In the blink of an eye, several days had passed, and it was Sunday again.
Factory workers rarely got a day off, and most of them had gone to line up at the supply and marketing cooperative to buy things.
Lin Zhen planned to take his wife and children to the lake while the spring flowers were in bloom.
They had just finished breakfast and were getting ready to leave.
Aunt Liu from the neighborhood office came to the courtyard to play matchmaker again.
"Aunt Liu, you don't take Sundays off either?" Lin Zhen asked with a smile.
"Sigh! He Yuzhu from your courtyard is a key concern of the neighborhood office. No matter what, I have to make this match happen for him."
"Aunt Liu, come inside and have some water first." Lou Xiao'e hurriedly invited her in.
Because Aunt Liu had brought her and her husband together, after her parents left, Lou Xiao'e had subconsciously come to regard Aunt Liu as a mother. She always felt especially close to her whenever she saw her.
"Grandmother Liu, Grandmother Liu!" The four children were delighted to see Aunt Liu as well.
Aunt Liu pulled a handful of milk candies from her pocket and said with a smile, "You four little tigers are so lovable. Hurry and divide these among yourselves."
"You brought the children something again," Lou Xiao'e said.
"I'm happy to," Aunt Liu said with a laugh. "Haha, are you going out to have fun?"
"No, we weren't planning to go out. Don't leave at noon," Lin Zhen said.
"You're fooling me again," Aunt Liu said with a smile. "The bicycle is already out. Aren't you going out for fun? Go on, it's warm today, and the peach blossoms in the suburbs are all blooming. I need to find He Yuzhu, and I still have other courtyards to visit later."
"There's no rush. It'll be fine if we go in the afternoon."
At that moment, Silly Zhu was chatting with First Elder Yi Zhonghai at the entrance.
When he saw Aunt Liu from the neighborhood office arrive, he looked like a mouse that had seen a cat.
"First Elder, I won't keep you company anymore. I have to go to the rolling mill. The factory director has a dinner gathering this afternoon." With that, he lowered his head and ran.
"Comrade He Yuzhu, stop right there!"
"Oh, Aunt Liu, why are you here again?"
"That's what I should be asking you. Xu Damao has already stopped being my concern, so why are you still dragging your feet? Seven hundred million people across the country are building the motherland together. Are you trying to hold the nation back?"
"Oh my! How would I dare? With a hat like that slapped on me, even if she were Pigsy's own sister, I'd have to take a look."
Yi Zhonghai smiled. "Silly Zhu, you haven't even looked yet. How can you talk nonsense? Cooperate properly with Aunt Liu's work. No messing around!"
Silly Zhu chuckled. "With you two keeping me in line, how could I dare mess around? But Aunt Liu, shouldn't you ask Liu Guangtian first?"
"Liu Guangtian is much younger than you. You come first. Look at the photo. Liu Liping, a young woman who just started work at the thermos factory. She's twenty-one this year, educated, and a progressive young woman."
Silly Zhu shrank his neck and laughed. "Hehe, what kind of name is Liu Liping? Sounds like glass bottles and drinking cups, it's really..."
Silly Zhu stopped halfway through his teasing remark. He had been drawn in by the girl in the photograph.
"Th-this... Aunt Liu, did you cut this out of some publicity booklet? Is Liu Liping really this pretty?"
"Stop joking around. Just tell me, yes or no?"
"Yes!"
Yi Zhonghai also leaned over to look at the photograph with a beaming smile, then nodded. "This girl looks dignified and well-proportioned, like someone who'll bring prosperity to her husband and household. Silly Zhu, you can't be picky anymore."
"If I'm picky with someone who looks like this, then I really am an idiot," Silly Zhu said with a grin.
His younger sister He Yushui had been nagging him until his head hurt these past few days, urging him every day to confess to Qin Huairu.
But Silly Zhu understood that Qin Huairu wanted to preserve her reputation, and Jia Zhangshi would never let her daughter-in-law remarry.
So even though he had racked his brains without finding an answer, he could only sigh in frustration and did not dare cross the line in the slightest.
Silly Zhu also knew he could not remain single like this forever. Especially after Xu Damao had taken Qin Jingru, he wanted even more to compete with Xu Damao.
He had only been troubled by the lack of anyone who could compare with Qin Huairu or Lou Xiao'e.
Now, the Liu Liping Aunt Liu had introduced really was beautiful in the photograph, so he immediately nodded in agreement.
