Chapter 77 Introducing Yang Weihong to a potential partner, no matter what...
Regardless, Mingxi's act of bravery and righteousness has spread far and wide.
Guan Lixin, who had just returned from Guangzhou, heard about this immediately.
"Wow, Xiaoming, you're amazing! I heard you took on ten people single-handedly, severing their tendons with a dagger, and even caught bullets bare-handed. Wait, when did you learn that trick? I didn't know about it!"
Guan Lixin surrounded Mingxi, chattering away as he tried to gather information.
Mingxi: "...No, who told you that?"
Guan Lixin: "That's what the people in the alley are saying. That's what everyone outside is saying, isn't that right?"
Mingxi gritted her teeth: "Of course not!"
She held out her two fair and delicate hands: "Take a good look, do I look like someone who can catch a bullet with my bare hands?"
Guan Lixin looked down at Mingxi's hands, then looked up at Mingxi's face, scratched his head, and said, "It doesn't quite look like it..."
Mingxi rolled her eyes. "Nonsense."
Only a superhero could catch a bullet with his bare hands.
Guan Lixin scratched the back of his head: "I just heard some very detailed rumors from outside..."
Mingxi: "It's all just rumors going around. These things get distorted as they're passed on. You know that, don't you?"
Seeing that Guan Lixin came over as soon as he got off the train, Mingxi figured he was genuinely concerned about her. She added, "It's not as scary as the rumors say. That group wasn't after me. They didn't try to kill me at first. The police arrived quickly; they didn't even have time to lay a hand on me before the group got here."
Guan Lixin was a smart man; as soon as he heard this, he knew there was something fishy going on.
Would a robber who sets off at gunpoint on the street care who their intended target is?
Isn't it just about robbing whoever comes along?
How could they not have tried to kill Mingxi from the start?
Guan Lixin: "They weren't robbing? They were after Cao Guangping? Were they looking for revenge, or his family members?"
Mingxi wasn't surprised at all by Guan Lixin's comment.
Anyone with eyes can see that this matter is not simple.
Actually, some people have been wondering about it privately. This incident is said to be a robbery, but it's said that the robbers didn't take a single penny. Something doesn't seem right.
However, the fact that Mingxi, a young girl, acted bravely and fought against ten people single-handedly was even more shocking. So, on the surface, not many people were discussing whether this was wrong; instead, they were all gossiping about Mingxi.
It couldn't be said outside, but there was nothing to hide from Guan Lixin. Mingxi recounted the whole story in detail, and Guan Lixin smacked his lips and sighed after listening.
"If I have children in the future, I will definitely only have one."
Mingxi: "?"
Mingxi couldn't understand why Guan Lixin's thinking jumped so quickly. Wasn't he just talking about the Cao family a second ago? How could he jump to how many children he would have in the future so quickly?
Guan Lixin: "Look, why is Cao Guangping's family so uneasy? It's because he can't treat everyone equally. The main reason he can't treat everyone equally is because he has many children. If he only had one child, things wouldn't be so messy."
"However, Cao Guangping's failure to educate his children well is also an important factor."
Guan Lixin curled his lip, clearly disapproving of Cao Guangping as a father.
Guan Lixin: "Anyway, I've made up my mind. In the future, He Li and I will only have one child, whether it's a boy or a girl, one is enough."
Mingxi agrees with this statement. Childbirth causes irreversible damage to the mother, and the more children a woman has, the more severe the damage becomes.
"Actually, I didn't want any children. Kids are so noisy, annoying, and hard to take care of. Childbirth is also painful, and I don't want my He Li to suffer. But I can't help it, He Li really likes children, and I can't just refuse her."
Guan Lixin, with a smug look on his face, proudly showed off his affection.
Mingxi didn't want to be fed dog food late at night, so she waved her hand and kicked Guan Lixin out of the house.
Not only Guan Lixin, but the next morning, Mingxi ran into Wei Ning in the alley, and he said with a mocking smile.
"I heard you fought ten people single-handedly to save a friend? I didn't know you were that good."
Mingxi raised an eyebrow: "I didn't expect you to be so gossipy?"
