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Bai Qingyuan looked at Han Ying with a bittersweet smile, “My dear, you’re the one who initiated this, aren’t you? No regrets?”
Han Ying lifted her chin defiantly, “What’s there to regret? Helping to arrange a marriage is a good deed that accumulates virtue. There’s nothing to regret. If it weren’t for our daughter having someone in mind already, I would have considered introducing this young man to her.”
Wu Changyong laughed heartily, “Han Ying, oh Han Ying, you really amaze me. Let’s get this straight, Old Bai and I will take care of this. But let me tell you, this young man’s name is Zhang Weiguo. I don’t know if you’ve heard of him.”
Han Ying, supported by her husband, glanced at Zhang Weiguo and pondered the name. It sounded familiar, but she couldn’t remember where she had heard it.
Bai Qingyuan had mentioned it to her before, but at that time she was completely opposed to it and didn’t pay much attention to the name, so it was no wonder she couldn’t recall it.
Bai Qingyuan, with a chuckle, shook his head, “Old lady, what am I going to do with you? This young man is the same one that Jianing has taken a liking to. Now you must remember, right?”
Han Ying was taken aback this time, realizing that the young man in front of her was the one her daughter had taken a fancy to. She pointed at Zhang Weiguo incredulously and asked, “You, you are Zhang Weiguo? The one Jianing is fond of?”
Zhang Weiguo couldn’t help but give a wry smile. What a coincidence it was to meet like this, but he nodded earnestly, “Madam, I didn’t expect us to be so fated. I am Zhang Weiguo, Jianing’s boyfriend. I’ve always wanted to come and visit you, and now, it seems we have finally met.”
Wang Qian’s eyes widened as she looked at Han Ying, “Grandma, you are Aunt Bai’s mother? How come you don’t recognize your own family? Hehe, but today you finally got to see my little uncle. You’re not disappointed, are you?”
Now, Han Ying was in a bit of a bind, having just promised to help someone else persuade their future in-laws, only to find the situation had fallen on her own head.
She felt incredibly awkward but recalling the fortune teller’s words, she mulled it over in her mind. This young man was decent, with good conditions and a kind heart; he was certainly going to be a good match for her daughter. So, she thought, she had already played the villain, it was time to stop being one now.
“Enough,” Han Ying declared, “let’s not stand around talking. Everybody, come inside and take a seat. Weiguo, you come too, I have some questions for you. Old Bai, call Jianing to come home. Now that Weiguo has come to our doorstep, we need to have a good talk about this today.”
With her heart now open, Han Ying was forthright and quick to act, urging her husband to call their daughter back home. Some things were better discussed face-to-face and clarified.
Zhang Weiguo was somewhat stunned by the turn of events. He wasn’t sure whether to say he was lucky or if it was his niece who was fortunate.
Old Master Wu gave the still dazed Zhang Weiguo a nudge, “Kid, don’t be too giddy now. You’re quite lucky, lad, stumbling into good fortune like this. Hurry up and go inside.”
Prompted by Wu Changyong’s reminder, Zhang Weiguo snapped out of his daze and chuckled sheepishly, “Uncle, does this mean the old lady agrees?”
Old Master Wu smacked him on the head, “Silly boy, hurry up and go inside to face your mother-in-law’s questioning.”
Then Old Master Wu turned to look at Wang Qian, his eyes holding an ambiguous expression, “Girl, you go in too and help your little uncle. When we have time, you and I need to have a proper chat.”
Wang Qian just smiled and took Old Master Wu’s hand, “Grandpa, it looks like you’ll definitely be drinking a thank-you toast for matchmaking soon. Tomorrow, I’ll have my little uncle buy you a bottle of good wine.”
Once inside the house, Han Ying shared her thoughts with her husband, especially repeating what the fortune teller had told her.
“Old Bai, this Zhang Weiguo lives by the sea and has even killed someone, exactly as the fortune teller said. I think he’s the one. Later, I will ask more about his situation. If we can settle this, let’s do it without delay. The child has only three years left; better early than late.”
Bai Qingyuan didn’t believe a word about the fortune telling but didn’t argue with her. As long as she agreed to their daughter’s marriage, he was happy to go along with it.
He didn’t care about what any fortune teller said. As long as the old lady agreed, that was all that mattered to him. Having such a good son-in-law would only bring honor to their family, never a burden.
“I think it’s fine. When they come in, you can ask your questions. I have no objections, as long as this man is our son-in-law.”
Wu Changyong and the other two entered, and this time, Han Ying inquired about all the details of the Zhang family. Upon learning that the eldest son had fallen out with the family, she calculated quietly. The idea of their daughter caring for them in their old age was a concern, but having no relatives around could also be a blessing—less baggage. When the time came that they could no longer care for themselves, the young couple could take over, saving a lot of trouble. Besides, she had heard that the Wang family had their own business and were naturally well-off.
