Chapter 146: I went on a date, but it felt like I was going to a negotiation
It was December in a flash, and the new house had been aired for almost four months, so it was time to move in. At lunch that day, the whole family discussed the move and expressed their opinions.
I suggest that the whole family move there, and Yifan stay here to be on duty at night.
My mother said, "That's a good idea. I can take Gao Nai with me. Two of the four masters are from my hometown, so they're related. Plus Yifan, we have three of our own people, so we can rest assured."
My sister didn't want to go there at first, and suggested that she live there temporarily. When Gao Nai was three years old, she would either come to live there or buy an apartment there.
After this discussion, we decided to move on New Year's Day.
Next, we discussed whether or not to start a wine business. I said, "We did it last time when we opened the shop, so this time we'll just invite a small group of people. Invite Master and his wife, Aunt Chen, Mr. Deng, Xiao Liming, Mr. Tan, Xiao Lin, and anyone else involved in buying and renovating the house."
My brother-in-law said: "Don't accept red envelopes at all. If someone helps you, Shanhong, you should prepare a red envelope for each person. The gift may be small, but the thought is great. It's a token of gratitude."
My mother put a piece of braised pork into my brother-in-law's bowl and praised him, "Gao Xu is sensible and thoughtful."
My sister said, "And Brother Shi, didn't you say you were planning to rent his storefront there in the future?"
My brother-in-law clapped his hands and said, "Yes, Brother Shi must be included."
I smiled and said, "We've put in a lot of thought, especially my sister and brother-in-law, who are so thoughtful."
After the matter was settled, I took a nap at noon, woke up at 2:00, and began writing invitations, writing "No gifts" on them. Then I drove to deliver the invitations.
I went to my master's house first. He wasn't home, but his wife said she would definitely come. I contacted Xiao Liming, who said that Mr. Deng wasn't home either, so he could pass on the message. I called Ms. Tan, and she said she was at the construction site, so I could just leave it with Xiaolin.
I called Xiaolin, and she hesitated for a moment before saying, "You don't have to send it. My cousin is coming to your place. Just let her bring it over."
"Your cousin?"
"Yeah, you know him."
"Oh, sure." I didn't ask who it was. I knew a lot of women anyway. I could recognize anyone who had their fortune told, dates chosen, names chosen, or conversations with me.
It’s better to keep some suspense and see which one is her cousin.
Back at the shop, after teaching Yifan the fortune-telling technique for half an hour, a man flashed in from outside the door and said with a grin, "Do you still recognize me?"
"I know him. He runs a cake shop in the university town. Is business going well?"
"Not bad. The photo I showed you was of Xiaolin."
I thought about it for a moment and smiled, "This is the first time I've met Xiaolin. No wonder he looks so familiar to me."
"Hello, Xiaolin. You don't know my name yet. My last name is Peng. You can just call me Sister Yu. By the way, I want to say something to you." He glanced at the secret room.
When they arrived at the secret room, Yifan brought in two cups of tea.
Sister Yu looked at me and smiled: "Is Xiaolin okay?"
"It's not okay, it's quite okay. The design is good and the supervision is very serious. She is such an outstanding person. I think the pool in Wuxiang is too small. You should persuade her to develop in a first-tier city."
Sister Yu squinted at me and said, "Oh, a first-tier city? You only care about pushing her into trouble. Housing prices in first-tier cities are so expensive. You're so talented, why don't you go to a first-tier city?"
I smiled and said, "My roots are here. My parents live here."
“Her roots are here too.”
I looked at her and smiled. Normally, if a woman can drink, a man should not compete with her in drinking; if a woman is good at talking, a man should not argue with her.
"Hey, is Xiaolin pretty?"
"pretty."
"Is your heart kind?"
"Kind."
"Can you do the work?"
"capable."
"You think quite highly of her."
I just looked at her and smiled.
"I want to tell you the truth. If Xiaolin likes you, do you like her?"
"How do you know Xiaolin likes me?"
