Chapter 1 Comrade Nie Qingqing, hello, I am Song Zhao
The third courtyard on the left of Huazhi Lane is Nie Qingqing's house. As soon as you enter the lane, on the right, Old Liu's wife is chasing her youngest son around the yard with a stick, yelling at him that he can only marry a widow if she dies. The second house is occupied by Brother Chen, who is questioning his wife about why she spent more than two hours at the tailor shop that afternoon. Every family has a story, and in the eyes of the neighbors in this lane, Nie Qingqing's family has the most stories.
So when she passed by, Grandpa Liu's wife stopped hitting her son, and Brother Chen and his wife stood at the door with smiles, asking her one by one, "Qingqing, how did your blind date go today?"
Nie Qingqing replied to each of them: "Both of the blind dates I had today went very well. I'll discuss it with my mom, brother, and sister-in-law, and once it's settled, I'll invite you all to a wedding feast."
She entered the house as the last rays of the setting sun shone through the door. The two little ones were splashing each other around a basin of well water, their clothes half-soaked. When they turned around and saw her, they ran over happily.
"Auntie, you're back!"
"Mom, I miss you so much!"
Xiaotanggao is her brother's daughter, and Xiaotangyuan is her son. Nie Qingqing led them to the small dining table, wrung out a wet towel, and wiped their hands and faces clean. On the table was a pot of mixed grain rice, a plate of stir-fried cabbage, and a plate of pickled mustard greens.
Her sister-in-law, Zheng Fanghui, used a rag as a mat to bring out a bowl of steamed eggs. Even with the rag, the eggs were still hot. After putting them down, she quickly pinched her ears and turned around to say, "Mom, Weibin, Auntie is back. Let's eat."
Tang Guizhi rushed out, not even waiting to sit down, and asked about the blind date: "How did the blind date your grandmother introduced you to go?"
Speaking of today's blind date, his overall conditions are much better than before.
After distributing the rice, Nie Qingqing first divided a bowl of steamed eggs. The two children each took two spoonfuls, and her brother, sister-in-law, and mother each took a large spoonful. Only a little liquid remained in the egg bowl. She poured in the mixed grain rice, mixed it well, and ate while saying:
“He’s not bad looking, and his salary is not bad either, he can make eighty or ninety a month. But he got married too early, he’s only thirty-eight. His eldest son is already getting married. If I marry him, his two-bedroom apartment will have to accommodate six people. I’m only twenty-six. In another year or two, I’ll have to take care of my stepson’s child. Just thinking about it gives me a headache. No way.”
That's really inappropriate. My brother, sister-in-law, and mother all agree that Little Tangyuan is too young to take care of her stepson and grandson; it's unreliable.
Tang Guizhi quickly asked, "Isn't there another one? Your grandmother said he's unmarried, an orphan with no burdens, but his conditions aren't good either?"
Nie Qingqing paused with her chopsticks, looking very regretful: "He has better conditions, but he's also worse. He's just started working, and who knows how many years he'll have to wait to get his own housing? He's good, he has potential, but I don't have time to wait for him. I need a place to live now."
Nie Qingqing's brother and sister-in-law are very nice. She stayed at home for more than a month after her divorce, and their attitude remained the same as before. Even behind her back, they never said a word of complaint.
Her sister-in-law comforted her, saying, "Little sister, there's no rush to go on blind dates. Even if you stay at home for the rest of your life, your brother and I won't say a word."
Her brother and sister-in-law treated her well, so she couldn't feel at ease staying there.
Given the family's actual situation, Nie Qingqing sighed, "Sister-in-law, you and my brother are such good people, so I can't delay any longer. My brother's salary alone isn't enough to support so many people."
Nie Weibin quickly replied, "Little sister, I've considered your concerns. I'll take on another job after get off work, and that will be enough."
"It's not that easy to find odd jobs."
Nie Qingqing had looked for a partner twice during this period, but neither was satisfactory; otherwise, she wouldn't be in such a hurry to go on blind dates.
