Several girls, after being scolded by Zhang Guihua, felt awkward to continue helping, but they did not think of leaving either, so they just sat there with flushed faces, occasionally stealing glances at Fang Zhiyuan.
One of the bolder girls, seeing Fang Zhiyuan reading a book, summoned her courage and leaned over to take a look before asking softly, "That, Comrade Fang, what are you reading?"
Fang Zhiyuan, upon seeing the young girl asking him this, then lowering her head as if afraid to meet his gaze, smiled kindly and said, "I’m reading ’War and Peace,’ written by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy."
"Ah, that’s, that’s good, then you keep reading," the girl stuttered and then stood up to walk out quickly.
Seeing her leave, the girl who came with her also followed her out, looking puzzled.
"What happened? What happened? Dani, why did you run away after just one sentence with him? I saw that he wasn’t fierce at all," the girls asked as they chased after her. Google seaʀᴄh 𝗇𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗅•𝖿𝗂𝗋𝖾•𝗇𝖾𝗍
"He, he isn’t fierce, but he’s not from the same world as us, I couldn’t understand a word he said, and do you know? The book he was reading, all the characters in it were all curled and twisted, I couldn’t recognize a single word," the girl said with a look of lost disappointment.
Upon hearing this, the other girls also realized this fact.
Yes, a person like him, the words he spoke, the books he read, they could neither understand nor read them.
Moreover, since he was Yu Cheng’s uncle, his family background must certainly not be ordinary; they simply weren’t from the same world, and it eventually was just their wishful thinking.
Although somewhat downhearted, the girls who figured this out also moved on quickly.
"Dani, you’re right, I’ll go home with you, my mom also told me to come back early to work," one girl said.
"Right, I’m going back home to work too, my mom can’t handle it alone," another added.
After saying this, the girls went home together.
The girls left, but several older women who came afterward still hadn’t left.
They sat next to Zhang Guihua and, although they were talking to Jiang family members, they mentioned Fang Zhiyuan every third sentence, always trying to learn more about his situation.
"Comrade Fang, how old are you this year? Are you married?"
"Comrade Fang, are you also from Capital City? Why did you come here for New Year this year? Did you come to visit relatives, or are you here for work?"
The village’s elder women asked all at once.
Fang Zhiyuan, listening to their questions, picked a few he could answer, "Aunties, I’m twenty-nine this year, not yet married, and I’m here to visit relatives."
Previously, Jiang Dashan and Zhang Guihua had said to regard the Jiang family like relatives, so he said as much.
"Not married, that’s perfect, Comrade Fang. I have a granddaughter, a few years younger than you, and she’s also single. You two are just suitable for each other. Why don’t you come with me to my house later to see my granddaughter? If you think she’s suitable, we could settle this matter?" Grandma Diao, who had always been at odds with Zhang Guihua, eagerly stared at Fang Zhiyuan, vigorously trying to set them up.
Fang Zhiyuan had not expected that visiting Stone Bridge Village for the New Year would lead to being introduced to potential matches, and he quickly declined, "Auntie, thanks for your kindness, but I’m not considering these matters for now."
"Hey, Comrade Fang, you’re not thinking right. Look, you’re already twenty-nine this year, and after New Year, you’ll be thirty. Although it’s said there’s no issue with men marrying late, having a wife and kids to warm your bed makes life much more savory. My granddaughter is the flower of Stone Bridge Village, with a chest and buttocks that guarantee sons in continuity. Marrying my granddaughter would absolutely be no loss for you," Grandma Diao continued to persuade him after being rejected.