Fan Jing hadn’t spoken yet when Chen Shi and Fan Shoulin happened to come out.
The people from both sides then met.
Matchmaker Hu was, as always, eloquent: “They came from a bit farther away, so you had to wait.”
“It’s nice that the weather is bright and sunny today, a good day for joyful events. Look how lively the temple fair is!”
“They just arrived and had a sip of water, no waiting, no waiting.”
As they spoke, Chen Shi’s eyes had already landed on the young man behind Matchmaker Hu.
Seeing that he was tall, with upright brows and eyes, and neatly dressed, there wasn’t the slightest hint of foolishness about him.
On the contrary, he seemed quite fine.
His appearance and demeanor had already exceeded Chen Shi’s expectations.
“Look at me, so caught up in seeing Lady Chen and Brother Fan’s joy that I forgot the main matter.”
Matchmaker Hu, sharp-eyed, noticed the couple couldn’t help but glance at the “fool.”
Seeing their relaxed expressions, it was clear they were satisfied.
Suppressing her delight, she pulled the person beside her forward: “This is the young man from the Kang family, named Kang He.”
It was quite peculiar.
This foolish boy from the Kang family had climbed a tree a few days ago to pick persimmons and, carelessly, fell into a field, passing out for hours.
When he woke up, he no longer ran around recklessly or grinned foolishly at people.
It was as if he had recovered.
The Kang family thought he had become normal again, but when they spoke to him, he couldn’t understand.
He only grasped bits and pieces, tilting his head and staring blankly.
Still, the Kang family wasn’t entirely disappointed.
Kang He seemed much better than his former foolish self, and bringing him out for matchmaking made him appear much more presentable.
After speaking, Matchmaker Hu patiently introduced to Kang He: “Sanlang, this is Lady Chen and Master Fan.”
Finally, pointing to the silent Fan Jing, she said: “This is their eldest son, Fan Jing.”
Though Kang He didn’t fully understand what the woman was saying, he could tell from her gestures that she was introducing people to him.
A string of local dialect passed through his ears, but he carefully caught the last sentence and tried repeating it: “Fan… Jing?”
“Yes! That’s right!”
Matchmaker Hu was surprised that Kang He got the name right and immediately smiled, thinking this foolish boy might have some luck in finding a match.
Chen Shi and Fan Shoulin exchanged a glance, both noticing Kang He’s differences from ordinary people.
But the matchmaker had already explained this beforehand.
If he were completely normal, it wouldn’t have been their family’s turn to meet him.
Chen Shi said, “He seems fine.”
She glanced at Fan Jing, who looked calm and said nothing against it, so she continued:
“It’s crowded and noisy outside, not convenient for talking. Let’s go to the guest hall to sit and have some tea since it’s hot.”
Matchmaker Hu understood her meaning and happily agreed.
Both sides tacitly headed to the meditation room.
Once inside, the Fan family—Chen Shi, Fan Shoulin, and Fan Jing—sat at one end of the long table, while Matchmaker Hu and Kang He sat opposite.
“Why didn’t any elders from the Kang family come?” Fan Shoulin asked.
He appeared honest but cared about face.
He had heard from the matchmaker that Kang He’s father was a skilled stove maker and his brother a carpenter, so the Kang family wasn’t poor originally.
But the war conscription drained their savings with exemption fees for their three sons, only for the sons to be drafted anyway, leaving the family in decline.
Otherwise, they wouldn’t have considered marrying their son off as a live-in son-in-law.
Fan Shoulin, not seeing any Kang elders, wondered if they looked down on their simple farming family and didn’t bother showing up.
“For such an important matter, the Kang family wanted to come, but unfortunately, their second son was complaining of leg pain—serious enough that they had to take him to the city for a doctor. The village healer couldn’t handle it.”
Fan Shoulin had heard that Kang’s second son came back from the war with a leg injury, which was pitiful, so he didn’t hold a grudge.
Matchmaker Hu said, “Before leaving, the Kang family told me that as long as Brother Fan and Lady Chen are satisfied, the match is settled.”
On the side, Kang He only saw people’s lips moving, spouting long strings of words he couldn’t understand.
Though he didn’t know what they were discussing, he roughly knew they were bringing him for matchmaking.
Who could have guessed—he was a transmigrator.
The day before, he had just paid in full for a 300-square-meter house in the city…
Thinking his life was finally looking up, he went home, slept soundly, and woke up here.
As if that wasn’t enough, he transmigrated into the body of a fool.
The original owner was muddleheaded, leaving him little useful information.
Besides knowing this place had men, women, and “brothers” (ge’er), he could barely understand the local dialect, only catching simple words.
Since Kang’s second son returned from the battlefield, the family often argued behind closed doors.