She disagreed with her brother's statement: "Brother, your responsibility is to support your wife and children. Go home early after work, help your wife with chores, and spend more time with the children. That's your responsibility."
Her sister-in-law was truly moved when she heard this.
She fled famine to this place and married a divorced man. Xiaotanggao wasn't her biological child, but her mother-in-law, sister-in-law, husband, and Xiaotanggao all treated her so well that she had long regarded Xiaotanggao as her own.
If only there were a way to introduce my aunt to someone she'd like, that would be wonderful.
Zheng Fanghui mustered her courage and reminded her, "Mom, didn't Second Aunt come this afternoon?"
Nie Qingqing understood and asked her mother, "Is my second aunt here to introduce me to someone? Mom, at this time of year, I'll go if someone introduces me to someone. What's there to be embarrassed about?"
Tang Guizhi was reluctant, not wanting to wrong her daughter, but she still spoke up.
"Your second aunt said that a new factory manager was parachuted into her electronics factory. He had even been sent abroad on a government assignment. He has two children. When they divorced, his eldest daughter went to him, and his younger son went to his ex-wife. They got a three-bedroom apartment with a monthly salary of 180 yuan. When he went to the canteen to eat, he casually mentioned going on a blind date. Your second aunt heard this and told her about your situation. The man was willing to go on a blind date with you."
Nie Qingqing was willing, but she also understood that such good conditions must have shortcomings, otherwise she wouldn't have had to go on blind dates.
Just asking would put my mind at ease, she joked with a smile, "With his qualifications, any unmarried girl could find someone, so why would he agree to a blind date with me?"
Tang Guizhi: "Don't you understand? Unmarried women want to have their own children, so they only look for divorced women with children. After remarrying, they don't need to have any more children. Also, the new factory manager is good, but he's a bit old and a bit ugly. Your second aunt said that he's a good match for her, but not really a good match for you, so Mom didn't bring it up."
If someone is good in every way, they really wouldn't get a chance.
What time is it now? Jobs are assigned, she doesn't have a secure job, she's divorced with a child, and she's a legitimate government employee. Even in a second marriage, they would still choose her.
She shoveled the mixed grain rice from her bowl in a few bites and said, "He has a high salary, a big house, and no flaws. Can he lower his standards and go on a blind date with me? I'll go."
The family has been talking about blind dates for over a month, and the two kids have long since gotten used to it.
Little Sugar Cake clapped her hands and said to Little Tangyuan, "Tangyuan, you're going to have an ugly dad! But your ugly dad is rich and can buy you candy."
Upon hearing this, Tangyuan pouted and said, "Mom, I want a handsome dad, not an ugly one."
Nie Qingqing laughed, wiped his mouth, and said, "I also want someone handsome, but can you just have one if you want one? Do you want to eat meat every day for a good meal, or do you want to see a handsome dad every day for comfort?"
Little Tangyuan hesitated for a moment, then decided she still wanted a handsome dad: "Then I still want a handsome dad."
...
Tang Guizhi put down her chopsticks and went to tell her younger sister about it. Her second aunt immediately arranged a blind date with someone. Both sides were anxious, and the blind date was scheduled for that evening.
Although the other person was a bit older and less attractive, Nie Qingqing still held high hopes. She changed into a nearly new dress and styled her hair into a shiny black braid. At twenty-six, she was beautiful, and with a little grooming, she looked youthful and radiant. If she didn't mention that she had a six-year-old son, people would think she was an unmarried young woman.
Tang Guizhi felt increasingly cheated as she looked at it, and she was still indignant: "It's all because of Tangyuan's dad. You're so beautiful, but you ended up having to go through a second marriage with a child."
At that time, Nie Qingqing herself wanted to marry Xiao Tangyuan's father.
Tangyuan's father graduated from university and was assigned a job. He was promoted to a minor leader, and then he became a heartless man. It's all because she had bad taste in men back then, and it has nothing to do with her mother.
