Chapter 25 It's not about prioritizing romance over family.
"Hello, I'm Zhuang Zhenglang, and this is my childhood friend, Situ Lu." The man in white greeted them first, naturally the main characters of the blind date. It just so happened that the man in gray next to him was someone Luo Qingyan recognized.
"Hello, I'm Tao Xingyou, and this is my cousin, Luo Qingyan," Tao Xingyou greeted them with a smile.
Situ Lu tilted his head slightly, his gaze falling on Luo Qingyan: "You are... Chestnut's..."
"Oh! Pudding!" Luo Qingyan suddenly realized. The last time she met her in the park was at night, and the other person's appearance was very different from now, so she only felt that the face was familiar but couldn't remember who it was.
"Chestnuts! Pudding?" Tao Xingyou turned to look at Luo Qingyan with surprise and confusion.
“Chestnut’s good friend,” Luo Qingyan quickly explained. “I also felt she looked familiar, but I couldn’t quite place her. We met when I took Chestnut out for a walk at night. She’s really something else.”
"What a coincidence, we actually know each other!" Zhuang Zhenglang glanced at his companion beside him, then smiled and said to the two ladies, "Please sit down! Have some coffee and desserts, and we can chat."
"Okay." Tao Xingyou smiled slightly and pulled Luo Qingyan to sit down.
Then we got down to business. Today's blind date was between Tao Xingyou and Zhuang Zhenglang, so naturally, the main characters got to talk, and the topic of Chestnut and Pudding was only touched upon briefly. Ironically, because of Chestnut and Pudding, the atmosphere wasn't awkward at all; in fact, it was quite harmonious.
Luo Qingyan accompanied her cousin. As the older sister, she mostly listened quietly to their conversation, perhaps making some analyses in her mind, but she didn't show them at the time. Occasionally, she would speak up when the conversation touched on appropriate topics, or when Tao Xingyou couldn't say something herself.
She had originally thought that her grandmother and aunt had said Zhuang Zhenglang was an introverted person, so if a topic ended and the silence lasted too long, she would help start a new topic.
Unexpectedly, Tao Xingyou talked non-stop, bringing up one topic after another, not just the things mentioned at the blind date, but also other things, talking about everything under the sun.
It seems that she is satisfied with this blind date, otherwise, they would have so much to talk about. Although Tao Xingyou does most of the talking, Zhuang Zhenglang also responds. The two have a back-and-forth conversation, so there is no need for others to worry.
As for Situ Lu, who was accompanying him on the other side, he served the same purpose as Luo Qingyan: listening silently and occasionally saying a few words.
As time went by, it was almost dinnertime. The conversation at the coffee shop came to an end; the two main characters had a very pleasant chat, and dinner not only followed naturally but they also discussed what to eat in a very enjoyable manner.
Zhuang Zhenglang listened only to Tao Xingyou, while Situ Lu carefully inquired about Luo Qingyan's opinion.
Luo Qingyan didn't care at all; she wasn't a picky eater anyway, as long as her cousin was happy. Seeing Zhuang Zhenglang listening attentively to her cousin and the harmonious relationship between the two, she felt quite gratified.
However, after Situ Lu asked Luo Qingyan for his opinion, Tao Xingyou and Zhuang Zhenglang immediately paid more attention to the thoughts of the people around them. After discussing for a few minutes, the four of them decided on a restaurant for dinner.
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The dinner that followed was also harmonious and smooth, with everyone eating, chatting, and laughing.
Since Tao Xingyou and Zhuang Zhenglang had become quite familiar with each other, their companions were also more relaxed.
Situ Lu took the initiative to talk to Luo Qingyan: "Have you not been walking the dog lately? Pudding doesn't seem to have run into Chestnut. Sometimes when I mention Chestnut to it at home, it always whines."
The topic was puppies, so it was fine to chat about it. Luo Qingyan began, "I do walk my dog, but my schedule has been irregular lately. Sometimes I go out early, and sometimes I go out late."
"Chestnut has a good personality, so it naturally has many friends. Pudding has a bad temper, and many dogs don't want to play with it. It also likes to provoke others, which often leaves us at a loss and feeling very embarrassed."
"Every dog has a different personality. It just likes to play and doesn't understand the rules of human society. It's just a lot of trouble for its owner."
