Chapter 1: Exceptional Blind Date (1)

The driver paused for a moment, carefully scanned the surroundings, and upon seeing that there were no no-parking zones, nodded his head.

After paying the fare, Ye Ran navigated through the gaps between numerous cars and finally made her way to the pedestrian street. She paid no attention to the gazes of the leisurely shoppers around her, clutching her bag tightly as she sprinted towards her destination.

Ye Ran's brows furrowed slightly, and the corners of her mouth grew increasingly stiff. She thought to herself: Your factory, your house, your car, cannot compare to you as a person, can they? Those things are not brought into this world at birth, nor taken away at death. It would be more relevant for you to elaborate on your strengths and weaknesses as a person. I am not marrying objects; I am marrying a person, alright?

Ling Shan casually pulled up a chair and sat down next to Ye Ran, his eyes rudely scanning Ye Ran from head to toe.

"My conditions are more than enough for you." Ling Shan confidently winked at Ye Ran. Ye Ran thought resentfully: "Big brother, you are already of a considerable age, why are you pretending to be young? Especially with that prominent buck tooth of yours, grinning like that is quite ridiculous, isn't it? Moreover, your words are quite uncomfortable to hear; what do you mean by 'more than enough for me'? If we were to seriously compare, it might not even be clear who is worthy of whom! Aside from having a lot of money, what advantages do you have?"

"So, what do you think about our situation?" Ling Shan asked eagerly, not waiting for Ye Ran to respond, and added, "I think we are quite suitable for each other. You look good, and my conditions are not bad either. Shall we just settle this?"

Ye Ran glanced at the traffic jam outside, then looked at the watch again, and finally resolutely decided to walk to the appointment, "Master, I want to get out of the car!"

Ye Ran glanced nervously at Mei Yang, who was holding a kitchen knife in one hand and wearing an apron. No matter how one looked at her, she resembled a shrew scolding in the street. How could it be that the gentle little lamb from school had, after getting married, fallen to such a state? It truly evokes a myriad of emotions

Ye Ran raised her eyes, innocently gazing at Mei Yang's undulating bosom, regretting so deeply that her insides felt twisted. She thought to herself: I should not have sung about being lonely for a lifetime when I was feeling down; I should not have pretended to be eager for marriage in front of Mei Yang, who was so keen on playing matchmaker; and I certainly should not have joked about going on blind dates...! ... To the point that now I am reduced to being forced into blind dates!

"It's all my fault, I was driving too fast! Your skirt is ruined, let me compensate you with a new one!" That man indeed had a strong sense of self-awareness

After a moment of being dumbfounded, Ye Ran finally remembered that she had not yet asked Mei Yang who she was going on a blind date with. Upon arriving at the café, she realized she did not know who the main character of the blind date was. Did that mean she had to ask each person one by one

Having experienced much, she gradually transitioned from sadness to habituation, then to numbness, and finally to despair. These men who play with emotions truly make it impossible for her to leap into the grave of marriage without hesitation

Single women are never short of attentive men, especially around beautiful and elegant single women, where attentive men are naturally numerous. Each spark ignites with great intensity, but once a romantic relationship begins, all the passion inexplicably fades away

What needs to be prepared? Are you too ashamed to face others? Mei Yang snorted coldly from his nose, glancing at the knife in his hand.

That scorching gaze made Ye Ran's heart race and skin crawl, causing a wave of dizziness to wash over him, prompting him to clear his throat involuntarily

"Yeran, don't blame me for not reminding you. If you dare not to go, or if you try to slip away halfway, you will bear the consequences!" Meiyang's ruthless voice came through the microphone clearly to Yeran's ears. After finishing, Meiyang directly hung up the phone, giving Yeran no chance to respond.

Ye Ran stared blankly at the magazine "Happy Marriage" in her hands, and a wave of bitterness rose in her heart. How she once longed to meet her prince during the most beautiful years of her life, to hold hands and grow old together in happiness. However, the reality was that the prince had appeared, but she was not the princess. Time flew by, and ten years passed. She gradually transformed from a naive and carefree girl into a "leftover woman." Her parents began to worry, her friends started to feel anxious, and her relatives were also eager to celebrate a wedding. Yet, Ye Ran remained there, stubbornly waiting for an unfinished promise, a youthful vow.

"Yaran, I must tell you, if you dare to say you are not going today, I will not let this go!" Meiyang warned Yaran, one hand on her hip and the other holding a kitchen knife, pointing at him angrily.

"Is the ceiling really that beautiful? Miss Ye hasn't looked at me properly since she entered; does she find me unappealing?" Ling Shan asked with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

Ling Shan answered the phone without changing his expression, his bold voice clearly reached Ye Ran's ears: "Hmm, we're almost done here. If it gets settled, I won't go over. If not, I'll come to your side; anyway, we need to finalize things today! My mom is eager to hold her grandson!"

