Chapter 659 Xu Damao wants to go on a blind date again 2

Chapter 659 Xu Damao wants to go on a blind date again 2

At daybreak, Xu Damao suddenly sat up from the bed as if he was suddenly bounced up by a spring. The old wooden bed made a long creaking protest, as if complaining about the sudden disturbance. Xu Damao ignored it and stepped barefoot on the cold blue brick floor. A chill instantly ran from the soles of his feet to his heart, but he didn't care at all. He took two steps at a time and stepped to the chest of drawers. In the bronze mirror, a haggard face came into view - his eyes were full of bright red bloodshot after staying up all night, and his stubble was dark blue, which was particularly dazzling. Even his temples were stained with cotton wool from the pillow, and he looked in a miserable state.

"Mom!" He yelled at the top of his lungs, his voice hoarse and anxious from waking up in the morning, as if he was afraid his mother couldn't hear him, "Get up quickly!" When he turned around, he accidentally kicked the cloth shoes he had taken off beside the bed last night. The shoe uppers rolled twice on the blue brick floor before stopping.

The mother in the next room responded vaguely, her voice still a little sleepy. However, Xu Damao couldn't wait any longer, he picked up the enamel pot on the table and rushed out. The old locust tree in the yard was shaking off the morning dew, and drops of crystal clear water fell on the blue brick floor, making a crisp sound.

Xu Damao squatted by the well platform and splashed the well water on his face. The cold water made him shiver and his whole body was refreshed. Water drops dripped down his chin onto his washed blue shirt, making it wet. But he was unaware of it and just stared at his reflection in the well water, as if to cheer himself up.

"It's like a death urge..." Mother came out of the main room carrying a bamboo basket, and couldn't help muttering when she saw this. The eggs in the basket were shaken slightly, making a slight collision sound. Xu Damao rushed forward and held his mother's arm, and his rough palm squeezed the old woman's wrist so hard that it hurt.

"Mom, you must help me find out." His voice was pleading, his eyes full of expectation and anxiety. His fingers unconsciously stroked the patch on his mother's cotton-padded jacket, which had been washed white, but was still strong and durable, just like the relationship between them.

"If the girl from the Lou family doesn't have a boyfriend..." Xu Damao paused and continued, "Then I have a chance. Mom, you must help me. I'm sincere this time. I want to live a good life with her." His eyes were shining with determination, as if he had seen the happy life of himself and Lou Xiao'e in the future. His mother looked at him like this, feeling both amused and distressed, but more of it was her expectation and blessing for him.

"I know, I know." The mother smiled and pulled her hand back, stuffing a hard corn tortilla into his hand. "You mentioned it three times in the middle of the night yesterday." The handle of the bamboo basket drew an arc in the morning mist. She stepped on the dew and walked out of the yard. The sound of footsteps on the stone road gradually disappeared at the entrance of the alley.

Xu Damao leaned against the door frame and ate a cold pancake, staring blankly at the dawn in the sky. The icicles under the eaves reflected tiny bits of light, and he suddenly remembered the image of Lou Xiao'e standing at the gate of the courtyard in a red cotton-padded jacket last December. At that time, her scarf was blown up by the north wind, like a burning sunset glow, and his hands were shaking as he held the popcorn machine.

"Bang!" The muffled sound of popcorn popping in the distance startled the sparrows on the locust tree. Xu Damao stood up suddenly, and the corn cake fell to the ground with a clatter. He squatted down mechanically to pick it up, and his fingernails were filled with dirt from the brick crevices. The old clock in the east wing struck eight times, and the sound was so hollow that it made people feel uneasy.

He began to pace back and forth in the yard, his cloth shoes dragging harshly on the bluestone slabs. From the well platform to the pig pen, from the chicken coop to the firewood pile, the distance of more than 20 steps was a torment of thousands of miles for him. There was white frost on the millstone in the corner of the wall, and he reached out to touch it as if possessed by a ghost, and the biting cold ran through his fingertips to his heart.

