Chapter 8: The Matchmaking Encounter

Ocean Village. He Qiming helped his youngest son dress, patted his little bottom, and told him to follow his older brother to find their grandmother.

After folding the quilt neatly, He Qiming took a few yuan, preparing to go to the county town to buy some things.

“Qiming, Qiming…” His eldest aunt’s voice came first, even before she arrived.

“It’s his eldest aunt. Qiming is inside. Why are you looking for him so early? Have you had breakfast?” Yang Fuzhen came out holding her little grandson.

“Oh, Yangyang is already up. Auntie wants a hug,” his eldest aunt said as she picked up He Jingyang and peeked into the room. When she saw He Qiming come out, she waved at him. “Qiming, come here quickly, your eldest aunt wants to talk to you.”

Seeing his aunt’s expression, He Qiming knew it was about matchmaking again.

Having experienced a failed marriage, he wasn’t keen on marrying again, fearing he might encounter a woman like his ex-wife.

During this visit home, his mother and eldest aunt both urged him to find someone again. He had been hesitant until he saw his nephew bullying his two children. Although his mother intervened, her energy was limited and she couldn’t watch over them all the time.

Moreover, seeing his youngest son’s envious gaze when his sister-in-law held her child, he felt it was time to find someone.

Besides, with his recent promotion, he qualified to bring his family along in the army. Having a new wife under his watch would ensure no favoritism.

“Eldest sister, do you have someone suitable in mind?” Yang Fuzhen caught on immediately.

His eldest aunt nodded. “Do you know Wei Jiancheng from Houxi Village?”

He Qiming didn’t know him, but Yang Fuzhen was well aware of Wei Jiancheng’s story, which was quite dramatic and often talked about.

“The one who left six years ago, gave his salary all to his lover, and died of illness last month?” Yang Fuzhen’s eyes darted. “You mean his widow, Ye Qingzhi?”

Seeing his aunt nod, Yang Fuzhen was less than pleased. “She just lost her husband. Wouldn’t that be awkward?”

“It’s not like they’ll marry immediately. They’ll observe each other first. If it’s suitable, they’ll register after the hundred-day mourning. Last time, they rushed into marriage without properly understanding, which caused Qiming so much trouble,” his eldest aunt snorted.

Mentioning the previous second daughter-in-law, Yang Fuzhen shuddered and asked with concern, “How is this Ye Qingzhi?”

“There was a big fuss in her family; you must have heard some of it. Wei Jiancheng left for six years. Her own family lives far away, and her in-laws couldn’t support her. She raised two children alone. No bad rumors ever came out, so we know she’s a good woman,” the eldest aunt trusted Ye Da-ma’s word. She had also inquired and rarely heard anything negative about Ye Qingzhi.

He Qiming listened quietly. If the rumors were true, Ye Qingzhi was indeed a good woman.

“I saw her once before. She looks quite nice, just a bit thin, but that can be fixed. The main thing is her character. She manages everything at home and outside. Qiming, Ye Qingzhi also has two children. She dresses them neatly every day, and they’re well-behaved and sensible. She must be a good mother,” his eldest aunt asserted confidently.

No matter how good an actress, no one can fake that for years. Children dressed cleanly every day, raised to be obedient and sensible—that’s all thanks to Ye Qingzhi.

Yang Fuzhen felt the same. Ye Qingzhi seemed dependable and capable, and most importantly, faithful.

Her former daughter-in-law had caused so much trouble because of the long-distance separation and inability to endure loneliness.

“Qiming, what do you say?” Yang Fuzhen turned to ask him.

“Let’s meet first,” He Qiming hesitated for a moment. “Does she want to remarry?”

He didn’t want to be the only one invested emotionally.

“Wei Jiancheng was gone for six years, never came back once, and had a lover on the side to whom he gave his salary. Now that he’s dead, she and the kids received nothing. Ye Qingzhi has given up on him. It’s tough for a woman raising two kids alone; she wants support,” his eldest aunt explained.

He Qiming nodded. As long as the woman was willing, he’d meet her first and then get to know her if it seemed right.

They agreed to meet at the market the next day. It wouldn’t be good to show up empty-handed, so He Qiming planned to buy some milk candy and biscuits on his way to the county.

Just as he left the village entrance, he saw He Yongyao standing there, looking around.

“Brother Yongyao, are you going to the county too?” He Qiming stopped.

“No.” He Yongyao pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, took one out and tried to offer it to He Qiming. When He Qiming declined, he put it back and smiled. “I’m waiting for someone here.”

He Qiming didn’t press further. Although they were from the same village, their age gap meant they rarely spent time together, especially after He Qiming joined the army.

Watching He Qiming get on the bus and leave, He Yongyao lowered his head in disappointment, regretting deeply and wanting to slap himself.

That day on the bus, he had fallen for Ye Qingzhi at first sight and wanted to ask her name, but missed the chance due to various reasons.

He had been waiting at the station every day, hoping to see her again but never did.

“Back already?” Yongyao’s mother saw him come in dejectedly and said harshly, “You like her that much? What if she’s already married?”

