The old Daoist Qingyun and Maternal Granduncle Yu Youcai stepped outside.
Yu Youcai bid farewell to the old Daoist, preparing to leave.
"Aren't you coming back with ?" the old Daoist asked.Yu Youcai shook his head and said, "I'm going to wander around."
"Going to see Qiaozhen again?" the old Daoist questioned.
Yu Youcai didn't answer, which was a silent admission.
The old Daoist, frustrated by his lack of resolve, said, "You didn't have this courage when you were alive, yet you're so infatuated in death.
How pathetic. Back then, Yu Third Master, what an incredible figure he was, but alas… sigh…"
The Yu Third Master the old Daoist ntioned was the Maternal Granduncle's grandfather, and also Shen Siyuan's great-great-grandfather.
He had been a remarkable figure in his ti, but ti waits for no one. Everything fades with the wind, and now, how many people still rember him? He left not a single trace in this world.
Hearing this, Yu Youcai didn't respond. He simply cupped his hands in a farewell gesture to the old Daoist and drifted away.
The old Daoist watched his retreating figure, then turned his head to look at the second floor behind him.
"To think that the one most like Yu Third Master would be a descendant with a different surna."
The old Daoist paused for a mont, then also drifted away.
*
"Siyuan, get up! What ti is it? You're still sleeping."
In a daze, Shen Siyuan heard his Mom knocking on the door.
He opened his eyes. The sky was already bright, and sunlight stread through the gaps in the curtains, forming pillars of light on the floor.
He grabbed his mobile phone and glanced at it. It was already nine in the morning.
"I'm up, stop knocking."
Shen Siyuan shouted, then got out of bed, threw on his clothes haphazardly, and walked over to open the door.
His mom had already left.
"Mom, why didn't you wake up earlier?" Shen Siyuan called out.
"There was nothing to do this morning, why would I wake you up so early? I wanted you to sleep in a little longer," his mom's voice ca from downstairs.
'This is really… that's not what she said when she was knocking just now.
'
Perhaps all mothers were like this. They wanted you to sleep a little longer, but they also didn't want you to sleep too much.
"Didn't you say I have a blind date this morning? Don't tell it's in the afternoon. I'm telling you, I have sothing else to do this afternoon," Shen Siyuan said as he ca downstairs.
"What could you possibly have to do this afternoon?" his mom said dismissively.
"It's personal. I'm eting a friend."
His mom, who was shelling beans with her head down, looked up at him and asked, "Who is it?"
"You wouldn't know them even if I told you."
Shen Siyuan was helpless.
This was one of the reasons why he was unwilling to co back to his hotown and manage the chicken farm with his dad.
She had to pry into everything, ask about everything, down to the last detail.
She wanted to control him, leaving him with no secrets.
"A forr classmate of mine.
You don't know them," Shen Siyuan gave her a random excuse.
Only then did his mom say, "The congee is on the table.
It's cooled down, so you can drink it right up. Hurry and finish eating.
Your Seventh Aunt will be here soon to take you."
Hearing that it wasn't in the afternoon, Shen Siyuan breathed a sigh of relief.
"Alright, I got it."
His mom then looked him up and down.
"Go to the bathroom and fix your hair. It's a ss, you have no image at all.
And can you change your clothes…"
Ignoring her nagging, Shen Siyuan went straight to the bathroom to wash up.
He had just eaten half of his breakfast when Seventh Aunt arrived.
Seventh Aunt was actually just a title used in the village; she wasn't actually related to Shen Siyuan's family.
Seventh Aunt was a little younger than his mom, a slightly plump middle-aged woman with a particularly loud voice and a habit of laughing twice before she started speaking.
"Teacher Huang, are you ho? Have you had breakfast yet?"
"I am, I was just waiting for you," his mom quickly put down her work and went out to greet her.
Shen Siyuan also quickly shoveled the rest of the congee into his stomach and took the bowl and chopsticks to the kitchen.
