From humble beginnings to the pinnacle of life

My mother, holding a broom, deftly swept the floor of the main room while explaining to me:

"The matchmaker came to ask about you a while ago, saying that she had found a reliable girl for you, who is the right age and personality."

I froze on the spot, completely dumbfounded: "Huh?! How did she know I was coming back today?"

"You called last night saying you were going back to your hometown, so I just mentioned it to the matchmaker."

My mother put down the broom, turned to look at me, her eyes full of worry:

"You're twenty-six already, well past the age to settle down. Since you're back, why not meet someone and see how things go? What if it's a good match?"

I really don't know what to say. How was I supposed to know that my mom had arranged this for me?

My mom has been urging me to find a girlfriend. I was with Li Meng before because my mom was pressuring me so much.

I knew exactly what she was thinking.

She had always been in poor health, and had even suffered a sudden cerebral hemorrhage years ago, narrowly escaping death.

Over the years, she has always harbored a worry in her heart, always fearing that one day she would suddenly pass away and be unable to leave me alone.

She wasn't the only one; most parents in the countryside were like that.

In their eyes, if their child doesn't get married, they'll always have a worry on their mind for the rest of their lives.

I sighed softly, my tone tinged with helplessness: "Mom, please stop arranging blind dates for me without my consent. My career is unstable right now, and my life is a mess. I can't offer anyone a stable future, so there's no need for me to hold a girl back."

My mother shook her head and said, "It's precisely because you're all alone now that you need to settle down and start a family sooner. Once you have a family and someone to struggle alongside you, things will naturally get better."

I smiled bitterly to myself.

The older generation's mindset remains stuck in the era when they lived a simple and honest life.

But times have changed.

Who would be willing to endure hardship and struggle for the future with a man who has nothing, comes from an ordinary family, and has to take care of his sick mother year after year?

It's not that they don't exist, but rather that there are too few good girls like them.

I don't blame anyone for being realistic; this is the most naked survival rule for adults.

If it were me, I wouldn't easily choose such a burdensome life either.

Just as I was feeling sentimental, a warm greeting suddenly came from outside the courtyard gate:

"Auntie, are you home? Is your wild child back?"

Hearing this, my mother immediately looked up, quickly walked towards the courtyard gate, and responded with a smile:

"I'm back, I'm back. I just got home a short while ago."

As she greeted the guests, she waved to me frequently.

It gestured for me to get up quickly and greet the guests, as proper etiquette was essential.

I felt utterly helpless, but I couldn't show it, so I could only get up and walk to the door.

A middle-aged woman was standing at the entrance of the courtyard; she was the village matchmaker.

A young woman in a white dress followed behind her.

This girl must be the blind date the matchmaker mentioned.

She seemed exceptionally introverted and shy, keeping her head down the whole time, with stray hairs covering most of her face.

She followed timidly behind the matchmaker, unable to see her face clearly at all.

The matchmaker's gaze immediately fell on me, her face plastered with a polite smile: "Oh my, Yezi has grown more and more handsome! A real catch!"

Out of politeness, I could only force a smile and nod politely.

"Come in and sit down, it's too hot outside." My mother was very welcoming and quickly led the two of them into the main room.

As the two walked into the courtyard and passed by me, the girl seemed both curious and reserved, quickly glancing at me.

She quickly lowered her head, her ears turning slightly red, looking exceptionally shy.

To be honest, I have a strong aversion to these kinds of last-minute blind dates.

But since they've come all this way to my door, I can't very well turn them away; that would be too impolite.

I suppressed my inner resistance and politely invited the two of them to sit down.

The matchmaker, holding my mother's hand, introduced her with a smile: "Auntie, this girl is the one I mentioned to you before, Xiaoping, the daughter of Old Yang from the next village. She has a gentle and obedient personality and is very honest."

My mother looked Xiaoping up and down, and nodded in satisfaction at her quiet demeanor.

The matchmaker immediately chimed in, "Xiaoping is twenty-four this year, just the right age, not too old, not too young, a perfect match."

My mother followed up by asking, "Do they have any other children in their family?"

"I also have a younger brother who is still young and in school, so his older sister doesn't have to worry about him."

The matchmaker replied with a smile, doing her best to bring them together.

During the conversation, my mother secretly glanced at me, as if to ask about my feelings.

I had already made up my mind that I didn't want to hold the other person back, nor did I want to force myself.

I've never liked dragging things out. Rather than having awkward arguments later, it's better to lay things out now and let the other person make their own choice.

I took a deep breath and spoke up, "Let me tell you about my current situation."

I paused for a moment, then said truthfully, "I'm currently working hard in Jiangzhou. I don't have a stable job. I used to deliver food and run courier services. I worked myself to the bone and only made five or six thousand yuan a month."

"As you can see from our family situation, it's just my mom and me. My mom suffers from severe hypertension and needs to take medication long-term to maintain her health; she simply can't stop."

I deliberately revealed all my shortcomings in order to discourage the other party and save them from further trouble.

As soon as she finished speaking, the girl named Xiaoping slowly raised her head.

I finally saw her in full.

She wore delicate, light makeup, but unfortunately, her features were ordinary, and the makeup couldn't support her overall look.

Its overall appearance is nothing special and it would be inconspicuous in a crowd.

Of course, I have no right to look down on her.

Given my current family circumstances and conditions, I have no right to be picky about anyone.

I said these things with the intention of discouraging the other party from speaking.

Seeing this, the matchmaker quickly tried to smooth things over, praising me repeatedly to Xiaoping:

"Xiaoping, don't overthink it! Auntie's high blood pressure is a minor issue. She takes medication regularly to keep it stable, and it doesn't affect her life at all!"

"The main reason is that Yezi is a good child—filial, down-to-earth, capable, and reliable. She's someone you can entrust your life to!"

But Xiaoping completely ignored the matchmaker's advice. She looked at the matchmaker and said with some displeasure:

"Third Aunt, you told me before that he had a stable and respectable job with a good income, but that's not true."

Upon hearing this, I knew the matchmaker was lying, and I had just exposed her.

The situation instantly became awkward.

It was clear that the matchmaker really wanted to bring Xiaoping and me together.

A hint of embarrassment flashed across the matchmaker's face as she continued, "How can delivering packages or food not be considered legitimate work? It's all about earning money through your own labor. It's okay for young people to suffer a little; things will get better with time. The key is whether they have good character!"

Xiaoping looked up at me again, without the slightest bit of shyness, and said frankly, "He does seem honest, but he doesn't have a stable job or a fixed income. He won't be able to support his family after marriage. You can't live a life based on a person's character alone."

I listened quietly, my heart completely unmoved.

I saw through the true nature of blind dates long ago.

So-called blind dates are never romantic encounters of love at first sight, but rather a matching of conditions among adults.

Without the foundation of love, everyone will prioritize life, material possessions, and the future.

This is only human nature, and I completely understand it.