Rong Xiaoxiao had just finished speaking when she was interrupted. 

Wu Chuanfang shook her head and refused once again, “No, we’re not at that point yet. Do you really think going to the countryside is an easy thing?”  

Rong Xiaoxiao gave a bitter smile.  

Of course, she knew it wouldn’t be easy.  

In her past life, she had read plenty of period novels—who didn’t know that life after going to the countryside meant endless labor? Even now, there were plenty of children from families around her who had been sent down.  

Most of the letters they sent back were filled with complaints about the hardships of life. Some had even gone so far as to break their own legs just to return to the city. Just thinking about it made it clear that going to the countryside was anything but easy.  

So, at first, she had genuinely considered whether she could find a suitable partner to marry, allowing her to stay in the small town and avoid the backbreaking farm work.  

However…  

It was too much for someone as picky about looks as her.  

Even after lowering her standards again and again, facing a crowd of mama’s boys and slovenly, unbearable male comrades, she had no choice but to retreat, no matter how much she loathed hard labor.  

The thought of marrying someone so carelessly made going to the countryside seem like the better option.  

Most importantly, she now had a sense of confidence. After repeated experiments over this period, she had finally figured out the use of the cheat ability she had been transmigrated with. Perhaps, even in the countryside, her life wouldn’t be too bad.  

Besides, Rong Xiaoxiao was tired of pretending.  

Without the original host’s memories, she couldn’t grasp her personality. She had been playing the role of the obedient girl all this time, which was manageable in the short term but unsustainable in the long run.  

Going to the countryside might be the better choice. After spending some time away, even if her personality changed a bit by the time she reunited with her family, they wouldn’t find it too strange.  

All things considered, Rong Xiaoxiao acknowledged that life in the countryside would be tough, but it was still the best option available to her right now.  

However, Wu Chuanfang didn’t see it that way. “Tomorrow, I’ll go ask the matchmaker again. I refuse to believe we can’t find someone suitable.”  

Rong Shuigen also frowned. “I’ll look into it at the factory too.”  

At that moment, Wu Pinghui, who had been sitting stiffly to the side, shot them a disapproving look. “Mom and Dad, you can’t hold Xiaoxiao back. It’s rare for her to have such awareness—to want to fight for the nation’s development. This is a sense of responsibility and mission. How can you stand in her way?”  

“……”  

“……”  

The room fell into silence.

Wu Pinghui raised her chin high. “Becoming an educated youth is an extremely honorable thing! When the motherland calls, we should answer without hesitation!”  

Wu Chuanfang listened with a mix of emotions. “Oh, shut up already!”  

Wu Pinghui wasn’t happy about that. Just as she was about to argue, Wu Ping’an across from her let out a mocking tsk tsk. “You’ve got plenty of revolutionary spirit—running after some guy like a lovesick fool.”  

Wu Pinghui flushed with anger. “What nonsense are you spouting?!”  

Wu Ping’an had long been fed up. “What’s the point of chasing after him when he hasn’t even given you a proper commitment? Following him all the way out there—when you suffer and get trampled on, no one’s going to stand up for you.”  

She made it sound so noble, but in reality, it was all for a man.  

And that man? He couldn’t stand him.  

Taking gifts, enjoying favors, yet refusing to make any promises.  

When you thought about it, both of them were relying on women.  

But he was way better than Fang Gaoyang.  

At the very least, he didn’t take advantage of women shamelessly.  

He had stayed in the city by marrying into his wife’s family.  

People said being a live-in son-in-law meant throwing your dignity away, but he didn’t see anything wrong with it. Sure, his future wife was burly and fierce, but when she stood in front of him, he felt an overwhelming sense of security.  

Being a little man behind a strong woman wasn’t so bad.  

But even though they both depended on women, he especially looked down on Fang Gaoyang.  

Fang Gaoyang had taken so much from Second Sister, made her do so much for him, and now he’d even tricked her into going to the countryside with him. And in return?  

Not a single damn promise—just a “you’re such a good person” to brush her off.  

Yet Second Sister was completely bewitched, her heart and mind full of that worthless man.  

