Mama Wang had grown up in Guanjia Village. Even after marrying Papa Wang and moving away for more than twenty years, she came back to visit Grandma and Grandpa whenever she had time, so she had never grown particularly distant from the villagers. During the first few days after moving back to Guanjia Village, she and Papa Wang went around visiting people every day and gradually became familiar with everyone again.
Now that their family had contracted North Mountain and the fruit mountain, started a small business, and hired quite a few workers, Mama Wang had even more dealings with the village women. These days, she did not even need to deliberately ask around to hear plenty of the things all the local gossips knew.
Take the Su family’s daughter, Su Yunyun, for example. Her life had been rather unfortunate. Her mother died of illness when she was six, forcing her to grow up early and help her father, Su Qing, clean the house and do chores. When she was ten, Su Qing remarried a local widow who had also lost her spouse. The widow had no children of her own, but in her third year after entering the family, she gave Su Qing a son. Her status in the household immediately rose, and Su Qing treasured that boy like a jewel. Once the widow had given him a son, she gradually began showing her true colors.
The widow was lazy and fond of comfort. While pregnant, she ordered Su Yunyun around without the slightest restraint and made the girl do practically all the work. Even after giving birth and finishing her postpartum confinement, she did not stop. The neighbors could hear her yelling at Su Yunyun almost every day.
Su Qing knew his daughter suffered under the widow, but because the woman had given him a son, he tacitly allowed it. A large part of why the widow became increasingly excessive was precisely because Su Qing let her.
Fortunately, Su Yunyun had backbone. The humiliation and hardship she endured as a child did not bend her. Instead, they drove her to work even harder to improve herself.
Unlike Wang Cheng, she only studied through middle school. The widow opposed Su Qing spending money on her education, saying it was a waste and that the money would be better saved for their son’s university tuition. Su Qing actually agreed, even though Su Yunyun’s grades had been excellent and she had consistently ranked among the top three in her year.
Su Yunyun did not become discouraged. After graduating from middle school, she worked outside the village while studying all kinds of things on her own and broadening her experience. A few years later, she earned her first real sum of money using what she had learned. She was only twenty-three now, yet she already owned several clothing stores, all of which were reportedly doing well.
The widow had once encouraged her husband to get his hands on his daughter’s money, but after Su Yunyun dealt with her once, she never dared try again. Su Yunyun knew the widow’s greatest weakness was her son, so she struck at that weakness. From then on, the widow no longer dared covet Su Yunyun’s money. Every time Su Yunyun came home, the woman wore an ingratiating expression. The more high and mighty she had once been, the more humble and submissive she was now.
Su Yunyun had always been held up by many girls in her village as an inspiring example, and even in Guanjia Village people often talked about her. Mama Wang had heard about her several times. Supposedly, despite becoming wealthy, the girl was self-respecting, good-tempered, kind to her neighbors, and still had no boyfriend. Mama Wang had been tempted the moment she heard all that. Back then, however, her son had only just returned home, so she had regretfully let the thought go. Things were different now. No matter what, she was determined to change her second son’s sexual orientation, and the first step was getting him to go on a blind date.
Yesterday, when Papa Wang mentioned that Wang Ningkai and his girlfriend were getting engaged, an idea flashed through Mama Wang’s mind. That very evening, she called one of Su Yunyun’s relatives. When she learned Su Yunyun happened to be back today, she thought the timing could not have been more perfect and told Wang Cheng to clear his schedule.
Early that morning, Mama Wang made Wang Cheng dress neatly, would not even let him eat breakfast, and dragged him out of the house. Wang Cheng still had no idea what she was planning, and she refused to tell him no matter how he asked. All he knew was that their destination was Fugui Restaurant. Since he had not eaten breakfast, he assumed Mama Wang planned to treat him to a meal, but once they sat down in the restaurant lobby, she did not order anything. Her posture made it obvious she was waiting for someone.
“Mom, who exactly are you waiting for?” Wang Cheng rubbed his flat stomach. It was almost nine, the other person still had not arrived, and he was starving.
“What’s the rush? They’ll be here soon.” No sooner had she finished speaking than the restaurant door opened from outside and two women walked in. One was only a few years older than Mama Wang. The other was younger, in her twenties, with long hair falling over her shoulders. She was delicate and pretty, dressed far more fashionably than the average country woman, and wore a light layer of makeup. One look told you she knew how to present herself.
“Big Sister Su, over here.” The moment Mama Wang saw them, she stood up happily and waved.
A bad feeling immediately rose in Wang Cheng’s heart. He thought he probably knew what trick Mama Wang was pulling now. She had not even warned him. It looked like she was absolutely determined to break him and Chu Yifeng up.
