Which way to go is the road?

My cousin Xiang Qiang pushed the motorcycle out of the house, set it up in the yard, and then took out a cloth to wipe it clean. The motorcycle hadn't been bought for long, and once the dust and dirt were gone, it looked as clean and shiny as if it had just come out of the factory.

After getting ready, I got on the motorcycle, started the engine, engaged the clutch, shifted gears, turned the lever with my right hand, and sped off to the gate.

After stopping the motorcycle and turning off the engine, Xiang Qiang looked back and asked, "Is it alright?"

"So cool! But wearing a suit while riding a motorcycle is a bit mismatched; a car would be more appropriate!" Xiang Fei commented sincerely.

But the other party wasn't buying it: "I drive a small car, why would I need to go on blind dates? Beautiful women would be throwing themselves at me! You've been to big cities and made a lot of money, but when you go on blind dates, I'd like to see what kind of car you're driving with your suit!"

Xiang Fei realized he'd misspoke and quickly smiled apologetically, "Hehe, I can't afford a car, and I don't wear suits! Bro, you'll definitely be fine on a blind date dressed like this!"

"It doesn't matter if the people are capable or not, our houses are capable. We're one of the best in the village at pouring concrete for roofs!" Xiang Qiang said proudly.

"Alright, stop showing off! It's time to go!" Grandpa Xiang Fei put two packs of cigarettes and a bag of candy into Xiang Qiang's pocket.

"Xiang Fei, I have to go now. I'll take you to see my house when I get back!"

Xiang Qiang started his car and was about to leave when Xiang Fei stopped him: "I've never been on a blind date before! Take me with you, I promise I won't cause any trouble!"

"Why would I bring you along? This isn't a game, no way! No way!" The old man couldn't stand Xiang Fei's antics and shouted sternly.

"I'll just go check it out! I've never been on a blind date before, so I'll learn something from it. Then I'll know what the process is like next time I go on a blind date, right?"

The old man didn't say anything more. Xiang Qiang said with difficulty, "It's a bit cramped for three people to sit on a motorcycle. I'm afraid it won't look good!"

"It's alright! I'll go borrow a motorcycle. If you two succeed in your blind date, I can bring my grandpa back. You guys have fun!" Xiang Fei took the initiative to solve the problem.

"Then hurry up, we can't keep them waiting!" The old man thought Xiang Fei's words made sense, so he didn't object.

Matchmaking through matchmakers is the most common way of marriage in rural areas, and it is almost universally accepted by parents, who also consider it a more formal arrangement. While free love is also common, it is far from becoming the mainstream. This is related to the low level of education among rural people, their inability to express themselves, and the lack of social interaction, which leaves young men and women without avenues for meeting.

Occasionally, there are couples who fall in love freely, but most of them are classmates who went to school together. Apart from people from the same village who develop feelings for each other over time, this is the only breeding ground for love.

Xiang Fei himself strongly dislikes blind dates, but he is very interested in observing this kind of marriage up close. While doing this out of curiosity, he is also glad that he is not the main character in it.

They arrived at a small temple not far from the village, next to which was a huge mound of earth called a "tomb," with a stone tablet standing beside it. According to the tablet, this was the tomb of a Han Dynasty king and a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit. A lively temple fair would be held here soon on the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, with a constant stream of people coming to offer incense and worship.

The small temple was still deserted at the moment. As it was the only tourist attraction nearby, many blind dates were arranged there. But the thought of talking about love next to a tomb made Xiang Fei feel a little awkward—no, he felt awkward for his cousin!

As expected, they arrived early and waited quite a while before the matchmaker came. Xiang Qiang took out a pack of cigarettes and gave her one, then opened another pack and took out three loose cigarettes. It seemed like politeness, but it was also a customary procedure that parents would repeatedly remind each other to follow at home.

After waiting a while, the girl and her mother arrived.

There was a steep slope in front of the temple gate. The mother and daughter had also arrived on a scooter. The scooter had a small engine and couldn't go up the slope, so they stopped at the gate. The girl followed behind while the mother pushed the scooter up the slope.

Unfortunately, the slope was too steep, making it very difficult to push. The woman didn't know how to start a fire, so they were stuck halfway up. Xiang Fei, being quite helpful, took the motorcycle from her and pushed it uphill, stopping it next to a pine tree.

"Thank you, young man!" The girl's mother beamed as she looked Xiang Fei up and down. "By the way, you're from Xiangjiatun, right?"

"Yes, I'm from Xiangjiatun!"

The girl's mother glanced at Xiang Qiang on the other side, then looked at Xiang Fei in front of her, and tentatively asked, "So, are you here for a blind date today?"

"It wasn't me, it was my brother Xiang Qiang. He's over there!"

The girl's mother looked slightly disappointed, thanked the matchmaker, and went over to greet her. As the girl passed by Xiang Fei, she secretly glanced at him, a blush spreading across her face, before quickly following her mother.

"What a mess! I hope they don't choose me over Xiang Qiang! Otherwise, I'll be the one sabotaging them!" Xiang Fei slapped the back of his hand twice, thinking to himself, "Why am I so impulsive? I can't do just anything good."

The blind date proceeded as planned. The matchmaker introduced the man and woman, and the two families, under the matchmaker's guidance, asked each other questions and chatted.

When it was almost time, they gave the boy and girl a chance to chat alone, while the adults went to the lay Buddhist's room in the temple to drink tea. Xiang Fei had been watching from the sidelines, but the girl kept glancing at him intentionally or unintentionally, making him feel uneasy, so he also went into the room to ask for a cup of tea!

The blind date went exceptionally smoothly, but it didn't work out. Usually, the outcome wasn't made clear at the time to save face for the other party and avoid embarrassment or awkwardness. The matchmaker would then inform the other party after they returned home.

When a blind date fails, there may be reasons on the man's part or on the woman's part, but the decisive factor is often the woman.

This blind date result didn't really upset Xiang Qiang, because many marriages are formed through countless blind dates. At the same time, they didn't blame Xiang Fei either, since Xiang Fei hadn't really taken anything from them!

However, from then on, no matter what Xiang Fei said, Xiang Qiang would never take him on blind dates, and he also refused everyone's curiosity and close observation.

Just when everyone thought the matter was over, an unexpected incident still occurred.

Less than three days later, Xiang Qiang's matchmaker rode a bicycle to Xiangjiatun, specifically to Xiang Yusheng's house, and said to Xiang Fei, "Kid, you don't have to worry about finding a wife anymore, a girl has taken a liking to you!"

Look carefully, she doesn't want to go on a blind date with you, she's taken a liking to you, meaning the girl directly wants to date Xiang Fei.

Upon hearing this, Xiang Fei nearly fainted. While he was still conscious, he quickly explained to his family and matchmaker, "I have a girlfriend in Yandu City, and she's a university student!"

When Xiang Fei returned home, he didn't mention his relationship with Bai Xue. After all, he was also anxious and didn't know if this relationship would have a future, so he wanted to keep it a secret.

Thinking about it carefully, it wasn't entirely because of her anxiety. Bai Xue didn't tell her parents, and Xiang Fei wanted to do the same, out of a sense of psychological equality.

However, the situation was critical. Seeing the smiles on his parents' faces, if Xiang Fei didn't explain the situation, his parents would definitely take the blame for him first, which would make the situation even more complicated and unfair to Bai Xue.