Though Kang He didn’t know exactly what they were arguing about, he could sense the second son’s hostility and the parents’ troubled expressions, guessing the family discord involved him.
Later, when the matchmaker came and the neighbors teased, he pieced together that the Kang family wanted to marry him off as a live-in son-in-law.
He had come along with the matchmaker today, originally planning to slip away and make a living on his own.
If the Kang family didn’t even care for their own son, why should he, someone in another’s body, stay under their roof?
With his able hands and feet, he could surely manage a meal.
Back when he was fifteen or sixteen, after his family could no longer afford his schooling, he dropped out early.
He worked odd jobs at food stalls, in factories, on construction sites, and as a deliveryman…
After years of struggling with little success, he returned to his hometown and started making videos about planting flowers, growing vegetables, cooking, and chopping firewood, unexpectedly gaining some followers.
Though not wildly successful, he had earned enough for a car and a house…
He had endured hardship before, and now it was just a matter of starting over in a new place.
He didn’t believe he couldn’t survive.
But the matchmaker kept a close eye on him.
He only took a few steps before bumping into someone and was quickly found again.
As Kang He was lost in thought, Chen Shi suddenly said: “There are a lot of people at the temple fair today. We should tell the temple early how many of us will eat vegetarian meals. I’ll go tell the old nun in the kitchen.”
With that, she pulled Fan Shoulin up and said to Matchmaker Hu:
“Lady Hu, why don’t you come with us to get some tea? It’s hot, and it’ll be good to have water for the trip back.”
Matchmaker Hu understood Chen Shi’s intention—this was to let the two young men spend time alone.
She wasn’t comfortable leaving Kang He alone for matchmaking, but before she could object, Chen Shi took her arm: “I heard the temple’s fruits are delicious. Since we’re here, let’s try some.”
Before she could say no, she was pulled out of the meditation room.
In an instant, only Kang He and Fan Jing remained in the room.
Kang He, unaware of what had been said, just stared blankly as the three left.
His heart skipped a beat, thinking this matchmaker was too bold, leaving a “fool” here for matchmaking.
The room fell quiet for a moment, with only the noisy sounds from outside filtering in.
Kang He looked up at the “brother” sitting across from him.
Fan Jing had broad brows, a high nose bridge, and a small face.
His single eyelids gave him a stubborn, aloof look.
To be fair, when Kang He bumped into him earlier, he immediately felt this “brother” was different, making him look twice.
Who would have thought the person he was to meet was him?
Kang He felt an indescribable feeling.
He touched his nose, thinking this matchmaker was no good—matching such a handsome young man with a fool.
Seeing Fan Jing with his arms crossed, not the least bit uneasy about being alone with him, his demeanor was calm, as if he wasn’t here for matchmaking but to watch someone else do it.
He probably didn’t take a liking to him and was just going through the motions.
Fan Jing naturally noticed Kang He’s gaze but didn’t speak, waiting for Kang He to start.
Their family had no officials or wealthy merchant friends, their background was poor, and his own appearance was plain.
They had nothing to boast about to attract interest.
If Kang He had questions, he would answer honestly.
Though his family was desperate about his marriage, hoping for good luck with a family willing to take a live-in son-in-law and urging him to seize the opportunity, he couldn’t bring himself to sweet-talk or act like the usual gentle, smiling “brothers.”
If they exaggerated their family’s worth and the reality disappointed, it would only cause trouble.
This wasn’t his first matchmaking.
Once the man’s family learned of their poverty, with no wealth or prospects to offer, they lost interest.
Just himself, with nothing else to offer, how could anyone take a liking?
Though he had prepared himself, he didn’t expect Kang He’s straightforwardness—skipping even the formalities, not saying a word for a long while.
They sat in the meditation room, staring at each other for nearly half an hour.
Finally, Fan Jing couldn’t sit still and spoke: “Do you have anything to ask?”
Kang He tilted his head, trying to guess what Fan Jing meant.
Seeing he didn’t respond, Fan Jing added, “If you have no questions, I’ll leave.”
He paused, noticing Kang He tilting his head even more, his brows furrowing, clearly not understanding.
Fan Jing suddenly remembered the matchmaker saying Kang He’s mind wasn’t sharp.
For a moment, his feelings were complicated.
Kang He’s bright eyes made it hard to think of him as slow, so much so that Fan Jing had forgotten that detail.
Seeing this, he didn’t know how to proceed.
He thought it best to wait for the matchmaker and his father to return and discuss.
Unexpectedly, Kang He suddenly pointed at his hand.
After a moment’s thought, he stood up and headed outside.
Fan Jing, unsure of what was happening, hesitated about following.
Given earlier events, it seemed Kang He had wandered off once before, and if he got lost again, they’d have to search.
Before he could step out, Kang He turned back, waved at him, and signaled for him to follow.
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