IMGH Chapter 43

A Forced Blind Date

With Xiao Wenya’s care, Jiang Yi recovered quickly from his illness.

Though he had recovered, his own mother’s lectures made him wish he could fall sick again for a few more days.

For the past several days, Xiao Wenya had been talking non-stop in his ear, drilling into him the importance of having a woman at home. It drove Jiang Yi to his wit’s end, yet he didn’t dare say too much.

During a meal, Xiao Wenya launched into another sermon. “Son, you’re already thirty years old — it’s time to settle your lifelong affairs!”

“Look at Dongzi — his second child is almost due, and here you are, still all alone! Not that Mom wants to criticize you, but you’re not worse than anyone else. How is it that you can’t even find a girlfriend? Never mind me being anxious for grandchildren — if you so much as get a headache or a cold, at least there’d be someone to take care of you. Mom is getting old; I can’t look after you much longer. When I’m gone and buried, what on earth will you do?”

Xiao Wenya went on and on while Jiang Yi sat with his head lowered in silence.

The opening lines were always the same tune, and Jiang Yi could recite his mother’s entire speech with his eyes closed.

He kept his head down and ate, playing deaf and dumb. Xiao Wenya was infuriated by his impervious attitude and raised her chopsticks, jabbing them at his forehead. “Am I getting through to you at all?”

Jiang Yi rubbed his forehead and complained, “Mom, go easy, would you!”

Xiao Wenya brandished her chopsticks with a fierce expression and gritted her teeth. “I really want to knock some sense into you with these!”

Jiang Yi laughed foolishly and dodged out of the way. Xiao Wenya pulled her chopsticks back and issued her decree. “Sunday — blind date. You’re going.”

“What?” A mouthful of food lodged in Jiang Yi’s throat, and it took him a good while to swallow it down. He stared wide-eyed at a smug Xiao Wenya. “Mom, how could you arrange another blind date for me!”

“If I left it to you, who knows what year or month you’d ever bring home a daughter-in-law!” Xiao Wenya commanded firmly. “You must go on Sunday. Otherwise, I’ll make you regret it!”

Caught under his mother’s fierce glare, Jiang Yi shrank back and asked, “Mom, whose granddaughter is it this time?”

“No!”

“…”

“Not this time either! This one is a real beauty!” Xiao Wenya had seen a photo of the blind date candidate, and one single glance had been enough for her to decide in her heart that this girl was destined to be her Jiang family’s daughter-in-law. Her words were brimming with excited encouragement. “Son, you’d better give it your best shot! This girl is truly something special!”

Jiang Yi pursed his lips. “Mom, you said the same thing about the last one — and look how that turned out!”

Xiao Wenya’s elated expression instantly twisted into something fearsome. “Don’t even bring that up — if you do, I’ll have plenty to say to you! What on earth were you thinking last time, showing up all slovenly like that? Which girl would like that? This time, you’d better pull yourself together and clean yourself up properly! Such a wonderful girl — you absolutely cannot let her slip through your fingers again!”

Jiang Yi’s eyes shifted playfully, and he asked with a grin, “Mom, where did you find such a wonderful girl?”

“Xuan xuan introduced her! She’s a colleague of hers — someone whose background is completely known. The girl comes from a respectable family, she’s beautiful, and she has good manners!” Xiao Wenya was glowing with excitement, already fantasizing about holding a grandchild this time next year.

Jiang Yi pulled a long face, thinking to himself: Jiang Mingxuan, you little schemer — how dare you go introducing girls to me.

That meal left Jiang Yi thoroughly unsettled. After dinner, he retreated to his room and dialled Jiang Mingxuan’s number.

The call connected quickly, and Jiang Mingxuan’s boisterous voice came through the receiver right away.

“Big bro, did you get my money back?”

This girl — money, money, money, that’s all that ever comes out of her mouth. Jiang Yi felt a vein twitch.

“You little brat — you come to me begging to get your money back, and you still have the nerve to go and trip me up and cause me grief.” Jiang Yi warned menacingly. “Stop running your mouth in front of Mom for no reason!”

Perhaps remembering that Jiang Yi was holding her dowry money hostage, Jiang Mingxuan became unusually obedient and didn’t dare talk back. “Big bro, it’s a misunderstanding — a complete misunderstanding!”

“A misunderstanding? You even let Mom see the photo!”

“Mom happened to see it by accident. She asked me who the girl in the photo was and whether she had a boyfriend. I wasn’t thinking about you at all, so I… I just told her! How was I supposed to know she’d arrange a blind date out of it? Big bro, I’ve been wronged!”

Jiang Yi let out a cold snort. “Wronged? You still dare cry wronged!”

Jiang Mingxuan’s aggrieved voice came through. “Big bro, I don’t even want to set you up with girls. You’re gay — you shouldn’t be taking up a woman’s time! That girl is my bestie. We’re so close we practically share everything. I would never let you ruin her!”

“What did you just say?” Jiang Yi’s voice shot up, carrying a chill.

Jiang Mingxuan’s spine went cold at the tone. She quickly hushed herself and softened her voice. “Big bro, this really is a misunderstanding! I’ve already given that girl a heads-up in advance — you two just need to put on a bit of a show together and get past Auntie first!”

Hearing that, Jiang Yi’s anger gradually subsided. “You little brat — at least you know what’s good for you! In the future, watch what you say in front of my mom!”

From the other end of the line, Jiang Mingxuan nodded and bobbed eagerly. “Yes, yes, yes! It won’t happen again! Big bro, about my money…”

“Your money has already been redeemed.”

“Really? Big bro, you really are reliable!”

Jiang Mingxuan hung up the phone in high spirits, and Jiang Yi shook his head helplessly at his phone screen.

He looked up and met Qiu Rui’s inquisitive gaze. Jiang Yi responded with a smile. “What is it? Something on your mind?”

His tone was polite and distant — nothing like the casual familiarity of the past few days.