“I don’t think so,” He Yonghui calmly replied inside. “It’s fine. When I see her next time, I’ll ask.”

“Well, who knows? You can’t just wait like this forever. The matchmaker Ye Da-ma introduced is really good. Why not meet her first? Maybe she’s even better than that girl you like,” Yongyao’s mother urged, fearing her son would miss out.

“Mom, stop it,” He Yongyao said unhappily.

That evening, Ye Qingzhi sat on the bed folding clothes while her two children played a game picking up stones. Thinking about the upcoming blind date, she felt she should tell them.

“Anmin, Anjie, Aunt Ye introduced a man for me.” Seeing their attentive eyes, Ye Qingzhi pressed her lips. “He’s a soldier with two sons. Aunt Ye said he’s very kind, and he promises to treat all the children equally.”

The brothers exchanged glances. Wei Anjie ran over and sat opposite her. “If the new dad is a soldier, he won’t bully mom, right?”

Ye Qingzhi was startled; she hadn’t expected the child’s first concern to be for her.

“Of course not. He’s an uncle in the Liberation Army. More importantly, mom trusts Granny Ye. She says their family is easy to get along with and won’t let us suffer,” Ye Qingzhi stroked his head. “It’s still early to say. He’s an officer and may not be interested in me.”

“That’s impossible. Mom’s so good. How could he not be interested?” Wei Anmin immediately objected.

Ye Qingzhi smiled. No one could say for sure. Of course, maybe she wasn’t interested in him either.

The next morning, Ye Qingzhi put on her best outfit—the same one she wore on her last trip to the county. She pinned her hair up with a wooden hairpin, leaving two strands of bangs. She gently tousled them for a natural look.

“Qingzhi, are you ready? We’re waiting for you,” Aunt Ye came in carrying a basket.

“Ready, ready.” Ye Qingzhi tugged at her dress, gave her children a few instructions, and went with Aunt Ye to the market.

This time she didn’t bring the children. If they liked each other, they could bring the kids next time.

“Qingzhi, don’t be nervous. Just be yourself. If he asks about your past, be honest. It’s not your fault,” Aunt Ye advised. Then she bumped into an acquaintance. “Oh? Right, I’m going to the market with Qingzhi. What are you carrying? Okay, hurry up then. We’re not selling anything today, so no rush.”

Aunt Ye was popular and knew people in almost every village, so she stopped to greet someone every few steps. What should have been a half-hour walk took over an hour.

“Good thing we left early, or we’d be late,” Aunt Ye smiled awkwardly and went on about the details of a blind date.

Ye Qingzhi already knew these things. In her previous life, as an older single woman, she had been on countless blind dates and was experienced—she knew more than Aunt Ye in many ways.

“There he is.” Upon reaching the place, Aunt Ye pointed to a man standing beside a small house. “See him? The one in the white shirt is the man I introduced to you. His name is He Qiming, and that’s his eldest aunt beside him.”

Though it was a bit far, Ye Qingzhi’s eyesight was good enough to make out a man in a white shirt and black pants, with a crew cut, sharp eyebrows, and bright eyes, standing tall.

Indeed, Aunt Ye was trustworthy—she hadn’t lied. He was tall, handsome, and had long legs.

“What do you think? Aunt didn’t lie, right? Tall and good-looking. Before joining the army, he was the handsome young man famous in several villages. Many girls wanted to marry him,” Aunt Ye said, waving to He’s aunt and pulling Ye Qingzhi over.

Judging by appearance alone, He Qiming was truly impressive. As for character and personality, that would take time to learn.

On the other side, He Qiming also noticed Ye Qingzhi—almond-shaped eyes, rosy cheeks, cherry lips, fair skin rare for a rural woman. Most striking was her demeanor: gentle, refined, elegant, with a hint of scholarly air. She hardly seemed like an uneducated farmer who only knew how to raise kids and work.

“Qiming, what’s wrong?” His eldest aunt noticed him staring at Ye Qingzhi and winked slyly. “Isn’t she beautiful? She doesn’t look like she’s had children at all.”

He Qiming casually glanced at Ye Qingzhi’s slim waist and hips. Indeed, she didn’t look like she had borne children.

He squinted slightly. “Eldest aunt, you said Ye Qingzhi didn’t go to school?”

“She didn’t attend school, but she’s smart. When the village held literacy classes, she often went. She can read and write and knows many characters,” his eldest aunt whispered. “Why, do you mind that she’s uneducated?”

“No, just asking,” He Qiming continued observing Ye Qingzhi.

She had attended literacy classes?

Some clever and diligent people could learn all the characters. If they read often later, having a scholarly air wasn’t impossible.

Still, he couldn’t be careless. He wanted to observe first, hoping Ye Qingzhi was no problem.

His eldest aunt nodded. Ye Da-ma had told her about Ye Qingzhi’s literacy classes and ability to read and write. She trusted Ye Da-ma’s words and conveyed that to He Qiming.

In truth, the original Ye Qingzhi had attended literacy classes out of curiosity but stopped when it bored her.

She could read the numbers one to ten in capital letters and write her own name and Wei Jiancheng’s.

