Chapter 40: Ask Him Which One He Likes

Lu Qiaoge stood by the roadside and asked Sister Qiao very seriously, "They seem very angry. Did I say something wrong?"

Sister Qiao was about to point out Lu Qiaoge's attitude, but suddenly felt that Lu Qiaoge hadn't said anything wrong at all.

Originally, they were meant to help the elderly, the weak, the sick, the disabled, and those who had lost their ability to work.

Did the healthy members of the Zheng family need help?

They did not!

Sister Qiao said with a smile, "You weren't wrong; they were."

Lu Qiaoge nodded obediently. "That's good, then."

Sister Qiao: "Come on, I'll take you to the canteen to eat."

Lu Qiaoge's eyes lit up. This was great; she could finally eat at the canteen too.

Meanwhile, Qin Hengzhi was sitting in his aunt's house having a meal.

No one knew that Elder Bai, who had just taken office in the provincial capital, was his grandfather.

His grandfather was always busy, so he had only met him once. His aunt, who worked at the Women's Federation, was also very busy, so he hadn't expected her to call him for lunch this morning.

Without even asking, he knew it was definitely an introduction for a blind date or something similar.

Bai Jinxin looked at her nephew, who sat with his eyes lowered, and her eyes crinkled with a smile.

Even while eating, he carried himself like a noble gentleman; every gesture was pleasing to the eye.

In truth, in her heart, she felt no girl could truly be a match for her nephew.

Nevertheless, she told Qin Hengzhi about her father's matchmaking attempt.

"Hengzhi, this is a matter of your lifelong happiness. Whether you meet her or not is up to you; your aunt supports your decision."

Qin Hengzhi replied unhurriedly, "I won't meet her!"

Bai Jinxin: "..."

He refused so decisively, without even asking who the girl was.

Unwilling to give up, Bai Jinxin said, "This girl is the star of the Provincial Art Troupe. She is exceptionally beautiful, has a gentle personality, and comes from a good family. Her grandfather was old comrades with your grandfather and your maternal grandfather. They know each other's backgrounds thoroughly. She definitely won't be like the Lu family, who wouldn't dare to see you just because of a single phone call from the Cao family."

At this point, Bai Jinxin let out a sneer.

To put it this way was actually giving the Lu family face. Lu Min was a good person—excellent in every aspect, gentle, and virtuous.

However, her stepmother was opportunistic; once the other party offered a chance at a promotion, that woman refused to let Lu Min come.

It was better if she didn't come; such a family was problematic regardless.

Qin Hengzhi's expression remained indifferent, making it impossible to tell if he was happy or unhappy.

Bai Jinxin felt she shouldn't have brought up those two depressing families.

She shifted the topic, her eyes sparkling. "I heard that on the day of your blind date, a very beautiful and gentle girl accidentally wandered into the private room, and then some jerk did something bad and tried to pin it on her, but you stepped up and said she was your blind date?"

It seemed like casual chatter, but Bai Jinxin did not miss a single flicker of expression on her nephew's face.

Consequently, she was shocked to see his movement pause while drinking soup, and she caught a fleeting trace of a smile in his eyes.

Bai Jinxin's heart suddenly tightened. As expected, it wasn't that simple.

When Manager Ma of the Spring Breeze Hotel told her about it, she had already felt that her nephew's reaction was different from his usual self.

Her nephew was, in fact, a very proud person.

Stepping in to help someone else out of a predicament?

She had never even heard of such a thing.

Qin Hengzhi glanced at his aunt's complex expression. *Beautiful, huh? She does seem quite beautiful. As for being gentle—after she kicked Liu Feng flying, how did Manager Ma conclude she was gentle?*

Qin Hengzhi put down his soup spoon, stood up in silence, and unhurriedly put on the military uniform resting on the back of his chair.

After putting on his military cap, he said to Bai Jinxin, "I will be transferred to Beidu soon. Do not mention matchmaking again."

With that, Qin Hengzhi strode toward the door.

