After chatting with Gu Liancheng for a few sentences and sensing there was no possibility, Jiang Zhen immediately withdrew and continued selecting other people for blind dates.
Before Gu Liancheng could even think it through, his elder sister Gu Jiaoxia pulled him aside and scolded him.
“I taught you sentence by sentence last night. How could you still fail to talk it through?”
Gu Liancheng had too many secrets weighing on his heart and could not explain them clearly.
“Big Sister, Brother-in-law is about to be transferred. You shouldn’t worry about my affairs anymore.”
Gu Jiaoxia nearly fainted with anger.
“If you don’t get married, how can I leave with peace of mind? What kind of thing does the An family think they are, pushing their messy family affairs onto our family? Just wait—I will definitely find the witness from back then.”
Gu Liancheng did not want to waste time on matters that could not be clarified. The An family’s basis for demanding repayment of favors had been investigated by him many times, but the matter was too old, and every investigation had ended without results.
He still had to attend blind dates.
“Big Sister, I’m going to meet people for blind dates. I’m already this old—don’t follow me around anymore.”
Gu Jiaoxia had only spoken in anger. But one thing was certain: An Qihui wanted Gu Liancheng to wait one year so that her younger sister would have time to regret it and come back. Such bullying was unacceptable. Today her brother had to settle a match and marry, leaving the An family with no opportunity.
“Go meet people. I won’t watch anymore. But today you must make a decision.”
“You really won’t watch anymore?” Gu Liancheng felt slightly relieved. As long as his sister did not follow him, he could state his conditions.
Gu Jiaoxia sighed regretfully. “Even if I watched, no one would be more suitable than Jiang Zhen. I don’t want to look anymore.”
……
Gu Liancheng was serious about the blind dates. His external conditions were good and his stipend was high. Several young nurses boldly cast friendly glances his way, but Gu Liancheng chose to pretend not to see them.
With his sister gone, he was free to choose. He went to find Wan Yuan, one of the organizers of the social gathering, to look at the registration list.
“I want someone divorced or widowed, with children—preferably two.”
Gu Liancheng stated his requirements. At first his sister had thought he disliked Jiang Zhen because she had two children and wanted someone unmarried, but that was not the case. He simply did not want to delay Jiang Zhen’s chance at a normal life. His conditions were not something ordinary people could accept.
Wan Yuan immediately thought of Jiang Zhen.
“Nurse Jiang fits perfectly. She came just now and told me she wants someone divorced or widowed with two children. Go talk with Nurse Jiang.”
“Comrade Jiang won’t work.”
“Why not?” Wan Yuan could not think of a reason. The conditions all matched, so what was the problem?
Gu Liancheng remained silent for a long time. In the end he decided not to trouble Wan Yuan.
“I’ll go look around the hall myself.”
……
Jiang Zhen had already driven away two blind-date candidates with her requirements.
One had been married without children. The other was unmarried but had a child.
The more polite one said it like this:
“Comrade, you have two children with you. Be realistic. No one will agree to such outrageous conditions.”
The one who spoke less politely said:
“So what if you’re good-looking? You’ve got two burdens with you and still dare to make a bunch of demands. What man would be willing? His brain must have been kicked by a donkey.”
Jiang Zhen wondered to herself—were the requirements she had proposed really that excessive for the men of this world?
Next door another blind date was taking place. From the voice, it sounded like Gu Liancheng. Jiang Zhen saw that two tall and beautiful young women had already gone in, only to come out angrily afterward.
What kind of conditions had Battalion Commander Gu proposed to make those girls so angry?
Curious, Jiang Zhen waited until the third woman, who also had two children, went in. She pressed herself against the partition wall and listened to the blind date happening next door.
……
Jiang Zhen heard Battalion Commander Gu ask the blind date partner, “Hello, Comrade. May I ask how many children you have in your family?”
The woman next door who had come for the blind date was very satisfied with Gu Liancheng. Jiang Zhen could hear the delight in her voice, as if she had found a treasure.
The blind date partner answered shyly, “Two, a boy and a girl. But they’re already older and can help with housework. You… really are willing to find someone with two children and form a family?”
Jiang Zhen then heard Gu Liancheng add the details he had not fully explained in previous blind dates.
“Yes. What I’m looking for is precisely a single parent with children. My elder brother is in training, and my elder sister and brother-in-law will soon be transferred. My elder brother’s two children live with me, so after marriage there would be four children.”
