Fifty-two, Places for Blind Dates (2)

  "It's too fake, the TV station arranged it that way for ratings, and it was rehearsed beforehand, not a live performance, so it can't reflect their true inner thoughts," said Mai Dai.

  "Hey, hemp bag, tell me about your blind date this morning," said Lan Qi with a smile.

  "This proposal is good, burlap sack, you say it, I also want to know," I said.

  "There's nothing much to say, it's just a man and a woman, in a coffee shop or Western restaurant. She asks you how old you are, what your family does, if you have any brothers or sisters, what your hobbies are, what kind of girl you're looking for, when you plan to get married...and also, maybe she'll ask you how much you earn per month. Actually, in many cases, the matchmaker has already told the woman these things, but just to make the atmosphere not so awkward, they still need to ask some questions like this."

  "Isn't it very boring and dull?" I asked.

  "It can be said that," the sack nodded, "sometimes it's suffocating to death, an hour passes like ten hours, a long and torturous wait."

  "So why are you still going on blind dates one after another?" Lan Qi asked.

  "One of my aunts is the party secretary of our town, and another aunt is the director of the municipal planning bureau. My eldest uncle runs a three-story restaurant, my second uncle works in the provincial health department, my father has six brothers, two are officials, two are businessmen, one is a university teacher, and one is the deputy director of a hospital," said Ma Dai.

  "Wow, your family background is so good, no wonder those girls are eager to meet you," I said.

  "That's right, sis, no wonder you can go on blind dates over a hundred times a year. With the resources and connections your family has, there must be many people willing to introduce girls to you," Lan Qi said.

  The hemp bag looked at me and Lan Qi, "I still have an aunt who is in charge of marriage registration at the Civil Affairs Bureau. Moreover, I am the only child in my family. My older cousins are all married now. At present, I am the oldest one who has not been married yet."

  At this time, Ah Kwei came in with a large tray, on which were tea and tea utensils. Behind him was a waitress, also carrying a large tray, containing fruit plates and snacks.

  We hurriedly helped Ah Kwei and the waitress put the things on the tray onto the table.

  Then, Ah Kwei and the waitress left.

  "By the way, Ma Dai, I remember you said that after graduating from university, you passed the civil service exam. How did you pass it? My cousin is also going to graduate next year and plans to take the civil service exam, can you give some advice?" Lan Qi said while using a toothpick to pick up a piece of watermelon from the fruit plate.

  "This——" The gunnysack stared blankly.

  "I'm also quite puzzled," I said, "civil servants are even harder to get into than universities, how did you manage to pass?"

  "I'm telling you, I got in based on my own real abilities, believe it or not?" asked Mai Dai.

  "Don't believe it," Lan Xi shook her head.

  The gunny sack turned its gaze towards me.

  I also shook my head, "I don't believe it either."

  The gunny sack smiled slightly and said, "I went to Tsinghua University in Beijing."

  "No way? I thought you were a specialist like me," I exclaimed in surprise.

  "Hemp bag, are you really reborn? You don't look like it," Lan Qi also exclaimed in surprise.