Chapter 1
He decided to leave the suitcase at the entrance of the supermarket and walked into the food section with Qiao Nuan. The supermarket was warm, and at this hour, there were not many people around; the air was filled with the mixed aromas of various foods. Qiao Nuan pushed the shopping cart, picking and choosing, examining everything she came across. Although she knew that this behavior of procrastinating was quite childish, she still held onto the mindset that every moment she could delay was worth it, wandering back and forth in the relatively small food section.
Then, what does Mr. Liu rely on to determine responsibility or lack thereof
However, to be fair, the suitor is quite knowledgeable. As long as we avoid certain areas of irreconcilable viewpoints, they can still share experiences quite easily on topics such as how to more effectively peel a tomato. Yet, when the conversation meanders from tomatoes to white rice, then to the concepts of white moonlight and vermilion mole, and eventually to the works of the esteemed Jin Yong, particularly "The Legend of the Condor Heroes," the suitor raises a practical question: "So, is Miss Qiao still a virgin?"
How many relationships has Miss Qiao had?
He looked at her meaningfully and said, "As you wish"
Qiao Nuan pulled the corners of her drooping mouth up a little, "It should be."
Qiao Nuan was momentarily taken aback by the almost offensive directness of his stern words, and only then did she formally raise her head to observe the man she was set up with. He was wearing a dark gray knitted sweater, with the collar of his shirt visible, and his tie was tied with great seriousness. His glasses had a somewhat outdated style, and his beard was meticulously shaved. The gaze that came through the lenses was as earnest as his words, resembling a textbook on moral education printed in Song typeface. Qiao Nuan felt a slight urge to laugh, but managed to suppress it in time. "Mr. Liu, what do you think constitutes the desecration of the sanctity of love?"
Their seating position was not particularly good, and the table behind Qiao Nuan was even worse. The space was narrow and directly faced the kitchen entrance, making it a spot that typically remained unoccupied. However, today was the weekend, and the restaurant was packed, so that table had to accommodate guests. The issue this caused was that the back of Qiao Nuan's chair was pressed against the chair of the person behind her, and even slight movements from either party would affect the other. Feeling uncomfortable, Qiao Nuan shifted her chair slightly inward and then replied to her blind date, "The house is currently under mortgage."
Therefore, Miss Qiao, you are still not married to this day
No. "How to answer?" However, without further explanation, holding the suitcase's handle, he said, "I came back in a hurry and haven't booked a hotel yet. Can I stay at your place for one night?"
Finally, He Jue carried a large bag of items while Qiao Nuan dragged his suitcase into the elevator. In such a cramped space, He Jue's presence became exceptionally strong. Qiao Nuan fixed her gaze on the constantly changing Arabic numerals, then forced herself to repeatedly recall the words she had spoken that day. This method proved quite effective, at least restoring her anxious intelligence to a normal level
Only when it seemed that the other side finally agreed did the girl contentedly hang up the phone. Qiao Nuan also withdrew her gaze and walked alone into the swirling snow.
He lightly snorted, "Nonsense"
"Eat your grandmother's leg!" Qiao Nuan angrily put down her chopsticks and stared at the man across from her. "Mr. Liu..." However, before she could finish her sentence, a clear voice laced with sarcasm rang out: "Qiao Nuan, you are really getting more and more successful at being a mess." The chair behind Qiao Nuan was pulled back, and a tall figure stood up.
The chair behind Qiao Nuan, which had been ignored, moved closer. This time, her patience was completely exhausted. She forcefully pulled the chair inward, causing its legs to scrape loudly against the floor, instantly drawing the attention of those around her. The embarrassment and anger at that moment made Qiao Nuan want to wrap her blood-red scarf around her face and quickly escape from this humiliating scene.
