Chapter 27: An Unexpected Encounter with My Wife

“Teacher Liu, what’s this about?”

Wen Ran and Lu Meiqin exchanged puzzled glances, unable to understand her overly enthusiastic gesture.

Teacher Liu smiled cheerfully and handed over the tied-up live chicken. “I heard Master Lu is an excellent cook. A friend just gave me this chicken. If Master Lu doesn’t mind the trouble, could you help stew it for me?”

“Trouble? No trouble at all, I’d be happy to,” Lu Meiqin replied, initially thinking the chicken was a gift for them, which startled her and made her prepare excuses to decline.

She was skilled at slaughtering and stewing chickens and promptly set to work.

Wen Ran was still confused.

In terms of cooking skills, the head chef in the kitchen made tastier dishes.

Moreover, the head chef lived closer to the factory director’s home.

And as far as she knew, the director’s family usually invited the head chef over to cook when hosting guests.

Unable to make sense of it, Wen Ran tried to glean clues from her conversation with Teacher Liu.

Though Teacher Liu spoke carefully, Wen Ran quickly detected a slight inconsistency, suspecting it still had something to do with a matchmaking attempt.

But since Teacher Liu hadn’t said it outright, she couldn’t openly refuse.

Just as she was about to probe further, Teacher Liu suddenly stood up. “Oh, I forgot. Uncle Wei said he’s cooking tonight. You and your mother can eat the chicken—you take it. I’ll be going now.”

“Teacher Liu, the stew is almost ready. You can take it home and eat with the director,” Lu Meiqin said as she lifted the pot lid, releasing a fragrant aroma.

Teacher Liu waved her hand. “No, absolutely not. Uncle Wei would think I’m looking down on his cooking. It’s the same if you eat it on my behalf!”

Lu Meiqin was speechless.

Without giving them a chance to persuade her, Teacher Liu left swiftly, leaving no room for hesitation.

Wen Ran was almost certain the chicken was originally meant as a gift for them.

Teacher Liu clearly never intended to eat there and only found an excuse to leave once the stew was nearly done.

Lu Meiqin noticed as well and sighed, “Fine, it’s just the two of us then.”

Wen Ran ate uneasily, feeling as though something might go wrong if she let her guard down.

The factory director and his wife’s inexplicable kindness made her suspicious.

What kind of matchmaking prospect could inspire such wholehearted effort?

After a few bites, she said, “Mom, whatever the director and his wife’s reasons for helping us, we should at least thank them, don’t you think?”

“You’re right. I think the same,” Lu Meiqin replied, understanding the adage about favors and obligations better than Wen Ran. “I plan to buy some fruit tomorrow and pay them a visit. No matter what else I get, it won’t compare to their gift.”

Wen Ran nodded and took another piece of meat.

The flavor was good, but the cooking was a bit underdone—not tender enough.

She was naturally thin and not worried about gaining weight, so she ate a piece of chocolate before bed to soothe herself.

The chocolate’s distinctive taste comforted her.

In her dreams, she saw Shen Nanzheng again—so close, yet so far away.

She woke up feeling somewhat dazed, still under the spell of the dream.

She told herself it must have been the dream’s strong influence.

Shen Nanzheng had dreamt of her as well and found time that morning to call Teacher Liu.

Teacher Liu, ever sharp, spoke before he could say a word: “Nanzheng, don’t worry about the arrangements; the chicken’s already being stewed by Master Lu. Should I take advantage of the moment and talk to Master Lu about the matchmaking?”

“No hurry. I’ll visit this afternoon,” Shen Nanzheng said, already planning to stage a chance encounter in the factory’s residential compound.

Teacher Liu was speechless.

Not only were they sending gifts and chickens, now they were practically delivering the suitor in person.

She truly could not understand the ways of young people!

Still, she prepared early—no matter what, they mustn’t neglect the factory director’s son.

Yesterday, Shen Nanzheng had dealt with his mother; today, he faced his father.

The marriage talk was out in the open, and he was ready to marry Wen Ran at any time.

In this lifetime, he was determined to marry her!

After training that afternoon, he stopped by the Friendship Store to buy some milk biscuits.

With experience from the previous “chance encounters,” he decisively waited near the residential compound entrance.

When he spotted Wen Ran riding her bicycle back, he immediately pedaled over.

Wen Ran had been focused straight ahead but was startled by the sudden appearance of another bicycle beside her. She turned her head sharply, nearly losing control, and braked with her foot to stop.

“You… what are you doing here?”

“You live here?” Shen Nanzheng parked his bike with equal surprise, though his excitement was hard to conceal.

Wen Ran instinctively wanted to deny it but felt it would be too forced. Instead, she asked, “Are you looking for someone, or...?”

Trying to temper the intensity of his gaze, Shen Nanzheng glanced at the nearby compound and said, “I’m here to visit an old friend of my father’s.”

Wen Ran didn’t know Shen Zhaoting had old friends at the garment factory, nor did she suspect the factory director and his wife.

Just then, Teacher Liu returned from grocery shopping and waved, “Nanzheng, you’re here?”

“Sorry to trouble you and Uncle Wei,” Shen Nanzheng greeted familiarly.

Teacher Liu responded warmly, “No need for formalities, we’re all family here.”

At that moment, Wen Ran almost uncontrollably guessed that the suitor Teacher Liu wanted to introduce might be Shen Nanzheng.

But in this life, before Teacher Liu’s introduction, she and Shen Nanzheng barely knew each other!

How could she be introduced to him?

Something was off.

Their lives had no prior connection at all!

Then Teacher Liu said, “Wen Ran, so you already know Nanzheng?”

“Sort of, we just met,” Wen Ran replied awkwardly. “I won’t disturb your guests anymore. I’ll head home.”

Teacher Liu smiled, “Don’t be shy. You and Master Lu don’t cook tonight—come over and eat with us!”

“No, no, I should go first,” Wen Ran hurriedly declined, not daring to look at Shen Nanzheng even once as she quickly rode away.

Shen Nanzheng thought she was just shy and couldn’t help but call out behind her, “Ride slowly.”

Wen Ran was stunned. If he hadn’t said that, she might have kept her balance; with his words, she nearly missed a pedal.

Embarrassed, she pedaled straight home.

She drank half a basin of cold water in one go before her wildly beating heart finally settled, though her mind remained a jumble of thoughts and confusion.

When she realized how much she had fled in panic, she chided herself—it was utterly unjustified.

She smiled bitterly and looked toward the window.

From this vantage point, she could watch the evening bustle of the residential compound.

The cafeteria was busy; Lu Meiqin had not yet returned.

Suddenly recalling her mother’s plan to bring fruit to Teacher Liu’s home last night, she thought, *Oh no.*

Any time would do except this afternoon—definitely not this afternoon!

If she went then, she would inevitably run into Shen Nanzheng, and whether or not he was the intended match, it was better to keep a low profile.

He was a good person; the problem lay with her.

She hurried out and went to the cafeteria.

“Aunt Li, where’s my mom?”

Li Aiying looked puzzled. “Didn’t she leave early? She said she was going to the director’s house!”

Wen Ran was speechless.