After presenting his invitation, Xu Rui was escorted into the living room by a member of the Yue family’s staff.
The Xu family’s magnificent wealth and the grandeur accumulated over several generations had already astonished Xu Rui. But now that he had entered the living room and seen its understated luxury and breathtakingly beautiful interior design, his eyes immediately widened.
Tan Xiaole’s adoptive father, Zhou Jun, and his family lived in a military compound. However, the fact that they could afford to hire a retired military doctor to treat him and had the connections to arrange a precious heart transplant showed that the Zhou family was no ordinary family either. Having been adopted and raised by Zhou Jun and his wife from a young age, Tan Xiaole had been exposed to many things and had developed a discerning eye through what he had seen and heard.
This was merely one of the Yue family’s properties, yet it was already this impressive. Xu Rui could hardly imagine what the Yue family’s main residence must look like.
The thought lasted only a second or two before Xu Rui quickly regained his composure. A calm, gentle smile once again spread across his face.
There were at least thirty or forty people in the living room, some standing and others sitting, but the place was not crowded. Every single one of them was a handsome man. Men of all kinds of temperaments and appearances had gathered together. Some were quietly observing their surroundings, others were gathered in small groups, chatting softly, while a few were already holding glasses and making conversation…
It had to be said that this matchmaking event arranged by the Yue family was essentially a gathering for unmarried men in the district, giving the young people of the area an opportunity to socialize. It was just that these men… in the terminology of the twenty-first century, they were a group of bottoms.
Although Xu Rui’s military-style uniform was eye-catching, there were also a few young talents attending in military uniforms. They were genuine soldiers or military academy students. Among all the carefully dressed young men, Xu Rui’s appearance and physique were not particularly outstanding.
Xu Rui picked up a glass of champagne. The information Li Wenzhe had given him about these young masters flashed through his mind. He went around greeting them one by one and exchanged a few polite words before choosing a relatively quiet spot beside a window to stand.
Fortunately, none of the friends Xu Rui had been on good terms with in the past were here. He couldn’t help but feel relieved.
Perhaps because of the heightened sensitivity brought about by his qigong training, he had a feeling that he had already entered the area under surveillance. However, he had no intention of searching for the locations of the cameras. Since the Yue family wanted to select an outstanding wife for Yue Lingtian from among them, they would certainly be observing everyone discreetly.
But just what kind of daughter-in-law did the Yue family want?
Xu Rui looked at the group of handsome, sophisticated men chatting animatedly. Did they want someone sociable and good at networking? Probably not, Xu Rui quickly concluded. Yue Lingtian was away from home for long periods. If his wife were overly sociable, the chances of him being cheated on might not be high, but the chances of emotional infidelity would certainly increase.
Xu Rui suddenly remembered the conversations he had often overheard among the elderly ladies in the military compound. They used to discuss how to choose a good daughter-in-law.
Things like, “When she enters the house, don’t look at her face. Look at whether she’ll pick up the broom if it’s lying on the floor.”
Or, “At the dinner table, don’t look at how much food she puts on your plate. Look at whether your teacup is always kept eight-tenths full…”
Perhaps Chinese people had always been like this. Parents and their sons often had different standards when choosing a wife, and the parents would always put character above everything else.
Since this matchmaking event had been initiated by Yue Lingtian’s parents, would he have to pass their approval first?
Xu Rui lowered his head, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly in a helpless, self-mocking smile. He never would have imagined that a dignified man like himself would actually have to speculate about such things…
Thinking of Li Wenzhe’s expectations and the circumstances he and his adoptive father faced in the Xu family, Xu Rui quickly raised his eyes and surveyed the living room once more.
Were Chinese parents a thousand years in the future really the same as those from a thousand years ago?
It had been almost half an hour since he arrived, yet there wasn’t a single servant or robot in the living room.
Although everyone was well-mannered and wouldn’t carelessly throw things around or leave things lying about, there were simply too many people. The buffet table was already somewhat messy, and the trash bins were getting rather full.
Xu Rui’s heart stirred. He immediately looked toward the left side of the entrance. Sure enough, there was a command-input platform there, exactly like the one installed in the Xu family home.
As he walked toward it, Xu Rui quickly surveyed the entire room, taking note of everything that needed to be done.
