Chapter 14

Soon, several packets of seeds appeared in her space.

They were exactly the ones she had wished for: “Strawberries, cherries, and mangosteen.”

Carefully, Xu Niannian planted each of these seeds in the black soil and sprinkled them with spring water from the space. She even fed the chicks some of the millet that had grown in the space. The chicks seemed to grow faster here, noticeably larger than usual.

That night, Xu Niannian dreamed a sweet dream of sitting on a pile of mangosteen, holding strawberries in one hand and a bowl of cherries in the other.

But it was just a dream, and when she woke up, she found herself drooling onto her pillowcase.

With a start, she realized that today was the 15th.

Determined to leave a good impression, she got up, washed up, and even took a shower in the space. She put on a clean outfit, styled her hair into a cute bun, and decided that, in this blind date, she would set the standard—she would be the one judging her date, not the other way around.

Blind dates in this era were straightforward: if both parties agreed to meet, many would decide the very next day to settle down. For the sake of her future happiness, she wanted to look her best.

Looking in the mirror, she saw a beautiful face with delicate features—a straight nose, naturally red lips, and a charming smile with two faint dimples. Dressed in a red-brown dress and white shoes, she felt she looked radiant.

Satisfied with her appearance, she checked the time, realizing it was already half-past ten. She grabbed a bun from the space, quickly ate it, brushed her teeth, and then headed out.

The house was empty and quiet as she left, wearing her white shoes, ready to spend 10 cents on a bus fare.

As soon as she boarded the bus, her striking red dress made her stand out against the gray interior. The young men and even some older women couldn’t help but look her way. Some of the bolder young men seemed tempted to strike up a conversation, but Xu Niannian closed her eyes as soon as she sat down, feigning sleep to avoid interaction.

After a 20-minute ride, the bus conductor announced the stop for the state-owned restaurant. Xu Niannian quickly hopped off, leaving a group of disappointed young men behind, watching her disappear.

As she stepped off the bus, she took a few deep breaths of fresh air—the bus had been filled with a mix of smells: foot odor, livestock, and the unique scent of gasoline.

Since it was still before noon, she took a quick stroll through the nearby department store to shake off the queasy feeling from the bus ride. Feeling refreshed, she finally headed to the state-owned restaurant. Today, it was quite busy—there was even a family holding a wedding reception, taking up a few tables.

Her eyes scanned the room until they landed on a man in a military uniform. Their gazes met, and she knew instantly—this was her blind date, Xie Yang.

He seemed to recognize her as well and waved her over.

Xie Yang had the look that mothers-in-law of the era adored: a square face, a kind expression, and a straight posture. As she sat down, he politely poured her a cup of tea.

“Hello, I’m Xie Yang. Are you Xu Niannian?”

Wary of mistaken identity, he introduced himself first. When she nodded slightly, he relaxed.

Initially, he had been resistant to going on a blind date. After all, he had little time during his short leave and wasn’t eager to spend it this way. His aunt had claimed that the girl was as beautiful as a fairy, but he hadn’t believed her—matchmakers were known for exaggerating. In the military, he had heard plenty of tales from other soldiers who had been deceived by embellished descriptions.

Yet here she was, and she truly was as beautiful as described. His attitude shifted immediately from mere obligation to genuine interest.

As Xu Niannian sat down and noticed his slightly stunned expression, she took a sip of water to cover her awkwardness—this was her first time on a blind date, after all.

Xie Yang soon recovered and coughed slightly, “I’ll introduce myself first. I’m 26 years old and have been in the military for ten years. I have three older sisters who are all married and employed, so the family has little financial burden…”

Xu Niannian listened intently, noting that he was the youngest and only son in a family with three older sisters. To her, this sounded like a classic case of a family that favored sons. She respected the cultural context but knew this wasn’t the family background she wanted in a partner.

Imagining herself pressured to produce sons in such a family, she felt a shiver run through her.

Curious, she asked, “So, why aren’t you married yet?”

The question seemed to stump Xie Yang. He couldn’t very well admit that he had simply never been interested before now. But he also knew many men his age in the military who already had kids.

If he answered honestly, he might come across as a playboy, so he gave a more diplomatic reply: “I’ve been busy with work, so I just never got around to it.”

Xu Niannian noticed a hint of hesitation in his response, which made her wonder if he had some personal issue he was hiding.

Meanwhile, Xie Yang found himself mesmerized by her clear, almond-shaped eyes, which seemed almost capable of reflecting one’s image. His ears grew a little red.

Afterward, when it was time to order, Xu Niannian’s lack of enthusiasm led her to choose only vegetarian dishes. Xie Yang noticed and added a few meat dishes, which made her worry about whether the money she had brought would be enough to split the bill.

At the same time, Li Qiang, who had just entered, noticed Xu Niannian sitting with another man. He watched them from afar for a couple of minutes, surprised at how much she had blossomed. The sight made the woman he was with seem even less attractive in comparison.