Chapter 22.2

After sending Aunt Xiumei off, the rest of the family crowded into the kitchen, chatting and preparing dinner.

They wouldn’t be having pickled cabbage with pork bones today, as there was no place to buy meat at the moment.

However, Chen Zong was a skilled hunter, and both second and Third Brother Huais were good at it too. The family’s meat storage was well-stocked.

Since their eldest son had been away for years, Cao Qiuhua, who didn’t think much of salted meat, went out to the back pen and caught a fat rabbit to slaughter.

Fearing the kids wouldn’t have enough to eat, she also stewed a wild pheasant she had caught the day before.

It seemed that, no matter the era or the wealth of the family, all parents, when their children returned home, shared the same attitude.

They prepared a feast to celebrate their child’s return!

In the kitchen, most of the conversation was led by Cao Qiuhua, and the topics revolved around her eldest son, whom she hadn’t seen in years.

Upon learning that it was his Second Brother Liu who asked him to return and keep him company, Cao Qiuhua’s eyes reddened again.

But this time, it was out of happiness.

She was happy that her child was thoughtful, and pleased that her child was filial.

Then, the lingering gloom from the past few days faded away.

When one’s spirit lifted, the conversation flowed more freely.

As they chatted, they eventually brought up the reason for Xiu Mei’s visit: “…Oldest son, what are you thinking? You’re almost 30, and you haven’t met a girl you like?”

Chu Wuwen shook his head. He really hadn’t met anyone.

Strictly speaking, he had intentionally ignored the matter. When it came to marriage, he had his own pace.

Chu Wuwen had grown up with his mother. Since he could remember, he was aware of how difficult life had been for her before she married his stepfather, waiting alone for his father.

He had once not understood, but after joining the army, he began to comprehend the struggles his father had faced back then.

However, the difficulties of being a military wife had left a deep mark in his heart.

Thus, he had long since decided that he would only consider marriage once he had the qualification to bring his spouse along with him.

And his rank couldn’t be too low.

There were hierarchies everywhere, and even in the family compound, interpersonal relationships mattered.

Chu Wuwen didn’t want his future wife to face unnecessary hardships because his rank wasn’t high enough.

Before returning, the brigade commander had already spoken to him. After the family visit leave ended, he would be recommended to the first regiment to become a Colonel.

The brigade commander was a man of his word, and since he had spoken, it was a done deal.

Perhaps, it was about time to find a suitable person to marry.

Chu Wuwen did not make up an excuse to brush off his mother. Instead, he carefully explained all of his considerations to her. Then, as his mother fell into a thoughtful silence, he smiled and said, “Mom, don’t worry. This time, I will seriously think it over.”

Cao Qiuhua did not expect that her son’s decision to remain unmarried was influenced by her own actions.

However, after listening carefully, she felt that his thoughts were reasonable, and she was reassured, saying, “You’re right in your thinking, but there’s no rush—still, it’s important to find someone suitable and someone you like.”

Chu Wuwen replied, “Of course.”

“Then… do you want to meet the girl Aunt Xiumei introduced?”

“What’s the situation with her?”

Cao Qiuhua then relayed her old friend’s words.

The girl was from the county town, and she worked as a saleswoman at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative. She had six sisters and just one younger brother. Since she was a twin, a boy and a girl, she was the most pampered in the family. When her mother retired, she passed the job on to her…

Upon hearing this, Chen Nongmo frowned.

At that time, most people held a preference for sons over daughters, and there were families that had ten children just to try for a son.

How should she put it? Although it reflected the era, she really had a “bias” toward such families.

Even though she knew that not everything about these families was bad, as an ordinary person, she still couldn’t shake off that “bias.”

She always felt that families like that had more trouble, and she, more than anyone, hated petty, trivial problems.

However, people from that time had a natural awe and admiration for city dwellers and the “iron rice bowl.”

Chen Nongmo wanted to express her opinion but feared that, as someone with only a middle school education, her thoughts might not be taken seriously.

But then, she relaxed.

When one is too concerned, one can become disoriented. She almost forgot that, as the male lead of a novel, Chu Wuwen was already destined to have a match.

Although Chen Nongmo didn’t remember the details of her Big Brother’s relationship with his future sister-in-law, she knew that she was a military doctor.

As for how they met, Chen Nongmo wasn’t sure.

But one thing she was certain of was that Big Brother had married in the winter of his 30th year.

In other words, this blind date was a dead end.

Sure enough, as soon as she relaxed, she heard Big Brother’s voice, “This one’s not suitable.”

Chen Nongmo looked up at the man. Although Big Brother didn’t say anything more, he was, after all, the Male Lead, and his mind was sharp.

Cao Qiuhua wasn’t particularly fond of such a family either. To her, the character of the children and the upbringing of the in-laws were the most important things.

However, after hearing Xiu Mei’s constant chatter, she couldn’t help but soften her stance.

It was probably because… that girl was the best match she could find in her position as a mother.

So she added, “Aunt Xiumei said the girl is also pretty, and since she’s from the city and has a steady job, it’s really a good match. Don’t you want to reconsider?”

Chu Wuwen still shook his head. He was more rational and placed greater importance on the family background.

Having grown up in a harmonious and stable environment, he naturally hoped for the same in his future partner’s family.

This was his understanding of “a match in status and background.”

Seeing her son’s firm stance, Cao Qiuhua didn’t press any further. After all, his life was his own, and it was important that he was happy with his choices.

