Chapter 4: Why Not Get Married

After leaving the café earlier today, Shen Hechuan had been busy, and the little incident that occurred had long been pushed to the back of his mind.

Now that it was suddenly brought up by his elders, the first thing that came to his mind was Qiao Le bowing to him and saying, “Good people get good rewards.”

Who would want that kind of reward?

Shen Hechuan felt a subtle mix of emotions, finding it somewhat amusing but not at all displeased.

It was a strange experience, though he didn’t show it on his face.

He walked over and sat down in a single chair before saying, “It’s nothing, just a misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding?”

His mother, Mrs. Wu Huilan, looked at him with a strange expression.

“Jiarong saw it with her own eyes-how could it be fake? She said your little boyfriend was holding your arm and calling you… husband. It was very affectionate.”

Shen Hechuan: “…”

Husband, say something.

Qiao Le’s voice, tinged with a mix of coquettishness and reproach, suddenly echoed in his mind.

Just admit it did I call you that or not?

For a moment, Shen Hechuan couldn’t refute it because Qiao Le had indeed called him that-not just once, but several times, as if it were something he’d said countless times before.

Cheng Jiarong was the woman at the café today.

She was the daughter of his parents’ friends and had just returned from studying abroad.

Both families had hoped the two of them might develop a relationship.

Shen Hechuan wasn’t particularly close to Cheng Jiarong and had no intention of pursuing a romantic or marital relationship with her.

Today’s encounter wasn’t exactly a blind date-it was just a coincidence.

His original plan had been to take the opportunity to clarify things with Cheng Jiarong, but Qiao Le had inadvertently helped him resolve the situation.

Although the process had been somewhat awkward, the outcome was relatively ideal.

Come to think of it, he should probably thank Qiao Le.

He just wondered if Qiao Le’s so-called “Mr. Huo’s commission” had gone just as smoothly.

He drifted off for a moment.

Seeing his silence, Wu Huilan took it as confirmation and anxiously tugged at her husband’s arm.

“See? He has nothing to say! I thought he just didn’t want to date or get married, but it turns out he’s already found someone on his own!”

Shen Hechuan: “…”

“Don’t rush,” Shen Zhenghe said, patting her arm to calm her down.

“We haven’t gotten the full story yet. Why are you getting worked up already?”

Grandpa Shen also chimed in, “Yes, Huilan, don’t be so hasty. Let’s hear how he tries to explain himself first.”

Shen Hechuan felt a headache coming on.

“Grandpa, don’t misuse words like that.”

“Then explain it properly,” Shen Zhenghe said gently.

“We’ll listen before passing judgment.”

The gentlest tone paired with the harshest words.

Shen Hechuan: “…”

Since everyone present was family, Shen Hechuan didn’t plan to hide the truth.

He briefly explained how Qiao Le had mistaken the place and the person.

Although Qiao Le had accidentally helped him out of a tricky situation, the two of them were complete strangers.

He had no reason to continue using Qiao Le as a shield.

After his explanation, the three elders exchanged glances.

“So it’s not true?” Wu Huilan asked suspiciously.

“You’re not lying to me, are you? If you’re really with someone, you can’t just deny it!”

Shen Hechuan: “It’s not true.”

Shen Zhenghe pressed further, “And he wasn’t kicked out of his family for you?”

Shen Hechuan: “…Of course not.”

Grandpa Shen didn’t let up either, “And you haven’t had a vasectomy, have you?”

Shen Hechuan: “…No.”

Grandpa Shen breathed a sigh of relief.

“Good, then my great-grandchildren are still a possibility.”

Shen Hechuan: “…”

The older the grandfather got, the more he adored children.

He often talked about wanting to hold great-grandchildren in his arms.

Whenever he went out to have tea or play chess with his old friends, if someone brought a child along, he would stand by the side, envious for a long time.

Upon learning that it was all a misunderstanding, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, especially Wu Huilan.

Earlier that day, she had heard from Cheng Jiarong that the boy was very young, had dropped out of school for Shen Hechuan, and had even been kicked out of his parents’ home.

This had left her extremely anxious.

