During famine years, I had a divination slip in hand, and my whole family ate chicken, duck, fish, a

"Almost sixteen, not a child anymore!"

Ye Youliang glanced at her, his heart pounding, and said...

"I was thinking... since we're in town today, I'd like to have your Aunt Zhen help me find a good family to marry into..."

Ye Qingqing placed the bones on the plate, wiped her fingers with a handkerchief, and looked up at her father.

Ye Youliang took a puff of his cigarette, then coughed as if to cover his mouth, feeling a little flustered under her gaze.

"What Dad is saying is, you're not getting any younger, and you're staying at home all day, making people think you'll never get married."

"A girl's family always needs a few members. Daddy's idea is to find someone to look after you. If there's a suitable one..."

"I'm not going."

She pronounced Ye Qingqing's name crisply and clearly, without even a stutter.

Everyone at the table slowed down a beat.

Li Chunyan stood there, holding the bowl of chicken soup, her eyes wide open, her mouth opening and closing repeatedly.

She wanted to say something... but judging from Er Yatou's tone, she suddenly felt it was safer to drink the soup first.

Ye Youliang coughed lightly twice, trying to hide his guilty conscience.

"I'm not forcing you, but you're not getting any younger, it's time to think about settling down..."

"father,"

Ye Qingqing picked up her chopsticks, placed a piece of yam in her bowl, and said unhappily,

"Are you in such a hurry to kick me out of the house?"

"What are you saying! That's what Father said!"

Ye Youliang tapped his pipe on the edge of the table, then turned to look at Miss Zhen.

"Aunt, you have a wide network of connections and know many people. Could you keep an eye out for suitable young men? If you find one that suits your taste, could you help introduce them to Er Ya?"

Ye Qingqing, "..."

So, unable to reason with her, they're now looking for flaws in Aunt Zhen's arguments?

Miss Zhen smiled charmingly without realizing it.

"Brother Youliang, Er Yatou said she doesn't want to look for someone. You're putting me in a difficult position."

Ye Qingqing spoke slowly and deliberately.

"I'm only fifteen this year, and sixteen after the New Year. I have so many things to do after that, I don't have time to think about these things."

She paused, then looked at Miss Zhen and smiled faintly.

"Aunt Zhen, don't mind my dad. Once I've accomplished what I want to do, I'll choose for myself."

Only discuss those you find agreeable and compatible; the rest are out of the question.

Li Chunyan stood there, holding the bowl of chicken soup, her eyes darting around, her mouth opening and closing.

She wanted to speak up for her, but judging from Er Yatou's tone, she felt it was safer to drink the soup first.

Miss Zhen twirled her teacup in her hand, and seeing that no one spoke, she spoke again.

"Brother Youliang, aren't you worrying about this a bit too early? Qingqing knows what she's doing, why are you in such a hurry?"

As she spoke, a hint of mockery flickered in her alluring eyes, and she said with a half-smile,

"But Qingqing, judging from your temperament, your auntie thinks it won't be easy to find someone who can keep you in check in the future."

Ye Qingqing raised an eyebrow and said with a disdainful look,

"I don't force these things. If I can't find it, I won't look for it. I won't do business that I can't make a living from. It's all the same principle."

After saying that, she picked up her teacup and took a sip.

The message is clear: Dad, if you pull any more tricks, I'm quitting!

Beside him, Ye Dazhuang, who had been eating silently with his head down, stopped picking up food with his chopsticks at some point.

He sat opposite Ye Qingqing, the furthest away, but he kept listening.

When Ye Qingqing said to "choose what looks good and what you get along with," his hand holding the chopsticks tightened involuntarily.

Is he... someone we get along with?

Qingqing... she was indeed close to him, but Ye Dazhuang could sense that the closeness wasn't the feeling between a man and a woman.

Moreover, he knew that Ye Qingqing had been restraining herself from getting close to him.

For a moment, the atmosphere in the room became somewhat awkward and somber.

When the three Zhao brothers caught a glimpse of their host's expression, they almost buried their heads in their bowls, not daring to utter a sound.

Miss Zhen saw this scene clearly, and her smile deepened. She glanced at the table by the door as if it were nothing, and then looked away.

"Some men are right in front of you, but others just pretend they don't see you."

Her voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for Ye Qingqing to hear, and just enough to make Ye Dazhuang at the table by the door feel even more embarrassed.

Ye Qingqing glanced in the direction of her gaze and met Ye Dazhuang's evasive eyes. The boy lowered his head as if he had been burned, poking at the bowl with his chopsticks for a long time without managing to pick anything up.

She looked away, a slight smile playing on her lips, but didn't respond to that question. Instead, she said, "Auntie, your tea is quite good. Where did you get it?"

Seeing her reaction, Miss Zhen chuckled inwardly—she was playing dumb flawlessly.

She paused, then smiled meaningfully, "Some stubborn people, if you don't nudge them, will carry their thoughts to their graves."

Li Chunyan finally snapped out of her daze, put the bowl of chicken soup on the table, and said, "Second daughter, your father meant well. But what you said isn't without merit; with your temperament, most men really can't handle you."

As she spoke, she nodded to herself, as if convinced. "Besides, your aunt has a wide network of connections. If she really wanted to help keep an eye out, it would definitely be better than just finding any matchmaker. Isn't that right, Miss Zhen?"

Miss Zhen smiled and nodded, "Of course. But I have high standards; I don't look down on just anyone."

Ye Youliang was rendered speechless by the barrage of words from the women in the family. He took a deep drag on his cigarette, and after a long pause, he managed to stammer, "But one can't remain unmarried forever..."

"Dad, don't worry." Ye Qingqing picked up the teapot and refilled his cup, the action as natural as if she'd done it a thousand times before. "Your daughter is capable and intelligent; the probability of her not getting married is practically zero. I might just be picky, but don't think I'm too picky later."

Ye Youliang was both amused and exasperated by her words, pointing at her with his pipe: "Your mouth..."

"Whatever you like," Ye Qingqing replied with a smile, then placed a piece of braised deer tendon into his bowl. "Eat your food, Dad. It's a grand opening day; let's not waste this time."

Ye Youliang sighed, but didn't bring it up again, and lowered his head to eat his food.

At the table near the entrance, Zhao Lao Er was engrossed in gnawing on a chicken leg, his eyes downcast, but his ears were perked up. Zhao Lao Da and Zhao Lao San exchanged glances, not daring to utter a sound.

Ye Dazhuang shoveled the last mouthful of rice into his mouth, put down his chopsticks, and stared at the table for a long time without moving.

He didn't know who he used to be, but he knew who he was now—he wanted to stay here, to stay by her side. But she had just said, "Choose someone pleasing to the eye, someone you get along with."

He looked down at his rough hands, his knuckles covered in calluses and old scars.