When Ruan Mian got home, Ruan Mingke had not gone to bed yet. She brought the zongzi into the kitchen, then walked over, “Why are you still not sleeping so late?”
“Drank tea during the day so not that sleepy.”
Ruan Mingke folded up the newspaper and put it on the coffee table. After she sat down, he brought up, “Your mom called me just now.”
Without having to guess, Ruan Mian knew what it was about. She feigned ignorance and oh’ed, grabbing the remote to randomly turn on a movie.
Ruan Mingke also looked over, gently saying, “Your mom has been worrying all her life. As her only daughter, it’s understandable she’s anxious about your marriage.”
She turned down the TV volume. “I understand.”
“So what are your thoughts?”
Ruan Mingke laughed, “To be honest, seeing you not dating all these years, your dad is feeling a bit anxious too.”
“I know you’re busy with work and don’t want to rush you on this, but your mom is determined to arrange blind dates for you this time.”
Ruan Mingke had a helpless expression.
Ruan Mian scratched her cheek, at a momentary loss for what to say.
Ruan Mingke suggested, “Why not do this – listen to your mother’s arrangements, meet one or two. Even interviews have rejections, let alone blind dates. You can just say it’s not suitable after meeting them. It’s better than not meeting anyone and having your mom keep pestering you.”
“Alright, let me think about it more.”
Ruan Mian was stalling for time. “I’m going to shower first.”
She scurried back to her room as if avoiding something. Ruan Mingke shook his head with a sigh and laugh, calling towards her room, “Grandma left lotus seed soup for you in the kitchen.”
“Got it.”
Ruan Mian came out hugging her sleep clothes, “I’ll drink it after.”
Ruan Mingke didn’t say anything more, just picked up the newspaper on the table again. By the time Ruan Mian finished showering and came out, he had gone to the study.
Passing by the study doorway, Ruan Mian saw him in there looking for something. She asked, “Dad, what are you looking for?”
“Some old materials.”
Ruan Mingke turned on the lamp above the bookshelf and looked back at her, “Go on with what you need to do, rest early.”
“Okay, you rest early too.”
Ruan Mian went to the kitchen drying her hair. She took out the lotus seed soup from the fridge and sat in the dining area browsing her phone while eating.
Last night, Meng Xinglan added them to a WeChat group, planning for everyone to get together during this vacation.
The group was actively chatting away. She scrolled through casually before putting her phone down and getting up to bring her bowl to the kitchen.
When she came out after washing up, Ruan Mian saw Ruan Mingke on the phone voice chatting with someone. She didn’t think much of it and went back to her room after drying her hands.
But not long after, Ruan Mingke suddenly came knocking on her door, “Mianmian, come to the living room for a bit. Your dad has something to tell you.”
“Oh, coming.”
Ruan Mian shuffled out in her slippers.
Ruan Mingke took two minutes to explain everything to her. Afraid she would refuse, he added, “This is a friend’s son. Different from the ones your mother arranged. Even if it’s not suitable after meeting him, there’s no issue. And it shows your mom we’re making an effort, so later if she keeps pestering me about this, I can help fend her off for you a couple times too.”
“What do you think?”
During the silence, Ruan Mingke received another voice message. He tapped to open it – it was Chen Shuyu sending over time and location. “Mingke, let’s do tomorrow noon, that restaurant we ate at today. I’ve booked the private room already. Talk it over properly with Mianmian.”
Ruan Mingke didn’t hurry to reply. Instead he looked at Ruan Mian, seemingly asking for her opinion.
Ruan Mian felt like she was being forced onto a stage. Somewhat exasperated, she could only concede in the end, “Fine, I’ll just go meet once.”
Ruan Mian didn’t inquire any further about the matter afterwards, not even asking the blind date’s name. After returning to her room, she saw a WeChat message from Chen Yi asking if she was free tomorrow.
Sitting on the bed edge holding her phone, Ruan Mian somehow felt guilty when replying, as if she had done something wrong behind his back.
She sighed, not thinking more about it. She just wanted to hurry and get through this blind date tomorrow.
The next morning, Ruan Mian woke up before eight o’clock, probably because she had something on her mind. She went out with Zhou Xiujun to buy vegetables, and after tidying up a bit, she left home with Ruan Mingke around ten o’clock.
The restaurant was some distance away from Huabang International Plaza, and it took forty minutes to drive there. On the way, Ruan Mingke received a call from Chen Shuyu, saying that they had already arrived.
Ruan Mingke laughed, “We’re almost there too, about ten minutes away. You guys go ahead to the private room first.”
“Okay, drive safely.”
After hanging up, Ruan Mingke saw that Ruan Mian was listless, so he didn’t bring up Chen Yi’s matter much, thinking he would talk about it when they got to the restaurant.
Father and daughter arrived at the restaurant just before eleven o’clock. They went directly up to the ninth floor, where there were all private rooms. The corridor was carpeted, soft underfoot.
The attendant led them to the room. The door was still open, and through the carved screen, Ruan Mian could only see one person sitting there.
Probably having heard the sound at the door, Chen Shuyu looked up. He had a very handsome appearance, refined by the years, mature and cultured.