As parents, their children are their most precious treasures, and they absolutely couldn’t let someone else’s child be ruined because of this.

Now that the misunderstanding was cleared up, she began to worry about her son’s future again:

“Since it’s all a misunderstanding, you should go explain it to Jiarong. You’re not getting any younger, and it’s about time you got married. Jiarong is a good girl, and our families know each other well. It’s a perfect match.”

Shen Hechuan was thirty-two this year, an age often considered the prime of a man’s life.

But for parents, they always hope their children settle down early, and his parents were no exception.

Not just his parents, but even the grandfather felt the same way.

Marriage was currently the most discussed topic in their household.

Last time, there was the daughter of the Lin family, and today it was the daughter of the Cheng family.

Who knew which family’s daughter would be next?

But for Shen Hechuan, he had no plans to marry at the moment, nor did he intend to give his elders any false hope.

He straightforwardly stated that there was no possibility between him and Cheng Jiarong, and there was no need to go out of his way to explain anything.

Wu Huilan was quite satisfied with Cheng Jiarong, so she asked, “Why? Didn’t you say there was nothing going on with that boy?”

What did that boy have to do with anything?

Shen Hechuan didn’t want to cause trouble for Qiao Le, so he casually gave a reason:

“She’s too young. It’s not suitable.”

Cheng Jiarong had just graduated this year and was only twenty-two, a full ten years younger than Shen Hechuan.

Ten years there would indeed be some generational gap.

But Wu Huilan knew the problem wasn’t the age difference, because the last time she introduced someone around Shen Hechuan’s age, he had rejected her, saying their personalities didn’t match.

If it wasn’t the age or the personality, then… it must be Shen Hechuan himself.

Recalling the “vasectomy” incident Cheng Jiarong had mentioned earlier, a terrifying thought crossed Wu Huilan’s mind what if her son wasn’t just vasectomized, but… incapable?!

The moment this possibility occurred to her, she couldn’t sit still.

She stood up and said, “Shen Hechuan, be honest with me. Are you hiding something from us?”

At her words, both the grandfather and Shen Zhengho turned their eyes to Shen Hechuan.

“What am I hiding from you?” Shen Hechuan was baffled.

Hadn’t everything been explained already?

What else was there?

“You…” Wu Huilan hesitated, pacing anxiously.

Shen Hechuan didn’t know what she was worried about, but seeing her so troubled, he stood up and helped her sit down.

“Mom, just say what’s on your mind.”

“My son,” Wu Huilan grabbed his hand, speaking earnestly, “You can’t avoid seeking help for an illness. If there’s something wrong with your body, you need to get it treated early. Our family isn’t short on money.”

Grandfather Shen: “!”

Shen Zhengho: Vo!

Shen Hechuan: “…”

Finally understanding what she was implying, Shen Hechuan felt a nerve twitch.

The concerned gazes from his father and grandfather only added to his headache.

Every day, Grandpa Shen eagerly anticipated the arrival of his great-grandchildren.

He had even prepared several names in advance, waiting for Shen Hechuan to get married and have children so he could choose the most suitable one.

He had even thought further ahead, considering which schools the children would attend.

“Our little treasures must attend the best schools,” he often said.

When his daughter-in-law mentioned something concerning, he gripped his cane, visibly anxious.

“What… what kind of problem is it? Can it be treated?”

Grandpa Shen was already in his eighties, and Shen Zhenghe, worried that the old man might get too worked up, quickly grabbed his trembling hand to reassure him.

“Dad, don’t worry. Medical science is advanced now. It can be treated.”

Shen Hechuan: “…”

“Zhenghe, you should contact the experts right away and arrange a thorough check-up for him tomorrow—”

“Grandpa,” Shen Hechuan interrupted, rubbing his temples and emphasizing once more, “I just don’t have plans to get married for now. I’m perfectly healthy. You don’t need to worry.”

Grandpa Shen: “Really?”

“Really.”

Hearing his reassurance, the three elders finally relaxed a little.

“That’s good, that’s good.”

They exchanged glances.

While the issue wasn’t entirely resolved, it felt like half the problem had been addressed, and the atmosphere lightened considerably.

