A husband found in the village? I bought a regent for a penny!

Matchmaker Zhao was delighted. "Yes! Only those who have farmed know that those seedlings are just like their own children!"

Aunt Zhang chimed in, "I knew it! My Xixi loves this."

"When she heard that you needed help urgently, she was even more anxious than I was."

Matchmaker Zhao looked at Gu Xixi gratefully and echoed, "Oh, Mr. Gu is so kind!"

"Mr. Gu has done me such a big favor. If you need anything, please feel free to ask."

Gu Xixi said, "Madam Zhao, you don't need to be so polite. Actually, this is me repaying a favor to you."

Matchmaker Zhao was puzzled, and Aunt Zhang was also somewhat confused.

Gu Xixi smiled slightly, "Thank you, Madam Zhao, for seeing that I didn't want to get married and for not agreeing to my family's job."

Everyone was stunned.

He Jinglan smiled and said, "I see. Then you really have to thank Madam Zhao."

"To form a bond of friendship with someone you've never met is something that can only be encountered by chance."

“If it weren’t for the difference in generations, the three of us should have become sworn brothers on the spot today.”

His words made everyone laugh again.

Matchmaker Zhao, fanning herself, laughed so hard she almost fell over. "Oh my, Miss He is truly a well-educated lady from a respectable family. That little mouth of hers is just so adorable!"

"However, I've been in this line of work for a long time, so I can tell whether a girl is likely to get married soon."

After she finished speaking, she really looked closely at Gu Xixi's face.

"Someone like Mr. Gu is clearly not making excuses; he genuinely doesn't want to settle down for the time being."

Gu Xixi was very interested. "In that case, Madam Zhao, please take a look at Jinglan for me as well."

He Jinglan tried to dodge, but Gu Xixi caught her and turned her around to show Zhao the matchmaker.

The matchmaker Zhao looked at her and beamed, "Oh my, her eyes are like autumn water, and her face is like a peach blossom."

"Although Miss He is currently facing some difficulties and uncertainties, I see that her love star is shining brightly, and good things are just around the corner."

He Jinglan blushed. "Zhao Niangzi is a matchmaker, why is she trying to read faces?"

Matchmaker Zhao didn't try to be mysterious; she said directly, "I don't know how to read faces. I'm judging you by your reactions."

"When we talked about marriage just now, I looked at Boss Gu and her eyes were clear. It was obvious that she didn't have someone she absolutely had to marry, nor did she ever think about marriage."

"Miss He is... a little different."

He Jinglan was, after all, a young woman, and Zhao the matchmaker simply smiled and touched on the point without specifying the differences.

She got up and brought over an open earthenware pot, placing it on the table.

"Here, these are the ones I grew myself. This is the first time I've picked them this year. Let's all enjoy them fresh."

Gu Xixi looked down and smiled, "Good stuff."

"Zhao Niangzi really went all out to entertain us."

He Jinglan also looked into the pot, but didn't recognize it. "This is... green beans? Boiled vegetables?"

Matchmaker Zhao said with a smile, "It's not wrong to call them green beans, but we don't eat the pods."

As she spoke, she picked one up to demonstrate.

"Look, break it open like this and eat the tender beans inside."

At this time, the pea pods are still bright green, definitely qualifying as a fresh delicacy in the northern summer.

Mature peas are considered a grain, high in starch. They can be stir-fried and used as dry food, or ground into flour to make jelly, savory pea porridge, and other staple foods.

But young peas are different; they are tender and juicy, and can only be eaten as a small snack. Picking them before they are fully ripe not only results in more waste, but also fails to fill an empty stomach.

Therefore, ordinary farming families would consider it a waste, and few would be willing to use tender peas to entertain guests.

After trying it, He Jinglan was amazed by its extraordinary quality.

"It's a bit mushy, but so tender! It has a sweet aftertaste and a refreshing moisture."

"Why are these peas completely different from the yellow ones I've eaten before?"

Aunt Zhang found it amusing and said, "Otherwise, we could say you grew up in the city."

"The kind you're talking about are mature beans harvested in autumn, dried and stored, and they have various uses."

He Jinglan became more and more skilled at peeling beans, and couldn't stop eating them.

"So green peas are the youngest form of yellow peas."

Gu Xixi explained, "There are both old and young green peas."

"The beans picked by Zhao Niangzi are at their most plump when they are full of moisture, and they taste the sweetest and most tender."

"And this good time only lasts for five days."

"Even though the tender peas are still delicious after the season, they are different from what we eat now."

He Jinglan nodded and said, "In other words, if you pick them too early, the beans won't be big enough to eat."

"If you pick them too late, they will taste different."

Gu Xixi smiled and said, "The tender pea pods will age after being picked, so even if you can buy them in the market, they won't taste as good as freshly picked and cooked ones."

"So we are fortunate to be treated to such rare food today."

Matchmaker Zhao was delighted to hear this and repeatedly told everyone not to be shy and to eat as much as possible.

The tender peas were boiled in salt water with only coarse salt, ginger slices, and two star anise.

After boiling, there's no need to take it out. Just soak the pot in freshly drawn well water and change the water several times to let the soup cool completely.

During this process, the bean pods are soaked in salt water, which allows them to absorb more flavor.

The simple, refreshing salty flavor highlights the sweet aroma of the tender peas, making them irresistible.

As the sun was about to reach its zenith, Gu Xixi gave Aunt Zhang a wink.

It's getting late; we can't stay at someone else's house for lunch.

Aunt Zhang understood and stood up, saying, "Then we'll head back now."

"Just do as Xixi said. If you find anything wrong, come to my house anytime."

Matchmaker Zhao agreed and even wanted to invite Zhang to stay for a meal, but Aunt Zhang politely declined before leaving.

Matchmaker Zhao escorted the three of them to the village entrance.

As she was about to leave, she solemnly said to Gu Xixi, "I dare not say how much help I can give you."

"But if you ever need me, I will do my best."

Gu Xixi respected this woman from the bottom of her heart, and said seriously, "Madam Zhao, don't belittle yourself. You've been a matchmaker for many years. How many people have you met from the surrounding villages to Qingtian County?"

"This network of connections is beyond what ordinary people can compare to."

She cupped her hands and said, "Perhaps one day when I really need Zhao Niangzi's help, I will certainly not be polite."

Having just made a lot of money, Gu Xixi began to gradually implement some of the things she had planned to do.

The carpenter they hired came to their house that day to build a bathroom according to the blueprints given by Gu Xixi.

A bathroom needs to be properly waterproofed; that requires a professional.

The underground drainage pipes, carved from bluestone, were to be buried, and these things were not cheap. In order to save money and also to allow the carpenters to do their work at the same time, the location was chosen near the outhouse.

Gu Xixi had long wanted a place to take a shower.

Changing the water in a wooden tub is too inconvenient, so you can't bathe every day in the summer; you can only wipe yourself with warm water every night.

He Jinglan asked curiously, "The shower you're talking about, is it where water is poured on you from above?"

"Yes." Gu Xixi nodded. "This is much more convenient."

"Until it gets cold, you can take a shower whenever you want."

As the two were talking, they saw Aunt Zhang return angrily, wondering what had happened.