169 Spring Outing
As soon as Ding Xuewen returned, he was stopped by staff from the neighborhood office, who said that a man named Chen Lizhong had given him his phone number and asked him to go on a spring outing to the park next Sunday.
A staff member jokingly asked, "Are you going on a spring outing with friends or on a blind date?"
"Oh, I haven't seen a few friends often. Let's find an opportunity to meet up."
"Oh, I see." The staff member's eyes lit up, and he said, "By the way, Comrade Ding, I know a woman..."
Ding Xuewen quickly changed the subject, saying, "I have an urgent matter and need to borrow your phone."
"...Okay, you can use it for now."
A few days ago, Aunt Jiang and Aunt Fang gathered the idle old men and women of Ginkgo Hutong to his neighborhood to clarify things for him, saying that he had never dated anyone during his time in the countryside, let alone married and had children, and that the claim that he abandoned his wife and children to return to the city was a complete fabrication.
The older folks raved about him, praising his high education, good character, job, and house, and most importantly, saying he had no in-laws to wait on, and that any woman who married into the family could be the head of the household...
Since then, he has become famous in the neighborhood and even in the TV station's staff quarters, with neighbors busy introducing him to potential partners.
Ding Xuewen would avoid things if he could, and if he couldn't avoid them, he would run away.
It wasn't that the women introduced by his neighbors were bad, but he was convinced that the women introduced by Lin Sitian and the others were more reliable.
As soon as the call connected, Ding Xuewen covered the receiver, glanced at the staff outside, and, knowing that phone calls were expensive and not suitable for idle chatter, got straight to the point and asked Chen Lizhong, "Is this just a spring outing or are you arranging a blind date for me?"
"You can go on your blind date, and we can go on our spring outing. It won't interfere with anything," Chen Lizhong instructed. "Make sure you look your best."
"Oh, by the way, Sitian isn't coming back to Ginkgo Hutong this week. Call Yuehe and Xu Cheng to let them know. I have something to do..."
Before Ding Xuewen could ask any more questions, the call was cut off due to an unstable signal.
—
Ginkgo Alley.
Cheng Shuang finally saw Lin Ting and hugged her, but she was in a flurry of activity. Every time Lin Ting moved, she would anxiously call out to Guan Yuehe, "Quick, quick, she looks like she's about to cry."
Teacher Cheng, who is fearless in the face of any difficulties when it comes to studying, is completely unable to calm down at this moment.
Guan Yuehe laughed at her, until Lin Tingzhen cried out, before she finally intervened.
After Lin Ting was coaxed to sleep, Cheng Shuang had to leave. There wasn't even time to eat.
"I still have some luggage to pack and take with me. If I don't go back soon, I won't be able to come back."
Cheng Shuang was even more disappointed than her, and sighed, "I was thinking of coming here again to mooch another meal cooked by Comrade Lin, but alas, I'll have to wait until next time."
"Then let's wait until next time. There's plenty of time."
Before seeing Cheng Shuang off, Guan Yuehe placed the books she had brought on her bookshelf, saying, "When you come back, you can take them yourself. I have room at home."
Cheng Shuang's heart suddenly calmed down. Guan Yuehe's casual remark about "see you next time" made her feel that meeting again would be quick and easy.
—
Just then, Guan Yuehe saw Cheng Shuang off to take the bus. She had only taken a few steps when she was reminded by Aunt Bai who was coming from the opposite direction: "The neighborhood office said they have your phone number. Ding Laosi is looking for you. You should go over and call back right away."
Guan Yuehe waited at the subdistrict office for more than half an hour before she was able to get through to Ding Xuewen on the phone.
"What's up?"
"Chen Lizhong said we're going on a spring outing to the park next Sunday, remember to go."
"Is it to arrange a blind date for you?" Guan Yuehe guessed immediately.
Even if they wanted to meet up, they would still be busy preparing food; going to a restaurant is worse than going on a spring outing in the park.
Therefore, it can only be because they wanted to introduce a potential partner to Ding Xuewen.
Guan Yuehe sighed involuntarily as she thought of Cheng Shuang, who had just left.
She used to think the two of them were a good match, but now, one is busy with his career and the other wants to settle down and start a family.
Now I'm glad I didn't make a bad recommendation. It seems being a matchmaker isn't easy!
"What's wrong?"
"It's okay, let's talk when we meet on Sunday. Phone calls are expensive, so I'll stop here."