At this moment, Ye Ran felt fortunate that her flowing long dress had turned into a short skirt; otherwise, if she had to sprint a hundred meters while holding up her skirt, it would truly have been a "striking" sight.

At this moment, the white BMW once again made a striking return, and then it braked directly in front of Ye Ran.

The man in front of her smiled apologetically at Ye Ran, saying, "Miss, I am sorry!"

"Miss Ye, what are you thinking about?" Ling Shan waved at the distracted Ye Ran and asked directly

Ye Ran truly does not understand why those who are in love, when parting in the end, are so stingy that they do not even say the words "goodbye"

Ye Ran covered her mouth and coughed lightly a few times, suppressing the urge to laugh out loud

As the car window rolled down, a man's face emerged from within: a smooth, fair complexion radiating sharp, handsome features; deep, dark eyes shimmering with an enchanting hue; thick eyebrows, a prominent nose, and perfectly shaped lips, all exuding this person's nobility and elegance; the soaring sword-like eyebrows and the gentle, refined smile at the corners of his mouth seemed to overlap with the youthful boy from my memories, yet at this moment, there was an added sense of mature composure, handsomeness undiminished. Chen Mingxuan, is that you?

Ye Ran looked at the shiny Rolex on Ling Shan's wrist and thought to herself: "Isn't it obvious that your watch is two minutes fast?" However, she forced a dry smile on her face and awkwardly apologized: "I’m sorry, Mr. Ling, there was traffic on the way"

Cried, resented, hated, and finally, as time passed, Ye Ran gradually healed her wounds. However, after this sudden heartbreak, Ye Ran slowly became afraid to love again. It is not that she does not want to love, but rather that her capacity to love is limited. She had already overdrawn it from the very beginning. Now, wanting to love recklessly again is too difficult, too difficult

My conditions should be considered quite good

Ling Shan hung up the phone, grinning with his buck teeth as he smiled at Ye Ran, "Miss Ye, you see, I am really quite busy"

Ye Ran threw the torn piece of fabric into the nearby trash can, then stood up straight and carefully adjusted her short skirt

You have nothing more to say, right? Then go ahead and go on a blind date

Ye Ran wore a stiff expression, unsure of how to respond. Should it be a rebuttal, or should one uphold the virtue of silence in this manner

This is akin to an ultimate riddle, yet it never yields an answer. Each day apart, longing becomes a calamity, tears uncontrollably stream down my face, and I suffer from sleepless nights. My spirits have sunk to the point of growing weary of this world. It was also from that time that I began to find solace in bars, enjoying the intoxication of late nights, for only in drunkenness can I forget the pain and the events that once transpired.

Yeran, what time is it? How can you still have the mind to read magazines at this hour? Are you feeling itchy, or do you need a beating?

You probably have a general understanding of my situation. I own a factory with thirty workers, three villas, a Mercedes-Benz, and a Buick business vehicle... Ling Shan recited his circumstances as if he were reciting a text, feeling quite pleased with himself.

Although Miss Ye was not late for long, and traffic jams can be considered understandable, being late is still being late. I believe that an elegant woman should not make a man wait, not even for a second. Ling Shan's tone shifted as he looked at Ye Ran and began a profound lecture, "Miss Ye, do you know? For business people, every minute and every second is precious and cannot be wasted..."

"Not minding, how could one not mind?" Ye Ran secretly ground her teeth, responding to Ling Shan, feeling extremely angry inside. Not minding? How could she not mind? Clearly, she had not been late, yet she was unjustly labeled as such. Fine, she had politely apologized, but this person took advantage of her courtesy and began to lecture her as if it were only natural.

If being flashy is what it is, then so be it; she has the means, and Ye Ran has no objections. However, in order to evade the fate of being hit by a car, she took a large step back, and her long skirt caught on a nearby building. At that moment, her foot, clad in high heels, accidentally twisted, causing her to lurch forward again. The flowing long skirt tore with a crisp sound, creating a long gash... How very embarrassing... But isn't this too much of an eyesore?

Ah? Ye Ran was taken aback

Ye Ran wholeheartedly loved for three years, always believing that Chen Mingxuan was her prince, and that they would gradually grow together until they grew old. However, on the eve of their high school graduation, Chen Mingxuan unexpectedly flew abroad without any warning and remained out of contact for many years

At the age of eighteen, she is already considered a "leftover woman" in this day and age. Her parents have worried endlessly about this matter, their hair turning white countless times, urging her every day, reminding her daily, almost more punctual than their daily prayers.

