Image: can’t figure it out.
“Sister Xiaoman, I’m so envious of you…” Xiao Ding, who had just been feeling regretful for her moments ago, immediately changed her tune to envy.
In this world, it was not easy to find someone you liked and marry them. It was even harder for that person to treat you especially well. More importantly… Sister Xiaoman’s man had such a handsome face!
One was beautiful, the other handsome. Who knew how good-looking their future children would be?
If it were her, she would look forward to this child too.
“I really want to hurry up and get married and have children too…”
Su Xiaoman: “????”
“Sister Xiaoman, the child of you and brother-in-law still has no idea how good-looking they’re going to be. If I had children, I’d definitely want to become in-laws with you.”
“Brother-in-law is also so outstanding. He’s even a university student…”
“Ahhh, what a pity.”
When the others in the song-and-dance troupe heard Xiao Ding say this, they became curious about what Su Xiaoman’s husband looked like. They had never asked much before; they had only heard that the two of them had married in the countryside, so they had not inquired further.
“Sister Xiaoman’s husband is very good-looking.”
Sun Yiyi, one of the current leading performers in the song-and-dance troupe, covered her mouth and laughed. “Xiao Ding, just how good-looking is her husband? Could he possibly be better-looking than Wen Baishu from our team?”
The Wen Baishu that Sun Yiyi spoke of was the most famous male actor in their dance team. Female leads came and went, but the male lead remained firm as iron. Wen Baishu was the dream lover of many female performers in the dance team.
So many women wanted to perform in a song-and-dance drama with him.
The handsome, elegant air around him was intoxicating. His face was like that of a heavenly god. Such features were simply a gift from heaven. Sun Yiyi had never seen a man more handsome than Wen Baishu.
On stage, Wen Baishu was so dazzling and radiant that even when she stood beside him, she could not help lowering her head in shame.
What man could compare to someone like him?
Most men encountered in everyday life were dull and plain, wearing blue, grey, or black clothes, like insignificant ants that could not attract anyone’s attention. Wen Baishu, however, was like the elegant orchid and jade tree described in ancient books, the brightest one among a sky of stars. On stage, he was far too charming.
At this moment, Sun Yiyi felt that comparing Su Xiaoman’s husband to Wen Baishu was already elevating Su Xiaoman’s husband.
“Exactly. Could he possibly be better-looking than Baishu?” Another woman’s voice joined in from the side. It was Fei Shuying, the song-and-dance troupe’s other leading performer.
Sun Yiyi and Fei Shuying had both partnered with Wen Baishu before. The competition between them was fierce, not only for the female lead role, but also for Wen Baishu. Both of them had favourable feelings toward Wen Baishu.
They felt that such an outstanding and handsome man ought to belong to them.
This time, when Su Xiaoman joined the Beijing Arts Song-and-Dance Troupe, this beautiful woman had put both of them on guard. After Wen Baishu saw the beautiful and moving Su Xiaoman, he had even looked at her a few extra times.
Fortunately, Su Xiaoman had married early.
A woman standing behind Fei Shuying also laughed and spoke up. She said frankly, “If there were a man more handsome than Wen Baishu, I wouldn’t even dance anymore. I’d follow him home to get married and have children, then perform song-and-dance dramas at home every day.”
After she finished speaking, Sun Yiyi, Fei Shuying, and the others all covered their mouths and laughed, each with their own different little thoughts.
If that person were Wen Baishu, they probably would also be willing to get married and have children.
Sun Yiyi’s face flushed red.
Seeing them laughing like this, Xiao Ding immediately felt unconvinced. “Su Xiaoman’s husband really is good-looking. Compared with the male actors in our troupe, each has their own merits. There’s no such thing as one being better or worse.”
Although Xiao Ding said this, in reality, she felt Xie Mingtu was much better-looking than Wen Baishu. She simply did not want to offend Sun Yiyi and the others with her words. These people usually praised Wen Baishu as if he were unique in heaven and earth.
Hearing Xiao Ding’s words, Sun Yiyi, Fei Shuying, and the others did not believe it at all. Fei Shuying even let out a scoffing laugh.
“Xiaoman, you’ve seen Baishu too, haven’t you? You tell us, who is better-looking, your husband or Baishu?”
Su Xiaoman smiled and said in a teasing tone, “If you ask me, then of course I think my husband is the best-looking. If he didn’t look good in my eyes, I wouldn’t have married him.”
The women all laughed.
“Exactly.”
