“Well, that guy with the horse-like face said you’re an apprentice and don’t get along with the people in the workshop, but I think you’re pretty good. You’re better than Sha Zhu,” Qin Jingru paused, then quickly looked up and stared into Ma Hua’s eyes.

"Uh," Qin Jingru's actions made Ma Hua a little embarrassed. This girl is a bit bold. Isn't it said that women in this era are reserved?

"Putting everything else aside, Comrade Ma Hua, although you are an apprentice, you are still young, and besides, you have a bicycle!" Qin Jingru's eyes flashed with a shrewd light. There aren't many bicycles like this in our village.

"Won't you think I'm a money-grubber?" Qin Jingru asked, seeing that Ma Hua hadn't replied. She lowered her head sadly, her hands unconsciously fidgeting with the hem of her clothes.

"Actually, I'm very hardworking and obedient. I just want to marry into the city. Comrade Ma Hua, you don't know how hard it is where we are. Not only can a family not earn much money in a year, but we can only eat meat once a year during the Chinese New Year."

I'm just afraid of going hungry. I never want to eat clay or grass roots again; they're just too awful. Do you know what the adults in our village talked about a few years ago? "How many of your children are left?"

"I'm really scared! I just want to marry someone from the city. Even if life is tough in the city, at least you have enough food to survive. Waaaaah!" Qin Jingru squatted down sadly and started sobbing.

Qin Jingru was truly wronged. She thought Ma Hua was disgusted with her, but she really didn't want to marry Sha Zhu. She wanted to marry someone from the city, but she couldn't marry someone like Sha Zhu.

Ma Hua was taken aback at first. She thought, "I remember reading in the original novel that many people criticized Qin Jingru for being materialistic and snobbish. But who could tolerate their boyfriend flirting with their cousin?"

What a tragedy of our times! Just being alive is good enough; don't ask for too much.

Qin Jingru cried for a while, feeling wronged, then wiped away her tears. Only then did she notice that Ma Hua was still standing there, and her pretty face flushed red. She stammered, "Um, why didn't you leave?"

"Oh, so you mean I should leave?" Ma Hua looked at Qin Jingru with a half-smile.

"No, I didn't," Qin Jingru said hastily, her face turning bright red.

"Alright, stop crying. You're crying like a little kitten. How old are you? Still crying like that? Aren't you ashamed?" Ma Hua said softly.

"Hmph, it's all your fault. I thought you were disgusted with me. It's all your fault," Qin Jingru said in a low, coquettish voice.

Then Qin Jingru looked at Ma Hua with surprise and delight: "Comrade Ma Hua, don't you mind that I'm from the countryside?"

“No? Why would I complain?” Ma Hua immediately retorted.

"Hehe, Comrade Ma Hua, you're so kind. Let me tell you, I'm very hardworking, and I can do anything. Plus, I guarantee I can give birth to a big, healthy son," Qin Jingru hurriedly explained.

I've already told my friends about my blind date in the city, and Comrade Ma Hua seems pretty good too. I'd better pay attention; this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“Okay, let’s get to know each other formally. I’m Ma Hua, a level six chef at the steel rolling mill, earning fifty-five yuan a month. I live alone.” Ma Hua said, staring into Qin Jingru’s eyes.

"Ah!" Qin Jingru opened her mouth in surprise. How could there be so much? She didn't even know how she spent thirty-seven, and this Ma Hua actually spent fifty!

"What's wrong, Comrade Jingru? Don't you like me? Sigh," Ma Hua pretended to be sad.

"No, no, Qin Jingru is eighteen this year, I, I..." Qin Jingru realized she didn't seem to have anything worth mentioning.

"Come on, I'll take you for a walk," Ma Hua said, instinctively ruffling Qin Jingru's hair.

"Mmm," Qin Jingru's pretty face blushed again unconsciously.

When Qin Jingru got back into the car, Ma Hua became quite restless. After all, they had already talked things out, and this was different from before. Before, he was giving a ride to a gay man; now, he was giving a ride to his blind date.

Even a blind date is still a potential partner, right? Thinking of this, Ma Hua said directly to Qin Jingru in the back seat, "Jingru, hold on to my clothes, the road here is a bit difficult to walk on."

"Hmm." Qin Jingru was still too embarrassed to put her arm around Ma Hua's waist directly, so she reached out her small hand and pinched the hem of Ma Hua's shirt.

"Hey, let's go!" This time, Ma Hua deliberately chose rough roads. When the bicycle went over a small pothole, the bike would lurch, and Qin Jingru would instinctively grab Ma Hua's waist, afraid she would fall off.

But after it happened a few times, Qin Jingru felt something was wrong. She thought to herself, "How wicked!" But Ma Hua was overjoyed. "That's how it should be. She should be holding him. He's so soft."

The two chatted and laughed all the way, and soon arrived at their destination. After Qin Jingru jumped out of the car, Ma Hua stopped the car and said, "Come on, we're here."

"Ah," Qin Jingru was a little confused. Where had Ma Hua led her? She looked up and saw that the building in front of her had "Wangfujing Department Store of Beijing" written on it.

"Come in," Ma Hua hurriedly called Qin Jingru over after parking the car. Although Ma Hua was used to large shopping malls and supermarkets in his later life,

But at this moment, the department store also filled Ma Hua with mixed feelings—the throngs of people, the noisy environment…

Before Qin Jingru could react, Ma Hua took her straight to the clothing store. Since he had decided to make Qin Jingru his wife, he couldn't be stingy now.