Seeing Bai Ci's silence, Mother Bai let out a soft sigh of helplessness, her tone softening.
“Mom knows you don't want to get married, and I've never forced you into anything, have I?”
Bai Ci looked up at her, still remaining silent, only nodding slightly to signal her to continue.
“You've been sensitive and introverted since you were a child, so I've always let you have your way. You wanted to be a freelance writer, and I supported you. You didn't want to date, and I never rushed you.”
Mother Bai's voice choked up slightly.
“I was also afraid you'd meet a scumbag like your father and suffer for it. To be honest, sometimes I even thought it would be fine if you just stayed single, earned your own money, made yourself happy, and lived a stable life forever.”
When she mentioned “father,” Mother Bai's tone carried disgust and exhaustion.
The father of this family was highly likely an irresponsible man, which was probably why Mother Bai would say something like “it would be fine if you just stayed single.”
But if that was the case, why was she rushing her to go to a matchmaking agency for a blind date?
The confusion in Bai Ci's heart deepened, but she continued to listen quietly.
Mother Bai wiped the corners of her eyes and took a deep breath. “But Cici, I'm not forcing you. There's just no other way.”
“The women in our family bear a curse. You don't know about it because I never dared to tell you.”
“A curse?” Bai Ci finally spoke, her tone carrying a hint of confusion and disbelief. “Mom, is this some kind of feudal superstition?”
Although she said that, she was thinking something entirely different. This was an Anomalous Infection instance, after all; the curse was highly likely real.
“Mom isn't joking. This isn't a lie I made up to rush you into marriage, nor is it some feudal superstition.”
Mother Bai's tone was incredibly serious.
“You also know that I've never forced you to do anything. If it weren't absolutely necessary, how could I bear to make you force yourself?”
As she spoke, she reached out, took Bai Ci's left arm, and rolled up her sleeve.
Bai Ci looked down and saw a faint red line circling her left arm.
The line was very thin, almost unnoticeable if one didn't look closely. It wrapped around her arm like an invisible shackle.
“When you were a child, didn't you always ask me why there was a red line on your arm?”
Mother Bai's voice carried a hint of bitterness. “Back then, I always said you accidentally bumped it when you were little. But it wasn't. This is our family's curse, and you've had it since the day you were born.”
As she spoke, she also rolled up her own sleeve, revealing her left arm.
On her arm was an identical red line. Perhaps due to her age, the color was slightly darker and more pronounced than the one on Bai Ci's arm.
“It's not just you and me. My sisters, and my mother—your grandmother—all had this red line on their arms.”
“The rule of this curse is that if a daughter in our family doesn't marry by the time she turns thirty, she will definitely die. There are no exceptions, never have been.”
Bai Ci quietly observed Mother Bai's expression. The worry and despair in her eyes were completely genuine.
Clearly, she was telling the truth.
“You are already twenty-nine this year. You have less than a year left.”
Mother Bai gripped Bai Ci's hand tightly, her voice filled with pleading. “Cici, I can't lose you. I really don't want you to die.”
“So, just go on a blind date and see, okay? If you don't meet anyone you like, just find someone suitable to marry. Once you pass thirty, you can get a divorce. Don't force yourself to stay.”
It seemed this was the main quest. Bai Ci had no reason to refuse.
She fell silent for a moment, pretending to be swayed, and nodded gently. “Alright, let's go take a look then,” she said vaguely.
She didn't sound too committed, leaving herself some wiggle room.
Hearing Bai Ci agree, a look of relief instantly washed over Mother Bai's face. Her eyes reddened, and she spoke in a rush.
“Good, good, good. I'll go pack our things right now. We'll head to the Yuanxin Matchmaking Agency immediately. The sooner we go, the sooner we can put our minds at ease.”
Bai Ci nodded. Watching Mother Bai get up to gather her things, she sat on the sofa and looked down at the red line on her arm.
Unable to make heads or tails of it, she took the opportunity to open her Rain's Message panel.
【Rain's Message NPC: Unmatched
(Due to the special circumstances of the instance, the binding mechanism is disabled, and a special mechanism is enabled)】
A special mechanism?
Looking at the word “Unmatched,” a thought popped into Bai Ci's mind. Could this special mechanism be linked to the matchmaking agency?
This also proved that this matchmaking agency was indeed a necessary path for the main quest; she hadn't headed in the wrong direction.
Before long, Mother Bai finished packing. Carrying a small bag, she walked over to Bai Ci. “Let's go, Cici. We're heading out.”
Bai Ci stood up and followed the middle-aged woman out of the house.
The two took the elevator downstairs and walked out of the residential complex. The middle-aged woman unlocked a small electric scooter and said, “The matchmaking agency is in the city center. It's not far. It'll be convenient to ride the scooter there.”
Bai Ci nodded, watching Mother Bai sit in the driver's seat and place her hands on the handlebars.
It seemed electric scooters in this instance world were allowed to carry passengers.
She thought, somewhat inappropriately, as she sat on the back seat of the scooter and wrapped her arms around Mother Bai's waist.
The electric scooter started up slowly, heading toward the city center.
Neither of them spoke along the way. Mother Bai focused on riding, while Bai Ci leaned against her back, watching the scenery pass by while constantly pondering the details of the instance.
About ten minutes later, the scooter pulled over beside a bustling street.
Bai Ci looked up and saw an exquisitely decorated shop not far away. The shop's sign was pink, with five large golden characters printed on it: “Yuanxin Matchmaking Agency.”
“We're here, Cici.” Mother Bai locked the scooter and took Bai Ci's hand, walking toward the agency.
Just as they reached the entrance, a slightly plump woman wearing a professional suit came out to greet them, saying warmly, “Hello, Auntie, little sister! Welcome to the Yuanxin Matchmaking Agency.”
Mother Bai offered a slightly self-conscious smile. “I'm here with my daughter for matchmaking. She's twenty-nine this year and wants to find a suitable partner.”
“Don't you worry, Auntie. You've come to the right place.” The woman's smile grew even brighter as she enthusiastically led them inside.
“Our Yuanxin Matchmaking Agency specializes in high-efficiency pairing. Based on our clients' needs and requirements, we quickly match them with the most suitable partner. Many of our clients succeed on their very first try.”
“And we even offer lifetime after-sales service. If there's any domestic violence or marital discord, you can come to us after the divorce, and we'll take responsibility. Not only will we compensate you financially, but we'll also introduce you to a new partner.”
Rate on N.U.
