Siheyuan: Starting from the driver

Chapter 775 The Killer Weapon: The Real Killer

Seeing that Wang the matchmaker was about to target her "trump card reserves" again, Li Kailang felt a headache coming on.

This morning's work was more tiring than drawing blueprints all day at the factory.

He quickly called out, "Aunt Wang! Aunt Wang! Wait a minute!"

The matchmaker stopped in her tracks, turned around, and glared at him: "What?"

Li Kailang smiled wryly: "No, Aunt Wang, look how late it is! Half the morning has passed, and you must be exhausted from running around. Why don't we take a break? We can talk about it another day?"

He genuinely wanted to call a halt; he was afraid he would break down if he continued going on blind dates like this.

"What rest?!" Matchmaker Wang glared at her.

"What's a little tiredness? Auntie's in great health! Since it's the weekend and you're free, let's go all out! There's only one left, and Auntie promises this one will be just what you want!"

As if afraid that Li Kailang would run away, she turned back and pushed him back into the house.

"You just wait inside! Don't go anywhere! Drink some water, catch your breath! Auntie will be right back! This time it's really not far!"

Watching Wang the matchmaker rush out of the courtyard like a gust of wind, Li Kailang resignedly closed the door, leaned against it, and let out a long sigh.

What "was bound to come" not only came quickly, but also came one after another, giving you no chance to catch your breath.

He walked to the table, poured himself a glass of cold water, and gulped it down.

In the courtyard, the neighbors' chatter seemed to grow louder, with snippets of conversation drifting in: "Didn't it work out again?", "Isn't Xiao Li too picky?", "Is Granny Wang still not giving up?"

Yan Bugui watched Wang the matchmaker's hurried departure again, his eyes gleaming behind his glasses.

He whispered to the third aunt, "See? The second one didn't work out either! Old Wang's skills are only good enough to fool ordinary people!"

"Who is Xiao Li? Why would she be interested in those guys she introduced? Looks like it's time for my third uncle to step in! I'll go have a chat with Xiao Li later!"

He felt his chance had come.

Seeing Sun Yulan walk away quickly with her back straight, Liu Haizhong immediately felt that his judgment was extremely wise:
"See? I told you! This girl won't do! Little Li has high standards! We really can't rely on Matchmaker Wang for this!"

"Old Liu, let's go visit Xiao Li's place when we have some free time!"

"Okay!" Liu Haizhong made the decision.

Just as various factions in the courtyard were secretly plotting and making their own calculations, Wang the matchmaker did not keep everyone waiting for long.

Her signature laughter and footsteps approached again: "Little Li! Open the door! Quick! Look who your auntie has invited!"

"If you still don't like it this time, then... then..."

The courtyard gate was wide open.

Standing next to Wang the matchmaker was a girl whose attire was completely different from the previous two.

He wore a perfectly pressed, dark blue Lenin suit without a single wrinkle, his hair was styled in fashionable curls, and his face carried a shrewd and capable expression.

Wu Xiulan works as the head of a task force in an office of a nearby subdistrict office. She carries the composure of a government official and a hint of subtle superiority.

The moment this person appeared, the entire courtyard instantly became much quieter.

Even Jia Zhangshi, who was sunbathing in front of her house, craned her neck to watch.

Yan Bugui adjusted his glasses, his heart skipping a beat: "This girl seems unusual!"

Liu Haizhong and his wife also peered out the window, wondering to themselves, "Whose daughter is this? She's got quite the air about her!"

"Xiao Li! Come here, let me introduce you to an excellent comrade!"

Matchmaker Wang's voice was even louder than before, carrying a sense of triumph, "This is Comrade Wu Xiulan, she works in our district's bureau! A real state cadre!"

After entering the room, Wu Xiulan scanned the room with sharp eyes, like an experienced purchasing agent evaluating goods.

Her gaze lingered for a few seconds on the space of the house and the condition of the furniture before finally settling on Li Kailang.

Her attitude was neither humble nor arrogant, but carried a sense of official scrutiny.

"Technician Li, it's a pleasure to meet you. Aunt Wang introduced you to me. You're a college graduate, and you have a bright future in the technical department of the steel rolling mill."

The words sounded like a compliment, but the tone and the evaluative look in his eyes suggested he was confirming the actual value behind the label.

Li Kailang was already somewhat impatient, but he maintained basic politeness on the surface: "Officer Wu, you flatter me. It's all necessary for work."

Wu Xiulan's speaking style is highly purposeful and efficient.

She went straight to the point, asking three questions in quick succession:
"What specific area are you responsible for in the technical department? What level of staff member are you currently equivalent to?"

"The steel rolling mill is one of the most profitable in the district, so the benefits must be pretty good, right? Especially employee housing, does the factory have any plans to allocate housing recently?"