“I won’t suffer,” Wu Pinghui declared, straightening her back, her eyes full of anticipation for the future. “Even if we go to a place where we don’t know anyone, having someone familiar by my side means we can support each other.”  

“Ugh.” Wu Ping’an made a retching noise.  

Wu Pinghui bared her teeth, raising a fist as if she wanted to punch him.  

“Enough, enough! Both of you shut up, you’re giving me a headache,” Wu Chuanfang snapped. She gave her second daughter a long look, wanting to say something but ultimately holding back.  

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to speak—it was just that no matter how much she said, it wouldn’t make a difference.  

Like Ping’an said, a thousand words from the family couldn’t outweigh a single word from that man outside.  

She might have kept quiet, but Wu Pinghui had more to say. “Actually, it might be good for Xiaoxiao to go to the countryside. Marriage is a lifelong commitment—how can she be as careless as Wu Ping’an? If she signs up early and Dad pulls some strings, maybe the two of us sisters can even be assigned to the same place and look out for each other.”  

Wu Ping’an rolled his eyes so hard they nearly got stuck.

How was he being careless?

He had made his decision after careful consideration, alright?  

Ever since deciding, he had been waking up from dreams laughing.  

Still, Second Sister wasn’t entirely wrong about one thing.  

If Xiaoxiao really had to go to the countryside, it would definitely be better for the two sisters to be assigned to the same place rather than face it alone.  

Wu Chuanfang also took this to heart. “Let’s wait a little longer. There’s no need to rush this yet.”  

“If we wait too long, it’ll be too late to arrange anything. Once the quota for a location is filled, if Xiaoxiao signs up later, she’ll have to go somewhere else. How can we afford to wait?”  

Wu Chuanfang hesitated.  

Now she was caught between a rock and a hard place.  

Meanwhile, Rong Xiaoxiao, the person at the center of all this, quietly picked up a piece of tofu puff with her chopsticks and continued eating her meal in silence.  

Any place would do.  

With her temperament, even if she went to the countryside, no one would dare bully her.  

Also silent was the eldest of the Wu siblings, Wu Pingzu.  

Among the four brothers and sisters, Wu Pingzu had settled his future the earliest.  

He had taken over his mother’s job, then gotten engaged to his girlfriend—knocking out both career and marriage in one go. You could say he was the least troubled person in the entire family.  

Well…  

Actually, Wu Pingzu was a little worried.  

He hunched his shoulders slightly, not reaching for any dishes on the table, quietly eating his bowl of rice porridge while praying no one would notice him.  

What if the family really can’t bear to send Xiaoxiao to the countryside and forces me to give up my job instead?

I’m about to get married—I can’t possibly go to the countryside now!

There was a rare dish of stir-fried shredded pork with tofu puffs today, and he hadn’t dared take a single bite.  

Which worked out great for Rong Xiaoxiao, who happily helped herself to a few extra pieces.  

While everyone else was talking, she focused on eating, thoroughly enjoying her meal.  

“Alright, tomorrow I’ll go see Auntie Chen again and ask if she can find another good match,” Wu Chuanfang decided. “Old Rong, isn’t your apprentice’s aunt working at the Educated Youth Office? Go ask her and see if she can arrange for the two sisters to be sent to the same place.”  

She sighed. “We’ll prepare for both possibilities.”  

She really didn’t want both daughters to go to the countryside, but if there was no other choice, at least she could try to keep them close to each other.  

Since Rong Xiaoxiao had helped with cooking, washing dishes and cleaning up naturally weren’t her responsibility.  

She took a couple of leisurely laps around the courtyard before heading back to her room to rest.  

She slept soundly until dawn.

When Wu Chuanfang pulled her out of bed, Rong Xiaoxiao was still half-asleep.  

“You lazy girl, hurry up and get ready! We need to get to Auntie Chen’s place.” Seeing her youngest daughter’s drowsy state, she smacked her back in frustration. “You’ve got five minutes, or I’ll dress you myself!”  

“……” Rong Xiaoxiao instantly woke up, grabbing a washbasin to fetch water from the courtyard.  

Now she understood where the original owner’s strength came from—it was definitely inherited.  

