The Plight of the Three Bachelors

"Wow! Lin Zhen, why did you buy so much stuff?"

Lou Xiao'e was cautious, worried that being so extravagant would make the neighbors jealous.

After all, ordinary families wouldn't dare to eat like this even during the New Year.

"Don't worry, wife. Everyone in the courtyard knows I've been promoted to engineer. Whatever we eat is a celebration, so don't worry about others being envious."

"Why don't we invite the Deaf Old Lady over for dinner tonight?"

"No! If we want to appear respectful of elders and caring for the young, let the children take a bowl of food to her. Don't mention her coming to our house for dinner."

Lou Xiao'e nodded and smiled, "Okay~ I'll listen to you. But I'm a bit curious, the Deaf Old Lady is quite nice, why are you so indifferent to her?"

Lin Zhen smiled faintly, "How can that be? I respect her very much, treating her like the matriarch of the courtyard."

Lou Xiao'e chuckled, "You can't fool me. At most, you treat her like an ordinary neighbor, and you've also subtly kept me from getting too close to her. Uh... I don't understand, but I know you must be doing it for my own good."

"Haha, it's good that you know. Some things are better left unsaid. You don't need to know everything."

Although the Deaf Old Lady had high prestige in the courtyard.

Lin Zhen didn't like her.

She was a shrewd old woman, and very selfish.

In her eyes, only First Elder Yi Zhonghai and Silly Zhu were precious.

Towards others in the courtyard, she feigned deafness and blindness, bullied them with her influence, and acted foolishly.

The most hateful thing was that in the original story, she had wronged Lou Xiao'e.

She knew her silly grandson, He Yuzhu, was a sycophant to Qin Huairu.

She also knew Qin Huairu wouldn't have children with Silly Zhu.

Qin Huairu felt more familial affection and possessiveness towards Silly Zhu; she never truly loved him.

To leave an heir for her silly grandson.

The Deaf Old Lady had wronged the most foolish person in the courtyard, Lou Xiao'e.

And Lou Xiao'e had never wronged the Deaf Old Lady in the slightest.

At that time, Lou Xiao'e was divorced.

If she had married someone from a poor background, her ending would have been a hundred times better than being with Silly Zhu.

She wouldn't have ended up having Silly Zhu use his assets to support her enemies in old age.

The Deaf Old Lady knew even better that Lou Xiao'e couldn't compete with Qin Huairu.

She also knew Silly Zhu was a soft-hearted person with no bottom line.

In the future, Lou Xiao'e would be calculated against by Qin Huairu and divorced again.

Lou Xiao'e's happiness? As long as Qin Huairu was in the courtyard, she would never have happiness living with Silly Zhu!

The Deaf Old Lady knew this, but she didn't care.

As long as her silly grandson had an heir, that was enough.

However, in the original story, Lou Xiao'e left later, and Qin Huairu successfully captured Silly Zhu.

It was only then that Lou Xiao'e didn't have a worse fate.

Lin Zhen had seen all this clearly before he Transmigrated.

Therefore, he didn't have a good impression of the Deaf Old Lady; their relationship was just that of neighbors.

You old lady are a smart person.

As long as you don't harm my wife in this Transmigrated world, we'll mind our own business.

In fact, at this moment, the Deaf Old Lady, just like Lou Xiao'e, was confused.

She had treated Lou Xiao'e quite well.

Why wasn't this Lin Zhen as filial to me as Silly Zhu?

Hmm, it's different from Xiao'e.

Xiao'e is truly kind and pure, but this Lin Zhen is too shrewd!

Seeing that her husband didn't want to elaborate, Lou Xiao'e stopped asking.

While chatting and talking about household matters, she helped Lin Zhen with the cooking.

Just as they were preparing to butcher a chicken and clean a fish, Aunt Liu from the neighborhood committee entered the courtyard with a smile.

Upon seeing the grand display at Lin Zhen's house, she immediately broke into a smile.

"Oh, Little Lin, there's still over a month until the New Year, and you're already preparing?"

Aunt Liu was a propagandist and matchmaker for the neighborhood committee, essentially someone who specialized in bringing new couples together.

In this era, the country encouraged childbirth.

More people meant greater strength, and having children was contributing to the nation's construction.

Every street office had a matchmaker in charge.

They were responsible for keeping track of all the men and women in their jurisdiction who had reached marriageable age.

It was this very Aunt Liu who had set up the match between Lin Zhen and Lou Xiao'e.

Seeing the old matchmaker arrive, Lin Zhen exclaimed happily, "Oh, Aunt Liu, are you here to arrange marriages for our courtyard's three top contenders again?"

