Comfortable life in Siheyuan

At around 2:00 p.m., Qin Huairu sent her sister on the bus back home and walked to the courtyard alone.

When I was about to reach the courtyard, I was still thinking about Qin Jingru. I felt that it was not appropriate to put all my hopes on Liu Guangtian, so I had to find a matchmaker to ask, so I went to matchmaker Wang's house.

"Knock knock! Is Aunt Wang home?" Qin Huairu called softly.

"I'm at home. The door is not closed. Come in." Matchmaker Wang didn't ask who it was. She was familiar with everyone in this area, and the person who came to her would not have any other business.

Qin Huairu pushed the door open and walked in, smiling and saying, "Auntie Wang, I want to talk to you about something. I have a younger sister who lives in the countryside. I want to find a family in the city. I would like you to help me find one."

When matchmaker Wang heard that the couple was from the countryside, she immediately lost interest: "Sister-in-law Jia, you know that people with rural household registration don't have food rations now, so city people are not willing to find one. Even if they do find one, it won't be a good match!"

Qin Huairu thought that was true. What Matchmaker Wang said made sense. So she said, "Of course I understand, but my sister is even prettier than I was when I was young! If you have a suitable partner, please help me. If you don't have a suitable partner, that's fine too."

"Okay, no problem. If there is a suitable candidate, I will keep an eye out. When I really meet the right person, I will come to you." Matchmaker Wang replied with a smile.

"Yes, thank you very much. Oh, by the way, Aunt Wang, there is a man named Liu Guangtian in our courtyard. He ran away from home a while ago. Now he is a temporary worker in a scrap collection station. His conditions are average. I guess it may be difficult for him to find a partner in the city. Do you think he and my sister are a good match?" Qin Huairu continued to ask.

"Oh? This is the case. I will go to his workplace to ask in the next few days. If he agrees, I will inform you." Matchmaker Wang said with a smile.

"Hey! I'll leave now!" Qin Huairu said as she stood up.

Matchmaker Wang looked at Qin Huairu with a smile and suddenly asked, "Sister-in-law Jia, your husband has been gone for many years. Do you plan to remarry? I have a suitable man here. His wife also left him a few years ago. He is a serious worker. He has a daughter."

Qin Huairu's expression suddenly became tangled, and she sighed helplessly, "Ah! Aunt Wang, thank you, but what about my whole family? I have three children. If I leave, how will they live?"

"Yeah, I just couldn't help but say it because you two are of similar age. If you don't have such an intention, forget it." Aunt Wang didn't take it seriously.

"How old is that man and where is he from?" Qin Huairu hesitated for a while before asking.

"That man is only 35 this year and works in a food factory outside Beijing. You can go and ask around. A man of his age and conditions is not bad." Matchmaker Wang has been observing people all her life, and she knew at a glance that Qin Huairu had some ideas.

Qin Huairu began to hesitate again, and after a long while she continued, "Forget it, I still can't abandon these children, so let it be. I'll trouble you to pay more attention to my sister's affairs."

"Okay, I will help you with your sister's affairs. You should also think carefully about your own affairs when you go back!" Matchmaker Wang said with a smile.

"Then I'll go back." Qin Huairu pushed the door open and walked out. "Hey! Goodbye!"

Qin Huairu walked out of Wang the Matchmaker's yard with a heavy heart, and did not notice the second aunt passing by.

The second aunt looked at the absent-minded Qin Huairu and called out softly, but she seemed not to hear and continued to walk towards the courtyard. The second aunt looked back at Wang the matchmaker's yard in confusion and nodded thoughtfully.

Qin Huairu returned home, still feeling conflicted. She thought about the man that matchmaker Wang had introduced her to, and that he was indeed a good man, but she couldn't let go of her children.

At night, after the children fell asleep, Qin Huairu sat by the bed, staring at the sleeping children, tears flowing down her face involuntarily.

She knew that if she chose to remarry, her children might be affected, but it was too difficult to raise three children and a lazy mother-in-law. She was struggling in her heart, not knowing how to make a decision.

The next morning, people in the yard went out to work and started a busy day. The second aunt also gathered with several aunts in the yard and chatted.

"Hey! Guess what I saw yesterday?" A mysterious look appeared on the second aunt's face and she spoke in a low voice.

"Oh, how are we supposed to guess? Don't keep us in suspense, just tell us straight out!" one of the middle-aged ladies urged anxiously.

"Yeah, stop keeping us in suspense!" another aunt echoed.

The aunties sitting in a circle expressed their dissatisfaction and urged the second aunt to tell what they saw and heard.

"Okay, okay, I'll tell you, I saw Qin Huairu yesterday!" The second aunt finally solved the mystery.

"Qin Huairu? Where did she go?" everyone asked curiously.

"She went to matchmaker Wang's place! When I saw her coming out, her brows were furrowed and she looked very worried. I really don't know what she was thinking about." The second aunt continued.

When the aunts heard this, they immediately started talking about it.

"Is Qin Huairu trying to arrange a marriage for her younger sister? I heard yesterday that her cousin came over, maybe that's the case."

"Not necessarily. Maybe she wants to remarry. Life in the Jia family is hopeless."

"You have a point. The mother-in-law is like this, and the son is not a good student. You have to think about yourself!"

Everyone was talking at once, and the building was bent into an unknown shape.

"What do you think will happen to the Jia family's job if Qin Huairu really remarries? Will we give it to Jia Zhang?"

"How is that possible? She is so lazy and likes to eat. What can she do in the factory?"

"That's right. I don't even wash clothes at home. I was pretending to be nice when I just came back from the countryside, but now I don't even bother to pretend."

"What can she do after entering the factory? Will the factory provide for her retirement?"

There were many different opinions, and soon Jia Zhang was described as nothing.

"Hey! What are you talking about? You look so happy."

As they were chatting, Allah came over and everyone stopped talking.

"I was talking about the relatives who came to your house yesterday. They saw it and said that the girl was pretty and looked like she would be able to give birth easily." The second aunt just made up these lies.

"What's the use of being pretty? Who would dare to marry a girl from the countryside? How can the family live without food credits?" Jia Zhang said with a look of disgust.

"That's right. Not everyone can afford the high-priced food now."

"What a shame, I think he looks pretty good."

"Second Aunt, where is your Guangtian now? Such a beautiful girl is a good match for Guangtian!"

"We have jobs now, how can we possibly find a job in the countryside?" The second aunt looked unhappy.

"You haven't been home for a while. How's your work going now?" Jia Zhang deliberately said something unpleasant.

The second aunt snorted coldly, turned around and left the crowd.