The call was disconnected with a snap.
Back home, Guan Yuehe prepared to make vegetarian steamed buns, and casually mentioned to Lin Ting, who was sleeping in the room, "I'll make you smaller steamed buns from now on."
This is an experience gained from the Grain Rain season.
She and Lin Yiku loved making big steamed buns. When Guyu was a little over one year old, she came to play at her place. The buns were almost as big as her face. She would hug the buns and eat them, getting them all over her face.
But the buns weren't made.
Guan Aiguo finally brought his girlfriend, Comrade Wan Xiujuan, home for dinner.
She is a very refined, soft-spoken, and polite woman.
Jiang Guiying couldn't stop smiling whenever she saw someone. While Guan Aiguo and Wan Xiujuan went to the No. 2 courtyard to find Zhou Baoyu, she slapped her thigh with joy and said to her old friend Aunt Fang, "He has finally done something that makes things easier for me!"
Because we had guests, dinner was served an hour earlier than usual. After we finished eating, we had to take the lady home.
When Lin Yiku came home from get off work, she asked, "Is it time to make a decision?"
"That's about it."
It's clear that Comrade Wan Xiujuan is satisfied with Guan Aiguo. She's just waiting for Guan Aiguo to come to her house for dinner another day, and then the two families can meet together. The matter should be settled by then.
Guan Yuehe smiled and said, "Guan Aiguo is quite good at finding partners. I suspect he chose his partners based on my and my older sister's experiences."
"Hmm?" Lin Yi raised an eyebrow. Wasn't Guan Aiguo's boyfriend supposed to be refined-looking and soft-spoken? How come he was chosen based on the two sisters?
“Looking at the two of us, I’ll find someone completely different.” Guan Yuehe was amused by her own guess. “Guan Aiguo cried when he was little, saying that when he grew up he would never marry someone as sharp-tongued as my older sister, nor someone as ruthless as me. And he actually found one! Our Guan family’s ancestral graves have once again been blessed with good fortune.”
Lin Yiku laughed along, but after a couple of laughs, she looked down at Lin Ting and saw that he was also smirking.
When Guan Yuehe saw this, she came over to take a look. "Being hugged by Teacher Cheng really makes a difference. You've picked up some of his intelligence; you can even understand jokes now!"
"..." Lin Yiku said helplessly, "Comrade Guan Yuehe, who said we can't engage in feudal superstition?"
"That's because we're both so smart, which is why Lin Ting is also intelligent. Look, she's smiling again."
In the evening, a space was cleared out between the two desks and covered with blankets and other items. Lin Ting, who was awake, lay on the desks, chewing her fingers and listening to a tape recorder.
Guan Yuehe changed what she had said an hour earlier and earnestly told Lin Ting, who knew nothing, "It doesn't matter if you're a little slow-witted. As long as you persevere and work hard, you'll learn very well."
Lin Ting couldn't reply, but Lin Yiku asked, "Did our Factory Director Zheng say that again?"
Guan Yuehe glanced at him sideways, then pointed to herself, "This is what Director Guan said!"
"Our Director Guan is amazing."
Guan Yuehe suppressed the corners of her mouth that were turning up and snorted. The father and daughter gave a serious warning: "No talking about anything else during study time."
Then I started learning.
After finishing her studies, Lin Yi's eyes inadvertently glanced at the dozen or so new books that had appeared on her bookshelf.
When she learned that it was her friend Comrade Cheng Shuang who had temporarily stored it there, she felt a little strange, but seeing that she didn't say much, she put her doubts aside.
—
The four childhood friends went on a spring outing together. It seems to have been before 1966. Guan Yuehe hadn't joined the Zhuoyue Garment Factory yet, and Ding Xuewen hadn't gone to the countryside as an educated youth.
When they talked about their embarrassing moments from the past, the group laughed heartily, and the front of the car swayed along with them.
After laughing, Lin Sitian took the opportunity to criticize the four parents, "You're all laughing here while the kids are crying their eyes out at home."
"It's alright, crying for half a day won't make a difference." Guan Yuehe thought to herself, when she usually went to work, Lin Ting never cried loudly because she couldn't find her.
Xu Cheng and Qin Zilan didn't care at all. Their child was all grown up and preferred to play with his friends. The other person might not be willing to go on blind dates with them, a group of adults.
