"Male, thirty years old, handsome, 180 cm tall. A graduate of an Ivy League school in the United States with a master's degree in finance. An elite returning from abroad with an annual salary of one million, owns a house and car with no loans. Now seeking a same-sex friend, requirements: similar age, good-looking, bachelor's degree or above, stable and legitimate career, preferably in a government agency or public service, gentle personality, and ideally can cook. Those interested, please contact 1520501XXXX, no contact from the opposite sex."
This familiar flyer-style message, with its factory-line resume, made it seem like Rupert He would feel awkward even pretending to be a scammer without having graduated from an Ivy League school.
Rupert He was speechless: "…Mom, where did this flyer come from?"
Fiona Lai responded, "Where else could it come from?"
Rupert He replied, "…"
Rupert He's parents, Fiona Lai and Yvonne He, had been regularly visiting the People's Park matchmaking corner every Thursday afternoon at 4:30 PM for the past six months.
At this time, most of the parents representing the opposite sex were finishing up their matchmaking sessions and preparing to go home for dinner. The few parents who came to look for same-sex matches would appear during this slightly dimmer but still not very dark gap, quietly meeting with others, exchanging information, and looking for suitable matches.
The matchmaking corner at People's Park was probably the only one in the entire country where same-sex matchmaking took place.
For parents who had spent their lives obsessed with getting their children married, even if they had accepted that their child was gay, they still could not accept that their child was single.
"People must form families!" Fiona Lai declared. "A thirty-one-year-old man, still living with his old parents, what's that all about?! Hurry up and find a partner, live on your own!"
Rupert He couldn't help but argue, "Who lives at home every day? I only come back on weekends."
During the workweek, Rupert He lived in a small apartment close to his office.
Even though he only came home on weekends, his parents still found him a bother. Half a year ago, they had somehow learned that the People's Park matchmaking corner had same-sex matchmaking, so they immediately wrote up a flyer, printed it, and headed to the park every Thursday.
It was rare for parents to accept a child's unconventional sexual orientation, let alone actively look for a match for them. Therefore, in the past six months, only three suitable candidates had appeared, and Rupert He had met all of them.
He had always gone along with his parents' wishes and rarely rebelled against them. He had studied sports, was tall and strong, with a rebellious-looking appearance. However, in reality, he was the opposite of his outward appearance. He had always been obedient, and even though he wasn't happy about the arranged meetings, he had gone to see each of them one by one.
But this time was different.
Rupert He said, "A hundred percent scammer, you absolutely shouldn't contact them!"
His mom replied, "Too late."
Rupert He sighed and glanced at his dad, who was admiring the jasmine tea in a glass teacup. The light green tea leaves were slowly unfurling in the hot water, looking beautiful.
Yvonne He savored the tea's aroma and said calmly, "Why are you so anxious? Your mom already contacted the other family, and I heard it, seems pretty reliable to me."
"Exactly! Your dad and I have installed anti-fraud apps, and we won't transfer any money or click on suspicious links. How could we possibly be scammed? Saturday, 6:30 PM, at Yun Jing Pavilion. We'll meet the other family and have dinner." Fiona Lai settled herself on the couch, picked up the remote control, and assumed a commanding tone, making it clear there was no room for argument.
Rupert He stood there, stunned.
Wait, they're already meeting the other family?
Before he could speak up, his mom turned on the TV and started playing a historical drama.
"Watch TV and stop talking!"
Rupert He sighed and sat in silence.
Saturday afternoon, Fiona Lai and Yvonne He dressed up with great care and went to the dinner. Rupert He, in a black hoodie, jeans, and sneakers, stuffed his phone in his pocket and was ready to leave.
His dad wore polished leather shoes, and his mom held a stylish handbag, both giving him disapproving looks from head to toe.
Rupert He pretended not to see them and drove off in his small BYD electric car, and the family set off.