Wang Qian observed the old lady’s changing expressions and sat beside her with a charming smile, “Grandma, although I’m young, please hear me out. If what I say makes sense, please consider it; if not, just think of it as child’s talk and don’t be upset, okay?
You now know the situation with my little uncle. Initially, you were against the marriage, mainly because you were worried that if your daughter married my little uncle, she might suffer if she lived far away or was mistreated, and you wouldn’t be able to see it. Or maybe there would be a long-distance marriage, causing Aunt Bai to suffer later. Rest assured on this matter. Even if my little uncle is demobilized, I’ll buy him a house in the capital, so you don’t have to worry about that. My grandma doesn’t plan to have them move back either. Grandma, do you think what I say aligns with your thoughts?”
Wang Qian didn’t say much, but every sentence struck a chord with Han Ying. These were precisely her concerns. She feared that having poor relatives in the countryside might lead them to leech off the young couple. However, hearing that the Wang family could even afford to buy a house for the little uncle was impressive.
The old lady nodded with joy, “Girl, you’ve spoken so well. I’m picky, but we are reasonable people. Your grandma has considered so much for them; I won’t object anymore. And you can rest assured about the daughter I raised. She won’t mistreat the elderly, so put your mind at ease about that. I agree to their union. Weiguo, have someone from your family come over tomorrow to discuss the wedding. No more delays; you’re not getting any younger.”
Upon hearing his wife’s declaration, Bai Qingyuan hurried back into the room to fetch the gifts that Jianing had left in his care, “Old woman, to tell you the truth, I’ve been keeping something from you. Our daughter visited Weiguo’s home with my permission last time, and this is the gift his parents gave as a token of meeting. I thought the gift was too valuable, and since you were against it, I didn’t dare to bring it out. Here, take a look for yourself. Our in-laws really mean well by our daughter.”
Han Ying looked at the item wrapped in red cloth. At first, she didn’t think much of it—customs in the countryside often involved wrapping money in red cloth for a new bride. But when she unwrapped it and saw several thick stacks of money and a large gold bracelet, she was taken aback. She hadn’t expected Zhang Weiguo’s parents to give anything substantial, but what they gave turned out to be the most generous. She knew better than anyone the conditions in the countryside; these gifts likely represented a huge sacrifice by the parents, pooling the family’s resources to give the best to their future daughter-in-law. She couldn’t help but be moved. Compared to them, she felt she didn’t measure up, so she decided not to pursue the matter of her husband and daughter keeping secrets from her.
With eyes filled with emotion, Han Ying looked at her future son-in-law, “Weiguo, your parents really went to great lengths. Alright, let’s have lunch here at our home today. We have our son-in-law visiting, and we should host you properly. Tomorrow, when both our families meet, we’ll finalize everything. That will put my mind at ease.”
Zhang Weiguo felt somewhat embarrassed as he hadn’t brought anything with him on his first visit to his future in-laws, especially since the meeting with his mother-in-law had occurred under such unexpected circumstances. He found it somewhat incredible and, looking back at his niece, was surprised to see Wang Qian nodding at him.
The uncle and niece shared a smile, and Wang Qian, taking Han Ying’s hand with her sweetly persuasive manner, said, “Grandma, we didn’t know we’d be meeting you today, so we came unprepared, which really isn’t proper. How about we go out and buy some food for you? Otherwise, I’d feel too embarrassed to eat lunch here. Hehe, we can also pick up my little aunt on the way. What do you think?”
Han Ying was amused by Wang Qian’s cleverness and touched her delicate cheek, “You little girl, I don’t know how your parents raised you to be so savvy, always talking like an adult. Alright, you two go. Don’t waste money, just bring some fruit back; I love that. We don’t need anything else. We’re all family here; let’s not fuss over appearances. Save the money for your wedding and future life together.”
Wu Changyong started to laugh heartily, “Old Han, you’re really something, ha! You haven’t even officially welcomed the son-in-law yet, and you’re already looking out for them. It’s good to think ahead. Wanting fruit is easy to solve—this little girl’s family sells fruit. Let her bring you some tasty stuff. Qianqian, buy extra and bring some back for your Grandpa Wu, too. The fruits I brought home yesterday were all divided up by the kids at home, and I only got a few.”
After Zhang Weiguo and Wang Qian left the house, Zhang Weiguo looked at his niece, “Qianqian, don’t tell me today’s events were just a coincidence. It couldn’t have been that timely, could it? You brought me out here and we just happened to run into the old lady. Come on, spill the beans.”
Wang Qian stuck out her tongue playfully and held Zhang Weiguo’s hand, “Uncle, you really are a pupil of Grandpa Zuo, with all that investigation background. You saw right through it, didn’t you? I just thought of a little plan with the goal of helping you win over your beauty. We’re only interested in the results, right? Don’t ask about the rest. In case we slip up in front of grandma, all my efforts would be wasted. Just be aware of what’s going on and leave it at that.”