Chapter 3

The Lu couple was unfamiliar with Sanzhuli.

The house had been arranged a few years earlier when Father Lu, in an attempt to send Lu Yongzhang to the Wild Warfare Division where Jiang Wang was, hastily found someone to help take care of it.

To make it seem convincing, Lu Yongzhang had lived there alone for several years, but the couple had long since gone to the work farm and had never spent even a day there.

When it was mentioned that Xiaorou was a girl from Sanzhuli, the two naturally had no impression of her.

Even if they had known her, it seemed completely unimportant.

What caught their attention was the word Lu Yongzhang used: admiration.

For the son they knew, this was a heavy word.

Heavy enough to make their hearts race with fear.

During the years their family had been apart, the couple had built their understanding of Lu Yongzhang based on the few bits of information passed on by Jiang Wang—

He had grown taller; this year, he shot up 15 centimeters in one go!

He performed exceptionally well during the hundred-kilometer field training. The youngest and the one who endured the most hardships.

He hadn’t neglected his studies either; he had gone to the study room to read after lights out and had been reprimanded a few times but still didn’t change his ways.

—o—o—o—

As time passed, their son became a very abstract notion. Even when they reunited in the city, Lu Yongzhang’s distant, polite, and uniformly cold demeanor made it take a long time for them to achieve a semblance of closeness with him.

Now, that cold and indifferent son had used the word “affection” for a girl.

How could that not surprise them?

After pondering for a long while, Father Lu cautiously probed, “No wonder you refused to come back and live with us; it was all for that girl, wasn’t it?” His eyebrows raised, but his tone was affirmative.

Lu Yongzhang smiled lightly. “Yes, so it’s troubling both… father and mother to run around for this.”

The couple stared in disbelief, completely oblivious to the oddity in his words.

Their son rarely smiled; even when he did, it was usually just a slight upward curve of his lips. They had never seen such a broad smile on him.

Mother Lu, Qin Yijun, shot her husband a glance, her tone barely concealing her emotional upheaval. “Why are you being so polite with Mom and Dad? You’re dating her, right? This kind of thing needs to follow the rules. We’re not locals; let me make some inquiries first.”

“We need to have the proper status. I want it done now.” Lu Yongzhang’s tone was nonchalant, but the meaning was crystal clear: he couldn’t wait.

The couple exchanged glances, feeling extremely complicated inside.

Especially Father Lu, Lu Boshi. He was somewhat of a leader himself, yet in front of his son, he felt his authority diminish and his imposing presence utterly crushed.

“Is it really that urgent?”

Lu Yongzhang’s frankness left them astonished. “Yes, it needs to be done quickly. Her family’s village chief is arranging a match for her.” As he mentioned matchmaking, his eyes dimmed, and then he said something that left them at a loss for words, “In this life, unless she doesn’t want me, I will not marry anyone but her.”

It was like thunder out of a clear sky.

Qin Yijun was so shocked that only one thought remained in her mind: Could it be that the two of them had tasted the forbidden fruit?

What she thought in her heart was plainly displayed on her face.

“It’s not like that.” Lu Yongzhang’s expression stiffened, and he spoke in a low voice: “Mom, let’s hear about your candidates for matchmaking?”

“Oh.” Qin Yijun found herself unable to withstand her son’s gaze, and she began to absentmindedly list her connections. “Your aunt is the editor-in-chief of a newspaper; she’s eloquent and has a good communication skills—”

“Not suitable, find someone else.” Lu Yongzhang narrowed his eyes. The Zheng family didn’t have many educated people; picking a scholar as a mediator would only create misunderstandings.

Qin Yijun frowned. “What about a cadre from your father’s unit who handles women’s affairs? But I haven’t heard of her matchmaking anyone up, so I’m afraid she might take it lightly.”

Lu Yongzhang offered a faint smile. “Choose someone a resident of Sanzhuli would normally come into contact with, like the director of the neighborhood office.”

“The director of the neighborhood office?” Seeing the smile on her son’s face, Qin Yijun unconsciously nodded. “Okay, Mom will find a way to get in touch with someone.”

—o—o—o—

Meanwhile, Zheng Tianlei broke the silence at the Zheng family dinner table.

“Sis, who are you talking about?” He looked shocked, mixed with an absurd sense of regret as if it were such a tragic thing for Lu Yongzhang to be rumored to be involved with his sister.