Bai Jinxin was stunned for a moment before suddenly reacting, calling out to his departing back, "Hengzhi, when are you leaving? Does your grandfather know?"

The only response she received was the sound of the door closing.

Bai Jinxin sighed. Her nephew held a special status; she shouldn't have asked about his whereabouts.

But with that boy's temperament, he was truly a headache.

***

Qin Hengzhi drove into the military factory residential compound.

The Military Representative's Office had dedicated housing within the compound.

It was a row of red brick houses with tiled roofs. Although they were single-story, they had centralized heating.

Compared to the military industry families, the houses here were very spacious.

He had a unit here as well, though he rarely stayed.

Today, he intended to pack some things to take to his dormitory.

He estimated that his transfer documents would arrive by the middle of next month.

Unexpectedly, he ran into a smiling Lu Qiaoge.

She was the "beautiful and gentle girl" his aunt had mentioned.

Clearly, Lu Qiaoge saw him too; she waved at him with bright eyes.

Sister Qiao also saw Qin Hengzhi, and the two stood by the roadside to let the jeep pass.

Qin Hengzhi slowed down, honked to signal a greeting, and then slowly drove into the courtyard.

Sister Qiao looked back and whispered, "This man has saved you twice."

In the shifting light and shadows, Lu Qiaoge seemed to see a hint of a smile in Qin Hengzhi's eyes.

She was somewhat surprised. *Is he in a good mood? Otherwise, why would he smile at me? Or was he smiling at Sister Qiao?*

Lu Qiaoge nodded and said very seriously, "Representative Qin is a good person."

*It's a pity he's leaving the military factory.*

On the way, Lu Qiaoge and Sister Qiao encountered a man and a woman ahead. The woman said, "What good can you find by being in such a rush? Can't you just live with the child for a while?"

The man replied exasperatedly, "Sister, you're a full man who doesn't know the hunger of a starving man. I can't cook, I can't do housework, and I can't look after a child. How can I manage without finding a wife?"

The woman seemed to think he had a point and whispered, "How about Qi Shuang? Or that Yao Kai..."

Sister Qiao coughed; she didn't much care to listen to people gossiping about those she knew.

The two people ahead were startled. They turned around, saw it was Old Qiao from the Street Office, greeted her sheepishly, and quickly hurried off down another path.

The two women looked at each other, seemingly having a lot to say, yet finding themselves with nothing left to say.

However, they first had to go to the Street Office to report their work.

After all, once they finished walking through the Military Representative's residential area, they would be basically done.

The Street Office was still bustling. Sister Hua, who was in charge of marriage registrations, was currently registering a new couple.

The girl was so shy she didn't even dare to look up.

The boy was handsome and looked very sunny. He looked down at the girl who was about to become his wife, his eyes filled with smiles.

He tried to say the bride's name for her, but Sister Hua glared at him and said, "You say your own, and she says hers."

What if it was a marriage of convenience? That was strictly forbidden.

After finally finishing the registration, the shy girl placed a handful of candies on Sister Hua's desk, then ran off shyly, her two long braids swinging, without even taking the marriage certificate. Lu Qiaoge watched curiously as the young man took the two certificates, said thank you, and bolted after the girl.

Lu Qiaoge watched with great interest. *So, a girl's shyness can be that heart-fluttering.*

Deputy Director Huang called out to Lu Qiaoge, "Qiaoge, come here for a moment."

Lu Qiaoge hurried to Deputy Director Huang's office and asked with a smile, "Auntie Huang, what did you need me for?"

Huang Juan also smiled. "Representative Qin is leaving. Director Hao is planning a farewell party, but he's hesitating between putting on a performance or holding a social dance."

Lu Qiaoge asked in shock, "People can still hold social dances now?"

Deputy Director Huang nodded and said to Lu Qiaoge, "You and Shao Le go to the Military Representative's Office. Ask Representative Qin which one he prefers, and then you can finish work for the day."

Lu Qiaoge thought to herself: *What if Representative Qin doesn't like either of them!*