My sister-in-law is the same. She didn't want to find a partner before, but now she feels a bit lonely and has changed her mind. As for the age difference, to be honest, my sister-in-law's choices are limited. We also consider the issue of not having children. Now that she wants to find a partner, she inevitably has to face the issue of the other party's children. We really don't want her to go and become a nanny, nor do we want her to worry about someone else's children. She has never had to worry about children her whole life, and we don't want her to start worrying about someone else's kids at her age. Isn't that annoying? Your grandfather, although much older than my sister-in-law, doesn't have to worry about children. And he wants to find someone healthy, and my sister-in-law also wants a healthy partner, so it seems like a good match. That's why we approached you."
After all, not having to worry about children is a big relief, even if the person is older. It's much more convenient.
If there were children, the trouble would be endless.
Adult children bring even more problems.
Zhuang Zhixi: "..."
This explanation really left him at a loss for words.
Teacher Xiang: "Here, I'll give you my sister-in-law's address. You can go and ask around about her character; she is really very good."
Zhuang Zhixi was silent for a moment, then said: "In that case, I'll talk to my grandfather. He will definitely want to investigate. Whether it works out or not, I can't guarantee. This isn't like finding a partner for myself. It depends on his thoughts. Maybe he will even think your sister-in-law is too young. After all, it has to be a mutual match, right?"
Teacher Xiang agreed: "That's true. This matter definitely requires mutual agreement. We are just going by hearsay."
He was indeed straightforward, saying: "My brother-in-law also heard Aunt Zhou and others talking behind the scenes, so he thought it was suitable. The idea is to have fewer troubles and be in good health. My sister-in-law is looking for a partner who is also in good health, otherwise, she would just become a nanny, and we wouldn't be happy about that."
Zhuang Zhixi laughed and said: "Alright, I'll ask around. Whether it works out or not, I'll give you an answer in a few days."
Teacher Xiang nodded and said: "Okay, but don't come looking for me openly. My background is average, and I don't want to affect you."
He smiled bitterly and said: "If I hadn't divorced, I would never have introduced my sister-in-law to your family. Now that I'm divorced, they won't be affected by me."
Zhuang Zhixi: "I understand. Well, I'll be off then. I'll give you news later, but don't rush."
Teacher Xiang nodded: "No problem."
Zhuang Zhixi didn't stay long. He hurried upstairs and didn't want to be seen. It wasn't that he wasn't decent, but some things are better left untouched. If you can avoid trouble, why would you want to get involved?
If Teacher Xiang hadn't wanted peace, he wouldn't have hidden in such a remote and unlucky place.
Zhuang Zhixi rubbed his arms, feeling that this place was indeed very unlucky.
But the word "unlucky" might differ depending on who you ask. For Teacher Xiang, it was quite fortunate. After all, only here could he find peace. In another place, with his background, he might have been dragged out for various troubles.
Zhuang Zhixi quickly went upstairs, got on the tricycle assigned by the factory clinic, and sped back.
If Bai Fendou knew about this, he would be dumbfounded. You see, Bai Fendou wants to get married but can't even find a date, while Lan Sihai, an old man, has people coming to propose marriage.
It's hard to understand this world.
Zhuang Zhixi quickly returned to the unit. As soon as he arrived, he heard the clinic buzzing with activity. Zhuang Zhixi: "???"
No one paid attention to him as he entered. Zhuang Zhixi: "What are you all talking about?"
The sisters here are all capable.
"Hey, what else? Zhou Qun came to work."
Zhuang Zhixi: "..."
When he went to the hospital earlier, Zhou Qun and the others were still fighting. After the fight, they came to work? Thinking about it, it's not surprising. Zhou Qun had taken several days off. Zhuang Zhixi couldn't remember exactly how many days, but it was at least five.
Today is Monday, so no matter how you look at it, it's normal for Zhou Qun to come to work.
He curiously asked: "What about Bai Fendou? Did he come?"
"He also came, and so did Zhou Qun's wife, Jiang Lu. I've never seen a man take so many days off for a sprained back. I heard their department head is very unhappy."