"Da Mao!" Mother's voice was like spring thunder splitting the clouds. Xu Damao knocked over the wooden basin when he turned around, and the water splashed on the door sill. Mother's forehead was stained with sweat, and the white hair at the temples was wet by the morning mist and stuck to her face. The bamboo basket in her hand was crooked, revealing half of the red hairband.

"How is it?" His Adam's apple rolled up and down, and he suddenly realized that his voice sounded like a drake being strangled. His mother bent over and held her knees to breathe, her chest heaving violently, and a sweat stain spread across her blue cloth shirt. Xu Damao suddenly noticed that there was a hole in her cotton shoes, and her big toe was sticking out from inside, red from the cold.

"The girl from the Lou family..." The mother straightened up and took out an oil-paper package from her bosom, "They asked Wang the matchmaker to arrange a marriage for you." Xu Damao's heart suddenly tightened as he watched his mother unwrap the oil-paper package layer by layer, revealing two pieces of sesame candy inside. That was Lou Xiao'e's favorite snack, and there were sesame seeds on the candy wrapper.

"Don't be impatient." The mother broke off a piece of candy and stuffed it into his mouth. The sweet taste exploded on the tip of his tongue. "She hasn't responded yet." She wiped her forehead with her sleeve. The red hairband in the bamboo basket was dazzlingly bright in the morning light. "Look at this hairband. She bought it at the market yesterday..."

When Xu Damao heard this, his heart, which was already full of expectations, suddenly seemed to blossom with gorgeous flowers. The joy quickly spread throughout his heart like a bursting dam tide.

The corners of his mouth lifted up involuntarily, and his smile almost stretched to his ears. He quickly approached his mother, his eyes flashing with excitement and eagerness, and said excitedly: "Mom, don't worry, you can put your heart at ease. I will definitely perform well this time, and I will never be as impetuous and superficial as before. This time, I have made up my mind to successfully pursue Lou Xiao'e. You and Dad are both experienced people, you have seen a lot of things, and met a lot of people, you have to help me with advice and think carefully, and see what I can do to satisfy her family and let them recognize me as their future son-in-law from the bottom of their hearts."

Seeing Xu Damao's happy and energetic appearance, his mother also showed a kind smile on her face, just like the warm sunshine in spring. She smiled and nodded, and said with a tone full of concern and admonition: "Okay, we really need to think about this matter carefully, and we can't be casual or perfunctory. But Damao, you must remember firmly that no matter what you do, sincerity for sincerity is the real thing. Don't just think about showing off and putting up those fancy things that are good-looking but useless. In the end, it will be a waste of effort. You have to really impress people with practical actions and let them really feel your sincerity. This is the most important thing."

When Xu Damao listened to his mother's words, his head was like pounding garlic. He nodded repeatedly, looking so serious as if he was listening to some wise saying.

At this moment, the big rock that had been hanging in his heart finally fell to the ground with a clang, making him feel a lot more relaxed.

But before he could recover, a surge of fighting spirit started burning in his chest like a raging fire.

He knew very well in his heart that this was not just a simple and ordinary blind date. For him, it was a great opportunity to prove himself and let everyone see his good points. It was also a crucial moment to win Lou Xiao'e's heart.

He took a deep breath, as if to muster up his courage, and then said to his mother solemnly, "Mom, you are right, absolutely right. This time, I really don't plan to use those fancy and pretentious means. Now that I think about it, those previous practices were all childish and unreliable. I have made up my mind this time. I must use my sincerity and real actions to move her and let her know that I really like her and want to live a good life with her. You and Dad are very experienced. Please give me some advice. I am really confused at the moment and don't know where to start."

After hearing what Xu Damao said, the mother frowned slightly and fell into deep thought, as if she was solving an extremely complicated problem.

