BTYFOV Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Introduce a Potential Partner

 Women, it’s the same with the lights off.

─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───

Madam Zhou, feeling both angry and amused, said, "Your uncle isn't just anyone, how could he come and trouble you?"

Qin Feng looked at the suona in his hand—what his mother said made sense.

However, Uncle Zhou was indeed here to trouble him.

This all started when Qin Feng returned from abroad.

Uncle Zhou was also kind to Qin Feng.

Qin Feng had a good impression of his maternal grandmother's family and wanted to help them out.

It is better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish.

For example, when helping his sister, he didn't give her money but taught her how to bake bread.

His uncle's family, even as adults, couldn't even write their names properly. The literate ones were minors, and it was only because Qin Feng became successful that the Zhou family saw how knowledge could change their fate, so they tightened their belts and sent their children to school.

Qin Feng was worried that his uncle's family might get scammed. The Zhou family lived far from the city, which wasn't suitable for doing business, and those who had worked with land all their lives were afraid of messing with the municipal regulation department. So, he bought his maternal grandmother a bicycle.

With this bicycle, his older cousin could take his younger cousin to school in the town and also ride to the city to sell eggs and other goods. The Red armbands usually didn't bother people selling their own goods.

At first, only his cousin could ride it. Later, his cousin, who worked as a mason in the village, taught his uncle how to ride the bike, and his uncle began using it to transport goods from home.

Today, just like usual, Uncle Zhou was carrying eggs and vegetables to the city with his wife.

The vegetables and eggs were fresh, better than those in the market, and they sold out quickly. By 8:00 AM, they had arrived in the city, and by 10:00, everything was sold out.

Uncle Zhou noticed the good weather and decided to stroll around with his wife. Unknowingly, they ended up at Qin Ying's stall.

Wang Genbao, who helped Qin Ying set up the stall on weekends, saw Uncle Zhou's bicycle and felt that Qin Feng was intentionally going against him—he could afford to buy his uncle a bike but couldn't buy Qin Ying an electric oven.

Wang Genbao went to Uncle Zhou to complain.

He didn't mention asking Qin Feng for the oven, but instead said that Qin Feng had forced Qin Ying to divorce him.

In those days, not just in rural areas but even among the working class, divorce, whether for men or women, was considered a very shameful thing.

At first, Uncle Zhou didn't believe him, so he asked Wang Genbao the reason. Wang Genbao straightforwardly told him that he had asked Qin Feng for money to do business, but Qin Feng refused to lend him the money and got angry. Before leaving, he made sure to tell Uncle Zhou that Qin Feng had gotten someone pregnant before marriage and had a child.

Qin Feng was the most successful child from both the Zhou and Qin family. Everyone had high hopes for him to bring honor to the family. How could he do such a disgraceful thing?

Before Wang Genbao could say more, Uncle Zhou took his wife and went to find Qin Feng.

At the entrance to the staff residence, Uncle Zhou even tried to barge in.

The gatekeeper stopped him, and Uncle Zhou calmed down. This wasn't a place where he could throw a tantrum. The fact that his nephew had gotten someone pregnant shouldn't be known by too many people, so he acted as if nothing was wrong.

Once inside, Uncle Zhou couldn't hold back any longer. He raised his hand and was about to hit Qin Feng.

Qin Feng quickly dodged and asked his mother, "What did I just say?"

Madam Zhou stopped her brother: "Are you crazy?"

"You’re the crazy ones," Uncle Zhou pushed her hand away and was about to reprimand Qin Feng again.

Bang!

The leather shoes that Gu Xiao'er had just cleaned were thrown out.

Uncle Zhou, with a painful leg, stopped.

The little one grabbed the shoes that his second brother was wiping and, with wide eyes and a sweet voice, said, "Don’t hit my Daddy!" He raised the shoes in his hand as he spoke.

Uncle Zhou was stunned.

Madam Zhou was frozen in shock.

Qin Feng quickly reacted and picked him up, smiling broadly, "Good son!"

Gu Xiao'er couldn't help but glance at the child and muttered, "You sure know how to charm and act cute."

The child nodded.

— Miaomiao is very well-behaved!