He smiled and got up to greet them. Up close, Ruan Mian felt his eyes looked a bit like someone’s.
“Mianmian,” Ruan Mingke called her, “this is your Uncle Chen.”
Ruan Mian put aside her random thoughts and politely smiled at him, “Hello Uncle Chen.”
Chen Shuyu let out a sigh, the corners of his eyes had obvious fine lines like Ruan Mingke’s. He ushered them to sit down, but there was no fourth person in the room.
The server came to pour tea. Ruan Mian looked at the mist dissipating from the rim of the cup, guessing whether the other person had fled at the last minute.
Just as she was thinking too much, there was suddenly the sound of a door opening from the direction of the private room’s bathroom. Ruan Mian reflexively turned to look, and was stunned by what she saw.
A tall, slender man was unhurriedly drying his hands as he came out of the bathroom. He wore a high-quality black shirt and ironed black pants without a single wrinkle. His belt accentuated his slender yet powerful waistline.
The moment their eyes met, Ruan Mian saw him lightly arch an eyebrow at her, a trace of roguishness in his smiling lips that was gone in an instant.
Turns out, it wasn’t that Chen Shuyu’s eyes looked like someone, but that his son’s eyes resembled his.
Ruan Mian was clearly caught off guard by this situation. Before she could react, Chen Yi had already walked over. Chen Shuyu introduced him, “Chen Yi, this is Uncle Ruan’s daughter, Ruan Mian.”
Following his father’s lead, Chen Yi looked over at the woman sitting there. There was light in his eyes and a smile on his lips as he extended a fair, slender hand to her. The veins on the back of his hand were distinct and clear, and a small mole near the heel of his index finger was clearly visible in the lamplight.
His smile was not as nonchalant as before. It was as if he was really meeting her for the first time. He looked gentle and polite as he said, “Hello, I’m Chen Yi.”
Ruan Mian didn’t know what was going on, but could only stiffly shake his hand, “Hello.”
The two had very different hand temperatures. Chen Yi imperceptibly clasped her fingers for a moment before loosening his grip. As he let go, he seemed to deliberately scratch her palm.
Ruan Mian’s breath hitched. She reflexively glanced up at him, but he had already naturally withdrawn his hand and was politely greeting Ruan Mingke.
Ruan Mingke and Chen Shuyu looked extremely happy and excited, as if they had brought the civil affairs bureau1 here. They were completely oblivious to the unusual reactions from the two young people.
They chatted animatedly, while Ruan Mian was like sitting on pins and needles, especially since not long after sitting down, she received a screenshot of a chat record from Chen Yi.
Are you free tomorrow?
I might not be free tomorrow, something came up at home.
Ruan Mian was speechless and exasperated. She didn’t know how to reply. Just then, Meng Xinglan sent her a message.
Meng Xinglan: Mianmian, what are you doing?
Ruan Mian: Going on a blind date.
Meng Xinglan: ?
Meng Xinglan: ?
Meng Xinglan: You’re dreaming!
Who are you going on a blind date with?
Ruan Mian looked up at the person sitting across from her and slowly typed two words.
Ruan Mian: Chen Yi.
Meng Xinglan: ……
Ruan Mian: I can’t explain it all right now. I’ll call you later and explain. I’m a bit busy now, gotta go.
After sending this, Ruan Mian turned off her phone, completely ignoring Meng Xinglan’s barrage of shocked messages.
See, anyone would find this news unbelievable, let alone her. Before coming today, Ruan Mian hadn’t even thought that the colleague’s son Ruan Mingke had mentioned so many times would have anything to do with Chen Yi.
In her mind, her blind date could be anyone, but it would never be Chen Yi. Yet coincidentally, the person who came was him.
Ruan Mian stared absentmindedly at the patterns on the tablecloth, recalling Chen Yi’s reaction when he came out of the bathroom and saw her. She seemed to remember something and glanced over at him.
Chen Yi was listening to Ruan Mingke speak. Noticing her gaze, he raised his eyes to look at her, arching his brow as if to ask what’s up.
But Ruan Mian didn’t respond. She just found it strange that Chen Yi didn’t seem surprised at all to see her here, as if he had known all along that she would be the one coming today.
Once this thought emerged, it spread through her mind like weeds growing wildly in the spring breeze, impossible to completely clear away.
She lowered her head to drink some tea, and heard Chen Shuyu ask her, “Mianmian, which middle school did you attend?”
Ruan Mian put down her teacup and answered formally, “I was at No. 6 Middle School in 10th grade, then transferred to No. 8 Middle School in 11th grade. After graduating, I went back to No. 6 Middle School to repeat 12th grade.”
Upon hearing this, Chen Shuyu was somewhat surprised. “You also went to No. 8 Middle School? Then you and our Chen Yi were schoolmates. Which year did you graduate?”
Ruan Mian faltered for a moment, imperceptibly glancing at Chen Yi. He looked completely at ease, seemingly in no hurry for her answer.
She pressed her lips and told the truth, “I graduated in 2010.”