"Unhappy or not, what can he do? Zhou Qun has connections, as long as he doesn't make a big mistake, he can take as much leave as he wants."
"That's true, but Jiang Lu also has it tough. Her husband and mother-in-law are both in the hospital, and she has to take care of them. It's really hard for her to find time..."
"Hey, do you think Zhou Qun knows about his mother's remarks?"
Everyone looked at each other, shaking their heads. They couldn't guess whether Zhou Qun knew or not.
Logically, Zhou Qun should know, but who can say for sure? After all, Jiang Lu hasn't been to work these days, so it's possible he doesn't know.
“Hey, have you guys seen Bai Fendou? His face got scratched, and it looks like a fresh wound. He must have gotten into another fight again, right? That guy is really something. He never stops, always causing a ruckus every day.”
“Looks like it was a woman who did it. Hey, could it be Wang Xiangxiu?”
“No way, Wang Xiangxiu seems very gentle. Maybe it was Wang Xiangxiu's mother-in-law. Didn't she get pregnant with Old Bai's child? As the only son, Bai Fendou definitely wouldn't be happy about that. They probably got into a fight.”
“Could be, could be.”
People nowadays really have nothing better to do. They gossip about the smallest things like it's a big deal. It's almost like celebrating a festival. But come on, how did everyone just assume that Wang Xiangxiu's mother-in-law being hospitalized means she's pregnant?
This whole thing is Old Bai's fault. He's too loud, and now no matter how he explains it, no one believes him.
In a few days, they'll probably start saying the baby is born, and Bai Fendou will have a new younger brother.
Zhuang Zhixi kept imagining this scenario and couldn't help but chuckle.
Doctor Wang: “What are you laughing at?”
Zhuang Zhixi: “I was thinking, Bai Fendou really has it tough.”
Everyone thought about it and agreed, bursting into laughter.
Poor Bai Fendou kept sneezing from all the gossip. Today was his first day back to work after a break, and he was three hours late. By the time he arrived, it was almost noon, but the security department didn't give him a hard time.
Normally, they would, but with those scratches on his face, it was clear he had been "taught a lesson." The head of the security department decided to let it slide, considering Bai Fendou was one of their own.
But Bai Fendou's mood was far from good. Along the way, countless people had stopped him to chat.
“Fendou, is your dad going to find a new wife for you? If he gets together with Wang Xiangxiu's mother-in-law, you won't stand a chance, will you?”
“Fendou, heard you're getting a new brother? Do you prefer a boy or a girl? Maybe it'll be a sister.”
“I think if your dad has another kid, it'd be better if it's a girl. A boy would compete with you, but a girl will just get married off.”
“But no matter if it's a boy or girl, how long can Old Bai and Aunt Su manage? It's like Bai Fendou is getting a grown-up child.”
“Having a grown-up child isn't so bad. Since Bai Fendou doesn't have any kids of his own, it's better to treat his brother or sister like his own child. It's all the same, right?”
The more they talked, the more absurd it became. Bai Fendou was fuming, his nostrils flaring. He shouted, “Damn it, can you guys talk sense? What are you even talking about? Those are all rumors, rumors! They're not true. Can you stop believing everything you hear? Can you speak like normal people? Do you have to make up stuff like that? What about Aunt Su's reputation? And why do you think I have a chance with Wang Xiangxiu? We're just neighbors, and our relationship is good because I feel sorry for her situation. It's not what you think.”
Deep down, he actually liked Wang Xiangxiu, but after another fight with Aunt Su at the hospital, his heart ached.
Why could Zhou Qun find a good woman who was also a first-time bride, while he could only find a second-time bride?
He had boasted that he would find someone better than Jiang Lu. Although, in his heart, Wang Xiangxiu was much better than Jiang Lu—considerate, beautiful, and capable of having children. But there was one thing: Wang Xiangxiu's family conditions couldn't compare to Jiang Lu's.
He, Bai Fendou, still wanted to find a woman with excellent family conditions, who was also a first-time bride. That way, he could outshine Zhou Qun.
And also outshine... Zhuang Zhixi.