"Huh? You really want me to tell you this, is it Xiaolin who said this?"
I smiled and said, "I think Xiaolin likes everyone. She always has a smile on her face."
"Master Wan, Wan Shanhong, Brother Wan, do you have a partner? I've told you everything, but you always play hide-and-seek with me."
I couldn't find the words for a moment. To say I didn't like Xiaolin would be a lie. Such a virtuous, capable woman is rare in this Wu Country. To say I liked Xiaolin wasn't enough. What if Master and his wife really wanted to marry Lanxin to me?
She stood up and said, "I'm just saying this, don't take it to heart. Actually, Xiaolin has wanted to go to the provincial capital for a long time, but she's been hesitating because she can't figure out your background. Sometimes she calls you Miss Lin, and sometimes Miss Lin. If you like her, give me some assurance."
My face turned red and white for a while, and after a while I said, "Sister Yu, why don't you give Xiaolin a message? I want to invite her for tea tonight."
Sister Yu's face was full of smiles: "That's what you say. A man should take the initiative. Don't think that you can't lower yourself just because you are famous. My Xiaolin also graduated from college."
I definitely can't go to "Fenghuaxueyue". Yu Meiren introduced Xiuxiu to me. If I go there to meet my girlfriend, I'm afraid she will be so angry that her lungs will explode.
Then go to "Men Are Not Home".
Before the shop opened, the owner's wife came to Youranju, and I was the one who chose the opening date for her. Actually, the shop's sign only hung for two days before it was removed by the industrial and commercial authorities, deemed incompatible with public order and good morals. It's now called "I'll Wait for You at the Corner."
However, people still like to call it "the man is not at home", which is not ambiguous. Her husband is indeed not at home. Like Shao Youxiang, he is away doing jade business all year round. Her shop also sells various jade products.
The female boss is like Aqing's wife, who is very capable and helpful. She looks like Ximen Qing's lover in the TV series, with a graceful walk and hooked eyes.
I called Xiaolin and said, "Beautiful lady, I've given all the invitations, including the one from Mr. Tan, to your cousin. If you have time tonight, please come to the 'corner,' you know? The street, okay? Okay, let's go there and have a cup of tea."
Normally, one would be extremely excited to have tea with a beautiful woman, but I felt nervous, as if I was going to a negotiation.
I imagined what I'd do when we met tonight. First, I'd bring the red envelope with me, because it would be thicker for her and easier to give it in advance. Second, I'd express my genuine fondness for her, but I'd have to be subtle about it. It seemed like I couldn't even make my own decisions about marriage. Third, there was no third option. If I liked her and could make my own decisions, then there would be a third option: a hug, and then...
"Uncle Wan, there is still an invitation that has not been delivered." Yifan reminded me.
There was also one from Brother Shi. I picked up the invitation and walked towards Brother Shi’s house.
Brother Shi accepted the invitation and said, "A woman committed suicide. Did you know?"
I said, "How do you know so much social news?"
He squinted at me and said, "Didn't I tell you last time? My cousin works in criminal investigation at the Public Security Bureau."
"A woman commits suicide. This is a common occurrence."
Shi Ge shook his head and said, "You don't understand what I mean. If she knew you could do some ideological work and come to your place for a night talk, maybe she wouldn't do it. It's just that her husband is taking drugs and they're divorcing."
"Is that woman from Senzoku Castle?"
Brother Shi opened his eyes wide: "How do you know? This just happened. I called my brother to come and get the braised meat. He was at the scene and said a few words to me in a hurry."
I shook my head and briefly talked about the past of the woman in red.
Shi Ge sighed, "Some women are so infatuated that they dare to sacrifice their lives for love."
My heart suddenly trembled. Could Xiaolin be that kind of person? What if I provoked her, she...
Brother Shi asked, "Why are you so stunned and silent?"
I seemed to have woken up from a dream and smiled, "No, I was wondering why the braised pork you made is so delicious..."
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