Chapter 17: Huang Pingping Reflects on the Importance of Free Love...
After thinking for a moment, Huang Pingping realized what she meant: "You cunning woman, didn't you say you wouldn't introduce me to anyone?"
She stared wide-eyed, like a little rabbit who had just realized she'd been tricked.
Mingxi: Oh dear, our trick has been exposed.
Huang Pingping crossed her arms, gave a heavy "humph," and said, "You still want to introduce me to someone and force me to go on blind dates, right? Let me tell you, no way! I will absolutely not go on blind dates!"
Seeing her serious expression, Mingxi asked curiously, "Why don't you want to go on blind dates?"
Huang Pingping hadn't wanted to say it, but seeing Mingxi's genuine curiosity, she took pity on her and told her, "Blind dates are so pointless. When two people sit down, all they talk about is their family's financial situation or their requirements for a partner, as if meeting those requirements means they have to be together, like breeding animals. The reason we're human is because we're superior to animals, because we have emotions. If we still reproduce based on instinct like animals, instead of love, are we still human?"
After Huang Pingping finished speaking, she thought Mingxi would refute her, but to her surprise, Mingxi touched her chin and nodded after listening.
Mingxi: "Hmm, you're right."
Now it was Huang Pingping's turn to be surprised. She raised her eyebrows in astonishment: "Huh?"
Mingxi changed the subject: "However, blind dates aren't necessarily like you say, where you only look at whether the other person meets your requirements. When I introduce someone to someone, I'm just giving them a chance to get to know each other. What they talk about, how they talk, whether they click, and whether they're willing to continue the relationship all depend on the person who actually goes on the date."
"You've demonized blind dates. Blind dates aren't like the arranged marriages of the old society."
Mingxi looked at Huang Pingping with an expression that made Huang Pingping feel as if she was saying that Mingxi was ignorant and naive.
Huang Pingping's face instantly turned red.
Mingxi: "However, if you don't want to meet him, then forget it. To be honest, I only thought of showing you his photo because I think Xiao Wu is a good guy. But since you think you can't find true love through blind dates, then I'll introduce Xiao Wu to other girls instead."
Huang Pingping: ...
Is that all?
Actually, Mingxi could have talked more, and maybe she would have agreed to meet him.
As Mingxi stuffed the photo back into her pocket, she stole a glance at Huang Pingping's expression. Seeing the disappointment on her face, she smirked triumphantly.
The strategy of feigning indifference is to pique Huang Pingping's interest.
She put the photos away and said, "That's right, you and your boyfriend had such a deep relationship, you must still be hung up on him, right?"
Huang Pingping remained silent.
Before Mingxi arrived, she really couldn't forget Feng Fan and was still thinking about getting back together with him. But after talking with Mingxi, her feelings for Feng Fan seemed to suddenly fade.
Thinking about it carefully, there doesn't seem to be anything about Feng Fan that she particularly likes.
In terms of work, Feng Fan was just an apprentice in the workshop, working as a propaganda officer; in terms of family, her father was a leader, and although her mother's job was less prestigious, it was still a good job at the supply and marketing cooperative. In contrast, Feng Fan's family only had her father as a worker, a very ordinary level-three worker at the machinery factory.
The only thing worth praising is that Feng Fan is actually quite good-looking.
But she's pretty too.
Besides, Feng Fan is good-looking, but there are so many good-looking people in the world. Not to mention those from afar, just look at those from nearby. The person in the photo that Mingxi just showed is much better-looking than Feng Fan.
The more Huang Pingping thought about it, the more she felt that she had been out of her mind before, otherwise why would she like Feng Fan so much?
He even threatened to die for Feng Fan.
Most importantly, even in her condition, Feng Fan didn't care much about her. When he visited her in the hospital, the first thing he said was to ask her for money.
"What was I even after all..." Huang Pingping muttered to herself.
Mingxi tilted her head as if she hadn't heard her clearly: "Huh? What did you just say?"
Huang Pingping waved her hand: "It's nothing, it's nothing."
"Oh, it's nothing." Mingxi stood up. "It's getting late. Since you don't have anything to say, I'll head back now."
Huang Pingping was taken aback: "You're going back already?"
Mingxi nodded matter-of-factly: "Of course, I've been chatting with you for over half an hour, and you're not letting me leave?"
More than half an hour?
Huang Pingping was in a daze. Had time really passed so quickly?
But seeing Mingxi about to leave her room, she became unhappy: "Hey, you're just leaving like this? Aren't you going to introduce me to someone? Aren't you afraid I'll tell my mom that you're slacking off?"
Mingxi feigned helplessness and turned her toes around: "No, what do you mean?"
She said, "Didn't you just say you didn't want to go on blind dates? Why are you asking me to introduce you to someone now?"
Huang Pingping choked, knowing she was in the wrong.
She insisted, "I don't care. All I know is that my mom invited you here to introduce me to someone. If you don't introduce me to someone, you're not leaving!"
Mingxi raised her hands in surrender: "Okay, okay, I'll introduce you."
She walked back to Huang Pingping's bedside and took out the photos she had taken back: "This is it. What do you think of the young man I showed you in the photo earlier? His name is Wu Zhensheng, and he's also an employee of your machinery factory."