Gu Xiao'er paused, picked up the shoes, and continued wiping them.

Gu Wuyi tried to mediate: "Grandpa Zhou, is there something we can't discuss calmly?" He looked at Qin Feng and added, "Even if my dad deserves to die a thousand times over, he still has the right to know what mistake he made to make you so angry."

Uncle Zhou pointed at the little face that looked almost identical to Qin Feng's as a child: "Isn't this enough?"

Gu Wuyi paused, then cautiously asked, "Is it because of Miaomiao?"

Uncle Zhou snorted in anger, unwilling to look at Qin Feng any longer.

Qin Feng frowned in confusion: "Miaomiao's household registration hasn’t been filed yet. How do you know about this?"

Madam Zhou couldn't help but ask, "Could it be your brother-in-law again?"

"It was Genbao who told me. What's wrong with that?" Uncle Zhou asked defensively.

Madam Zhou immediately wanted to express her dissatisfaction with the ancestors of the Wang family.

Old Qin's expression was hard to describe.

Gu Xiao'er rolled his eyes.

Gu Wuyi sighed and handed a bench to him and his wife.

The strange behavior of the Qin family helped ease Uncle Zhou's anger.

The couple exchanged a glance, then looked toward Madam Zhou and Old Qin.

— What’s going on here?

Madam Zhou had always believed that family shame should not be aired in public.

Wang Genbao had gone too far, and Madam Zhou was very disappointed, so she carefully recounted what had happened that day, including Qin Feng's concerns.

Uncle Zhou admired power, and although the Wang family wasn't much stronger than the Zhou family, they were city folks who ate commercial grain.

"You're saying that person is Genbao? Xiao Ying's husband?"

Madam Zhou said, "Why would I lie about something so embarrassing? The eldest boy and second boy’s aunt and uncle just left."

Aunt Zhou asked, "Did we just meet a man and woman in their thirties at the door? Could they be the aunt and uncle of those two boys?" She looked at the two brothers.

Gu Xiao'er gave a small sneer.

Gu Wuyi shrugged.

The elderly Zhou couple still didn’t fully understand, but they knew it was about them.

However, they still couldn’t believe that the Wang Genbao that Madam Zhou was talking about was the same Wang Genbao they knew.

Uncle Zhou asked, “Is there some misunderstanding here?”

Qin Feng replied, “What do you think?”

What could Uncle Zhou think?

Even if he didn’t believe his big nephew, he couldn’t doubt his sister and brother-in-law.

During the years Qin Feng studied abroad, only Qin Ying was by their parents' side. Madam Zhou and Old Qin were so fond of Wang Genbao that they treated him like a son. They had also taken care of Qin Ying's two daughters when they were little.

They wanted more than anyone for Wang Genbao and Qin Ying to live a long and happy life together.

Uncle Zhou pondered for a moment, sighed, and said, “How can people's hearts change so easily?”

Qin Feng smiled lightly, “If you don't know people well, then you don't know them well. You still blame people for being fickle."

Uncle Zhou's face changed as he choked on his words.

Old Qin glared at his son, signaling him to keep quiet.

“Don’t leave for lunch. Come to our place. Xiao Feng, here we only have rice, noodles, eggs, and salted duck eggs.”

Aunt Zhou collected her scattered thoughts, “No, we have to go. The family doesn’t know, and if we stay too long, they might get worried and come looking for us.” She then looked at her husband.

Uncle Zhou remained still, his eyes turned to Qin Feng, “With your three children, who would dare marry you in the future? This is worse than being someone's stepmother."

Gu Wuyi and his brother couldn’t help but tense up.

Even though they knew Qin Feng wouldn’t become a stepfather, they didn’t want a stepmother this quickly.

Qin Feng, pretending not to understand, asked, “What’s so bad about that?”

Uncle Zhou bluntly said, “With the current family planning policies, kids your age usually only have two, and many families only have one. Isn't your ability amazing?"

"Then don't look for one," Qin Feng said nonchalantly.

Uncle Zhou was not happy: "Can your parents take care of you for the rest of your life?"

Qin Feng glanced at his two older sons, "I'll have them take over in the future."