She replied irritably, knowing that Wei Ning was clearly just teasing her.
Wei Ning wasn't angry at all when Ming Xi retorted. He continued to smile and say, "Everyone has a gossipy heart."
Mingxi: "..."
Mingxi was too lazy to talk and strode forward. Wei Ning didn't give up and followed beside Mingxi, pushing his bicycle: "Hey, tell me, is it true? You really caught a bullet with your bare hands?"
Mingxi: "Of course it's not true. It was the police who stopped the thugs from committing the crime."
Wei Ning: "I knew it..."
He explained that no matter how good Mingxi was at fighting, he couldn't possibly catch a bullet with his bare hands.
Mingxi pursed her lips, speechless.
She swung her braid and strode away.
Mingxi arrived at the office just in time. Sister Wang from the Women's Federation was chatting away with someone in the next office. When she saw Mingxi, Sister Wang reached out and pulled her over.
"This is the Mingxi I told you about, the one who acted bravely and righteously!"
The person opposite exclaimed in surprise, "So this is Mingxi!"
It's hard to believe that the legendary heroine who fought ten against one was actually a vicious old woman. I never imagined that Mingxi herself would look like this.
The person opposite stared at Mingxi for a long time, still thinking to himself, "This girl looks fair and delicate, and at first glance she's just a pretty young girl. You wouldn't guess she's such a fighter."
No wonder that gang of thugs was able to fall into her hands.
They must have underestimated her because she was a woman.
Sister Wang boasted, "Don't let Xiaoming's youthful appearance fool you, he's incredibly capable. Not only is he good at fighting, but he also excels at his job. You know about our social gathering we had the other day? The success of the gathering was all thanks to Xiaoming's helpful ideas!"
The person opposite Mingxi looked at her in surprise. She worked for the Disabled Persons' Federation next door. Her work did not overlap much with that of the Women's Federation, but she did know about the social gathering that the Women's Federation had held recently.
The social gathering was a great success, and both the Beicheng Evening News and the Beicheng Daily went to the scene to cover it.
Later, many people sent thank-you letters to the newspaper, saying that they met their ideal partner at the social event, and after getting to know each other better, they successfully got together and started dating.
Because of this, the Women's Federation has been in the spotlight recently.
Who would have thought that this was Mingxi's idea?
Sister Wang: "And you know about the legal seminar we held a while ago, right?"
The person opposite nodded: "I know, I know."
How could I not know? The higher-ups highly approve of the Women's Federation's legal lectures. They praised it highly at a meeting a few days ago, which even impressed the director of the Disabled Persons' Federation, who is now planning to organize a similar legal lecture.
Sister Wang: "Xiaoming also put in a lot of effort for this lecture, she..."
Sister Wang spoke eloquently and fluently, making Mingxi blush and feel a little embarrassed.
She's usually a thick-skinned person who's not easily embarrassed, but now, listening to Sister Wang's endless flattery, she actually felt a little shy.
Not only did Sister Wang keep praising Mingxi, but the colleagues from the Disabled Persons' Federation across the street also stared at her intently, as if they had discovered a treasure.
Mingxi: It can't be that bad...
After a long wait for Director Shen to arrive, Sister Wang saw him, silently shut her mouth, returned to her workstation, and pretended to work diligently. The colleague from the next office also silently took her water cup and returned to her own office.
Director Shen glanced at Sister Wang and Mingxi, but didn't say anything.
"Work hard."
She patted Mingxi on the shoulder, left with those words, and went into her office.
Mingxi scratched his head, somewhat puzzled.
But then Sister Wang peeked over and said, "Xiao Ming, your luck is about to change."
Mingxi smiled and said, "Sister Wang, you must be joking."
Sister Wang waved her hand: "I'm not joking with you. Can't you see? Director Shen is showing his favor towards you."
She said quietly, "I reckon you're the obvious choice for this year's outstanding employee in our office."
Mingxi had only been working for two months when she participated in organizing two large-scale events, offered constructive suggestions for the events, and gained exposure in front of senior leaders.
Furthermore, given that she sent her letter of gratitude for her act of bravery to the Women's Federation, it's no exaggeration to say that Mingxi is the most deserving candidate for the title of Outstanding Individual.