The wolf fell madly in love with the sheep

As for why Ye Ran has fallen to the point of having inexplicable intimacy with these unfamiliar men, it is a long story

Upon hearing this, Ye Ran realized that Ling Shan was the same as her, having taken out double insurance by arranging two blind dates. If A doesn't work out, then there's B

Meiyang gazed at Yaran with a smile that was not quite a smile, gently patted his chest, and made a concerted effort to soften his voice, "What preparations are needed for a blind date?"

Ye Ran, at the age of 28 this year, stands 165 centimeters tall and weighs 50 kilograms. Her appearance is quite pleasing to the public, and she occasionally makes guest appearances on magazine covers, showing her face. Of course, Ye Ran works as the Human Resources Manager at a clothing company, earning a monthly salary of around 10,000 yuan. As a woman of modest means, she can be considered quite attractive in a crowd. Additionally, Ye Ran has a commendable skill: she is an excellent cook. To win a man's heart, one must start with his stomach. With her looks, qualifications, and abilities, she is more than capable of attracting any man.

Ye Ran waved his hand, forced a smile at him, and said gracefully: "It's nothing!"

Finally arrived at the café within the agreed time, Ye Ran was so exhausted that he patted his chest to calm himself. After taking several deep breaths, he finally settled down, feeling quite pleased with himself: Haha, it seems that the champion of the 100-meter dash at school is still in great form, though he did attract quite a few glances along the way

Isn't it just blind dating? Isn't it just casually chatting with a stranger? What's so difficult about it? One comes, I take him down; two come, I take them both down; I will make them all bow down before me. With a grand ambition, I motivate myself, wearing 8-centimeter high heels, taking dainty steps, walking with such grace and elegance

Is it Miss Ye? Originally, Ye Ran had some expectations for the blind date, but upon seeing her date holding the signal—a copy of the magazine "Happy Marriage and Love"—she was stunned for a long time. He skillfully half-supported and half-pulled her into the private room, enthusiastically pressing her down into her seat, yet she still found it hard to regain her composure

At this point, it is necessary to introduce Ye Ran

Ye Ran's hand, gripping the magazine, trembled involuntarily, and her heart raced several beats faster. Instantly, a few words flashed in her mind as a reflex: There is no escaping, there is no escaping... The mother tiger is about to unleash her fury

"Miss Ye, you are two minutes and thirty-six seconds late!" Ye Ran's cough drew Ling Shan's gaze back. He raised his hand to check his watch, his tone extremely serious.

Furthermore, many people believe that Ye Ran is like a "flower butterfly" dancing and frolicking among a myriad of flowers and grasses. If she does not find a long-term partner to marry soon, it will be very difficult for her to find a suitable match in the future! As her parents put it, she will have too many choices and become indecisive.

Just as Ye Ran was about to knock on the door, Mei Yang opened it and poked her head out, unhesitatingly shoving the magazine back into Ye Ran's hand. She earnestly reminded him, "This magazine is a signal. I have to go pick up the child soon, so I won't be accompanying you for the first blind date, but I will join you for the second one! You must take it seriously and not mess around!"

For instance, buying a beautiful outfit, changing to a nice hairstyle, and then getting a full-body spa..." Ye Ran's voice grew softer and her confidence diminished.

Ah— with a gasp, Ye Ran bit her lip and silently watched the white BMW whiz past her. It was a fine car, but speeding through such a narrow street was a bit too ostentatious, wasn't it

Magazine? Code? Why does it feel so mysterious, as if meeting with an underground party?

Chen Mingxuan is a high school classmate of Ye Ran. The two belong to the typical category of early romance. However, because it is their first love, they invested the most beautiful moments of their lives, creating a pure and beautiful memory of youthful innocence

"Ye Ran, stop pretending to be dead!" Mei Yang roared like a lion, charging out of the kitchen with a fierce aura. She then complained angrily to Ye Ran, "Initially, it was you who asked me to introduce someone. Now that a blind date is set, you are making excuses to avoid going. What do you mean by this? Are you deliberately trying to pick a fight? Are you intentionally trying to make me unhappy?"

Ye Ran was even more confused about what she had done wrong. Chen Mingxuan was leaving, and she was actually the last to know. If there is no love, why be together? If there is love, why leave her so quietly without a word?

Due to the threat of the kitchen knife, Ye Ran weakly shook his head and replied wisely, "Alright, even if my old face can still meet people, arranging two blind dates for me all at once for such a great and sacred matter, how can I possibly manage this?"

Ye Ran awkwardly shifted her gaze away from Ling Shan's face, as his prominent buck teeth made her feel quite uncomfortable, stirring a strong impulse within her to take a file and smooth his teeth down.

