This sort of thing had happened before in Capital City, as Yun Xiaoxiao saw.
Not far from a jewelry store, there was a noodle shop that, because of its delicious flavors, naturally did great business, but then it was slandered and had to close down after being reported.
Healthy competition is tolerable, but this malicious competition was over the line.
"I’ve seen a noodle shop get schemed against because it was doing well and had to shut down."
Schemed against and closed down?
"There are just too many envious people out there. Didn’t you handle some post-sale issues with electric rice cookers before?"
Zhao Tianlei did recall that particular incident.
Somebody had come in carrying an electric rice cooker claiming it was giving electric shocks. Upon inspection, it turned out that the electrical wiring in their home was aging and leaking electricity. They were fortunate to have discovered it early, or it could have led to a family disaster.
In any case, many people had rather odd excuses.
Leaving Zhao Tianlei at a loss for words.
As soon as Wang Jianguo finished work, he went to look for Zhao Xinxin.
How did he know when Zhao Xinxin finished work?
Why would he continue to be interested in her after hearing what his second brother said?
Zhao Xinxin had gained some confidence, but Wang Jianguo was clearly a first-time husband, and she had already been divorced.
It was somewhat of a mismatch in status.
"Is there something you need, Officer Wang?"
If there wasn’t, she was going home.
"I’ll walk you home; I’m off work too."
Zhao Xinxin wanted to decline, but Wang Jianguo was already by her side.
"Comrade Zhao, there are four people in my family, my elder sister is married."
Why are you telling me this?
"I’m twenty-five years old this year."
Twenty-five years old?
Although Zhao Xinxin married and divorced, she had married early.
She was married at eighteen.
After three years of marriage, she divorced at twenty-one.
This year, she was twenty-three.
Still younger than Officer Wang.
"What about you, Comrade Zhao?"
Wang Jianguo actually had attended some matchmaking sessions, so he was aware of self-introductions.
Zhao Xinxin initially didn’t want to reply but thought about what her sister-in-law had said, try and see? If it’s not a good fit, they could just part ways, right?
Did she really not want to remarry?
"I have two older brothers and an elder sister. Both my eldest brother and sister are married, but my second brother is not."
"Do you also have a Third Brother?"
He recalled Comrade Zhao calling another Comrade Zhao "Third Brother."
They must be from the same family.
"That’s my uncle’s son from my dad’s side."
So there are four siblings in Comrade Zhao’s family.
"I was able to come to Capital City because my Third Brother and sister-in-law got admitted to a university here."
Got into a university in Capital City?
They were college students?
He hadn’t really looked into that.
He only knew about the jewelry store, the electrical appliance store, and now there was this clothing store, all of which had some connections to the Zhao Family.
"Comrade Zhao, I would like to date you with the intention of marriage, would that be alright?"
Date with the intention of marriage?
This left Zhao Xinxin unsure how to respond.
"But I’ve been divorced, your family surely won’t just overlook that."
Some things needed to be clarified.
She didn’t want to deceive him.
Better to be upfront from the very beginning.
She had planned not to look for someone else so soon.
Perhaps having gone through a previous relationship, she didn’t want to touch upon it again.
Last year during the New Year’s visit home, her parents had asked her about finding someone again.
But she really didn’t want to.
"My parents are very open-minded, as long as I like you, that’s all that matters," Wang Jianguo could feel her relenting.
It was crucial to stay positive about the matter.
Perhaps he was going to be someone with a romantic prospect very soon.