In the brigade, whether male or female, once they reached a certain age, their families would basically start planning their marriages. Unlike later generations, not many people went to school back then. By seventeen or eighteen, most would marry and start families.
The Jian family’s daughters were actually considered late marriers. Jian Xin was marrying at twenty, though she’d gotten engaged at eighteen. Her fiancé, Meng Fan, had decent prospects and a proper appearance. Naturally, the betrothal gift was a sum that satisfied Jian Hualin.
But because Meng Fan had been transferred to the militia platoon and was busy, the two had waited two years before preparing to marry.
As for the original host? Nineteen and still not engaged—that made her an oddity in the brigade. Many younger than her were already married. The reason was simple: Jian Hualin was planning to use his prettiest youngest daughter to hook a live-in son-in-law.
Jian Lu had thought it through. Even if she resolved the Hong Qiang matter and avoided the tragic plot from the book, Jian Hualin would definitely not give up. Rather than sitting and waiting for doom, better to strike first.
Find a matchmaker herself and pick a decent partner.
Her requirements weren’t high: young and handsome, tall with long legs, broad shoulders and narrow waist, a nice voice, beautiful hands, and capable—that would do…
She just didn’t know if she could find someone satisfactory.
“You’re going to find a matchmaker to look at prospects?” Jian Xin felt her sister’s courage was too great. This kind of thing was supposed to be arranged by family elders—how could she go herself?
If word got out, the old men and women would surely criticize her, saying this girl was desperate to marry.
“Right. This egg is the matchmaking gift.” Jian Lu smiled at her third sister, knowing she might not understand. But there was no other way—she couldn’t just wait for Jian Hualin to find another grotesque live-in son-in-law, could she? “If Mom and Dad ask, just say I went to see eldest sister.”
Jian Xin watched her sister leave in bewilderment, feeling this person had truly changed.
Xingmin Production Brigade had a matchmaker who’d been in the business for over twenty years—He Hongmei.
Over forty, yet remarkably nimble. She had all the young unmarried men and women of nearby communes and brigades in her grasp. Even some widows and widowers could find partners through her.
At this moment, there happened to be someone in her house.
At the square table sat two middle-aged women. The one with a square face, slanted eyes, and coiled hair was He Hongmei. Her brows were furrowed, wrinkles layered at the corners of her eyes, her face full of difficulty as she looked at Old Mrs. Wang, Wang Xia, across from her.
Wang Xia had a mild face, a round face with an easygoing smile. “Sister He, just help our Shitou find a match. The requirements aren’t high—someone who can live a steady life is fine.”
With that, she pushed three fruit candies across.
Fruit candies were good things. Sugar coupons were scarce in the countryside, making eating candy a luxury. He Hongmei looked at the fruit candies on the table and swallowed a few times. She was just about to accept when she remembered this was a thorny deal.
“My good sister, listen to what you’re saying. I’ve practically watched your Shitou grow up. He joined the army at a young age—how could he lack a wife?” Her slanted eyes glanced at the fruit candies on the table, looked once, then looked away. “Don’t they say there are plenty of pretty girls in the army? The cultural work troupe, military doctors—doesn’t the organization arrange blind dates?”
He Hongmei had some worldly knowledge. She dealt with people from all over every day and heard many things. The army did often arrange blind dates to solve personal matters.
But…
There were rumors about the Cheng family’s eldest. Though he’d already become a regimental commander—a military officer—he hadn’t returned in nearly four years. Nobody knew the exact situation. Everyone knew Cheng Zheng had been seriously injured before. Later, word spread from somewhere that he’d lost an arm or a leg.
Generally, families who cared about their daughters wouldn’t marry them off like that. If anyone was willing, who knew what kind of person they’d be—Wang Xia herself probably wouldn’t approve either.
Besides, from what Wang Xia said, Cheng Zheng was serving on an island. What kind of place was an island? It didn’t sound good just hearing about it. They said he ate seafood every day and couldn’t even grow crops. Who would be willing to follow the army and live such a hard life?
Looking at the photo of Cheng Zheng in Wang Xia’s hand, He Hongmei felt troubled.
Wang Xia sighed and criticized her son without mercy. “If only that brat Cheng Zheng were willing to go on blind dates! He doesn’t listen to his old mother’s words—he won’t even listen to his army superiors! Tell me, isn’t that worrying?”
