Awaken: I See Tags, I Rewrite My Life
Chapter 62: Was It Just Wishful Thinking?

Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Was It Just Wishful Thinking?

The matchmaking corridor at the community square was completed four days later.

On the day of setting things up, it happened to be the weekend, and quite a few people came to watch the fun; there were elderly ladies and young guys and girls alike.

Chairman Jiang also joined in on the excitement and even posted a matchmaking ad on behalf of her nephew.

With Chairman Jiang leading the way, everyone scrambled forward to snatch what they thought were good spots and started posting their prepared little ads.

The elderly ladies were bolder; after posting, they’d admire their work and then check out others’ ads. If they found a suitable match, they’d start chatting immediately.

The young guys and girls posted their ads and then ran off blushing.

To create buzz for the event, Tian Xiang even invited Meng Cheng’an to come and help, having him write matchmaking ads for the elderly who couldn’t write.

Meng Cheng’an was writing at the table while Tian Xiang assisted him.

Due to the novel nature of the event and its location in an area with high foot traffic, more and more people showed up as time went on. They had prepared four bulletin boards, which could hold about a hundred ads, and by mid-morning, they were already filled due to the overwhelming popularity.

Latecomers started complaining, saying there was no space left!

Chairman Jiang suggested putting up ads on the back as well, reasoning that anyone who came to choose would look through the entire selection anyway. They’d add one more board later, allowing for a total of around three hundred ads, which should suffice.

The event had them busy until nearly noon before they gradually began winding down.

Seeing the event’s success, Chairman Jiang offered some meal vouchers to Tian Xiang, encouraging them to go to the cafeteria for a meal to reward everyone.

The Mechanical Factory operated on a shift basis, so there were also staff working there on weekends.

Tao Huilan was from the family courtyard, and once Chairman Jiang left, she did too, choosing not to dine at the cafeteria.

Chen Yong glanced at Tian Xiang and Meng Cheng’an, coughed lightly, and said, "I’ll skip it too."

Stuck between the girl he liked and an ambiguous acquaintance, he wasn’t about to subject himself to that.

Tian Xiang said to Meng Cheng’an, "They’re not going, let’s go ourselves."

They’d taken the vouchers, so if they didn’t go, they’d have to return them to Chairman Jiang, wouldn’t they?

Those vouchers could pay for two meat dishes, and Tian Xiang was already craving them.

Meng Cheng’an didn’t answer her immediately, calmly suppressing his nearly upward-curving lips, and asked her, "Are you repaying a favor?"

Previously, when she’d invited him to help out, Tian Xiang had mentioned she owed him a favor.

Tian Xiang replied, "Having a meal is just eating, the favor’s still there. If anything comes up in the future, feel free to tell me."

If treating someone to a meal meant repaying a favor, then favors were way too easy to repay, and nobody would be willing to help her out in the future.

Meng Cheng’an’s lips curled up, he nodded and said, "Alright."

Great, finally someone was willing to accompany him.

Tian Xiang slung her little cloth bag over her shoulder, seeing Meng Cheng’an tidying up the table, she pondered for a moment and said, "Wait a minute."

Confused, Meng Cheng’an looked at her, and Tian Xiang said shyly, "Help me write one too."

Meng Cheng’an’s expression momentarily stiffened, then he said, "How do you want to write it?"

After thinking seriously for a moment, Tian Xiang said, "Age requirement: under twenty-three, above nineteen. Having a job is sufficient, factory location doesn’t matter. Gentle, polite, cultured, likes reading, respects women, emotionally faithful, harmonious family, few people. Nothing else, really."

Meng Cheng’an was particularly quick with calligraphy; by the time Tian Xiang finished speaking, he’d nearly completed it.

Fortunately, all these requirements matched his own conditions.

Meng Cheng’an subtly breathed a sigh of relief and asked Tian Xiang, "Leave the address as the office?"

Tian Xiang nodded.

Just as Meng Cheng’an was about to write, Tian Xiang said, "Wait, write a self-introduction for me as well."

Counting on her fingers, Tian Xiang said, "Just write, eighteen years old, pretty and poised, filial and polite, an active street participant, a good socialist youth, and also..."

Before Tian Xiang could finish, Meng Cheng’an started laughing softly.

Tian Xiang asked, "What are you laughing at?"

Meng Cheng’an replied, "Are you reciting a textbook?"

Tian Xiang was speechless, "Exactly."

Meng Cheng’an nodded in agreement, "Mm, go on."

Anyway, not many people would see it.

Meng Cheng’an lowered his gaze, concealing the calculation in his eyes; he’d already decided to come by later and remove her little ad.

Initially, Tian Xiang wanted to write dedicated to work, support the central government.

After Meng Cheng’an’s remark, she felt embarrassed.

Forget it.

"That’s it, add another line: requires the man’s parents not to be critical, willing to look after grandchildren."

Living in a crowded courtyard, she had seen too many bizarre and harsh elderly ladies. She was already fed up and didn’t want to marry into such a family, with constant internal strife.

Mother-in-law who could take care of children, wasn’t critical...

Meng Cheng’an’s hand gripping the brush gradually turned pale, his face darkened.

After waiting a while, Tian Xiang saw Meng Cheng’an not moving, she asked curiously, "Why aren’t you writing, it’s the last line."

Meng Cheng’an glanced at her, his eyelashes red, put down the pen with a brush, stood up directly, and said, "I suddenly thought of something, you write it yourself."

He walked away without further ado.

Tian Xiang still called after him, "Are we still eating?"

"No more."

Tian Xiang said, "This person..."

It felt less like he had something to do and more like he was angry.

Elsewhere.

Meng Cheng’an rode quickly and arrived in no time.

Mr. Meng was under the eaves picking vegetables, somewhat surprised to see his grandson return, "Hey, didn’t you say you wouldn’t be back for lunch?"

That morning, his grandson had left happily with a brush and ink, saying he wouldn’t be back for lunch.

This boy clearly went to see a girl he fancied!

Mr. Meng hadn’t expected him to return; he had just bought some green vegetables for lunch, planning to make the dish he liked. But then this person came back again.

At this time, surely he hadn’t eaten lunch yet, right?

And how come his face was so unpleasant?

He looked like someone owed him five hundred bucks.

"What’s the matter, who upset you?"

Meng Cheng’an didn’t respond, went directly to his room, and closed the door.

Mr. Meng tut-tuted, "This kid, what’s he sulking about."

Inside the room, Meng Cheng’an sat at the desk piled with newspapers, despondently ran a hand through his hair, and sighed at the ceiling beam.

Indeed, was it all just wishful thinking?

Meng Cheng’an chuckled softly, turning to look at the nearby wall. After a moment, he moved to the base of it and pulled out a leather envelope from a crevice.

The envelope’s surface was badly worn, its original color unrecognizable.

Taking the envelope back to his desk, Meng Cheng’an retrieved a photograph from inside.

The black-and-white photo had yellowed with age, it seemed to have been around for quite a few years. Having been frequently looked at, its edges were frayed.

The photo showed a family of three.

A tall, handsome husband was wearing a white suit.

A small baby with a round face, large bright eyes.

And a wife in a cheongsam, her face obscured by black pen marks.

A mother who could take care of children, not sharp-tongued, but she would’ve met this requirement had she not abandoned him.

But now...

Meng Cheng’an’s palm tightened, crumpling the photo in his hand into a ball.