Grandpa Shen spoke up, “Well, if there’s nothing else, let’s go downstairs for dinner.”

He waved for Wu Huilan and Shen Zhenghe to go ahead.

Shen Hechuan understood the gesture and stayed back, walking a few steps behind to accompany his grandfather downstairs.

Grandpa Shen leaned in slightly and lowered his voice.

“I’ve been thinking… if you really like that young man, don’t hide it. Find a time to bring him home for a meal.”

Shen Hechuan was surprised by his grandfather’s words.

After all, the old man had always been eager to have great-grandchildren.

Grandpa Shen continued to persuade him, but Shen Hechuan gently patted his back and reiterated, “It’s really not like that. I don’t even know him.”

Grandpa Shen let out an “Oh,” sounding both disappointed and relieved, though it was hard to tell which emotion was stronger.

After dinner, Shen Hechuan stayed overnight at the family estate.

He still had some work to finish, so he went upstairs after the meal.

As soon as he left, Wu Huilan called her friend.

“You mentioned that highly skilled traditional Chinese doctor last time. Where is he? Send me the address later. Oh, don’t ask too many questions. I’ll explain later…”

Shen Zhenghe, who was sitting nearby: “…”

Shen Hechuan had no idea what his mother was planning.

Just as he finished his work, there was a knock at the door.

Auntie Liu stood at the entrance, holding a blue sticky note.

“Young Master Hechuan, this was found in your coat pocket earlier.”

Shen Hechuan glanced down and took it.

The note had Qiao Le’s name and phone number, left by him that afternoon.

He had casually stuffed it into his suit pocket earlier, and if Auntie Liu hadn’t brought it up, he would have forgotten about it entirely.

Truthfully, he couldn’t think of any reason he might need Qiao Le’s help, but since Qiao Le had left the note and left so quickly, he hadn’t had the chance to refuse.

The handwriting on the note was a bit hurried, but it still retained an elegant and beautiful quality.

Much like the person who had written it.

?

Realizing where his thoughts were going, Shen Hechuan paused.

He walked over to a nearby cabinet, opened the drawer, and placed the note with Qiao Le’s name inside before closing it again.

It was just a chance encounter, no need to dwell on it too much.

Qiao Le had no idea what Shen Hechuan was thinking, nor did he have the time or energy to ponder it.

During the day, he delivered takeout, and at night, he worked at “Sip and Relaxed,” clocking in over fifteen hours of work daily, sometimes even more.

He left that note for Shen Hechuan out of a sense of guilt.

If the other party didn’t reach out, it meant his help wasn’t needed, and he was more than happy to save the trouble, focusing his time on orders that could earn him money.

In the blink of an eye, two weeks had passed since the incident at the café.

Qiao Le was now on a bus heading to Jinyang County.

He had set off early in the morning, and after arriving in Jinyang, he would transfer to a small bus for a two-hour ride to Liuhe Town.

He was here to pick up his younger brother, Qiao Man.

During the summer break, Qiao Man had been staying with their uncle and aunt.

His aunt was a primary school teacher in the town, and during the holidays, she had asked Qiao Le to bring Qiao Man over for her to look after.

Now that kindergarten was about to start, Qiao Le had come to take him back for school.

Upon arriving in town, Qiao Le bought some fruit and picked out a plump duck.

He then hailed a motorcycle taxi to take him to his uncle’s house in the village.

His uncle’s house was right at the village entrance.

As soon as Qiao Le got out of the taxi, he saw a group of children squatting in the yard playing.

Among them was his little brother, Qiao Man.

The moment he saw his brother, Qiao Le smiled and called out, “Xiao Man!”

The little guy was crouched over, playing with marbles.

Hearing the familiar voice, he immediately looked up.

Seeing Qiao Le, he froze for a moment, then tossed the marbles aside and ran over, hugging Qiao Le’s leg tightly. “Brother!”

Just as Qiao Le was about to respond, the duck he was holding upside down suddenly let out a loud, “Quack—”

Qiao Le: “…”

No, why are you chiming in?

Can’t you just be a proper, quiet duck?