“Take a look and see what you’d like to eat.” Qi Shuhong handed the menu to Zhang Wenyue, who didn’t stand on ceremony, ordered a few dishes, and handed it back.
While waiting for the food, they made small talk. Somehow, the conversation turned to Lin Aiyun—she was caught off guard when her name came up.
“How are you finding Lanxi County, Aiyun? Are you settling in alright?” Qi Shuhong sat diagonally across from her, her eyes gleaming with kindness as she asked.
The restaurant had large, square wooden tables with individual chairs. Lin Aiyun sat next to Zhang Wenyue, across from Xu Fengyang and Qi Shuhong. The two men—larger in stature—sat facing each other at the ends.
Hearing the question, Lin Aiyun smiled and replied, “Everything’s been wonderful.”
“Haha, that’s great. Oh, there’s a big lake on the east side of town—the scenery there is beautiful. If you’re free sometime, we can take you there for a stroll.” Qi Shuhong’s words carried a hint of meaning, and she nudged Xu Fengyang beside her as she spoke.
Lin Aiyun sensed something amiss, but Zhang Wenyue quickly jumped in: “Oh, she’ll have to find the time first—she just started a new job and only has weekends off.”
“Oh? You’re working?” Qi Shuhong’s eyes lit up, her smile deepening. Before meeting Lin Aiyun, she’d had some concerns about her rural background—worried she might be nothing more than an uneducated, uncultured pretty face.
But the reality exceeded her expectations. Lin Aiyun wasn’t just beautiful—her bearing was impeccable. And she’d already found work in the city in such a short time, showing she wasn’t the lazy type content to rest on her laurels.
Though marriage was about matching social status, what really mattered was whether the young people liked each other.
Qi Shuhong glanced at Xu Fengyang beside her and saw him pouring water for everyone, but his eyes kept drifting to the person across the table. As his mother, she knew exactly what he was thinking.
“Yes, she helps copy prescriptions at a pharmacy and the like.” Zhang Wenyue accepted the water Xu Fengyang poured, then smiled and changed the subject: “But she’s nowhere near as accomplished as Fengyang—joining a newspaper as a journalist at such a young age—truly impressive.”
“Thank you for the compliment, Auntie. I’ve only just joined the newspaper; there’s still so much for me to learn.” Xu Fengyang adjusted his glasses modestly.
But everyone present knew that getting a job at a newspaper was no easy feat. With the situation still unstable and major events happening daily, every household bought newspapers to stay informed. The newspaper industry was booming, and its employees were well-paid. Naturally, such positions were highly coveted—a person needed real talent, not just connections, to get in.
“We’ve been doing all the talking, haha. You young people should have plenty in common—why not chat a bit more? Just think of it as making a new friend.” Under the table, Zhang Wenyue patted Lin Aiyun’s hand, signaling her to speak up.
Lin Aiyun cleared her throat. She figured more friends meant more paths open to her, and since he was her uncle’s boss’s son, building a good relationship couldn’t hurt. She gave him a gentle smile and said calmly: “Hello, my name is Lin Aiyun.”
“Hello, Miss Lin.” This was the first time he’d spoken to her face to face, and Xu Fengyang felt an inexplicable nervousness. When he’d seen her outside earlier, he’d already thought she was strikingly beautiful—but up close, she was even more stunning.
During his years studying in the provincial capital, he’d mostly been around stiff, bookish male classmates, discussing academic topics. He rarely encountered such a lively, spirited girl, and for a moment, he didn’t know how to keep the conversation going.
What’s more, the thought that—if all went well—she might become his wife made his palms break out in sweat and his heart race faster.
When his parents first mentioned setting him up with someone, he’d been fiercely opposed. As a young man educated in new ideas, he’d always imagined love and marriage would happen naturally, not through old-fashioned, arranged matches. The thought of being bound to a stranger for life, having children—just thinking about it was suffocating.
Later, his mother assured him it was just a meeting, not a finalized arrangement. The girl’s family wasn’t as well-off as theirs—she was from the countryside—so the chances of it working out were slim.
Add to that his mother’s constant fretting over his marriage, and he’d finally relented, just to get her off his back.
If it weren’t for his father’s close relationship with the girl’s uncle and the chance to do each other a favor, this whole thing wouldn’t have happened.
But he’d never expected the person he’d so reluctantly agreed to meet would be this beautiful.
Xu Fengyang realized then that he, too, was just a shallow person who judged by appearances. After only one meeting, he’d already decided the matter between them in his mind.
A blush crept up his ears, and the atmosphere lapsed into an awkward silence. Fortunately, the others weren’t oblivious—Zhang Wenyue stepped in at just the right moment: “Calling her ‘Miss Lin’ is too formal, don’t you think? Just use her name.”
Xu Fengyang took a deep breath, hesitated for a moment, then under everyone’s expectant gazes, finally spoke: “Alright… Aiyun.”
“That’s more like it! Go on, you two.” Zhang Wenyue nodded approvingly, then turned to chat with the others, clearly giving the two young people space to talk privately.
