freenovelworld Chapter 453 Isn't this a bit too impatient?
Chapter 453 Isn't this a bit too impatient?
Lunch was at Mingcui Restaurant. Lin Xiaotang even went to the kitchen and worked with the chefs to develop two new dishes. They tried making them several times, and the taste was quite good.
The family gathered together, having a lively and happy time.
After the meal, Lin Xiaotang asked her fourth uncle and Huo Qi to take her and her mother to find a broker to look at houses.
Large houses were hard to find, but there were a few small houses. Only one house had a decent layout, location, and price, so Lin Xiaotang immediately decided to buy it and paid a deposit.
Shen Qianchuan and Huo Qi politely declined each other's offer, but in the end, Liu Shi said that Huo Qi was older and should buy first so that he could look at the girls. Shen Qianchuan agreed, and after some back and forth, Huo Qi accepted first.
The house has two courtyards. It's not in the center of the market, but it's not too far from the market, and it's convenient to go out of town.
They instructed the broker that if they found a house similar to this one, they should reserve it for them, and the price was negotiable. They also asked the broker to help them find another large house, preferably a mansion that had been inhabited by a wealthy family. They weren't in a hurry to buy the large house; they could take their time looking.
The dentist readily agreed.
Three days later, the matchmaker came to the restaurant in high spirits and led Shen Qianchuan and Huo Qi to see the young ladies from both families.
One of them was the eldest sister in the family. Because her younger brother and sister were still young when her father passed away, she helped her mother support the family, which is why she wasted her youth. She was a little older than the average girl who was looking for a husband, but a few years younger than Huo Qi.
Because the girl was a bit older, the men who tried to arrange marriages for her were either ugly or mentally unstable, and there were no matchmakers for young and promising men.
Lately, things have gotten even more outrageous; some people have started telling her that her wife has died and wanting her to become her second wife.
She was furious and kicked the person out.
She hadn't planned on getting married and was content to stay home with her mother as an old maid for the rest of her life. But yesterday, a matchmaker came to her door and said she wanted to find her a handsome, capable, and wealthy man who had no parents. She wouldn't have to serve her in-laws after marriage. The key thing was that he had bought her a house in the capital. Although it wasn't big, it was new, clean, and close to her parents' home.
The matchmaker praised the man to the skies, and she couldn't resist being tempted, so she agreed to let the matchmaker bring him to her door.
Huo Qi followed the matchmaker into Liu Xixi's house. He handed the gifts he brought to Liu's mother and bowed to her.
"This junior greets Madam Liu."
Liu's mother was a gentle woman with a few strands of silver in her hair. She had a smile on her face and looked approachable.
She was worried that her daughter would get older and wouldn't be able to find a good husband, and she was also afraid that if her daughter found someone hastily, she would suffer in the future. So she wanted to carefully select a husband for her daughter, and she looked Huo Qi up and down and took a few more glances at him.
The young man was about twenty-four or twenty-five years old. He was well-mannered and had a refined demeanor. He was tall and thin, and looked like a scholar, but not quite. He was dressed in very fine material and was very polite. He even brought a gift on his first visit.
She nodded slightly, thinking that apart from being a bit older than her daughter, her family background and the people there were quite good. Her daughter wouldn't have to serve her parents after marrying into the family, and apart from having no one to help her, she wouldn't suffer any grievances.
My daughter is capable; she can make a good living even without anyone's help.
The more Liu's mother thought about it, the more satisfied she became with Huo Qi.
Liu Xixi stood outside the window, secretly observing Huo Qi. With just one glance, she fell in love with him, thinking that his appearance and temperament were both top-notch, and none of the ugly men and women she had been told about over the years could compare to him.
It doesn't matter if she's older. She's an old maid herself, and it's impossible for her to find a young and promising man. Besides, older men know how to take care of people.
So she completely forgot her mother's prior instructions, stepped around the door and went inside.
When Liu's mother saw that her daughter had come in so quickly, she was somewhat disapproving, but she didn't say anything to spoil the mood.
She introduced with a smile, "Young Master Huo, this is my daughter, her name is Xixi."
Huo Qi turned his head and met Liu Xixi's gaze; the two sized each other up.
Liu Xixi's appearance was inherited from her mother. She was pretty and gentle, with bright and clear almond eyes. She was beautiful and slender, but capable. Only her hands were not particularly delicate.
Huo Qi couldn't take his eyes off her. Apart from his mother, he had never really looked at any woman closely in his life. This was the first time he had ever looked at a woman so closely, and he was immediately captivated.
He felt he was such a failure!
The matchmaker glanced at the two of them and saw that their eyes were fixed on each other for a long time. She was delighted and thought to herself that the deal was almost done.
So she chuckled and said, "I, the matchmaker, have already informed both of your situations beforehand. I haven't exaggerated his appearance at all. Now that you've officially met, give me an answer later..."
Before the matchmaker could finish speaking, Huo Qi immediately said, "I am in love with Miss Xixi and wish to marry her. I wonder if Miss Xixi is willing?"
The matchmaker was so shocked that she covered her mouth, her eyes almost popping out of her head.
She'd seen direct people before, but never one this direct. If she hadn't known beforehand that Huo Qi was educated and a businessman, she'd probably think this guy was a fool.
Who would propose marriage the first time they meet, before they've even exchanged a few words?
Isn't that a bit too impatient?
Mother Liu really didn't expect Huo Qi to be so... It was indeed a bit rash. Although she was satisfied with him and thought he was a suitable candidate to be her son-in-law, it was still displeasing that he took the initiative to propose marriage without consulting the elders or having a matchmaker mediate.
Liu Xixi was stunned for a moment, her face suddenly turning bright red. She said shyly, "Don't ask me this. Ask my mother. Marriage is a major event that is decided by parents and matchmakers. If my mother agrees, then I have no objection."
Actually, what she meant was quite clear: she was willing, but she needed her mother's approval.
Upon hearing this, the matchmaker immediately beamed with joy.
She laughed and said, "This girl is too shy. You're too honest. Whether she agrees or not is just a matter of Mother Liu's word."
Her eyes darted around, and she immediately had an idea. "Xixi, your mother and I need to discuss this in detail. You two wouldn't understand adult matters anyway. Why don't you take Huo Qi to the courtyard for a cup of tea? That way, you can get to know each other better. Once you've finished talking, your mother and I will have finished discussing it too."
Liu Xixi blushed and nodded in agreement. She led Huo Qi out of the room, and the two of them went to drink tea under the trees in the courtyard.
The two, who were usually very talkative, were both so nervous that they didn't know how to start a conversation.
The younger siblings of the Liu family peeked through the window of the west wing, covering their mouths and laughing as they watched their older sister peek at her future brother-in-law.
The matchmaker praised Huo Qi from head to toe, practically foaming at the mouth, before Liu's mother finally nodded in agreement to the marriage. The two discussed the wedding date, with Liu's mother saying that she needed her daughter and Huo Qi to get to know each other for another six months before they could get married.
As for the betrothal gifts, she didn't make many demands, as long as they were presentable and didn't make her daughter look bad.
The matchmaker slapped her thigh and immediately settled the marriage, thinking to herself that she had arranged the match very smoothly and that she truly deserved to be the most skilled matchmaker in the capital.