“What’s that old saying? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”
…
The young women were chatting when suddenly a male voice came from behind them. “What are you talking about?”
Was that Wen Baishu’s voice?!
They turned around and saw that it was indeed Wen Baishu standing behind them. He was wearing a performer’s outfit and had no makeup on. He was not especially tall, still several centimetres short of 1.8 metres. He had thick brows and large eyes, a traditional handsome young scholar appearance.
“Speak of the devil.”
“Baishu, we were just talking about you.”
…
“Really?” Wen Baishu smiled and walked over. His voice was especially bright and pleasant, like that of a male broadcaster, a rich and mellow male voice.
Wen Baishu’s gaze kept lingering on Su Xiaoman. The female performers before him each had their own charms: the pretty and alluring Sun Yiyi, the delicate and moving Fei Shuying… But the one who drew the eye the most was Su Xiaoman among the crowd.
The first time Wen Baishu had seen her, he had felt that she possessed a charm that made her stand out in a crowd. This kind of beauty needed no extra description. Even standing in a song-and-dance troupe full of beauties, she was still the most eye-catching one.
She had a unique, attractive aura that made people intoxicated.
Unfortunately, the beauty had already married someone else. Otherwise… at first, Wen Baishu had wanted to pursue this newly arrived beautiful female performer.
He could already imagine how gorgeous and dazzling her dancing would be, like a fairy from the heavens.
Wen Baishu looked forward to performing a song-and-dance drama with her.
Sun Yiyi spoke first. “We were talking about Xiaoman’s husband. She’s pregnant.”
Wen Baishu froze. This bright, moving great beauty before him was actually pregnant?
Fei Shuying followed up, “That’s right. We were talking about Xiaoman’s husband. We still don’t know just how outstanding her husband must be to make such a great beauty get pregnant and have children for him at such a young age.”
Wen Baishu smiled without warmth. “Then he really is a lucky man.”
Wen Baishu had always liked the female performers in the troupe fighting over him out of jealousy. If Su Xiaoman could also join in among them… that would truly satisfy his pride as a man.
Unfortunately, the Su Xiaoman before him had already been taken first by another man. She was a married woman.
“Xiaoman said her man is extremely handsome, maybe even better-looking than you.” The woman standing behind Fei Shuying deliberately said this.
She was someone who enjoyed watching drama and did not mind making things bigger.
“Is that so?”
“Xiaoman, when will you let us meet your husband? Where does he work?”
“He’s still studying at school.” When Su Xiaoman encountered colleagues who spoke as if they were palace scheming, she felt that freelance work was still better. There was no need to smile on the surface with colleagues while secretly fighting back and forth. “He has sent me to the unit a few times before. Quite a few people have seen him.”
Xiao Ding added, “Exactly. The old man at the gate has probably seen him several times.”
“Why don’t we go ask the old man at the gate who looks better, her husband or Wen Baishu?”
“I’m really curious about this. Xiao Ding actually said his looks don’t lose to Baishu.”
“Is there really another man as handsome as Baishu? I can’t imagine what he looks like.”
…
Coincidentally, the old man at the gate had moved over a small stool and was sitting not far ahead, narrowing his eyes while basking in the small patch of sun. Fei Shuying and the others ran over and asked Uncle Zhou at the gate, “Uncle, have you seen Xiaoman’s man?”
The old man lifted his half-closed eyes.
The woman behind Fei Shuying was afraid the old man did not know who Su Xiaoman was, so she added, “Xiaoman is the new one in our song-and-dance troupe. She’s young and pretty. Her man has brought her to the troupe a few times…”
“I’ve seen him.” Uncle Zhou opened his eyes. “A very young lad. I even wanted to give him a small bag of freshly fried melon seeds, but he didn’t take them.”
At this time, curious Xiao Ding dragged Su Xiaoman over as well. Sun Yiyi and Wen Baishu also came over from behind. Su Xiaoman heard what the old man said.
Su Xiaoman: “…”
The old man wanted to give him fried melon seeds?!
…Truly worthy of you, Comrade Little Rabbit.
A harvester of uncles and aunties.
How had she not personally witnessed this little episode before?
Zhang Qi, who enjoyed watching excitement, opened her mouth and said, “Uncle Zhou, tell us, compared with Wen Baishu from our troupe, who is better-looking, that young lad or him?”
When Sun Yiyi, Fei Shuying, and the others heard this, they all laughed. Did this kind of question even need to be asked?