"A few days ago, while we were walking in the park, it insisted on playing with a Border Collie. Compared to the medium-sized dog, it was tiny, and no one else was interested in it, not even wanting to sniff it. But it kept inviting it, pulling on its leash. Then... it rained during the day, and it slipped and fell into the roadside green belt. The green belt was full of mud, and it... became the center of attention. On the way home, every person and every dog noticed it."
"Haha." Luo Qingyan chuckled. "Chestnut actually missed such an interesting scene. In a puppy's eyes, being able to roll around in the mud must be a happy thing."
"He's happy now, and he doesn't care about the lives of his family members at all."
"What happened to the promise that owning a dog means not being a spoilsport parent?"
"Haha, yes, yes, we can't be spoilsport parents."
...
-
Dinner ended, and the blind date concluded in a pleasant atmosphere.
Tao Xingyou drove Luo Qingyan back to her maternal grandmother's house. She also wanted to visit her grandmother and report on her blind date that day.
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"You're quite satisfied with Zhuang Zhenglang, aren't you?" Luo Qingyan started the conversation about the blind date they had just had on the way.
"Is it that obvious?" Tao Xingyou glanced quickly at Luo Qingyan out of the corner of her eye. "I... I'll just take it easy! I'm an extroverted person! Ugh! If I act like this, won't the other person think I'm too... too proactive? That might not be good!"
“The other party should be quite satisfied with you as well,” Luo Qingyan said calmly. “When both sides have feelings for each other, there’s nothing wrong with sending signals.”
"Sis, what do you think of Zhuang Zhenglang? Don't worry about my opinion. Just look at him through your eyes. If there's anything wrong with him, feel free to say it. Blind dates are about both parties considering whether they're a good match and then making a choice. The family's opinion is very important."
"Hmm... he's not bad. The only thing is, from my perspective, his personality is a bit too reserved. He's slow in both speech and action. It's fine when we're dating, but I don't know if living together as a married couple will be exhausting."
"Yes, he does seem a bit slow. I'm worried that if I get impatient while he doesn't, then... there will definitely be conflicts."
"However, his friend seems to be a relatively extroverted person. Maybe they'll discover the differences as they spend more time together. Like my aunt said, if you really click with someone, their personality might change. And what if they turn out to be a completely different person after you get to know them? People are complex."
"Hmm, let's try getting to know each other first."
-
When we got back to Grandma's house, Grandma had already taken Chestnut out for a walk and was watching TV in the living room.
"Grandma, we're back!" Tao Xingyou ran towards her grandmother with a smile, only to find that her grandmother's expression was not good, as if she was angry.
"Grandma, what's wrong? Are you unhappy?" Tao Xingyou sat down next to her grandmother and put her arm around her grandmother's arm.
"No," Grandma immediately smiled. "I'm a little tired from going out today. How are things on your end? Is Xiao Zhuang someone you like? Is he good to you?"
Luo Qingyan noticed the abrupt change in her grandmother's expression, but she didn't ask any questions at the moment. Instead, she talked about her cousin's blind date: "Grandma, the other party treated us today, so I can only return the money to you."
"Didn't we agree that Grandma would treat us?" Grandma waved her hand, pretending to be serious. "We should refund any overpayment and make up any underpayment."
"Grandma, the other party paid a long time ago, and I couldn't compete with them!" Tao Xingyou's voice was soft. "But we agreed that he would treat this time, and I would treat next time."
"Oh, there will be a next time, that's great." Grandma's face lit up with a smile again. "I'm glad you like him. Your mother and I both think Xiao Zhuang is a good kid, mainly because he's a good person. We can take our time with the rest."
"I know, but he has to choose me too!" Tao Xingyou pouted. "If he invites me to dinner again next time, it means he's interested in continuing the relationship. But if he doesn't, don't be disappointed, and don't put pressure on me."
"If you like him, just be proactive." Grandma held Tao Xingyou's hand. "These days, there are plenty of girls who pursue boys, don't be shy. Look at the TV shows, they even dare to confess in public!"
"If I really liked it, I'd dare to do it too!" Tao Xingyou raised her chin. "But, introverted people probably wouldn't like this kind of format, right?"
"Oh! You're already thinking that Xiao Zhuang is introverted and doesn't like this kind of thing?" Luo Qingyan teased. "Grandma, it seems you don't need to worry. Our Xingyou is quite satisfied!"
