1.6w nutrient solution bonus chapter: Humiliated during a blind date...

Chapter 50

As soon as he said that, Matchmaker Li wanted to spit a mouthful of phlegm in his face.

It's bigger than my face!

It's more accurate to say that Old Mrs. Song took a liking to him during his seventh day after death, rather than saying she took a liking to him while he was already married.

Of course, as the matchmaker, Li Meipo wouldn't hold a grudge against him over such matters.

She simply said coldly, "I'm afraid they're just checking out how the Qi family treats their wives and children after the marriage. Otherwise, the Song family wouldn't feel comfortable marrying their daughter to you."

Upon hearing this, Qi Changcheng's expression instantly turned sour, but out of consideration for Matchmaker Li, he refrained from refuting it.

"Going tomorrow morning, right?"

"Could you please show me the way tomorrow, Aunt Li?"

In these matchmaking matters, the matchmaker plays a crucial role.

Matchmaker Li looked at Qi Changcheng without saying a word.

Qi Changcheng understood immediately. He promptly handed over two packs of Daqianmen cigarettes that he hadn't been willing to smoke.

The matchmaker accepted it, and then said happily, "Don't worry, since I'm in the business of matchmaking, I'll naturally see this through to the end."

"Just make sure you're on time tomorrow morning."

After saying this, she didn't forget to remind Chen Xiulan, "Remember to dress Qi Changming presentably when you take him to the blind date tomorrow."

Chen Xiulan nodded, and after seeing off the matchmaker Li, she glanced at Qi Changcheng and said, "Call your brother back."

Qi Changcheng was naturally serious about something that could be profitable.

In just one hour, he dragged Qi Changming, who was bored out of his mind at work, home.

Qi Changming was still puzzled, but Qi Changcheng kept him in suspense, saying, "I'll tell you something incredibly good when we get back."

After arriving home and listening to his mother Chen Xiulan's explanation, Qi Changming frowned, his face instantly turning as long as a donkey's. "Mom, I've already broken off my engagement with Meng Yingying. What kind of blind date am I going to now? I'm not going!"

Chen Xiulan poked his forehead with one finger. "What's so great about breaking off the engagement? What kind of family is the Song family? If you can climb up to them, I'll kneel down for you! Go change your clothes, don't waste time!"

Qi Changming couldn't refuse, so he could only be dragged away by his mother with a dark face.

He still didn't want to go.

Chen Xiulan unleashed her ultimate weapon, "You don't know yet, do you? After Meng Yingying broke off her engagement with you, she not only joined the performing arts troupe, but also led the troupe to victory, which was reported in the newspaper."

"Changming, now many people are waiting to see you make a fool of yourself. They think that you were blind to break off your engagement with Meng Yingying. If you want to turn the tables, listen to me and come with me to the Song family for a blind date tomorrow."

"Only if you marry the Song family's granddaughter will people say that you were right to break off the engagement, that you were pragmatic, knew how to seize opportunities, and were able to grasp them."

"As long as you stand tall, all those idle gossips will become a thing of the past."

She knew where her son's weakness lay, and seeing his silence...

Chen Xiulan pressed her advantage, "Even if we take a step back, now that Meng Yingying has broken off her engagement with you, she's shining brightly in the performing arts troupe, while you're just living a leisurely life in the civil affairs office, Changming, are you content with that?"

Are you willing to accept this?

Naturally, they were unwilling to accept this.

Since I started working at the Civil Affairs Bureau, I've been idly watching the older women knitting sweaters and gossiping about everyone.

That kind of monotonous routine filled Qi Changming with despair.

Qi Changcheng also said, "Didn't you want to be transferred? If you can really be with the Song family's granddaughter, marry her, and have her have a child for you, then you'll be half a member of the Song family."

Do you know about the Song Dynasty?

Qi Changcheng's tone became excited as well, "He's the top official in Harbin, and from now on he'll be your uncle."

"Changming, if there really is such a connection, even if you don't want to stay at the Civil Affairs Office, it's not impossible for you to go back to the garrison in the future, right?"

The last point was what truly moved Qi Changming.

"Give me one night to think about it."

"Yes, opportunities don't come twice." Qi Changcheng even added, "If I weren't married and had your sister-in-law and nephew, I would have wanted to step in myself."

What an excellent son-in-law!

Qi Changming, "..."

I don't want to talk to my older brother.

