bayedsolid Chapter 106 Feng Cheng's Blind Date (2)
Chapter 106 Feng Cheng's Blind Date (2)
The next morning, before the morning light had completely dispelled the chill of the early morning, Old Liu went out in high spirits.
He walked briskly, as if the wind was blowing under his feet, humming a little tune as he went down the dam.
Old Liu was full of anticipation for Feng Cheng's blind date arrangements.
That excitement was like a child going to a big party.
After Old Liu went down to the dam, he immediately asked for leave and went home to find Aunt Liu.
Soon, the two elders finalized a plan to let Feng Cheng meet with Aunt Liu's niece.
In Old Liu's opinion, this was a great thing. If this marriage could be arranged, everything would be perfect.
Sure enough, he was busy arranging the meeting early this morning.
They carefully selected a state-run restaurant in the county town as the meeting place.
State-run restaurants were considered quite respectable places at the time.
Old Liu felt that arranging the meeting here was a great favor to both sides.
A few days later, the day they were supposed to meet finally arrived.
Old Liu got up early and tidied himself up neatly.
He even specially changed into the Zhongshan suit that he usually couldn't bear to wear.
It felt like I was going on a blind date.
He hummed a little tune as he strolled around the yard.
I would look up at the sky every now and then, hoping that time would pass faster.
Feng Cheng, on the other hand, also followed Old Liu's instructions.
He had specially changed into clean clothes, but his eyes revealed a hint of indifference.
He didn't have much hope for this blind date.
But he couldn't refuse Old Liu's good intentions, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and deal with it.
Summer joined in the fun, teasing Feng Cheng every now and then along the way.
"Feng Cheng, you might just meet your true love today. Don't forget to invite me to your wedding candy when you do!"
Xia Tian said with a grin, her face full of a playful expression.
Feng Cheng rolled his eyes at him and said irritably,
"Xia, don't talk nonsense. I don't have much hope for this."
"Right now, all I can think about is the afforestation work in Saihanba. I don't have the mind to think about these personal matters."
After descending the dam, I met up with Old Liu.
The three arrived at the state-run restaurant ahead of time. As soon as they opened the door, a rich aroma of food wafted out.
It wasn't mealtime, and the huge state-run restaurant was deserted.
Besides them, only a few service staff were sitting there chatting.
This was Xia Tian's first time visiting a state-run restaurant, and she looked around the surroundings with curiosity.
The words "No Unjustified Assault of Customers" are prominently displayed on the wall.
Everywhere you look, you can feel the unique atmosphere of this era.
Summer looked around with great interest, occasionally making sounds of admiration.
Old Liu had no interest in appreciating these things.
He kept glancing towards the door, his eyes full of anticipation, hoping that Aunt Liu and her niece would arrive soon.
After waiting for a while, we finally saw Aunt Liu rushing over with her niece from her maternal family.
As soon as the girl entered, Xia Tian looked at her and almost couldn't help but laugh. He quickly coughed lightly to cover it up.
Feng Cheng behaved politely and politely, standing up and greeting him with a smile.
Her smile was just right, leaving no room for criticism.
After everyone was seated, the atmosphere became somewhat awkward.
Old Liu quickly spoke up, trying to break the deadlock.
"Come on, everyone, don't be shy."
"I've heard that the braised pork at this state-run restaurant is really good. I must try it later."
Old Liu greeted them warmly, his face beaming with smiles.
Aunt Liu chimed in, holding her niece's hand as she spoke.
"This is Feng Cheng, whom I've been telling you about all along. He's a man who gets things done in Saihanba!"
Feng Cheng nodded slightly in polite response.
"You flatter me. It's just the work I should be doing."
"The afforestation of Saihanba cannot be separated from everyone's efforts, and I am just one of them."
Aunt Liu's niece, with her head down and face flushed, took the initiative to start a conversation, speaking softly.
“Brother Feng, I’ve heard a lot about your afforestation efforts in Saihanba, and I admire you very much.”
"It's truly remarkable that you were able to persevere in such a difficult environment."
Feng Cheng smiled and said.
"Thank you. The conditions in Saihanba are indeed tough, but seeing the saplings grow day by day makes it all worthwhile."
"Those saplings carry our hopes and embody our aspirations for the future."
When it comes to planting trees, Feng Cheng's eyes light up.
While waiting for the food to be served, everyone chatted casually.
Xia Tian sat to the side, observing Feng Cheng and the girl's reactions without making a sound.
Although Feng Cheng tried his best to remain polite, there was no sign of him being attracted to her in his eyes.
His gaze kept drifting to the people eating around him, as if his mind was no longer on this blind date.
The girl seemed to sense Feng Cheng's coldness and appeared somewhat uneasy.
His hands unconsciously twisted the hem of his clothes, and he began to stammer as he spoke.
"I...I think the work in Saihanba is very meaningful. If I have the opportunity in the future, I would like to go and see it."
She blushed and said in a voice so soft it was like a mosquito's hum.
The dishes were served one after another, and Old Liu greeted them.
"Try it quickly and see if it suits your taste. This is a signature dish of a state-run restaurant, so it must taste amazing."
Everyone started eating, but the meal wasn't very lively.
Feng Cheng only ate a few bites politely, but his mind was not on the food at all.
His mind kept replaying the vast land of Saihanba and the saplings waiting for him to plant.
After finishing their meal, Aunt Liu and Old Liu exchanged a glance and, understanding each other perfectly, came up with an excuse.
He pulled Xia Tian up and left, leaving Feng Cheng and the girl alone.