"Am I the only one going on a blind date?" Ding Xuewen glanced at the group of them.
As Chen Lizhong said, the spring outing is theirs, but the blind date is his.
"You're the only single guy, of course it's just you!" There's no need to ask!
Guan Yuehe: "Guan Aiguo brought his boyfriend home for dinner last Sunday, and this Sunday he will go to his boyfriend's house for dinner. If things go smoothly, next Sunday he should be able to have dinner at both of their homes."
After saying that, he looked at Ding Xuewen, his eyes conveying a very direct message: Guan Aiguo is faster than you.
Lin Sitian laughed and said, "That's incomparable."
"Ding Xuewen is a good catch, but when it comes to introducing potential partners, Guan Aiguo is more popular with the women."
Guan Yuehe didn't understand.
"He gets his hair permed at the barbershop every day, so he comes into contact with a lot of women. Besides, he's really good at talking at the barbershop. No matter how old or young, everyone who gets their hair permed by him is all beaming from ear to ear from his praise, and they all go back and compete to tell him about it."
Guan Yuehe was unaware of Guan Aiguo's work situation and only learned for the first time that he was actually doing quite well at the barbershop.
Guan Aiguo often said at home that he was very popular with the women in the factory, but she always thought he was just bragging.
“So,” Chen Lizhong said to Ding Xuewen, summarizing the best practices, “you should be sweet-talking and say nice things; the women will be happy to hear that.”
Lin Sitian and the others immediately egged Ding Xuewen on to say a few sweet words.
Ding Xuewen: "..."
When they arrived at the park, before the appointed time with the woman arrived, they found an open space, laid out a tablecloth, and displayed all the things they had brought.
What did you bring?
"Chen Lizhong brought all the factory benefits, like Coke and soda. What did you bring...? You and my brother are really something, getting up so early to make steamed buns? What kind of filling?"
"Luckily, I brought some fruit."
Lin Yi watched them bustling around, feeling like she was watching a bunch of elementary school students on a spring outing. They were chattering away, all discussing food and drinks.
"What else is there to discuss if not this?" Guan Yuehe looked down at the pile of things laid out on the tablecloth on the ground, as if she were seeing her own cellar filled with grain, and felt extremely satisfied.
It's so good to be grown up. The wild vegetable dumplings they used to eat on spring outings are now available everywhere.
"They're here, they're here." As soon as Lin Sitian saw her colleagues coming over, she reminded Ding Xuewen to look at the woman in the middle with two braids.
"We met in a barefoot doctor training course. She's the most bookish person I know. She's also a good person... Never mind, I've told you everything. You can talk to her yourself later."
After exchanging pleasantries, Ding Xuewen and the female comrade went for a walk and chat by the lake in front, while Guan Yuehe and the others sat and ate and drank, occasionally looking up to check the situation.
Watching other people go on blind dates is quite interesting; no wonder so many people want to be matchmakers and introduce potential partners.
They sat in a row, watching Ding Xuewen go on his blind date, taking a sip of soda, and then simultaneously letting out a "ha!"
But Ding Xuewen returned with the woman after only a few minutes. The woman didn't linger; she said goodbye and left early with her colleagues who had come with her.
Well, it seems there will be plenty of spring outings this year. We can make up for all the ones we missed in previous years.
Before the end of April, they organized three more spring outings, bringing along Xu Chengcai and Qin Zilan's two children on two of them, while Guan Yuehe brought Guyu.
Gu Yu's eyes sparkled as she subtly hinted to Guan Yuehe, "Auntie, I'm free on Sunday!"
Going out with my aunt means I can eat lots of delicious food and go boating in the park!
Gu Yu liked to go along to play, and Gu Mannian was even happier. On Sundays, he went to find Guan Yuehua by himself, losing his energetic little tagalong.
"We're not going this Sunday. Your uncle is getting engaged, and everyone in the family is going out to eat."
Seeing Gu Yu's head drooping, Guan Yuehe thought it was better to end it quickly than to suffer for a long time, and said, "There's no spring outing this year. Your Uncle Ding said there's no need to introduce him to anyone."
a bolt from the blue!
Gu Yu was first shocked, then saddened, but then her eyes lit up, "But Uncle Ding doesn't have a girlfriend yet!"
"It will happen soon." Otherwise, why was he so shy and his ears turned red when he told them that they didn't need to introduce him to any more potential partners?
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