The sound of the rolling suitcase on the ground made her thoughts even more chaotic as she followed half a step behind her. This reunion was too unexpected; she had even consciously ruled out the possibility of them meeting again. Now that it had happened, she could only brace herself and take it one step at a time. After all, she knew that in the coming period, there would be no chance for peaceful days.
The weary fake smile remained plastered on her face, so Qiao Nuan was too lazy to ponder whether her smile was becoming even more rigid at that moment: "Yes."
Qiao Nuan was completely speechless, thinking to herself, aren't you also in your forties and still unmarried? She took a few deep breaths and ultimately did not allow her sharp tongue to ruin the already limited good impression the blind date had of her
The man at the blind date pushed up his glasses and said, "In my view of love, establishing a relationship irresponsibly, as well as any form of premarital sexual behavior, is a desecration of love"
Qiao Nuan looked at the supermarket's lightbox sign with an unprecedented fervent gaze, as if she had encountered a savior. "I want to buy some hot pot base and vegetables to cook hot pot at home," she said, and after a moment's thought, she added, "I didn't eat enough just now."
She took a deep breath, snatched the conditioner from He Jue's hand, and said, "Is it wrong for me to like this?" After saying that, she walked straight to the checkout counter
I ordered a cheese baked rice, and while waiting for the dish to be served, I entered the usual routine with the man I was set up with. After exchanging information such as our heights, weights, and blood types, the man posed the first practical question: "Miss Qiao, is your monthly salary 10,000?"
This answer seems to have improved the mood of the man on the blind date. He took out the cigarette box from his pocket, realized it was a non-smoking area, and put it back. "Miss Qiao, I hope you do not misunderstand. I own properties both locally and in City S. I asked this just to see if Miss Qiao is financially independent enough."
He said, "Still there," a sentence that was merely a question but not obviously so, yet it truly startled Qiao Nuan. The psychological preparation that had gradually been built up during the delay suddenly opened a crack, and like an army charging in with long guns, they rushed in, each one bearing an identical face to He Jue.
He Jue did not take it to heart, "It's not like I haven't seen it before." Qiao Nuan's hand, which was reaching out to open the door, trembled again, but she immediately discovered a chilling problem. She clenched her hand, took a step back, and her voice trembled, "He Jue, the door, the door is open."
Qiao Nuan looked on with a hint of envy. The girl's bare hands were reddened by the cold air, yet she still hesitated to hang up the phone, pleading in a coaxing tone: "Come pick me up, it's not far for you anyway. Let's have dinner together and then take the subway back..."
What is even more fatal than this is that at this moment, Qiao Nuan cannot control her associations: she feels that He Jue, while strolling through the supermarket, is just like an ordinary couple who care about food and vegetables.
Qiao Nuan was startled by this thought, cleared her throat, adjusted her coat, and asked: "Are you coming back for the New Year?"
What about that house? Do you plan to pay for it together after getting married?
"What what what ... ... what decision ... ..." Looking at the handsome young man who approached, Qiao Nuan's mind suddenly went blank
Then my views on love may differ somewhat from Mr. Liu's. I believe that mutual affection is sufficient to constitute the conditions for a romantic relationship, and that marriage is a natural progression.
The baked rice was served quickly, and the blind date guy was cutting his steak while having a rather unpleasant conversation with Qiao Nuan about the report from the 18th National Congress. The discomfort stemmed from Qiao Nuan's failure to promptly mention the name of a leader whom she felt required no further understanding. At this point, Qiao Nuan realized that there was absolutely no need for her to meet the blind date guy again.
Qiao Nuan glanced at the blind date and felt somewhat speechless. "Mr. Liu, perhaps we should get to know each other a bit better before asking such questions?" The person behind her seemed unaware of the invasion of space towards Qiao Nuan, as the back of the chair unknowingly leaned closer again. Qiao Nuan suppressed the urge to turn around and look, and shifted further in.
However, the meal is still ... ...
Qiao Nuan hesitantly said: "You... have returned."