Although Zhuang Zhixi had never flaunted in front of him, Bai Fendou still looked at him unfavorably. Before, they were just little brothers in the same courtyard, but now things were different.
Zhuang Zhixi was married, and his wife was pretty good, while he, Bai Fendou, was still single.
So why Zhuang Zhixi and not Yang Lixin?
Pfft, Yang Lixin was just a son-in-law who couldn't even pass on his own surname to his son. He was spineless.
As for Zhuang Zhiyuan, pfft, his wife only sided with her family. It was a waste to give up a good job for that. Not worth envying!
So Zhuang Zhixi was the one to be jealous of.
Bai Fendou's mood was terrible. He made up his mind to find Aunt Wang and ask her to introduce a good match for him. His conditions were top-notch, weren't they?
Because of this, Bai Fendou and Zhuang Zhixi, both off work, showed up at Aunt Wang's house.
Aunt Wang: “???”
Was she that important now?
Bai Fendou was also suspicious: “Why are you here?”
Zhuang Zhixi: “I came to see Aunt Wang about something. Is that a problem?”
Bai Fendou: “What's the matter?”
This guy really lacked tact. Zhuang Zhixi sighed and said, “What do you think? Would I tell you? Hey, what about you?”
Bai Fendou awkwardly smiled, then thought, asking for a wife isn't shameful.
He boldly said, “I just wanted to ask Aunt Wang how the matchmaking is going.”
Aunt Wang: “...”
Didn't you have any self-awareness?
Where would you find someone with those requirements?
Aunt Wang looked at Zhuang Zhixi, who suddenly showed up. It was quite strange.
Bai Fendou was still rambling on, saying, “I want a wife, not necessarily great, just better than Jiang Lu. How about it? My requirements aren't high, right?”
Aunt Wang took a deep breath and couldn't help but say, “How are they not high? They're very high! Look at your actual situation! You're over thirty, and you're entangled with a widow. Your reputation outside isn't great. How do you expect me to find someone good for you? People with those conditions are already married early. Do you think they'd wait for you? Go, go, get out of here. Don't joke around with me.”
Bai Fendou's eyes widened like bull's eyes: “Why is this a joke? I'm serious.”
Aunt Wang, seeing his lack of self-awareness, simply didn't want to deal with him. Matchmaking was about finding a suitable match. If the gap was too big, people would point fingers at her, and how could she continue to do matchmaking?
She couldn't afford to lose face like that.
Aunt Wang then looked at Zhuang Zhixi and said, “Why are you here? Your grandfather? Why didn't the old man come himself? Since you're here, let's go talk. I have seven potential matches for him. Let's see which one he likes better.”
Bai Fendou's eyes widened in shock. How could he be treated like a joke, while the old man had seven potential matches? Was this even fair? How could they be so unreasonable?
He stretched out his hand to block Aunt Wang and said, “Aunt Wang, you can't do this. You won't introduce one match for me, but you find seven for him. Do you think that's fair?”
Aunt Wang slapped his hand away and said, “What's unfair about it? I think it's quite fair.”
She continued, “Your requirements are high, so there are no suitable matches; his requirements are not high, so there are many suitable matches. Even though Grandpa Lan has many options, no one knows if any of them will work out until they meet. These matches are not just for Grandpa Lan; they have other choices too. Dating is a process of seeing if both sides click. You just don't understand. Move aside.”
Since the fight at the hospital and being scolded by Aunt Zhou, Bai Fendou had been in a bad mood. The incident of falling into the cesspit and eating shit had just passed, and people had stopped laughing at him.
Now, they were back to gossiping about his father's affairs.
This brother and sister are both out here, it's really nonsense. And it's clearly his dad's business, so why isn't anyone gossiping around the old man? Instead, they all gather around him. It's infuriating.
In any case, Bai Fendou is now eager to find a good partner to redeem himself.
This is a matter of a man's pride; he absolutely cannot back down.
"My requirements aren't high at all. Xiao Zhuang's salary isn't even as high as mine. Look at the kind of partner he's found..." he muttered.
