Jiang's mother returned to the hotel and said to Jiang's father, "I don't think this marriage will work."
"Why not?" asked Jiang's father.
"Our son is childish and doesn't understand. A marriage requires a match of social status."
When it came to a match of social status, Jiang's father understood, "What era are we in that we still talk about matching social status?"
Jiang's father, a straightforward man, was of lesser means than Jiang's mother when he pursued her as a soldier. Yet, Jiang's mother didn't look down on him.
"It's the era of 'phoenix men'. It's more common for wealthy women to marry poor men. Wealthy men being picky about marrying poor women—that's what you see in second marriages. Our son isn't missing any limbs or anything; he's successful, with a bright future. He doesn't need to settle for an older, poor woman that nobody else wants," Jiang's mother explained, making clear the current trends in marriage.
Manman has three fatal flaws, her lack of career success, poor family background, and her age.
"Have you met the girl's family?" Jiang's father, convinced by Jiang's mother's serious tone, thought she must have investigated thoroughly.
"I've asked around. She works at a small advertising company, earning less than two thousand a month as a junior employee, not even managing to become a supervisor. I don't understand what my son sees in her. A poor family background is no issue if she could at least be presentable, but our son is now a military officer, set to further his studies at the National Defense University. Can he marry a woman like that? She'll be laughed at wherever she goes," said Jiang's mother.
These words truly resonated with Jiang's father. Wealth was one thing, but whether her cultural and social levels were compatible was another matter entirely. Who says soldiers don't need social skills—especially officers, who must navigate through society.
Put oneself in the other's shoes. Jiang's father was hesitant, on one side agreeing with Jiang's mother about not wanting their son to regret marrying the wrong woman, while on the other not wanting to bind their son's significant decision with outdated views.
Even the most righteous parents have their biases.
That was the case with Jiang's father and mother.
At the Wen Family's place, Zhang Qiuyan paid a visit to Xu Yu'e, saying she had found a suitable match for Manman.
That day at the company, Manman, as usual, finished her work, washed her hands, then pulled out her phone to check for calls and text messages. A bunch of text messages, basically one every hour, all from the same person—Jiang Yan.
Chun Xia, who sneaked a look, giggled at her phone screen and teased, "Love letters, perhaps?"
"I haven't looked." Manman dared not open them; with the chaos at home, she had no confidence at all.
"Open it; maybe there's a surprise?" Chun Xia snatched the phone from her hands and pressed the button.
A string of text messages unfolded, and while they weren't as explicit in identity as Chun Xia had hoped, they were filled with genuine affection that warmed the heart to read.
"Reply to him," urged Chun Xia, feeling it was too cold to ignore someone like that, "anything is fine to say."
Manman turned away and pressed a few keys on her phone. Chun Xia stood on tiptoe, trying to see but couldn't make out what she was writing. No matter, she thought, she'd ask Du Yu to find out from Jiang Yan later.
Jiang Yan was staying at Du Yu's house, feeling anxious like an ant on a hot pan, not stopping for a second without a response to his day's worth of unreplied text messages.
Du Yu said: Manman is the type to not look at her phone until she's finished her work.
Finally, as work hours ended—WHOOSH—a text message arrived!
Opening it, he read: "Let's spend more time getting to know each other."
Regardless, receiving a reply was good news. He sent several more text messages.
On her way home, Manman was constantly receiving and replying to text messages. When she got off the bus, she nearly tripped over her feet and exclaimed irritably, "Mr. Jiang, if I had fallen, how would you take responsibility?"
Whoosh, a reply in less than a few seconds—I'll take care of you for a lifetime.
Manman quickly closed the message and covered her burning cheeks with her hands.
"Sis—" Yuanyuan had just come back from school and bumped into her at the door.
Thankfully, she was facing away as she spoke. Manman took a deep breath and tried to make conversation, "Are mom and dad back yet?"
"Oh. Sister Haoxue called me. She said Aunt Xu came to see mom today," said Yuanyuan excitedly, gripping Manman's arm tightly.
Pulled by her sister, Manman entered her home unguarded, walked into the living room, and suddenly saw Aunt Xu, her parents, and a man, who appeared to be somewhat older, in a suit and tie, sitting on the best long couch in the house, especially the way he sat—typical of a middle-aged man to immediately spread his legs upon sitting. For a moment, Manman thought he was a friend of her father's and greeted him: "Uncle."
In the living room, the once beaming faces of Xu Yu'e and Zhang Qiuyan both tensed up.
Wen Shixuan, who was smoking with his head down, looked up at his wife and said, "I told you so, this isn't right."
"Shut your mouth!" Xu Yu'e glared at him with furrowed brows.
Wen Shixuan lowered his head again.
Manman didn't understand what was going on.
Yuanyuan had heard from Wen Haoxue on the phone and was now eagerly pushing her to sit next to the man, saying, "This is the new boyfriend Aunt Xu introduced to Sister."
Her ears were buzzing. Manman's gaze fixed on the three smiling faces of Xu Yu'e, Zhang Qiuyan, and Yuanyuan while her hand touched the bag containing her phone, her breathing almost stopping.
"Manman, this is Brother Jin, a friend of a colleague of your Aunt Xu," explained Xu Yu'e, pushing her elder daughter to sit on the couch, thinking she was just being shy.
However, Manman's feet refused to move an inch.
Seeing something was amiss, Zhang Qiuyan quickly stopped Xu Yu'e from pushing her, as it was too obvious and even the man sitting on the couch, Jin Ruowen, felt embarrassed.
Manman had just pulled away from her mother's hand when she dashed into her room. Leaning against the door, her heart was pounding fiercely, throbbing against her eardrums.
"Manman. Manman." Knocking a few times and seeing no response from her daughter, Xu Yu'e would have scolded her if it weren't for the man being there.
Zhang Qiuyan came out to smooth things over, saying to Jin Ruowen, "I'm sorry. She's shy."
"I can tell she's a good girl," said Jin Ruowen, his tone unconcerned and wearing a smile that didn't seem feigned.
Was he actually pleased?
Xu Yu'e and Zhang Qiuyan exchanged glances.
"Let's do this. Let's meet at a restaurant next time. I'll treat, at Huasheng Restaurant," Jin Ruowen said as he stood up, his tone accustomed to not allowing anyone to refuse.
Huasheng Restaurant, the city's well-known five-star restaurant where abalone and shark's fin were not an issue. Xu Yu'e's eyes sparkled, feeling as if she were dreaming.
Zhang Qiuyan sent Jin Ruowen to the door and returned to claim credit from Xu Yu'e: "See, I was right, wasn't I? He's a company owner, and although he's a bit older, just in his forties, his daughter is only about the same age as Yuanyuan. His ex-wife has gone abroad, and they have no ties. Among men, he is considered top-notch."
"Top-notch?" Wen Shixuan stood up and crushed his cigarette butt forcefully, "You want Manman to become a stepmother, to be a stepmother to a girl the same age as her sister, what kind of aunt does that?"