When she came to her senses, she was already standing at the intersection where the wind and snow were raging with He Jue, who was wrapping a scarf around her. At her feet stood a large suitcase.
Qiao Nuan immediately denied, "No... my place is a bit messy, I've been busy with work at the end of the year and haven't had time to clean up." She put her hands in the pockets of her coat, lowered her head, and softly said, "Let's go."
The elevator stopped on the twelfth floor. Qiao Nuan took out the key from her bag and said while walking, "The room is really quite messy, please don't mind."
She did not speak, nor did she make any decisions; she simply helped her put on the scarf in silence, gently pulling out the hair that was pressed inside. The streetlight glowed warmly like a handful of fireflies, and the snow fell between the two of them, creating an illusion of suddenly growing old together.
I apologize... I did not mean to offend." The suitor expressed his insincere apology, "Miss Qiao should be aware of my profession. I have been teaching in City S for many years and have witnessed too many instances that desecrate the sanctity of love. Therefore, I hope to gain some understanding of your views on love, so that I can determine whether there is a necessity for further contact between us.
In order to quickly return home after the blind date, Qiao Nuan specifically chose a restaurant near her community. However, at this moment, this choice became a form of torment for her—how could she repair her defenses in just ten minutes, so that they could at least withstand the imminent first wave of assault?
Two individuals walked past an intersection, and the entrance to the residential community along with the adjacent supermarket came into view
Qiao Nuan immediately smiled, quickly putting the bottle of Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chicken back and sweeping the can of enoki mushrooms into the shopping cart
Qiao Nuan fell silent at once; at such a moment, what else could be said other than this kind of appropriate nonsense
Qiao Nuan hesitated a bit and did not respond immediately. He Jue explained in a low voice, "Rest assured, I have no other intentions." His words carried a self-deprecating tone, sharp and jarring, like a hand that had been frozen hard in the snow, cruelly squeezing the heart, both cold and painful
Both parties must understand each other for at least six months before establishing a romantic relationship, and once established, it must be based on the premise of marriage
As she passed through the daily necessities section on her way to checkout, Qiao Nuan remembered that her conditioner at home was about to run out, so she pushed her cart and turned in. The brand she usually used was placed a bit high, so she stood on her tiptoes to reach for it. However, He Jue behind her was quicker and reached out to take it down, asking, "Are you still using this?"
When she arrived at the restaurant, her blind date had already arrived. The fifteen minutes of delay had clearly lowered Qiao Nuan's first impression score. She hurriedly apologized several times, but the blind date's expression did not improve at all, causing her already impatient mood to worsen instantly. However, dinner still had to be eaten; otherwise, she would not be able to provide Ms. Zhao with a detailed and clear account. Qiao Nuan took off her coat and scarf, hanging them on the back of the chair, as the snow on her hair quickly melted into water in the warmth of the heating. However, dinner still had to be eaten; otherwise, she would not be able to provide Ms. Zhao with a detailed and clear account. Qiao Nuan took off her coat and scarf, hanging them on the back of the chair, as the snow on her hair quickly melted into water in the warmth of the heating.
The sky had been overcast for several days, and finally, as I was leaving work, the snow began to fall, swirling down like cotton. At the entrance, I heard a young woman from the company talking on the phone with her boyfriend, her tone infused with a hint of innocent joy
Due to her wandering thoughts, she was in a daze during the subsequent negotiations with He Jue and the suitor, only having one thought swirling in her mind: after watching so many years of silly romance dramas, she finally got to be a Mary Sue protagonist for once. Even if the male lead was He Jue, whom she would never dare to meet again in her lifetime
Ultimately, I could no longer tolerate such outrageous boredom and asked, "I say, is the recipe for Lao Gan Ma worth your prolonged attention?"
The chair behind her leaned closer again, and Qiao Nuan couldn't help but laugh out loud as she shifted, though she quickly stopped. This made the already serious expression of the man she was on a blind date with become even more solemn.