The Game of Life - Chapter 518

Chapter 518: Chapter 516 Blind Date (Part 2)

Please continue reading on ΒOXΝʘVEL.ϹΟM .

It was referred to as a state-run restaurant, but in reality, it was just a small eatery. The decor was very basic, with only a few tables and chairs. The layout reminded Jiang Feng of a state-run restaurant where Jiang Weiming had once worked, seen in his memory from Han Guishan, only this one was a bit smaller.

There were no customers in the restaurant, just a plump waitress sitting by a table reading a newspaper. When she heard someone come in, she didn’t look up, and said, “It’s not time for meals yet; come back in two hours.”

“Xiao, it’s me,” Zhao Zaohua called out loudly, with Zhao LanHua following behind with her head lowered.

“Auntie Zhao, it’s you. So this is the person you’re introducing to Master Jiang. She is really beautiful. I’ll go call Master Jiang for you,” said the plump waitress enthusiastically.

“No need to trouble yourself, I can go call Jiang myself. Are Old Huang and the others here?” asked Zhao Zaohua.

“Right now, it’s just Master Jiang inside. This month’s supply of flour and various grains has arrived. Master Huang took the others to take inventory; they probably won’t be back for an hour,” explained the plump waitress.

Zhao Zaohua pondered for a moment, “Girl, when I was coming here, I saw it was really lively over at South Street. Seems like something happened. Why don’t you go take a look?”

The plump waitress caught the hint, “What a coincidence. I’m also tired of reading this newspaper. I’ll go out for a walk.”

“My niece is shy and thin-skinned,” said Zhao Zaohua.

“I understand. My sister was the same way when someone introduced a match for her,” said the plump waitress as she took her newspaper and left. “Auntie Zhao, I’ll be back in an hour.”

“If it works out, I’ll give you two shares of wedding candy,” Zhao Zaohua said with a smile, “the best kind.”

As soon as the plump waitress left, Zhao Zaohua said to Zhao LanHua, “Lanhua, Jiang is probably inside working; have a seat here and I’ll go call him. Jiang is a down-to-earth guy, always willing to work even when it’s not his shift.”

She couldn’t help but praise Jiang Weiguo.

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“Mm,” Zhao LanHua obediently sat down, bowing her head to wait.

Jiang Feng didn’t accompany Zhao Zaohua inside; instead, he stood beside Zhao LanHua, observing her expression.

Zhao LanHua had been extremely nervous since leaving home. Every movement she made, every expression on her face, and even every pore and patch of skin seemed to reveal her tension. Now sitting on a chair, Zhao LanHua’s right foot was shaking unconsciously.

It was as if she wasn’t here for a matchmaking session, but rather to undergo the most important exam of her life.

Soon, Jiang Feng heard footsteps; not only did he hear them, Zhao LanHua did as well.

The footsteps of two people mixed together sounded very messy, getting louder and clearer, as if in the next second they would push the door and step out.

Zhao LanHua, even more nervous, raised her head and stared at the door.

The door opened, and a young Jiang Weiguo emerged from inside, dressed in dark gray work clothes. The clothes were clean and new, but the fact that they were work clothes couldn’t be changed.

Jiang Feng was certain that Jiang Weiguo was wearing the uniform of the state-run restaurant because Mr. Jiang Jiankang also had a set that looked very similar to the one on Jiang Weiguo, kept in the closet and too cherished to throw away, sometimes even taken out to be compared on the body.

At over forty, Mr. Jiang Jiankang no longer fit into the clothes from his teen years.

Their eyes met, with Jiang Weiguo looking at Zhao LanHua, and Zhao LanHua looking at Jiang Weiguo.

Jiang Feng held his breath, his gaze swiftly shifting back and forth between the face of Zhao LanHua and that of Jiang Weiguo, trying to discern their inner thoughts from their expressions.

Zhao LanHua’s gaze was very evasive, glancing at Jiang Weiguo’s face and then away, unable to resist looking at his face again. In just a few seconds, she glanced around at least three or four times, finally fixing her gaze on Jiang Weiguo’s shoes.

Jiang Weiguo’s gaze, however, was steadier; he did not look much at Zhao LanHua’s face from the start, instead focusing on her slender hands that lay on the table, as thin as bamboo sticks.

Jiang Feng: ?

After a mere three seconds, Jiang Feng sensed something unusual about this matchmaking session.

One looking at shoes, the other at hands, it indeed was a novel and creative meeting for an arranged marriage!

“Jiang, have you seen Lanhua?” asked Zhao Zaohua as she came out of the doorway. Noticing there was at least a three-meter distance between Jiang Weiguo and Zhao LanHua, she hurriedly said, “Jiang, this is Zhao LanHua, the distant niece from my village. Isn’t she especially pretty? Didn’t I tell you the truth? LanHua, this is the Jiang I just told you about. Don’t be nervous, just say whatever you need to say.”

Jiang Weiguo quickly walked up to Zhao LanHua, extended his hand, and introduced himself solemnly, “Comrade, hello, my name is Jiang Weiguo, I’m 28 years old this year.”

