The Path to Another World

Ye Fan was still desperately searching for the coveted artifact in his dream, his limbs flailing wildly like a drowning duck, looking utterly comical. Suddenly, his fingers seemed to touch something, and he was overjoyed. Had he found it? He instinctively gripped the object tightly, pulling it forcefully towards his chest. But it stubbornly tried to escape. "Huh, why is it resisting? No wonder it's an artifact; it's already sentient. Is it trying to tug-of-war with me? Wait, why doesn't this feel like a necklace? It's so thick, and it's warm." He opened his eyes to see if the necklace in his hand was the same as his own.

But when she opened her eyes, she was startled. A familiar face with an angry expression came into view. It was Tian Jun looking at her with a smile that was also angry. And her hands were holding Tian Jun's right hand. Where was the magical necklace? Only then did she remember that everything just now was a dream, and she couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.

"Why are you here?" Ye Fan asked Tian Jun, breaking the awkward silence.

"I just came up to call you for breakfast, what time is it, boss?" Tian Jun waved the bun that Ye Fan had torn in half in his right hand, shrugged and laughed, "What artifact? What Ge Qiusha? Whose name is that? Luckily it was me just now, if it were a young girl I would have thought you had a beastly heart!"

"Nothing much? I just had a dream about this pendant. Maybe it's because I've been reading too many fantasy novels lately, so these strange images keep popping up when I sleep, like I'm dreaming." Ye Fan chuckled as he explained the dream to Tian Jun.

"I never expected this seemingly ordinary pendant to have such an extraordinary background," Tian Jun joked.

"What are you doing here today? Didn't we agree to start packing tomorrow and leave the day after tomorrow?" Ye Fan quickly changed the subject. This wasn't a funny joke, and he didn't want Tian Jun to use it to make fun of him.

"I was bored at home, and your mom called to say that someone is going on a blind date today and asked me to give some advice. We're brothers, after all. I heard there are quite a few pretty girls, is that right?" Tian Jun looked at Ye Fan with a sly smile, as if waiting to see him make a fool of himself.

Sure enough, upon hearing Tian Jun's reply, Ye Fan's face immediately darkened. He let out a long sigh and slapped his forehead. What an amazing pair of parents! Yesterday, he thought they were just joking and urging him on, but who knew they would take it seriously and be so efficient.

"Why don't you just do as your parents wish, choose whichever one you like, and marry her directly with a betrothal gift?" Tian Jun continued to tease Ye Fan, who was already exasperated.

"Get lost! Are you even my brother? Are you here to help me or to hurt me? And you still dare to say that?" Ye Fan felt even more annoyed when he heard Tian Jun's teasing.

“That’s easy. No matter what your parents say or who they like, just shake your head and reject them all. I’ll help you out. After all, we’ve all been out in the world, and we don’t know what kind of girls we’d be interested in,” Tian Jun offered advice.

"That's all we can do for now. Let's take it one step at a time. If it really doesn't work out, I'll go talk to Grandpa. The Great Dao is not yet complete, where is there time now! With Grandpa's authority, they can't possibly object!" Ye Fan couldn't help but groan. "Hey, we're the same age, why aren't your family pressuring you? You're not getting any younger!"

Hearing Ye Fan's question, Tian Jun casually tossed his hair, revealing a handsome face that even celebrities would envy. He patted his bulging pockets and said arrogantly, "Do you think someone with my looks and wealth would worry about not finding a wife? It's just that other women should worry about how to marry me. Brother, some things can't be compared; it's all innate! I'm not getting married that early. My goal is to be like Chu Suiliang, not seeking to be a playboy, but to be charming and unrestrained. Passing through a sea of ​​flowers without a single petal clinging to me." Hearing Tian Jun's words, Ye Fan could only hang his head, resigned to his fate.

Just as the two were chatting casually, Ye's mother's voice came: "Fan'er, Jun'er, come down quickly, Wu the matchmaker from next door is here, come down for breakfast." Hearing Ye's mother's call, Ye Fan could only smile wryly and follow Tian Jun downstairs to the dining room.

As soon as he came down the stairs, he saw a middle-aged woman, about forty years old, wearing a bright red coat, drinking tea and chatting idly with Ye's mother. Although Ye Fan had been away from home for many years, he still recognized this neighbor. He had been scolded a lot for bullying her daughter when he was a child.

Seeing the two men come downstairs, Matchmaker Wu quickly stood up: "These two young men are so handsome! I hardly recognize them after all these years. If I were twenty years younger, I'd marry you without a dowry. Don't worry, there's no girl in this county I don't know. Just tell me your requirements, and I'll carefully choose one for you. Your Ye family is quite a prominent family here; you can't be so casual about finding a wife." Matchmaker Wu was a local celebrity, having done many matchmaking jobs, and everyone in the village knew her. Ye Fan and Tian Jun were the young masters of the two wealthiest families in the area; she certainly knew eligible bachelors like them. She flattered them with a fake smile, her thick foundation constantly slipping off.

Hearing Wu the matchmaker's flattery, which was neither a compliment nor an insult, and glancing at her face which resembled a blooming chrysanthemum, the two couldn't help but feel a spasm in their stomachs. They suppressed the urge to vomit and still smiled without changing their expressions, saying, "Hello, Aunt Wu! It's been so many years! Aunt Wu is still so young and beautiful!"

Hearing their insincere flattery, Matchmaker Wu laughed even more heartily. She covered her gaping mouth with one hand, feigning shyness, and giggled, "You two little rascals have such sweet tongues, you're so good at talking, it makes me blush. Come and see, I have photos of all the unmarried girls who are suitable for you right now. Take a look, these are the photos, and on the back are their information: name, age, education level, measurements. I'll go and tell you who you like." With that, she pulled a thick stack of photos from her pocket, at least a hundred of them.

The two were dumbfounded. They exchanged a glance, seeing the confusion in each other's eyes. "Damn, are you a matchmaker or a census taker? Your data is more complete than the police station's!" A matchmaker this dedicated should put even government officials to shame. This is true professionalism.

;