Da Mai and Xiao Mai received the letters, tore them open on the spot, and then tore open their father's, showing them to Ouyang Meihua.
Ouyang Meihua refused to look, "She is just an insignificant person to me, and merely a passerby in your father's eyes."
"I won't read it. You read it for your father. Whatever she says is too late. The husband is mine, and the two daughters are also mine. I am the winner."
Li Liguo also did not read it, "It's not that I am unfeeling, but she was unfeeling first. Besides, she didn't see me before she left."
"Why is she writing to me now? I don't need her sorry..."
"Da Mai, what's wrong with your eyes? Ouch~"
Li Liguo's ear was twisted halfway around by a hand.
Ouyang Meihua, with one hand twisting her husband's ear and the other on her hip, said, "Speak! Are you angry that she didn't see you before she left? Do you still have feelings for her?"
"I'm wrongly accused!" Li Liguo bent over and offered his ear to his wife, so she wouldn't have to stand on tiptoe to reach his ear, saving her the effort.
"Wife, listen to me, let's go to the room and talk about it properly."
Ouyang Meihua scolded, "Pah! The girls are still at home, what nonsense are you talking about?"
"Wife, I'm truly wronged..." Li Liguo cried out. Seeing his wife's displeased expression, he quickly changed his tune:
"Wife, I'm not wronged. Let's go to the room and discuss this matter quietly."
Da Mai pulled Xiao Mai away, thinking her father was getting older and liked teasing their mother more and more.
Halfway, the sisters were stopped by Zhou Chenbin, "Xiao Mai, can I speak to you alone for a few minutes?"
Da Mai nudged her sister, "Go, have a good talk."
Xiao Mai felt betrayed by her sister and could only agree to Zhou Chenbin, "I'll give you twenty minutes. Go ahead."
Zhou Chenbin looked around, "Is it convenient to talk here?"
Xiao Mai was unconcerned, "What's not convenient?"
Seeing Xiao Mai's indifferent attitude, Zhou Chenbin decided to make one last attempt.
"Xiao Mai, I'm pursuing you, do you know that?"
Xiao Mai nodded.
Seeing no change in Xiao Mai's expression, Zhou Chenbin was disappointed. It seemed Xiao Mai really had no feelings for him, and he intended to give up.
"I just want to know the reason. Am I not good enough, or is my pursuit not obvious enough? Or perhaps you have someone else in mind?"
Xiao Mai glanced at him and told him very directly:
"I don't want to arrange my own marriage. My aunt said she would introduce someone to me."
Zhou Chenbin was speechless.
He wanted to hit himself. After three years of effort, he realized today why it was all in vain.
He opened his mouth, then immediately changed his mind after thinking for a moment.
"Alright then, I won't bother you. Team Leader Tian also said she would introduce someone to me. I'll go and accept her offer now."
"Hey! You..."
Xiao Mai gave up when she saw Accountant Zhou leaving without looking back.
...
Tian Jing looked at Zhou Chenbin, who appeared embarrassed, with a mixture of amusement and helplessness.
"Three years ago, you wanted to ask the girl's name, and I thought it would be better if you talked directly."
"Who knew you never mentioned that I was the one who introduced you. What are your plans now?"
"A blind date!"
Zhou Chenbin was also angry with himself. For three years, he had pursued Xiao Mai, only to realize that Xiao Mai believed in arranged marriages.
"Hahaha."
Tian Jing couldn't help but laugh, "You mean you want me to arrange a blind date for the two of you?"
Zhou Chenbin nodded, "Yes! I dare not say it directly. What if she doesn't believe me if I say it?"
"I'll say you intend to introduce someone to me, and I'll come to you to accept the offer."
"Alright, alright," Tian Jing agreed, "I'll arrange it for you."
Zhou Chenbin had another request, "Please, Team Leader Tian, don't tell Xiao Mai that the blind date is me for now."
Tian Jing simply arranged a time and place with him and asked him to bring a bouquet of flowers as an identifier.
...
Xiao Mai finally had her aunt introducing her to someone. She asked,
"Auntie, three years ago you said you would ask about the other party, and now you have a reply. Is it because the other party's home is far away, or because they disliked our reputation, and you found me another blind date?"