As they walked out of the state-run restaurant, Xia Tian couldn't help but joke.
"Uncle Liu, do you think there's any chance of this happening?"
"I don't think Feng Cheng's mind is on this girl."
As Xia Tian spoke, she shook her head and swayed her body, a teasing smile on her face.
Old Liu remained confident, patting his chest as he spoke.
"I think there's potential; the two look quite well-matched."
"Look, they were having such a good chat, laughing and talking."
Old Liu spoke with absolute certainty, as if the matter was already settled.
Aunt Liu nodded in agreement.
“That’s right, my niece is perfect in every way, gentle and sensible, Feng Cheng will definitely like her.”
"I'm just waiting to attend their wedding."
Aunt Liu smiled so hard her eyes narrowed into slits, her face full of anticipation for the future.
Xia Tian shook her head inwardly, but didn't say it aloud.
After hesitating for a moment, he said something tactfully.
"Uncle Liu, what do you think are the chances of your niece winning against Tang Qi?"
As soon as Xia Tian said this, Old Liu was startled and realized what he meant.
Yes, my niece is indeed far inferior to Tang Qi.
They are not on the same level in terms of either looks or temperament.
Tang Qi's outstanding appearance and unique temperament, even though Tang Qi's time in the Forestry Bureau was not long.
But Tang Qi, that girl, did leave a deep impression on Old Liu's memory.
Thinking of this, Old Liu's face suddenly turned somewhat ugly, and a hint of disappointment flashed in his eyes.
"Sigh, why didn't I think of that?"
"It seems I was too impatient."
Old Liu sighed, his face full of helplessness.
His initial anticipation was instantly dampened, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him.
Listening to her husband and Xia Tian's conversation, Aunt Liu, who was standing to the side, didn't quite understand what they were saying.
Aunt Liu did not know Tang Qi, nor did she know of Tang Qi's existence.
If Aunt Liu knew about Tang Qi, she probably wouldn't have made such a fuss about matchmaking.
On the other side, in the state-run restaurant, Feng Cheng and the girl remained silent for a moment.
Feng Cheng broke the silence first, his eyes filled with a hint of apology.
"Young lady, thank you so much for coming today."
"But to be honest, I now spend most of my time on the dam in Saihanba!"
"I really don't have much energy to nurture relationships."
"Moreover, now is a critical period for afforestation, and I cannot slack off in the slightest."
A hint of disappointment flashed in the girl's eyes, but she still tried to remain calm and said...
"I understand, Brother Feng. Your ambition is great, and I admire you very much!"
"Feelings are something you can't force. If it weren't for my aunt insisting on dragging me here..."
She stopped there.
Her voice was choked with emotion, and her eyes were full of helplessness.
Feng Cheng breathed a sigh of relief and said,
"I'm really sorry, I hope you won't take it to heart, and I'm sure you'll meet someone more suitable in the future."
"A girl as wonderful as you will surely find someone who truly loves you."
Feng Cheng's tone was sincere and earnest. He looked at the girl with eyes full of apology and blessings.
However, what Feng Cheng said is true; given Liu Da Niang's niece's circumstances...
There's really no need to worry about not being able to get married.
Because Aunt Liu's niece is not bad-looking and is also healthy.
There's an old saying that "big hips are good for childbirth," and Aunt Liu's niece is that type.
More importantly, Aunt Liu's family was not poor.
Aunt Liu's brother is also her niece's father.
He was a leader of moderate rank in the Weichang County government.
The two chatted casually for a few more minutes before getting up and leaving the state-run restaurant.
Feng Cheng walked ahead, his steps light and quick, as if he had unloaded a heavy burden.
The girl followed behind, her steps heavy, a hint of loneliness on her face.
Back at the forestry bureau, Old Liu had already guessed the outcome.
However, he was still somewhat unwilling to give up and couldn't wait to ask Feng Cheng about the outcome of the meeting.
Looking at Old Liu's expectant eyes, Feng Cheng couldn't bear to be too direct, so he spoke tactfully.
"Uncle Liu, that girl and I aren't a good match."
"I hope you won't have to worry about my marriage anymore."
"The forestry work in Saihanba is just starting out, and I don't want to be distracted by personal feelings."
"I want to put all my energy into the afforestation work in Saihanba."
"Let Saihanba become a green ocean as soon as possible, restoring its former beautiful highland scenery."
Although Old Liu had already guessed the outcome, he couldn't help but feel somewhat disappointed.
The light in his eyes dimmed instantly, and the wrinkles on his face seemed to deepen.
But seeing Feng Cheng's determined eyes, he could only nod helplessly.
At this moment, Feng Cheng suddenly looked at Xia Tian and changed the subject.
"Besides, if Engineer Xia isn't in a hurry, why should I be?"
As Feng Cheng spoke, he winked at Xia Tian with a sly smile on his face.
Upon hearing this, Xia Tian's eyes widened immediately, and she thought to herself, "Wow!"
"I was just quietly enjoying the show, and you, Feng Cheng, actually used me as a shield!"
Summer thought to herself, but her face showed a look of not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
Xia Tian immediately decided that when she returned to Bashang, she would definitely give Feng Cheng a good "lesson".
That brat! If you don't discipline him for three days, he'll be climbing on the roof and tearing off the tiles.
Feng Cheng is incredibly audacious; how dare he use him to make fun of him?
Feng Cheng was completely unaware that this was due to his statement, "shifting the blame eastward."
They are about to face the "special attention" from summer.
……