Chapter 58: Do you want your sister to be a leftover woman?

Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Do you want your sister to be a leftover woman?

Third Aunt Li Xuelian immediately furrowed her brows and said, "Xiaodong, how can you speak like that? Without your parents, it’s our duty as elders to take care of you. Xiaoru is already of age, other girls her age are mothers by now, and she doesn’t even have a partner. How can we not be anxious?"

Without waiting for everyone to speak, Third Aunt Li Xuelian glanced at Shen Ping and said, "Especially someone like Deputy Director Shen, young and promising—he’s as hard to find as if you were looking with a lantern at noon. If we had daughters in our family instead of boys, we would want to marry them off to him. Xiaodong, you must not take our good intentions for granted."

Song Xiaodong’s mouth twitched slightly as he said, "Such good intentions indeed."

At this point, Second Auntie also chimed in, "Xiaodong, I know you remember the past, when everyone was struggling and couldn’t provide for you two properly, but now that we are slightly better off, isn’t it natural that we think of you when good opportunities arise?"

Whether Second Auntie’s words were genuine or not, at least they sounded agreeable. Plus, under the table, Song Xiaoru had been secretly tugging at Song Xiaodong’s clothes. Song Xiaodong managed a smile and said, "In that case, I really do have to thank my uncles and aunties for their kindness."

Third Aunt lifted her chin and said, "Since I am your aunt, I must speak up about what I see is wrong. Xiaodong, not to criticize you, but since you’ve returned from the military where you had your fair share of training, you should now focus on working hard. Look at how you dress, knowing you were going out to eat, yet you dress so casually."

Song Xiaodong looked down at his clothes and said, "Isn’t this quite alright?"

Third Aunt frowned and said, "It might be fine for normal occasions, but when you go out, you should pay attention to etiquette. Look, Deputy Director Shen, he’s the Street Director now, but he’ll soon be Director. Without mentioning other prospects, becoming a district or county head wouldn’t be hard for him. You’ll be his brother-in-law; you can’t shame him, can you?"

Song Xiaodong frowned and said, "Third Aunt, that’s where you are wrong. He is who he is, and I am who I am. Whatever I do, other than considering my sister’s feelings, I don’t need to care about anyone else’s face. And besides, you’re really looking down on my sister. Just for the sake of a minor Street Deputy Director, you want to sell off my sister? I won’t stand for that."

Second Auntie scolded with a stern face, "Xiaodong, your words are inappropriate. What do you mean ’sell off your sister’? We’re merely introducing her to a potential partner. Whether it works out is up to them."

Third Aunt’s face turned unpleasant as she said, "You little troublemaker, I haven’t seen any improvement in you, but you’ve certainly become quite arrogant. Just a ’minor deputy director’, do you think these official positions are easy to hold? You try being one then."

Song Xiaodong retorted irritably, "I have no interest in becoming one."

"Oh, so you’re too good for it, are you? Don’t flaunt your capabilities. Let me tell you, this is a matter of your sister’s lifelong happiness. Remember, your bad temper better not affect Xiaoru’s marriage prospects. Your sister has put off romance because of you for years. Do you want to drag her into becoming an ’old maid’, a ’leftover woman’?"

Song Xiaoru, seeing Song Xiaodong’s unpleasant expression, held his hand and softly said, "To the two aunties, please don’t speak like that. My lack of interest in dating isn’t because of Xiaodong, but because I’ve simply not met the right one. Besides, Xiaodong’s grown up; he’ll find a good job in the future. I believe Xiaodong will definitely make something of himself."

Third Aunt snorted and said, "Xiaoru, don’t defend him. He has always been a troublemaker, and you’ve always worried about him. Now he’s an adult, and what he does is his own business. You can’t always consider everything for him. As for your own lifelong affairs, we can’t afford to be careless."

The more Song Xiaodong listened, the worse he felt. He wanted to explode, but his sister’s tight grip on his hand and the pleading look in her eyes ultimately made him hold back his anger, shake his head, and remain silent.

Seeing Song Xiaodong subdued, Third Aunt quickly tried to lighten the moment with a smile towards Shen Ping, "Deputy Director Shen, I apologize for the spectacle. Xiaodong grew up with his sister, relying on Xiaoru for everything, so the idea of her dating is hard for him to accept. Don’t take it to heart."

Shen Ping let out a chuckle, "No worries at all. This has made the atmosphere a bit strained, but let’s not talk about this now. Let’s eat. The matter between me and Xiaoru can be discussed over time. Even if we really consider starting a relationship, we need time to get to know each other first, right?"

As the dishes arrived and everyone began to eat and drink, Second Uncle and Third Uncle didn’t stop offering toasts to Shen Ping, their sycophantic intentions blatantly obvious.

"Xiaoru, you should also toast Shen Ping. Xiaodong’s job will depend on him in the future," Third Aunt knew that Song Xiaodong was Song Xiao’s Achilles’ heel, and in their eyes, Song Xiaodong was nothing but a ne’er-do-well. For Song Xiaodong’s job, Song Xiaoru would compromise.

Shen Ping laughed heartily, slapped his chest and said, "Leave it to me, no problem at all. It wouldn’t be appropriate to arrange a job directly in our Street Office, but I can use my connections to place him in another department. How about the Urban Management Brigade, Xiaodong? You’re a perfect fit with your military background, and the salary and benefits are exceptionally good. It’s a civil servant position, which guarantees stability and respectable social status."

Upon hearing Shen Ping’s offer, both Second Uncle and Third Uncle looked at Song Xiaodong with envy, surprised that Shen Ping offered such favorable conditions so readily.

Third Aunt sourly chimed in, "Xiaodong, why aren’t you thanking him? Just for your sister, someone like you is being offered a position with the Urban Management Brigade. That’s a civil servant job, not a temporary position. Do you know how many people envy that kind of job?"

Even Song Xiaoru felt tempted by such a job. In the eyes of ordinary people, a civil servant position, particularly one with real power like in the Urban Management Brigade, seemed more secure than any white-collar job.

With such a job, Song Xiaodong’s prospects in love would undeniably improve, making it easier for him to find a good family to marry into. As for Shen Ping, although she didn’t particularly like him, she didn’t dislike him either. Perhaps, for her brother’s sake, she could manage a relationship, attempting to try out dating, which didn’t seem entirely unacceptable.