Speaking of this, Sister Wang couldn't help but feel a little sour. After all, Sister Wang was getting on in years, and whether or not she was recognized as an advanced worker didn't really matter to her, so she wasn't jealous of Mingxi.
Seeing that Mingxi, a new comrade who has only been in the Women's Federation for less than two months, has achieved so much, one can't help but feel a sense of unease, as each generation surpasses the last, leaving the older generation stranded on the beach.
Mingxi scratched his head modestly and said, "Sister Wang, don't tease me. There are plenty of people in our office who are more capable and more outstanding than me. If you say that, the other senior colleagues will disagree."
Sister Wang suddenly realized that if she said such things in the office and others heard her, it might incite jealousy towards Mingxi.
She smiled and said, "Oh, I was just saying it offhand."
Mingxi knew that Sister Wang meant no harm, so she smiled and helped to smooth things over: "I know you think highly of me, Sister Wang, and I think highly of myself too."
She puffed out her chest, her big, round eyes full of pride. But this blatant pride wasn't annoying; everyone else in the office couldn't help but smile when they saw it.
Mingxi: "But I still have a lot to learn, Sister Wang, Sister Wang, I'll be asking you a lot of questions in the future, so please don't find it annoying."
Her words not only helped Sister Wang smooth things over but also saved face for everyone else in the office, making everyone feel comfortable.
Sister Wang naturally wouldn't refuse; she smiled and agreed.
After a busy morning, at lunchtime, Mingxi excitedly grabbed her lunchbox, put her arm around Yu Xiaomin's shoulder, and headed to the cafeteria for lunch.
Today is Tuesday, and the cafeteria has delicious chicken legs. If you go too late, you won't be able to get any!
As Mingxi and Yu Xiaomin stepped out of the office, they saw a security guard approaching: "Mingxi, someone is looking for you at the door."
Mingxi was taken aback. Someone was looking for her?
She handed the lunchbox and meal tickets to Yu Xiaomin, asking her to get her food, while she followed the security guards to the main gate.
Standing at the door was a burly man with broad shoulders and a thick waist, about 1.89 meters tall, with arms that looked as thick as Mingxi's calves.
These days, this physique is really rare. People from poor families can't afford to be this strong.
Mingxi was somewhat stunned when she saw the other person.
She didn't recognize the person.
Mingxi frowned slightly and stepped forward: "Hello, comrade, you were looking for me?"
The person opposite Mingxi looked her up and down, then revealed a surprised expression: "You must be the matchmaker, Mingxi. Hello, hello, I'm Zhu Jianmin."
One doesn't hit a smiling face, and since the other party was so enthusiastic, Mingxi could only politely ask, "Hello, Comrade Zhu, you're looking for me...?"
Zhu Jianmin scratched the back of his head: "Well, Comrade Ming, I came to you because I wanted you to help me find a partner. I heard that you've successfully introduced other people to potential partners, so I came here specifically to ask you for help."
Mingxi's smile suddenly became more genuine.
It turns out he wanted her to introduce him to a potential partner.
No problem, no problem.
Mingxi said, "In that case, tell me about your situation."
“Okay.” Zhu Jianmin scratched the back of his head and introduced himself: “My name is Zhu Jianmin, I’m thirty years old, and I work at a meat processing plant. My parents are still alive, but my family separated a long time ago. My daughter and I live separately. I’ve been married twice before…”
Mingxi interrupted him: "Two marriages? Can you tell me the details?"
Zhu Jianmin didn't hide anything and said frankly, "My first wife and I met through a matchmaker. We hit it off and thought we were both good people, so we got married. However, my first wife had bad luck. She had a difficult childbirth and died, leaving me with a baby girl, who is my daughter. Because the child was young, it was difficult for a grown man like me to take care of the child. So, not long after my wife passed away, I met my second wife through a matchmaker."
