There are no menus when ordering food in state-owned hotels these days. All the names of dishes are written on a blackboard, and you have to go to the window and tell the waiter what you need.
Xu Haizhou pointed at the small blackboard and asked Qiao Lu to order food.
Qiao Lu smiled shyly and pushed aside her hair: "You order, anything is fine."
Xu Haizhou then turned his gaze to Qiao An in her arms: "An An, what do you want to eat?"
Since the child couldn't understand words, he just read out the names of the dishes one by one.
Nowadays, when adults take their children out to eat at a restaurant, few people will consider the children's preferences, especially when the children are only three years old. They have no choice at all and they eat whatever the adults order.
Qiao Lu couldn't help but look at him a little more; this man was quite considerate.
Little Qiao An didn't respond until Xu Haizhou had finished reading out the names of the dishes. Half of his face was tucked into Qiao Lu's arms, with only a pair of pretty little deer eyes rolling around.
The only food he had ever eaten was steamed buns and various pickled vegetables and cabbages. After coming to the city, he had drunk a few bowls of millet porridge and ate a few eggs. He had never heard of the names of these dishes in the hotel, so how could he order them?
Qiao Lu rubbed his head and said on his behalf: "An An is not picky about food, so you should order it."
Xu Haizhou did not force it and ordered the dishes according to his own ideas, a plate of fried eight-treasure rice, a plate of cucumber and egg soup, a meat dish of stir-fried beef with celery, a vegetable dish of shredded potatoes with vinegar, and a plate of egg custard, for a total of RMB 3.2.
Actually, two dishes are enough for two adults and one child, and five dishes are really rich.
Previously, Qiao Lu went on blind dates with several state-owned enterprise workers and also went to a state-owned hotel for dinner. They had one meat and one vegetable. The dishes were not bad, but compared with Xu Haizhou's, they could only be described as lavish!
Qiao Lu couldn't help but doubt what Sister Liu said, "the conditions are not good."
Before the food was served, Xu Haizhou ordered a cup of sweet soup for the mother and daughter. Qiao An liked sweets, so she took the enamel bowl and gulped down half a bowl.
Qiao Lu pushed her bowl in front of him again. She could see joy in his eyes, but he resolutely pushed the bowl back in front of Qiao Lu.
He lowered his voice carefully: "For Mom."
Qiao Lu happily bent down and gave the little boy a kiss on the face. The whole interaction between the mother and son was seen by Xu Haizhou, and his eyes looking at the two of them silently took on a softer light.
Since it is a blind date, of course you cannot interact with the children all the time, otherwise time will be wasted.
Qiao Lu withdrew her gaze from her son and said seriously, "Well, Comrade Xu, let me tell you about my situation first."
Xu Haizhou slightly bent his lips and answered before she could speak: "Actually, Sister Liu had already told me before I came here."
For a blind date, the matchmaker naturally has to explain the situation of both parties clearly before introducing the two people to meet.
Qiao Lu smiled knowingly: "Did she tell you that I was from the countryside?"
"Yes." Xu Haizhou looked into her eyes and nodded.
"Then do you know about my previous experience in the countryside?"
"I know something." Xu Haizhou looked at her and said, "If you don't want to tell me, I don't really care."
His eyes were always serious, as if he really didn't mind her past.
This made Qiao Lu curious.
"Then... as an unmarried gay man, why would you be willing to go on a blind date with a rural woman with children?"
Unexpectedly, Xu Haizhou just smiled faintly and gave a very simple answer: "Life doesn't care about those things. As long as you like it, then ..."
He suddenly stopped talking in the middle of his words, and when he looked at Qiao Lu, the smile at the corner of his lips gradually became mixed with a hint of barely perceptible shyness.
Love at first sight?
Qiao Lu's probing gaze seemed to have substance, transforming into a large hand brushing across his cheek, causing his ears to feel hot.
"Ahem—" Their eyes met and then looked away tacitly.
"That's right, but I think I should explain my situation more clearly." Qiao Lu said, looking away.
She slowly told him about her own experiences, or rather, her original experience in the countryside.
The story was not long, but very complicated. After listening to it, the noisy world around seemed to calm down. About a century later, Qiao Lu's scrutinizing eyes finally moved away from Xu Haizhou's pupils.
"You probably think I'm stupid, right?" Qiao Lu herself thought she was stupid anyway. Being in love is unacceptable in any era.
Xu Haizhou shook his head, his eyes serious. It didn't seem like he was trying to comfort her, but was just answering sincerely.
He said, "No, it's not your fault, it's his fault."
he?
It's probably about Ge Wenrong, the educated youth who abandoned his original self.
"With all due respect, he is a scumbag."
puff--
These words were so straightforward that Qiao Lu thought for a moment that she had misheard. But when she saw his serious expression, she suppressed the thought.
Qiao Lu pursed her lips and said, "Yes, he is a scumbag, but I myself..."
Xu Haizhou interrupted her, his voice clear: "You are the victim. If I blame you for being stupid, then what is the difference between you and scum? You are young and inexperienced. A man with moral integrity should protect the one he loves, not hurt her."
