Reborn in 80: Starting with hunting in the mountains to get rich

Chapter 124 My First Kiss with Lin Mei

The moment blind dates are mentioned, the women become quite animated. After the pork stew is almost finished, the men have drunk their fill and become more talkative.

Drinking is fun, teasing children to drink is also an interest. Matchmaking is also fun.

Song Lanhua, the mother, didn't come empty-handed either. She brought stewed badger meat with radishes to add to the meal. She was serving food to Li Xiao when she heard this and laughed, "Introducing someone to me depends on my son's opinion."

She knew Li Ju'an was a strong-willed man, and she would introduce him to suitable girls if she found one, but Li Ju'an always brushed her off with excuses. After a few times, she began to wonder if her son might have feelings for a girl.

Before returning from the street, Lin's mother was wearing a very fashionable padded jacket, and Lin's father's hair was slicked back. The two of them also bought fabric and new clothes for the siblings. Lin Mei glanced at Li Ju'an with her watery almond eyes, and Li Ju'an happened to look at her in tacit understanding. The two exchanged a knowing smile.

Suddenly, Lu Zhiqiang, who was quite drunk, raised his glass and shouted, "Hey, speaking of this, my brother Li wasn't very lucky. He was interested in Jiang Man, a saleswoman at the supply and marketing cooperative, but she fell for a truck driver. You know, drivers are still more desirable. Even if it were a regular employee from the forest farm, my brother Li would still be better off, but if it's a driver, we're all way behind."

Once he started talking, Lin Mei looked at Li Ju'an in surprise.

Li Ju'an slapped his thigh and covered Lu Zhiqiang's mouth with a face full of anger: "What nonsense are you spouting? Who the hell is interested in a female comrade from the supply and marketing cooperative? You're just making up a bunch of lies."

Lu Zhiqiang got angry and shouted at Song Desheng, "How come I'm the one making things up? You let Song Desheng tell us, be the judge. We brothers all know that you care about Jiang Man the most. When it comes to her and the truck driver, you always have a long face."

Song Desheng nodded as he drank, confirming that it was true.

The villagers were immediately intrigued. They all went to the supply and marketing cooperative, knowing that there was a pretty girl in the hardware section. Jiang Man's maternal grandfather was a long-time employee of the cooperative's purchasing station and was well acquainted with several hunters in the village.

The table was filled with hisses, all tinged with regret and curiosity. The aunts and sisters-in-law were also quietly inquiring whether Li Ju'an had a crush on Jiang Man. The second aunt of the Lu family sighed and said regretfully, "Getting into the supply and marketing cooperative isn't easy. Jiang Man has a good job, is beautiful, and comes from a good family. Anyone would be eager to get her. Sigh, Ju'an is good in every way, but when it comes to work, he's still better off as a truck driver."

In the mountains, even the county magistrate wouldn't switch places while holding the steering wheel. The crowd listened with rapt attention, offering words of comfort to Li Ju'an. It didn't matter that Jiang Man didn't favor him; anyone would choose a truck driver.

Just as Li Ju'an was about to stand up, he was surrounded by seven or eight kind-hearted aunts and sisters-in-law. Lu's second aunt widened her eyes and enthusiastically started making arrangements to introduce her brother-in-law's daughter to Li Ju'an.

"That girl is so pretty, with fair skin and long legs."

Li Ju'an watched Lin Mei turn and leave her seat. He couldn't squeeze through the crowd and was anxious. In his haste, he pushed aside Lu's second aunt and chased after her.

The sisters-in-law shouted, "Where are you going? You won't even answer if we say a few words?"

Lu Zhiqiang smiled and continued to urge Li Ju'an to drink, saying, "Oh dear, everyone has to go to the toilet sometimes. Li Ju'an can't afford to drink, so he's hiding in the outhouse to reserve a spot, hahaha."

……

Li Ju'an caught up with Lin Mei, panting. He had drunk too much wine and the cold wind made him feel dizzy and lightheaded. Lin Mei, with her back to him, shed tears, taking off her handkerchief to wipe the wet corners of her eyes.

Seeing that Lin Mei's nose and face were red from the cold, he quickly turned her body around and took off his scarf to wrap her up.

Lin Mei, wearing an embroidered cotton-padded jacket, a cotton hat, and a gag, was crying so hard that snot streamed down her face, and her little face was flushed. But Li Ju'an didn't find her disheveled; instead, he thought Lin Mei was very real and adorable.

He handed over the face cream in his hand and said, "I brought this to you when I went to town last time, but I didn't have a chance to give it to you. I brought it with me to the banquet this time and made a special effort to give it to you."

Lin Mei refused to take it, her eyes reddening as she turned her face away. Her voice was pleasant but cold: "Where did you buy it? From the supply and marketing cooperative?"

"Of course, where else can you buy it?"

As soon as Li Ju'an finished speaking, he noticed her even more aggrieved expression and quickly slapped her head to coax her, "What nonsense are you thinking? Don't listen to that scoundrel Lu Zhiqiang's ramblings. Who goes to the supply and marketing cooperative just to see Jiang Man? I've only met her twice, and I can't even remember what her nose and eyes look like, but those sour grapes are making it sound so real. Besides, if I really liked her, why would I be thinking about you every day and bringing you things from everywhere I go?"

He took Lin Mei's small hand, which was covered by a glove, and placed a box of face cream into her palm. She turned her head and looked up at Li Ju'an.

Li Ju'an wrapped a scarf around her neck, and the cold wind howled and poured into his neck. The temperature was over forty degrees below zero, and he was shivering so badly that snot was bubbling out of his nose. He was almost frozen solid.

Lin Mei chuckled, reached into her cotton-padded jacket pocket, pulled out an item, and stuffed it into Li Ju'an's arms. It was a pair of hand warmers she had sewn herself, very thick.

Her almond-shaped eyes were still glistening with tears, but her smile was bright and captivating: "I believe you."

"What?"

“I don’t believe what other people say, but I believe what you tell me.”

Li Ju'an stared at her intently, and seeing Lin Mei's unwavering determination, a soft spot in his heart trembled.

In his previous life, he had traveled all over the country and met so many businessmen. In the business world, regardless of gender, everyone's eyes gleamed with shrewdness and calculation. Every drinking session was a weighing of resources, connections, and benefits that were advantageous to themselves. Even the pretty women who approached him, talking about love, were only eyeing the money in his pocket.

Those beautiful women talk about money with poor men and about feelings with rich men, and in the end they marry an honest and simple man who ends up being their sugar daddy, while the honest man is left with nothing but complaints and contempt.

His eyes were direct, bright, and piercing. Lin Mei felt a little embarrassed by his gaze and playfully punched his chest with her small fist, saying, "Mom got me a new coat. I took apart my outgrown cotton-padded coat and pried out some cotton padding. I used the fabric Mom bought and the leftovers to make glove covers, and then stuffed the cotton padding into them. It took me several days to sew. Try it on and see if it fits. If it doesn't, I'll..."

Her bright red lips parted slightly, and before she could finish speaking, Li Ju'an tapped the back of her head and kissed her beautiful lips.

The kiss lasted a long time, and her body gradually softened.

Both of them were breathing irregularly.