He said, "My second wife was beautiful and did well in school, but her family background was not good. They were poor and couldn't afford to buy her a job. She didn't want to go to the countryside, so she asked a matchmaker to introduce her to someone, and I just happened to be the one. She lived with me for four years. Later, the college entrance examination was reinstated, and she was admitted to a university in another city. I couldn't go with her to that city, so after we discussed it, we peacefully separated and got a divorce."
Mingxi raised his eyebrows. Hearing Zhu Jianmin say that his second wife dumped him after getting into university, he didn't resent her at all.
Zhu Jianmin noticed the question in Mingxi's eyes and took the initiative to explain: "Hey, matchmaker Ming, I know what you want to ask. You want to know why I don't complain about my second wife, right?"
He frankly said, "I don't think I have anything to complain about. She's beautiful, academically excellent, and gentle. To be honest, if it weren't for the policy at the time that sent high school graduates to the countryside, such a fine young woman like her wouldn't have married me. I have nothing—no education, no looks, and I'm a divorcee with a child from a previous marriage. I'm completely unworthy of her. She's the one who got the better deal by marrying me. Now that she's been admitted to university, I can't hold her back or prevent her from going to university, can I?"
"Of course, my home is here, with my parents and daughter. I definitely can't go to university in another city with her, so after thinking about it, I decided to divorce her."
Mingxi tilted her head, somewhat surprised.
This sounds easy, but it's not so easy to do.
If Zhu Jianmin really does as he says and readily lets his second wife divorce him, then he is a rare and honest person.
Putting that aside for now, Mingxi asked, "It's been a few years since your last marriage, so why are you suddenly thinking about finding a partner?"
Zhu Jianmin scratched the back of his head: "Hey, I hadn't thought about this before, but my mom has been urging me to get married recently. Plus, I feel like I'm only thirty, still young, and I don't want to be single, so I wanted to ask you to introduce me to someone."
Mingxi nodded: "I understand your situation. Do you have any requirements for finding a partner?"
Speaking of this, Zhu Jianmin blushed and said, "I don't have any special requirements, I just want to find someone suitable to live with."
He paused for a moment and then said, "Comrade Ming, I heard that you know Comrade Yang Weihong, is that right?"
Mingxi was taken aback and asked in surprise, "You know Yang Weihong?"
Zhu Jianmin: "I know him. Yang Yongzhi often comes to our meat processing plant's sales outlet to buy meat."
He said somewhat shyly, "Actually, I think Comrade Yang is a very good person. Could you help me ask Comrade Yang what he thinks?"
"Hmm... it's possible, but," Mingxi pursed her lips, unsure how to phrase it, sensing that Yang Weihong probably wouldn't agree.
She had asked Yang Weihong before, and Yang Weihong didn't plan to find a partner or get married in the near future.
Mingxi considered her words carefully before saying, "You should know that Yang Weihong was divorced before, right?"
Zhu Jianmin nodded: "I understand."
Having been publicly criticized and punished by the steel mill, Shen Mo's reputation as a contemporary Chen Shimei (a notorious womanizer) has almost spread to the neighboring Haihe City. Inevitably, his affair with Yang Weihong has also become public knowledge.
However, none of them had ever seen Yang Weihong before, so they didn't know who she was.
Zhu Jianmin had met Yang Weihong before and knew that she came from Northeast China. She had originally come to Beicheng to find her husband, but he had broken her heart and divorced her. Now she was all alone...
With so many pieces of information matching up, he naturally knew that Yang Weihong was the legendary Shen Mo's ex-wife.
Zhu Jianmin had heard about Yang Weihong's deeds and thought she was brave enough to travel all the way to Beicheng to confront Shen Mo and demand an explanation; he thought she was decisive and efficient, even when she came to confront Shen Mo and was threatened with divorce, she was not defeated, and she did not cry and whine to stay, but instead decisively asked Shen Mo for money; he thought she was resilient and unwilling to admit defeat, and after the divorce, she did not wallow in self-pity, but instead seized the business opportunity and started selling boxed lunches.
Zhu Jianmin liked Yang Weihong's personality, and after learning that Yang Weihong and Mingxi had a good relationship, he asked Mingxi to help him act as a matchmaker.
Mingxi pursed her lips; it was clear that Zhu Jianmin genuinely admired Yang Weihong.