After he finished speaking, Qiao Lu couldn't help but applaud. This man was really good at speaking.
Just a few words directly increased Qiao Lu's favorability towards him. She couldn't help but suspect that there was a purpose behind his words, such as to win her favor and quickly narrow the distance between the two of them...
Looking into the sincere eyes of the man opposite her, she felt that she might be being too conspiratorial.
"Well, let me put it this way... I want to ask, what is your impression of me...?" Her voice was soft, gentle like the warm spring breeze. Listening to it in my ears, it was as if a claw was scratching my heart, making it numb.
Xu Haizhou's Adam's apple moved, and his voice became softer: "Very good."
Qiao Lu couldn't accurately analyze his true thoughts, and continued to ask tentatively: "Then can you accept my child?"
Xu Haizhou looked at Qiao An very seriously, and raised the corners of his lips slightly: "Yes."
“I’m from the countryside.”
Xu Haizhou said: "It doesn't matter."
There weren't any obstacles at all... Qiaolu felt that things were going too smoothly.
“I don’t have a job right now,” she said.
Xu Haizhou still answered readily: "You can find a job."
Qiao Lu was stunned for a long time without moving. Xu Haizhou couldn't help but glance at her. Her beautiful cat-like eyes were staring at him intently at this moment, cute and a little confused.
He smiled and said, "Do you have anything else to ask?"
"Not for now." Qiao Lu came back to her senses and her rose-like lips curved up.
"Okay." Xu Haizhou felt a little uncomfortable being stared at by her, and his cheeks felt slightly hot.
In fact, he was quite happy in his heart, because Qiaolu's appearance was in line with his fantasy of his future partner. Although it was a bit vulgar to think so, it was the fact. He fell in love with her at first sight, and he was extremely fortunate that the two of them were almost extremely compatible.
In this era, setting up a stall to do business is an extremely unstable job and it is also a job that is looked down upon. Most of the people in this industry are single, because most lesbians are not interested in them. Before Sister Liu found him, Xu Haizhou had never thought about finding a partner.
If Qiao Lu wasn't from the countryside, if she hadn't had a child out of wedlock, maybe she wouldn't have liked him. In that case, the two of them probably wouldn't have met, let alone have the chance to sit here and have a blind date...
In some ways, it was these indispensable conditions that brought them together in the same city.
Thinking of this, Xu Haizhou secretly rejoiced. When his torch-like gaze fell on Qiao Lu, he seemed to have become more determined.
He sat up straight and then slowly said, "Comrade Qiao, let me tell you about my situation as well."
"My name is Xu Haizhou. I'm 25 this year. I graduated from high school and I'm from the north. My parents are still alive and I have an older brother. We all live in the north now. I came to Li'an when I was 19 years old and worked in a factory for four years. Later, I quit my job and set up a stall. It's been about half a year now. I've never been in a relationship and I don't have any female friends. I don't have high requirements for my partner, as long as..." He paused, stole a glance at Qiao Lu's expression, and then coughed lightly, "As long as the personalities are compatible and the character is good, I don't have any other requirements."
Xu Haizhou introduced himself in a very serious manner, which was quite different from his innocent appearance just now. There was a great contrast.
It was as if the big, steady bull had transformed into a docile, harmless little lamb.
However, it was this sense of contrast that made Qiao Lu finally understand - it turned out that Sister Liu had introduced her to a pure virgin!
Xu Haizhou has no experience in love and even rarely has women around him.
Twenty-five is not too old, but not too young either. However, in the 1980s, there were not many virgin men at the age of twenty-five. Regardless of the conditions, most men would choose to start a family before the age of twenty-five, either through blind dates or introductions from relatives or parents.
There was nothing that could be done about the environment. Seeing people around him getting married and starting families one by one, with harmonious families and loving fathers and filial children, it was normal for Xu Haizhou to want to get married.
After Xu Haizhou finished speaking, he saw that Qiao Lu had no reaction, and his eyes suddenly fell on the little guy who was quietly drinking sugar water in Qiao Lu's arms.
This child is very well behaved and never makes any noise.
He smiled, paused for two seconds and added:
"I'm from the north, I don't have a proper job, and I live in a big compound. Can you accept all this?"
"Of course." She was too perfect and she didn't dare to marry him.
What was all that compared to Jolu having a son?
Besides, if he could accept her little flaws, she could certainly accept these little shortcomings.
"What about your family? Don't they mind me doing this?" Qiao Lu asked back.
Xu Haizhou smiled calmly, his Adam's apple moving up and down, and said nonchalantly: "I have the final say in my marriage."
The answer surprised Qiao Lu, and she couldn't help but look at him deeply. Xu Haizhou also happened to glance over, his pupils were dark, staring straight ahead without any disguise.
His gaze is not offensive. On the contrary, it is pure, but not in a silly way. It reveals a kind of resolute wit. When he looks at you, it seems that there is a penetrating energy that can see through everything.
He is not stupid, he knows exactly what he is doing and saying.
The author has something to say:
The comments section is full of ruthless flower-sprinkling machines (laughing and crying)