One slap, and her waist nearly snapped.  

Five minutes later, Rong Xiaoxiao rushed through her morning routine and stood before Wu Chuanfang, clumsily braiding her hair.  

Wu Chuanfang stepped forward, swatting her hands away. “So clumsy. Let me do it.”  

In a few quick motions, she finished the braid, then stepped back to admire her work. “My girl’s so pretty. Why should we worry about finding her a good match?”  

Rong Xiaoxiao grinned, eyes crinkling—who didn’t love being praised?  

She tugged at her clothes, standing up straight.  

Not bad. She really was a spirited young woman.  

Wu Chuanfang was impatient by nature.  

Once her youngest daughter was ready, she grabbed a small basket, and the two set out.  

This time, they didn’t spend money on a ride, walking for nearly an hour before reaching their destination. By the time Wu Chuanfang knocked on the door, Rong Xiaoxiao’s legs had turned to jelly, and she leaned against the wall, panting.  

The “spirited young woman” from earlier had completely deflated.  

“You came at just the right time!” Auntie Chen exclaimed excitedly. “I was just about to go looking for you.”  

Seeing her expression, Wu Chuanfang asked hopefully, “Do you have good news for us?”  

“What a coincidence! Yesterday, my sister-in-law passed along word of a remarkably good young man looking for a like-minded female comrade.” Auntie Chen gave a thumbs-up. “That young man’s conditions are truly excellent. Didn’t you leave a photo with me last time? I took it straight to my sister-in-law, and by evening, we got a reply—he wants to meet Xiaoxiao.”  

Rong Xiaoxiao opened her mouth, wanting to ask for details.  

But in the end, she stayed silent. Even though this was about her future, someone else was far more eager than her.  

“Auntie, can you tell us more about his background?” Wu Chuanfang didn’t immediately agree to the meeting, wanting to understand the situation first.  

To her surprise, Auntie Chen just waved a hand. “Why not let them meet first? You can ask whatever you want then.”  

Wu Chuanfang frowned.  

In all their previous matchmaking attempts, hadn’t they always discussed the other party’s family situation beforehand?  

If things sounded promising, they’d arrange a meeting. If not, they wouldn’t even bother. Suspicious, she pressed, “Auntie, this makes me uneasy. At the very least, tell us what he does for a living and his full name?”  

“Oh, come on, let’s just set the meeting for this afternoon. If you’re worried, you can tag along.” Auntie Chen teased, “What, you think I’d sell your precious daughter off?”  

Wu Chuanfang hesitated. 

Wu Chuanfang thought about it—if she went along, there was no way her daughter would suffer. If anyone dared try anything shady, she’d make sure they regretted being born!  

“Alright, then let’s—”  

“Isn’t this just selling her off? Don’t trust this scheming old hag!”  

Just as Wu Chuanfang was about to agree, a short, elderly woman suddenly popped up beside them. “How could she dare tell you the truth? The guy’s a cripple! If she told you, would you even agree to meet?”

Wu Chuanfan gasped. “A cripple?!”  

Rong Xiaoxiao’s eyebrows shot up, and she took a small step forward, eager to join the drama.  

“What nonsense! He’s just injured—the doctor said he’ll recover completely!” Auntie Chen hurriedly explained. “Once he’s healed, he’ll be just like anyone else!”  

“Oh, so you say he’ll be fine, and that’s that? His bones are practically sticking out—who knows if he’ll even be able to do heavy labor again?” The short woman scoffed. “The only reason he’s rushing to find a wife now is to get a live-in nurse! And let’s not forget—he’s already got some pretty little nurse taking care of him. Don’t let this matchmaker trick you into becoming his second choice!” 

“Bah! That’s slander! There’s nothing improper going on—” Auntie Chen suddenly narrowed her eyes. “Wait. Who even are you? I’ve never seen you before. Who told you to come here and spout nonsense?”

The short woman’s eyes darted around, and she instinctively took a few steps back.  

“Who I am is none of your business! I just can’t stand by and watch you push people into the fire!” she yelled while retreating.  