Nie Qingqing smoothed out the wrinkles on her skirt and said with a sense of relief, "Let's not talk about the past. Right now, I just want to find a place for Tangyuan and me to shelter from the wind and rain. I'm leaving."
...
The blind date was to take place at a bus stop near Nie Qingqing's home, and they agreed to meet at eight o'clock.
Passengers came and went, getting on and off the train, but no one seemed to fit the image of an old and ugly factory manager. There was only one handsome and composed-looking man who had been on the platform before she arrived.
It's hard to guess the man's age, but he looks to be around 28 or 29. At that age, with such outstanding looks, he's probably already got kids running around by now.
Nie Qingqing was lost in thought for a while, getting impatient. Even if the other party was the factory manager, he shouldn't make a woman wait for half an hour. Could this man, who looked to be twenty-eight or twenty-nine years old, be the factory manager of her second aunt's factory?
Impossible. This young man is nothing like an old and ugly person. Don't be delusional. If he were such a handsome man, and a factory director at that, why would his wife divorce him?
She had already waited for half an hour, and feeling that she had given the other person enough face, she decided not to wait any longer.
There was a bridge with a slope in front of the bus stop. An elderly scavenger couldn't get up the slope because his cart was too heavy. Nie Qingqing had to cross that bridge to get home, so she ran a few steps faster and helped the old man push his cart up the slope for a bit.
Song Zhao had been waiting for half an hour, looking back and forth at several women, but none of them matched the description his uncle had given him. There was only one young woman in her early twenties, a beautiful girl, standing there gently and softly. She didn't look like a mother of a six-year-old at all, nor did she seem fierce.
He felt that he was being ridiculous. The other person had been standing there for half an hour, probably waiting for a friend. Even if it was a blind date, it was impossible for her to go on a blind date with him, a divorcee.
...
When Nie Qingqing got home, it was a little past nine o'clock. The two little ones were asleep, and her mother, brother, and sister-in-law were waiting to ask how things went. They lit a kerosene lamp in the main room, and seeing her sullen expression, they knew that the matter had not been resolved.
Her mother asked, "Why are you back so soon? What happened? Did something not go well?"
Nie Qingqing was a little angry. She kicked off the leather shoes that were rubbing her feet. She had only taken them out to wear for the blind date, and they didn't fit at all.
"What's there to talk about? They didn't even show up; they stood me up."
Tang Guizhi felt it was inappropriate: "Your second aunt told me that the factory director was quite happy, how could he not go?"
After being reminded, Nie Qingqing also felt strange. Since she had agreed, she shouldn't have played games with people.
She offered an excuse: "He's the factory manager, so maybe something unexpected happened at the factory and he's busy."
Tang Guizhi nodded: "Yes, yes, that must be it. Ask your aunt again when she goes to work tomorrow."
...
Although the other party was a factory manager with good material conditions, Nie Qingqing touched her braid and felt a little depressed when she thought of that tall and handsome man at the bus stop. She was so beautiful, why couldn't she find a handsome man? But people need to eat, sleep, and live their lives; good looks alone can't put food on the table.
She touched her face and said, "Mom, brother and sister-in-law, you go to sleep first. I'll wash up and go to sleep too."
Nie Qingqing took a much longer time to take a bath than usual, mainly because she was feeling rather depressed.
When she was twenty, she was proud and ambitious, and insisted on finding the best. She fell for Tangyuan's father. Tangyuan's father lived up to her expectations, passed the college entrance examination after it was reinstated, got a good job, and became a junior leader. Then he felt that she was uneducated and not good enough for him, so he asked her for a divorce.
Nie Qingqing had a fiery temper. She tied up Tangyuan's father and gave him a severe beating, and then they got divorced.
It's understandable to feel bad if the man you've helped get promoted and received a raise is about to have his benefits taken away by someone else.
But if she were asked to endure it, to compromise and drag on without getting a divorce, she would be even less willing to waste her own time.