By the ti he ca out of the kitchen, his mom had already led Seventh Aunt into the house.
"Morning, Seventh Aunt," Shen Siyuan quickly greeted her.
If he had hesitated for even a mont, his mom would probably have started lecturing him again.
Seeing Shen Siyuan, Seventh Aunt said with a wide smile, "Siyuan is such a fine young man.
You've got to put in so effort today. Strive to get married this year and let your mom hold her grandson next year."
Shen Siyuan glanced at his mom, just in ti to et her gaze.
He imdiately averted his eyes guiltily, and his mom gave him a couple of light, exasperated punches.
"You'd better make your mother proud."
After two punches, she started straightening his collar for him.
"Is Old Shen not ho?" Seventh Aunt asked.
"He went to the chicken farm," his mom replied.
"Let's go, let's not delay. The sooner we go, the sooner we'll be back."
Although it was in the neighboring village, it would still take so ti to walk there.
Once they were out the door, Shen Siyuan asked, "Seventh Aunt, you still haven't told , which family's daughter did you set up with?"
"The daughter of Zhang Laowai from Shiqiao Village. She's two years younger than you.
Don't mind Zhang Laowai's looks, his daughter is as pretty as a picture…"
"Zhang Laowai?" Shen Siyuan almost stumbled.
He certainly knew who Zhang Laowai was, because Zhang Laowai's son, Zhang Haibo, was his classmate.
Because Zhang Laowai had a crooked mouth, they had nicknad Zhang Haibo "Little Laowai."
Because of this nickna, Zhang Haibo had gotten into quite a few fights.
If it were today, he'd be considered a real-life "smirking overlord."
The two families didn't live far from each other and both belonged to Clearwater Town, so they had attended the sa school from elentary to junior high.
So not only did they know each other, but they had also been on pretty good terms. Therefore, Shen Siyuan had naturally t his younger sister.
He rembered a dark, skinny, snot-nosed girl. This was what Seventh Aunt called "pretty as a picture"?
But since they were already on their way, he couldn't just say he wasn't going.
He might as well et her and see.
Just then, he heard Seventh Aunt, who was sitting behind him, add, "Seventh Aunt introduced three potential partners to her.
You're the last one she's eting today."
Hearing this, Shen Siyuan thought, 'It's already like this, and you're still making go? What if she takes a liking to one of the previous guys? Won't this be a wasted trip?'
But then he heard Seventh Aunt say.
"The first two weren't as handso as you, and their circumstances weren't as good as yours. Seventh Aunt did it on purpose. Let her et a couple of duds first, so when she ets you, the chance of success will be much higher."
Good heavens, even a blind date required tactics.
"Thank you, Seventh Aunt. You've gone to so much trouble," Shen Siyuan said.
"It's nothing. What kind of relationship do your mom and I have?" Seventh Aunt said with a chuckle.
Sohow, that sounded like an insult.
When they arrived at Shiqiao Village, Shen Siyuan headed towards Zhang Laowai's house with practiced ease.
Seeing this, Seventh Aunt asked, "You know where Zhang Laowai's house is?"
"I was classmates with his son," Shen Siyuan said.
"Oh my, that's wonderful! If you take a liking to the girl, it'll make your families even closer," Seventh Aunt said.
Shen Siyuan looked mortified. How would this count as making their families closer?
He'd better hope Zhang Haibo didn't find out and reenact the drama of "I thought you were my brother, but you're hitting on my sister," and just beat him up on the spot.
But speaking of which, he and Zhang Haibo hadn't seen each other in years.
Although they were just in neighboring villages not far apart, the two had rarely t since high school.
"Is Zhang Laowai's son, Zhang Haibo, also ho today?" Shen Siyuan asked.
"He's not.
But I heard his son is doing incredibly well now, made a fortune in Coconut City," Seventh Aunt said, eyeing him as she spoke.
'Seventh Aunt, what's with that look?'
Shen Siyuan felt like he was being looked down on.
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