Cheng Zheng, as the Cheng family’s eldest, still wasn’t married. This worried Wang Xia to death. Her eldest son was quite capable—but not starting a family? How could that be justified?
He Hongmei smiled along, inwardly muttering that maybe the rumors were true—maybe he really was disabled and couldn’t return. But she couldn’t say that. She could only offer casually, “Then he’s probably just trying to build his career properly.”
“Things are peaceful outside now. What’s he waiting for?” Wang Xia and her son were far apart. She couldn’t manage the child at all—at most she could write a letter to urge him, but that didn’t solve anything.
Seeing her son about to turn twenty-seven at the start of the new year—while neighboring Tiezhu was only twenty-five and already had a four-year-old child—she was worried to death.
Half a month ago, she’d already sent a letter, threatening to cut off relations if he didn’t marry.
Left with no choice, Wang Xia was preparing to find him a wife here and just have him marry directly!
Since he wouldn’t freely love and find his own wife, then fine—she’d arrange it!
Wang Xia pressed her lips together. This time she’d made up her mind. “Hongmei, anyway, keep this in mind. Keep an eye out for your old sister. You know our Shitou’s situation—his looks are good, right? And now he’s accomplished. Finding a decent girl to marry—that would satisfy me.”
With that, she stuffed the three fruit candies directly into He Hongmei’s hand and got up to leave.
“Hey, Sister Xia!” He Hongmei looked at the candies in her palm, both craving them and feeling worried.
Jian Lu hurried as fast as she could and finally arrived at Matchmaker He Hongmei’s house.
He Hongmei lived on the south side of the brigade. Because of the accumulated snow on the ground, Jian Lu’s steps were more difficult.
The wind and snow filled the sky, though fortunately it had lightened up now, only adding more pure white to the already silver-wrapped world.
Wang Xia came out of the He family’s house and immediately saw Jian Lu walking toward her against the wind and snow.
The girl was exceptionally beautiful—pink cheeks and peach-blossom complexion. Her hat covered her forehead, revealing only her fair cheeks. A pair of peach-blossom eyes, delicate and charming—one glance and you couldn’t help but stare. Yet those eyes were watery and clear, clean and nimble.
“Is this the Jian family’s fourth girl?” Wang Xia didn’t have a deep impression of Jian Lu, mainly because the original host had rarely socialized over the past decade or so, always keeping to herself.
She’d guessed based on that faint impression and the girl’s resemblance—forty to fifty percent—to Jian Xin.
“Yes, Old Mrs. Wang. I’m Jian Lu.” Jian Lu didn’t know much about the other people in the brigade. She only knew from the original host’s memories that this person was called Old Mrs. Wang—she didn’t even know her real name. Everyone called her that.
“Oh my, you’ve grown even prettier. Your Jian family is blessed.” Wang Xia had never seen such a beautiful girl. She felt Jian Lu was even prettier than the delicately raised educated youths from the city.
The two weren’t familiar with each other. After a few polite pleasantries, they parted ways.
Jian Lu headed into the He family’s house. Wang Xia walked out. As she walked, she turned back for a look and only saw Jian Lu’s braid swinging as she walked. Her hair was nice too—black and glossy.
“What a pity…” Wang Xia murmured. If she hadn’t known the Jian family was looking for a live-in son-in-law, she would have at least had her son and her meet.
Jian Lu didn’t know Old Mrs. Wang’s regret. She went straight inside.
He Hongmei’s husband had died young. She’d raised two sons and a daughter alone, relying on her matchmaking skills. Because of this, quite a few people came to her door with an egg or some candy.
Having just seen Wang Xia off, she was about to rest when she saw a fairy-like figure walk in.
After not seeing her for a while, the Jian family’s fourth girl seemed even prettier. Especially the way she walked—light and brisk. From afar, she smiled at her, like the only blooming wintersweet in the bare winter snowscape, stunning enough to make one lose focus.
“Auntie Hongmei.” Her voice was nice too—crisp and clear. He Hongmei was delighted the moment she heard it.
Who wouldn’t like a sweet, well-behaved pretty girl?
But she hadn’t expected this well-behaved girl to be somewhat wild.