But Yang Weihong might not be willing.
Mingxi didn't hide anything from Zhu Jianmin. She said directly, "I understand what you mean, but Comrade Yang may not be planning to find a partner right now. So, I'll ask Comrade Yang first and see what she thinks. You go back and wait for my reply."
Zhu Jianmin was quite decisive; he readily nodded and said, "Okay."
When Mingxi got off work that evening, he went back to the courtyard and found Aunt He. He gave Aunt He a dollar and asked her to help him find out about Zhu Jianmin.
Aunt He had worked with Mingxi several times and was already familiar with the process. Without asking, she knew that Mingxi was going to act as a matchmaker, so she immediately went out to inquire about Zhu Jianmin's situation.
Aunt He is very enthusiastic about earning extra money.
That very evening, she went to find Mingxi with the information she had gathered.
Zhu Jianmin's account is largely true. He works at a meat processing plant and has a seven-year-old daughter who has just started elementary school. He had two previous wives. His first wife died in childbirth, and his second wife went to university in another city, leading to a divorce.
According to neighbors near Zhu Jianmin's house, Zhu Jianmin and his second wife divorced peacefully without any arguments or disagreements. When his second wife went to university in another city, Zhu Jianmin even took his daughter to the train station to see her off.
According to the neighbors, Zhu Jianmin is a good person, honest and straightforward, and doesn't do anything shady or glib, nor does he have any bad habits.
He is good at making and saving money, and his family is quite well-off. By all accounts, he can be considered a high-quality bachelor in the meat processing plant.
However, Zhu Jianmin had been married twice before. Although one of them ended in a peaceful divorce, there were still rumors that Zhu Jianmin was a jinx to his wives.
I don't know who started this rumor, but they made it sound so convincing.
It is said that the Zhu family are all butchers, and Zhu Jianmin works in a meat processing plant. This family has killed too many animals, committed many sins, and has a heavy evil aura. Girls with ordinary fates cannot subdue the evil aura on Zhu Jianmin. If they marry Zhu Jianmin, the marriage will not last long. Either the girl will die, or the two will divorce.
This statement is unsubstantiated, but quite a few people believe it, which makes it a bit difficult for Zhu Jianmin to find a partner.
Mingxi didn't think it was a big deal. Rumors are rumors, but they're not true. There are even rumors outside that she can catch bullets with her bare hands.
And to be honest, Zhu Jianmin and Yang Weihong's conditions are quite suitable.
Although Zhu Jianmin had been married twice before and had a child, he had a job, urban residency, and a house in the city.
Although Yang Weihong has no children, she is divorced and has an elderly grandmother to support. In addition, she is unemployed and does not have a city household registration.
Judging from their circumstances alone, the two seemed quite compatible. In fact, many people felt that Yang Weihong was the one who benefited from Zhu Jianmin's interest. Given Zhu Jianmin's background, finding a divorced woman with urban residency shouldn't have been too difficult.
Of course, this depends entirely on the conditions of the two individuals.
Whether the two can be together ultimately depends on Yang Weihong's own wishes.
Mingxi still made a trip to the Yang family.
Mingxi went to Yang Weihong's house after get off work the next evening. When she arrived, Yang Weihong was not home; only Grandma Yang was there.
Grandma Yang was petite with completely white hair, but she looked quite energetic. This was Mingxi's first time meeting Grandma Yang. She started by introducing herself: "Hello Grandma, I'm Mingxi, and I'm here to see Wei Hong."
When Grandma Yang heard Mingxi's name, a huge smile bloomed on her face, and she warmly invited Mingxi into the house to sit down.
She had heard from her granddaughter that she was able to find Shen Mo, successfully divorce him, get her money back from him, and later establish herself in Beicheng to do business, all thanks to the help of a young man named Mingxi.
When Grandma Yang saw Mingxi, she was overjoyed. She took Mingxi's hand with her old, wrinkled hands and said, "Little Mingxi, I'm so glad to finally meet you. I've heard my wife Weihong say that you've taken good care of her. I've always wanted to meet you to thank you, but Weihong has been busy lately and hasn't had time to take me to see you. I didn't expect you to come looking for me."
