His clothes were neat and tidy, as if he had changed them specially for going into the city, but strangely, he showed no signs of staying in any hotel and had no plans to visit any relatives.
So, where does this magic of changing clothes, these brand new clothes, come from?
Zhang Xiaocui's heart was filled with doubts, like a fog in spring that needed to be unraveled.
If you think about it carefully, the place where he can change clothes must be a corner he is familiar with and often goes to. After all, new clothes are not easily available, so there must be a place to buy them.
A light bulb suddenly lit up in Zhang Xiaocui's mind, like the first rays of dawn, and everything became clear.
She decided to wait and see, patiently listening to how Xu Qinghe skillfully guided Chen Yong to reveal the truth.
As expected, as the conversation deepened, Chen Yong's familiarity with this county town exceeded the norm for a visitor from the so-called "neighboring county", and it all seemed too coincidental.
Xu Qinghe's words revealed a sense of extraordinaryness. She talked about her frequent trips to the county town, her connections in the supply and marketing cooperative, the secrets of discounted shopping, and even the eldest sister at the state-owned restaurant was her close friend.
After hearing this, Chen Yong's eyes flashed with surprise, but he understood clearly in his heart - this casual interaction was undoubtedly supported by the confidence in the family's financial strength.
He couldn't help but feel envious. If he could establish a connection with Xu Qinghe, perhaps his life could also be blessed with some of the sweetness of such a life?
His thoughts were like wild horses running wild, and he imagined a beautiful future with Xu Qinghe, where he could enjoy the same treatment as her without any effort, and work points would be easily available.
This longing, like the breeze of early summer, gently brushed across his heart, making him feel delighted.
However, dreams need to be put into action.
At the dinner table, Chen Yong deliberately kept a distance from Zhang Xiaocui. If Zhang Bing had not been sitting next to him, he would almost want to sit next to Xu Qinghe.
Seeing this, Zhang Xiaocui was secretly delighted and enjoyed the delicious food peacefully, while her mother and her brother and sister-in-law who had just returned from the fields were confused. Why was this blind date scene so unconventional?
Zhang's mother misunderstood her daughter's intention, thinking it was a direct rejection, and felt a little unhappy.
Even if they were dissatisfied, such matters should be handled by the elders. How could they let their youngest daughter make her own decision? What if Chen Yong spread the news after returning? Wouldn't his daughter's reputation be tarnished?
"Xiao Chen, about you and our Xiao Cui..."
Zhang's mother hesitated for a long time before finally speaking.
She thought that since her daughter was not happy about it, and the other party was from a slightly remote neighboring county, it would be better for both parties to come to a conclusion as soon as possible.
Unexpectedly, before Zhang's mother finished her words, Chen Yong had already taken the lead, speaking with clever tact: "Aunt, Xiao Cui is a good girl, I really like her. But we might as well take it slow. Today is our first meeting, and we still need to get to know each other better. I thought that we should visit the village more often in the future, get to know each other better, and then when we are both satisfied, we can propose marriage. What do you think?"
Chen Yong's mind was as delicate as silk. He knew very well the purpose of today's trip, and it was not a good idea to directly express his dislike for Zhang Xiaocui.
Therefore, he adopted a strategy of retreat in order to advance, making it difficult for the Zhang family to directly refuse, while at the same time gaining more opportunities for himself to contact Xu Qinghe.
His plan was clear: once he successfully won Xu Qinghe's heart, he would be able to withdraw from his marriage with Zhang Xiaocui with good reason, thus killing two birds with one stone.
The Zhang family did not delve into his words. They just felt that Chen Yong's proposal was reasonable. In addition, he took the initiative to help when they first met and they got along well. A sudden rejection seemed too cold, so they decided to take it slow.
Zhang's mother immediately nodded in agreement, but Zhang Xiaocui felt mixed emotions. Looking at her mother's simple and pure smile, she felt helpless.
She understood that this matter could only be resolved after Chen Yong left.
In the afternoon, Chen Yong said goodbye. Mother Zhang not only enthusiastically prepared food for him on the road, but also repeatedly reminded him to be careful. She personally sent him to the village entrance before returning, and kept praising him: "This child is really good, but it's a pity that he is too far away. It would be great if he was nearby..."
Zhang Xiaocui discussed with Xu Qinghe and decided to inform her parents of the doubts they had discovered about Chen Yong, reminding them to be careful and find the right time to completely cancel the marriage.
Zhang Xiaocui decided to take on this responsibility personally, and Xu Qinghe left first.
Just as her brother and sister-in-law were going out to work and her parents were preparing to go to the fields, Zhang Xiaocui stopped them in time.
She led the two of them into the main hall and told them everything about Xu Qinghe's speculation in the morning that Chen Yong lived in the county town, as well as the various details of his frequent courtesies to Xu Qinghe.
Finally, she firmly expressed her dislike for Chen Yong. This dislike was not only due to the distance of his home, but more from the disgust deep in her heart.
"This... can't be that serious? Isn't Qinghe already married?"
Mother Zhang's face was full of surprise.
If it was Zhang Xiaocui's words alone, she might still be skeptical, worried that her daughter was making up an excuse to avoid marriage.
But now Xu Qinghe's intervention has made things more complicated.
Xu Qinghe is smart and clever, and her opinions cannot be ignored.
As for why the two young women suddenly decided to test Chen Yong, Zhang Xiaocui had already prepared the answer Xu Qinghe had given her: "At first, Qinghe and I were curious about his late-night visit, wondering if he was staying at a hotel. But he looked clean and fresh, as if he had just showered and changed clothes, yet he claimed not to have stayed at a hotel. Qinghe was quick-witted, and after a few words, he inadvertently revealed the truth: he had indeed bathed in the city, but he had no relatives to stay with, and he hadn't stayed at a hotel. So we suspected he might have been visiting some unknown place."
"Later, Qinghe feigned interest and struck up a conversation with him, only to gradually discover that he was incredibly familiar with the city, yet he remained vague about his whereabouts. Apparently, seeing Qinghe's well-off status, he took the initiative to get close. If his father hadn't been present at the dinner table, he would have practically sat right next to Qinghe. Did you really not notice?"
Zhang Xiaocui's words were sincere, and her eyes were filled with unquestionable determination.
Xu Qinghe shook his head gently, a hint of helplessness and determination flashing in his eyes. "Uncle Zhang, Aunt Zhang, people's hearts are unpredictable. Sometimes closeness or distance can't be the standard for measuring a person's behavior. This time, I wanted to confirm it myself before telling you, for fear of misunderstanding and hurting the relationship. But now it seems that the facts are confirmed, and we must consider Xiao Cui's future."
Zhang Xiaocui's mother bit her lower lip, tears welling up in her eyes. She was angry at Chen Yong's behavior, but also grateful for Xu Qinghe's careful consideration. "Qinghe, you did the right thing. I was confused. I thought relatives wouldn't do such a thing. Now that we know the truth, we have to find a way to solve it immediately."
Zhang Bing rubbed his temples, his tone heavy but resolute: "Qinghe, thank you for thinking of our Xiao Cui. This matter can't be delayed. Tomorrow I will go to the Chen family and make things clear. This marriage is over."
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