Chapter 168: Wanting Her to Be a Matchmaker
Chapter 168: Chapter 168: Wanting Her to Be a Matchmaker
When Fu Xiaoxiao sat down with the Chen Family again, unlike before, she inexplicably felt a tinge of nervousness this time.
"Little sister, welcome to our family!"
"Xiaoxiao, congratulations."
"Little sister, hurry and call me Second Brother..."
The Chen Family looked at Fu Xiaoxiao, and everyone genuinely welcomed her. The sincere blessings moved Fu Xiaoxiao.
The villagers all came to congratulate her. Now that Fu Xiaoxiao had become part of the Chen Family, she was one of their villagers too.
"Congratulations! Old Chen, you gained another daughter."
"Yan Nan, you are so fortunate to have such a pretty daughter."
"..."
With the villagers’ exaggerated praises, Li Yanan accepted it all unabashedly, proudly patting Fu Xiaoxiao. "My little daughter is so capable and smart; I’m really lucky! Let’s celebrate today—everyone, have a drink!"
Fu Xiaoxiao sat beside Chen Xiu, watching Li Yanan toast at each table. As long as someone toasted, she would drink, and she drank whenever someone said something nice about her.
"Sister Chen Xiu, will Godmother be alright drinking like this?" Fu Xiaoxiao worriedly looked at Chen Xiu, who shook her head with a smile at her drinking mother.
"You’ll see; Mom has never lost when it comes to drinking." Chen Xiu reassured Fu Xiaoxiao not to worry, knowing that Li Yanan’s drinking capacity was well-known.
"Mom isn’t so much a good drinker as she just never gets drunk." Chen Hao winked at Fu Xiaoxiao and whispered.
"Never gets drunk no matter how much?" Fu Xiaoxiao was taken aback; she hadn’t expected Li Yanan to have such a constitution.
"Indeed, no matter how much she drinks, Mom won’t get drunk." Chen Shi whispered into Fu Xiaoxiao’s ear.
Fu Xiaoxiao watched as Li Yanan drank down two full tables of men, while she remained unbothered, continuing to find others to drink with, but it was clear that the others were scared of her and didn’t dare drink with her.
"Today we’re having fun; we won’t stop until we’re drunk!" Li Yanan grinned proudly at the fallen two tables of people.
When she returned to sit beside Fu Xiaoxiao, Li Yanan, still unfazed, served Fu Xiaoxiao some food. "Xiaoxiao, these bamboo shoots are good, try some."
"Thank you, Godmother." Fu Xiaoxiao smiled and ate, and Li Yanan liked her even more, watching her being so well-behaved.
"When do you plan to leave? Why not stay at home like Xiu’er..." Li Yanan asked reluctantly.
"I’ve already booked an afternoon ticket." Fu Xiaoxiao looked embarrassedly at Li Yanan. She had already booked her return ticket when she came, so it couldn’t be changed.
Once the villagers finished eating, some of the close aunties stayed behind to help clean up. The food on the table was completely eaten, and the plates just needed a rinse to be clean.
Chen Chuan and his two sons tidied the tables and chairs, while Fu Xiaoxiao sat on a small stool, washing dishes with a few aunties, and Li Yanan led Chen Ya and Chen Shi in tidying the kitchen.
"Girl, is your husband in the army?" one of the aunties asked, noticing Fu Xiaoxiao’s delicate hands, feeling only comfortable allowing her to handle the clean plates. Seeing how obedient she was, they asked out of curiosity.
"Yes." Fu Xiaoxiao nodded.
"Then you must know other soldiers too, right?" the aunts’ eyes lit up, each having daughters and thinking about whether Fu Xiaoxiao could introduce some, marrying a soldier was considered good.
Just as Fu Xiaoxiao was about to answer them, Li Yanan came out and overheard, immediately saying. "If you want my little girl to introduce men, it’s not impossible, but bear in mind, don’t assume they’re all good matches. It’s up to her to decide whether to introduce or not, and you can’t complain if she doesn’t."
"Of course, of course." Seeing Li Yanan say that, the aunts nodded. They hadn’t really had high hopes; they just wanted a reliable match for their daughters.
"Don’t worry; we definitely won’t be too demanding." Another aunt expressed sincerity.
Fu Xiaoxiao listened as Li Yanan laid it out, her lips curling upwards slightly.
"Girl, if you have someone in mind, let them know; if not, don’t worry about it. Don’t make it difficult for yourself." Li Yanan winked at Fu Xiaoxiao, ensuring she wouldn’t burden herself unnecessarily.
"I understand, Godmother." Fu Xiaoxiao obediently replied.
"There are quite a few unmarried young men in the army, but I’m not sure what you’re looking for. Perhaps you should tell me." Fu Xiaoxiao didn’t agree lightly, considering there were hundreds, even thousands, of people in the unit, and she wasn’t sure who was married or single. At best, she’d help inquire for them.
"Moreover, not everyone’s eligible to bring family along; if they’re not yet at that level, they might only see each other once or twice a year. It’s not all holidays that they can come home. Wanting a military son-in-law means being prepared for this." Fu Xiaoxiao said earnestly.
Soldiers don’t have that kind of freedom, and they often have training tasks; even during holidays, they may not make it home. Not everyone can endure this kind of loneliness.
Being married feels no different from being single, staying alone at home.
"Oh... this..." Hearing this, the aunts realized. They initially thought marrying a soldier was a good idea but forgot that it meant accepting a man who wouldn’t often be around, and they’d have to handle things alone.
Thinking of their own daughters, and the thought of not having a man at home...
"That’s not going to work... no man at home... what happens then..."
"Indeed, who’ll do the housework without the husband? It can’t all fall on the wife?"
"Then let’s forget it."
The aunts, thinking it over regarding their daughters, decided against it.
A woman with no man around, what if some lazy scoundrel comes along—how could they cope without a man to rely on?
Fu Xiaoxiao smiled, not surprised by their reaction.
Unless you’re ready for it, most people can’t accept such a long-term loneliness if they can’t be with their partner every day and see them only once a year.
After the dishes were washed, and the kitchen was mostly tidied, the aunts all bid farewell. Li Yanan had thought they’d stay near Fu Xiaoxiao to make demands.
"They’re all leaving? Not going to set any terms? Weren’t they asking for introductions?"
Li Yanan waved at them, but the aunts hurried away even faster.
"What happened?" Li Yanan looked at Fu Xiaoxiao, who was chuckling, and asked with a smile.
"I just told the aunts they might not see their husbands all year round." Fu Xiaoxiao said, leaving the Chen Family momentarily stunned.
"Goodness, if Xiaoxiao and Mom weren’t really unrelated, I’d think she was honestly Mom’s biological daughter."
"That mouth—it’s just as sharp!"
"What do you mean sharp! That’s just being straightforward."
"I believe it; she has a mouth just like Mom’s."
Chen Ze also felt impressed, thinking that few people would dare talk about marrying soldiers after what Fu Xiaoxiao said.
"Hahahahahahaha..." Li Yanan laughed heartily. "Ha... ha... hahaha..."
"Mom... you’re laughing a bit too much." Everyone looked helplessly at Li Yanan; this laughter was indeed infectious.