Yun Jing Pavilion was an old, prestigious restaurant in the city center. At this time, the city center was a bit congested. Despite leaving early, the family still encountered a rear-end collision that caused a long traffic jam. They barely made it to Yun Jing Pavilion just in time.
Fiona Lai and Yvonne He, worried about being late and the possibility of not finding a parking spot, went upstairs first, leaving Rupert He to park.
Unexpectedly, as soon as Rupert He entered the underground parking lot, he lucked out and found a spot where another car was leaving. He parked quickly and pressed the elevator button, heading upstairs to find the reserved room. He followed the room number his parents had given him and quickly arrived.
But just as he reached the door of the room, he heard the sound of an argument from inside.
The door wasn't fully closed, and Rupert He stood outside, awkwardly listening to the conversation clearly.
"This is absurd!" A male voice was restrained and angry. "How could you deceive me like this?! How could you print my personal information on a flyer and spread it everywhere?!"
Rupert He's heart sank. He had a bad feeling.
It seemed that his parents hadn't yet found the room, but the other family was already in conflict.
A soft, female voice responded, "I didn't spread it everywhere. I had spoken to the other family first, and after thinking their conditions were good and met our requirements, I showed them your information."
"Met the requirements? Whose requirements? When did you know what my requirements were? You can't just meet anyone on the street and decide their conditions are good!"
The woman's voice remained calm, "They have a proper job, are college graduates, and seem really nice. You two will definitely get along."
The man laughed coldly, his voice bordering on hysteria.
"College graduate? What college? 211 or 985? Master's or Doctorate? What are we supposed to talk about? Talk about financing or investment, markets or risks?"
Rupert He, a regular undergraduate, remained silent outside the door.
Er…
He didn't blame the other person for being angry. After all, he knew that an Ivy League graduate with a finance master's degree was quite a different league.
"Well, you're looking for a partner, not a colleague—"
"I've told you many times, I'm fine on my own! I don't need a mediocre person to settle down and live a monotonous life!"
"Humans need to engage in social activities, it's good for mental health—"
Rupert He could feel the frustration in the room rising. The man was clearly losing his temper.
"I'm just a solitary person. I'm not social, I'm dull, and I'm gloomy. Being in a relationship would make me disgusted and sick! Please, stop arranging these blind dates for me. I don't want this meal. I'm leaving."
Rupert He turned around, eager to escape, to avoid facing the person and making things even more awkward.
It seemed like the person was indeed an Ivy League graduate with a finance master's degree, and everything on the flyer was true.
But the problem was, they weren't interested in him.
Rupert He was about to step away when he heard his parents' voices coming around the corner.
"See, I told you the room is Qing He, you insisted it was Bai Lian."
"… It's near water… similar…" Yvonne He muttered in a low voice.
"I told you to wait for the staff to show us the way, but you insisted on doing it yourself—"
Nowadays, restaurant rooms weren't numbered with digits; instead, they had names like "Qing He," "Shan Cha," or "Jin Gui." It was hard for Fiona Lai and Yvonne He to figure out the correct floor, so they had wandered around for a while.
Rupert He had overheard more than he should, and only then did they arrive.
At this moment, Rupert He felt trapped—he couldn't move forward, nor could he turn back.
He thought quickly and shouted, "Mom, Dad, Qing He is here!"
His parents turned around and saw him.
His mom said, "You're faster than we are."
Rupert He turned back, and sure enough, saw a young man standing outside the Qing He room, dressed in a sharp suit, neatly tied tie, immaculate hairstyle, and holding a black leather briefcase, looking stunned at him.
Rupert He froze.
The flyer hadn't lied a single word, not a bit of exaggeration.
The young man was not just handsome; he was stunning, almost sculptural, like a perfect model of a magazine elite; his demeanor screamed of someone who had received an exceptional education.
No wonder he was so angry.
Someone like him shouldn't be at a matchmaking session in a restaurant like this. He should be attending galas, conferences, and art salons, meeting and getting to know other elites who matched his caliber.
How had he ended up at a blind date with someone like Rupert He?
It was almost unbelievable.