"Alright, I'll bring the girl over right now so you two can talk," Aunt Liu said.
"Huh?! We're meeting directly? Shouldn't we wait a couple of days?"
"She's a progressive young person of the new era, not as shy and hesitant as you. Just wait. She'll be here soon."
"Who said I was hesitant?" Silly Zhu said with a smile. "I just think my place is messy. Right, I need to hurry up and clean the room!"
"Silly Zhu, aren't you going to the rolling mill?" Yi Zhonghai asked with a smile.
"It won't be too late to go this afternoon. This is important business."
Qin Huairu, in the western room, overheard their conversation and felt an inexplicable sense of loss.
Looking outside through the window, she saw Silly Zhu scampering back into his room. Yi Zhonghai glanced in Qin Huairu's direction before turning and returning to his own room.
Qin Huairu pondered for a moment.
She immediately carried out a large basin of clothes and began washing them unhurriedly in the courtyard, waiting to see what the girl looked like.
Before long, Aunt Liu arrived in the courtyard with a graceful young woman, her face beaming.
Liu Liping was half a head taller than Qin Huairu. She was dressed neatly and appropriately, with dignified features and clear, bright eyes. One look was enough to tell that she was exceptionally clever.
"Aunt Liu, whose younger sister are you introducing? She's really pretty!" Qin Huairu asked with a radiant smile.
"He Yuzhu's. You're washing clothes?"
"Yes. Silly Zhu, hurry out! Aunt Liu is here!"
Silly Zhu was fumbling about inside, having just put on his leather shoes.
When he heard Qin Huairu call out like that, he felt a little displeased. Hey! Qin Huairu! Can't you call me He Yuzhu?
When Liu Liping heard Qin Huairu call him Silly Zhu, she became somewhat wary. A nickname with the word "silly" in it was never a particularly good thing.
Silly Zhu hurried out and said with a broad smile, "Aunt Liu, you're here. Come in and sit down. I just made some tea."
When Liu Liping saw that He Yuzhu did not look foolish at all, but rather honest and straightforward, and that he was dressed properly with a pair of new leather shoes on his feet, the misgivings in her heart faded.
Liu Liping followed Aunt Liu inside just as Xu Damao happened to be pushing his bicycle out, and he saw the scene.
Xu Damao was instantly drawn to Liu Liping's poised and dignified air.
He stared blankly, then said with a smile, "Oh, Aunt Liu, are you introducing this young lady to Silly Zhu?"
When Qin Huairu had called him Silly Zhu just now, Aunt Liu had already felt a little bothered. Now Xu Damao opened his mouth and called him Silly Zhu too.
Why was everyone in this courtyard like this? Weren't they ruining the match?
Aunt Liu's smile faded slightly. "Xu Damao, you found someone yourself, so I don't need to worry about you anymore. He Yuzhu is honest, and I have to look after him."
"Ah, right," Xu Damao said with a smile. "I won't disturb you, then. I still have to go to the Propaganda Section. Tonight I'm showing a movie for a brother unit."
Right now, Silly Zhu wanted nothing more than to run over and slap Xu Damao across the mouth, but he still smiled and said, "People in the courtyard like to joke around. Names and such are just for fun."
"Then you must get along well with everyone," Liu Liping said with a smile.
"You two talk first," Aunt Liu said. "I'll go to the front courtyard and chat with Lou Xiao'e for a while."
Compared with Liu Liping's ease, Silly Zhu seemed somewhat restrained.
The two talked for a while about work and family circumstances. Within just a few sentences, Liu Liping had learned the full story of Silly Zhu's situation.
His mother had died early, his father had gone elsewhere, and in the courtyard, his only relatives were himself and his younger sister He Yushui.
There was a Deaf Old Lady in the back courtyard who cared for him, and First Aunt in the central courtyard had once helped look after his younger sister.
Everyone in the courtyard called him Silly Zhu. He was warmhearted and never held grudges.
He really was someone worth getting to know.
"It's getting late. Let's leave it here for today. I have something to do, so I'll head back first."
Silly Zhu panicked. "Don't! You and Aunt Liu should stay for lunch today. Let me show you my cooking skills."
"No, tomorrow. If I have time tomorrow afternoon, I'll come find you."
After saying that, Liu Liping stood and left. Silly Zhu hurriedly escorted her out through the front courtyard gate.
By the time he returned, he was overjoyed. There was hope!
"Silly Zhu, how did it go?" Qin Huairu seemed even more concerned than he was as she hurriedly came over to ask.
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