In the months after Su Minzhi’s divorce, she occasionally overheard murmurs around the office.
After all, in this era, divorce wasn’t common—especially not initiated by a woman like her. People whispered when she walked by; sometimes the chatter stopped when she entered, other times the gossip continued behind her back. Mostly it was bewilderment at her choice or worried speculation about her future.
“She’s got good prospects, but now she’s saddled with a daughter—finding someone suitable will be tough…”
“Tell me about it. Working and raising a child alone—imagine how hard that must be.”
Su Minzhi heard all of it, but she didn’t let it bother her. She was confident her decision was right and trusted in her ability to raise Niannian and support their life.
Today, however, someone actually came forward to play matchmaker.
It was the first such attempt since the divorce—an unexpected mix of surprise and comic disbelief for Su Minzhi.
To be fair, her personal qualifications were excellent. Her father was a military commander and her mother a university professor. She herself was capable and outstanding—education, looks, and family background all remarkable.
That noon, sunlight warmed the office as usual and a few female colleagues gathered for their habitual chat.
Sister Sun (Sun Dajie) was the unit’s veteran—famous for her helpfulness and love of arranging people’s domestic affairs.
She waddled over to Su Minzhi’s desk with a pleased, conspiratorial smile, leaning in to lower her voice as if delivering particularly juicy news.
“Minzhi, I have a great match for you,” she began, lowering her voice ceremonially. “A friend of my husband—honest as the day is long! A few years older than you. His previous wife sadly passed away and he has a son. I thought about it and—honestly—it’s a perfect match for you. Want to meet?”
Su Minzhi’s pen paused. A strange swirl of emotions rose in her—surprise, absurdity, and a bit of wry amusement. Someone had literally brought a matchmaker to her desk.
She smiled politely and waved a hand. “Sister Sun, thank you for thinking of me. But right now I’m not considering that. I want to focus on work and raise Niannian.”
Her colleagues, however, were far more interested than she was and immediately crowded around, chattering eagerly.
“Sister Sun, which unit does this friend work in?” Secretary Li asked first. “We should check—can’t accept someone with poor conditions. Our Foreign Trade Commission is a place many people wish to get into. Given Minzhi’s qualifications, she shouldn’t settle.”
“Exactly,” Accountant Wang chimed in, adjusting his glasses with a practical look. “One more key question: how old is his son? Don’t let it be a troublesome age. If Minzhi goes in and becomes a ready-made mother, it’ll be exhausting—worry and responsibility both. That’s a hard life.”
Sister Sun seemed ready for every objection; she answered them patiently.
“Don’t worry! He’s a key technician at the Third Pharmaceutical Factory—an engineer. Plenty for Minzhi,” she said confidently, adding more details. “His son is nine, in third grade—apparently very sensible and does well at school.”
She paused, then added, “Between us, with his status, he could easily find an unmarried girl. But he’s a practical fellow; he prefers someone of similar age who’s sensible and good at managing a household.”
Hearing the flurry of opinions, a swarm of bees buzzing at her ears, irritation threatened to surface in Su Minzhi. She nearly furrowed her brow.
Sister Sun, oblivious to her discomfort, continued in full matchmaking mode, enthusiastic as ever.
“I told them all about you—your situation—and they were very pleased. They really want to meet.”
“Minzhi, think about it. If this works, you’d bring Niannian and he’d bring his son—one boy, one girl—perfect, like the Chinese character for ‘good’ (好). It’s fate! Why not spare a little time to meet?”
The colleagues, encouraged, laughed and urged her on, trying to engineer the “good thing.”
“Come on, Sister Sun,” young Zhang piped up, curiosity brimming. “You say his conditions are good—but how about looks? He has to match Minzhi—she’s the flower of our bureau!”
A flicker of embarrassment crossed Sister Sun’s face but she quickly replaced it with a bright smile.
“Oh, about looks… well, of course he’s no match for Minzhi’s previous husband in looks. But we’re all sensible—what matters in life is steadiness. Looks don’t put food on the table. Good character, stable job, and someone who knows how to care—that’s what counts.”
At that, Su Minzhi could no longer restrain herself. She put down her teacup and spoke to Sister Sun in as gentle a tone as she could manage.
“Sister Sun, I truly appreciate you thinking of me first. I’m really grateful,” she said, acknowledging the kindness. Then she shifted tone with clear firmness. “But right now my focus is solely on my work and on raising Niannian safe and sound. As for becoming a stepmother to someone else’s child…” She paused and said plainly, “I’m not considering it.”
Her words were polite but decisive. The office fell quiet; the message of refusal was unmistakable.
Sister Sun, clearly not expecting such a clean refusal, looked momentarily stunned and a little embarrassed.
She laughed awkwardly and tried once more. “Minzhi, just think about it. One person doing both father and mother’s work—that’s tough. Having a man to share the load makes life easier. Besides, Niannian’s still small—she needs a father, right?”
“Yes, Minzhi,” Secretary Li added with well-meaning admonishment, “you’re young and attractive—your options are wider now. A few years on, it’ll be harder.”
Accountant Wang couldn’t help but bluntly add, “You said you don’t want to be a stepmother—so you’d rather marry someone who’s never been married?”
Su Minzhi stood, smoothed her clothes, and replied calmly, “Whether first marriage or second, I have no intention right now. I just divorced; my feelings about marriage and family are still cold. Please try to understand.”
She picked up a document, nodded slightly to the group, and said, “You all carry on—I need to deliver something to HR.”
With that she left the office, leaving behind a room of colleagues exchanging looks—surprised, puzzled, some slightly put out. Sister Sun’s embarrassment lingered like an awkward aftertaste.
In their ingrained mindset, a woman, especially a divorced mother, should latch on to any opportunity to secure a household. How could she refuse so easily?
Walking down the quiet corridor, Su Minzhi breathed deeply. The suffocating prick of annoyance eased, and calm returned.
She knew this kind of “care” and unsolicited advice would keep coming. Changing society’s expectations and the way it judges women would not be done overnight. But she also knew she would not be swayed—her choices, and her daughter’s life, were hers to protect.