After inviting Jian Lu to sit and hearing her state her purpose, He Hongmei’s eyes nearly popped out. What kind of unmarried girl came to a matchmaker’s door herself to look at prospects? Moreover, the Jian family was special. “Doesn’t your father want to find a live-in son-in-law?”
She’d heard about this. Though they hadn’t come to her to find a suitable match, it wasn’t a secret. Without exaggeration, she knew clearly which girl in ten li and eight villages was waiting to marry and which family’s son was preparing to take a wife!
Jian Lu had long prepared her explanation. Looking at Matchmaker He Hongmei, she played cute. “Well, it hasn’t been going well. These days, who’d be willing to be a live-in son-in-law when they can get enough to eat? It’s not just losing face—people will gossip behind your back forever. My dad just couldn’t find anyone suitable. But he can’t swallow his pride. He already asked around privately before. Now he’s too embarrassed to come to you for help. I figured I might as well speak for myself. It’s my match anyway—why go through the trouble of passing messages back and forth?”
Hearing this, He Hongmei’s eyes instantly lit up. She studied Jian Lu carefully for a few moments, feeling this girl had come to her senses. Her words were also forthright. Actually, He Hongmei looked down on wishy-washy people. It was your own match—how could you not keep your eyes wide open before marriage?
“That makes sense. I understand your father’s difficulty. Now that you’ve thought it through, that’s a good thing. I’m not bragging, Lulu—with your looks and figure, the young men of ten li and eight villages are yours to pick from, aren’t they?”
Listening to He Hongmei’s bold words, Jian Lu somehow pictured a scene in her mind: people wanting to blind date her lined up from the Jian family’s door all the way to the brigade headquarters—a sea of people…
Then the people in line turned their heads—good heavens—monsters and demons, all shapes and sizes…
“Auntie Hongmei, then I’ll trouble you. Please keep this egg.” Jian Lu handed over the egg laid just this morning, then continued. “Today I mainly want to talk about my conditions for a partner.”
He Hongmei accepted the egg. For a match she was sure to make, she felt no psychological burden accepting the gift—unlike Wang Xia’s son earlier. That match would be hard to arrange.
“Go ahead, tell me. I’ll note them down for you.”
Jian Lu had long thought it through. Now, facing the matchmaker, she spoke fluently. “My requirements aren’t high. Roughly just these few points. My partner has to be handsome—young and good-looking. He has to be tall, at least close to a head taller than me—1.85 meters or above. He has to have a good build. A scrawny white chicken won’t do, but neither will someone too muscular like an ox. Best if he has a proper job…”
He Hongmei watched the girl in front of her mutter a whole list, her eyes growing wider and wider. This was called not high requirements?
Moreover, girls in the brigade generally looked for partners who were strong and powerful, able to work the fields and earn work points. Why did the Jian family’s fourth girl think differently?
But perhaps because she was pretty, even saying all that didn’t make her annoying. Instead, it made people feel only someone like her deserved such a match.
“Auntie Hongmei, those are all my requirements. Please help me look.” Jian Lu actually didn’t hold much hope. She’d walked around the brigade these past two weeks and had basically seen all the unmarried young men in the brigade, including the sent-down male educated youths. How to put it—their conditions were all average. Especially their faces. A few had decent foundations, but working in the fields every day had tanned them dark. When they grinned, they’d flash a mouth of big white teeth—there was a kind of simple, honest beauty to it.
It truly didn’t match her aesthetic. But trying was better than nothing. She had to look first. Other people who transmigrated into era novels could find partners who were tall, handsome, and became billionaires—she had to try, right?
He Hongmei’s face showed difficulty. Suddenly she felt the egg in her hand was somewhat hot. In her left hand were Wang Xia’s three candies; in her right was the egg Jian Lu gave her. Both people had asked her to do difficult things.
“Lulu, you call these requirements not high? To be honest, I’ve been a matchmaker for so many years and never heard so many requirements. Satisfying one or two would already be good.”
Jian Lu smiled sweetly at her, quite open-minded. “Auntie Hongmei, just help me look. Whether it works out or not, it’s no fault of yours. Keep the egg. Also, don’t mention it to my parents. They didn’t come to you for help before—now they can’t swallow their pride.”