Chapter 138: Matchmaking

Chapter 138: Matchmaking

The Ye family was so large that one table couldn’t accommodate everyone.

So the adults sat at one table, and the children at another, making it easier to manage.

Today’s meal was quite lavish, featuring white flour dumplings stuffed entirely with meat.

Every dish on the table was meat-based, showing the family’s prosperity.

Ye Changning’s haul of half a pig, along with previous purchases, ensured the family had enough meat for the winter, eliminating the need for frugality.

After the meal, Miao Cuifang sorted through some household items, setting aside a portion for Li Guilan to take home.

Since the two families traditionally shared meals during the New Year, there was no need to be overly precise in dividing the items.

Ye Jianye and Ye Changjun were the first to carry the items back to their home.

Meanwhile, Li Guilan and Miao Cuifang delved into a discussion about Ye Lian’s future.

“Jianye and I have lined up a potential suitor for Ye Lian—a thirty-year-old who’s never been married.”

As Miao Cuifang tidied up in the kitchen, she mused, “Thirty and still single? I wonder if there’s a catch.”

Li Guilan: “They mention he has a minor leg issue, but it doesn’t hinder his ability to walk.”

Miao Cuifang: “When’s he coming over? We all need to check him out.”

Li Guilan: “If it’s a go, we’ll arrange for the matchmaker to bring him by tomorrow.”

Miao Cuifang: “Which village does he hail from? Is it close by?”

Li Guilan: “He’s a town resident. I’m not certain if Uncle Miao is acquainted with him.”

Miao Cuifang nodded, “I’ll inquire later. Let’s meet him first; only then can we judge his character.”

Miao Cuifang went to the main room and asked Ye Lian for her opinion.

Ye Lian looked down, murmuring, “If he’s a decent man, his leg issue doesn’t bother me.”

Miao Cuifang: “Then let’s set up a visit for him.”

Ye Xiaoxiao sat nearby, idly cracking melon seeds between her fingers.

The entire family was eager to see Ye Lian settled with a good match.

Ye Xiaoxiao wished both the man’s happiness and Ye Lian’s future strength and freedom from bullying.

Ye Changning and Ye Changsheng turned their attention to the conversation.

Ye Changning: “What’s he like? Let’s get him over here for a look.”

Miao Cuifang: “No need to remind me. Stay close these next few days. The suitor’s visiting soon, and you all must help your sister scrutinize him.”

Ye Changning gave a dismissive snort, “No problem at all.”

Mid-conversation, a voice abruptly called out to Ye Xiaoxiao from the yard.

Ye Xiaoxiao glanced toward the yard, recognizing the voice, “That sounds like Zhang Erni.”

Ye Xiaoxiao stepped out of the yard and saw it was Zhang Erni.

She’d slimmed down a lot and permed her hair, looking way more stylish than before. Her skin wasn’t particularly fair, but her smile was more confident than before.

Ye Xiaoxiao led Zhang Erni to her room.

"How’ve you been lately?"

Zhang Erni: "I’m doing good. I landed an apprenticeship at a barbershop in the county town. At first, I wasn’t getting paid, but now I’m making over ten yuan a month."

It’d only been half a year, and Zhang Erni was already doing pretty well.

Zhang Erni felt the fabric of Ye Xiaoxiao’s clothes, "Xiao Xiao, you’ve gotten even prettier."

She didn’t want to admit it, but some people just seemed prettier every time you saw them.

Ye Xiaoxiao: "You’re really beautiful now too."

Zhang Erni chuckled.

Ye Xiaoxiao asked: "Do you still think about Li Deshu?"

Zhang Erni shook her head, "I don’t think about him at all anymore."

This was exactly what Ye Xiaoxiao had hoped for.

Zhang Erni: "You’ll be around for a few days, right? Make sure to come find me to hang out."

Ye Xiaoxiao agreed.

...

The next morning, the Ye family was up early tidying the yard.

Ye Xiaoxiao woke up pretty early too. The family rooster kept crowing, so she couldn’t get back to sleep.

No one left the house today because Ye Lian’s suitor was coming.

Ye Xiaoxiao and her brothers headed over to their uncle’s place in the front yard.

Around noon, the matchmaker showed up with the man.

As soon as they arrived in the yard, the matchmaker said: "The roads here are a nightmare. We left early this morning and just got here now."

Li Guilan welcomed the matchmaker: "Come on in."

Then she discreetly checked out the young man.

He seemed lively enough, but it was clear he had a limp.

Ye Xiaoxiao also took a look. It was probably an old injury, something that couldn’t be fixed after all this time.

The man wore a dark blue cotton-padded jacket and had a decent look about him. If it weren’t for his foot, he’d probably be married by now.

The matchmaker motioned for the man to go ahead, "Comrade Zhen, let’s head inside."

The man was holding some stuff and set it down once he got inside.

"This is Comrade Zhen Wanlin, who works as a postman in our town, and he is a permanent staff member."

Ye Lian glanced at him nervously, "Hello, I am Ye Lian."

Zhen Wanlin: "Hello, Comrade Ye Lian."

The matchmaker enthusiastically urged the two, "You two should chat a bit and get to know each other better."

Li Guilan: "Lian'er, why don't you two head to the west room and have a talk."

Ye Lian shyly guided Zhen Wanlin to the west room.

Li Guilan then hosted the matchmaker.

"Comrade Zhen is a permanent worker, why hasn't he married yet?"

The Ye family was quite intrigued by this.

The matchmaker sighed, "One reason is Comrade Zhen's issue with his foot, and another is that he had a girlfriend before, but they broke up, and Comrade Zhen hasn't been able to get over it..."

Ye Xiaoxiao: "So he's not still hung up on that girlfriend, is he?"

The matchmaker quickly said, "No, no, if he were still stuck on the previous one, Comrade Zhen wouldn't be thinking about marriage."

Ye Xiaoxiao: "Does he have any other relatives?"

Matchmaker: "Comrade Zhen's family is quite small; he only has his mother."

Li Guilan remembered that the Qian family also only had an old lady at home, but that old lady was hard to serve, and Lian'er suffered a lot.

Li Guilan: "Is Zhen Wanlin's mother easy to get along with?"

Matchmaker: "You can rest assured about that, the old lady in the Zhen family is very easygoing and in good health, she can usually help out with the kids."

Li Guilan: "Does the family know that our Lian'er comes with two children?"

Matchmaker: "You can be sure of that; if Ye Lian marries into the family, the Zhen family is willing to take on the responsibility of the two children."

Even so, Li Guilan was still concerned, if Ye Lian and Zhen Wanlin had children in the future, would the Zhen family still treat the two girls kindly.

However, it was already quite generous of the Zhen family to say this.

Miao Cuifang knew Li Guilan's concerns.

"If Zhen Wanlin and Lian'er can work out, we don't need to fret too much over Yunduo and Yunshuang, at worst, our family will take care of the two children."

Li Guilan: "Lian'er definitely wouldn't go for that."

Ye Xiaoxiao rubbed her nose and exchanged a look with Ye Changsheng.

"What do you think?"

Ye Changsheng: "We can't gauge the man's character yet, let's see how the eldest sister clicks with him first."

Ye Changning nodded in agreement.

In the west room, Ye Lian sat on the edge of the kang, her hands nervously gripping her trousers on her knees.

"Comrade Zhen, do you know that I have two children?"

Zhen Wanlin replied in a deep voice, "I know."