During dinner, Cheng Su asked Qi Taiguo about the details of the upcoming matchmaking event.
Qi Taiguo was a bit taken aback and said, "Wow, news travels fast! The decision was just made yesterday."
Cheng Su placed a piece of braised ribs in his bowl and said, "You forgot, our residential compound has a life director. How could such a big event not be involved? When I came back today, Sister-in-law Gao called everyone together and told us."
"Oh, well, you canāt participate anyway." Qi Taiguo rarely grinned mischievously, "Youāre my Old Qiās person."
Cheng Su shot him a playful glare, "I canāt participate, but I can at least watch the fun, right?"
"Of course you can!" Qi Taiguo laughed, "Iāll take you there. Dress up nicely. You wonāt lose to those young girls."
Cheng Su widened her eyes, "Do you see me as an old woman already? Iām only twenty-one, or at most twenty-two or three."
Qi Taiguo coughed, grabbed his chopsticks, and ate, "No, youāre the youngest and prettiest girl."
"Saying one thing and meaning another!" Cheng Su huffed playfully.
But honestly, sheās twenty-one now, but in her heart, she feels old. Adding up her previous lifeās age, sheās already a middle-aged woman in her forties.
Seeing others around her age, she always feels old; theyāre all young girls.
Thinking about this, Cheng Su couldnāt help but laugh at herself for shamelessly claiming to be a young girl!
"Whatās so funny?" Qi Taiguo also put a rib on her plate and said, "These ribs are good, eat more."
Cheng Su picked it up and put it back, saying, "I wonāt eat meat tonight. Iām on a diet. Itās easiest to gain weight in winter."
"Nonsense, I think youāre thinner. Eat up, donāt be stubborn. I like you with a bit of meat." Qi Taiguo put it back again.
Cheng Su pouted, took a small bite, and said, "What do you think about signing Xiao Ya up? There are plenty of single girls over there!"
"You want to play matchmaker now?" Qi Taiguo said, "I advise you to take it easy. Military men are great, but not everyone wants to marry one."
"Why not?" Cheng Su didnāt quite understand.
Qi Taiguo explained, "The single guys now are mostly soldiers without ranks. Although they serve in the army, they can be sent anywhere anytime for tasks or stationed in places. In such cases, couples are bound to be separated, and not everyone can endure that loneliness. Military marriages are protected. If the woman commits adultery, sheād face punishment. So, not everyone wants to marry a military man, which is why many soldiers remain single."
Cheng Su hadnāt thought of this before. Now that he mentioned it, it did make sense. Even Qi Taiguo, with an officerās post, still goes on missions often.
When heās away for ten days, half a month, or even months, she misses him terribly and sometimes complains. Imagine those servicemen gone for years, how would their wives cope with missing them and the loneliness?
"I hadnāt thought of that." Cheng Su felt a bit embarrassed, her enthusiasm dampened.
"So, if you want to sign someone up, itās best to be clear-headed. You donāt want someone reluctantly participating and unable to refuse the bossās face." Qi Taiguo said.
"Got it!" Cheng Su felt a bit deflated, not expecting her excitement to be doused like this by a cold splash of water.