Zheng Xiaorou didn’t want to repeatedly mention his name. She averted her gaze awkwardly and raised her voice slightly to mask her nervousness. “Are you deaf? Lu Yongzhang!”

Zheng Tianlei mumbled in a daze, “This isn’t possible! How can my sister be worthy of Brother Lu…”

The phrase “worthy of” struck a nerve in Zheng Xiaorou. She raised her hand and tapped his head. “What do you mean I’m not worthy?”

“Other than your face, what does our family have that’s worthy of Brother Lu’s family?” Zheng Tianlei exclaimed, cradling his head. “Brother Lu himself is a man of great talent; I’ve heard that the Lu family is… well, not ordinary at all!”

Father Zheng and Mother Zheng exchanged glances.

Lu Yongzhang was indeed a well-known “golden bachelor” far and wide, but no introducer dared to approach him easily.

In Sanzhuli’s gossip, Lu Yongzhang was not even mentioned.

Occasionally, when his name came up, a glance down the alley made it clear to everyone.

His unique status in Sanzhuli had been established by a fight.

There were a few idle thugs in the neighborhood who had no jobs and spent their days loitering about, living by petty theft.

One day, a group of thugs stole Lu Yongzhang’s wool coat, which he had hung outside to dry.

When he returned, he unusually asked the neighbors across and next door. Everyone exchanged knowing glances and pointed toward the alley entrance. “Go ask those sunbathers.”

He went to inquire.

The thugs lounging in the sun shoved their hands into their pockets and cackled. “Little dude, we did see a coat come by, but it just blew in by itself.”

Lu Yongzhang narrowed his eyes. “You stole my coat.”

According to one of the little brothers, at that moment, his expression hardened as if the air around them had turned cold.

But they didn’t know yet what they were about to face. They burst into boisterous laughter, and the bolder ones shamelessly pointed to the small house behind the old stove at the alley entrance. “If you want to call it stealing, then we just found it! If you’re capable, go get it back yourself!”

There were four of them laughing arrogantly.

After confirming the whereabouts of his coat, Lu Yongzhang rolled up his sleeves and assumed a fighting stance. “Let’s go. All of you attack me all at once.”

The four of them charged at him recklessly, and in the end, they all lay in bed for half a month.

After dealing with them, Lu Yongzhang went inside and retrieved his coat and other stolen items. He laid out all of it one by one at the alley entrance for the neighbors to claim.

From that day on, Lu Yongzhang became famous overnight.

Later, the regular comings and goings of security personnel in Sanzhuli made Lu Yongzhang’s family background increasingly mysterious, and the speculations surrounding him grew more and more outrageous.

Could someone like that possibly be interested in their Xiaorou?

Not only Zheng Tianlei but also Father Zheng and Mother Zheng found it hard to believe. They exchanged glances and lowered their heads: they would push back the matchmaking for now.

—o—o—o—

The next day, Zheng Xiaorou went to find Li Xingguo, who was also stationed at the Yunnan farm.

He was particularly pleased to see her. “Look at Xiaorou, you’re different now that you’re back! You look so much younger than when you were in Yunnan!”

He remembered when they had disembarked from the train together, seeing the long-awaited buildings and trams and the stylishly dressed young people on the streets—it had felt like Liu Laolao entering the Grand View Garden, a bit awkward.

But now, aside from still not having settled into jobs, they had reintegrated into the city.

“Look at what you’re saying!” Zheng Xiaorou cleared her throat, lowering her eyes in embarrassment. “Actually, I came to ask for your help.”

Li Xingguo was eager to help. “If it’s within my capability, just say the word!”

“I actually want to ask your mom for help. I remember you said she works at the street office?”

“Right!” Li Xingguo immediately called his mom over from the kitchen. “Mom, this is our fellow team member Xiaorou. She has something to ask you for help, and you definitely have to assist her!”

Li Xingguo’s home was also an old-style shikumen house, with only a narrow gap separating neighbors. One could hear conversations from next door just by speaking a little louder. In just a short while, many curious glances were already peeking in from outside.

Zheng Xiaorou felt that familiar discomfort of being talked about behind her back.

The moment Xu Yafen saw Zheng Xiaorou, her entire face lit up. Beautiful, so beautiful! She couldn’t help but shoot her son a look, thinking, “So, he said he wasn’t in a hurry to go on blind dates, but it turns out he already had someone in mind! And he even said he would wait until he settled down at work before talking about it!”

