Xue Xingzhou stared at Xue Yue’s stomach. "For real?"
Xue Yue smiled and nodded. "The doctor said it’s almost two months."
Xue Xingzhou smiled. "That’s great news. He Lang said your appetite hasn’t been great, so I brought you two fish. You can have so fish with pickled mustard greens."
At the ntion of fish with pickled mustard greens, Xue Yue’s mouth truly began to water. "Let’s have that tonight. Big Brother, don’t go back tonight. Stay over. We have a room for you that you’ve never even used."
Xue Xingzhou nodded. "Alright, I’ll stay for the night."
He Lang went to the old family ho to get the pickled greens, and while he was at it, he called Mr. He and Mrs. He over as well.
’He wanted his mom to co over and help with the cooking.’
For dinner, Mrs. He did the cooking with Xue Yue giving instructions.
Eating the fish with pickled mustard greens did wonders for Xue Yue’s appetite.
Mrs. He looked at Xue Xingzhou and said, "Xingzhou, seeing you has reminded of sothing. A few days ago, He Lang’s fourth aunt ca over and said she wanted to introduce her niece to you. I’d be hesitant if it were just anyone, but I’ve t this girl. She’s good-looking and tall. Most importantly, she’s a high school graduate. What do you think? Should this old auntie arrange a eting for you two?"
Xue Xingzhou was a bit stunned to hear this.
Xue Yue quickly asked, "Mom, how old is the girl?"
"She’s twenty-two, two years younger than your big brother. Your fourth aunt said her niece is the only high school graduate in their village. She’s also good-looking, so she shouldn’t have any trouble finding a husband. But the girl has high standards and hasn’t found anyone she likes. So, thinking your brother’s situation is good, she wanted to et him."
When Fourth Aunt He had first co to her, Mrs. He hadn’t wanted to agree. But now, looking at Xue Xingzhou, she suddenly rembered. Seeing that he wasn’t young anymore and was still single—and mainly because his own father and stepmother didn’t seem to care—she thought perhaps she should try to play matchmaker.
"I think you should et her. Big Brother, what do you say?"
As she spoke, Xue Yue looked at Xue Xingzhou, waiting for his opinion.
Xue Xingzhou was lost in thought. ’I was married in my past life. Because of my busy work schedule, I t my wife through an introduction, too. I worked at a police station, and she worked at a bank. Both of us had demanding jobs. In our year of marriage, we spent less than half of it together, so our bond wasn’t deep. We didn’t have any children. That’s how it was until I died in the line of duty. I wonder how she is doing now.’
"Big Brother," Xue Yue called out again.
"Hm?" Xue Xingzhou looked at Xue Yue.
"What do you think?"
Her brother’s marriage was sothing Xue Yue had always taken to heart. Previously, Liu Hongxing had obstructed things in various ways, but her brother was getting to that age. Xue Yue had always wanted him to start a family and finally settle down.
Xue Xingzhou thought for a mont, then nodded. "Alright, I’ll et her."
Mrs. He said with a smile, "Great. I’ll go tell Fourth Aunt He tomorrow. But where do you plan to et?"
"They can co here. That way, we can also take a look and vet her," Xue Yue said.
’Besides, this place is spacious. My brother’s place is just one room, which isn’t convenient.’
After dinner, Mrs. He and Mr. He went ho, and He Lang went to the kitchen to wash the dishes.
Xue Yue sat down next to Xue Xingzhou and looked at him. "Big Brother, you seem to have sothing on your mind tonight."
Xue Xingzhou smiled at her. "I don’t."
Xue Yue leaned closer to her brother. "You don’t? Be honest, is it because this is your first blind date? Are you nervous?"
Xue Xingzhou glanced at her, then leaned back and stretched. "I haven’t even t her. What’s there to be nervous about?"
Xue Yue pouted. ’I don’t believe him for a second. My brother has been single for twenty-four years, and this is his first blind date. How could he not be nervous?’ Xue Yue decided not to call him out on it.
Xue Yue looked up at the sky and sighed, "Ti passes so quickly. I still rember our childhood days. In the blink of an eye, I’m about to beco a mother. If only our mom were still here..."