Uncle Zhou was momentarily at a loss for words, so he turned to his sister and brother-in-law, "Aren’t you going to do something about this?"

The last few days had been more chaotic than a battle, with one drama after another. The elderly couple didn’t want to deal with so much right now and just wanted to have a few peaceful days.

Madam Zhou said, "I do want to help. But he's busy with work, and he doesn't have time to go out and meet people or make friends. And I don’t know anyone, so how can I help?"

Uncle Zhou, hearing this, started to feel a headache. His eldest nephew wasn’t an ordinary person, and even his biological parents couldn’t help much.

After a while, Uncle Zhou came up with an idea.

Because he knew how to play the suona, he had been invited to many events in the villages for weddings and funerals. When Qin Feng was fifteen or sixteen, growing fast and eating a lot, Uncle Zhou had often taken him along to these events. As a result, everyone in the surrounding villages knew his nephew was handsome.

Although he hadn't played suona in recent years due to his age, he hadn’t completely severed ties with those who played the instrument.

Last year, someone still asked him for advice.

Uncle Zhou said, "I know a lot of people. I'll find someone for you."

His wife frowned. "Who do you know? They can’t even read, how are they suitable for Xiao Feng?"

Uncle Zhou thought for a moment and hesitated.

Then he realized his nephew has a PhD, and based on his education level, finding someone suitable for him would be difficult, not just in Binhai city but even in the capital.

Uncle Zhou asked, "Xiao Feng, do you have any requirements?"

Qin Feng was an ordinary man, and he had never denied it. "A clean family background and good morals, at least a high school education, but not just junior high. The most important thing is that she must be gentle and beautiful. My temper isn't always great, and I don't want a domineering woman who will fight every few days."

Uncle Zhou furrowed his brows.

Old Qin said, "When marrying, choose a virtuous woman!"

Uncle Zhou nodded repeatedly.

— Gentle and beautiful won't fill your stomach, though.

Qin Feng said, "We have a rice cooker and a washing machine at home, why do I need a virtuous woman? Besides, you guys used to tell me that my father is short and my mother is short as well."

Old Qin laughed in anger: "I've said so many things to you, and you only remember this nonsense!"

"I don’t care, beauty is a must. If she’s really gentle and beautiful, I’d even be willing to marry someone with only a middle school education. Worst case, I’ll teach her myself after marrying her."

Old Qin immediately didn’t want to talk to him anymore.

Aunt Zhou couldn’t help but say, "Xiao Feng, with women, it’s the same with the lights off."

Qin Feng responded, "With the lights off, I’ll just fall asleep. I wouldn’t even know if she’s dead."

Aunt Zhou gave up and turned to his parents.

Madam Zhou sighed, "Xiao Feng, beauty is even harder to find than a high education."

"Then I’ll just take my time. I’m only 26. Many of the experts and professors I know are over 30 and still haven’t gotten married." He glanced at his two older sons, "Isn’t Teacher Gu over 30 before he got married?"

The two boys nodded in unison.

Qin Feng looked at the four elders.

Uncle Zhou noticed that his eldest nephew seemed even more handsome now. If his wife was unattractive, it would be uncomfortable for others to look at them.

"Alright!" Uncle Zhou slapped his thigh, "I’ll find a beautiful one for you. I’ll ask around when I get back."

Madam Zhou couldn’t help but ask, "You’re going back right now?"

Uncle Zhou nodded and immediately stood up.

Old Qin stood up to see him off: "Next time, just let us know in advance, stay for lunch before you leave."

Uncle Zhou waved his hand, "If it starts raining, even if you ask me to leave, I won’t." Then he noticed Qin Feng holding the child and stood still. "What’s his name?"

Qin Feng replied, "He’s the youngest, so his nickname is Miaomiao. 'Miao' as in small."

Uncle Zhou rummaged through his pocket and pulled out a coin, handing it to him.

Old Qin stopped him: "What’s this for?"

"Just a gift for the child," Uncle Zhou quickly said, "If you think it's too little, then forget it."

At this point, who would dare to say it’s too little?