She said earnestly, "Little Ming's daughter, my Wei Hong isn't good with words, and neither am I. All I can say is thank you. Thank you so much. If it weren't for you, my Wei Hong..."
As Grandma Yang spoke, her eyes reddened and she choked up.
“Wei Hong’s life has been hard. When she was just over a year old, her parents died in a bombing while trying to stop the spies from causing sabotage. They didn’t even leave us their remains. Wei Hong had just learned to speak when they died. Fortunately, the army was kind enough to give us a pension, which allowed me to raise Wei Hong. The villagers also took good care of us, the grandmother and granddaughter. But as a girl without parents, Wei Hong was still subject to gossip, especially after she came of age. People said that Wei Hong had a bad fate, that she was an orphan cursed by heaven, and no one dared to propose marriage to her.”
At this point, a hint of regret flashed across Grandma Yang's face: "Back then, I felt that Wei Hong, being a girl, should get married and find a man, so I kept urging her to find a partner. Maybe that's why Wei Hong agreed to date Shen Mo later."
Grandma Yang only recently realized what was going on.
She had never understood why, even though there were young people in the village who were interested in Yang Weihong, her Weihong had chosen Shen Mo, an educated youth.
She only recently realized that although many boys in the village had pursued Wei Hong, none of them had proposed marriage to her, and none of them were willing to live with her, an old woman, after marriage.
Yang Weihong probably agreed to marry Shen Mo because she urged Yang Weihong to get married, and Shen Mo, an educated youth from out of town, could live with her, an old woman, after marriage.
Grandma Yang was filled with remorse. She couldn't help but think that if she hadn't been so pushy back then, Yang Weihong wouldn't have insisted on marrying Shen Mo, and this whole thing wouldn't have happened.
Grandma Yang had a bitter face, and her already thin figure became even more hunched. She said, "But we never expected that Shen Mo would be such a bad person, such a bad match. Wei Hong, such a good girl, had her best years wasted by him... Comrade Xiao Ming, thank goodness we met you. If it weren't for you, our Wei Hong would have wasted these past few years and ended up with nothing. Thank goodness for you!"
She wiped away her tears, grasped Mingxi's hand, and expressed her sincere gratitude.
Mingxi quickly tore off a piece of paper to comfort her: "No, no, Grandma, you're too kind. I didn't really do anything. It's mainly because Weihong is capable on her own."
Grandma Yang: "Comrade Xiaoming, don't be modest. Weihong is where she is today entirely thanks to your help. It's no exaggeration to say that you gave Weihong a second life."
Mingxi's eyes widened, her pupils dilating in shock. She was genuinely embarrassed and quickly waved her hands, saying, "No, no, it's really not that serious!"
Grandma Yang was very grateful to Mingxi and wished she could treat him like a great benefactor to her family.
But seeing Mingxi's resistance, she didn't insist any further.
She composed herself, stood up, and said, "By the way, Comrade Xiaoming, what brings you here today?"
Mingxi cleared her throat and said, "I'm here today to introduce Yang Weihong to someone."
Grandma Yang's eyes widened immediately, and her voice suddenly rose: "What? Introducing Wei Hong to a potential partner?"
Mingxi nodded: "Yes, there's a guy who's interested in Wei Hong and wants me to help him and Wei Hong get together. I think he's a decent guy, so I came to ask Wei Hong's opinion."
Grandma Yang clutched the hem of her clothes, her feelings a mix of emotions.
Of course, she hoped that Yang Weihong could get married, start a family, have a child, and live a normal, ordinary life like everyone else.
But once bitten, twice shy. With Shen Mo as an example, she was afraid that Yang Weihong would meet another bad person and be unhappy in her marriage.
Grandma Yang hesitated for a long time, but finally decided to ask about the other party's situation first. She said, "Little Ming's daughter, can you tell me about the other party's situation?"
Mingxi spoke crisply without the slightest hesitation.
“Okay, Grandma, let me tell you. That man’s name is Zhu Jianmin. He works at the meat processing plant and is thirty years old. He’s a little older than Wei Hong, but he’s a man, so it doesn’t matter if he’s a little older. Older men are more considerate.”