"Sister!" Tao Xingyou tugged at her grandmother's sleeve. "Grandma, look what my sister is saying!"
"Alright, alright, as long as you're satisfied." Grandma gestured with her eyes for Luo Qingyan to stop teasing her younger sister, then patted Tao Xingyou's hand. "Xiao Zhuang is really good, you two should get along well."
"Okay!"
-
Tao Xingyou only stayed at her grandmother's house for about twenty minutes. Her grandmother was worried that it would be unsafe for her to go home too late, so she asked her to leave early.
After seeing Tao Xingyou off, Luo Qingyan naturally had to ask her grandmother what had happened before she and her cousin returned, since her grandmother's expression had seemed rather strange at the time.
"Grandma, is something bothering you?" Luo Qingyan asked bluntly. "You didn't seem to be in a good mood when we came back."
"I went and yelled at someone!" Grandma didn't mince words. "Didn't you tell me about the rumors going around outside? Sure enough, there were some gossips spreading rumors. I ran into one while walking the dog, and I gave them a piece of my mind on the street! When I got home, I felt like I hadn't yelled hard enough, and I'm thinking about how to yell more next time!"
"Wow! My grandma is amazing!" Luo Qingyan pulled her grandma to sit on the sofa. "But please don't get angry. It's okay to scold her, but getting angry isn't good for your health. Why should we be angry when the other person does something wrong? Right?"
"Yes! But I just think some people shouldn't have mouths, they really have a bad mentality. I'm not angry, I know the other person is just being pathetic, so they use foul language. Let me tell you, that old lady You, her youngest son got divorced in his twenties and has no children, now he's over forty and still can't find a wife, she's very anxious, she wants to have a grandson. But, she just keeps saying that her son has high standards, and she and her son don't like anyone worse than him, so she's not in a hurry."
"Yes, Grandma is right. The other person is pitiful, but has a bad mentality. After all, there are all kinds of birds in a big forest."
"Hey, how old is that boy you like?" Grandma's expression instantly changed from angry to kind.
"You're still shy? When you were little, you always said who you liked directly, and the whole family knew!" Grandma's eyes narrowed. "You're not lying to Grandma, are you?"
"Of course not! He... he also lives in Hefengting." Luo Qingyan had a sudden inspiration, thinking that she could take the opportunity to bring up the matter of moving. "Actually, he and I are still in the stage where we haven't made things clear yet. Grandma, think about it, we live in the same community, so we definitely need to be sure before we make a move. Otherwise, if we make a move rashly and fail... we're in the same community, so we're bound to run into each other, which would be so awkward."
"Oh dear, my granddaughter actually lacks confidence." Grandma's face was full of smiles. "She also lives in Hefengting? Why don't you go there more often? That way you'll have more opportunities to meet. Which building does she live in? Is it nearby?"
“I didn’t ask. Young people these days value their privacy; asking too much will make them uncomfortable.” Luo Qingyan quickly formed a story in her mind. “I met him at an Italian restaurant. It was a bit of a surprise. He helped me out, and that’s how we met. Turns out he also lives in Hefengting. What a coincidence! What a coincidence!”
"It's fate that brought us together from afar. Now that you're back, you must seize the opportunity. You two will have a good outcome, your love will blossom and bear fruit, and you'll live happily ever after."
"A hundred years isn't enough, it has to be a thousand years! A lifetime, and lifetimes upon lifetimes!" Luo Qingyan chuckled to himself as he thought of this. "Grandma, if I say I want to move to Hefengting, don't say I'm neglecting my family for my lover!"
"You've been with me through countless lifetimes, how could your grandmother possibly stop you?" Grandma thought Luo Qingyan was just joking because she was so happy, so she joked back, "Girls grow up and leave home!"
"Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore." Grandma's expression turned serious. "If you really want to move to Hefengting, then go for it. It's more lively there, which is suitable for you young people. But you must be careful. There are many good people and many bad people these days."
“The area is safe, there won’t be any problems. And I will definitely be very, very careful. I live alone in S City too! Grandma, you can trust me.”
"Okay, I believe you, and I can't bear to part with you."
"No rush. Pursuing something like this requires a balance. Knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to victory. An excellent grandson-in-law isn't easy to find. Grandma, don't be impatient. Don't send me away. You can keep an eye on Xingyou for now."
"Okay, okay, okay!" Grandma laughed.
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