"I heard your parents have passed away? Are there any other immediate family members you need to support?"

Li Kailang patiently and tried to answer objectively and concisely: He is an intern technician, a level 14 technical researcher, has no family burdens, and lives in his own house.
When she heard "Class of 14" and "no family burden", Wu Xiulan's shrewd eyes narrowed slightly as she quickly began to calculate.

"Technician Li is young and promising, and his qualifications are quite good." She summarized in a formulaic way, but then suddenly changed the subject.

However, we young people of the new era also need to plan for the long term. If two people live together and then have children, this room will be too cramped.

"Could you perhaps speak to the factory leadership about this? The organization should give you special consideration."

Li Kailang's aversion reached its peak.

Is Wu Xiulan here to find a partner, or to snag a rich husband?

Wu Xiulan's actions have crossed his bottom line, especially her asking about his deceased parents.

His face darkened slightly, and his tone turned cold: "The factory's housing allocation policy is open and transparent, and is based on seniority, contributions, and the degree of family hardship."

"As for this room, it's quite spacious; there are already two rooms here."

Before they could exchange more than a few words, Li Kailang's dislike intensified, and he resolutely said, "What other questions do you have? I have other things to do."

Having said all that, any normal person would know to "send the guest out."

Seeing the atmosphere turn to freezing point, Wang the matchmaker immediately switched to "rescue mode".

Matchmaker Wang: "Oh dear! Officer Wu is really thinking ahead! Young Li is young and has a bright future! As for the house, as long as he achieves good results, the organization will definitely not treat him unfairly! The key is that he's a good person and very capable!"

Wu Xiulan, who had always taught people how to do things, naturally wouldn't let the matter rest after hearing Li Kailang's tone!
"Technician Li, what do you mean by that? Did I say something wrong? Please advise."

"No, you're doing great, keep it up," Li Kailang retorted without any politeness.

The verbal sparring between the two left Wang the matchmaker feeling like an ant on a hot pan.

This gave everyone in the courtyard a sense of impending drama.

Auntie Er, pouting, muttered, "Pah! Look at that Wu clerk's attitude! A mere street office clerk, does he really think he's something special? He looks down on our Xiao Li's place?"

"Do you know how impressive Xiao Li's house is? Once Xiao Li establishes himself, he'll be the pillar of the factory! This woman is short-sighted!" Liu Haizhong nodded with his hands behind his back, snorting, "Hmph! Long hair, short brains! What does she know?"

Yan Bugui pretended to hold a small pair of scissors in his hand, gesturing at his few half-dead potted plants, but his ears were perked up like a rabbit's.

When she first heard that Matchmaker Wang had brought another "district official," she stamped her feet in frustration and turned to the three older women in the room to complain in a low voice:
"Oh no! Wang the matchmaker got there first! She's squandered all these good resources!"

When he heard the two arguing, he immediately calmed down.

The exchange of words between the two intensified, and Li Kailang took a deep breath.

"Thank you for your kind offer, Aunt Wang, but marriage is not a business transaction. I hope to find someone who truly understands, respects, and shares my interests."

"Aunt Wang, thank you so much for your hard work today. Let's call it a day. We won't trouble you two to introduce anything else for now."

"Once my work and life are more stable, I will definitely visit you for advice if I really need it."

Finally, he nodded slightly to Wu Xiulan, whose face was flushed with embarrassment and anger: "Officer Wu, I apologize for taking up your precious time today."

Done.

With a loud "bang," the two were turned away!

"Li Kailang, what do you mean?"

Wu Xiulan's face, which had originally been radiating shrewdness and superiority, was now flushed red like a pig's liver, alternating between deathly pale and ashen.

As the head of a subdistrict office, I usually deal with neighborhood disputes and policy promotion. Wherever I go, I am politely addressed as "Officer Wu" or "Team Leader Wu".
I have never suffered such a humiliating disgrace!
This is really unreasonable!

"He... Li Kailang! You're utterly lawless! A scoundrel! A rogue!"

Wu Xiulan finally found an outlet, and her sharp voice broke the brief silence.

"Who do you think you are? A lousy technician! How dare you treat me like this? Come out here! Explain yourself!"

"This is an insult to state officials! I'm going to report you to your factory! I'm going to file a complaint with the neighborhood committee!"

Matchmaker Wang's face was like a spilled palette, a mix of green, red, and white.

She really suffered a major setback today!
Three blind dates in a row, each one a complete disaster.

The first one was an ordinary female worker; Li Kailang felt they had nothing in common.

The second one was a primary school teacher, and a graduate of a teacher's college, but that didn't work out either;
The third one, she thought that by bringing out the "cadre" trump card, she could always keep the situation in check. Who would have thought that Wu Xiulan was so oblivious to social cues and took herself too seriously.

The questioning was like interrogating a criminal or settling accounts. They asked about everything from houses and social status to parents and burdens, and then even taught people how to do things!

