Chapter 120: The Tripod (2)

Zhang Guoqing shook his head, annoyed, and stepped forward to give Zhang Yuntao a kick. “Are you stupid? Just tell her you already have a girlfriend, or that you’re interested in someone else. Let her know to back off so she doesn’t interfere with you two.

If she keeps bringing you steamed buns every day, tell her your mom’s about to visit her house and ask just how rich her family is—do they have so many buns they can’t finish them? Say that, and let’s see if she still dares to come around. Just show her a little attitude!

Don’t think Linzi is being overly cautious. There are too many weirdos out there these days. What if she finds an excuse to ask you out, and you’re not on guard, and suddenly she hugs you and kisses you in public on purpose so people see? How are you going to explain that? Say you were the one being harassed?

And what if she starts spreading rumors, saying that even though you turned her down and claim you don’t like her, you actually do? Other people see her bringing you buns all the time, and they start to believe it. Then her parents start telling everyone you two are a couple. How are you going to clear that up? Don’t you care about your reputation?”

Zhang Yuntao stared at him, mouth agape, dumbfounded. “You mean…that could actually happen? Girls can be that shameless? No way, right?”

“Why not?” Li Qinglin glared at him, exasperated. “Haven’t you heard those stories? Like how Momo got drunk and ended up having to marry the guy? Or someone rescued a girl from drowning and then had to marry her because her reputation was ruined? Or how Momo was harassed by some punks, got so upset she tried to kill herself, and ended up marrying the guy?”

Zhang Yuntao scratched his head, looking helplessly at the two of them. “Then maybe I just shouldn’t get married at all. Damn, who knows what’s going on in those girls’ heads.”

Zhang Guoqing burst out laughing, seeing how scared he was, and quickly reassured him, “Don’t think like that. When you’re looking for a partner, first look at her character, then her looks, and see if you both want the same things. That’s about it. Then let your parents weigh in, and if it works out, get married. It’s not that complicated. The main thing is to figure out if she likes you for you, or for your family background.”

Li Qinglin chimed in casually, “Didn’t your mom introduce you to a bunch of girls? Take a look. If none of them work out, I think Zhao Yuanyuan is pretty good. Her family’s well-off, she’s easygoing, friendly, doesn’t look down on poor people, and she’s got a sturdy build—your mom loves girls with big hips, says they’re good for having kids. I think she’s the best match for you, unless you go off to college and meet someone better outside the county.”

Zhang Yuntao actually started thinking about it, then sighed, “No way, she wouldn’t go for me. We argue all the time. If we got together, we’d just fight every day. I think she’s more suited for you, Linzi. Really, she listens to you. Of the three of us, she always rolls her eyes at Xiao Wu, mocks me, but you—she actually listens to you.”

Zhang Guoqing shook his head speechlessly, watching the two of them debate who was a better match, and had to cut in. “Stop overthinking it. It’s all about fate. Girls’ feelings are hard to read, so don’t just blurt things out or you might not even be friends anymore. She’s actually a good person, so if you’re interested, try testing the waters first. But you two need to be careful—if you both fall for her, it’ll just turn into a messy love triangle and someone will get hurt. Honestly, I think she acts a bit differently around Linzi, but with her personality, she probably doesn’t even realize it herself. But Linzi’s path is different from hers—Uncle Li wants you to go to college, and you need to think carefully. Once you get emotionally involved, it’s hard to pull back.”

Li Qinglin nodded, jokingly looking at him. “So how did you end up falling for someone?”

Zhang Guoqing sighed, “Me? The first time I saw Jiaojiao, I just knew she was the one. It was a strange feeling, like it was only natural that she belonged to me. As I got older, I felt like my life would only be complete if I had her. I love the idea of her having my children, love being with her and seeing her happy, love protecting her and not letting anyone else get close. Before I knew it, I was all in.

We’re different from you guys, even from other couples. To me, Jiaojiao is closer than my parents, the person I trust most, who understands me best. And it’s the same for her—she trusts and understands me the most. Our tastes and habits are similar, and we don’t need to say much—a single look and we know what the other is thinking.”

Li Qinglin was silent for a while, then said with longing, “I’ve always envied you. Xiao Wu, what I envy most is that you found Zhou Jiao.

Whenever I see Zhou Jiao, I think of bamboo. No matter how the wind blows, bamboo stands tall and straight. It doesn’t need anyone’s support or special care—it just stands there quietly all year round, swaying with the wind, but its roots are always strong.

I used to think I liked her, but later I realized it was just admiration. She’s too hard to understand, too hard to read. Living with a girl like that would be exhausting—mentally exhausting. Girls like that are tough, they only care about what matters to them. She looks as clear as crystal, but inside she’s all ice, with layers of defenses. That’s why I really envy you—someone like Zhou Jiao actually cares about you. You’re so lucky.

As for me, I just want to find a girl who’s like bamboo—not necessarily beautiful, just not cold inside, someone I can understand and love. If I find someone like that, I’d give up everything to pursue her.”

Zhang Yuntao shook his head and gave him a thumbs-down. “I think Jiaojiao’s great, not complicated at all. She’s not like those other girls who are always chattering, and she’s not a tomboy either. She’s just a bit too soft, too gentle—I never dare raise my voice around her, afraid I’ll scare her. Whenever I see her, I feel like I’m her big brother and have to look out for her. If I ever have a daughter, I want her to be like Jiaojiao. Too bad you guys had a big, healthy boy this time. If you’d had a little Jiaojiao, haha, Xiao Wu would be doomed—two softies in the house, he’d be worried sick every day.”

Zhang Guoqing and Li Qinglin exchanged a helpless smile. This guy…

Seeing that they were almost at the downtown area of the provincial capital, Zhang Guoqing suggested, “Where do you guys want to go? If you don’t have a plan, let’s check out the flea market. There are lots of books, tapes, all kinds of odds and ends. I didn’t finish looking around last time, and I’ve got money on me. The stuff there isn’t expensive. Interested?”

Zhang Yuntao nodded excitedly. “Sure! I’ll check out the tapes, you guys can look at books. But will it be too late when we head back?”

Li Qinglin grabbed their hands and started pulling them forward. “I’ll take you through the alleys. As soon as Xiao Wu mentioned it, I knew where he meant. There are a few snack stalls there, too. You wouldn’t find them on your own, but there’s one place with the best lamb offal soup. Most of the old goods in the city end up there. My grandpa used to go there all the time to look for stuff. We need to hurry, though—if we’re late, we won’t see everything before the night market starts.”

“There’s a night market too? Do they sell the same stuff as during the day?” Zhang Guoqing asked curiously.

Li Qinglin thought for a moment. “I’ve only been to the night market once. They don’t just sell secondhand stuff—factory seconds from the city’s factories are sold there under the table, too. It was the middle of winter and there were still lots of women shopping. I didn’t look too closely, but my grandpa bought two wool blankets and was over the moon. I remember it clearly.”

Li Qinglin took Zhang Guoqing and Zhang Yuntao to have lamb offal soup, which they both raved about. In the end, Zhang Guoqing bought up all the cooked lamb tripe the shop had left.

“Alright, now that we’ve eaten, let’s keep exploring the market. First, we’ll check out the tapes, then the book stalls—they’re not far apart, so we won’t get separated.”

Zhang Guoqing nodded. He was just following along, scoping out the place so he could bring Jiaojiao next time."