Qin Feng took the coin for Miaomiao and whispered something in his ear.

The child loudly said, "Thank you, Grandpa Zhou!"

Uncle Zhou happily patted his little face, "Very good. Just like your dad when he was little."

Miaomiao loved hearing this and tilted his head, pressing his little face against his father’s big face.

Gu Wuyi watched the four elders walk away, then turned to his father, "A pretty girl doesn’t have trouble getting married."

Qin Feng, with one hand free, rubbed his son’s little head, "If I’m worried about getting married, why would I insist on her being pretty?"

Gu Xiao’er’s eyes lit up, "You did that on purpose?"

Qin Feng glanced at him, "Are the shoes clean?"

Gu Xiao’er wilted.

Gu Xiao'er didn't finish cleaning his shoes until Old Qin came over and called them to eat.

The shoes stored in the cabinet weren’t something Qin Feng was in a hurry to wear. After lunch, he told Gu Xiao’er to continue, seeing if he would dare to throw things around again.

Qin Feng wasn’t idle either. He hauled two carts of soil and leftover stone bricks from the house construction, followed by a few pieces of wood and tiles.

Xue Qing and Feng Mai Miao, who were chatting at the street corner, saw this and couldn’t help but ask, "Engineer Qin, do you need help?"

Qin Feng waved his hand, "No need. My dad and I will finish it soon."

It was the weekend, and with nothing to do, the two of them walked toward him, "Are you building a shed to keep the bath?"

"No. The bath can be done in the bathroom. I plan to build a small shed and under it, a stove for baking bread."

As soon as the word "bread" was mentioned, even those who weren’t interested couldn’t help but come over and ask if he needed help.

Qin Feng knew they weren’t interested in bread itself, but since he still lacked a few things, he let everyone pitch in. In the end, he made sure to say that everyone could use it once it was done.

When this was said, even the people in the courtyard who were known for being the most calculating and frugal came to help him find what he needed.

Before long, some people were handing over bricks, others were mixing mortar, and by 3 PM, the stove he wanted was completed.

However, even though it was done, it couldn’t be used.

Binhai City, located in the northern region, still required wearing sweaters and cotton jackets during the second month of the lunar calendar.

The weather was so cold that the dough rose slowly. If he started now, it would be 8 or 9 PM by the time it was done.

Qin Feng explained to the colleagues and neighbors who were helping that he would bake it again tomorrow night.

Luckily, the next day was Monday, and no one was around to cause trouble.

The new train only needed a final check and test drive, which didn’t require the attention of a returned doctorate like him. So he left work on time and went to the nearby supply and sales shop to buy soy milk powder and white sugar.

After dinner, Qin Feng began kneading the dough.

His mother wondered how he could be so skilled at it, and Qin Feng admitted he had learned from foreigners; otherwise, he wouldn’t dare teach his sister how to bake bread.

When Qin Ying was mentioned, Madam Zhou couldn’t help but worry about her, and was soon distracted from watching Qin Feng.

In the afternoon, Madam Zhou gathered the ingredients, firewood, and little Miaomiao and went to the staff residence to wait for Qin Feng to finish work.

When Qin Feng returned from work, his father had already heated up the stove.

The bread was placed in a small aluminum pan to bake, and Qin Feng told his parents to serve the rice.

Madam Zhou couldn’t help but look over at the wooden shed outside, "Don’t you need to keep an eye on the fire?"

Qin Feng shook his head, "It’s very hot inside, and the stove hole is blocked so no air leaks. No need to watch it."

Gu Wuyi was still surprised to learn that a mud stove could bake bread, and couldn’t help but ask curiously, "Is it the same at Aunt's house?"

Qin Feng replied, "It’s bigger than this one, but the principle is the same."

Madam Zhou understood why her son asked, "Then your brother-in-law says your sister has to watch the fire all day long?"

Qin Feng replied, "Didn’t he mention how troublesome it was when he came to visit you during the New Year?"

Madam Zhou remembered when her daughter’s family came to visit on the second day of the New Year. They just said they had earned back their capital and would make a profit after the New Year. "Your sister..."

Old Qin interrupted, "Let’s eat first. The kids are hungry."

