At a single matchmaking gathering, eleven couples were formed on the spot, while quite a few others were still getting to know each other and looked very promising.
Director Yang and Director Zhang were very satisfied with the results and planned to hold another gathering after some time. They were determined to make sure all the bachelors in the army found wives.
“Xiao Lin, is that your friend?”
Li Yue lifted her chin, gesturing for Lin Zhijin to look toward Lin Shishu, who was waving at her from a distance.
“Today is only the second time we’ve met. Elder Sister Li Yue, do you think she and that deputy regimental commander have a chance?”
Lin Zhijin smiled at Lin Shishu and began preparing to tidy up and go home.
“Li Guangliang? Hmph. His standards are very high.”
Li Yue glanced at Li Guangliang and spoke with a slightly sarcastic tone.
Lin Zhijin froze.
Did Li Yue have some kind of grudge against Li Guangliang?
They were both surnamed Li.
Could they be relatives?
She did not ask.
There were too many people around, and this was not the place to discuss such things.
It was already somewhat late. Director Yang was worried about the female comrades walking home at night, so he specifically arranged for people to escort them.
“Old Li, you take Xiao Lin home.”
Director Yang casually pointed at someone.
Lin Zhijin turned her head and looked.
Wasn’t this the fierce-eyed soldier she had seen the first time she came to the Military Control Office?
They really were fated to keep meeting.
“Director, I heard Comrade Xiao Lin lives in the eastern district. My home is also in the eastern district, so it happens to be on my way. Why don’t I escort her?”
Li Guangliang walked over.
“What are you joining in for? You escort Comrade Lin Shishu home.”
Director Zhang patted Li Guangliang on the arm and lowered her voice.
“You’re not young anymore. Hurry up and get married and have children. You’re the only one left in your family. You don’t want your family line to end with you, do you?”
Li Guangliang looked at Lin Shishu, then sneaked another glance at Lin Zhijin.
He wanted to say that the one he had taken a liking to was Comrade Xiao Lin.
Unfortunately, before the words could leave his mouth, Director Zhang stopped him.
“Don’t get any foolish ideas. There’s a fifteen-year age gap between the two of you. You’re old enough to have a daughter her age. Xiao Lin is a promising talent I have my eye on. If you didn’t hit it off with Comrade Lin Shishu, then make things clear to her and try again at the next matchmaking gathering.”
Director Zhang gripped Li Guangliang’s arm and spoke through gritted teeth.
“Xiao Lin, it’s getting late. Hurry home. Let Old Li escort you.”
Director Zhang gave Li Guangliang a shove, then turned to handle other work.
Lin Zhijin was not really some naïve young girl who understood nothing.
Li Guangliang’s gaze and behavior had already told her that the person he had taken a liking to was her.
Lin Zhijin could not help frowning.
She genuinely had not expected that.
Otherwise, she absolutely would not have introduced him to Lin Shishu.
Lin Shishu wouldn’t misunderstand, would she?
“Lin Zhijin, I’m going back first. Come find me when you have time.”
Lin Shishu waved at Lin Zhijin, looking completely unbothered.
“Okay. Goodbye.”
Lin Zhijin felt that she had underestimated Lin Shishu.
How could someone who had managed to become a favored concubine possibly lack a few tricks of her own?
Most of the shops outside had already closed, and there were no streetlights.
If Lin Zhijin had been alone, she truly would not have dared walk home.
“Fengye Alley is just ahead. You can leave me here. It’s already very late, so you should go back and rest early.”
Lin Zhijin felt somewhat embarrassed making him walk all the way there and then back again so late at night.
“I’ll escort you to the door.”
Old Li looked around at the surroundings and insisted on watching Lin Zhijin enter her house before leaving.
“Then… thank you for the trouble.”
Standing at the door, Lin Zhijin thanked him again before turning and going inside.
She rummaged through the cupboard.
There were two packages of pastries she had brought from the Chen residence.
The weather was gradually warming, so they could not be stored for too long.
Tomorrow, she would give one package to Old Li.
She would divide the other among her colleagues at the office as thanks for taking such good care of her.
The next morning, Lin Zhijin had barely sat down when Li Yue dragged her chair over beside her and whispered, “Did that Li Guangliang come looking for you?”
“No. Old Li escorted me home last night. Didn’t you see that yourself?”
Lin Zhijin also lowered her voice.
“Do you have some kind of conflict with Li Guangliang?”
Li Yue snorted coldly.