In the days immediately following her divorce, she vowed to find a better man than Tangyuan's father. Each man she met was worse than the last, and now she was willing to settle for anyone who was at least somewhat decent. But even the old and ugly factory manager stood her up.
...
After dawdling through her shower and waiting outside for her hair to dry, she lay down on the bed. Her mother was still awake, and she heard her mother sigh softly.
Only by her mother's side could she act coquettishly. Nie Qingqing hugged her mother's arm and said, "Mom, don't sigh and be sad. I made my own way step by step. It has nothing to do with you. You are already the best mother."
Tang Guizhi felt even worse and said defiantly, "Tomorrow I must have your second aunt ask him. If the factory director doesn't have a reasonable explanation, we won't go on this blind date with him."
“Yes,” Nie Qingqing said, “That’s what I think too. If you start with contempt, you won’t have a good life after you marry him. I have to choose someone who is handsome and has a good temper.”
Before we could finish our conversation, a very rhythmic knocking sounded from outside the courtyard gate, neither too loud nor too soft, and it even sounded quite polite.
Tang Guizhi said, "It's so late, they must be looking for your brother. You don't need to go out."
Nie Qingqing had been married for several years, and after her divorce and return to her parents' home, no one would look for her late at night.
She turned over and prepared to go back to sleep, but her older brother rushed over and knocked on the door: "Qingqing, Mom, get up quickly, the factory manager of Auntie's factory is here."
...
Nie Qingqing was stunned, then her face lit up with joy. She thought to herself, "I knew it! They must have been held up by something. They managed to find me by asking my aunt for the address. That shows a lot of sincerity."
Tang Guizhi put her earlier anger to rest. The factory manager of the electrical appliance factory had come to her house in person—what great sincerity! The marriage was sure to go through today!
She nudged her daughter and urged, "Hurry up, what are you standing there for? Get dressed quickly."
Nie Qingqing lit a lamp, braided her hair, changed into the dress, and put on cloth shoes. She had decided that whether it looked good or bad, the most important thing was that they fit well.
She was used to the power outages. The two kerosene lamps in the main room were still dim, but she could see who had come. She could see that the old and ugly factory director had suffered in the past few years. His back was hunched and his face was weathered. Actually, after looking at him for a while, she could get used to it. In addition, he had a high salary and a big house, so he was more pleasing to the eye.
But the young man next to him, the same one from the bus stop that night, handsome and tall, what a coincidence that he's a relative of the factory manager? You can't bring a comparison on a blind date, can you? Wouldn't that be a turn-off?
Unsure of the situation, and with her mother and brother present, Nie Qingqing feigned shyness, standing behind her mother with her head down and remaining silent.
Nie Weibin wanted to stand up for his sister, and with a hint of resentment, he said to the older man, "Director Song, no matter how busy you are, you should at least send a message. My sister waited at the bus stop for half an hour but didn't see anyone. She was upset all night."
Geng Changlin suddenly realized why Song Zhao hadn't seen anyone when he returned; it turned out neither of them dared to recognize the other. This whole mess would be fine once it was explained.
He slapped his thigh and laughed heartily twice, then pushed the taciturn young man next to him forward and proudly introduced himself to clarify: "You don't think I'm the one who's here for a blind date, do you? That's a huge misunderstanding. My name is Geng Changlin, and this is my nephew. He's the one who's here for a blind date today."
Nie Qingqing suddenly looked up at the man she had met at the bus stop and was shocked again. It really was him! So young and already a factory manager? How amazing must he be?
Song Zhao never expected that the somewhat irritable and fierce blind date described by the matchmaker would actually be the gentle and kind-hearted girl who helped an elderly stranger push a garbage cart.
He extended his hand and introduced himself in a generous manner: "Comrade Nie Qingqing, hello, I am Song Zhao."
A note from the author:
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I've started a new story! It's another one with zero pre-orders. Every collection is an encouragement to the author, so please add it to your collection, thank you so much!
I'll be giving away small red envelopes for the first three days after I start writing this.
Updated every night at 18:00.
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