Chapter 670 Three Aunts Offer Suggestions 3
Chapter 670 Three Aunts Come Up with a Plan 3
On the other side of the courtyard, Xu Damao accidentally heard the news that He Yuzhu's blind date was going well, and his heart was really turbulent. It felt like a huge rock was thrown into a calm lake, causing waves of turbulence. Xu Damao has always regarded He Yuzhu as his competitor. Whether it is working in the bustling steel mill or living in the courtyard full of fireworks, there seems to be an invisible but real atmosphere of competition between the two, like two parallel lines competing secretly, neither of them is willing to give in, and both want to suppress the other in all aspects.
This time, if He Yuzhu can really successfully achieve a happy ending with Chunyan, then for Xu Damao, it will undoubtedly throw a big stone into his already sensitive and competitive heart, causing ripples that spread outward in circles, making his heart a mess and unable to calm down.
At this moment, Xu Damao was sitting listlessly in his small courtyard, which was not big but had a sense of life. In his hand, he was holding a book that he had read countless times. The pages of the book had turned slightly yellow, and the corners were slightly curled, which showed how many times he had touched it.
However, his gaze did not stay on the pages of the book. Instead, he looked into the distance from time to time, as if he had lost his soul. There was a bit of confusion in his eyes, and he seemed to be racking his brains to think about something. His brows were sometimes slightly wrinkled, and sometimes gently relaxed, as if a fierce ideological struggle was going on in his heart.
He felt mixed emotions, all mixed together like an overturned spice jar. He was jealous of He Yuzhu's possible success in blind dating, jealous of how He Yuzhu could be so successful in relationships, as if he was always favored by fate; at the same time, he was dissatisfied with his current situation, feeling that he was as unhappy as he could be in relationships.
Xu Damao's mind was as clear as a mirror. He knew very well that his performance in relationships had always been unsatisfactory. In fact, if he thought about it carefully, it was not that the people around him had never given him any chances. It was just that he had an overly calculating character. When getting along with others, he was always used to weighing the pros and cons and thinking about what benefits he could get from the other person. As a result, he always lacked sincerity and frankness, making it difficult for people to really get close to him, let alone establish a deep relationship with him.
"Hmph, He Yuzhu can only cook a few dishes to please women." Xu Damao muttered secretly in his heart, his tone full of disdain, as if he wanted to find some psychological comfort for himself through such words, so that he would feel that He Yuzhu's advantages were just that, and there was nothing to envy.
But he soon realized that such thoughts were nothing but self-deception. After all, love is something that cannot be maintained for a long time by such superficial tricks. He understood that true love requires two hearts to treat each other sincerely, to understand and tolerate each other without reservation, rather than relying on superficial skills or material accumulation, or relying on false feelings to deal with things perfunctorily. Such love is like a bubble, which will burst at the first poke and cannot stand the test of time.
On an ordinary day, the sky was just beginning to turn pale, and the morning light was like a gentle sword, breaking through the morning mist and slowly spreading to the earth. Xu Damao got up early, packed up, and then set off for the warehouse with Brother Zhang from the Transportation Department.
Brother Zhang is a well-known veteran driver in the factory. He has been married for a long time and has established his own warm family. He always seems to have a calm smile on his face, which is like the warm sunshine in spring, giving people a particularly solid and comfortable feeling, as if no matter how difficult the problems in life are, or the troubles that give people headaches, as long as he sits in his beloved old truck and starts the car, all of them will be taken away by the truck and thrown into the sky.
The two men came side by side to the familiar blue truck in the factory. This truck has been in service in the factory for many years. The originally bright blue paint on the body has long become mottled, with pieces peeling off here and fading there, just like an old man who has experienced the vicissitudes of life. Those mottled marks seem to be silently recording the countless days of wind and rain, and witnessing the long journey it has traveled while pulling truck after truck of goods.
Xu Damao and Brother Zhang opened the door skillfully and got in. As Brother Zhang turned the key, the engine suddenly emitted a low roar, like a giant beast that was awakened and slowly woke up. Then, the truck drove steadily out of the wide gate of the factory area and slowly drove into the still quiet street in the early morning.
Xu Damao sat in the passenger seat, holding the seat belt tightly in his hands, his fingers were slightly white because of the force. His eyes occasionally swept through the window, looking at the scenery passing by, the trees on the street, the houses that were still slightly hazy, and the occasional passers-by riding bicycles. These ordinary scenes in his eyes flashed quickly like slides, but he had no intention of appreciating them. His heart was like a tangled mess because of the repeated setbacks in blind dates, and he could not calm down.
He frowned slightly and turned to look at Brother Zhang beside him. Looking at Brother Zhang's weather-beaten face, the years have left traces of varying depths on it, but even so, Brother Zhang's eyes still reveal an optimism that seems to be engraved into his bones and cannot be erased. As Xu Damao watched, he couldn't help but feel a strong urge to confide in his heart. It felt like he was holding back a rage and urgently needed to find an outlet to release it.
"Brother Zhang, why are my blind dates always going wrong? Is there something I'm doing wrong?" Xu Damao finally couldn't help but speak, with a barely perceptible anxiety in his voice, like a child lost in the darkness, desperate to find a ray of light, eager to get some useful advice from Brother Zhang so that he could go more smoothly on this headache-inducing blind date road.