Qi Changcheng, however, did not notice at all.

He was so excited that he didn't sleep a wink that night. Before dawn, he took out his best Dacron shirt, slicked his hair back and slicked it back, and kept muttering to himself.

"If Grandma Song really takes a liking to me, then I'll be in a difficult position."

On one side is his wife and children, on the other is a meteoric rise in his career.

It's such a tough choice.

Qi Changming sneered upon hearing this, said nothing, and changed his clothes somewhat perfunctorily.

Chen Xiulan was preparing a gift for her first visit. The Song family was a wealthy family, and giving too little would make them seem stingy.

So she went all out and prepared two cans of malted milk powder that her family usually couldn't afford to drink.

There are also two cans of yellow peaches.

Seeing them like this, Qi Zhenguo asked, "What are you doing?"

Since the last time the engagement was called off, Chen Xiulan had fallen out with him, so her tone was also abrupt: "Mind your own business."

"Anyway, I must find a daughter-in-law from a good family for Changming."

After saying this, he didn't even look at Qi Zhenguo's expression, picked up the net bag containing malted milk powder and canned goods, and went out excitedly.

Matchmaker Li was waiting ahead; she was responsible for leading the way for them.

The motor factory compound was quite large; most people would get lost inside. After speaking with the security guards at the gate, Matchmaker Li led Chen Xiulan inside.

To be honest, Chen Xiulan considered herself a respectable person, but when she actually entered the family compound of the motor factory...

She was still somewhat taken aback by the rows of red brick villas, bright red chimneys with white trim, two large glass windows, and neatly manicured flowerbeds and trees in the courtyards.

The ground was covered with cement, so you could say that living in such a place, you wouldn't even get your shoes dirty.

It won't get covered in mud.

Moreover, every house looks the same.

After looking around, Chen Xiulan was a little dazzled. She couldn't help but sigh to her eldest son, "They're all family compounds, but other people's family compounds look so much better."

Looking at their family compound, it seems rather dusty and drab in comparison.

It's like a place for poor people to live.

Qi Changcheng was also observing. Having seen more, he explained in a low voice, "All the houses here are Soviet-style buildings from back then. They were built with the help of the Russians when they came to aid China years ago. Moreover, everything here, from the exterior to the interior, was designed by foreigners."

"The city's construction was modeled after that of Russia, so the entire motor factory compound is quite different from the residential compounds of other factories."

Of course, the motor factory's residential compound is also the only apartment building in Harbin that was designed by foreigners but has still been preserved.

After hearing this, Chen Xiulan felt no inferiority; on the contrary, she liked it even more. "This place is really nice."

She likes this kind of bourgeois lifestyle.

The thought that her future daughter-in-law was born in such a place made her feel proud.

Unlike the betrothal Lao Qi had arranged for his youngest son—Meng Yingying.

She was just the daughter of a pig butcher, from a poor, remote place in western Hunan.

There's no comparison.

There's really no comparison.

Hearing this, the matchmaker Li curled her lip, thinking to herself, "The Song family is quite good, what does it have to do with you?"

When they arrived at the small Western-style house belonging to the Song family, Matchmaker Li introduced, "We've arrived. I'll call for people when we go up. Please follow me and don't say anything yet."

This made Chen Xiulan and the others feel a little uncomfortable. They came to find a husband, not to become a son-in-law.

However, having come this far, they were afraid of offending the other party, so they didn't dare to say anything.

When they arrived at the Song family's house, the matchmaker, Li, knocked on the door. After a while, the nanny opened the door and glanced at Chen Xiulan, not recognizing her.

But she recognized the matchmaker, Ms. Li, who had come to her door yesterday.

"Comrade Li, you've arrived."

Who are these people?

Matchmaker Li immediately introduced, "They are the Qi family members that Old Mrs. Song mentioned yesterday, the ones she wanted to meet for marriage. This is Qi Changming."

"This is Qi Changcheng."

The nanny glanced at them and said, "Come in first."

"You've come at an inconvenient time. My husband has gone out for his exercise. Please sit down and have a cup of tea."

This means I'm going to be sidelined.

Qi Changming turned to leave, but Chen Xiulan and Qi Changcheng pulled him back at the same time, lowering their voices, "Let's go in and take a look first."

It's normal for wealthy and powerful families to act arrogantly like this.

