He Ziqing came over to the house that day. She’d rarely visited since starting her graduate program, so Xue Yue hadn’t seen her in more than half a year.

"Are you and Mr. Qi getting ready to settle down?"

He Ziqing bit her lip, her face tinged with shyness. "Yeah. He’s really good to me, and I’m at that age now. Besides, his family has been pressuring him."

Xue Yue understood. "It’s good to settle down. Has he introduced you to his family?"

He Ziqing nodded. "A few times."

She had been to the Qi family’s home twice. Grandma Qi, however, would come to the university to bring her snacks every few days, calling her "granddaughter-in-law." He Ziqing had corrected her many times, but Grandma Qi still called her that from time to time.

"How does his family treat you?" Xue Yue asked.

He Ziqing picked at her nails. "They’re very nice."

The Qi Family members were all very pleasant, but after visiting their home, He Ziqing could clearly feel the disparity between their two families.

She asked Xue Yue, "Do you think it will affect our future if our families’ circumstances are too different?"

Xue Yue understood what He Ziqing was getting at. "Not necessarily. It mainly depends on the people involved. The saying ’a marriage between social equals’ isn’t always about money. Sometimes it refers to two people’s education and vision. You and Mr. Qi are both highly educated, so there shouldn’t be any communication barriers between you. In that sense, you are a good match."

He Ziqing smiled, as if she had come to a realization. "I get it now."

Seeing He Ziqing this time, Xue Yue could clearly sense a change in her. She was no longer so timid; instead, she radiated a gentle aura. It seemed the two of them were getting along quite well.

He Ziqing said to Xue Yue, "Qi Mingyang said his parents want our families to meet and discuss the engagement. I already called my parents, but my dad is out on the road for work, and I don’t know when he’ll be back. He said last time that if he’s not around, he wants you all to make decisions on my behalf."

Xue Yue smiled. "That’s wonderful news! Of course we’re willing to go. Just tell us when and where."

"Qi Mingyang said it would be at his house. A lot of his relatives might be there."

Just then, Mrs. He came in, carrying a glass of sweet soup for He Ziqing.

He Ziqing took it and looked at Mrs. He. "Thank you, Grandma."

Mrs. He smiled. "No need to thank me. Just the other day I was telling your grandpa that we hadn’t seen you in so long. We’re so happy that your marriage is about to be settled. What is the Qi Family like? Are they easy to get along with?"

"They’re very nice." ’They really are,’ she thought. ’At least, whenever I’ve visited, the whole family has been very welcoming.’

"That’s good." Mrs. He then sighed. "You’re twenty-five, it really is time you got married. Now I’m worried about the others. Little Chen and Xiao Yang are in their early twenties, and there’s no sign of anything happening with them. If we were still in our hometown, I would’ve long since asked someone to set them up. But here in Beijing City, you step outside and you don’t know a soul. There’s no way to introduce them to any girls. And Little Chen works at the supermarket, so he must meet plenty of young women every day. How is it that none of them have caught his eye? That boy... all he thinks about is making money. The next time I go back, I have to talk to his mother. She needs to at least give the boys a push. They’re grown men now! If we were back in the village, they’d probably have kids by now."

He Ziqing didn’t say anything, just smiled and glanced at Xue Yue.

Xue Yue laughed. "Mom, worrying about it isn’t going to help. Besides, that’s an old-fashioned way of thinking. Young people these days believe in finding love on their own, and they marry later than we did. Finding a partner is about chemistry; you can’t just pick any random girl. It’s also a good thing that Little Chen is ambitious. He’ll have to support his wife after they get married, and he can’t do that without money."

He Ziqing chimed in, "Exactly, Grandma. You shouldn’t worry. Little Chen and Xiao Yang are both good-looking. A girl is bound to fall for them eventually."

Mrs. He waved her hand dismissively. "We’re old. We can’t keep up with how you young people think. Ziqing, dear, about this visit to the Qi family... do your grandpa and I need to go? Maybe it’s better if just your younger uncle and aunt go. We won’t know what to say and will just get in the way."

Xue Yue said to Mrs. He, "Mom, the Qi Family knows you’re in Beijing City, so it wouldn’t look right if you didn’t go. Let’s all go together. We’ll be there with you. If you’re not sure what to say, you can just speak less. It’ll be fine."

He Ziqing agreed. "Exactly, Grandma. In fact, Grandma Qi specifically told me to invite you."

Mrs. He was surprised. "She really said that?"

He Ziqing nodded. "Yes. Besides, if you and Grandpa don’t go to vet them for me, will you be able to rest easy?"

Mrs. He thought about it and realized she was right. "Then we’ll go."

He Ziqing didn’t stay much longer. Saying she had things to take care of at the university, she left.

After He Ziqing left, Mrs. He went back to her room and started rummaging through her wardrobe, muttering, "Where did I put those new clothes Yue’er bought me? Oh, and which pair of shoes should I wear?"

This happy dilemma was thanks to Xue Yue, who often bought them new clothes and shoes. Back in their village, when they went out, they would just choose whichever outfit had the fewest patches.

That evening, Xue Yue discussed the matter with He Lang. "Ziqing wants all of us to go. From the sound of it, the Qi family must be quite prominent."

He Lang scoffed. "In a place like Beijing City, one in every ten people you meet is some kind of official. It’s completely normal. We just need to act natural. We’re joining their family through marriage, not trying to gain anything from them. What is there to be afraid of?"

Xue Yue nodded. "And Ziqing’s father isn’t here. If they bring up things like the betrothal gift or the dowry, what are we supposed to say?"

He Lang pondered for a moment. "I know my older brother. As long as they treat Ziqing well, all that other stuff is secondary. We’ll play it by ear. They probably have some idea of my brother’s financial situation, so they won’t be expecting a large dowry."

In the next room, Mrs. He was nagging Mr. He. "When we get to the Qi family’s home tomorrow, think before you speak. Don’t give them a reason to look down on us."

Mr. He’s brow furrowed in anger. "What kind of talk is that? If we go there and don’t say a word, what’s the point of even going? We’re simple country folk, and there’s nothing shameful about that. They want to marry a daughter of the He Family; do you think they don’t already know we’re from the countryside? This is how we are. We’ll go, and if our families can talk things out, we’ll agree to the marriage. If not, our granddaughter would only suffer by marrying them, so the whole thing would be off the table."

Mrs. He shot him an irritated glance. "Can you try not to be so blunt? I think Mr. Qi is a fine young man, so how bad can his family be? I’m just trying to give you a heads-up. Don’t just blurt everything out, and try not to bring up Ziqing’s parents." Mrs. He was still concerned about keeping up appearances.

Mr. He nodded. "I know. Who would bring that up for no reason?"

Xiao Yu asked Mrs. He, "Grandma, is Sister Ziqing getting married?"

Mrs. He smiled at her. "Oh, you know about getting married, do you?" 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Xiao Yu nodded. "I also know that all girls get married eventually. I’m going to get married someday, too."

Her words made both Mr. and Mrs. He laugh.