Grandma Yang shook her head dismissively. Being a little older is nothing. Yang Weihong is twenty-six this year, and Zhu Jianmin is only four years older than her, not ten or eight years. It doesn't matter.
However, thirty years old is not young. Is Zhu Jianmin not married?
Is there something wrong with him?
Grandma Yang's heart jumped.
Mingxi continued, "Zhu Jianmin's conditions are actually quite good. The meat processing plant has always provided good benefits. His monthly salary plus subsidies can reach sixty or seventy yuan. In addition, the factory often gives out gifts. It's really quite good."
Grandma Yang nodded casually, then hesitated before opening her mouth and asking, "Little Ming, is this man you're talking about ever married?"
Mingxi's lips moved slightly, and she said honestly, "Yes, he's been married. Zhu Jianmin has been married twice. His first wife..."
She recounted Zhu Jianmin's two marriages to Grandma Yang.
Hearing this, Grandma Yang felt relieved.
Although Zhu Jianmin has been married twice, the more this is the case, the more it proves that he has no problems.
If he had never been married, there wouldn't be any problem at all, but Grandma Yang wouldn't feel at ease.
Mingxi: "I think Zhu Jianmin is a very honest man. His first wife had bad luck, that goes without saying. Nobody wants a difficult childbirth. As for his second wife, I think that's quite rare. I don't know if you've met her, but I think even if you haven't, you've probably heard about it. He blocked and made a fuss, not wanting his wife to take the college entrance exam?"
Grandma Yang nodded; she had heard of such things before, and they happened in her village.
It's actually related to Shen Mo. When the news of the resumption of the college entrance examination came down, Shen Mo had already been away at university for a year. He didn't come back that year, and there were already rumors in the village that he had become too ambitious while in university and would never come back, and that he didn't want Yang Weihong anymore.
After the news of the resumption of the college entrance examination came down, the educated youth in the village were restless. Some people said that they should not be allowed to take the college entrance examination, otherwise they would all be like Shen Mo, leaving and never coming back.
The family that caused the most trouble in the village was the one where the man broke his wife's leg to prevent her from taking the college entrance examination. But the wife didn't give in. She found a fellow educated youth who had been sent to the countryside and made a scene at the educated youth office, eventually getting a divorce and taking the college entrance examination with her disabled leg.
That woman's fuss wasn't in vain; when the university acceptance letter finally came out, she was the first to receive it, and she ended up attending a university in the south.
Grandma Yang also sighed with emotion, recalling that the daughter-in-law was very honest and gentle, and had a very good relationship with her husband. If that man hadn't stopped her from taking the college entrance exam, perhaps she would have gotten into university and wouldn't have divorced him.
Seeing Grandma Yang nod, Mingxi continued, "You've seen it too, haven't you? Some people wouldn't even let their wives take the college entrance exam. Zhu Jianmin not only generously let his wife take the exam, but he also generously let her get a divorce without saying anything bad about her behind her back. That's very admirable."
Grandma Yang thought about it and felt that Zhu Jianmin's conditions were indeed quite good. He had a good personality, was generous, easygoing, and suitable for Yang Weihong. It was just that Zhu Jianmin already had a child, which made her hesitate a bit.
Being a stepmother is tough. Yang Weihong has no children of her own and has never been a mother before. She goes straight into being someone else's mother. If she does it well, she might not get any good results, but if she does it poorly, she'll definitely be the subject of gossip.
Moreover, Zhu Jianmin's daughter is already seven years old and old enough to remember things. She knows that Yang Weihong is not her biological mother, and she might have a problem with Yang Weihong.
If Yang Weihong has a biological child with Zhu Jianmin in the future, that will also be a problem.
Grandma Yang became more and more worried, feeling that Zhu Jianmin was not a suitable candidate.
However, given that Yang Weihong has been divorced, she will most likely only be able to find a partner who is also divorced, and she might end up with another woman with a child, making her a stepmother in the same situation.
Grandma Yang was very conflicted.
Mingxi noticed Grandma Yang's dilemma and suggested, "Grandma, how about this, let's wait for Weihong to come back and see what she thinks?"