Madam Zhou served each of the children a fried egg, then began serving them noodles.

Qin Feng added, "Don’t serve too much."

Madam Zhou knew the children also wanted to eat bread, so she served each of them half a bowl.

The noodles were boiling hot, so they ate slowly. Once the three children finished and took a break, Qin Feng put down his bowl and chopsticks and led them to check the bread.

Gu Xiao'er, curious, tugged at his arm. "So fast?"

Qin Feng replied, "Let’s take a look first. This small mud oven is my first time using it. If it’s not done, I’ll just put it back in for a little longer."

Just as he finished speaking, a few people walked in.

Qin Feng looked over and saw it was the neighbors who had helped in the afternoon. "Did you eat?"

The neighbors nodded. "We’ve been waiting for you."

Qin Feng didn’t say much. He walked over to the corner of the shed and moved the wooden block blocking the stove hole. The rich aroma of the bread instantly wafted out.

"It smells so good!" The child who had followed the elders exclaimed.

Gu Xiao'er couldn’t help but smack his lips.

Gu Wuyi gave his younger brother a glare.

Gu Xiao'er pretended not to see it and shone a flashlight inside.

Qin Feng grabbed two pans with a damp towel and took them out. The smell of the bread grew even more intense.

The neighbors, watching, couldn’t help but praise while swallowing their saliva. "Engineer Qin, you really are impressive. Whoever marries you will be blessed."

Qin Feng didn’t want to marry someone to serve as a household figure, so he didn’t respond to the comment.

"We should go to the living room. It’s too dark here. Also, it’s still hot inside. If anyone has sweet potatoes, you can put them in, and they should be done by bedtime."

The neighbor who had previously interacted with Gu Xue said, "I’ll go check at my place."

Qin Feng closed the stove door and led everyone to the living room.

The light from the flashlight was dim, and it wasn’t clear. But when they reached the dining room, which was as bright as daylight, Gu Xiao'er couldn’t help but exclaim, "It looks just like what they sell!"

Qin Feng raised an eyebrow. "Are you impressed?"

"Well, I’ll have to taste it to know," replied Gu Xiao'er.

Qin Feng glanced at him, saying it as if you'd already eaten some.

Gu Xiao'er widened his eyes, staring at him.

Qin Feng wiped his hands with a towel, testing the bread—it's very hot—and immediately went to the kitchen to get the knife and fork used for Western food.

These knives and forks were ones he had brought back from abroad.

In his past life, Qin Feng wouldn't have given them a second glance.

However, now that even a single coin could be a challenge, Qin Feng didn’t dare act like a big shot anymore.

He used the knife and fork to cut the bread into small pieces, first giving a small piece to Gu Wuyi, then another one.

Gu Wuyi shook his head.

Qin Feng said, "Help take this to Miaomiao." He then gave a piece to Xiao'er and, finally, to the other children. Last was his parents.

Madam Zhou was surprised, "Do we have some too?"

Qin Feng found it amusing but couldn’t help frowning. Did that mean his mom had never eaten bread before?

Thinking about it carefully, it seemed like she hadn’t.

When he taught his sister to bake bread before, the failed batches weren't even enough for the Wang family to eat.

Back in those days, there were no plastic bags, and when wrapped in paper, the bread would get cold, hard, and collapsed. Qin Feng was too lazy to take any, and with his busy work schedule, he often went straight to the factory after leaving his sister’s place, so he never brought any home.

During the Spring Festival, though, his sister brought a package of soft cakes, but those weren’t anything special. He’d bought similar cakes for his parents during his first year in the capital, using the allowance the school gave him.

Thinking of this, Qin Feng couldn’t help but feel guilty. He didn’t even know how long his parents had been thinking about it.

"Your son, so why can't you have some?"

Madam Zhou immediately smiled shyly, as if she didn’t deserve something as fancy as bread.

Qin Feng felt a lump in his chest, and without considering the heat, he immediately tore the big loaf of bread into pieces, handing a large chunk to each of his parents.

Old Qin waved his hand repeatedly. "I just want to taste it, leave the rest for you to eat."