After a long while, she seemed to have finally come up with an idea. She walked forward, took Xu Damao's arm, and walked to the small stools placed in the yard. She gently patted one of them, motioning Xu Damao to sit down, and then she slowly sat on the stool next to her and said earnestly:

"Da Mao, Lou Xiao'e is a real, kind-hearted girl. She doesn't value those empty things. What she values ​​is the quality of people and the real sincerity. If you want her to look at you differently, you have to start with what she likes and cares about. Learn more about her preferences and her thoughts, and do what she cares about. Only then can she feel comfortable and feel that you understand her and care about her. In addition, it is not enough to be good to her. You have to be good to her family as well. People are all made of flesh and blood. If you care about them more and take care of them more on weekdays, they will naturally see your goodness and slowly recognize you. When people get along with each other, it is important to treat each other sincerely. You have to figure this out."

The father, who had been sitting next to him and listening silently, couldn't help but interrupt:

"Yes, Damao."

As my father spoke, he put down the pipe he was stroking, slowly stood up, and walked two steps in the yard with his hands behind his back. His face, which was full of traces of time, was full of a serious and earnest expression.

"You have to be down-to-earth when doing things. The most taboo thing in life is to be too eager for quick success. Look, in the past, you were too eager to achieve your goals, and the results were often counterproductive."

His father frowned slightly, as if he remembered Xu Damao's previous impetuous behavior. He shook his head gently and continued, "You have to understand that love can't be rushed. It has to be accumulated bit by bit in daily life. When you are free, go and help her family more often. Even if they are just some insignificant things, your sincerity can be seen from them. For example, helping to fetch water, chop firewood, etc. These seemingly simple tasks are all things that can really help people and warm their hearts."

The father paused, then raised his hand and pointed at Xu Damao, his eyes exhorting him, "Also, you have to be extra careful when you speak, and you can't be as slick as before. What you say has to make people feel at ease and sincere. You have to know that Lou Xiao'e's family are all honest and down-to-earth people. They like honest and upright people. Your sweet words won't work on them. Only sincerity can impress them."

Xu Damao stood there, like a primary school student listening attentively, staring at his father without blinking, his ears perked up, afraid of missing a word, silently taking note of every word his father said. When his father finished speaking, he turned to look at his mother, and seeing that his mother was nodding in agreement, he secretly clenched his fists, as if he was making a solemn oath to himself.

Afterwards, Xu Damao took a deep breath, slowly stood up, and deliberately straightened his chest. His back, which was slightly hunched due to nervousness, straightened up all of a sudden, and he looked a lot more energetic.

His eyes were shining with an extremely determined light, and that light was like the brightest star in the night sky, shining brightly, as if he had seen a bright future beckoning to him. He said in a firm and sincere tone: "Mom and Dad, don't worry, I really know what to do this time. From today on, I will throw all those unreliable behaviors aside. I will use real and practical actions to prove myself, so that Lou Xiao'e and her family can completely and thoroughly see that I, Xu Damao, am a reliable and trustworthy person. I will definitely seize this opportunity and will not let you down again."

After saying this, Xu Damao didn't want to delay for a moment, and hurriedly walked out of the courtyard gate. As soon as he stepped out of the courtyard gate, the slightly cool breeze brushed across his cheeks, but he didn't feel cold at all, but instead felt full of warmth.

He already had a preliminary plan in his mind, thinking secretly that he had to go around Lou Xiao'e's house first. Maybe if he was lucky, he could run into her. Even if he didn't run into her, if he could see her family busying around, he could go up and help do something, so as to leave a good impression on them.

Walking on the road, Xu Damao's footsteps were as brisk as if he was stepping on clouds. The "da da da" footsteps seemed to carry a cheerful rhythm, and each step was particularly powerful. His heart was like a lively little rabbit at the moment, full of hope and expectation. He knew that this time he was determined to make a change. He would no longer be the Xu Damao who only knew how to play tricks and float on the surface, but would be a man who was willing to give his heart for love and work hard down to earth.

He raised his head and looked into the distance, as if he had seen Lou Xiao'e's gentle smile waiting for him not far away. The corners of his mouth could not help but rise slightly again, and his pace became more and more hurried, wishing he could reach Lou Xiao'e's house immediately.