tkworld Chapter 73 A Blind Date Scheme: A Honest Person Breaks Through and Reveals Their True Feelings
Chapter 73 A Blind Date Scheme: A Honest Person Breaks Through and Reveals Their True Feelings
Just after the Lunar New Year, remnants of snow still clung to the base of the walls of the Hongxing Courtyard, and icicles dripped water from the eaves, splashing tiny droplets onto the bluestone slabs. Lin Chen had just finished calibrating the newly replaced precision measuring tools in the workshop and was heading home with the two jin of industrial vouchers he had been rewarded with by the director when he saw Yi Zhonghai pacing back and forth in the central courtyard with his hands behind his back, his brows furrowed into a deep frown, and the frozen snow crunching under his feet.
"Uncle Yi, why aren't you going inside to warm up in this cold weather? Are you here to digest your food?" Lin Chen greeted her with a smile, and then handed two pieces of candy he had just bought to Jia Huaihua, who was standing nearby. The little girl took them timidly, ran to Qin Huairu who was picking vegetables, hid the candy in her pocket, and only showed a sweet smile.
Yi Zhonghai turned around, his worry lessening, and patted Lin Chen's arm: "Just got back from the factory? I heard your measuring tool calibration method has been adopted by the workshop. Not bad, Lin, you're a promising young man." He paused, then changed the subject, "You know, that silly Zhu, he's almost thirty, but he's still like a child, not worried about his marriage at all."
Lin Chen's heart skipped a beat, and he instantly understood Yi Zhonghai's thoughts. Since the last accounting incident, Yi Zhonghai's attitude towards him had softened considerably, but he had never let go of the idea of "taking care of him in his old age." Sha Zhu was a good cook, straightforward, and someone Yi Zhonghai had watched grow up, making him the most ideal candidate for taking care of him in his old age. However, Sha Zhu's support for Qin Huairu's family and He Yushui's estrangement made this "bond" less secure.
"Silly Zhu is kind-hearted, but a bit stubborn," Lin Chen mumbled, his gaze sweeping over Qin Huairu, who was hanging clothes to dry. She was wearing a faded blue cotton jacket with frayed cuffs, but her hair was neatly combed. She kept glancing towards the central courtyard, clearly having overheard their conversation.
Sure enough, Yi Zhonghai sighed: "What's the use of being kind? He has no family, who will take care of him when he's old? Your aunt and I have discussed it and will find him a marriage partner. The woman is my distant niece, she's been widowed for two years, and she has a five-year-old son. She's hardworking and quick-witted, a perfect match for Sha Zhu."
No sooner had she finished speaking than the wooden basin in Qin Huairu's hand clattered to the ground, splashing water everywhere. She hurriedly squatted down to pick it up, her ears turning bright red. Lin Chen watched this and chuckled inwardly: Of all the people Yi Zhonghai could have chosen, he had to pick a widow with a child. It was obvious he wanted the woman to use the child to tie herself to Sha Zhu, and also take care of his elderly parents. He really knew how to play the game.
"Uncle Yi is very thoughtful, but I don't know if Sha Zhu is willing," Lin Chen reminded him. "He and He Yushui have fallen out, and if he doesn't discuss this with his sister, there might be another conflict."
Yi Zhonghai waved his hand: "What does Yushui, a young girl, know? Once the deed is done, can she object? I've already sent a message to my niece that she'll come to the courtyard to meet him the day after tomorrow. When she does, you should put in a good word for him, saying that Shazhu is highly regarded at the factory and that he's a reliable person."
Lin Chen didn't agree directly, only saying "we'll see," before turning and going home. As soon as he entered, he saw He Yushui sitting on the edge of her kang (heated brick bed), clutching a handkerchief, her eyes red-rimmed. "Brother Lin, is my brother going on a blind date?" she asked, her voice trembling with tears.
It turned out that He Yushui had just finished get off work at the textile factory when she overheard Yan Bugui in the front yard talking to his wife about Yi Zhonghai arranging a blind date for Sha Zhu, saying, "The woman has a child from a previous relationship, which is perfect for taking care of Uncle Yi in his old age." She was furious and went straight to Lin Chen. "My brother is too honest; he's completely under Uncle Yi's thumb! If that woman really marries into the family, my brother's salary won't even be enough to fill her family's hole. Then even I, his sister, will have to step aside!"