The surprise and delight on Chen Shuyu’s face became visible. “Oh my, what a coincidence. Chen Yi also graduated in 2010, so you two were classmates. Don’t tell me you were even in the same class.”
Ruan Mian was stumped, momentarily unsure whether to admit it or not. Fortunately Chen Yi timely picked up the thread of conversation, “No, we weren’t in the same class.”
Chen Shuyu said, “Still, it must be fate for two former schoolmates to meet again so many years later.”
He meant nothing by it, but it struck a chord with Ruan Mian and Chen Yi. They almost simultaneously looked at each other, feeling as if they had traversed oceans of time.
After the meal, Chen Shuyu and Ruan Mingke said they were going to a teahouse and told the young folks to make their own arrangements.
Ruan Mian followed Chen Yi out of the hotel and got into his car. Neither said where they would go next. The wind blew in through the open car windows.
The atmosphere was somewhat quiet for a time.
Ruan Mian lowered her head, looking at her phone. Meng Xinglan had sent her dozens of messages, just short of charging over herself.
She briefly explained the situation.
Meng Xinglan: OMG.
Meng Xinglan: Too crazy!
Ruan Mian: ……
Her phone was on vibrate. Meng Xinglan kept sending messages, making noise. It took Ruan Mian quite some time to realize and mute it by pressing the volume button.
Hearing no more sounds, Chen Yi glanced at her and asked, “Where do you want to go?”
Ruan Mian had no experience with blind dates, let alone going on one with someone she knew. She casually said, “I’m fine with anything, up to you on where to go.”
Chen Yi gave an “oh”, slowly saying, “You seem…quite…”
He deliberately trailed off. Ruan Mian couldn’t help asking, “Quite what?”
“Experienced.”
He said with a smile.
Ruan Mian retorted, “This is my first blind date.”
Chen Yi’s brow quirked up, his lips also curving up as he lazily said, “So the thing that came up at home yesterday was this blind date?”
Ruan Mian knew she couldn’t dodge this. At a certain point, the extreme awkwardness made her candid instead. “My dad dragged me here to stop my mom from arranging other blind dates for me. Also, Uncle Chen is my dad’s friend, it’ll be easier to communicate if anything comes up.”
Chen Yi laughed. “What could come up?”
“For example…” Ruan Mian picked the most common issue. “If we’re not suitable for each other.”
“I see.”
Chen Yi nodded, tapping the steering wheel twice with his fingers. Then he suddenly asked, “So do you think I’m suitable?”
This question sliced through the ambiguity between them like a sharp sword. Ruan Mian met his gaze.
In this quiet environment, she felt she could even hear the pounding of her own heart, frighteningly fast, as if standing on the edge of a cliff where one step back would mean a steep drop.
Her eyelashes fluttered lightly. She seemed to have lost the ability to speak.
Chen Yi looked at her unwaveringly, every little action magnified in this cramped space – his smile, blink, breath, the bob of his Adam’s apple.
After a long silence, a car horn sounded outside. Ruan Mian came to her senses and tossed the question back at him, “What about you?”
The two continued holding each other’s gaze at close distance. In the confined space, it was as if their heartbeats could be heard.
Chen Yi’s Adam’s apple moved up and down as he looked into her eyes. “Do you know why I came on this blind date today?”
From his previous reactions and this question, Ruan Mian could already guess, but she still asked, “Why?”
“Because I knew it was you.”
Chen Yi smiled at her. “Actually, when I found out yesterday it was you, I was betting on whether or not you would show up today. And you really came.”
“What if…” Ruan Mian realized her voice was so low it was barely audible. She swallowed and continued, “What if I didn’t come today?”
“Then there might be a shadow cast over my life, getting stood up on my first ever blind date.”
Chen Yi withdrew the arm resting on the steering wheel and earnestly called her name, “Ruan Mian.”
Hearing him say her name like that, Ruan Mian’s heart also skipped a beat. The atmosphere turned peculiarly tranquil and tense.
Not knowing what to do with his retracted arm, Chen Yi rested it on the steering wheel again. He turned to look at her, “I’ve never been on a blind date before and don’t know what the process is like. But since we’re both here, I feel we should still talk about it properly.”
Ruan Mian was so nervous her voice trembled. “Talk about what?”
“My personal circumstances.”
Chen Yi laughed. His gaze on her was frank yet ambiguous. “I have a clean background, stable job. Don’t smoke, occasionally drink. No bad habits. I own a condo and a car in City B. So…”
He stopped, as if weighing some very important words, or waiting for her reaction.
Anyway, those dozen-odd seconds felt endlessly prolonged to Ruan Mian. Each millisecond passed extraordinarily cautious and subtle.
The things she had wanted, never dared wish for before, now seemed about to become reality in the next moment.
In just over ten seconds, Chen Yi’s smile faded and his expression turned serious, the nervousness in his eyes impossible to hide. He looked somewhat uncertain, as if he too lacked confidence.
“So, do you want to consider me as a blind date?”
- The Civil Affairs Bureau / Ministry of Civil Affairs (???) is responsible for various civil affairs, most notably (and pertinently ?) marriage registrations. ↩︎
Leave a Reply