The lingering doubt in Lin Aiyun’s mind grew stronger in this atmosphere. But before she could piece together what felt so off, her thoughts were interrupted.
“Aiyun, what do you usually like to do?”
She looked up and saw Xu Fengyang looking at her with bright, eager eyes. That expression instantly made her realize what this situation resembled.
A blind date!!!
But if this was a blind date, why hadn’t her aunt been upfront with her instead of making up excuses? It didn’t make sense.
Was she being too sensitive?
But now that the thought had pierced through, regardless of the truth, Lin Aiyun felt utterly ill at ease. She forced a faint smile and replied, pursing her lips: “When I’m free, I like reading and helping out with chores at home.”
“Reading?” Xu Fengyang’s eyes clearly lit up at that, and he said happily: “What kind of books have you read?”
Lin Aiyun couldn’t remember what books she’d been reading at this age. She could only manage a dry laugh: “Just some miscellaneous stuff—nothing worth mentioning.”
“Oh, I see. Well, I have quite a few books—all kinds. If you ever need any, I’d be happy to lend them to you.” At this, Xu Fengyang’s chatterbox opened wide. He started with what he’d been reading recently, then moved on to the author’s imagination and brilliant prose.
He spoke eloquently and with humor, making Lin Aiyun laugh several times. The atmosphere between them grew increasingly relaxed, shedding its initial awkwardness and restraint.
There was no doubt that Xu Fengyang was genuinely talented—modest, polite, good-looking, and pleasant to be around. Someone like him would never lack for admirers. Why would he need a blind date?
Lin Aiyun let out a small sigh of relief and set aside her wariness. From his words, she also vaguely recalled some book content and offered her own thoughts.
“Like minds! Haha, we share the same views.” Xu Fengyang nodded, raising a clenched fist to his lips to hide the smile he couldn’t suppress.
“Yeah, what a coincidence.” Lin Aiyun took a small sip of water. Her thin lips glistened with moisture, as smooth and translucent as fine warm jade.
Xu Fengyang’s gaze lingered there before darting away. He adjusted his glasses with an awkward motion—but luckily, a waiter arrived with their dishes, rescuing him. He busied himself fetching bowls and chopsticks and refilling water for everyone, diligent and attentive.
Even Qi Shuhong raised an eyebrow in surprise and exchanged a look with her husband. They read the same message in each other’s eyes—their fair, handsome, brilliant son was more than halfway there.
“Here, eat up. The braised pork here is simply superb.” Qi Shuhong beamed and served Lin Aiyun a piece.
“Thank you. Please, everyone help yourselves.” Lin Aiyun lifted her bowl in surprise and accepted the large piece of meat.
“Yes, everyone dig in—no need to stand on ceremony.” Xu Hongjian opened a bottle of baijiu and filled Ding Weidong’s glass. “Come on, old friend—on such a happy occasion, we must have a drink today.”
“Haha, indeed?” Ding Weidong took the glass, but glanced first at Zhang Wenyue, his tone hesitant.
“Go ahead.” Zhang Wenyue was refreshingly direct, her eyes curving into crescent moons of delight. She wasn’t dull—from the moment they’d entered the restaurant, she’d been watching the Xu family closely, not missing their subtle gestures.
Moreover, they hadn’t been hiding anything. They said what they wanted and did as they pleased—clearly all satisfied with Lin Aiyun. Seeing such a wonderful match coming together, what was letting Ding Weidong have a drink or two compared to that? If they’d wanted to pluck stars from the sky tonight, she’d have given the go-ahead too.
“Cheers—today we drink till we drop!” Ding Weidong was fired up, his eyes practically sparkling with excitement. Heaven knew how long it’d been since he’d had a drink—he’d nearly forgotten what it tasted like.
His tolerance wasn’t great, and he tended to make a fool of himself when drunk. Zhang Wenyue had strictly forbidden him from drinking, and he wouldn’t dare defy her rules. He had no choice but to comply.
Now that he finally had an excuse to drink openly, he was going to enjoy himself to the fullest.
“Your husband is completely wrapped around your finger.” Qi Shuhong shot Zhang Wenyue a look of admiration. But then she thought—if her niece had a similar temperament, would Xu Fengyang end up being controlled in everything? That wouldn’t be easy living.
With that thought, Qi Shuhong turned her gaze to Lin Aiyun. The girl was quietly eating her food, looking meek and docile—not the fiery type.
“Ah, it’s only because he’s willing to go along with me. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be like this.” Zhang Wenyue waved her hand, but the pride and sweetness that crept into her brow were unmistakable.
Before Qi Shuhong could respond, Xu Fengyang chimed in: “I think that’s wonderful. It shows how close Uncle and Auntie are.”
That made Zhang Wenyue laugh. “You’re definitely going to be a good husband someday.”
Hearing this, Xu Fengyang glanced at Lin Aiyun—but she was still eating and didn’t catch his signal. A flicker of disappointment crossed his heart, though his face didn’t show it.
Watching her son act so smitten, Qi Shuhong could only pinch the bridge of her nose.
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