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Chapter 12.2
The woman washed her face and combed her hair by herself. Luo Mei watched quietly, noting that she cleaned up neatly, washed the towel, hung it to dry, and emptied the water into the sink. She also cleaned the basin, showing clear and organized behavior.
She whispered to her sister, “She seems quite clear-headed, not at all like the craziness people described.”
“Some things shouldn’t be taken at face value.”
“Could it be an act?”
“Have you ever seen someone who is truly mentally ill, whether congenital or acquired, who could act as if nothing is wrong?”
Luo Mei shook her head. “Impossible. Those who are genuinely mentally disturbed can’t speak coherently. Let alone working in an organized manner and knowing to apologize. I guess she was deeply affected by her son’s death, which sometimes causes her to be confused.”
Luo Lan nodded, silently observing. After the woman finished tidying up, she entered the kitchen, and Luo Lan followed her. She watched as the woman set up the coal stove and lit it to start burning. She filled the kettle with water and placed it on the stove.
The woman turned around and saw her. “I’m truly sorry, we don’t even have hot water at home. Please don’t mind; I’m not usually like this.”
Luo Lan waved her hand. “It’s fine.”
Seeing that her future daughter-in-law wasn’t frightened by her, the woman was quite pleased. Zhou Qingshan soon returned with a basket of meat and vegetables, and the woman began preparing the meal. When Luo Lan offered to help, the woman stopped her.
“No, no. How can I let you cook on your first visit? Please, go inside and have some tea. I’m not bad at cooking; you can try my cooking later.”
With that, Luo Lan and the matchmaker were ushered out of the kitchen. Luo Mei took the opportunity to suggest that they use the bathroom to give the couple some private space. The atmosphere was subtly tense with just the two of them alone.
Zhou Qingshan poured her some tea and took the initiative to talk about his family. “My mom was checked in the provincial city and diagnosed with intermittent mental disorders. She’s actually managing quite well with medication, but she still can’t be around anything related to my younger brother. Once she sees him, she immediately reacts badly. Usually, she just ends up sitting alone and crying. Sometimes, in the middle of the night, she’ll sit in the yard crying, and it’s quite frightening for anyone who doesn’t know what’s going on.”
Luo Lan nodded in understanding, feeling a touch of sympathy for the woman who had lost her child. But sympathy alone wasn’t enough for marriage; after her first failure, she had to be even more cautious the second time.
“Why did you choose me? Was it just out of desperation?”
“Not at all,” the man said seriously, then smiled slightly as he added, “I think you’re very decisive, strong, and principled. I really admire you.”
“If I marry you, will I really be able to get a job through the agricultural-to-urban transfer program?”
“Yes. Rest assured, I’m not someone who makes empty promises. If you don’t believe it, we can arrange everything first and then register the marriage.”
“Your family’s house is just these three main rooms, right? So after marriage, will we live with your mother and sisters?”
“No. Besides these three rooms, there’s also a small side room to the east which I plan to use as our marital home. My mother and the others will stay here, and daily activities like meals will be in the main part.”
Luo Lan listened silently, then Zhou Qingshan added, “My monthly salary is just under sixty. My older sister is working and supporting herself, while my younger sister is in high school and will need my care. My mother will also be my responsibility. My father went on a business trip to the south, and the ship he was on had an accident, so he hasn’t been found yet. Most likely… in short, all household responsibilities are mine.”
He laid out everything clearly: income, responsibilities, and family conditions. Regardless of the outcome, he was indeed straightforward.
His salary wasn’t high, but with the need to support his mother and sister, and if she could work after marriage, their dual incomes should be sufficient to manage. Even if they had children later, they could still provide for them.
His straightforward attitude gave her a positive impression. Currently, her only concern was his mother. If she really behaved like she did today, why had previous prospects failed? This left her puzzled, wondering if there was something more she didn’t know.
“Does your mother ever hit anyone?”
“No, she doesn’t. The worst she does is wander off and get lost, which has happened more than ten times. Usually, she’s just depressed and crying. At worst, she’ll pull at her hair.”
Luo Lan fell silent in thought while the man didn’t rush her. They sat quietly in the room until soon, the woman came in with a plate of braised meat, signaling that the meal was ready.
“Come, sit down and eat.”
Luo Lan and her sister sat together, eating modestly. Their main purpose for staying was to see how his mother really was. It was their first visit, so they refrained from eating too much formally.
They sat down politely, and soon his two younger sisters returned. The older sister had bold eyebrows and large, curious eyes, while the younger sister, still in high school, followed behind her sister. At the first glance, Luo Lan thought to herself: what a distinctive girl.
The eyes are long and narrow, with the tails slightly upturned, as if drawn with an ink pen. The nose is small and delicate, and the mouth is slightly open with a hint of playfulness when biting the lips. The skin is delicate and there is not a single pore.
This striking girl looked soft and delicate, like a freshly emerged rice cake. Her beauty was completely different from Luo Lan’s, evoking a sense of tenderness.
During the introductions, Luo Lan’s impressions were confirmed. The girl hid behind her sister, saying nothing, just nodding with a smile, appearing as docile and gentle as a pet rabbit.
On their first visit, no decisions were made. Zhou Qingshan escorted them to the bus station. After buying their tickets, he helped them board the bus. As the bus grew further away through the window, Luo Mei leaned closer to her sister and began to speak softly.
“This man is really quite good. If his mother weren’t ill, this match would be perfect.”
“If his mother weren’t sick, he should still be in the military.”
“Yes. If that were the case, his conditions would be excellent, and you probably wouldn’t have this chance. Hey,” the sister nudged her with her elbow, “what do you think?”
**
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