Tian Jing was speechless.
"You'll understand when you meet the blind date."
Ouyang Meihua wanted to go and watch the spectacle, but Tian Jing stopped her.
Whether Zhou Chenbin would succeed depended on whether Xiao Mai could come to terms with it.
What if she thought Zhou Chenbin was deceiving her and then found out someone was watching? It would all be ruined.
Ouyang Meihua felt it was a pity. Such a good opportunity! It was a real shame not to see Xiao Mai's dumbfounded expression.
...
Xiao Mai went to a private room in a restaurant in Wang'er Village as her aunt had instructed.
A bouquet of wildflowers was placed by the table in the private room, and a man stood with his back to the door.
She raised her hand and gently knocked on the door.
"Please come in," the man said without turning around.
Xiao Mai walked to the table and said to the man, who was looking down, "I'm sorry, I'm late."
The man stood up, "It's okay, I was early."
"It's you?"
Xiao Mai was surprised, "You... you said my aunt also wanted to introduce someone to you, right?"
Zhou Chenbin nodded, "Yes!"
"Then..." Xiao Mai held onto a sliver of hope, "Is it possible that my aunt mixed up the time, place, and conditions for our two blind dates?"
Zhou Chenbin was very dejected, "Xiao Mai, just tell me the reason why you are unwilling to be in a relationship with me. What is it?"
"Three years ago, when Team Leader Tian called me to the quadrangle house and asked me, I didn't dare to agree because I had someone in my heart."
"But I also hoped that the person Team Leader Tian mentioned would be the one in my heart. So I pestered her for his name."
"When you went to see Team Leader Tian, you misunderstood me. At that time, Team Leader Tian saw who the person in my heart was."
"She thought it would be better to talk directly and let me pursue the person I liked on my own."
"Who knew that after chasing for three years, I realized she was waiting for Team Leader Tian as a matchmaker."
"Now, even though you've already guessed who it is, you still want to deceive yourself."
"Why do you refuse me? Give me a reason, and let me give up."
Facing the somewhat hysterical Zhou Chenbin, Xiao Mai felt a little helpless, "Accountant Zhou, I'm older than you, I..."
As soon as Zhou Chenbin heard that Xiao Mai's reason was solely due to age, he immediately grabbed her arm.
He had pursued her for three years, only to be blocked by age.
"It's only a difference of one year. Aunt Ouyang is four years older than Uncle Li. My mother is also two years older than my father."
"Xiao Mai, age really isn't a problem. A man who doesn't cherish his wife is useless, even if he's ten years older."
"A man who cherishes his wife, once he marries, will be devoted to his wife."
"I am the second type. Xiao Mai, will you, will you please agree to be with me?"
"If, if after we get to know each other, you find I'm not good enough, I, I, I will allow you to leave."
Xiao Mai looked seriously into Zhou Chenbin's eyes. She saw steadfast love, and the pain and struggle when he uttered the words allowing her to leave.
She smiled and asked, "Will you really be willing to let me go then?"
Zhou Chenbin excitedly pulled her into his embrace.
"Xiao Mai, Xiao Mai, Xiao Mai, you, you've agreed, haven't you? Haven't you?"
"I can't believe it. I came two hours early. I practiced many opening lines, and I imagined all sorts of possible situations."
"Of course, what I hoped for most was that you would agree. Now, I, I'm not dreaming, am I? You mean you've agreed, right?"
Xiao Mai pushed his chest with her hand.
"You haven't said yet if you'll let me go then?"
"I won't let you go, I won't let you go, never," Zhou Chenbin shook his head vigorously.
"Because I won't give you the chance. I will treat you well. You still haven't said, have you agreed to me?"
Xiao Mai was speechless.
He had already hugged her, and he still needed to hear her say it?
But looking at Zhou Chenbin's persistent eyes, she could only nod.
Zhou Chenbin's eyes curved into smiles. He let out a deep sigh and held her even tighter.
"Xiao Mai, thank you for being willing to give me a chance. I will definitely not disappoint you."