CHAPTER 143: CHAPTER 143: LIN SHAOJUN’S THOUGHTS

Lin Qingxiang hesitated for a while before tentatively asking, "Do you know the girl who cooks at the daycare center?"

Lin Yi was taken aback for a moment before realizing, "You mean Zhao Xiaohong! Yes, I know her, what’s up?"

Lin Qingxiang let out a sigh of relief and happily pulled Lin Yi aside to ask, "What’s the situation with that girl? How’s her family?"

Lin Yi immediately understood, "Could it be that Shaojun has taken a liking to her?"

"Exactly..." Lin Qingxiang spoke bluntly, "Everyone in the village knows he works at the seafood shop, with quite a decent salary. At the end of this year, there’s been a sudden surge in people wanting to set him up, and Yuzhen and I are quite happy, but this rascal suddenly opposes blind dates, only revealing that he has someone in mind when pressed.

Yuzhen and I couldn’t figure out who he might like until Yuzhen smartly suggested asking you. He immediately panicked and, after some hemming and hawing, said he has an eye on a girl who cooks at the daycare center and that she often goes to the seafood shop to buy seafood. What’s going on?"

Lin Yi honestly shook his head, "You’ll have to wait for Ah Qin to come back, she knows better."

Lin Qingxiang nodded and continued working. By five in the afternoon, while everyone else wrapped up work and left, Lin Qingxiang stayed, insistent on waiting for Lin Qin to return.

Seeing her come back, Lin Yi immediately took his little grandson and briefly explained Lin Shaojun’s situation.

Lin Qin laughed and said to the anxious Lin Qingxiang, "The Zhao family is very poor, from over by Dayan Mountain. Zhao Xiaohong has six siblings, making her the fourth. She has two older brothers and an older sister, with younger siblings below. If it weren’t for the poverty, the brothers couldn’t get married, and the sisters couldn’t offer a dowry to get married, they wouldn’t have come to the city to work.

I got to know them a bit and think the girl is quite nice. I’ve helped her out a little. Now she works at the daycare center, cooking for the kids, and after work, she sets up a stall to sell food. She earns about a hundred plus a month, more if she can extend her stall time during holidays.

Uncle, I’ve told you everything about her situation. You and Auntie should think it over. If you’re satisfied, then proceed; if not, don’t bother her. She doesn’t even know about this yet!"

Lin Qingxiang nodded thoughtfully but didn’t make a direct statement.

When he got home, he shared the situation with his wife.

Huang Yuzhen was displeased upon learning how poor the Zhao family was, but when she heard how hardworking Zhao Xiaohong was, earning over a hundred a month, she became intrigued, but still couldn’t make up her mind after much deliberation.

When Lin Shaojun returned from work, Huang Yuzhen couldn’t help but ask, "Is it true that Zhao Xiaohong’s family is so poor that her brothers can’t get wives?"

Lin Shaojun hesitated for a moment, knowing his parents had found something out, and didn’t hide it, "They were indeed terribly poor before, unable to get wives. Before the New Year, when they returned to their hometown, someone acted as a matchmaker for her eldest brother, and they succeeded. They held a banquet in the village, and after the New Year, everyone came back to the city to work.

Her mom even came. According to Xiaohong, her mom and sister-in-law also want to set up a stall here to make money but aren’t planning on teaming up with Xiaohong and her sister.

They bought twice as many oysters and river shrimp than last year, and they’ll probably increase their quantity even further after this.

Her second brother says there’s no rush, and wants to wait. Her third sister has been introduced to someone by a relative, and it’s uncertain if it will work, but if it does, she’ll likely marry in the first half of this year.

She’s a bit worried that her third sister might not get along with her once she’s married."

Lin Shaojun hasn’t confessed to Zhao Xiaohong yet. The reason he knows so much is because he noticed a rise in the seafood quantities she ordered and inquired about it. She didn’t hide anything and told him directly.

Huang Yuzhen’s stern expression eased, "It seems Zhao family’s situation isn’t as bad as I imagined."

Lin Shaojun was speechless, "Mom! I haven’t even confessed to her. It’s uncertain if she even likes me. Isn’t your worry a bit exaggerated?"

Huang Yuzhen was not happy about this, "Cheeky boy, if you like her, why not confess? If she’s taken by someone else, you won’t even find a place to cry!"

Lin Shaojun’s face changed, darkened, and he turned around and walked away.

Lin Qingxiang murmured, "So you’ve chosen that girl?"

Huang Yuzhen cast her eyes down, "I don’t know, but I know your son is quite picky. It’s rare for him to be interested in someone, and if he misses the chance, who knows when he’ll get married? Let him give it a try."

Lin Qingxiang had nothing more to say.

Soon, it was the day school started.

Lin Qin dressed up a bit and went to school with the kids, taking Xu Jian and Xu Kang to their respective classes and talking with their teachers before leaving.

Then she hurried to the senior university with her youngest son on her back.

Sister Fang saw her wearing a dress and makeup, her eyes lit up, "Oh! What have you been up to today? What’s special about today?"

Lin Qin simply explained everything.

Sister Fang gave her a thumbs up, "You really know how to handle things. I’ve never been so attentive to my own son... But back then, the family conditions weren’t good, we were only worried about money, no time to think about these things. Now with some money, my son is grown up, has his own mind, completely ignores me. I wanted to set him up, but he said I’ve nothing better to do with a full belly!

Luckily, Xiaohong and her siblings allow me to indulge my matchmaker fantasy. Let me tell you, I found a match for Xiaohong’s third sister."

Lin Qin was intrigued, "What are the guy’s conditions?"

Sister Fang saw Lin Qin’s interest and immediately detailed, "He’s local, though his family is a bit poor. There are two brothers. After marrying off the older brother with a house built for him, the old couple had no money left, so there’s nothing for the younger one, no woman willing to marry him.

So, the lad was determined to resolve things on his own, dragging pigs from the slaughterhouse in the middle of the night, setting up a stall in the morning and late afternoon, very diligent.

Happened to be near Xiaoqing and Xiaohong’s stall, so they were familiar faces. I noticed that guy seemed to care for our Xiaoqing, so I asked some questions, and it turned out he had that in mind already, they succeeded!

Neither family can help, so there’s no bride price or dowry. The guy has a place to stay, albeit small. I mean, they are young, after all. If they work hard for a couple of years, save up, build a house, they can have everything they want."

Lin Qin wholeheartedly agreed, "That’s true. Back when my husband and I got married, we had nothing. We have what we do today because we worked hard for it. Better to rely on oneself."

Sister Fang seemed to have found a kindred spirit and would have loved to chat with Lin Qin for hours if Lin Qin didn’t have to rush to class.

A few days later, Lin Qin heard that Zhao Xiaoqing got married.

She gave Lin Shaojun a heads-up, and he couldn’t sit still, planning to confess to Zhao Xiaohong.