Lin Chen poured her a glass of hot water: "Don't rush, this isn't settled yet. You and I know what Uncle Yi is planning, but we don't know what Sha Zhu is thinking. If you directly object, he'll think you're interfering in his marriage. It's better to try a different approach."
He Yushui wiped away her tears: "What can I do? My brother won't listen to me at all. Last time I told him that the Qin Huai family is a bottomless pit, and he even argued with me."
"Shazhu is loyal, but not stupid," Lin Chen pondered. "The woman that Uncle Yi chose has a child and isn't exactly well-off. She's definitely after Shazhu's stable job and Uncle Yi's connections. If you can make Shazhu see that, he'll refuse on his own." He paused and explained his thoughts to He Yushui in detail. The latter nodded repeatedly, her eyes gradually brightening.
The courtyard house was bustling with activity early the next morning. Yi Zhonghai had specially asked Aunt Yi to kill a chicken, and the aroma of stewing it filled the entire courtyard. Yan Bugui came over to inquire and, upon learning that it was for Sha Zhu's blind date, immediately patted his chest and said, "Don't worry, Uncle Yi, I'll help you vet him and make sure the event is a success!" Liu Haizhong also came over with a bottle of bulk liquor, chuckling, "How could I miss out on such an important event? I'll have a couple of drinks with Sha Zhu and help you persuade him."
Qin Huairu barely spoke all day, silently mending clothes for the three children of the Jia family. Jia Zhangshi leaned closer, saying sarcastically, "Oh, are you worried that Shazhu will be snatched away and no one will bring your lunchboxes anymore?" Qin Huairu paused, the needle pricking her finger, and blood seeped out. She ignored Jia Zhangshi, simply putting her finger in her mouth, her gaze complex as she looked in the direction of Shazhu's house.
Sha Zhu was startled by the scene as soon as he entered the courtyard. Yi Zhonghai pulled him into his house, where Aunt Yi brought out a bowl of freshly stewed chicken soup and said with a smile, "Sha Zhu, quickly try Auntie's chicken soup to nourish your body." Yan Bugui and Liu Haizhong also joined in the commotion and pressed Sha Zhu down to sit on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed).
"Uncle, what's going on here?" Sha Zhu was completely bewildered, looking at the table full of dishes and wondering to himself. He had just complained to Lin Chen yesterday about how bad the food in the factory canteen was, and today Uncle Yi's family had stewed chicken. It was too much of a coincidence.
Yi Zhonghai cleared his throat, about to speak, when he heard Aunt Yi's voice from the courtyard gate: "His niece is here! Come in quickly, it's cold outside!" Everyone looked up and saw a woman in a dark blue cotton-padded jacket standing at the door, holding the hand of a timid little boy, with a reserved smile on her face. The woman looked to be in her early thirties, with fairly regular features, but her complexion was a bit sallow, obviously due to years of hard work.
"This is my niece, Xiulian, and this is her son, Xiaoyu," Yi Zhonghai introduced, then pointed to Shazhu, "Xiulian, this is the Shazhu I told you about. He's the head chef at the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill canteen, a level three chef's certificate. He earns a high salary and is an honest man."
Xiulian quickly pulled Xiaoyu to bow to everyone: "Hello, neighbors, thank you for your help." Xiaoyu hid behind his mother, secretly looking at everyone in the courtyard, his gaze finally landing on Shazhu, and he blinked curiously.
Yan Bugui immediately chimed in, "Xiulian, you're so lucky! You'd be hard-pressed to find someone like Shazhu around here! He's a head chef in the canteen, you'll have meat every meal, and you and your daughter won't have to worry about food anymore!" Liu Haizhong chimed in, "Exactly! Shazhu's a good person and very capable. You're guaranteed to be well taken care of if you marry him!"
Sha Zhu blushed and stood there awkwardly. He looked at Xiu Lian, thinking that she had indeed had a tough time, but as for liking her, he really didn't feel anything. Just as he was feeling embarrassed, he heard He Yushui's voice coming from the courtyard gate: "Brother, I heard you went on a blind date, so I took leave to come back and see!"