Auntie Chen wasn’t stupid—this was clearly sabotage!  

She lunged forward to grab the woman, but the troublemaker, seeing the danger, turned and bolted like a rabbit.  

Auntie Chen chased a few steps before stomping her foot in frustration. There was no catching her now—and besides, she had bigger problems. She hurried back to explain.  

Returning to the doorway, she grabbed Wu Chuanfang’s wrist. “Chuanfang, we’ve known each other for years—why would I ever trick you? That young man is injured, but it’s really not serious! I only kept it quiet because I wanted you to meet him first. Whether it works out or not is entirely up to you!”  

Wu Chuanfang was furious inside, but she kept her expression neutral.  

“That family’s conditions really are excellent—there are some special circumstances, so I couldn’t say much. If Xiaoxiao hits it off with him, she’d live a life of comfort!”  

“Mhm, I’m sure you meant well, Auntie,” Wu Chuanfang said flatly.  

“So… should we arrange the meeting for today?” 

Wu Chuanfang didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she glanced at her daughter, who gave a tiny shake of her head. “How about this—let’s not rush into a meeting. We’ll go home and discuss it first, then give you an answer later. Sound good?”  

After this mess, Auntie Chen couldn’t very well push further.  

In the end, she could only watch helplessly as the mother and daughter walked away.  

Once they were out of the alley, Rong Xiaoxiao glanced at the basket in her mother’s hand. “Mom… didn’t you forget to give the gifts to the matchmaker?”

They’d carried it all this way, and now it was still hanging on her elbow.  

“Give her nothing! She doesn’t deserve it,” Wu Chuanfang huffed.  

No matter how Auntie Chen spun it—no matter how amazing she made that man sound—the fact remained: she’d lied to them.

“After this, I don’t feel like giving her any gifts at all.”

Despite her anger, Wu Chuanfang still muttered, “But knowing Auntie Chen, I don’t think she’d deliberately screw us over. Should we at least meet him?”

After all, it was just a meeting. If things didn’t work out, they could always refuse.  

But Rong Xiaoxiao shook her head. “Let’s not. Something tells me this guy is nothing but trouble.” 

Why had that short woman suddenly appeared out of nowhere?  

The matchmaker clearly didn’t recognize her.  

At the very least, that meant one thing—  

The woman definitely wasn’t from around here. For her to come all this way and wait outside the matchmaker’s door… Was she really just some kind-hearted soul exposing lies out of the goodness of her heart?  

Obviously not.  

Her appearance was clearly meant to sabotage the matchmaking.  

Most likely, someone close to the man had arranged it.  

Even if his conditions were excellent, dealing with this much drama just wasn’t worth it.  

Just then, Rong Xiaoxiao glanced down the alley to the right—and spotted a familiar figure.  

Wasn’t that the short woman who had run off?  

And standing beside her was a tall, slender female comrade.  

…

“Huff… huff…” The short woman panted heavily, only relaxing when she confirmed no one had followed her.  

“Done?” 

The short woman grinned, her face crinkling with wrinkles. “Done exactly as you said, Tao girl. They definitely won’t go through with the meeting.”  

She rubbed her hands together, eyeing the other’s pocket. “So, about…”

The young woman pulled out a big bill. “Here.” 

The short woman snatched it eagerly, her smile widening. “Good, good! Next time you have a job like this, remember me, alright? You know how reliable I am—I’ve already ruined three or four of his matchmaking attempts. No way I’d let him succeed!”

The young woman snorted. “As if he could? If anyone’s marrying into that family, it’ll be my sister. Who else is even worthy?”

She had sneaked a peek earlier—that girl had terrible posture, looking completely unserious. From a distance, she hadn’t gotten a clear look at her face, but she didn’t seem particularly pretty either.  

Who knows why the Lin family would even consider someone like her for Brother Lin? 

The short woman nodded vigorously. “Yes, yes, you’re absolutely right, Tao girl!” 

She played along verbally, but inwardly, she couldn’t care less.  

None of this mattered to her. In fact, she hoped that cripple would keep trying to matchmake—the more meetings, the more chances she’d have to sabotage them and earn money from this Tao girl.