Chapter 14: The Introduced Match

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Wen Ran slipped the meat back onto her mother’s plate. “Mom, you should eat more. I’ve already eaten my fill at the Ruan family’s.”

Lu Meiqin paused for a moment. “Is that so? What did you have?”

“There was braised pork,” Wen Ran smiled. “Also a whole fish, two vegetable dishes, and egg soup.”

Lu Meiqin heard the warmth from the Ruan family and felt much reassured.

“That’s good. Relationships between people are about reciprocity—you treat me well, I treat you well. Two goods make a better good; hearts exchange for hearts. Don’t be like that ungrateful Wen Xin. We treated her so kindly from the start, yet she kept stealing your things and sowing discord in our family.

Only your father was too foolish to see through her pretenses; maybe he just likes that kind of insincerity. Ever since Wen Xin went to the countryside, your father hasn’t been the same. I used to hope that time would change his heart, but all I got was disappointment.

In his eyes, nothing is more important than those other things, not even us mother and daughter. Now we’ve completely alienated the Fu family. With Director Fu’s temper, trying to mend things is useless, but your father can’t see it. Once the workshop director loses his position, he won’t drag out the divorce any longer.”

Wen Ran comforted her, “Mom, we should eat, drink, and rest when it’s time. Don’t let things get to you. Getting sick over them isn’t worth it.

Think about it: if we live to eighty, counting 385 days a year, that’s only 29,200 days. There’s no reason to waste precious life on people and matters we don’t like.”

Lu Meiqin nodded. “Don’t worry, Mom won’t get stuck on it. For you, Mom will work hard and earn money.”

Wen Ran raised her bowl and tapped it against her mother’s. “Then let’s work hard together! I’ll do my best at work and one day, we’ll have a bigger house so you can live more comfortably.”

“All right, Mom will wait for that day,” Lu Meiqin said eagerly. “By the way, today the factory director’s wife, Teacher Liu, came to see me. She wants to introduce someone to you.”

“Introduce someone?” Wen Ran was caught off guard by her mother’s sudden change of topic. “Teacher Liu usually doesn’t have much contact with our family. Why would she suddenly want to introduce someone? Are you sure she’s not mistaken?”

Lu Meiqin was certain. “No, I asked several times. She really wants to introduce someone to you and couldn’t stop praising you.”

Wen Ran sighed in disbelief. “What kind of person is it? There can’t be any catch, right?”

Lu Meiqin smiled. “No way. Teacher Liu said the young man is handsome, from a good family, has good character, and is very capable.”

“You believe that?” Wen Ran shook her head. “If there really was such a wonderful person, Teacher Liu would surely have introduced him to her own daughter, niece, or grandniece first. How would it end up being me? Mom, don’t be fooled. There’s no such thing as a free lunch; if something falls from the sky, it’s probably a trap.”

“Speaking of free lunches, I actually have one for you.” Lu Meiqin stood up and took a small, unassuming box of chocolates from the top of the cabinet and handed it to Wen Ran.

Wen Ran looked puzzled. “Where did these chocolates come from? You didn’t just pick up an empty box somewhere, did you?”

Lu Meiqin chuckled. “Open it and see.”

Wen Ran opened the box and saw the chocolates inside, growing even more puzzled.

Given their family’s circumstances, they definitely couldn’t afford chocolates.

“Where did you get these?”

Lu Meiqin recounted again the incident where she bumped into someone, and that person had apologized by giving her chocolates.

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Wen Ran was even more bewildered.

A soldier, tall and handsome, extremely polite...

For some reason, the first person who came to her mind was Shen Nanzheng.

That was because Shen Nanzheng had gone to the Friendship Store that very day.

But at that time, Shen Nanzheng definitely didn’t know her, let alone specially bring chocolates to the residential compound.

Although chocolate was her favorite, Shen Nanzheng probably didn’t know that, right?

She took a piece of chocolate and put it in her mouth; the familiar taste soon flooded all her memories.

Before her dreams, she had never known what chocolate tasted like.

With memories from her past life, that taste existed only in memory.

The resurgence of memories made her think even more of the days spent with Shen Nanzheng.

Once, when Shen Nanzheng suddenly came home from the army, he kissed her and smelled the chocolate in her mouth.

He asked if she liked chocolate very much.

She was too shy to admit it and simply said she was buying it for her foster daughter and had tried a piece.

In truth, her foster daughter didn’t like chocolate and even found it somewhat off-putting.

He didn’t press further, but that night they were very intimate in bed.

When she got out of bed, her legs were a bit weak.

Although she lived in a novel set in the past, to her, it was real life.

Every day, every year.

Since then, whenever he came back, he liked to bring chocolate.

And his stamina in bed remained the same.

Unconsciously, her face warmed.

She quickly shook her head.

Lu Meiqin, now puzzled, said, “Chocolate doesn’t taste good? Why are you blushing so much? Could you be allergic?”

“Allergies make you itch. This isn’t an allergy.” Wen Ran avoided her gaze and popped a piece of chocolate into her mother’s mouth. “Try it; it’s delicious.”

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Lu Meiqin was about to say “No,” but the chocolate was already in her mouth.

It was indeed smooth, but a little bitter and a little astringent, with not much sweetness — not as tasty as she had imagined.

She pursed her lips and said disdainfully, “Foreign things aren’t tasty. Even if they were given to me for free, I wouldn’t want them! Without foreign exchange coupons, you can’t even buy them. It’s just not fair!”

Wen Ran laughed. “Different strokes for different folks. Taste it carefully.”

Lu Meiqin waved her hand repeatedly. “I’m not eating any more; braised pork is still the best!”

Such an expensive thing, Wen Ran wasn’t about to eat it all at once.

After finishing one piece, she put the rest away.

Without Wen Xin around, no one would snatch things in this house anymore!

The meal wasn’t entirely finished, but after tidying the dishes, Lu Meiqin brought up Teacher Liu’s matchmaking again.

“Teacher Liu is still waiting for my reply. How about you meet that young man first?”

Wen Ran thought for a moment. In the novel, the factory director and his wife hadn’t gone out of their way to arrange matches for anyone, so it still seemed unreliable.

Besides, she had no intention of marrying anytime soon.

Relying on family might make her a princess; relying on a man might make her a noble consort; but relying on herself was the only way to become a queen.

She spoke directly: “Forget it. Just find an excuse to decline! I just started working and want to focus on my job. I don’t want to marry so early. Marrying early could give the leadership a bad impression.”

Lu Meiqin pondered and agreed it was a bit hasty.

Finding a stable job wasn’t easy.

Moreover, their family didn’t have much contact with the factory director’s couple.

The young man was already twenty-seven, nine years older than Wen Ran. He might have some hidden issues.

The more she thought about it, the more likely it seemed. She even prepared reasons to refuse.

After discussing the reasoning with Wen Ran and receiving her agreement, they finalized their response.

They had planned to wait until Teacher Liu finished work to approach her, but she came to them first.

“Master Lu, have you talked to Wen Ran? What did she say? When will the two kids meet?”