It's the same reason why Chen Xiulan didn't like Ye Yingtao when Qi Changming brought her home.

So that's how she acted.

After her persuasion, Qi Changming finally sat down, and the maid went to make tea.

Matchmaker Li sat silently to the side; clearly, this wasn't her first time there.

But Chen Xiulan was different.

Upon entering the house, Chen Xiulan's eyes were overwhelmed by the sights: the waxed floor was so shiny it reflected a person's image, and there was a phonograph, a radio, a television... everything was there.

As for the sofa she was sitting on, it was a genuine leather sofa covered with a layer of white openwork patterned fabric, which looked fashionable and stylish.

After she sat down, she felt her bottom go soft, which made Chen Xiulan touch it again and again.

Her heart was bubbling with excitement. If they became in-laws, wouldn't her son be able to live in such a house and use such furniture?

Even her mother-in-law, who was her daughter-in-law, would often visit the Song family.

Thinking of this, Chen Xiulan straightened her back.

Seeing her like this, Qi Changming closed his eyes. He didn't want to say anything; his mother was just too embarrassing.

He simply closed his eyes and rested, which made him seem less like someone who had come for a blind date.

Qi Changcheng and his mother Chen Xiulan had similar attitudes, and he also felt somewhat inferior, even sitting on this genuine leather sofa.

The nanny brought over the tea and couldn't help but laugh at their behavior. "Stop touching it. This is a genuine leather sofa, bought from the Friendship Store, and it was purchased with special coupons. It's normal for ordinary families not to have a sofa like this."

The nanny's words immediately humiliated Chen Xiulan. She froze, and awkwardly explained, "I was just curious."

The Great Wall of Qi was similar.

They were all a little embarrassed.

Qi Changming, however, was quite direct: "When is the person I'm going on a blind date with?"

"If she doesn't come, I'm going to work."

In other words, don't waste my time.

The nanny glanced at him and said, "I'll go find the old man and bring him back. Please wait here."

After saying that, he ran out quickly.

However, they stayed outside for a full twenty minutes, and Qi Changming and the others had finished their tea, but they still hadn't returned.

It looked like Qi Changming was about to lose his temper.

Grandma Song then entered leisurely. She was wearing a gray Lenin suit, and her gray hair was tied up in a bun and covered with a black net.

He wore a Seagull watch on his wrist. Although he was over sixty, he looked like he was only fifty because of his comfortable living conditions.

Not only did she arrive, but she was also followed by two women wearing polyester shirts.

Just that one air of authority made Chen Xiulan feel instantly inferior.

"You're all here? Sorry to keep you waiting."

She greeted them warmly as soon as she entered, which calmed down the pent-up anger that Chen Xiulan and the others had been suppressing.

Chen Xiulan's expression became more obsequious. "It won't take long, it won't delay you at all."

Look how arrogant she used to be. Whether in front of Meng Yingying or Ye Yingtao, she always acted like a superior mother-in-law.

But when he came to Grandma Song's side, he clearly acted differently.

Flattery and fawning.

It almost perfectly revealed her petty, bourgeois nature.

Grandma Song nodded and gestured for her to sit down. Then she looked at Qi Changming. Qi Changming had the pride of a young man, and he wouldn't flatter like his mother.

He didn't even say hello.

Chen Xiulan, who was standing nearby, couldn't stand it anymore and immediately stepped in to smooth things over, "Madam Song, hello, we are Qi..."

Grandma Song raised her hand to interrupt, "Young people are quite arrogant."

"Since you've come all this way, it means you value the Song family's conditions. So why are you acting like you owe them money? What's the meaning of this?"

Openly nitpicking is nothing more than this.

Chen Xiulan pulled Qi Changming, and Qi Changming had no choice but to nod and say, "Hello."

Old Mrs. Song gave a forced smile and followed to the head seat. Her attitude left Chen Xiulan and the others somewhat puzzled.

Fortunately, Old Mrs. Song, who was sitting at the head of the table, spoke up, "No need for formalities. Since this is a blind date, I'll just ask one question—how much is your family's monthly income? How many people live in your family? How many rooms? How many quilts?"

Chen Xiulan's face stiffened. She hadn't expected that the Song family, a prestigious family, would be so mercenary. She could only bite the bullet and answer, "My parents are both working, earning 83 yuan a month. They have two sons. The eldest son is married. As for the house, it's a dormitory building allocated by the company. It has three rooms and four quilts."