Qin Feng: "This bread isn't soft enough, and it gets hard and impossible to bite once it's cooled down."

Old Qin took it reluctantly, still unsure.

Qin Feng then tore a softer part of the bread for little Miaomiao. "Does it taste good?"

The child didn’t know how to respond, opening his eyes wide.

Qin Feng: "Which one tastes better, this or steamed buns?"

"They both taste good," the child said, taking a bite and trying to feed Qin Feng.

Qin Feng dodged: "You eat it." He then tore two pieces for his older sons, and the large loaf of bread was nearly finished.

The neighborhood aunt walked in and asked, "Is it all gone?"

Qin Feng glanced at the cut bread: "There’s still a little left. Today’s just to taste. We’ll make more when we have time."

The neighborhood aunt, hearing this, quickly took a small piece to try, fearing the children might finish it all.

Qin Feng: "How is it?"

The neighborhood aunt gave a thumbs-up: "It’s just like the ones sold in the store. Though, it's not sweet enough."

Qin Feng looked around at the kids: "They're all losing their baby teeth, so I didn’t put that much sugar in." Noticing his two older sons had finished eating, he added, "You guys can go play. When you come back, we’ll have roasted sweet potatoes."

The neighborhood aunt wanted to ask Qin Feng for tips on making bread, so she immediately had her children take Miaomiao out to play games like 'eagle catches the chicks,' 'cat catches the mouse,' or 'soldiers catch the thief.'

Madam Zhou had planned to go to the kitchen to wash the basin, but upon hearing the neighbor ask Qin Feng to teach them how to make bread, she quickly stopped and gave Qin Feng a look.

Qin Feng pretended not to see, taking out paper and a pen from his briefcase and handing them to the neighbor, suggesting she write it down. He also offered to help them set up a clay oven if they wanted.

Making bread was too complicated, and the neighbor, fearing she’d lose interest after a night’s rest, said they would talk about it later.

Once everyone had gone out, Madam Zhou grabbed her son's arm: "Why would you teach them how to make cakes?"

Qin Feng, knowing his mother well, directly asked: "Worried they'll steal my sister's business?"

Madam Zhou was a little embarrassed, not expecting her son to figure it out with just one sentence.

Qin Feng: "Our city has food factories. If I don't teach them, the master bakers who make cakes and bread will teach their relatives. Besides, Wang Genbao has such high standards that even if no one competes with him, he won't last long."

Madam Zhou didn’t have anything to say after recalling what happened that day.

Qin Feng: "It’s getting late, let me take you back. Now that you know how to do it, if you want to eat, just make it yourself. Don’t be stingy with eggs and soy milk powder. It’s much cheaper than buying from others."

Madam Zhou: "Got it. No need to send us, I’ll go with your dad."

"Take your time." Qin Feng handed her the flashlight.

Old Qin took it and sighed.

Qin Feng frowned slightly, wondering what was going on.

Old Qin took off his hat and scratched his head. "Feng, this afternoon when I had some free time, I thought about it. Those people your uncle knows, even if he thinks they’re really good, they still can’t compare to the people you know. If he really can find someone for you, it doesn’t matter how the girl is or how her family is, just meet her."

Qin Feng relaxed and smiled: "I thought something had happened. Don’t worry, I won’t let my uncle lose face."

Madam Zhou glanced at her son: "He’s so picky, wants someone pretty and gentle. Where are we going to find that?"

Old Qin shook his head. "You don’t understand. You’ll know tomorrow."

"I won’t know the day after tomorrow either." Madam Zhou doubted he was being mysterious on purpose and left ahead of him.

However, no one expected that the day after tomorrow, the morning of April 1st, Uncle Zhou arrived.

Qin Feng had breakfast, tore off yesterday’s calendar, and when he saw his uncle come in with the gatekeeper, he almost thought it was an April Fools' prank.

But then he realized that people at that time didn’t know about April Fools' Day, so he calmly greeted them at the door, thanked the security guard, and then asked, "Why didn’t you go sell vegetables?"

Uncle Zhou waved his hand. "Selling vegetables is not urgent. Your matter is important. What you said the day before yesterday wasn’t a lie, right?"

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