Siheyuan: A master brewer starts with a jar of bone-strengthening wine!

In terms of looks, Kong Yuqin couldn't compare to Qin Huairu's vivacity, nor to Chen Xueru's neat and tidy appearance, and certainly not to Tian Xiuhua, whom Jia Dongxu had once had his eye on.

So—at first glance, He Yuzhu was also a little stunned, thinking to himself: This girl... isn't that outstanding?

But after chatting for a while, he felt that she was different: she spoke honestly, had clear eyes, knew how to behave appropriately, was clear about family matters, and cared about her younger sister.

Half an hour later, Kong Yuqin got up to say goodbye.

"Brother, do you think she'll agree?"

"Brother, Yuqin is really great, virtuous and hardworking!"

"I want to marry her... I really want to get married!"

All afternoon, He Yuzhu clung to Liu Dong like a piece of chewing gum, constantly calling out "Yuqin" over and over again.

Liu Dong's head throbbed with pain. He cursed himself inwardly, "Damn it, did I have a death wish? Was I so bored that I played matchmaker for someone?"

However, the ending was heartwarming.

As dusk fell, good news arrived—

Chen Xueru ran into the courtyard, shouting from afar, "Zhuzi! It's done! Kong Yuqin agreed! From now on, you two are officially dating!"

"Really?!" He Yuzhu jumped up immediately, his eyes lighting up.

The neighbors were also happy and offered their congratulations.

Only the Jia family's side had a long face.

"Hmph..." Jia Dongxu scoffed, "You call this a boyfriend? I wouldn't even want him if he were given to me!"

He Yuzhu's temper flared instantly: "Jia Dongxu, say that again?!"

"Try saying that again if you dare!"

Jia Dongxu stiffened his neck, feigning indifference: "I'm not going to say it anymore, are you forcing me to?"

He Yuzhu was furious—he'd just started dating someone, and she'd already insulted him to his face? Called her ugly?

Actually, what's ugly about Kong Yuqin? She has regular features, fair skin, is quick and efficient at work, walks with a brisk pace, and looks very bright and cheerful!

He Yuzhu was quick-witted; he suppressed his anger and retorted immediately:

"Wow, you're something else! Your wife, Qin Huairu, is beautiful, but it's a shame she ran away, and who knows whose baby she's carrying!"

"Your last boyfriend was beautiful, wasn't he? And what happened? He had an epileptic seizure and almost fell into a ditch, so she called off the engagement that very night!"

"Hahaha--!"

Jia Dongxu froze on the spot, his face turning a deep purplish-red.

The neighbors didn't care who was shy; they immediately started clapping and making a fuss.

"That's right, judging by the days, Huai Ru should be due to give birth soon, right?"

"Do you think she's carrying a child from the Jia family?"

"I heard he had a problem during his physical exam... Is he even able to have children?"

Jia Dongxu was so angry that he jumped up and down on the spot, then turned around and rushed back into the house to yell at his mother:

"I need to find a partner! Right now! Mom, you need to go find Matchmaker Wang right away! You have to get me a definite answer today!"

"I've had enough! I'm going to find someone even more beautiful than Sha Zhu's wife!"

"Who does that idiot Zhu think he is? He's lazy and stubborn, how did he end up with such a great girl?!"

He would vehemently deny these words to He Yuzhu's face; but behind closed doors, his jealousy was already raging like wildfire.

"Alright, alright, alright!" Madam Jia made the decision immediately. "I'll go find Matchmaker Wang right now!"

She opened the cabinet, took out a dollar from the cloth bag at the bottom, clutched it tightly, and walked out.

These days, words are no substitute for actions.

Less than an hour later, Jia Zhangshi returned with a cheerful smile.

The next morning, Jia Dongxu went out with his head held high, deliberately circling around He Yuzhu's house:

"Hehe, silly Zhu, take it easy! Don't just admire yourself, we'll see what's what tomorrow!"

"My boyfriend is coming tomorrow! Matchmaker Wang herself promised; he'll arrive promptly after get off work this afternoon!"

He Yuzhu looked up and asked, "Is it really decided?"

"How could it be fake?"

"What time is it?"

"5:30! Just you wait!"

After laughing heartily, Jia Dongxu shouted throughout the yard, "The Jia family is having a blind date tomorrow afternoon! Everyone come and show your support!"

Monday is a normal workday.

Liu Dong stayed at the Foreign Exchange Creation Office for an hour, but seeing that nothing was happening, he left.

Twenty minutes later, he landed firmly on his feet—on his own balcony in Hong Kong.

It's been a long time since I last visited Qin Huairu. "Brother Liu Dong, you're here?"

Qin Huairu's eyes lit up, and she smiled like a freshly dried cotton quilt, soft and warm.

She was strolling slowly in the yard, arm in arm with a young woman. Her belly was round and protruding, like she was carrying a small pumpkin.

"Hello, Teacher Liu!" The girl next to him immediately stood up straight, nodded slightly to Liu Dong, and bowed slightly at the waist.

This is a private tutor that Liu Dong hired for her, who specializes in teaching Xinghui English, Chinese, and Hakka—the name sounds complicated, but it actually teaches her to recognize characters, speak, and understand the sounds of the outside world.

"Hmm...okay!" Liu Dong reached out and gently supported her arm, saying, "Come on, let's go back inside and talk."

Li Ma quickly followed.

As Liu Dong walked, he asked, "Aunt Li, when is my wife due?"

Aunt Li answered promptly, "The 24th of next month! No doubt about it."

"There are still about forty days left," Liu Dong nodded. "Are your arrangements all set?"

"All set! We've already made an appointment at the hospital, and the head of obstetrics will come to check on you every week. Madam is eating well, sleeping soundly, walking steadily, the baby's heartbeat is strong, the baby is healthy, and she's in good spirits—mother and daughter are both safe and sound!"

"Mother and daughter?" Liu Dong paused for a moment.

Qin Huairu's face flushed red, and she lowered her head, twisting the hem of her clothes with her fingers: "Brother Liu Dong... I'm sorry... This time... it's a girl..."

"Ha!" He chuckled, patting the back of her hand. "What's wrong with a daughter? She's just as dear to me as I am when I hold her in my arms, and she calls me 'Daddy' just as loudly! Let's raise this sweet little girl first, and in a couple of years we'll try harder and have a little rascal, okay?"

She breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a weight lift from her shoulders.

"By the way," Liu Dong asked again, "how's that teacher doing? Is it going well for you?"

"That's fantastic!" Qin Huairu's eyes lit up. "After four months, I can flip through newspapers by myself, I can spell in pinyin, and I can understand all the short sentences! I can also manage a few sentences of everyday English. As for Cantonese, I can't speak it well yet, but when people open their mouths, I can understand about 80% of what they say!"

This isn't just about learning something; it's like she's become a completely different person—her clothes are neat and tidy, her hair is perfectly combed, she speaks slowly and deliberately, and her eyes sparkle. She used to be a country girl moving to the city, but now she's a young woman climbing the ladder of success through books, gradually shedding her rustic ways and building confidence in her hands.

She loves this change and doesn't want it to stop.

"Honey..." she suddenly leaned closer, her voice soft but firm, "After the baby is born, I want to go to middle school. And later, I want to go to university."

Liu Dong gave a thumbs-up with a "thud": "Great! That's some serious ambition!"

She knew in her heart that she was currently just a woman by his side, without a title or a proper position, and far inferior to Chen Xueru's respectable and glamorous life. To truly take root in his heart, youth and beauty alone were not enough—she needed ability, confidence, and something that no one could take away from her.