Vоlumе 1 Chaрtеr 4: Sеtting Uр а Date
Aftеr rеturning home frоm shopрing, Shu Мiао tооk a shоwеr аnd lаy on hеr bed playing with hеr рhonе.
Suddеnlу, а vidеo саll сame thrоugh, shоwing “Hеr Majestу the Quеen.”
Shu Miaо answеred immеdiаtely: “Нey, my dеаr mоm~”
Тhe pеrsоn оn thе other еnd spоke in a sоmewhat dоting tone: “Мiaomiaо, hаvе yоu tаken a showеr?”
“Yeаh.”
Yаo Hui smilеd: “How’s wоrk beеn lаtеly? Тired?”
Shu Miаo rollеd оvеr, lying on her stomach on the bеd, рropping her сhin with hеr hands: “It’s okaу, nоt tired.”
Yao Hui nodded: “That’s good.”
Shu Miao smoothed the hair that had fallen over her face: “How are you and Dad at home? Has school been busy lately?”
Yao Hui shook her head: “I’m fine, but your dad’s third-year middle school class is about to graduate, so the pressure is pretty high.”
Shu Miao nodded understandingly: “Oh, I see.”
After thinking for a moment, she asked another question: “How are Grandpa and Grandma?”
“They’re both fine.”
Shu Miao said “Oh” and didn’t ask further.
Her grandparents had always been indifferent toward her, their granddaughter. They preferred her cousin.
After all, he was their only eldest grandson. Compared to a grandson, a granddaughter like her was dispensable.
Even so, Shu Miao still respected them and would always observe the proper courtesies.
After starting work, she would buy them gifts whenever she went home.
The mother and daughter chatted for half an hour when Yao Hui suddenly looked hesitant, as if she wanted to say something but stopped herself.
Shu Miao guessed she had something to say and asked directly: “Mom, what’s wrong? Do you have something to tell me?”
Yao Hui nodded hesitantly: “Miaomiao, are there any suitable boys around you right now?”
Shu Miao pursed her lips. Her mom’s question was quite tactful; she was actually asking if she was dating anyone.
“Mom, I’m not dating anyone yet.”
“You know how it is at my workplace—more girls than boys, and basically all the male colleagues are already married.”
“This year, only three new people joined, all of them girls.”
Yao Hui nodded and naturally steered the conversation toward the main purpose of today’s call: “My colleague at school, Auntie Wu, you remember her, right? She came over to our house before.”
“She has a nephew, works at the court, a few years older than you, an only child. I’ve seen his photo; he looks quite handsome, seems like a decent, honest kid.”
“Both his parents have stable jobs, so there won’t be much pressure in the future.”
“If you don’t have anyone you’re seeing right now, why not exchange contact info, chat a bit, meet up, and get to know each other?”
Without even thinking, Shu Miao refused: “Mom, I’m still young. I don’t want to date right now.”
Yao Hui continued: “It’s just about meeting and getting to know each other first. If you get along, you can date for a while, and in a year or two, you can start talking about marriage. That should be about right.”
Shu Miao disagreed with her point: “He’s a few years older than me, so he’s probably in a hurry to get married. Would he really be willing to date me for a year or two?”
Yao Hui kept trying to persuade her: “Miaomiao, you’re still young now, so you can be picky.”
“But in a few years, it’ll be others picking you, and your options will be much narrower.”
“While you’re still young, it’s good to meet and get to know more people.”
“Mom isn’t rushing you to settle down right away. Just meet and get to know each other first, treat it like making a friend.”
Shu Miao felt a bit helpless: “Mom, I’m only 21. It’s not that serious, is it?”
“And think about it—he’s definitely looking to get married. I don’t want to get married that early.””It wouldn’t be good to waste someone else’s time later.”
Seeing her daughter’s complete lack of enthusiasm, Yao Hui still didn’t give up, earnestly persuading: “Miaomiao, he didn’t say you have to talk about marriage right away. Start as friends first.”
“Mom is thinking of you, I definitely wouldn’t do you any harm.”
“How about adding each other’s contact information first? Your workplaces aren’t far apart, so meeting up would be convenient.”
Shu Miao really couldn’t hold out any longer and had to say she’d consider it.
Seeing she had moved her daughter a little, Yao Hui didn’t push too hard.
After their chat, they hung up the video call.
Shu Miao put down her phone, lying on the bed staring at the ceiling, feeling somewhat annoyed.
That day at work, Shu Miao was organizing files when the office phone rang. Jiang Qing answered it.
After hanging up, she looked at Shu Miao, who was still holding a file box: “Xiao Shu, the director wants you in his office.”
Shu Miao was a bit puzzled: “Wants me?”
Jiang Qing nodded: “Mm.”
Shu Miao immediately put down the file box and went to Liu Kangming’s office.
Liu Kangming looked at her with a smile, the flesh on his face squeezing together making his eyes appear even smaller.
He said with a beaming smile: “Xiao Shu, I called you here to assign you a task.”
Shu Miao nodded respectfully: “Please go ahead, Director.”
Seeing Shu Miao was very serious without a trace of impatience, Liu Kangming’s eyes flashed with approval.
“Xiao Shu, recently County Magistrate Meng is going to inspect the countryside. We need to send someone to accompany him, responsible for photography and writing news reports.”
Shu Miao was confused in her heart. Wasn’t accompanying the secretary and county magistrate always the news department’s job? What did it have to do with her?
She couldn’t take photos or write reports—what could she do?
Although she had questions, Shu Miao only thought them to herself, not showing it, still listening to Liu Kangming with a serious expression.
Liu Kangming continued: “The county government is worried about insufficient manpower and wants to transfer people from other units to help.”
Shu Miao had a faint sense of foreboding. It couldn’t be…
Sure enough, Liu Kangming’s slightly amused voice sounded: “Last time County Magistrate Meng came to inspect our work, he was very satisfied. He felt our people handle things very competently, so he said he wanted to transfer someone from here.”
“I’ve thought it over, and you’re still the most suitable.”
“What do you think?”
Shu Miao slightly furrowed her brows then immediately relaxed them.
She grumbled inwardly: What do I think? You’ve already said it—what use is my opinion? Unnecessary. You might as well just order me directly.
No matter how much Shu Miao didn’t want to go, she thought: When under someone else’s roof, you have to bow your head. Since the director said so, he must have already decided.
Asking her opinion was just a formality, being polite. Could she really refuse if she said she didn’t want to go? What would be the point of having a leader then?
What if she rejected the leader’s arrangement and he gave her a hard time later?
Better to obediently nod and agree. Otherwise, the consequence would be: going in the end, doing the work, and getting no credit at all.
She nodded respectfully and agreed: “Director, I have no problem with it.”
Hearing Shu Miao’s affirmative answer, Liu Kangming nodded with satisfaction and smiled at her.
He said earnestly: “Xiao Shu, your educational background is top-notch here. You should work hard.”
“In the future, success is just around the corner.”
Shu Miao forced a proper smile, her tone respectful: “Thank you, Director. I will work hard.”After saying that, she casually asked another question: “When will the county head go to the countryside for inspection?”
Hearing Shu Miao’s question, Liu Kangming felt even more satisfied with her.
He smiled and replied, “Tomorrow morning. You can just take the car downstairs and set off, together with the news department.”
Shu Miao nodded: “Alright.”