As a mother, she held this stance for all her sons.

So she smiled and said, “Then I’ll let Xiu Mei know.”

Chen Nongmo thought that rejecting this blind date would be the end of it.

But to her surprise, in the following days, matchmakers from all over the region started showing up at their door.

It was no exaggeration to say that, on average, ten or more girls were introduced to them every day.

This truly left Chen Nongmo stunned.

Although Big Brother only agreed to meet two of them, it still left everyone at a loss for words.

She wasn’t sure if it was the Male Lead Halo or if Big Brother’s own conditions were simply too superior.

Either way, after a few days of this, even she and the other two brothers were on edge, and they didn’t dare go straight home after school in the evenings.

Fortunately, the Third Brother Huai was studying in the county, or else, in the eyes of the matchmakers, he would have been considered of marriageable age and would not have escaped the aunties’ enthusiasm either.

She had to admit, in this moment, Chen Nongmo admired Big Brother’s patience.

If it were her, she would have run away long ago.

However, she also believed that Big Brother, who was now somewhat weary of the situation, couldn’t hold out much longer…

Sure enough.

Two more days passed.

That Saturday evening.

After being examined, praised, and picked apart by matchmakers, Chu Wuwen, who seemed to be running on empty, finally surrendered.

He directly stated that he would take the family out the next day and strongly declared that he would never go on another blind date again.

Not only was his head aching, but if this continued, he would be subjected to gossip. People would think he was selecting a wife as if he were a prince choosing a concubine.

Clearly, he hadn’t agreed to any of it; it was those matchmakers who came to his door uninvited.

Some of the less refined ones even brought the girls with them, without so much as a greeting.

He didn’t want to be implicated in any rumors or have his family dragged into it, so he had to leave and hide for a while.

“Go ahead, your dad and I won’t be going. It’s probably best if you stay away for a few days before coming back.” These past days, Cao Qiuhua, who was growing increasingly fond of peace with age, was equally exhausted. She had never imagined that finding a daughter-in-law would require such an ordeal.

After the excitement of her son’s return had worn off, Cao Qiuhua, now yearning for peace and quiet, began to grow tired of the matchmakers and made it clear that she would never pressure him into marriage again.

Chen Zong, too, was overwhelmed and repeatedly agreed, saying, “Your mom is right.”

Chu Wuwen made an innocent face and said, “But just a few days ago, you said you missed me?”

Cao Qiuhua turned her head, avoiding his gaze, not wanting to say anything further.

Chen Nongmo, sitting not far away, watched her family interact, struggling to suppress her laughter.

How should she put it? Her parents had love, but not an overwhelming amount of it.

As the thoughtful Little Sister Yuyu, after secretly mocking them for a bit, she decided to help her Big Brother salvage his dignity, which had already fallen to the ground. She gently asked, “Where are we going?”

After spending a few days up close, Chen Nongmo had come to realize that her Male Lead brother was surprisingly down-to-earth.

On the outside, he looked handsome and composed, fitting the definition people usually had of him.

But in reality, the tough guy was just a facade. The real Chu Wuwen would regret moves in chess, cheat while playing cards, and had a love for pastries and all things sweet.

He also had a bit of a petty side and often complained about Shao Zheng to her.

If she hadn’t clearly seen the smile in his eyes, Chen Nongmo would have believed him.

Then there was the day before, when she first realized Chu Wuwen had such a sweet tooth. It was a bit beyond her usual understanding of the tough, cool Male Lead.

At that moment, her face unconsciously showed a look of surprise.

Then Big Brother immediately replied, “Shao Zheng also likes sweets. The reason we became friends is because we share the same interests.”

Whether or not that was true was debatable, but one thing Chen Nongmo was certain of was that her filter for Big Brother as the Male Lead had shattered into pieces.

It was beyond repair.

Chu Wuwen, whose composed Big Brother image had been thoroughly shattered in his Little Sister Yuyu’s eyes, suddenly became lively again. “Let’s go to the city. Don’t you guys have a three-day break? I have some old comrades there, and I’ll take you to eat some great food.”

The classroom had been given to the revolutionary committee to hold a mobilization meeting, and recently, a few teachers had been given the “shaved head” treatment.

Chen Nongmo didn’t like any of this, but she was powerless to change it, as she, too, was one of those “fleeing” from the situation.

Every time she saw the miserable fate of those people, she would silently thank Shao Zheng in her heart for his help.

Chen Nongmo couldn’t imagine what she would do if her parents had to endure such suffering. Would she really be able to stay out of it?

This was also why, whenever she sent something to her brother, she would always make sure to send a little something for Shao Zheng as well.

Then, remembering that they were going to the city, Chen Nongmo smiled and suggested, “We can buy some nice fabrics in the city. I still want to make some clothes for Shao Zheng, and Big Brother can bring them back when you return. That way, we’ll save on postage.”

At her age, expensive things weren’t accepted by the other party, and there weren’t many special gifts to be found these days. So, she could only put some effort into sewing, hoping it would show her sincerity.

Upon hearing this, Chu Wuwen turned to his mother. “Mom, how about you arrange a few more blind dates for me? I’m in a hurry to get married.” Who said we were going to the city?

Even though it was obvious her son was joking, Cao Qiuhua, who had grown tired of all the commotion in recent days, reacted immediately by waving her hand in excitement. “Go away! Go away! Go away!”