Bai Xue returned home with a heavy heart. Ye Qian had been busy preparing for company matters lately. She knew her mother went to the hospital today. Seeing her mother’s worried face, Ye Qian didn’t feel like asking but instead shared what she’d seen during the day.
"Mom, I saw Sister at the city library today. She was with a few people from the compound, including Zhang Linong, holding a book, apparently borrowing it." Ye Qian looked curious, "Mom, you won’t believe it. Sister was wearing a red and black checkered dress, it was so pretty. I’ve never seen anything like it around here; I don’t know where she got it."
"She was at the library?" Bai Xue snapped back to the present, "Has she been going to the library these days, or was it her first time?"
"I don’t know about that. Why?" Ye Qian shook her head.
Bai Xue looked at her daughter’s fresh face and sighed, "Qianqian, tell Mom, have you thought about what kind of boyfriend you want in the future?"
Ye Qian blushed, "Mom, why are you asking about this?"
"Silly child, you’re about to start working at the company. You’re not a little girl anymore. How can Mom not think about this? There’s no one else here; why be shy?"
Ye Qian smiled shyly, "Mom, Sister is older than me. If you’re worried, you should think about her first, then me last."
However, she became cautious at the notion of her mother asking this out of the blue. After reflecting on her mother’s seemingly worried demeanor upon her return, Ye Qian shifted the subject to Ye Ling. Besides, Ye Qian’s heart had always been set on Brother Zhiyuan, which her mother surely noticed, hinting at a potential connection between the two families. But now, her mother suddenly brought it up, which was so unusual that Ye Qian couldn’t help but ponder deeply.
Bai Xue, who had been puzzling over how to respond to Director Li’s wife’s matchmaking talk next time, was suddenly enlightened by her daughter’s remark. She mumbled, "Yes, Ye Ling is older, and she studies well. Why didn’t I think of this before?"
"Mom, what’s really going on? Why are you talking to yourself here?" Ye Qian teased, "Just tell me."
"It’s nothing. Grandma Ye mentioned matchmaking Shen Bin again today." Bai Xue looked at her daughter, uncertain how to continue for fear of hurting her feelings.
Seeing her mother’s hesitation, Ye Qian joked, "You’re staring at me like that, could it be me they’re interested in? But I’m too young. Sister will be eighteen next year; she’s the right one."
Though smiling sweetly, Ye Qian’s heart sank.
Shen Bin is quite remarkable in the company, but at home, she always calls him Uncle Shen. So what if Director Li adores Shen Bin? Isn’t it improper for him to be eyeing someone so much younger?
Seeing her daughter was perceptive, Bai Xue was both pleased and pained. "You silly child. Grandma Ye was just mentioning it in passing. She didn’t say anything else, only praised you when talking about Shen Bin. That’s when I started thinking about it. If there were really anything serious, it wouldn’t involve you; there’s Ye Ling ahead of you."
Hoping not to offend the superior’s family, the only option left, if the proposal arises again, is to push the elder daughter forward. There’s simply no other way.
Ye Qian laughed upon hearing this, "Mom, surely Grandma Ye doesn’t seriously want to match with our family, right? Although we call him Uncle Shen, I’ve heard he’s not much older than us. Now he’s a director, and his future is surely bright. Besides, whenever there were problems at our house, he always came rushing to help. He’s quite reliable, and Sister really trusts him."
Bai Xue nodded, "Now that you mention it, it really does make sense."
"However, we shouldn’t overthink this. Grandma Ye certainly doesn’t mean it like that, since Uncle Shen has been divorced." Ye Qian hesitated, "Even if he is a good person, Dad wouldn’t agree to it. It would upset Dad towards Mom; that wouldn’t be good either." Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs NoveI-Fire.ɴet
"Hmph, your dad only gets angry with me and doesn’t even consider that such a superior could make his life tough at the company. He’d only blame me for his hardships then." Bai Xue tucked her daughter’s hair behind her ear, "Your hair is getting long. When you start working at the company, you’ll need to get it cut. We might as well do it at home; it’ll look fine."
Ye Qian nodded, noticing her mother’s understanding, and no longer hinted at any other thoughts. Meanwhile, Ye Ling in the bungalow had no idea she was being set up. The summer break passed quickly, mostly spent alone at the bungalow, passing time with a borrowed copy of "Dream of the Red Chamber" from Zhang Linong. Before long, her father arrived, mentioning the upcoming factory festival. Aware she couldn’t escape it, Ye Ling agreed to return to the compound early that morning, joining everyone on the ride to the factory.
That morning, Ye Ling especially groomed herself. After more than half a month’s rest, she seemed a bit plumper compared to school days. Wearing a snug-fit checkered dress reaching just below her knees and sporting a ponytail, the slightly yellowed white sneakers still had remnants of their original brightness. Ye Ling didn’t find it unsightly. Her single eyelids combined with a sharp face weren’t the conventional big-eyed beauty standard, but her look was delicate and charming.
Arriving at the compound’s gates early, Ye Ling saw families gathered there. Song Mei and Jiang Yan were chatting with Ye Qian. Both Song Mei and Jiang Yan had managed to get into high school after repeating a year, finally feeling triumphant. Nevertheless, upon seeing Ye Ling approach, they toned down their demeanor. After all, Ye Ling was now well-known in the compound, not only getting into college herself but also helping Zhao Guodong and others to skip grades and get accepted too.
No need for anyone to go over; Zhang Linong and Wang Ping approached. Upon seeing Ye Ling’s look, Wang Ping was quite stunned, "You’ve changed your look today."
Ye Ling knew he meant she looked better today and smiled, "I can’t look all drab, can I?"
Glancing at Zhang Linong and Wang Ping, Ye Ling realized these once peers are now almost two heads taller than her. Indeed, boys grow so fast, like sprouting grain spikes, shooting straight up.
Bai Xue, amidst the lively crowd, enjoyed a conversation with the compound residents. Suddenly sensing a movement beside her, she glanced up to see her elder daughter approaching. Bai Xue’s smile faded slightly. This daughter of hers was unappreciative, not even greeting her in front of everyone, leaving people looking at her awkwardly.
Bai Xue was irritated but had to keep smiling and chatting with the others until the bus arrived, with no sign of the elder daughter approaching or speaking to her. Seething inside without a solution, she could only watch her daughter, who was causing her such frustration, sitting at the back, chatting and laughing with others. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you’re welcome to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets at Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read at m.qidian.com.)