Chapter 20: Blind Date (1)

The matchmaker, Liu, said that the Du family had agreed to the Wu family’s request for an earlier blind date, scheduled for 3 pm at the Dashun Tea House on Sinan Street.

Liu asked Ding Hongjuan and Dong Xiaoye to take Wu Xiuxiu home to freshen up while she went to inform the Du family. The Wu family agreed to the earlier blind date, scheduled for 3 pm at the Dashun Tea House.

After parting ways with Liu, Ding Hongjuan and Dong Xiaoye rushed Wu Xiuxiu home, urging her to change into a dress.

“Xiuxiu, find your flared skirt and put it on. Then, take your braids out and let your hair down. You look prettier with your hair down…

Oh, and put on some lipstick. Didn’t you save up and buy a lipstick?” Dong Xiaoye said.

Flared skirts were the most popular dress style at the time, originating from the Soviet Union. They were a type of puffy-sleeved dress that every girl in the city wanted to own. Having a lipstick was even better.

“Xiuxiu, listen to your sister-in-law. Go back to your room and change into a dress. Dress up nicely and make yourself look your best. That way, the man will like you.” Ding Hongjuan nodded in agreement.

Wu Xiuxiu, however, shook her head with a detached expression, rejecting their suggestion. “No need. It’s not necessary!”

Ding Hongjuan and Dong Xiaoye both frowned and called out in unison, “Xiuxiu!”

“Mom, sister-in-law, I know you’re doing this for my good, and I appreciate it. But I really don’t think it’s necessary to deliberately dress myself up. I’ll just go see Du Yuanan as I am.” Wu Xiuxiu said.

Although she agreed to meet Du Yuanan, she still held a grudge against him. This blind date, she didn’t expect it to work out.

Moreover, she felt that Du Yuanan wasn’t serious about it either. He was just going through the motions, which was evident from the location he chose for the blind date. It showed a complete lack of sincerity.

She knew that in this era, when a man was truly interested in a woman, he would invite her to his home for the first meeting, a practice known as “seeing the family.”

“Seeing the family” allowed the woman to quickly understand the man’s family’s circumstances, demonstrating his sincerity.

If the man liked the woman, he would invite her to stay for dinner. If the woman liked the man, she would agree to stay for dinner. If they didn’t like each other, they would decline.

Thinking about this, Wu Xiuxiu voiced her thoughts.

Ding Hongjuan and Dong Xiaoye, however, didn’t think much of it. They said they had heard that blind dates at tea houses were becoming popular in the city, and that the Du family choosing a tea house was not a lack of sincerity but a trendy choice.

A flicker of helplessness crossed Wu Xiuxiu’s eyes. “I don’t think it’s trendy. This is a lack of sincerity…

Don’t just focus on how good the Du family’s conditions are and how good Du Yuanan is. You’re already taking his side without even meeting him.

You have to understand that with his good conditions, he’s bound to be picky.

And Du Yuanan is going on a blind date with a young lady from an official family tomorrow. There’s a young lady from an official family waiting for him…

I think it’s very unlikely that he’ll like me. So, we shouldn’t get our hopes up. If he doesn’t like me during the blind date, you’ll be disappointed.”

Wu Xiuxiu decided to give her mother and sister-in-law a heads-up to avoid disappointment or even sadness if the blind date didn’t work out.

Ding Hongjuan, who had initially been hopeful and excited about the blind date with Du Yuanan, was now feeling like a bucket of cold water had been poured on her. Her enthusiasm instantly dwindled.

Ding Hongjuan and Dong Xiaoye exchanged glances, both sighing.

Indeed, what Xiuxiu said was true!

But Ding Hongjuan, because of Du Yuanan’s excellent conditions, still wasn’t willing to give up hope completely. She said to her daughter, “Xiuxiu, we can still have high hopes!

Didn’t the matchmaker say that men like beautiful women? You’re so beautiful, Du Yuanan will definitely like you…”

“Mom, if Du Yuanan likes me because I’m beautiful, because he’s attracted to my looks, then that kind of man is absolutely not worth it. He’s not worth marrying.” Wu Xiuxiu raised an eyebrow, interrupting her mother, a hint of disdain in her eyes.

The disdain was not directed at Ding Hongjuan.

“Because he’s attracted to my looks today, then when I get old and my looks fade, he’ll definitely abandon me and find a younger, prettier woman.” Wu Xiuxiu continued.

Ding Hongjuan knew her daughter was right and was speechless.