He Yushui walked in carrying a cloth bag, a smile on her face. She handed the bag to Xiulian and said, "This must be Sister-in-law Xiulian, right? I'm Shazhu's sister, He Yushui. This is some candy and notebooks I bought for Xiaoyu. He'll need them for school." Xiulian thanked her quickly, her hands trembling slightly as she took the bag.
"Sister-in-law, my brother is a good person in every other way, but he's too honest." He Yushui pulled Xiulian down to sit. "To tell you the truth, my brother earns thirty-seven yuan and fifty cents a month. He has to send five yuan to my mother and also help the Jia family of three in the front yard. Sometimes he doesn't even have enough for himself. If you bring Xiaoyu here, life will probably be tough for you."
The courtyard fell silent instantly upon hearing this. Yi Zhonghai's expression changed, and he was about to speak when He Yushui continued, "But it doesn't matter. My brother has a good relationship with Uncle Yi. Uncle Yi is an eighth-grade fitter with a high monthly salary, so he can help out. Besides, Uncle Yi and his wife don't have any children. After my brother marries you, they can take care of them in their old age, and their assets will all be yours, right?"
These words struck a chord with Xiulian. Before she came, she had heard Yi Zhonghai say that he had no children and wanted to find a reliable younger relative to support him in his old age. If she married Shazhu, she would not only have a stable support, but also be able to use Yi Zhonghai's connections to secure a good future for Xiaoyu. The restraint on her face lessened, and her gaze towards Yi Zhonghai became more eager.
Sha Zhu, however, felt increasingly uneasy as he listened. Although honest, he wasn't stupid, and he understood what He Yushui meant: Uncle Yi had introduced this man to her not for his own good, but to find a free caregiver to look after him in his old age! He recalled how he had helped the Jia family and assisted Yi Zhonghai with various tasks over the years, yet he hadn't even cared about his sister's life or death, and a surge of anger welled up inside him.
"Rain, stop talking!" Sha Zhu suddenly stood up, pointing at Yi Zhonghai, "Uncle, do you think I'm stupid? You introduced me to potential partners, was it for my sake, or so I could take care of you in your old age?"
Yi Zhonghai was taken aback by Sha Zhu's sudden outburst, his face flushing red: "Sha Zhu, what nonsense are you spouting! I'm only doing this for your own good! You're almost thirty, do you want to be a bachelor for the rest of your life?"
"You don't need to scheme against me like this just because I'm single!" Sha Zhu became more and more agitated. "I delivered lunchboxes to the Jia family out of gratitude to Dong Xu; I helped you with this and that out of respect for you as an elder. But what you've done is treat me like a tool for your retirement! I'm not going on this marriage proposal!"
Xiulian's expression changed upon seeing this. Even if she were naive, she could tell that this wasn't a blind date at all, but a trap set by Yi Zhonghai to drag her into it as a pawn. She quickly stood up, pulling Xiaoyu along, "Brother Yi, I'm sorry, I think we should call it off. I have something to do, I have to go." With that, she turned and left, her steps hurried, afraid that if she was too late, she wouldn't be able to get away.
Aunt Yi tried to stop him, but Yi Zhonghai grabbed her arm. He was trembling with anger, pointing at Sha Zhu: "You ungrateful wretch! I've worked so hard to plan for you, and this is how you repay me? I wonder who will take care of you when you're old!"
"I can support myself!" Sha Zhu said stubbornly. "Even if I go to a nursing home, I won't rely on scheming to support others in their old age!" After saying that, he turned around and went back to his own home, slamming the door shut.
Everyone in the courtyard was stunned. Yan Bugui coughed twice and quietly slipped back home; Liu Haizhong also left, muttering "What bad luck!" while carrying a bottle of liquor. Qin Huairu stood there, still holding the unfinished clothes in her hand, her heart filled with mixed feelings. She was both relieved that Sha Zhu hadn't gotten married and might still bring her family lunchboxes in the future, and also felt that Yi Zhonghai's scheming was too blatant, chilling her to the bone.
Lin Chen shook his head as he watched the farce unfold. He walked into Sha Zhu's house and saw Sha Zhu sitting on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) smoking, the room filled with the smell of smoke. "It's alright. Being able to see people's true colors isn't a bad thing," Lin Chen said, handing him a glass of water.
