Chapter 278 Blind Date
According to the schedule, I still have some free time this year, so I can go home and take a look. In the next two years, the competition with other scientists will become more intense, and I may not have time at that time.
Moreover, after the invention of radio, many business problems will be faced. These things are more cumbersome and time-consuming. Zhang Xingjiu must leave enough time and energy to prepare.
So this semester is probably his last chance to go home and visit in recent years. If he doesn’t go back this time, he will probably have to wait until three or four years later before he can go back, and the situation will be different by then.
The school quickly booked train and boat tickets for Zhang Xingjiu. Zhang Xingjiu said goodbye to the Curies, Lang Zhiwan and others in his own house. Now Lang Zhiwan was ready to report to the Cavendish Laboratory, so when he came back, he would be able to see the Curies. If he wanted to see Lang Zhiwan, he would have to wait until he returned to Paris during the holiday.
I woke up in the morning, took the train to Marseille, boarded a French passenger ship from Marseille, and started a long journey in the first-class cabin. I arrived in Shanghai a month later.
At that time, the time of long-distance transportation was not accurate, especially for passenger ships. It was very common to arrive a few days early or late. Therefore, Zhang Xingjiu did not notify others to pick him up. He called a car and went straight to Xuhui Public School.
Jiang Yixu was very happy to see him. "You have been away from home for more than a year. You must be anxious to go home, so I will not keep you this time. Have a good rest first. Tomorrow morning, teach the children about your experience in France. At noon, invite Father Fu Lanya and Father Ma Xiangbo to come together. Then you can go home first. We can talk about other things after we return to Shanghai."
The next day, several old acquaintances were very happy to see Zhang Xingjiu. Ma Xiangbo took his hand and said, "Xingjiu went to the West to spread the name of Chinese talent overseas and inspired many students in the Gezhi Academy to study. Even though I seldom drink on weekdays, I will accompany Xingjiu to have a few drinks today."
Fu Lan-ya invited him to give a lecture at the Gezhi Academy to talk about his experience in studying blackbody radiation and cathode rays in France. Zhang Xingjiu readily agreed, but he had to wait until he returned from Shaoxing.
During the meal, Ma Xiangbo seemed to have something to say, but he never opened his mouth. After the meal, he used the excuse of asking Zhang Xingjiu to walk with him to digest the food, and then he asked tentatively, "When I left Shanghai for France last time, I didn't seem to hear that Zhou Ping's family had arranged a marriage for you? I wonder if there have been any changes in this year?"
"My parents also urged me in their letter, but I still have to study in France for three years, and it would be inappropriate to let the girl wait that long, so they advised them to discuss marriage after I finish my studies and return." Zhang Xingjiu answered truthfully, but at the same time he was still confused. Could it be that Ma Xiangbo was planning to introduce a wife to him?
As expected, Ma Xiangbo immediately said, "Zhou Ping, you are about to turn eighteen. If you wait until you graduate and return home to discuss marriage, you may not be able to get married until you are twenty-two or twenty-three. This is really too late! If you don't mind, I have a daughter who is about the same age as Zhou Ping. We can find a time to meet her. If it's suitable, we can arrange the marriage. If Zhou Ping is not satisfied, we can just treat it as a meal."
Zhang Xingjiu was really tempted. He was going to get married eventually. Instead of marrying a conservative woman like Zhang's wife, he might as well marry Ma Xiangbo's daughter, who would at least be more open-minded, right? However, he didn't know the girl's appearance and character yet, so he couldn't agree to it right away.
Seeing that he had no objection, Ma Xiangbo thought he was just shy and continued to introduce his daughter's situation. "I was so focused on running the school that I neglected my family. My wife was angry and took our eldest son on a boat back to her hometown in Shandong. Unexpectedly, the passenger boat had an accident at Wusongkou. Afterwards, I was very upset, so I gave my daughter to my younger brother Ma Jianzhong to raise."
"Eighteen years ago, Jianzhong went to study at the French Political School for three years and obtained a doctorate degree. My daughter has been learning French from him since she was a child and is very proficient in the language. When you get married, she can accompany you to study in France."
We also know that Zhang Xingjiu was a famous scholar and diplomat in the late Qing Dynasty. His most famous achievement was designing the national flag for South Korea.
In 1882 (the eighth year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu), Goryeo envoys Pak Yeong-hyo and Kim Ok-gyun were about to go on a diplomatic mission to Japan. Before leaving, they requested the Qing court to use China's dragon flag as the national flag. The Qing court replied that a vassal state could not use the five-clawed dragon flag.
At that time, Ma Jianzhong was sent to Korea on the orders of Li Hongzhang. Upon hearing the news, he suggested that the Korean government adopt the traditional Chinese Tai Chi Bagua flag as the national flag. Later, this flag became the national flag of South Korea.
A daughter raised by such a family should be better than the children of a wealthy landlord or scholar-official family, right? Thinking of this, Zhang Xingjiu relaxed a little, "Mr. Ma is so kind, if I refuse again, I will be ungrateful."
But he didn't say anything final, "It's just that marriage is a matter of fate. If the student is not favored by the daughter of the noble family, the teacher should not force it."
Ma Xiangbo understood. Although Zhang Xingjiu said that his daughter did not like him, in fact, this statement should be interpreted in the other way around. If he felt that his daughter's appearance and personality were not suitable, he would not marry her just because of his status.
"Of course." Ma Xiangbo was relieved after hearing this. "After all, you two have to be satisfied. Zhou Ping has a tight schedule this time. If we still follow the old routine, you two may not even meet by the time you get on the boat."
"It's better to meet today than to wait for a better day. Why don't you just meet this afternoon? The place will be the cafe next to Gezhi Academy. You book a private room and I'll let Zongwen find you." Ma Xiangbo has converted to the church for many years and his style of doing things is not as conservative as that of the scholar-official family. It is not a big deal for the two young people to meet. Besides, he still trusts Zhang Xingjiu's character and he is not going to do anything rude.
"I will follow your orders, sir!" Zhang Xingjiu agreed. He didn't expect that in the 19th century, he would be able to experience the blind date method of the 21st century. This was quite interesting.
He also began to look forward to this date. He wondered what kind of person this Miss Ma Zongwen was. If she was good-looking, open-minded, and could be a good wife to him, then he would marry her.
At the agreed time, Zhang Xingjiu took a rickshaw to the cafe, asked for a box by the window, told the waiter that someone would come looking for her later, and asked him to bring her in, then he looked out the window and waited patiently.
Five minutes before the agreed time, Zhang Xingjiu saw a girl in Western clothes getting out of the car and walking into the cafe accompanied by servants.
(End of this chapter)
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