"Ah, how could that be?" Ye Ran, feeling embarrassed by Ling Shan's remark, awkwardly shifted her gaze to him. Ling Shan stood approximately 170 centimeters tall, sporting a side-part hairstyle that seemed to have been excessively styled with gel, causing several strands to stick together and hang down on his forehead, making his already long face resemble that of a mushroom. His physique had developed somewhat laterally, with a belly comparable to that of someone who is four to five months pregnant. His skin was rough and dull, his face plump and glistening with oil. His eyes were not particularly large, and the corners were lined with dense wrinkles. Without needing to look closely, the dark circles under his eyes were clearly the result of excessive drinking and poor rest. His physique had developed somewhat laterally, with a belly comparable to that of someone who is four to five months pregnant. His skin was rough and dull, his face plump and glistening with oil. His eyes were not particularly large, and the corners were lined with dense wrinkles. Without needing to look closely, the dark circles under his eyes were clearly the result of excessive drinking and poor rest.

Jiang Hao gazed at the hurriedly departing figure of Ye Ran, standing in contemplation for a moment, a slight smile unconsciously curling at the corners of his mouth, before bending down to enter the car

Ling Shan could not wait any longer and spoke up, clearing his throat: "Miss Ye, as you know, I am usually very busy, so let us settle this quickly!"

Ye Ran playfully smiled and said: "Meiyang, about this blind date... I didn't say I wouldn't go, it's just that I'm not mentally prepared yet, let's take it slow."

"What a stroke of bad luck, truly a case of running into misfortune upon stepping out." Ye Ran took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing her anger. She glanced at her damaged long dress and unhesitatingly reached out to tear it along the rip. The originally flowing long dress... at this moment transformed into a short skirt that hugged her hips just right, and it was definitely of the unrefined, frayed style.

Night had neither the inclination nor the time to study this man, so she elegantly waved her hand at him and said, "Really, no need, I am in a hurry, goodbye," and hurriedly made her way towards the taxi.

Ling Shan smiled at Ye Ran, bringing the topic to a close, "Miss Ye, I am someone who speaks my mind, so please do not take offense."

The man pushed open the car door and stepped out, grinning widely and forcing a brilliant smile, apologetically looking at Ye Ran and saying, "Miss, are you alright?"

Over the years, friends are indeed not made in vain. Meiyang truly understands Yeran too well, even anticipating Yeran's attempt to slip away. Well, with no escape route and facing intimidation, Yeran decisively closed her phone and walked forward with her head held high.

However, I truly feel very embarrassed. How about this: you give me an address, and I will buy a similar one and send it to you? The man's dark eyes sparkled with a persistent gaze

Ye Ran glanced at his watch for the Nth time in the taxi, damn it, stuck in traffic when he was in a hurry

"Stop talking nonsense, go right now. One by one, we will talk when it's really too late." Meiyang roughly snatched the magazine from Yiran's hands, then pushed and kicked Yiran out the door, slamming the door shut with a bang

Ye Ran was pulled back from her fantasies into reality, pouting in disappointment and replying stiffly, "It's fine!" Of course, Ye Ran was clearly muttering in dissatisfaction in her heart: If apologies were effective, why would we need the police? Moreover, no matter how good your car's performance is, even if it can be driven like a sports car, this narrow alley is not a racetrack.

Ye Ran snapped back to reality from her daze, contemplating how to decline Ling Shan. Although she had already excluded Ling Shan from her heart, she could not put Mei Yang in a difficult position; she still needed to put some thought into using subtle expressions to maintain appearances.

On her twenty-seventh birthday, Ye Ran firmly made a vow of celibacy in front of her friends, only to be thoroughly admonished by her friends Mei Yang and Mina to the point of tears. After reflecting on her actions and resolving to change, she embarked on the long and sacred journey of matchmaking.

If Mei Yang found out that Ye Ran was late for her first blind date, Ye Ran would definitely be in big trouble! It is not that Ye Ran is truly timid or afraid of trouble, but rather that Mei Yang has a strong explosive temperament. I still remember when we were in school, Mei Yang helped Ye Ran arrange a meeting with a certain handsome guy, and as a result, Ye Ran was late. When they returned to the dormitory, Mei Yang put on a dark face and refused to speak to Ye Ran for the entire day. Ye Ran had to flatter her with countless smiles and wasted a lot of breath before Mei Yang reluctantly forgave her. However, Mei Yang went on and on, educating Ye Ran about the importance of time management and that she must not be late. Ye Ran felt as if she were lost in a thick fog, only able to nod in response. Later, when Mei Yang said she was tired and lay down to rest, Ye Ran finally felt relieved.

One should not strike a smiling face; since he has apologized repeatedly, Ye Ran could not muster any anger. Glancing at her skirt, which was merely a bit short and had some torn edges, it was not particularly outrageous. Thus, Ye Ran shook her head and said, "I am fine"

Ye ran nodded in agreement, "Mr. Ling, if you are busy, you may leave first"

Speaking of this, one cannot help but mention Ye Ran's first love, a topic he seldom speaks of lightly