The answer was self-evident.
How could an ordinary person’s appearance and temperament compare to Wen Baishu, a male dance actor?
Su Xiaoman’s husband might be outstanding and a young university student, but when it came to looks and bearing, he could not compare with Wen Baishu.
Uncle Zhou lazily lifted his brows and glanced at Wen Baishu. He coughed twice and did not keep them in suspense. He directly gave the answer. “That young lad is better-looking. If I had a granddaughter, I’d definitely pick someone like him as my grandson-in-law.”
Sun Yiyi, Fei Shuying, and the others looked at one another. At this moment, they were a little confused. One could even say they were muddled.
What exactly did “good-looking” mean in the old man’s eyes?
Perhaps the old man’s taste was different from young people’s. Sun Yiyi thought of how her great-uncle still felt that her useless older male cousin with two little moustaches was a talented man.
The key point was that this kind of good-looking had even attracted a great beauty like Su Xiaoman to marry him…
They could not imagine what such a person looked like at all.
Even Zhang Qi, who was watching the fun, froze. Uncle, your answer did not follow common logic.
At this moment, Su Xiaoman smiled. “My man’s looks are especially liked by uncles and aunties.”
Let him go grocery shopping and you would see the truth.
Su Xiaoman was now convinced he had an “uncle-attracting halo.”
Xiao Ding: “…”
Xiao Ding felt this was ridiculous. What did “especially liked by uncles and aunties” mean? With Brother Xie’s appearance, ordinary young girls would like him too, right?
…Probably, right?
Zhang Qi asked curiously, “Is he that very traditional type of handsome? The kind that looks dependable?”
Su Xiaoman thought for a moment. “More or less.”
Sun Yiyi and Fei Shuying nodded thoughtfully.
Sun Yiyi said, “My parents like that kind too. They previously introduced me to a military officer.”
Although Sun Yiyi had favourable feelings toward Wen Baishu and wanted very much to marry him, unfortunately, Wen Baishu had never shown her any particular interest. She was also nearing the age where she would have to marry. If she married in the future, it would probably be to a blind date introduced by her elders.
Steady and reliable.
“I rejected that person, but thinking about it now, he actually looked quite good. He had that strong, dependable appearance.”
“Really? Do you have a photo?!”
Sun Yiyi nodded. “Yes, I still kept a photo of him. I’ll show you next time.”
At this moment, Fei Shuying also spoke up. She could not lose to Sun Yiyi. She had met quite a few men with this kind of appearance too. “Last time, my aunt introduced me to a man. He was the son of the machinery factory director. He was also very handsome and dependable. When I met him, he wore a white shirt and looked pretty good.”
“I still have a photo of him too.”
Zhang Qi and the others asked curiously, “Really? Let us see next time.”
“I like taller ones. They have to be big and tall so they can give me a sense of security and make me look small and delicate. My parents also like the kind that looks tall, upright, and righteous.”
“I also like the kind of appearance that looks honest, bright, and straightforward!”
“Xiaoman, did your parents really like your man back then?”
“Yes. My mother especially liked him and wished she could package me up and marry me to him sooner. Even now, she’s still smug, thinking she had sharp eyes…”
“They all say the person your parents choose won’t make your days too bad, but I just want to choose someone I like.”
“When we were studying, there was also someone especially good-looking. Now he’s gone down to the countryside as an educated youth…”
…
Once this kind of little discussion among girls began, Wen Baishu, standing at the side, instantly became invisible.
Wen Baishu: “…”
Su Xiaoman’s appearance was outstanding. When she first parachuted into the song-and-dance troupe, many young women who saw her secretly envied her looks and waited for the future when they would compete with her for the limelight. Who would have thought this beautiful woman was already married, and now she was pregnant too? They could even chat about men together… Su Xiaoman very easily integrated into the group.
So when Su Xiaoman went home, she brought along some biscuits, cakes, preserved fruits, peanuts, dried sweet potatoes, and other little snacks shared among the girls.
The next day, she also distributed some happy candies to everyone. Her days in the song-and-dance troupe were quite free and leisurely. People in this era were simple and honest. Knowing she was now pregnant, they took extra care of her and only let her do light work.
Xie Mingtu’s life at school could be considered simple and relaxed. His studies were not difficult for him. He had plenty of free time every day. Not only could he take care of Manman, he also had time to read various extracurricular books, such as all kinds of medical books, astronomy, geography, and so on.