Sha Zhu took the water, took a sip, and sighed, "Brother Lin, was I really stupid before? People used me as a pawn, and I was happily helping them count the money."
"You were honest before, not stupid," Lin Chen said. "You helped the Jia family out of old friendship; you respected Uncle Yi because you knew the rules. It's just that some people take your kindness for granted and even want to take advantage of you. From now on, keep your mind to yourself, think more about yourself, and care more about Yushui."
Sha Zhu nodded: "I understand. I wronged Yu Shui before, and I will never hold a grudge against her again. As for the Jia family, I can no longer help them like before. They have hands and feet; they can't always rely on others."
Lin Chen smiled and said, "It's good that you can figure it out. By the way, I mentioned it to the cafeteria manager, and he said there's a chef skills competition next month. If you can win an award, you can be promoted to a level two chef and get a five yuan raise. You should prepare well; it's better than worrying about these trivial matters here."
Sha Zhu's eyes lit up: "Really? Then I'd better prepare properly! I've never been impressed by anyone's cooking skills!" He suddenly perked up, threw his cigarette butt on the ground and stomped it out, and began to think about what dish to make for the competition.
Meanwhile, the atmosphere at Yi Zhonghai's house was terribly oppressive. Aunt Yi sighed, "How did you manage to turn things into this? Now the whole neighborhood knows you schemed to take care of Sha Zhu in his old age. Who will dare associate with us anymore?"
"I'm doing this for our retirement!" Yi Zhonghai slammed his fist on the table. "If that fool Zhu had married Xiulian, and the deed was done, would he have been able to deny it? Who knew he'd suddenly act like he'd taken a tantrum!"
"It's all because you're too eager for quick success!" Aunt Yi retorted. "Look at Xiao Lin, how well he gets along with his neighbors. Last time he helped Yan Bugui with the accounting, and he even helped Liu Haizhong's son, Guangtian, find a job. That's what you call knowing how to get along with people! But you, you're so calculating, you'll lose everyone's hearts sooner or later!"
Yi Zhonghai was stunned, repeatedly muttering the words "knows how to treat people." He remembered Lin Chen helping him fix the coal stove last time, and how Lin Chen smoothed things over for him during the accounting. A sudden wave of regret washed over him. Perhaps he was really wrong; old age isn't about scheming, but about winning people's hearts.
That evening, Yi Zhonghai, carrying half a pound of tea leaves, hesitated for a long time before finally knocking on Lin Chen's door. Lin Chen opened the door and, seeing him, was somewhat surprised: "Uncle Yi, is there something you need?"
Yi Zhonghai handed over the tea leaves, saying somewhat awkwardly, "Xiao Lin, thank you for what happened during the day. I know I was too foolish, and I will never do such a thing again."
Lin Chen took the tea leaves and smiled, "Uncle Yi, it's good that you understand. There's no need for so much calculation between neighbors. If anything happens in the future, helping each other out is better than anything else."
Yi Zhonghai nodded, turned, and left. Moonlight shone on him, making his figure appear somewhat lonely, but his steps were much lighter than when he arrived. Lin Chen watched his retreating figure, knowing in his heart that the atmosphere of this courtyard was gradually changing.
The next morning, Sha Zhu knocked on Lin Chen's door early, carrying a lunchbox. Inside was freshly cooked braised pork, its aroma filling the air. "Brother Lin, thank you for reminding me yesterday. This is braised pork I just made, please try it." Sha Zhu scratched his head, a little embarrassed. "Also, I've made up with Yu Shui, and she even went to work with me this morning."
Lin Chen took the lunchbox and said with a smile, "That's more like it. Come on, let me tell you about that chef competition. I know an old chef who's really good at cooking. I'll ask him if he can give you some pointers."
The two walked out of the house side by side. The sun was shining brightly, casting a warm glow on the walls of the courtyard. From the front yard came the sound of Yan Bugui teaching his children arithmetic, while in the middle yard, Liu Haizhong was teaching Liu Guangtian forging. In the back yard, Qin Huairu's sewing machine made a "clattering" sound.