Chapter 11.1

“A mother and two sisters. The father is gone, and he has to take care of his sisters until they get married.” The woman paused, looked at Luo Lan’s face, then slapped her thigh as if she had made some decision.

“Alright, I won’t hide anything from you. I’ll be straightforward. This man is a veteran who was injured and then transferred to another job. People say he’s severely injured, but it’s not true. However, his reputation has been tarnished, and it’s hard to find a city girl. Fortunately, he has some accomplishments, so his wife can get an urban household registration and be arranged a job in the city.”

The matchmaker could spin any story to make things sound better. Setting aside whether the injury was serious or not, they start by highlighting the benefits. If getting an urban household registration and a job was such a good deal, how come he hasn’t found someone yet?

“What about his mother and sisters?”

“His mother,” the matchmaker hesitated, then sighed before speaking, “Previously his younger brother had an accident, which upset his mother. But don’t worry, she’s not mad, just a bit confused.”

“And his sisters?”

“The sisters are actually fine. They will eventually marry off. The eldest sister has a bit of a reputation, but that’s exaggerated. I think it’s overblown.”

So the matchmaker avoided the negatives. If the conditions were so good, why is he looking in the countryside? The family situation sounds complicated. How bad is his mother’s condition? And the sisters are likely to marry off, but his mother will probably be around for a long time.

“Did he ask you to be his matchmaker?”

Marriage involves joining two lives. Although time reveals everything, it’s important to have some mutual affection. If the man likes you, he’ll tend to favor you in difficult situations. This is crucial for a shared life.

“Yes,” the matchmaker said with a beaming smile. She spoke with enthusiasm, “He chose you at first sight. He wasn’t upset about the previous match running away. He thinks you’re perfect and immediately asked me to introduce you, worried that someone else might take you.”

Such flattery is just for show. Luo Lan wasn’t swayed by sweet words and remained calm. “Auntie, you know my situation, right?”

“Yes, I’ve informed him. He knows you’re single now. He doesn’t mind that you’re in a second marriage. If you’re willing, just choose a date to visit his home. I’m not here to deceive you. You should see for yourself.”

With this information, Luo Lan seriously considered the possibilities. The image of the tall man was comforting, and he had a good job. The most important thing was that after marriage, he could arrange a job for her.

Accommodation and work would secure her future, making life more stable and respectable. However, she needed to see the family situation firsthand. The condition of his mother was crucial, as she might live with them for a long time.

“Alright, then let’s plan to visit this weekend. How does that sound?”

The matchmaker was delighted and clapped her hands. “Great, we’ll meet at the commune and go together.”

After arranging with the matchmaker, her sister took her hand and spoke privately. Being both married, their conversation was less restrained.

“What if he really can’t perform due to his injury? What if you end up in a marriage without companionship?”

“I’m not worried about that. My main concern is his mother. If she’s severely mentally ill, that would be a big problem. Maybe he hasn’t found a match in the city because of his mother.”

“You girl,” Luo Mei said, pointing at her forehead. “His mother will eventually pass away, but he’ll be the one you spend your life with. If he really has that problem, wouldn’t you be wasting your life?”

Wasting one’s prime years and beautiful youth is a pitiful thing in the eyes of society. But Luo Lan, having experienced marriage herself, was less concerned about such issues. Life has its ups and downs, and this aspect seemed secondary. She had met the man, and his eyes were clear and determined; he didn’t seem like someone who would hide such a significant issue.

Seeing her determination, Luo Mei stopped insisting. Her younger sister had always been decisive, and once she made up her mind, others’ opinions were hard to change.

“Then I’ll go with you.”

“Alright.”

After the wheat harvest, short-term crops like soybeans and radishes were planted. Before the autumn harvest, everyone worked mostly on weeding and covering the soil. On the first of the month, people went to collect their rations. Luo Lan carried a bag and joined the queue. Coincidentally, she ended up right behind the second brother of Wang family, who was carrying a large sack, indicating that the Wang family had not yet divided their property.

For women, the ration was twenty-five pounds of grain. This month, it was corn and sorghum. She picked half of each and took it directly to the grinding room. The grinding room was actually just a thatched shed. When she arrived, many people were already waiting to grind their grain, making it the busiest time.

“Third…,” Wang family’s young wife was about to call out to her third sister-in-law but suddenly realized she was no longer her sister-in-law. “Sister Lan, you’re grinding grain too?”

“Yes.” The two of them sat on a nearby stone and chatted quietly. “Hasn’t your family divided the property yet?”

“It has. The division was quite noisy. This month, we all collected the grain together. After work, the team will handle the division. Then we’ll each get our share.”

Luo Lan nodded, not knowing what to say for a moment. The two sat quietly, and after a while, the fourth daughter-in-law started to complain to her.