“His former wife was an older sister from my village. She was actually quite pretty, just a little sturdy. He was always saying that my village sister wasn’t slim enough, so she started trying to lose weight. Then during the fighting, she was so hungry that she couldn’t run properly, and that was how she died.”
“Zhijin, he’s not a good man. And he’s so much older than you. Don’t let him fool you.”
You could not listen to only one side of a story.
What kind of person Li Guangliang really was, Lin Zhijin was in no hurry to judge.
But there was absolutely no possibility between the two of them.
There was too much of an age difference!
She was only seventeen this year.
She was not in a hurry to find a partner.
Even if she wanted to date someone, wouldn’t it be better to find someone in his early twenties?
“No. He isn’t my type.”
Lin Zhijin smiled and did not continue the topic.
“I brought some pastries. Hurry and try them. They’ve been sitting for a few days, so they might not taste quite as good anymore.”
“Xiao Lin, you’re really too polite.”
Wang Chunhua was the first to take one.
She bit into it, and her eyes immediately lit up.
“It still tastes this good after sitting for several days. How delicious must it have been when it was freshly made? Xiao Lin, where did you buy these?”
Elder Sister Qian also took one.
“Why do you care where she bought them? Just eat.”
Wang Chunhua curled her lips and reached out to take another piece.
When she tried reaching for yet another, Elder Sister Qian slapped her hand away.
“Can you stop this habit of eating everything yourself? Director and Elder Sister Li haven’t eaten any yet.”
Elder Sister Qian set aside two pieces for each of them.
Seeing that there were still three pieces left on the kraft paper, she did not take another.
“Elder Sister Qian, take one more. I have other things too.”
Lin Zhijin opened the cloth bundle.
There were also biscuits and candies inside.
After confirming that Lin Zhijin was not lacking these treats, Elder Sister Qian finally took another piece.
But she did not eat it.
Instead, she carefully wrapped that piece together with the one she had taken a small bite from in her handkerchief, planning to bring them home for her children to have something sweet.
Li Yue did not have children yet.
She ate one piece herself and saved the other for her husband.
Wang Chunhua had already finished both of hers and smacked her lips as though savoring the aftertaste.
They did not need to go out on fieldwork today, but they had to summarize the strengths and weaknesses of last night’s matchmaking gathering.
Lin Zhijin could not write, so she gave her report orally.
She was not nervous at all.
After all, she had attended meetings all the time in her previous life.
“Yesterday was too rushed, and there are still many areas that could be improved. For example, when signing in, separating the men and women would make things clearer. As for requirements for a marriage partner, it would be better to write them down beforehand so we can introduce people more specifically.”
Lin Zhijin had originally wanted to say it would improve the success rate.
Then she reconsidered.
How would an illiterate country girl know a term like “success rate”?
So she simply said a few things and sat back down.
“Xiao Lin’s suggestions are very good. Next time, have everyone attending the gathering fill out a form with their requirements for a partner.”
Director Zhang tapped the desk.
“Does anyone else have any suggestions?”
“No.”
Everyone shook their heads.
Director Zhang closed her notebook.
“Xiao Lin, stay behind. The rest of you, go get to work.”
“Director.”
Lin Zhijin sat with her back straight.
Director Zhang glanced at her.
“Li Guangliang isn’t suitable for you. He’s too old. Study properly and work toward earning your elementary school diploma. Only when you become outstanding yourself can you attract someone equally outstanding.”
Lin Zhijin nodded heavily and solemnly said, “Director, don’t worry. My main tasks right now are to study hard and work hard. I’ll try to earn my elementary school diploma as soon as possible.”
“Things aren’t accomplished by talking about them. They’re accomplished by doing them. All right, go work.”
Director Zhang waved her away.
Lin Zhijin had thought she would have no further interaction with Li Guangliang.
Unexpectedly, she ran into him at the noodle shop.
“Comrade Lin, you come to Elder Sister Dai’s place for noodles too? Their shop is an old-established business. The food is excellent, especially the pickled cucumbers.”
Li Guangliang was very happy to see Lin Zhijin.
“You don’t need to introduce my own shop to her. Zhijin is already a regular here.”
Elder Sister Dai brought over a plate of pickled cucumbers and set it on the table in front of Lin Zhijin.
“You two know each other?”
Li Guangliang: “We’re colleagues.”
Lin Zhijin: “We’ve met once.”
They spoke almost simultaneously.
Dai Fengjiao’s eyes shifted, and she immediately understood what was going on.
Li Guangliang had definitely taken a liking to the young woman.
Unfortunately, the girl had no interest in him.
