At the west end of the village, round watermelons are hidden among the lush green melon vines, and a small wooden house stands under a tree by the roadside.
An old man was squatting in front of his house enjoying the cool air when he saw a motorcycle approaching in the distance. He stood up and greeted it:
"Zhaoye is back?"
Wen Zhaoye: "Okay, pick out a few watermelons for me, I'll take them back."
Wen Yinfu glanced at Wen Jiaojiao, but didn't recognize her, and said in surprise:
"Wow, this little girl is really pretty. Could it be that you brought her back from the city to meet your dad and get married?"
Wen Jiaojiao didn't notice the slight smile that appeared on Wen Zhaoye's handsome face, and hurriedly waved her hand to explain:
"No, I'm his sister, don't you remember?"
"Nonsense. Zhao Ye didn't have a sister. His mother only gave birth to him. Don't try to fool me just because I'm old."
After Wen Yinfu finished speaking to her, he looked at Wen Zhaoye and continued to sigh:
"It really is time to get married. My Xiaohai and you have been playing together since you were little, and you already have two kids. You should hurry up and have one too..."
Before he could finish speaking, Wen Jiaojiao took a breath and interrupted him with a helpless expression:
"I'm his stepsister who ran away with a man for two years after taking his money, and then came back. Remember me?"
The old man looked completely bewildered, his mouth trembling, unsure how to respond.
The atmosphere froze for a moment. Wen Jiaojiao thought he was either too old or couldn't remember, and fearing he would continue to ramble, she explained:
"It's that vicious stepsister his stepmother brought with her when she married into the family. All she does all day is ask for money. She's lazy, doesn't do anything right, and does stupid things every day."
Wen Yinfu opened and closed his mouth, but no sound came out. He forced a smile, bent down, picked up his old pipe, put it in his mouth, and walked towards the melon field.
"I'll go to the field and pick some watermelons for you right away."
Wen Zhaoye's dark eyes flashed with a complex expression. He assumed she was eager to explain because of her inferiority complex, and said in an ambiguous tone:
"Actually, I've lived in the city for many years, and my thinking isn't particularly old-fashioned. I don't care too much about this kind of thing. As long as no children come knocking on my door in the future, I'll just live a peaceful life."
Wen Jiaojiao assumed he was saying this as a brother and sister, and she looked at the old man in the melon patch and said:
"Brother, you are so kind-hearted. I will definitely repay you in the future."
Wen Zhaoye stopped there, his ears turning bright red, a shy smile appearing on his lips: "..."
I don't agree to repay me with my body right now, so you don't get me too quickly and then say I'm easy to seduce and can't control my lower body.
Inside the main room of Wu Ying's house stood three girls of similar age, all with braided pigtails and wearing different styles of polka-dot polyester dresses.
Her face showed a simple and honest look, and she wore black short stockings and sandals.
Wu Ying sat on the bench and said to the slightly overweight Wu Xiu and Cai Liang:
"Let me tell you, the person I'm introducing today is the richest in our village. That three-room brick house over there belongs to his family."
There are car repair shops and clothing factories in the city; Mengning will only be able to enjoy a life of luxury after marrying into the family.
Wu Xiu's cheeks were flushed; she knew of Wen Zhaoye's reputation. If it weren't for her brother's daughters getting engaged and married one after another, her daughter probably wouldn't even have a chance.
However, Wu Ying's implied meaning over the phone was that she was afraid of being looked down upon if she brought her three daughters to someone's house to choose a child, so she could only subtly point out some flaws:
"Big sister, I know this person. It's his stepmother and father. Aren't they a bit difficult to deal with?"
Wu Ying knew exactly what her sister was thinking, and advised her:
"Oh, so what? Zhaoye only comes home twice a year, and he has a house in the county town. If we don't live together, there won't be so many troubles."
Besides, Mengning is so pretty, and she was in the same class as him before. Who knows, he might have secretly liked her back then.
In rural primary schools, there is no fixed school age. Because of poverty, Wen Xiaojian had Wen Zhaoye start school a few years later, and he just happened to be in the same class as Cai Mengning.
Cai Mengning blushed, lowered her eyes, and whispered:
"Auntie, really?"
"He's notoriously difficult to deal with. Over the years, he's become unrecognizable in this way and that way, but when I mentioned you today, guess what he did?"
Wu Ying, with an exaggerated expression, slapped her thigh and said with delight:
"Just say yes if you're happy. I bet you've had feelings for me for a long time, but you've just been too shy to say it."
Cai Mengning had been working as a waitress in a restaurant in the county town, not far from Chenxuan Garment Factory.
She had seen Wen Zhaoye bring people to eat here a few times, but she had never greeted him, and she didn't know if he recognized her.
She smiled shyly and said in a low voice:
"Maybe it's just that I've reached a certain age and I'm starting to look for a partner."
Wu Ying: "Nonsense, when your aunt said your name, Mengning, his eyes lit up like a wolf's."
If it weren't for his stepmother's daughter having some weird ideas, he would have quit his job right then and there and come to my house to see me.
Wu Xiu smiled so broadly her ears, her heart filled with pride at having a factory director's son-in-law. She politely said:
"Although the family situation is a bit complicated, at least the people are doing their jobs, which is better than anything else."
Wu Ying picked up her enamel mug, took a sip of water, and said:
"Exactly, the key is that the person isn't like those big bosses who keep one at home and another on the side. I've been keeping an eye on him all these years, and he's very clean around."
Cai Mengning's heart raced, her ears turned red, and she pretended to wander around before walking into the courtyard, glancing occasionally at the three brand-new tile-roofed houses.
Wu Xiu and Wu Ying were both experienced women, so they understood what girls were thinking. They smiled at each other but didn't say anything.
Wen Jiaojiao had just finished showering, her hair still wet and hanging behind her ears. She sat at the entrance of the main room, munching on a slice of watermelon. Noticing Cai Mengning glancing at her every now and then, she reminded her:
"Brother, your blind date is here."
Wen Zhaoye wiped the leftover watermelon rinds from the table onto the slop bucket and poured them into the pigsty, saying to put her mind at ease:
"They came, so they came. It was just a formality, I didn't take it to heart."
Wen Jiaojiao frowned and said with dissatisfaction:
“You didn’t take it to heart, but why did you waste their time? Everyone’s busy these days. Those who are supposed to be doing farm work have to do it, and those who aren’t supposed to be doing farm work still have to work to earn money.”
Are you afraid I'll fall for you? Pathetic! Do you think I'd fall for you so easily? You're just playing along.
Wen Zhaoye placed the swill bucket next to the pigsty, glancing at her with a look of doting affection in his starry eyes:
"It's alright, I'll go to the supply and marketing cooperative at the nearby market later to buy some things for both families."
Wen Jiaojiao became interested:
"I've already gone on your blind date with you, can you take me shopping?"
Wen Zhaoye walked up to her, picked up the watermelon rind from the ground, and threw it into the pigsty not far away, saying:
"I was planning to take you anyway."
Wen Jiaojiao smiled lightly, her eyes crinkling as she said:
"At least you have some conscience."
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