Lou Xiao'e also chimed in with a smile, "Aunt Liu, please have lunch at my place today."

Aunt Liu chuckled, "Just wait, I'm going to find those three obstinate fellows. If they refuse again this time, I won't stand for it."

Aunt Liu held several girls' photos in her hand; she had come specifically to find matches for Silly Zhu, Xu Damao, and Liu Guangtian.

In fact, Aunt Liu visited every few months.

The other courtyards showed her respect and would generally go along with her suggestions, getting married and having children after a few dates.

But the three men in this courtyard were different.

They would immediately say, "If they don't look as good as Lou Xiao'e or Qin Huairu, don't even bother mentioning them!"

Aunt Liu had been turned away more than once or twice.

This time, she had specifically chosen photos of several pretty girls from other neighborhoods.

Her plan was to at least get one couple together, even if it was the least desirable option.

As soon as she entered the central courtyard, Silly Zhu was teaching Bang Geng how to wrestle.

Liu Guangtian was nearby, offering unsolicited advice.

Meanwhile, Qin Jingru and Xiao Dang were sitting by the Jia family's doorway.

Silly Zhu had moved his teaching from indoors to the courtyard so he could chat with Qin Jingru from time to time.

Unable to have Qin Huairu, he was quite pleased upon meeting Qin Jingru.

Qin Jingru wasn't much worse than Qin Huairu, so she would do.

Most importantly, he couldn't let Xu Damao snatch her away.

Liu Guangtian had originally gone to find Yan Jiecheng to play, but after seeing Qin Jingru, he didn't want to leave.

In reality, his pressure was greater than Silly Zhu's or Xu Damao's.

After his elder brother got married, he moved away and took most of the good things from the family.

His father, Liu Haizhong, was biased and only doted on his eldest son.

He would scold him and his younger brother Liu Guangfu at the slightest provocation.

Liu Guangtian had long wanted to get married and move out.

But he couldn't find a suitable match.

He also envied Lin Zhen and Jia Dongxu for marrying beautiful wives.

He also wanted to secretly compete with Silly Zhu and Xu Damao.

Furthermore, his good friend Yan Jiecheng was going to marry Yu Li, which meant another beautiful woman would be gracing the Siheyuan.

He was even more unwilling to fall behind.

However, his own circumstances were far worse compared to Silly Zhu and Xu Damao.

Especially his status at home, he was too embarrassed to even mention it.

Upon seeing the shy and beautiful village girl Qin Jingru this time, Liu Guangtian was also a little tempted.

Why bother looking for good friends to play with? His good friends' wives were already settled, while he hadn't even made a start.

Even so, Liu Guangtian, like Silly Zhu, was teaching Bang Geng wrestling in the courtyard, his true intentions hidden.

"Ouch! I'm going to be killed! Are you moving your leg or blocking it, Uncle Silly, Uncle Guangtian? Decide before you tell me!"

Silly Zhu and Liu Guangtian pointed in opposite directions.

As a result, Bang Geng was thrown down on his bottom by Lin Guo's shoulder.

"Hahaha… Brother, you're down, it's my turn!"

Lin Guo, who was on the side, couldn't wait any longer.

"He Yuzhu, Liu Guangtian, this is great, you're both here, saving me the trouble of looking for you individually."

Silly Zhu looked up and saw Aunt Liu.

He covered his eyes with a sigh, "Oh, Aunt Liu, why are you here again?"

"What's wrong, Silly Zhu? You don't welcome me?"

"Welcome, welcome, how could I not? But I don't want to see the photos, I don't like Pigsy's second aunt!"

"What are you talking about! I've picked out handsome girls this time, all from nearby neighborhoods. You're not allowed to insult them!"

"Alright, alright! They're all beautiful, give them to Liu the Second to see, I'm not interested in any of them!"

Aunt Liu was thoroughly exasperated by Silly Zhu.

Every time someone came to introduce a potential partner, he was the most difficult and uncooperative.

"How do you know you won't like them if you don't even look?"

"I just don't like them. None of the ones you've introduced are attractive. Give them to Liu the Second, don't bother with me!"

Silly Zhu said, getting up and running out the door.

Liu Guangtian had originally wanted to see which girls Aunt Liu had introduced.

But after being shoved by Silly Zhu, he could only pretend to be dismissive and laugh, "Tch! I don't like them either. Aunt Liu, save your breath. Yan Jiecheng and I already made plans to go to the Temple of Heaven, so I can't chat with you!"