“Yes, yes, I will treat them equally.”
The woman was very satisfied with Gu Liancheng as a blind date candidate. Afraid he might not be satisfied with her, her tone carried obvious eagerness to please.
Jiang Zhen curled her lips. Her own conditions matched as well. Gu Liancheng was willing to go on blind dates with others but not with her. He was the one whose brain had been kicked by a donkey.
Gu Liancheng hurried to add, afraid she might misunderstand.
“Don’t rush to decide yet. I haven’t finished stating my conditions. After marriage, I’ll cover the household expenses. For ten years we won’t have children. Every month I’ll give you thirty yuan separately. You can spend that money however you want.”
Hearing these conditions, Jiang Zhen was filled with regret. If she had known they were so suitable, she would have taken the initiative to talk with Gu Liancheng.
The woman who was blind dating Gu Liancheng, however, reacted the same way as the previous ones. She questioned him with dissatisfaction.
“Comrade Gu, that’s not right. What you’re clearly looking for is a nanny—a nanny tied up by marriage who can’t easily quit. You’re really calculating. Have you no shame?”
Jiang Zhen thought to herself—this was considered calculating? He had stated everything clearly during the blind date, and he was even paying generously. Someone would cover the household expenses, help raise the children, and still give thirty yuan in wages every month. If others didn’t want such a good deal, she would gladly take it!
……
After hearing the dissatisfaction in his blind date partner’s tone, Gu Liancheng no longer held any hope. His requirements were indeed excessive; he couldn’t blame her.
“Sorry. Then there’s no need to continue discussing it.”
The woman hesitated, reluctant to give up. With household expenses covered and thirty yuan every month, it was equivalent to someone helping raise her children and giving her thirty yuan besides. Realistically speaking, it was actually a pretty good condition.
She endured it and asked, “Do you have any other requirements?”
Gu Liancheng did not really want to continue. If someone was dissatisfied from the beginning and forced themselves into marriage, any small conflict afterward would be magnified, leaving a mess of troubles.
The conditions that followed had to be explained clearly as well. They could not be hidden.
“I won’t easily propose divorce. But if you abuse the children, then I’m sorry—I will hold you responsible. If after ten years you still haven’t left, my entire stipend will be handed over to you to manage. At that time, you can have as many children as you want. Before that, I hope we can reach an agreement to raise the children together.”
Jiang Zhen felt her heart stir at these words. Gu Liancheng’s conditions suited her perfectly.
But his blind date partner did not think the same way. Jiang Zhen heard the crisp splash of tea being thrown onto someone’s face, followed by merciless scolding.
“Today I’ve truly heard the biggest joke. Being good-looking doesn’t mean you can be shameless. Comrade Gu, let me say this clearly—unless someone is crazy, no one would agree to your conditions!”
Gu Liancheng gave a bitter smile. His conditions were indeed excessive for the woman. The country had just been liberated; which woman didn’t want a stable life, someone who cared for her and shared warmth together? The kind of partnership he wanted—raising children together—what normal person would agree to that?
Once these blind date partners went outside and spread the word, his reputation would be ruined. It would probably be difficult for him to find a match again.
Forget it. He would just hire someone to come by the hour to take care of Gu Pan and Gu Hui’s daily needs.
He planned to sit for a while longer and leave once the crowd thinned.
Suddenly, he heard the blind date conversation next door. Previously the voices had been too faint to make out, but now they were loud enough as if deliberately meant to be heard. Judging by the voice, it was Comrade Jiang Zhen, whom his elder sister had been eager to match with him.
……
Jiang Zhen heard footsteps outside the partition coming toward her side and quickly sat back down.
She had just settled when Doctor Qi walked in awkwardly.
Doctor Qi was a doctor in obstetrics. He treated the doctors and nurses in the hospital fairly well, but he was somewhat male-chauvinistic, and Jiang Zhen did not like the way he spoke.
Before Gu Liancheng had his engagement broken off, Gu Jiaoxia had enthusiastically analyzed the situation for Jiang Zhen and said she could settle her household registration through marriage. She had introduced Doctor Qi.
Jiang Zhen’s former husband—whose identity she had taken over—also worked in obstetrics and was colleagues with Doctor Qi. At that time, Doctor Qi had refused.
“Doctor Qi, have you changed your mind now?”
In her mind Jiang Zhen compared Doctor Qi and Gu Liancheng. In terms of work, Doctor Qi would spend more time with the family. In terms of character, Gu Liancheng was more straightforward. Now it depended on who would provide more household expenses.