Immediately, she seized the girl’s hand. “Dinner will be ready soon. Why don’t you stay and eat while we talk?”

Xu Yafen held on tightly, causing Zheng Xiaorou to lean back shyly. “No, thank you, Aunt Li. I need to get home for dinner. I came to ask if you could help me. It’s about matchmaking.”

Xu Yafen was accustomed to this role. She warmly pulled Zheng Xiaorou closer. “It’s a simple matter. Who do you need me to introduce you to?”

While she asked, her mind was already racing, plotting how to arrange for the girl to come over again.

Zheng Xiaorou’s face turned crimson.

She had the courage to take off Lu Yongzhang’s clothes and to inform her family about her relationship, yet she felt too embarrassed to speak at that moment. “It’s for me. We… are dating on our own.”

Xu Yafen’s smile froze on her face, and at that moment, her son, Li Xingguo, shouted in indignation from the side. “Xiaorou, how can that guy be such a coward! Did he actually let you find your own matchmaker? Where does he live? Just tell me, and I’ll make him regret it!”

Xu Yafen: “Alright, keep your voice down!”

Xu Yafen subtly pulled her hand back, her previously excited mood instantly calming, even becoming somewhat despondent. She adjusted her expression and said to Zheng Xiaorou, “Xingguo is right. How can you, a young lady, be the one to arrange everything? What’s the situation with the boy’s family? Listen to your aunt; marriage is no joke. You should think twice about someone who treats you with such disregard.”

She was accustomed to street work, speaking in a way that left no room for doubt, but her meaning was clear: this match was not suitable.

Zheng Xiaorou couldn’t reveal the truth and could only stubbornly insist, “I understand. I appreciate you taking the time to help me, Auntie.”

They agreed to meet the day after tomorrow. Zheng Xiaorou briefly explained Lu Yongzhang’s background, while Xu Yafen nodded along, expressing her sentiments with a sigh and confirming she would remember the details.

After Zheng Xiaorou left, Xu Yafen let out a long sigh, feeling discontent with her son. “She’s a wonderful girl! How could you not seize the opportunity?”

Li Xingguo felt wronged. “Mom, I’m just being realistic. Do you understand? Do you even know? She’s already in a relationship! They’ve been writing to each other for years; who else would have a chance?” He gritted his teeth. “I can’t believe that guy is such a coward! It’s infuriating!”

—o—o—o—

As Li’s mother and son expressed their grievances, Zheng Xiaorou remained oblivious. She had resolved a significant issue and walked back to San Zhu Li with light steps.

As soon as she entered the alley, a thug approached her. “Hey, Little sister Zheng looks very happy. Did you solve your work problem?”

Zheng Xiaorou ignored him and walked straight inside.

Seeing that she wouldn’t respond, the thug grew bolder, leaning in closer in the darkness and making a sniffing action, his face lewd with a grin. “You smell so good…”

The words abruptly cut off as he felt a sharp pain in his jaw. He opened his eyes to meet a pair of sharp, cold eyes.

The thug instantly trembled with fear, his body shaking like a leaf. He tried to pull away from the iron grip on his chin, whimpering, “Lu, Brother Lu, spare me!”

Lu Yongzhang raised his hand, and the thug fell like a rag doll, sprawled out on the ground. Lu merely glanced over, his expression calm. “Stay away from her. If I see you again…”

The anger simmering in his chest nearly pushed him to violence. “You pick which limb can take a month off and tell me.”

“Ah, okay, okay… I won’t dare anymore!” The thug bent over, retreating sideways.

It seemed the noise from the alley only erupted at that moment.

Lu Yongzhang looked down at Zheng Xiaorou. “Don’t be afraid.”

“I’m not scared. Even if you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have bothered with him.” After speaking, she glanced down at her toes, her heart warming at his presence. “Did you just come back?”

In the midst of the bustling lights, Lu Yongzhang paused, speaking to her in a familiar yet dignified tone. “I just went with my mom to the matchmaker’s home. We checked the almanac and decided to visit uncle and aunt tomorrow. Is that convenient for you? If not, we can change it to the day after tomorrow.” “Ah?” Zheng Xiaorou suddenly looked up, meeting his deep, intense gaze.