The woman Mama Wang called Big Sister Su was Su Miaofeng, and the young woman beside her was Su Yunyun. Su Miaofeng was her aunt. The aunt and niece were closer than Su Yunyun and her father, Su Qing. If Su Miaofeng had not secretly helped her when she was young, Su Yunyun’s childhood would have been even harder. So after growing up and becoming successful, the person she was most grateful to was her aunt. Once the two sat down, Mama Wang introduced them to Wang Cheng with a beaming smile. When she introduced Su Yunyun in particular, she piled on so much praise it was as though she wanted Wang Cheng to marry the girl on the spot.
“So this is Wang Cheng. You really are as handsome and outstanding as everyone says.” Su Miaofeng stared at him with shining eyes, clearly very satisfied. As one of Mama Wang’s friends, she knew quite a bit about Wang Cheng. She trusted that someone with Mama Wang’s character would not have raised a poor son. She had once favored the eldest son, but now that the second son had also made something of himself, Su Miaofeng had naturally begun entertaining ideas about him too. Unfortunately, Mama Wang had not been interested at the time.
Wang Cheng dressed much better than before now. His hair had grown out, making him look especially energetic and strikingly handsome. There was an indescribable quality in the way he moved and even smiled. He looked just right beside her niece.
A handsome man and a beautiful woman. A perfect match made in heaven!
Su Yunyun was clearly a little curious about Wang Cheng as well. Although she had not yet spoken, there was interest in the way she sized him up.
Both had come from the countryside, yet they looked even more polished than many actual city people.
The more Mama Wang watched Su Yunyun’s composed and steady manner, the more satisfied she became. If they brought home a daughter-in-law like this, the family would never have to worry too much because she would keep everything in perfect order herself. Compared with a troublesome woman like Wang Xiaoyan, this was Mama Wang’s ideal standard for a daughter-in-law.
“Lanfang, why don’t the two of us stop disturbing them and let the youngsters have a proper chat?” Su Miaofeng worried they would not relax with the elders present, so she took the initiative to suggest leaving.
Mama Wang would have preferred to stay and supervise her son, but Su Miaofeng had a point. She trusted that Wang Cheng already understood why she had brought him here. He knew how to behave and would never deliberately embarrass Su Yunyun. So she stood, placed one hand on Wang Cheng’s shoulder, and said, “Chengcheng, have a proper chat with the young lady. Don’t neglect her, understand?”
“I know, Mom.” Wang Cheng felt the threat coming off her in waves and could only grit his teeth and agree.
After the two elders left, only he and Su Yunyun remained at the table.
Hardly anyone came to Fugui Restaurant to eat at this hour. The enormous lobby held only four or five customers besides the restaurant staff.
Wang Cheng picked up the menu and flipped through it as he asked politely, “Miss Su, have you had breakfast?”
“Thank you, I already ate.” Su Yunyun gave a soft laugh and did not bother hiding it.
Wang Cheng raised his brows in surprise and immediately realized Su Yunyun genuinely had some substance to her. He had never been on a blind date before, but he knew matchmaking was an art. It was not as though one blind date was always enough. Some people might go in hoping to score a free meal, but when the other person was a complete stranger, running into someone unbearable could ruin your appetite altogether.
Wang Cheng smiled faintly. “I haven’t eaten yet. Miss Su, would you like a bowl of sweet soup? You probably didn’t eat enough at breakfast, did you?”
“All right.” Su Yunyun guessed he probably felt awkward eating while she sat there watching, so she did not refuse. Besides, she really had not eaten much.
Wang Cheng called over a server and ordered the sweet soup Su Yunyun wanted, then a bowl of noodles for himself. Ordering a full meal for one person would have been wasteful. Fortunately, Fugui Restaurant served noodles and the portions were generous. The kitchen was fast, and their order was simple, so only a few minutes later the server brought out the sweet soup and noodles together.
Wang Cheng rinsed a spoon with hot water and handed it to Su Yunyun. She thanked him. The sweet soup had just been cooked and was still a little hot, so she stirred it a few times with the spoon. Wang Cheng was not particularly afraid of heat, and by now it was almost ten. He was so hungry that he simply started eating despite the temperature. Su Yunyun glanced up at him.
“Aren’t you afraid it’ll burn you?” Wang Cheng swallowed the noodles in his mouth before answering, “It’s fine.”
Su Yunyun smiled. “You have quite a personality.”
She had some experience with blind dates and had met all kinds of men, good and bad. Most men became very enthusiastic when they saw her. Plenty of people cared about looks, which was undeniable, and even more cared about money. She believed Wang Cheng must already know something about her circumstances, yet his behavior surprised her. He did not seem like someone on his first blind date at all. He was even calmer than she was.
“You have quite a personality too,” Wang Cheng replied politely. But he meant it sincerely. What Su Yunyun had gone through growing up genuinely impressed him.
Su Yunyun smiled faintly. She had heard plenty of people call her strong-minded or distinctive before, but most said it with at least a trace of flattery. Wang Cheng was the first person who made her feel that he genuinely meant it. The next second, she said something that caught Wang Cheng by surprise.