Now things are really messed up. Not only is the marriage off, but the reputation that Wang the matchmaker has built up over decades is probably going to be ruined in this courtyard!
Who knows, maybe no one in the whole alley will believe her.

"Oh dear, my dear Team Leader Wu! Calm down! Calm down!"

The matchmaker, Wang, no longer cared about losing her reputation and quickly went up to grab Wu Xiulan's arm.

Xiao Li was probably really tired today. Three blind dates this morning—who wouldn't be annoyed? Plus, he's young and hot-blooded, and his words were a bit harsh.

"Don't take it to heart! Come on, let's go back first, and Auntie will have a good talk with him another day!"

"I do not go!"

Wu Xiulan was furious and felt she had lost face in front of so many neighbors who were watching the spectacle, so she was not willing to give up easily.

She forcefully shook off Matchmaker Wang's hand. "He must apologize to me! He must! Aunt Wang, look at his attitude!"

"Huh? This is the 'good young man' you were talking about? 'With a bright future'? He's simply an unknown..."

"You damn scoundrel! Open the door! Li Kailang! Open the door and apologize to me!"

She pounded on the door again, making a loud banging sound.

This attracted even more heads and eyes gleaming with gossip to peek out from the cracks in the doors and windows of every household in the courtyard.

The second aunt sneered at Liu Haizhong beside her, "Old man, listen to this! What did I tell you? This woman is no good!"

"A nobody with such a small position, yet he acts like a big shot compared to the factory director! And he complains that Xiao Li's house is too small? He's like a toad trying to eat swan meat, completely ignorant of his own limitations! Now look what's happened, he's been publicly humiliated by Xiao Li, serves him right!"

With his hands behind his back and his belly sticking out, Liu Haizhong wore a smug look on his face, as if he had seen through everything.

"Hmph! What a woman's perspective! I told you long ago, the person that Granny Wang introduced is no good! Little Li is a man of great things, why would he want such a shallow and petty woman?"

As Yan Bugui watched Wu Xiulan flailing about and listening to her hysterical shouts, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up slightly.

"It's over! This is a complete disaster!"

He turned around, lowered his voice, and excitedly spoke to the three women in the house.

"That old woman Wang has shot herself in the foot! That clerk Wu looks shrewd, but he's actually as stupid as a pig!"

"With her attitude, let alone Xiao Li, which man in the courtyard could stand it? Now, she's really angered Xiao Li! Wang Po's reputation is completely ruined today!"

The three women asked in a low voice, "So our chance has really come?"

"Of course!" Yan Bugui confidently pushed up his glasses, the lenses reflecting a shrewd light.

"In this courtyard, who else besides me, Yan Bugui, knows Xiao Li's situation best, is the most educated, and can talk to him effectively? Once that 'cadre' Wu and that old woman Wang are gone and things quiet down in the courtyard, I'll go!"

Wu Xiulan's cursing and Wang the matchmaker's persuasion continued.

Although the murmurs in the courtyard were lowered, they grew even louder, with various comments like "serves him right," "he asked for it," and "shameful."
Various words drifted into Officer Wu's ears.

Finally, under the gaze of dozens of pairs of eyes, some mocking and some contemptuous, Wu Xiulan could no longer bear the immense shame.

She stomped her foot angrily, tears welling in her eyes, and pointed at the door, uttering a final, harsh threat: "Li Kailang! You just wait! This isn't over!"

After saying that, she covered her face, pushed away the matchmaker Wang who was still trying to persuade her, and, as if being chased by a ghost, lowered her head and almost ran out of the hanging flower gate, disappearing outside the gate.

Looking at Wu Xiulan's disheveled figure and then at the tightly closed door, Wang the matchmaker's wrinkles deepened, filled with regret and frustration.

Auntie...Auntie's actions today were...inconsiderate. You...you should rest well, and wait...wait until you've thought things through...and then we'll..."

Before she could finish speaking, she felt too ashamed to stay any longer and slunk away amidst the silent stares of the crowd.

With the departure of the two uninvited guests, the backyard gradually returned to its apparent tranquility.

Aunt Er nudged Liu Haizhong: "Old man, Granny Wang and that Zhang fellow have both left. Now we're the only ones left in the yard! Shall we go now?"

Liu Haizhong waved his hand, looking shrewd and calculating: "What's the rush? After all that commotion, Xiao Li is probably still angry. Going there now would just be asking for trouble. Let him calm down first."

"That cunning old man Yan is definitely keeping an eye on things too. Let him try and run into a brick wall first! Watch me, we'll go after he's been humiliated!"

Just as expected from the bangs.

Yan Bugui was restless at home. Seeing his "rival" Wang the matchmaker completely eliminated, he felt that he could not miss this opportunity!

(End of this chapter)