Chapter 5: Jiang Hao or Guo Hao?

Two weeks later on a Saturday, Qiao Xinwei suddenly received a call from an unfamiliar number, catching her off guard.

"Hello? Who is this?"

"Hello, Miss Qiao, this is Jiang Hao. We met at the restaurant last time." His voice was deep, but not dull, exuding a magnetic steadiness.

"When was that?" With so many blind dates, she couldn't remember which one he was referring to.

"About half a month ago."

Qiao Xinwei searched her memory and suddenly recalled a shiny bald head. "Mediterranean?"

"What Mediterranean?" Jiang Hao was puzzled.

"Never mind, never mind, my mistake. Are you... the deputy director of that bureau?" Saying 'Mediterranean' was already a compliment, in reality, he's just a bald guy.

On the other end of the phone, Jiang Hao was speechless. It was clear that this well-regarded Miss Qiao had already forgotten who he was, and not only that, she even mistook him. This was a great insult to him. Feeling somewhat resentful, he challenged her, "Miss Qiao, if this is your way of getting my attention, then you've succeeded. I'm now very curious about you. Did Miss Qiao meet a suitable partner on her next blind date?"

Now it was Qiao Xinwei's turn to be speechless. She carefully recalled that the middle-aged man she met that day didn't have this kind of tone. Oh my goodness, he's Jiang Hao, not Guo Hao from the Mediterranean. I'm such a donkey.

"You... you are Jiang Hao, right?" She felt extremely embarrassed, finally figuring it out.

Jiang Hao's face turned completely dark. After meeting twice, this woman had no impression of him at all. This was a great humiliation to him. He answered heavily, "Yes."

"Hehe, do you have something to tell me?" When someone you've met on a blind date calls, it's obvious they're interested in you and want to ask you out. Her question was clearly a deliberate one.

"I wonder if Miss Qiao is free tonight for dinner?"

"Tonight? I'm not available." Firstly, this high-end and classy guy really isn't suitable for her, and secondly, she really wasn't available tonight.

Jiang Hao felt the urge to curse. He took a deep breath to control his temper. For the first time, he took the initiative to call a blind date, and for the first time, he was rejected. He was certain that in Miss Qiao's blind date list, he was one of those who had been eliminated.

The call ended, and Qiao Xinwei casually put her phone down, not giving it a second thought. "Mom, do you need to use the bathroom? I need to clean it."

---

After half a month of raging smog in the capital, the long-lost brilliant sunshine finally appeared today.

Longquan District was the most auspicious place in the entire capital, where every inch of land was valuable. People with power and influence, especially officials, paid particular attention to feng shui. They all gathered here.

The Jiang family's villa was located in the center of Longquan District, a quiet place in the bustling city.

Retired cadre Jiang Zhizhong and his wife Lin Caiyin were sitting on the sofa, flipping through a photo album together. This album was specifically compiled to list eligible single young women with backgrounds and connections in the capital.

The two elders were looking for a match for their only son.

Hearing the sound of a car, Lin Caiyin quickly put away the photo album. "Our son is back. Old man, put this away quickly. He won't be happy if he sees it."

Jiang Zhizhong said with dissatisfaction, "Why put it away? If he's serious about finding someone to date, should we, at this age, still worry about his marriage?" Despite his words, the stubborn old man quietly put away the album.

Before long, the front door opened, and Jiang Hao, dressed in a suit, walked in with a confident bearing. "Dad, Mom, I'm back."

This time during training, he had spent half a month in a remote mountainous area and successfully completed the mission ahead of schedule. However, he was exhausted and just wanted to take a good bath and rest. After greeting his parents, he headed upstairs.

"Son, you've come back just in time. We have a dinner appointment with Uncle Ji's family tonight," Lin Caiyin called out to him in time.

Jiang Hao furrowed his brows, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

"The newly tailored suit is already hanging in your closet. Remember to change into it later."

After a long pause, he finally spoke, "I'm very tired and just want to take a bath and rest. I don't want to go anywhere." He didn't want to reject his mother's enthusiasm, but he also didn't agree with her overstepping and pushing too far.

"Son, you're not young anymore. I've inquired, and Uncle Ji's daughter, that girl named Ji Shanshan, is very beautiful. She's four years younger than you, a master's student at Peking University. You should go and take a look."

"I'm not going." Jiang Hao's face began to darken. This was the nth time his mother had mentioned a blind date. Every time he returned to the capital, there were endless dinner appointments like this, which was extremely annoying.

And not long ago, he had just been rejected by a certain Miss Qiao who was in a rush to go on blind dates. He only remembered her surname was Qiao.

"You have to go this time, whether you want to or not!" Jiang Zhizhong's voice was stern and loud. If it weren't for health reasons, he wouldn't have retired so early.

"I said I'm not going. How many blind dates have you arranged for me that I haven't attended? I just got back today, and I haven't even changed my clothes. I'm really tired."

Jiang Zhizhong walked up solemnly and said, "To establish a career, one must first establish a family. This will also benefit your future. Look at your peers, who among them doesn't have a family? You're already thirty-two years old. When I was thirty-two, you were still running around with a toy rifle."

"In your time, in my time, getting married at forty is not too late. Men become more valuable as they age."

Lin Caiyin kept nudging the corner of her eye, signaling to Jiang Hao not to argue with his father. "Both have valid points..." Her husband and son both had fiery personalities, and when they argued, it was like sparks flying. She had to mediate, "Dad, take it easy. Why the rush?!... Son, your father is right. Having a virtuous and kind wife is also beneficial for your future. Your promotion and family situation are all considered factors. Look at Jishanshan. She is the only daughter of your uncle Ji. Her brother, Ji Shen, has a similar job to yours and is already a significant leader. Uncle Ji is a former leader of the Writers' Association, from a scholarly family. After careful consideration, Jishanshan is the most suitable match for you. Meet her, and you will definitely like her."

Jiang Hao: "Mom, you say this every time. If everyone is so suitable, then I might as well marry them all."

Jiang Zhizhong: "You rascal, watch your mouth when talking to your mother. Just because you've achieved some success doesn't mean you can act recklessly. You must go tonight, it's already arranged."