Training the Heavens

Chapter 278 Blind Date
According to the schedule, I still have some free time this year and can go home to take a look. But next year and the year after, the competition with other scientists will become more intense, and I may not have time at that time.

Moreover, after the invention of radio, there will be many business problems to face. These things are more complicated and time-consuming. Zhang Xingjiu must leave enough time and energy to prepare.

So this semester is almost his last chance to go home and visit in recent years. If he doesn't go back this time, he will probably have to wait until three or four years later, and the situation will be different by then.

The school quickly booked train and boat tickets for Zhang Xingjiu. Zhang Xingjiu said goodbye to the Curies, Lang Zhiwan and others in his own house. Now Lang Zhiwan was preparing to report to the Cavendish Laboratory, so when he came back, he would be able to see the Curies. If he wanted to see Lang Zhiwan, he would have to wait until he returned to Paris during the holiday.

I woke up in the morning, took the train to Marseille, boarded a French passenger ship from Marseille, and started a long journey in the first-class cabin. It took me a month to arrive in Shanghai.

At this time, the time of long-distance transportation was not accurate, especially for passenger ships. It was very common to arrive a few days early or late, so Zhang Xingjiu did not notify others to pick him up. He called a car and went straight to Xuhui Public School.

Jiang Yixu was very happy to see him. "You've been away from home for over a year, so you must be anxious to get home. So I won't keep you any longer this time. Get a good night's rest first. Tomorrow morning, teach the children about your experiences in France. At noon, call Father John Fryer and Father Ma Xiangbo over for a gathering. Then you can go home first. We can discuss other matters after we return to Shanghai."

The next day, several old acquaintances were very happy to see Zhang Xingjiu. Ma Xiangbo took his hand and said, "Xingjiu went to the West to spread the reputation of Chinese talent overseas and inspired many students at the Gezhi Academy to study. Even though I rarely drink, I will accompany Xingjiu for a few drinks today."

John Fryer invited him to give a lecture at the Gezhi Academy, talking about his experience in France studying blackbody radiation and cathode rays. Zhang Xingjiu readily agreed, but he had to wait until he returned from Shaoxing.

During the meal, Ma Xiangbo seemed to have something to say, but he never opened his mouth. After the meal, he used the excuse of asking Zhang Xingjiu to take a walk with him to help digest his food, and then he tentatively asked, "When I left Shanghai for France last time, I didn't seem to hear that Zhou Ping's family had arranged a marriage for you. I wonder if there have been any changes in the past year?"

"My parents also urged me in their letter, but I still have to study in France for three years, and it would be inconvenient to let the girl wait that long, so they advised them to discuss marriage after I return from school." Zhang Xingjiu answered truthfully, but at the same time he had doubts in his heart. Could it be that Ma Xiangbo was planning to introduce a wife to him?

As expected, Ma Xiangbo immediately interjected, "Zhou Ping, you're almost eighteen. If you wait until you graduate and return home to discuss marriage, you might not get married until you're twenty-two or twenty-three. That's really too late! If you don't mind, I have a daughter who's roughly the same age as Zhou Ping. We can find a time to meet her. If it's a good match, we can arrange the marriage. If Zhou Ping isn't satisfied, we can just treat it as a meal."

Zhang Xingjiu was really tempted. He was going to get married eventually. Instead of marrying a conservative woman like A Zhang's wife, he might as well find Ma Xiangbo's daughter. At least she would be more open-minded, right?
But I don’t know what this girl looks like or what kind of person she is, so I can’t agree to it right away.

Seeing he didn't object, Ma Xiangbo assumed he was just shy and continued to explain his daughter's situation. "Back then, I was so focused on running the school that I neglected my family. My wife, in a fit of anger, took our eldest son on a boat back to our hometown in Shandong. Unexpectedly, the boat crashed at Wusongkou. I was devastated afterward, so I gave my daughter to my younger brother, Ma Jianzhong, to raise."

"Eighteen years ago, Jianzhong went to study in a private political school in France for three years and obtained a doctorate degree. My daughter has been learning French from him since she was a child and is very proficient in the language. When you get married, I can accompany you to study in France." Zhang Xingjiu also knew that he was a famous scholar and diplomat in the late Qing Dynasty. His most famous achievement was designing the national flag for South Korea.

In 1882 (the eighth year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu), Goryeo envoys Park Yeong-hyo and Kim Ok-gyun were about to go on a diplomatic mission to Japan. Before leaving, they requested the Qing court to use China's dragon flag as the national flag. The Qing court replied that a vassal state could not use the five-clawed dragon flag.

At that time, Ma Jianzhong was sent to Korea on the orders of Li Hongzhang. Upon hearing the news, he suggested that the Korean government adopt the traditional Chinese Tai Chi Bagua flag as the national flag. Later, this flag became the national flag of South Korea.

A daughter raised in such a family should be better than the children of local tyrants or scholar-officials, right? Thinking of this, Zhang Xingjiu relaxed a little, "Mr. Ma is so kind. If I refuse again, I will be ungrateful."

But he didn't say anything final. "It's just that marriage is a matter of fate. If the student doesn't catch the fancy of the daughter, don't force it."

Ma Xiangbo understood. Although Zhang Xingjiu said that his daughter did not like him, in fact, this statement should be interpreted in the other direction. If he felt that his daughter's appearance and personality were not suitable, he would not marry her just because of his status.

"Of course." Ma Xiangbo felt relieved after hearing this. "After all, you two have to be satisfied. Zhou Ping's time is tight this time. If we still follow the old routine, you might not even meet by the time you get on the boat."

"It's better to meet today than to wait for a better day. Why don't you just meet this afternoon? The place is the cafe next to Gezhi Academy. You book a private room and I will ask Zongwen to find you." Ma Xiangbo has converted to the church for many years and his style of doing things is not as conservative as that of the scholar-official family. It is no big deal for the two young people to meet. Besides, he still trusts Zhang Xingjiu's character and he is sure he will not do anything rude.

"I will follow your orders, sir!" Zhang Xingjiu agreed. He didn't expect that in the 19th century, he would still experience the blind date method of the 21st century. This was quite interesting.

He also began to look forward to this date. He wondered what kind of person Miss Ma Zongwen was. If she was good-looking, open-minded, and could be a good wife to him, then he would marry her.

At the appointed time, Zhang Xingjiu took a rickshaw to the cafe, asked for a private room by the window, told the waiter that someone would come looking for her later, and then brought her in, and then he looked out the window and waited patiently.

Five minutes before the agreed time, Zhang Xingjiu saw a girl in Western clothes getting out of the car and walking into the cafe accompanied by servants.

(End of this chapter)