“Oh, I didn’t know Younger Sister Zhijin worked with the army. Impressive. What do you do?”
Dai Fengjiao helped change the subject.
“No. I work at the Women’s Federation. The Women’s Federation held a matchmaking gathering a couple of days ago, and Deputy Regimental Commander Li attended, so we met once.”
Lin Zhijin did not want any rumors spreading between herself and Li Guangliang.
“I remember Brother Li isn’t that young anymore. Thirty-two or thirty-three? You really should attend more matchmaking gatherings. If you don’t hurry and find someone to marry and have children with, even your parents beneath the ground won’t be able to rest easy.”
Dai Fengjiao deliberately pointed out Li Guangliang’s age.
“Thirty-two. A man isn’t considered old at thirty-two.”
Li Guangliang hurriedly defended himself.
“That’s still not young. By the way, Zhijin, how old are you this year? You don’t look twenty yet.”
Dai Fengjiao turned toward Lin Zhijin.
“I’m seventeen this year.”
Lin Zhijin knew Dai Fengjiao was helping her make the age difference clear to Li Guangliang.
She smiled at her in acknowledgment of the favor.
Hearing this, Li Guangliang lowered his head awkwardly.
Everything else could be worked around.
But there was really no way to change the age gap.
“Brother Li, did you meet anyone suitable at the matchmaking gathering? If not, why don’t I introduce someone to you? Zhang Xiaoni from the Big Camphor Tree area is pretty and very capable at work.”
Dai Fengjiao genuinely felt Li Guangliang and Zhang Xiaoni were more suitable for each other.
Li Guangliang’s expression did not look very good.
Zhang Xiaoni was a widow.
What?
Was a widow the only kind of woman he was qualified to marry?
“I’m finished eating. Comrade Xiao Lin, take your time. My home is in Dongmen Alley. If you ever need anything, feel free to come find me.”
Li Guangliang looked at Lin Zhijin’s pretty, delicate face and sighed inwardly.
It was rare for him to meet someone he liked at first sight.
Unfortunately, everyone was against it, and the young woman herself had no interest either.
It seemed they were destined to meet but not to be together.
Watching Li Guangliang’s figure gradually disappear from sight, Dai Fengjiao sat down beside Lin Zhijin and snorted.
“A toad wanting to eat swan meat. He doesn’t even look at how old he is, yet he still wants to pursue you.”
“Zhijin, you’re still young. Don’t rush to find a partner. For a woman, getting married is like being reincarnated a second time. If you end up with a gambler like I did, your life will be as bitter as coptis.”
“It’s not like I absolutely have to find someone. Living alone for the rest of my life would be fine too.”
Lin Zhijin could not help sighing.
“How could that do? Of course you have to marry. But you have to choose someone who knows how to care for you, then have a few children. Only then will life be comfortable.”
“And don’t you have to plan for when you’re old? You still need children. Otherwise, a person has no roots.”
Dai Fengjiao thought of herself.
She was already twenty-seven this year.
If she did not have children soon, she would be getting old.
It was time to make things clear with her brother-in-law.
Lin Zhijin sighed softly.
She had only said it casually.
In this era, if she did not marry, forget the strange looks from outsiders.
Her leader, colleagues, and even the neighborhood office would probably come talk to her every day.
Why didn’t she want to marry?
Was it a physical reason or a psychological reason?
If it was physical, what exactly was wrong with her?
If it was psychological, then why?
No matter what excuse she came up with, they would have an entire set of arguments ready to persuade her.
When on a certain mountain, sing that mountain’s song.
In an environment where everyone had to marry, if Lin Zhijin dared shout that being single was the best, she would absolutely be arrested for “counterrevolutionary crimes.”
Lin Zhijin did not have many strengths, but knowing how to adapt to circumstances was definitely one of them.
Besides, she was not someone who opposed marriage.
In her previous life, if she had met someone suitable, she would have married too.
Unfortunately, when she had just graduated, she had been entirely focused on buying a house.
By the time she finally bought one, she had already passed the best age for marriage.
Every blind date afterward always had one problem or another.
This was a new life.
And she was now in an environment where marriage was practically compulsory.
It seemed she could not remain too passive.
She needed to take the initiative.
First, she would secretly observe people.
Then she would get herself a little notebook and write down potential candidates.
She would hold her own 1950s version of Produce 101.
AUTHOR’S NOTE:
There’s more. It’ll be a little later. Love you all, muah muah (づ￣3￣)づ╭??～
P.S.: Remember to leave comments. I’ll give out some small red packets to celebrate. (づ￣3￣)づ╭??～