On one side, the system was scheming to complete its mission, while on the other side of the village, Matchmaker Zhou was huffing and puffing. She remembered how, after everything was done, Chen Meixiang refused to meet the blind date. She had already fixed the date with the Lu family for tomorrow, and today Madam Chen told her that Meixiang didn't want to marry and wanted to observe a mourning period for the next three years.
"Mourning period, my foot! Don't I know what type of woman Chen Meixiang is? She can fool everyone with her act, but not me," Matchmaker Zhou said.
Her daughter-in-law, who was standing beside her massaging Madam Zhou's shoulders, spoke, "Hmph, it seems Chen Meixiang still thinks of herself as the village beauty. I think she disdains marrying a widowed man with a daughter. Don't you know, Mom, how high her nose is?"
Madam Zhou snorted but said no more. She was truly angry, but there was a problem: where would she find another girl? She had already talked with the Lu family, and they had given her quite some gifts and red envelopes so she could find a good match for their widowed son, who worked in a machinery factory and rarely came home. Not only that, but he also had a daughter from his previous wife.
Any woman who married him would have to live the life of a widow, as he hadn't been provided a house by the factory. He had to return to the factory, so his family wanted to marry him off to tie him down. They feared that if he decided to marry anyone from the machinery factory, he would stop sending his salary home.
Madam Zhou's daughter-in-law, Du Cuihua, who had been waiting for this moment, suddenly spoke, "Mom, I know a girl who is single and of marriageable age. If you want, I can introduce her to you."
Madam Zhou was exasperated and said, "Are you making a fool out of me? Why would anyone marry their good daughter to a widower with a child when she is unmarried, unless she has some defect?"
Du Cuihua spoke, trying to calm the old lady, "What are you saying, Mom? It's nothing like that. I am talking about my uncle's daughter, who is of marriageable age. Don't you remember her? It's just that her brother gathered a debt of around a hundred yuan. With the famine, they are unable to pay for it. If you can help them demand around a hundred yuan as a betrothal gift, they will happily send their daughter to marry."
Matchmaker Zhou thought about it carefully. Isn't it wonderful? The Lu family's old man was the village chief, and they would certainly be able to provide around 120 yuan. She could just skim off 20 yuan for herself, along with the red envelope given to her, in exchange for Du's second son's daughter. That girl, though not very beautiful, was certainly not weak and could give birth to a son.
"Okay, then go to your parents' house and tell them I can be the matchmaker and help them get the betrothal gift, but they certainly can't skimp on my red envelope."
Du Cuihua immediately chirped in excitement and said, "Definitely, Mom. How could that be? You're a well-known matchmaker for a hundred miles. I will make sure they show you proper respect. I will go today and talk to them about this."
Madam Zhou laughed as she waved her hand, signaling her to go.
[System Notification]
Minor Fate Shift Detected
Chen Meixiang removed from immediate marriage path
Reward: +50 Merit Points (Partial)
Full reward will be granted when Lu Hai marries another woman.
Upon receiving the notification the system again fell into self doubt thinking is it really that formidable or is it just butterfly flapping it's wings
____
After buying the necessary goods, she was about to make the payment when she remembered something and also took a cigarette packet from the shelf. She said to the salesperson, "This too."
After buying everything, she went to the town school. Even though it was recess time, there were no students. It seems a little eerie, she thought as she went to the school gate.
The gatekeeper, seeing a woman approaching, got up and asked, "Girl, what are you doing here? The school is closed. You can't go inside."
Chen Meixiang immediately came out of her trance and smiled, changing her whole demeanor.
She took out a cigarette, passing it to the guard. "Here, Uncle, take this."
The gatekeeper was no stranger to this. Many people came to him with gifts when they wanted to ask for something.
He picked up the cigarette and put it into his pocket, a smile grazing his lips. "What do you want to ask, girl?"
Chen Meixiang smiled, but her eyes became a little teary, like she was holding back extreme grievance. She started, "Uncle, my daughter will be seven by the New Year, and my father heard in town that the schools are finally reopening. So I want to ask about it. My husband died while protecting the country, and now only my daughter remains. I promised my husband that I would make sure our daughter becomes someone capable who can serve the country and people. Although it's very difficult—after my husband's death, my in-laws refused to support me and my daughter, and they also refused to share the monthly rations which my daughter is rightfully owed—I can't let my husband down, she said while wiping her tears making she sure she looks both pitiful and resilient.
The gatekeeper also became somewhat melancholy. He had also lost his son in the war, so he could empathize with the mother and daughter.
He sighed as he responded, "Yes, it's true that the schools are reopening. Don't worry. After the New Year, you can come with your child after the Lantern Festival for registration. The leader has said so, therefore the schools will definitely reopen."
Chen Meixiang thanked him and turned to leave.
After a moment's pause, seeing the lonely back of the woman, he sighed as he remembered his own daughter. He called out.
Chen Meixiang turned back and asked, "Is there something that I can do for you, Uncle?"
The gatekeeper hurriedly shook his head. "No need, no need. You look like my daughter, that's why I want to tell you something. First, tell me, how much have you studied?"
Chen Meixiang perked up her ears as she listened. She lowered her head and pursed her lips before speaking, "I am a middle school graduate." Although her father and mother wanted her to learn more, she just couldn't study.
The gatekeeper thought for a moment before speaking. "As you know, this is the best school in town and also provides student dormitories for senior students. There is a vacancy for a girls' hostel caretaker. You just have to sit there all day and make sure all the girls are there before curfew. If you want to join, come the day after tomorrow. They will be selecting candidates for various posts, and I can introduce you to them. But whether you get the job is up to you."
After listening to this, Chen Meixiang's lips twitched. She smiled, her eyes filled with gratitude, as she thanked the gatekeeper. "Thank you, Uncle," she said and also placed another cigarette on the table. The gatekeeper tried to refuse, but she ran away after thanking him, leaving the cigarette there.
The gatekeeper took it and placed the cigarette in his pocket before smiling.
[Ding ]
[ Name - Chen Meixiang]
[Villian potential - 48 %]
[Reward - 17 merit points]
It seems spending money on this cigarette pack was certainly worthwhile, she smirked as she thought about how, when she was coming to town, she saw two men chatting in the Supply and Co-op Store about these vacancies. She thought of trying her luck, and it actually succeeded. She just had to act a little pitiful, and her work was done. It was all worthwhile.
Now her daughter could study, and if she got the job and was allowed to live at the dormitory, she could just act pitiful and her daughter would also be allowed to stay with her for free.
Thinking this, Meixiang's smile widened.