In the end, Wu Xiuxiu convinced her mother and sister-in-law. They no longer insisted that she change into a dress and dress up to look her best. After resting for a while, they accompanied Wu Xiuxiu to the blind date.

Sinan Street wasn’t far from the alley where the Wu family lived, only three streets away. So the three women of the Wu family didn’t take the bus, they walked.

After walking for ten minutes, they arrived at Sinan Street. After searching for a while, they found the Dashun Tea House.

At that time, everything was state-owned, not only hotels were state-owned, but also tea houses. However, tea houses were different from hotels. You had to buy tickets for everything in hotels, but not in tea houses.

However, tea houses only sold tea and melon seeds and peanuts, not meals.

When Wu Xiuxiu and the others arrived at the tea house, they saw the old clock on the wall pointing to three o’clock.

“It’s exactly three o’clock, it’s already three o’clock, has Du Yuanan arrived? I wonder if he came alone or if someone from his family came with him?” Dong Xiaoye said.

“Usually during blind dates, the man’s mother is present, and the mother will come along. Some even bring a bunch of female elders from their family to help see how the girl is. Only a very small number of men will come alone.” Ding Hongjuan said.

Wu Xiuxiu didn’t join the discussion, instead, she went to ask the tea house staff if Du Yuanan had arrived. She learned that Du Yuanan hadn’t come and hadn’t reserved a table beforehand.

Wu Xiuxiu thought, it’s already three o’clock and he hasn’t come, and he didn’t even reserve a table beforehand. He truly has no sincerity at all.

Wu Xiuxiu’s impression of Du Yuanan got even worse, and she even less wanted to be with him.

But they were already here, so they sat down and waited to meet Du Yuanan. This way, it would be easier to explain to Matchmaker Liu.

It was already three o’clock, Matchmaker Liu should be arriving soon.

Wu Xiuxiu asked the tea house staff for a table, ordered three bowls of tea, one for her mother, one for her sister-in-law, and one for herself. She also ordered a small plate of melon seeds and a small plate of peanuts, waiting for Matchmaker Liu and Du Yuanan to arrive.

Matchmaker Liu arrived soon. After seeing the Wu family women, she immediately apologized, saying that after seeing the Du family, she had to go home to get something, so she went back home. Her home was far from here, so she was late.

“It’s okay, Du Yuanan hasn’t arrived yet. Aunt Liu, sit down, I’ll order you a cup of tea and you can rest while you drink it.” Wu Xiuxiu said.

“Du Yuanan hasn’t come yet?” Matchmaker Liu looked surprised, “I thought he and his mother had already arrived. After all, it’s already past three o’clock…

When I went to the Du family earlier, I told your family that you agreed to the proposal and wanted to meet. His mother said she would take leave and come with him.”

“Maybe something delayed them. The Du family mother and son will be here soon.” Ding Hongjuan said, these words were for Matchmaker Liu, but also for Wu Xiuxiu.

Matchmaker Liu quickly nodded in agreement, saying that the Du family mother and son must have been delayed and would be here soon.

Wu Xiuxiu didn’t respond, she just ordered a cup of tea for Matchmaker Liu and invited her to eat melon seeds and peanuts.

Matchmaker Liu’s tea arrived quickly. The four women sat there, drinking tea, eating melon seeds and peanuts, and chatting, waiting for the Du family mother and son to arrive.

However, the Du family mother and son were nowhere to be seen. The four women’s tea was almost finished, but the Du family mother and son still hadn’t appeared.

Could she have been stood up? Wu Xiuxiu’s face turned pale.

Ding Hongjuan and Dong Xiaoye’s faces also turned pale, even Matchmaker Liu’s smile disappeared, and her expression became unpleasant.

“What’s going on with the Du family mother and son, why haven’t they come yet? We’ve been waiting for them for almost half an hour.” Matchmaker Liu was the first to complain.

“Could it be that the Du family mother and son aren’t coming?” Wu Xiuxiu said her thoughts.

“They’re not coming? How can that be! Isn’t this standing you up!” Ding Hongjuan and Dong Xiaoye both changed their expressions, and exclaimed in unison.

“Should I go to the Du family and look for them, see what’s going on… If they really aren’t coming, they should at least say something. It’s too disrespectful to stand Xiuxiu up like this, I have to give them a good scolding.”

Matchmaker Liu stood up, her face pulled down, and she scolded, looking very displeased.

“Matchmaker Liu!” A woman’s voice suddenly came from the doorway.

Matchmaker Liu looked towards the doorway, then a smile appeared on her face.

“Finally here! Du Yuanan and his mother are here!”