"What do you mean, wait for me to come back?"
Mingxi turned around and saw Yang Weihong striding in from outside.
It's been hot these past few days. Even though it's already evening, the outside temperature is still around 30 degrees Celsius. Yang Weihong came back from outside with her forehead covered in sweat and her hair stuck to her forehead. She's been out in the sun a lot lately, and her skin has gotten quite tanned. Her face is almost wheat-colored. She raised her face and showed a bright smile.
"I heard you talking in the yard. What were you saying? What do you mean you want to know what I think?"
Mingxi cleared her throat: "Well, a guy asked me to play matchmaker for you and him. I came here today to ask what you think."
Yang Weihong was taken aback: "Me?"
Mingxi nodded.
Yang Weihong: "Who is it? Is it someone I know? Has he taken a liking to me?"
Mingxi: "He knows you, and you should know him too. His name is Zhu Jianmin, and he works at the meat processing plant."
Yang Weihong took a moment to process what she was saying before she finally realized, "You mean Brother Zhu!"
Mingxi raised an eyebrow: "You know him?"
Yang Weihong: "I guess you could say we know each other. I've met him a few times when I went to the meat processing plant's store to buy meat. He saw that I was buying a lot and even helped me deliver some goods once. We chatted once."
Yang Weihong was somewhat surprised. She wasn't very familiar with Zhu Jianmin; they had only met once and chatted once. She never expected that Zhu Jianmin would take a liking to her after just that one meeting.
She had absolutely no feelings for Zhu Jianmin.
Mingxi winked and asked curiously, "So what do you think?"
Her eyes were full of gossip. To be honest, judging from their circumstances alone, Yang Weihong and Zhu Jianmin were indeed quite a good match.
Yang Weihong raised her hand to cover her forehead: "Please spare me, I have absolutely no intention of dating or being in a relationship right now."
"oh."
Mingxi was somewhat disappointed, but she wasn't surprised.
Grandma Yang was equally disappointed, but having learned from Shen Mo's experience, she said nothing this time.
Wei Hong can earn money on her own now, and she's doing quite well living alone.
Whether or not I find a partner doesn't really matter.
Mingxi shrugged: "Alright then, I'll go and reject Zhu Jianmin tomorrow."
Yang Weihong nodded.
The next day, Mingxi got off work and went to Zhu Jianmin's house. Zhu Jianmin lived in a dormitory building assigned by the meat processing plant. When Mingxi arrived, Zhu Jianmin was wearing an apron and cooking in front of the stove in the corridor.
He was tall and muscular, wearing a pink apron, creating an eerie contrast.
Upon seeing Mingxi arrive, Zhu Jianmin quickly put down the spatula in his hand, wiped his hands with his apron, and looked at Mingxi expectantly: "Comrade Ming, come here. Is there any news from Comrade Yang?"
Mingxi nodded: "I went to ask Yang Weihong yesterday, and she said she's not considering dating or getting married for the time being."
Zhu Jianmin's smile froze for a moment, but he was mentally prepared, so he was fine. After a short while, he returned to normal, pursed his lips, and said, "Okay, I know. Thank you for your hard work, Comrade Ming."
Mingxi nodded, and as she turned to leave, she saw a little girl with two braids emerge from the house.
The little girl was chubby and fair-skinned, with a pair of big, dark eyes. She looked very clever and adorable.
She blinked and stood in front of Mingxi: "Sister, are you the one who introduced my dad to potential partners? Sister, did the auntie my dad like say yes?"
Upon hearing the little girl's words, Zhu Jianmin felt a wave of dizziness and couldn't help but shout, "Zhu Lingling, stop causing trouble!"
Zhu Lingling: "Oh ho, judging from Dad's expression, that aunt probably didn't agree to my dad's request. Sister, am I right?"
Mingxi didn't answer the question, but smiled and said, "Your name is Lingling? That's a beautiful name."
Zhu Lingling nodded her head slightly and said, "Sister, you have such good taste. I also think my name sounds nice."
Mingxi couldn't help but laugh.
This little girl is really interesting.
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