Jiang Zhen was a pragmatist. Since she needed to compare, she decided to talk with Doctor Qi first.
Doctor Qi’s face turned red. He had not wanted to come, but Nurse Jiang was truly beautiful. After working at the hospital for several years, he had never seen such a beautiful girl. His heart had still been moved.
“Comrade Jiang, I have a few requirements. I wonder if you can accept them.”
“Go ahead.”
Of course conditions could be proposed. Jiang Zhen would also state hers later. She planned to speak loudly so that Gu Liancheng next door, who had not yet left, could hear.
……
Doctor Qi thought that the divorce could not entirely be blamed on Nurse Jiang. It had happened during the transition between the old society and the new. Situations like this were common. Before liberation, wealthy households had concubines, but after liberation they had to choose again under monogamy.
Jiang Zhen and her former husband had never registered a marriage certificate before liberation. After liberation, however, her former husband and his current wife had promptly obtained a marriage certificate in New China. In this matter, Doctor Yan could only be morally condemned.
“Comrade Jiang, between us the main issue is the matter of the children’s upbringing. I heard from your ex-husband that Jiang Zhao was picked up by you. Could you send Jiang Zhao to an orphanage? After marriage, Jiang Tang can be sent to live with my parents. We’ll have a child of our own. I like children—preferably five.”
Under the table, Jiang Zhen’s knuckles clenched until they cracked.
“Anything else?”
“No more major issues. You agree to all that?”
Jiang Zhen would rather beat him into a pig’s head. Agree to it? Not a chance.
She had already rejected Doctor Qi in her heart, but out of curiosity she still asked, “How much household money will you provide after marriage?”
Doctor Qi quickly replied, “Your salary will be used for daily living expenses, and my salary will be saved as family savings.”
Jiang Zhen asked in return, “How about your salary being used for expenses and my salary being saved?”
Doctor Qi seemed not to have expected Jiang Zhen to be so opinionated. If he said no, it would contradict his earlier arrangement.
“That can work, but the bankbook will be kept by me.”
Doctor Qi said, “It’s not that I don’t trust you. It’s just that women can be impulsive. It’s more suitable for a man to keep the money. In our unit, Doctor Qian’s wife secretly gave money to her natal family, and now the couple is getting divorced. Such things must be prevented in advance. You already have two children, so naturally you’ll think more about them. I have to think about our future family. I hope you can understand.”
Jiang Zhen could not understand at all, so she proposed a compromise.
“How about this? Household expenses are recorded and split equally, housework is split equally, and the remaining money we each save ourselves.”
Doctor Qi rejected it immediately without thinking.
“If a couple lives like partners sharing expenses, what’s the point? It would be better not to get married.”
……
He knew it himself—it would be better not to force things. Jiang Zhen was so angry she wanted to hit someone. She reminded herself that this was not the apocalypse. She could not start hitting people just because she disagreed.
Since Doctor Qi thought his conditions were reasonable and justified, Jiang Zhen also felt justified in stating her own blind date conditions. She spoke loudly so that Gu Liancheng next door could hear.
“Doctor Qi, you just stated your blind date conditions. I can state mine too, right?”
“Yes, go ahead. As long as they’re reasonable, we can discuss them.”
Doctor Qi was very confident. Jiang Zhen urgently needed to settle her household registration. Most likely it would be the issue of the children that required negotiation. Jiang Zhao had to be sent to the orphanage. Why raise a child with no blood relation?
Jiang Zhen said, “When I look for someone for a blind date, whether we can cultivate feelings isn’t the key point. Raising children and living life together is the main goal. I hope my blind date partner also has children. That way it’s fair.”
“If we must have a child together, we can discuss it. I can reluctantly agree to have one, but only after both sides’ children are grown. According to the ages of my children, that means for ten years you won’t have your own biological child. As for Jiang Zhao, my blind date partner must accept him. Doctor Qi, I’m not suitable for you.”
Gu Liancheng heard Jiang Zhen’s conditions next door.
So this was what she had planned?
These conditions matched his perfectly. If they had sat down and talked from the beginning, they might already be discussing the details now.
Gu Liancheng sat restlessly, hoping Doctor Qi would withdraw in the face of difficulty so he could go over and meet Jiang Zhen himself. He hoped that by the time it was his turn, her requirements would remain unchanged.