Yuanxin Matchmaking Agency (9)

Bai Ci learned of Jie Zhuoshi's death the next morning while scrolling through the news on her phone.

The local news push notification was very brief, only stating that yesterday afternoon, a young man had suddenly fallen ill and died on a park bench. A preliminary investigation suggested sudden organ failure, though the exact cause of death was still under investigation.

She swiped away the news expressionlessly and checked her Rain's Message panel.

Sure enough, it had reverted to its initial state.

【Rain's Message NPC: Unmatched (Due to special circumstances in the instance, the binding mechanism is disabled and the special mechanism is enabled)】

"Cici, what are you looking at? Come eat breakfast," Mother Bai's voice called from the kitchen, carrying a trace of imperceptible exhaustion.

She had tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep well. She felt an inexplicable sense of unease but couldn't pinpoint what was wrong, so she could only repeatedly urge Bai Ci to put on a good performance for today's blind date.

Bai Ci felt no real emotion over Jie Zhuoshi's death.

She put away her phone, walked over to the dining table, and sat down.

"Mom, didn't you sleep well?" Bai Ci asked casually, noticing the faint dark circles under Mother Bai's eyes.

Mother Bai waved her hand and forced a smile. "It's nothing. I was just thinking about today's blind date and couldn't fall asleep."

"By the way, Teacher Cheng called me last night. She said the young man she's introducing to you this time has excellent prospects. There's just one thing—he's been married once before."

When she mentioned his previous marriage, Mother Bai's tone carried a hint of hesitation.

In her eyes, even though her daughter was almost thirty, it was still her first marriage. Finding a divorced man felt like settling, and she couldn't help but feel that Bai Ci deserved better.

Bai Ci picked up a fried dough stick, took a bite, and said flatly, "A previous marriage is fine."

Besides, he would be dead after the blind date anyway.

Seeing that Bai Ci wasn't against the idea, Mother Bai let out a sigh of relief and quickly added, "Teacher Cheng said it wasn't his fault. It was his ex-wife who was bad."

"Back then, his business was at its lowest point and he owed a lot of money. His ex-wife cheated on him, took their son, and ran off, leaving him all by himself. She really had no conscience."

Imitating Cheng Yin's tone, she recounted, "Teacher Cheng also said this young man is named Wa Yeyao. He's only three years older than you, thirty-two this year. He looks sharp, has a stable job, and runs a small construction materials shop. His business has turned around now, so he has savings and his own apartment."

"Most importantly, he's a good person with a gentle personality and a great temper. Otherwise, she wouldn't have gone out of her way to introduce a divorced man to you."

Pausing, Mother Bai began to ramble again, her voice full of conflict. "I wasn't happy about it at first either. I thought our Cici is so wonderful, she should definitely find someone who hasn't been married before."

"But Teacher Cheng said you're already twenty-nine this year. There really aren't many unmarried men around your age left."

"Wa Yeyao aside from being married once, has no other flaws. His ex-wife took the child, so you won't have to be a stepmother. It's no different from a first marriage. Plus, you'll have someone to cherish and take care of you. Isn't that great?"

The more Mother Bai spoke, the more swayed she became, until she sounded like she was trying to convince herself. "Besides, divorced men know how to cherish what they have. Having experienced a failed marriage, he'll definitely put more heart into treating you well."

"Our main goal is to get you past that hurdle of turning thirty and save your life. As long as he's a good person, what does it matter if he's been married once?"

Bai Ci listened quietly, letting the words go in one ear and out the other.

She had already gotten some information out of her mother, knowing that her grandmother lived in the countryside. Once she obtained the exact address, she planned to visit her grandmother and investigate the situation.

"I understand, Mom. I don't mind meeting him," Bai Ci said calmly as she put down her chopsticks.

She was agreeing to the blind dates now for two reasons: first, to keep Mother Bai reassured so she could easily find the address, and second, to take the opportunity to see what this matchmaking agency really was.

As for her blind date partner, he was practically a dead man walking. There was no need to give him any serious thought.

Seeing Bai Ci agree, a relieved smile finally appeared on Mother Bai's face.

She said hurriedly, "Good, good, good. I'll go find some clothes for you right away. Dress a bit more formally today to leave a good impression."

It was the same as the previous two times—same time, same place.

By the time the two arrived at the cafe, Wa Yeyao had already arrived.

He was sitting by the window, wearing a clean navy blue suit. He had a straight posture, an ordinary face, and a natural air of mature, steady confidence between his brows.

Seeing Bai Ci and Mother Bai walk in, he immediately stood up, a warm smile on his face as he took the initiative to welcome them.

"Hello, Auntie Bai, Miss Bai. I am Wa Yeyao." His tone was gentle and polite, without any trace of being overly slick, and his every move was perfectly measured.

Cheng Yin walked over as well, smiling to smooth things over. "Auntie, Miss Bai, you've finally arrived! Mr. Wa has been waiting for over ten minutes."

"What did I tell you? Mr. Wa is just so down-to-earth and reliable. He never keeps others waiting."

Wa Yeyao smiled and waved his hand. "It's fine, I only arrived a short while ago myself. Waiting a bit is no trouble. Miss Bai, please sit. Auntie Bai, please sit as well."

Once everyone was seated, Wa Yeyao took the initiative to call the waiter, asked about Bai Ci and Mother Bai's preferences, and ordered two warm lattes and a slice of cake. He was attentive and thoughtful throughout, showing no neglect whatsoever.

After sitting down, Wa Yeyao took the initiative to speak about his situation in an honest tone.

"Auntie Bai, Miss Bai, I won't beat around the bush. Teacher Cheng has probably already told you about my situation."

"I was married once before and have a son, but he lives with his mother now." At this point, his tone carried a trace of imperceptible bitterness.

"Back then, my construction materials shop was just starting out. Business was bad, I owed a lot of money, and the pressure was immense. I neglected my family, and as a result, my ex-wife cheated on me and ran off with our son, leaving all the debt to me."

As he spoke, he sighed softly, his eyes filled with helplessness. "During that period, life was indeed very hard. I spent every day paying off debts, and I even thought about giving up."

"But fortunately, I gritted my teeth and persevered. Now my business is slowly picking up, most of my debts are paid off, and I have an apartment. I just want to find someone down-to-earth to live a stable life with and build a peaceful home."

He looked at Bai Ci, his gaze appearing incredibly sincere. "I know that since I've been married, I might not be good enough for Miss Bai. But I can promise that I truly want to find someone to spend my life with. I will take good care of her and won't let her suffer even a single grievance."

"I can see that Miss Bai has a quiet and gentle personality. I think we could try getting to know each other. I wonder if Miss Bai has any favorable impression of me?"

These words sounded so sincere and deeply felt. He had both honestly shared his past and expressed his sincerity without any obvious attempts to flatter, making him seem reliable and down-to-earth.

Sitting to the side, Mother Bai nodded repeatedly, unable to hide the satisfaction in her eyes.

She secretly tugged at the corner of Bai Ci's shirt, signaling her to speak up more.