Xue Xingzhou also grew pensive. In his mory, his mother, Li Wan Yi, was a very gentle and beautiful woman, but her health was poor, so she rarely left the house. When she had ti, she would tell them stories and teach them to read. It was a sha that such a wonderful person passed away so early. Their father also suddenly beca like a different person, which was why they could never accept their stepmother.
「The day of Xue Xingzhou’s blind date arrived.」
Early that morning, He Lang left for work, while Xue Yue cleaned the house until it was spotless and set out candies and snacks.
Xue Xingzhou also ca over early, wearing a relatively clean set of clothes.
Xue Yue shook her head. "My fault. I forgot to buy you new clothes. Look, this one even has a patch on it. He Lang has a clean white shirt. Why don’t you wear that? You two are about the sa build."
Xue Xingzhou chuckled. "This is my actual situation. If she can’t even accept this, then we aren’t right for each other."
Xue Xingzhou was speaking the truth. In this era, it was rare for people in the countryside not to wear patched clothes. After all, having enough food and clothing wasn’t a guarantee for everyone yet.
Xue Yue nodded and didn’t ntion the clothes again.
Around ten-thirty, Mrs. He and Fourth Aunt He arrived with the girl.
The mont Fourth Aunt He and the girl entered the courtyard, they imdiately began sizing up the house.
Xue Yue and Xue Xingzhou also ca out of the house.
Mrs. He introduced them with a smile.
"Hangzhou, this is Wang Xia."
Xue Xingzhou glanced at her and nodded. "Hello."
The girl looked at Xue Xingzhou, then shyly lowered her head and replied in a low voice, "Hello."
The girl was about as tall as Xue Yue, with a fair complexion. She had delicate features, though her eyes were a bit small.
Mrs. He had the two of them go into the guest room to talk, while the rest stayed outside.
"You young people have things to talk about. Take your ti. We’ll go start on lunch."
Before going in, Xue Xingzhou glanced at Xue Yue. She raised her eyebrows at him, signaling for him to have a good chat with the girl.
Mrs. He led Fourth Aunt He into the house.
Fourth Aunt He said to Mrs. He, "You really are blessed. Look at your third son’s courtyard, it’s so impressive! It must have cost a fortune, huh?"
Mrs. He didn’t discuss the cost, just smiled and said, "It’s all because the children are capable."
A corner of Fourth Aunt He’s mouth twitched, and she resud sizing up the contents of the house.
anwhile, the two in the room hadn’t said a word. Xue Xingzhou was actually a bit awkward; he really didn’t know how to handle this kind of situation.
It was Wang Xia who finally broke the silence. "Did you go to school?"
"Yeah, but I didn’t finish middle school." The year his mother died, Xue Xingzhou was fifteen and hadn’t graduated from middle school yet, so he dropped out. However, in his past life, Xue Xingzhou had gone to the police academy.
"Oh, that’s a sha. I graduated from high school. If it weren’t for the fact that you can’t take the university entrance exams now, I would have wanted to go to university."
Xue Xingzhou nodded slightly. "It’s a good thing to be able to study."
"I heard you had surgery on your head before. Will that affect your life in the future?"
Xue Xingzhou shook his head. "Not at the mont. Can’t say for the future."
’That’s the truth. Who could say for sure what the future held?’
"My aunt said you returned your sister’s bride price and even gave her a bicycle for her dowry. Is that true?"
Xue Xingzhou froze for a mont at her words, then looked up at her and nodded.
Wang Xia pressed her lips together. "So, do you still have any money?"
"Hm?"
"I an, you gave all that money to your sister. Do you have any left?"
Xue Xingzhou’s eyes looked her up and down, and he asked in a low voice, "What does whether I have money or not have to do with our blind date?"
Wang Xia beca agitated. "Of course it has sothing to do with it! My aunt said you had enough money to buy your sister a bicycle. If we get married, you’ll have to buy a job. I’m a high school graduate and don’t have a job yet, and I have no intention of working in the fields. Also, when we get married, the bride price can’t be any less than what your sister’s was, and you have to buy a bicycle too."
Xue Xingzhou narrowed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then smiled.
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