Ye Da-ma was a bit nervous but felt that He Qiming’s conditions were good, and she didn’t want Ye Qingzhi to miss out. To give her an advantage, she told the eldest aunt that Ye Qingzhi could read and write.

Ye Qingzhi would never have guessed that after just one meeting, her demeanor almost made He Qiming suspect she was a spy.

Actually, the villagers thought Ye Qingzhi had changed a lot. Considering Wei Jiancheng’s sudden death and his affair, everyone believed Ye Qingzhi had been traumatized, which caused the change in her temperament.

After all, Ye Qingzhi lived right under their noses. Who would think her core had been replaced?

He Qiming, a soldier trained in reconnaissance, immediately sensed Ye Qingzhi’s unusual aura; her educated appearance did not fit a woman who rarely left the village.

“Oh, so this is Qingzhi! I’ve heard Aunt Ye mention you many times. Our villages aren’t far apart, yet we never met. You’re really pretty,” He’s eldest aunt said, scrutinizing Ye Qingzhi and tapping He Qiming’s arm. “Why are you just standing there? Go greet Qingzhi.”

“Hello, I’m He Qiming.”

“Hello, I’m Ye Qingzhi.”

He Qiming shook Ye Qingzhi’s hand. It was smooth, without calluses—maybe he had been too paranoid.

The two aunts exchanged compliments about Ye Qingzhi and He Qiming. Seeing that the pair hadn’t spoken much, they guessed it was because they were shy and found an excuse to leave.

“Qiming, I still need to buy some things, so I’ll go first,” his eldest aunt said cheerfully.

“Yeah, me too. Let’s go together,” Ye Da-ma waved and left them alone.

After they left, He Qiming spoke. “There’s a small creek nearby. Let’s go over there.”

“Okay,” Ye Qingzhi nodded.

They walked side by side to the creek and moved to a secluded spot. Ye Qingzhi broke the silence first.

“The children’s father died last month. Their grandfather is unreliable. If I remarry, I will bring the two children. Does that bother you?”

“No. That shows you’re responsible. Like I said before, I will treat all the children equally,” He Qiming said sincerely. He didn’t mind; a woman who wouldn’t abandon her children must have a good heart.

Ye Qingzhi nodded, then glanced at He Qiming. “What about you? What are your conditions?”

“My conditions are simple: live steadily and treat my two children well,” He Qiming looked at her. “I heard from your eldest aunt that you can read and write?”

On the way, Ye Da-ma had told her to be less truthful and just say she could read and write. If they married, He Qiming wouldn’t divorce her just because of her limited literacy.

Ye Da-ma seriously told her that good men were hard to come by. Even if not for herself, for her two children’s sake, she should marry He Qiming.

Having a soldier for a father, the children’s futures would be completely different. It was just a small fib, not really a lie.

Couldn’t read? One or ten were still characters.

Couldn’t write? Same reason.

Ye Qingzhi nodded readily. She was thinking about how to explain her literacy when the opportunity came.

“Yes, I’ve always loved reading but never had the chance to attend school because of poverty. After the village started literacy classes, I often went. I learned the common characters. Later, the children’s father would occasionally teach me. We had books like Journey to the West and Water Margin, which I read many times before they were burned.”

This explained Ye Qingzhi’s scholarly air. He Qiming breathed a sigh of relief, glad there was no problem.

From a man’s perspective, Ye Qingzhi was beautiful, shapely, elegant, and good-natured. His eldest aunt was right—she was a good woman.

Sharing the same view as Ye Da-ma that good women had to be pursued and won, once He Qiming confirmed Ye Qingzhi was no problem, he immediately took action.

“I was promoted recently. Now, family members can accompany me in the army. If we’re together, would you be willing to bring the children along?”

He Qiming asked earnestly.

Ye Qingzhi was stunned. She thought he was at most a company commander, but if family could accompany him, he must be a regimental officer.

“Of course. Honestly, I’m tired of the hardship of long-distance separation. If we can be together, that’s best, especially for the children. Boys especially need a father’s guidance,” Ye Qingzhi answered solemnly.

He Qiming agreed wholeheartedly. Children should be by their parents’ side. Left to their grandparents, they were too loosely managed. The army’s education was better than the countryside’s.

“What rank are you now?” Ye Qingzhi asked directly.

“Let me introduce myself properly. I’m He Qiming, 29 years old, deputy regimental officer, earning 120 yuan a month. After marriage, my salary will be handed over to the family. But to be clear, all four children must be treated equally. If I find you show favoritism, I will revoke financial authority,” He Qiming said seriously.

Ye Qingzhi extended her right hand. “I’m Ye Qingzhi, 25, a farmer. I promise to treat all four children equally. To be clear, since you want equality, you can’t interfere with how I discipline the children. Even if you disagree, don’t contradict me openly; discuss it privately.”

“Of course,” He Qiming agreed. He had wanted to take Ye Qingzhi around the market and buy something for her, but considering her situation, being too close in public would harm her reputation, so he gave up. “I’m going hunting in the mountains tomorrow. Will you come?”

“Perfect, I need to gather firewood,” Ye Qingzhi understood they couldn’t be too public and nodded in agreement to meet there.

The End.