Huang Pingping: "A worker at the machinery factory? I've never heard of him before."
Mingxi: "What's so strange about that? There are so many people in your machine factory, how could you possibly know everyone? Besides, Xiao Wu has only been working at the factory for a short time; he's still just an apprentice."
Huang Pingping: "Apprentice?"
Mingxi explained, "Yes, an apprentice. Xiao Wu's family situation isn't good. He has five brothers, plus his parents, making a family of seven, and only his father is a worker. There's no other way; the rest of the family has to do odd jobs to barely make ends meet. However, although Xiao Wu's family isn't well-off, he's a studious and ambitious person, meticulous in his work, and good at handling people. When he was working as a temporary worker at your machinery factory, he saved a batch of parts that were almost destroyed. Later, the workshop foreman found out and made an exception to hire Xiao Wu into the factory."
Huang Pingping nodded: "Then he's quite capable."
Outsiders might not know, but she was an employee of the machinery factory and knew how high the factory's recruitment standards were. If he hadn't made such a great contribution, the workshop director certainly wouldn't have hired Wu Zhensheng.
Huang Pingping couldn't help but become interested in Wu Zhensheng, whom she had never met before. She asked, "Does Wu Zhensheng have five children?"
Mingxi nodded: "Yes, including Wu Zhensheng, there are five brothers in total."
She added, "Wu Zhensheng is the third child in his family. There are many boys in the Wu family, so the elders don't care much about him, especially someone like Wu Zhensheng, who has older brothers who are the pillars of the family, and younger brothers. His parents often neglect him. However, he has been a promising student since he was young. He was good at studying and was just one point away from getting into a vocational school when he graduated from junior high school."
The vocational schools of today are different from those of later generations.
Nowadays, vocational high school diplomas are more valuable than university diplomas. It's no exaggeration to say that if someone can get into a vocational high school, their entire life will be changed.
After all, vocational schools nowadays offer free tuition and fees, provide living allowances during the school year, and assign jobs after graduation, with each job being a formal, permanent position.
That's why it's harder to get into a vocational high school than to get into university. Last year, their city's vocational high school only admitted 200 students; only those who ranked in the top 200 in the city's high school entrance exam had a chance to attend.
Wu Zhensheng was just one point away from getting into a vocational school, which is already quite impressive.
"It's such a pity that we missed it by just one point," Huang Pingping remarked.
She had also applied for a vocational nursing school, but failed the exam and ended up attending a regular high school.
Mingxi: "That's right. But he's doing well now. He's an apprentice at a machine factory. If he studies hard for a few years, he'll get promoted and his salary will increase. He's a quick learner, so passing the certification exams won't be difficult for him."
Huang Pingping blinked, seemingly lost in thought, and remained silent.
Mingxi pretended not to notice Huang Pingping's expression and gave her a detailed account of Wu Zhensheng's situation.
By the end, my mouth was dry from talking.
"Miss, you asked me to introduce you to someone, and I have. Now you know Wu Zhensheng's situation, can I leave now?"
Huang Pingping: "You, you, you..."
Mingxi looked innocent: "Huh? What's wrong with me?"
Huang Pingping puffed out her cheeks angrily: "It's nothing! You can leave!"
"Alright, I'll be going now. See you next time." Mingxi got up quickly and walked out of Huang Pingping's room before she could say anything.
"So, so, what did my Pingping say?"
As soon as Mingxi came out, Sun Xiuzhen, who was waiting at the door, grabbed her and questioned her.
Mingxi patted Sun Xiuzhen's hand and said, "Aunt Sun, we have good news and bad news. Which do you want to hear first?"
Sun Xiuzhen clutched her chest: "Oh dear, why are you teasing me like this? I'm so worried! And you're asking me which news I want to hear first? Just tell me already!"
Mingxi: "Okay, okay, I wasn't joking with you."
"To be frank with you, the good news is that I don't think Pingping will get back together with Feng Fan. The bad news is that Pingping didn't agree to go on the date."
Hearing this, Sun Xiuzhen breathed a sigh of relief.
As long as Huang Pingping doesn't reunite with Feng Fan, that's all good news!
Sun Xiuzhen pulled Mingxi aside and asked uncertainly, "Xiaoming, are you sure Pingping really won't get back together with Feng Fan?"
Mingxi nodded.
Huang Pingping was indeed reluctant to break up with Feng Fan; she could tell as soon as she went in.
But when she asked Huang Pingping what Feng Fan's strengths were, Huang Pingping couldn't answer either.
This shows that Huang Pingping's romantic illusion about Feng Fan has been shattered. Stepping outside the filter, how could Huang Pingping, a pampered young lady, possibly still be interested in Feng Fan, a petty hoodlum?
Mingxi simply told Sun Xiuzhen what she had said.
Sun Xiuzhen's face lit up with joy: "That's good, that's good."
As long as her daughter doesn't reconcile with Feng Fan, it doesn't matter whether she wants to find a partner or not!
A note from the author:
----------------------
Huang Pingping's inner monologue: Although I believe in free love, good looks aren't out of the question. (The background music here is simply that women are easily swayed by emotions...)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com