After contracting to have a child, the icy female CEO became addicted.

A blind date?!

Upon seeing these four words, Jiang Ran's mind went blank. Just the words "blind date" instantly brought Wen Ling's image to mind.

"..."

Are you out of your mind?! What nonsense is he thinking?!

He and Wen Ling have both decided to get a divorce!

Jiang Ran shook his head abruptly and clicked "accept friend request".

A message from Li Yan popped up: "[Hello, I was introduced by Aunt Wang.]"

Jiang Ran knows Aunt Wang.

Jiang Ran knew without saying that she was his mother's good friend, and that this was a blind date his mother had specially found for him.

Jiang Ran genuinely had no intention of dating right now, but he couldn't ignore the feelings of both sets of elders, so he truthfully typed back: [Hello, I'm Jiang Ran.]

Before Li Yan could reply, Jiang Ran directly explained her situation: "[I don't know if my mom has told you, but I'm currently in the divorce cooling-off period. Of course, I can get the divorce certificate in about ten days. Oh, and my ex and I have a child.]"

Jiang Ran's idea was simple. He didn't need to explain much. He just needed to tell the other party about his current situation, and he believed that no woman would be interested in him.

These days, getting married is harder than climbing to heaven!

The moment he sent the message, he was already prepared to be scolded and then unfriended.

but.

Li Yan: [I've already heard about your situation from Aunt Wang. I'm five years older than you. If you have time, we can schedule a meeting tomorrow to discuss this in person.]

"...?"

Jiang Ran was taken aback.

No way, his mother actually told other people this?!

But what does it mean that she's five years older than him?!

He was married to Wen Ling, who was six years older than him. Does his mother think that his criteria for choosing a partner is that he has to be older?

Li Yan: [I've seen your photo, including your height, which perfectly matches my requirements for a marriage partner. See you at this spot tomorrow at 11:30 AM.]

Before Jiang Ran could refute, Li Yan sent him the location of a Hunan restaurant in a nearby city.

With a casual "Get some rest," Jiang Ran was completely exhausted.

What's going on?!

They didn't even give me a chance to refuse?!

Jiang Ran sprang off the bed with a somersault and rushed into the living room.

Outside, Jiang Jianping had already gone to wash up, while Lin Sufang was still cleaning up the dishes. When she saw Jiang Ran rush out anxiously, Lin Sufang knew what had happened without Jiang Ran saying a word.

She smiled and said, "That girl has already added you, right?"

"...Mom, you..."

"Go meet her, whether it works out or not. She was introduced by your Aunt Wang. This girl is very capable. She and her sister own a house in the city on their own."

"..."

Jiang Ran's lips twitched. After hearing the name "Aunt Wang," he knew he couldn't push this thing away.

His generation doesn't value interpersonal relationships that much, but it's different for the older generation. Sometimes, when it comes to saving face, you have to let it go, and you can't just brush it off with a few words.

Jiang Ran took a deep breath. "Mom, I promise you I can go this time, but could you please not introduce me to any more blind dates without my knowledge next time? I really don't want to date anymore!"

Lin Sufang readily agreed: "Okay, okay! Mom promises you, just this once, you go and see her, at least to give your Aunt Wang some face."

"Ugh."

Sighing, knowing that her mother meant well, Jiang Ran didn't say anything more.

I went back to my room.

Jiang Ran felt that perhaps he had been staying at home for too long, and this couldn't continue.

The little money he earned last year has been almost entirely spent today.

We can't stop working!

Jiang Ran glanced at the train ticket, thinking that after seeing Li Yan tomorrow, he would find an excuse to refuse her, and it would be about time to pack his things and head to Beijing.

......

The next day, a Hunan cuisine restaurant.

Jiang Ran, who arrived on time, saw Li Yan riding an electric bike at the entrance.

Just as his mother had described, Li Yan, who was five years older than him, looked very capable. She wore a trench coat and looked very dashing, with her hair curled and dyed dark red.

This decisive and efficient temperament is somewhat similar to Wen Ling's, except that Wen Ling is naturally authoritative and has a strong leader's aura, while Li Yan has a smiling face and a weaker presence.

Upon meeting, Li Yan recognized Jiang Ran. Her eyes lit up, and she expertly pointed to the shop door, saying, "Let's go inside and talk."

Jiang Ran, who was already prepared to treat everyone to a meal, nodded and followed Li Yan into the restaurant's private room.

After ordering a few of the restaurant's signature dishes, the blind date began.

Li Yan rested her elbows on the table, looked at Jiang Ran and smiled, "I heard you make short videos and already have nearly a million followers?"

"Well......"

Jiang Ran sighed. He had come to refuse, so he didn't intend to give the two sides a chance for in-depth communication. He said bluntly, "Ms. Li, actually, when I said yesterday that I was still in the divorce cooling-off period, I meant that I had no plans to date right now. My mother and the others don't know this. Of course, this meal will definitely be on my behalf."

"I don't need the money for this meal."

Li Yan waved her hand, naturally understanding the rejection in Jiang Ran's words. She simply asked, "What? You mean you still plan to rekindle your relationship with your ex-wife?"

"Ex...ex-wife?"

The sudden change in address left Jiang Ran speechless for a moment, before she could even react.

"Your mother and Aunt Wang have given me a fairly comprehensive account of your situation, and I know the basics. I don't mind these things. Of course, I don't mind because I hope you won't mind that I also have an ex-husband."

Li Yan was straightforward and added, "Of course, my ex-husband and I don't have any children. We got our divorce certificate before you did."

"..."

The news was even more direct than Jiang Ran had imagined, and he stared blankly at Li Yan.

At this moment, Li Yan shut him down completely.

The other party was clearly prepared; this was introduced by the previous generation. What could he say?! That he wasn't interested?

Jiang Ran had a little understanding of interpersonal relationships and social dynamics.

The best solution he could think of was to finish the meal, go back home, and then stop replying to Li Yan's messages, or simply block her.

After thinking for a moment, Jiang Ran decided to be direct and clear. "Ms. Li, since you know my situation, I personally think that I don't plan to date in the near future. This blind date was arranged by my mother, and I was unaware of it at first."

"I know!"

Li Yan blinked and said calmly, "I understand your situation, including the fact that you may still be immersed in your relationship and haven't gotten over it yet. But as someone who's been there, I can tell you that it's easy to get over it. As long as you don't reject me, we can start by dating, or we can start as friends."