Zhao LanHua quickly extended her frightfully slim hand, “Comrade, hello, my name is Zhao LanHua, I’m… I’m 17 years old this year.”

An exchange of handshakes, glowing with the radiance of socialism.

The two sat down.

“Don’t be so formal. Today is just about getting to know each other. Just chat about anything that comes to mind. Jiang, Lanhua has been up since early this morning. She took a bullock cart and then a bus, traveling all the way to the city, and all she’s had is a cob of corn. If you’re free, why don’t you make her something to eat? I’ll pay you back later; I can’t stay as I need to go buy some fabric.” After saying this, Zhao Zaohua patted Zhao Lanhua’s shoulder, gave her an encouraging smile, and left.

The state-owned restaurant was silent.

For two minutes, they just stared at each other without uttering a word.

Finally, Jiang Weiguo was the first to break the silence.

“Are you hungry?” Jiang Weiguo asked.

Zhao Lanhua shook her head repeatedly, her head bobbing like a rattle-drum, her eyes appearing especially large due to her thinness: “Not hungry, not hungry at all. I had a cob of corn this morning. It was really big and filling!”

Jiang Weiguo frowned, and Zhao Lanhua’s heart tightened, thinking she had said something wrong.

“Really not hungry?” Jiang Weiguo asked.

“Really not hungry! Not at all!” Zhao Lanhua asserted with conviction.

Jiang Weiguo had no choice but to drop the subject, and they fell into silence again.

“I…” Seeing that the blind date was heading toward her worst fear, Zhao Lanhua finally couldn’t hold back any longer and blurted out the speech she had prepared all night.

“I’m from Zhaojia Village. Everyone in our village has the surname Zhao, and we’re all related. According to the family tree, Auntie Zhao is my aunt,” Zhao Lanhua explained.

“I know. Master Huang told me about you before. You’re the fourth child in your family, with one older brother and two older sisters above you, and two younger sisters below. Both of your older sisters are married. You postponed marriage for two years because your sister-in-law was ill and your younger sister was too young, leaving a shortage of hands at home, so you haven’t been matched for marriage,” said Jiang Weiguo.

Zhao Lanhua was at a loss for words as Jiang Weiguo had said everything she intended to say.

“That’s… that’s how it is,” Zhao Lanhua said.

“I’m from Beiping, came here as a refugee,” Jiang Weiguo began his self-introduction. “I’m the youngest of seven brothers. Either my family members are missing or have passed away; now, I’m on my own. I’ve been drifting from place to place over the past few years and have only settled down here recently. Because I’ve been unsettled, I haven’t been in a relationship. I’m older now and hope you won’t mind that.”

“Of course not, of course not,” Zhao Lanhua alternated between shaking and lowering her head, “There were also refugees who came to the village next door a few years ago. I mean, we have quite a few people who have settled here from other places.”

“I know,” Jiang Weiguo said, staring at Zhao Lanhua’s face and involuntarily frowning again.

“What would you like to eat?” Jiang Weiguo asked.

“No need, no need. I’m really full now. I don’t need to eat anything,” Zhao Lanhua said, this time not just shaking her head but also gesturing with her hands.

“Braised pork? Mei cai kou rou? Sweet and sour ribs? White meat with garlic sauce? Soy-sauced meat?” With every dish Jiang Weiguo mentioned, Zhao Lanhua couldn’t help but swallow.

“If you don’t fancy pork, it seems there’s fish in the kitchen too. Braised fish? Sweet and sour fish? Dry fried fish? I remember, there’s also half a bag of flour left, do you want me to make you dumplings?” Jiang Weiguo began listing dishes.

Having only gnawed on a cob of corn all day, Zhao Lanhua couldn’t resist such temptation; just hearing Jiang Weiguo name the dishes was like smelling the scent of meat.

“Wouldn’t that be inappropriate? I heard that dishes at your state-owned restaurant are very expensive,” Zhao Lanhua attempted one last struggle.

“It’s fine. Every month, we regular workers get a certain quota of ingredients. I haven’t used my flour and meat quota this month; making you two dishes will be enough,” Jiang Weiguo explained.

“How can that be okay? You only get so much for a month; it’s not even enough for yourself, let alone to give to me. Just make two vegetarian dishes for me, like cabbage and tofu. Just add more oil and it’ll be great. If you have steamed buns, that would be even better,” Zhao Lanhua’s eyes lit up when she mentioned the steamed buns.

“Vegetarian?” Jiang Weiguo looked somewhat bemused.

Zhao Lanhua nodded vigorously: “Yes, vegetarian! Vegetarian dishes with more oil are also really delicious. If there aren’t any steamed buns, then cornbread is fine too.”

“I’ll see what vegetables we have in the kitchen,” Jiang Weiguo stood up but stopped after just a couple of steps.

“Do you want to come in with me?” Jiang Weiguo thought it wouldn’t be good to leave Zhao Lanhua by herself outside.

“Could I? Isn’t the kitchen where you work? Would it be alright for me to go in?” Zhao Lanhua was worried.

“It’s not work hours now; it’s fine.”

“Oh.” Zhao Lanhua obediently followed behind Jiang Weiguo, entering the kitchen.