“ Xiao Qing did have something to do today. But you were right at the door—why didn’t you go inside? Wait, hold on… You’re a young man showing up like this—what’s your intention? What’s your surname? What’s your name? How old are you? How many people are there in your family, and what do they do?”

Liu Ming: “…”

This old lady—why’s she interrogating me like she’s doing a household registration check?

Though he was irritated, Liu Ming didn’t dare show it. He scratched his head, pretending to be shy, his face flushing slightly.

“My name is Liu Ming. I’m 23 years old. I started working at the factory when I was 18, so I’ve been there for five years. I have a younger brother and sister, and both my parents are in good health.”

“Oh, so you’re the eldest of three. That means the family responsibilities will fall on your shoulders in the future,” Aunt Wang said, looking at him with the sharp gaze of a father-in-law inspecting a future son-in-law.

“Our Xiao Qing is smart, capable, and well-behaved. Your family has quite a few members, but Xiao Qing is still young—she’s only 18, so there’s no rush to get married. She’s still two years away from the legal age.”

This kid looked decent enough, but standing outside someone’s door like this wasn’t appropriate. And with Xiao Qing living alone, if he turned out to be trouble, that would be bad news.

“You’re right, Aunt Wang. Xiao Qing is a great girl, and I’ll treat her well,” Liu Ming said, forcing a smile, though his patience was wearing thin. He glanced at the closed iron gate.

“I brought this candied hawthorn for Xiao Qing. Could you please give it to her for me? It’s getting late, so I won’t come in.”

This nosy old lady… Once we’re married, I’ll make sure she stays far away. It’s none of her business what I do.

Aunt Wang was slightly more satisfied with his response. At least he had some sense. However, she couldn’t accept the gift. As the girl’s family, they had to remain reserved and not take gifts too easily.

After all, taking gifts can put you in a compromising position.

“You should take this back and give it to your sister instead. Our Xiao Qing doesn’t eat candied hawthorn. If the two of you are truly meant to be, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to buy her things in the future.”

Liu Ming froze for a moment. He had forced himself to be patient and polite, but this old woman had just brushed him off. Unbelievable. That brat Xiao Qing sure knows how to surround herself with troublesome people.

“Well, don’t just stand there. Go on, the candied hawthorn is melting,” Aunt Wang urged as she turned to knock on the door.

Liu Ming shot one last look at Aunt Wang’s back and turned to leave, to avoid being embarrassed by the girl in front of others.

“Why are you here so late, Aunt Wang?” Dai Qing asked, thinking that Liu Ming might still be lingering outside.

“I just came to check if everything went smoothly this afternoon. Since I introduced you to the job, I was worried in case you ran into any trouble.”

“It went well. Everything’s sorted out, and Zhang’s hotel will gradually recover.”

“That’s good to hear. You’ve really got some talent—this could even be a skill to support yourself. Earning a little extra from time to time doesn’t hurt either,” Aunt Wang said, smiling as she looked Dai Qing over.

“Its really good to have a job. You’re more energetic than before, and your skin’s looking fairer too. They say girls change a lot between 18 and 20, and it’s true.”

Speaking of work reminded Aunt Wang of the young man outside. She couldn’t help but take Dai Qing’s hand and give it a pat.

“Oh, by the way, I just ran into a young man named Liu Ming outside. He brought you some candied hawthorn. He looked neat and well-dressed, quite decent, really. He said you work at the same factory. As someone who’s been around, I can tell he’s interested in you.”