Grandma Song chuckled and turned to the woman beside her, saying, "Did you hear that? Four quilts aren't even enough to fit in my wardrobe."

A low snicker suddenly rang out in the living room. These two women, no one knew where Old Mrs. Song had found them, both looked respectable, but their laughter was rather grating.

Chen Xiulan blushed with embarrassment and tried to make amends, but was interrupted by Old Mrs. Song.

"By the way, you have two sons and two elderly people. Plus, your eldest son is married now. What if my granddaughter marries into your family? Wouldn't she have to squeeze under one roof with your whole family?"

"Just wondering, how big is your bedroom?"

Chen Xiulan didn't want to talk, but she wanted to get close to the Song family and didn't want to fall out with them.

He took a deep breath and said, “Comrade Song, our family is just an ordinary dual-income family. We have three rooms plus a main room, totaling 63 square meters. The room we reserved for my youngest son to get married is 7 square meters.”

Grandma Song frowned slightly and said calmly, "Xiao Feng, take her to our bathroom to take a look."

Chen Xiulan didn't understand what she meant until the nanny, Xiaofeng, took Chen Xiulan to the Song family's toilet and they returned.

Her face turned deathly pale instantly.

It also carried a hint of humiliation.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

Chen Xiulan remained silent; she couldn't bring herself to say it. She couldn't very well say that she had visited the Song family and found their toilet to be larger than their bedroom.

This isn't a blind date; it's a humiliation.

"Comrade Song, are you deliberately humiliating me? I know that our Qi family is not as well-off as your Song family, but we are also a legitimate dual-income family. Our family conditions are not as good, but my son is outstanding. My youngest son, Qi Changming, is a comrade stationed in the team, and he has also been awarded a third-class merit..."

"Third-class merit?"

Grandma Song raised an eyebrow, just waiting for these words. She smiled and said, "That depends on who you're comparing me to. My granddaughter is a member of the performing arts troupe, the individual champion in this arts competition, a preliminary candidate for a national second-level actor, and she's been on the front page of the provincial newspaper—has your son ever been on it?"

Chen Xiulan's throat went dry, and a sentence caught in her throat; she didn't know what to say.

Moreover, she felt that these words sounded somewhat familiar.

Having achieved her goal, Old Mrs. Song raised her hand to signal, "Give the things back to them."

The nanny immediately handed the net back, containing both malted milk powder and canned food.

Chen Xiulan immediately became anxious, "Comrade Song, what are you doing?"

Grandma Song said calmly, "My granddaughter looks down on poor, humble families."

"I don't think this blind date is suitable."

As soon as he said that, the room fell silent.

Qi Changming couldn't bear the humiliation and instinctively stood up, but Qi Changcheng held him back tightly.

"Comrade Song, you already knew about our family's situation. Since you knew, why did you have to ask us to come to your door?"

Qi Changcheng finally held back and asked the question on behalf of his mother and his younger brother, who was the person directly responsible.

Grandma Song stood up and walked to Chen Xiulan and Qi Changcheng, her voice indifferent, "Why?"

"Of course it's to humiliate you."

this--

Chen Xiulan never expected her dream to be shattered like this, and she couldn't accept the outcome.

"But we haven't offended you, why are you humiliating us like this?"

She didn't understand.

"Why?"

Grandma Song's eyes narrowed suddenly, a hint of anger in them. "When you bullied my granddaughter, why did you humiliate her?"

At that time, Meng Yingying had lost her father and traveled a long distance to seek refuge with her childhood betrothed.

In the end, all I got was humiliation and threats.

They even threatened to kill her if she dared to stay in Harbin.

To be honest, even with the Song family's immense influence in Harbin, they would never dare to say such a thing.

"Your granddaughter?"

A thought suddenly struck Chen Xiulan: "You mean, we humiliated your granddaughter?"

"No--"

How could she possibly humiliate the Song family? Wouldn't she be asking for trouble?

"Who is your granddaughter?" Chen Xiulan suddenly asked.

Grandma Song got up, had the nanny throw the things they brought outside, and then looked into Chen Xiulan's eyes, saying slowly, "My granddaughter? You know her."

"Her name is Meng Yingying—"

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Author's Note: Bonus chapter for 16,000 words of nutrient solution! Please leave a comment and give me nutrient solution, or even add this to your favorites!