“Oh, that’s amazing! Kitchen work is all physical. If you don’t have strength, you can’t do it. This girl looks thin and frail, but unexpectedly she’s a capable master!” The matchmaker’s excitement grew.
Xu Ying was surrounded by a barrage of questions: where she lived, how many family members she had, her position at the restaurant, her monthly salary—the matchmaker asked everything imaginable. Gu’s mother, who had been taken in by this matchmaker before, didn’t understand her true intentions and quickly cut her off. “Hurry up and eat! I’ll be busy going to work later.”
“Yes, yes,” Matchmaker Sun nodded, her eyes lighting up at the mention of food.
Gu Fuying, eating with her mother and the matchmaker, shot desperate, pleading glances at Xu Ying and Xu Qiuye. They were helpless, hoping she could finish her meal quickly and escape this man.
Gu’s mother soon realized something was wrong. At the dinner table, the man revealed he was already twenty-six. Gu’s mother’s face instantly darkened, and she glared at the man’s sister-in-law, who was also the matchmaker. Was she truly pushing her daughter into a pit of fire? If he was truly rich and had a good job at such an age, there must be a flaw if he wasn’t married yet.
The sister-in-law, seeing the unhappiness on Gu’s mother and the man’s faces, quickly tried to smooth things over. “This man knows how to love someone when he’s older. Fuying will definitely enjoy happiness when she gets married. Junqing is practically a small leader in the factory now. His monthly salary is over fifty yuan, and Fuying won’t have to serve her in-laws after marriage. It would be great for them to live together.”
Gu’s mother couldn’t hold back her anger. “Since it’s so good, sister-in-law, wouldn’t your family’s Fu Ning be more suitable? Wealth doesn’t flow to other people’s fields, and I won’t take away someone else’s love. Fuying, eat quickly and go to work. If you don’t obey me again, you’ll be in trouble.”
Gu Fuying’s heart soared. She knew her mother wouldn’t be happy. “Okay, Mom!” Her meal suddenly tasted delicious. She looked up and happened to see Wu Qingsong opposite her, immediately curling her lips in a sneer.
Wu Qingsong caught her expression and immediately felt annoyed. He and Gu Fuying must have had a conflict. Why was this woman so stubborn? Was it because he’d accidentally seen her crying and breaking up with someone last time? Why was she so petty? Besides, he hadn’t meant to laugh.
“Stingy guy!” Wu Qingsong muttered, loud enough for her to hear.
Although Gu Fuying couldn’t quite make out his words, she knew he must be insulting her. Her anger flared, and she glared fiercely at Wu Qingsong. He didn’t care and stuck out his tongue at her.
Gu Fuying was so furious that the rice no longer tasted good. The blind date, still wearing a vulgar smile, picked up his chopsticks and began putting food on her plate. Looking at the food, Gu Fuying felt instantly nauseous. She lost her appetite and said, “Mom, I’m full. I’m going to work.”
Seeing this, the blind date quickly stood up. “Fuying, I’ll take you there.”
Gu Fuying refused, jumping up to leave. Wu Qingsong couldn’t help but chuckle secretly, just as Gu Fuying turned and saw him. She immediately became even angrier. Nothing good ever happened when she ran into this man. Every time she was at her most embarrassed, he would be there to witness it. He was truly designed to annoy her.
“Fuying!” Xu Qiuye looked up to see her friend already gone. She checked the time, quickly ate a few more dumplings, and called out to Xu Ying, “Yingying, I’m going to work. Goodbye.”
“Goodbye,” Xu Ying replied, having just finished her own tasks. She hadn’t even realized what was happening. Had the blind date ended so quickly?
Gu’s mother had lost her appetite. She glared at her sister-in-law, then stood up, waved to Xu Ying, paid the bill, and strode away. Aunt Gu’s eyes met Xu Ying’s, and they exchanged knowing smiles.
“I’m going back first. My younger siblings are too much. They said Junqing has a house and a car, and he still pays so much salary a month. What’s wrong with him?” the sister-in-law complained.
The matchmaker smiled, secretly contemptuous of Uncle Gu, but kept her friendly facade. “That’s right, Jun Qing only delayed getting married because he has no parents. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be available for your niece. You should go back and talk to them carefully. You won’t find this opportunity again.”
Aunt Gu nodded eagerly. “Okay, okay.” She hurried away.
The matchmaker, her mouth still greasy from the meal, noticed the leftover meat and vegetables on the table and immediately called out, “Waiter, pack it for me!”
Sun Lifang looked up. “Do you have a box? We can’t pack it without one.”
“Hey, little girl, what’s wrong with you? Your restaurant is so big, and it doesn’t even have a container? We spent a lot of money on this meal; why can’t we get a box?”
“You spent a lot of money, but didn’t you eat well? Are you still not full? You paid us to make food for you. What’s wrong? Do I owe you a box?” Sun Lifang’s face was full of contempt.
The matchmaker’s face flushed. She glared at Sun Lifang and cursed, “You’re a decent girl, but why are you so evil-minded? Why does my old lady want a box? You all earn so much money from me. You’re so stingy! Be careful you don’t get married in the future!”
Sun Lifang was furious. “If you’re not stingy, then buy a box! Besides, you didn’t even pay for this meal; you just ate and drank along. How shameless! Even if I don’t get married, I have my parents to support me. Unlike you, at such an old age, no one cares for you, and you still have to work hard to make money. How pitiful!”
Sun Lifang’s words struck a nerve. The matchmaker was so enraged that she abandoned the food and stormed out. Perhaps it was karma for all the bad things she’d done. She had married early in life, only to lose her husband. She married several more times, but each man died shortly after. Everyone called her “Kefu,” a husband-killer, and no one dared to marry her again. Without children, she truly had no one to care for her in her old age. This was the greatest regret of her life.
As soon as the matchmaker left, Sun Lifang couldn’t help but curse, “You said this matchmaker is so disgusting and shameless.”
“Indeed.” Xu Ying agreed. Wasn’t it the same matchmaker who had tried to set up her cousin last time? There weren’t any good matchmakers these days. They could twist black into white and white into red. It didn’t matter who was involved, as long as they could claim a couple was made. How disgusting.
In the afternoon, Xu Shengwu drove his car to the restaurant, a triumphant smile on his face with the one thousand and fifty yuan he had just earned. The money he’d made before, from going out to eat or drink, he always gave back to his mother. Sometimes he saved a little to buy clothes for his little sister. He hadn’t had much money when he returned this time, but now that he did, he planned to spend it on his sister. Renting the house had cost so much; his little sister must have used all her savings. It was no big deal for girls to not have money. New skirts, new leather shoes, and cream were all free of charge.
“Third brother, is it time for you to go to work?” Xu Ying was genuinely happy to see him.