But this remark immediately sparked Aunt Wang, the golden matchmaker, into anger. She bellowed in a loud voice, "Can you have some self-respect? It's true that your salary is higher than his, but have you looked at your own age? How old are you compared to him? You're almost ten years older, do you even have the nerve to say that? Plus, look at your own face, and then look at his. I beg you to go home and look in the mirror. How can you be so clueless? Don't even mention that Xiao Zhuang is a formal worker with a job. Even if he wasn't, with his looks, finding a partner wouldn't be difficult. But you... forget it. Get out of here! I can't stand to look at you! Scram!"
She roared like a lioness from the east.
"Scram, scram, scram!" Bai Fendou was kicked out, and Zhuang Zhixi watched the spectacle with glee.
Aunt Wang: "What brings you here this time...?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "This time, I'm here about my grandfather's matchmaking..."
He lowered his voice and said, "The thing is, Aunt Zhou and Aunt Su are in the hospital, right? They've been talking about my grandfather behind his back. You know, my grandfather just moved here from out of town, so they don't really know much about him. So, they can only talk about his personal life, inevitably mentioning his intention to find a partner again. They mock his peculiar requirements... But you know what? They didn't have good intentions, but the listeners took it to heart. The guy in the next bed, you might remember him, you saw him when you visited Aunt Su. He heard about it and thought my grandfather would be a good match for his older sister. So, he found me through a roundabout way, hoping to arrange a blind date..."
Aunt Wang: "..."
What the hell kind of development is this?
"I've talked to my grandfather about this. He's open to meeting, but we should know a bit about each other. You can't just have someone fall from the sky for a blind date. My mom doesn't know much about these things, so that's why I had to come to you. Can you find out about this lady's personal situation? You're well-connected in this line of work."
As soon as Zhuang Zhixi got home, he told Lan Sihai about the situation. Lan Sihai's requirements were really not high; he didn't seek anything superfluous, just someone who was trouble-free and in good health. And he himself was in pretty good shape.
But as Zhuang Zhixi said, even though Lan Sihai agreed, he definitely wanted to know the specifics. Who knows if there might be any tricks. As people get older, they become more shrewd and are wary of being scammed into marriage.
After all, he's been through it before. His second wife had someone on the side and used him as a meal ticket.
And then there was the third wife who was really unwell.
Lan Sihai was also known to be loyal and righteous in Jinling. After all, he was willing to spend money to treat his later wife's illness without any hesitation. For that, many people would give him a thumbs up. Not everyone can do that.
Aunt Wang: "You came to the right person for this. Your mom, despite her fiery nature, doesn't really care much about these things and doesn't know many people. Tell me, what's the name of the person? I'll go and find out."
Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "She lives in Nanluoguxiang, her name is Luo Xiaohe. She should have an old mother, a divorced sister, and an unmarried brother. She never married because she couldn't have children after a drowning incident. That's about all I know... I need you to find out the details for me."
Aunt Wang frowned, "Luo Xiaohe? I don't know her, but it doesn't matter, there are many people I don't know. We matchmakers often share information. You can rest assured, I'll find out about this as soon as possible. Just wait for the news."
Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "Okay."
He said, "Thank you, Aunt Wang."
Aunt Wang gave him a sidelong glance and said, "What's there to thank? I'm a matchmaker, I'm happy to arrange marriages. Besides, your grandfather is easy to match."
Although the old man is old, he's in good health, has a good salary, no children to meddle, and has clearly stated that the house will go to his partner, which the children can't take away. For someone looking to find a partner in their later years, this is quite good. No matter the size of the house, at least it's a guarantee.
For this reason, many people would be willing.
She said, "Just wait and see. Oh, by the way, I still need to go see your grandfather. I have a few more suitable candidates to discuss with him..."
As the two walked out together, they saw Bai Fendou squatting in the middle of the two gates, drawing circles on the ground and lost in thought, looking dispirited.
The moment he saw Zhuang Zhixi following Aunt Wang out, his face instantly darkened.
Zhuang Zhixi: "..."
What the hell is wrong with you?
This jealousy of yours, isn't it over yet?