Hearing this, Brother Zhang's mouth curled up into a smile naturally, and that smile was full of the calmness and composure of a person who had experienced it. His eyes were still focused on the winding road ahead, his hands firmly holding the steering wheel, and he said slowly: "Da Mao, blind dates are just like driving a car, you have to be steady and look far ahead. Don't worry, let's finish this trip first, and I'll tell you slowly on the way." There seemed to be a magical power in that tone that made people feel at ease, which calmed Xu Damao's originally anxious heart a little. He nodded gently and looked out the window again, but at this moment he felt a little more expectant, expecting Brother Zhang to give him some advice later.
Inside the truck, the old radio was playing a melodious old song, but because the truck was driving on the uneven road, it bumped from time to time, and the radio was like a wronged child, occasionally making a buzzing sound, as if protesting the bumps on the road. The buzzing sound was intermittent, making the originally clear song become intermittent, echoing in the slightly narrow compartment.
Brother Zhang frowned slightly, and in order to make his voice cover the annoying crackling sound and so that Xu Damao could hear more clearly, he raised his voice and said loudly: "Da Mao, blind dates are something that can't be rushed. You have to adjust your mindset first. Don't always think about comparing yourself with others. You have to know that everyone's fate is different, just like there are no two leaves in the world that are exactly the same." As Brother Zhang spoke, he took the time to turn his head and glance at Xu Damao, his eyes full of concern and guidance.
After hearing what Brother Zhang said, Xu Damao suddenly showed a wry smile on his face. There was a bit of helplessness and a bit of bitterness in that smile. He responded: "Brother Zhang, it's so easy for you to say it. You don't know, seeing that He Yuzhu is almost done, this matter is like a thorn in my heart. How can I not be anxious? Besides, my conditions are not bad. I have good looks, and I have a decent job in the factory. My income is also stable. Why can't I meet the right person? I'm almost worried to death. I feel like a headless fly on this blind date road, bumping around everywhere, but I can't find the right direction." The more Xu Damao spoke, the more he felt the annoyance in his heart surge up, and his brows were tightly wrinkled into a lump.
Brother Zhang listened to Xu Damao's complaints and felt a surge of emotion. He reached out his hand and gently patted Xu Damao on the shoulder. His gesture was full of comfort, and then he said earnestly, "Da Mao, having good conditions is one thing, but the key to blind dating and dating is to learn how to get along with others. Look at me, my sister-in-law. I also went on blind dates countless times. Every time I met someone, my heart was full of expectations, but often there was no follow-up after the first meeting. I was disappointed so many times. Until I met your brother Zhang later, oh, just one glance, I felt that this person was right for me, and I was determined in my heart. I felt that all the waiting and disappointment before were suddenly worth it. We must learn to let go of those calculations, don't always think about what benefits we can get from others, and treat people sincerely. As long as you show your sincerity, maybe fate will come quietly at any time." As Brother Zhang spoke, he recalled the past when he and his wife met, and a happy smile unconsciously appeared on his face.
After listening to Brother Zhang's heartfelt words, Xu Damao was silent for a long time. He sat there like a statue, with his eyes slightly lowered, as if he was carefully digesting every word and sentence Brother Zhang said. His mind kept recalling various scenes of his past blind dates. Those scenes that were messed up due to his own calculations and lack of sincerity emerged one by one, making him feel full of regret. Afterwards, he nodded slowly, as if he had finally made up his mind. Although the movement was slow, it revealed a firmness. He said seriously: "Brother Zhang, you are right. Maybe I have been taking the wrong path all along. I have been too busy caring about gains and losses and have lost the sincerity that I should have. This time when I go back, I plan to change my strategy. I will no longer be in a hurry to succeed, and I will no longer blindly compare with others. Instead, I will take it slow and try to get to know every person who goes on a blind date with me, and show my truest side. Maybe this way I can meet the right person." As Xu Damao spoke, there was gradually a light in his eyes, as if he saw the hopeful road of blind dates in the future.
Hearing this, Brother Zhang immediately showed a satisfied smile on his face, and that smile was as bright as a flower blooming in spring. He smiled and said, "That's right, brother. Remember, sincerity is the key to opening people's hearts. When you find the person who can make you let down your guard and show your true self, you will understand that all the previous waiting, those bumpy experiences, are worth it. Then you will taste the sweetness of love. That feeling, wow, is wonderful." As Brother Zhang spoke, he shook his head gently, as if he had already seen the day when Xu Damao would find happiness.
The two men continued driving like this, and the truck moved slowly along the winding road. The scenery outside the car window kept changing. Sometimes it was lush fields, and the green wheat seedlings swayed gently in the breeze, like a green ocean with waves; sometimes it was a well-organized village, with wisps of smoke rising between the white walls and black tiles, revealing a strong breath of life.
Xu Damao's mood also changed unconsciously. He was no longer anxious and irritable like before. Instead, he began to calm down and seriously reflect on his past actions, from what he said and did during each blind date to his wrong attitude towards love. He secretly made up his mind to give his blind date journey a new starting point starting from this conversation with Brother Zhang, to welcome every possible fate in the future with sincerity and patience, and to find the person who can really accompany him for life.