His relationship with classmates was neither close nor distant. He did not live at school. He only kept a simple bunk at school and rarely interacted with the people in the same dormitory. In the eyes of others, he was someone who came and went in a hurry.
A mysterious person.
Only during the basketball match at the start of term did he begin to show himself. Young female students began asking around about what year and major this tall, handsome young man belonged to. Xie Mingtu had never hidden the fact that he was married. All the male classmates in his class knew he had long since married, and his wife was now pregnant.
So he usually had to go home to take care of his wife. His classmates could understand why he came and went so hurriedly. But after classroom assignments and assessments ended, many people discovered in frustration that this man, who came and went in a hurry and, due to various objective reasons, could not devote himself fully to his studies, could still calmly and easily discuss those complex problems.
At this time, among those recommended to university, due to various subjective and objective reasons, many people did not have sufficient knowledge levels. They struggled very hard in university and sometimes could not learn much at all.
Xie Mingtu had a roommate who could not keep up with the courses. This person was also straightforward and generous. If he could not keep up, then he could not keep up, but he did not give up on himself. Seeing that Xie Mingtu seemed to be doing pretty well, he shamelessly ran over to ask him for guidance.
His skin was far too thick… He seized every opportunity to find Xie Mingtu and ask him to tutor him. Xie Mingtu was annoyed beyond endurance and simply organised a set of notes for him.
That person: “????!!”
“Eh… these look pretty good?”
“Old Zhang, what are you studying all day?”
“Where did these study notes come from?”
“…Isn’t this?”
…
Now this had become a treasure. With such a clear structure, many things suddenly became clear. Before long, Xie Mingtu became the man whose study notes were highly sought after.
His notes were copied several times and spread out. Even higher-year students heard of them. Later, the teachers at the school also learned about this matter, and a few teachers felt that Xie Mingtu was talented.
If he stayed at the school to teach in the future, he would also be a good seedling…
Of course, Xie Mingtu himself would absolutely never consider becoming a teacher. Someone once jokingly asked him whether he would be willing to remain at the school and teach in the future. Xie Mingtu merely thought of having to teach even more students like Old Zhang…
Better not.
At least while Xie Gouzi was young, he had not a single bit of patience.
After Su Xiaoman heard about this, she also found it very funny. She had never imagined that their Brother Gouzi would actually be judged by others to have the potential to become a teacher. Staying at school to teach was indeed a very good choice. It was just… wasn’t this a little too early?
It still depended on what Xie Mingtu himself wanted to do.
Su Xiaoman opened a medical book and then felt that if Xie Mingtu changed careers to become a doctor, perhaps he would also be very reliable?
…This novice doctor had even been able to detect twins by himself.
Perhaps it was only his luck.
Su Xiaoman carefully stared at the description of a slippery pulse. One morning, when she had nothing to do at the song-and-dance troupe, she spent a long time taking her own pulse, and even took Xiao Ding and the others’ pulses one by one. She could not sense any difference in the pulse patterns between them.
Meanwhile, Xiao Ding, Sun Yiyi, and the others curiously chased after her with questions.
“Xiaoman, is there someone in your family who practises Chinese medicine?”
“You can take pulses too?”
“I’ve been feeling a little unwell recently. Can you tell what’s wrong?”
“How do you feel the pulse?”
Su Xiaoman: “…” I can’t detect anything.
Everyone’s pulse seemed different, yet also seemed exactly the same… Su Xiaoman very much suspected that Xie Mingtu had simply been a blind cat running into a dead mouse.
He said it was a pregnancy pulse, and it really was a pregnancy pulse? He said twins, and it really was twins?
Could the root reason be that she had no potential to become a doctor?
They said that in all three hundred and sixty trades, every trade had its master. But if someone was suited to every trade, then choosing became very difficult.
“My husband knows a little. He detected my pregnancy pulse.” Of course, the premise of detecting the pregnancy pulse was that they had already gone to the hospital and confirmed the pregnancy.
As for whether the later twin diagnosis had been an accidental hit, Su Xiaoman could not say clearly either.
“Wow, wow, wow…” Zhang Qi, Sun Yiyi, and the others became even more curious about Su Xiaoman’s husband. He had the kind of looks that elders all liked, and he even knew how to take pulses in Chinese medicine. What kind of person was this?
When Chinese medicine was mentioned, people always unconsciously imagined a man carrying a medicine box, with two little moustaches.
Sun Yiyi asked, “Xiaoman, when your man first met you, could he have been wearing a moustache?”
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