After entering the commands to clean up and replenish the supplies on the keyboard, Xu Rui returned to his spot by the window.
Truthfully, Xu Rui felt rather apprehensive. He had no idea whether he had done the right thing. If he guessed correctly, he would leave a good impression on the Yue family. If he guessed wrong, he might be escorted out before he even got the chance to meet Yue Lingtian.
In a side hall of the Yue family’s main residence, the situation inside the villa was being broadcast live.
Seated around the surveillance screens were Yue Lingtian’s grandparents, Yue Taishan and Ou Xue’er, as well as his father, Yue Xiao, and his mufu, Ji Xuan.
Standing respectfully to one side were the Yue family’s chief butler, Yue Jia, and three robots. The second butler, Yue Xin, was currently inside the villa.
“These young men are all quite good,” said Ou Xue’er, the only woman in the Yue family, as she looked at the screens with satisfaction.
Ou Xue’er was already seventy years old, but she looked to be in her early thirties. Her skin was still fair and smooth, though her hair had turned almost completely white. Despite wearing makeup, her complexion did not look particularly healthy.
Ji Xuan leaned forward with a smile and asked softly, “Mother, is there anyone you particularly like?”
Hearing Ji Xuan’s question, both Yue Taishan and Yue Xiao turned their heads toward her.
Ou Xue’er chuckled. “All these young men are well-mannered and know how to conduct themselves appropriately. However, none of them has particularly stood out yet. We’ll have to observe them a little longer… Oh? This child! Quick, quickly get me this child’s information.”
Ou Xue’er suddenly became excited and pointed at Xu Rui.
At that moment, Xu Rui was walking toward the command platform to issue his instructions. This first round of matchmaking was something she had personally designed. The forty-five-minute period she had allotted was almost over, yet out of the thirty-six people present, only Xu Rui had passed the test.
“Yes, Old Madam,” the chief butler, Yue Jia, replied respectfully.
A robot immediately walked up in front of her. The area on its chest transformed into an electronic screen displaying all of Xu Rui’s records from birth up to the present. Every detail was included, even the incident two months ago when he had fought with Xu Yi and been seriously injured, leaving him unconscious.
Yue Taishan and Yue Xiao were also carefully examining Xu Rui. Seeing his slender frame and somewhat frail appearance, they couldn’t help frowning. Then, after looking through his detailed records, their brows furrowed even more.
Wasn’t he a little too young?
Ou Xue’er looked through the information as she spoke with a smile. “Wasn’t my idea a good one? Although something like what happened today would absolutely never occur with the butlers in our Yue family, and I believe many other families wouldn’t allow it either, there are always exceptions. Look at this. Among all these young men, only Xu Rui was attentive enough to notice what was happening. As for the others, even those who noticed simply stood around waiting, hesitating to do anything. Not a single one even asked about it. How could they not give something so unusual a little more thought? Would our Yue family really do something so discourteous? They all knew perfectly well that they were coming here for a matchmaking event today.”
“Mother really has thought everything through,” Ji Xuan said with a smile, though inwardly he wiped away a bead of cold sweat.
Fortunately, he and Yue Xiao had fallen in love freely and married each other. Otherwise, he might not even have passed the first round!
Nowadays, almost all household chores in families were handled by butlers or robot butlers. Deliberately withdrawing all the butlers and robots for forty-five minutes to test the guests, as they had done today, was probably something only Mother could have thought of.
“Oh, that poor child. How heartbreaking.” Seeing the records of Xu Rui being seriously injured and knocked unconscious by Xu Yi, Ou Xue’er couldn’t help feeling sympathy for him. A woman’s heart was always soft.
Seeing how much Ou Xue’er seemed to like the boy, Yue Xiao quickly reminded her, “Mother, Xu Rui has only just turned twenty. There’s quite a significant age gap between him and Xiao Tian.”
Yue Taishan nodded in agreement. “He’s a little too young. If he marries into our Yue family, and we want to hold our great-grandchild in our arms soon, we’ll have to wait at least another year or two.”
Men were not naturally equipped with the ability to bear children. Even after their bodies had been artificially modified to develop a uterus, the organ still needed time to gradually adapt.
For men who had undergone the necessary injections, the ideal age for marriage was twenty-three or twenty-four. By then, their bodies would have completed their development, giving them a higher chance of becoming pregnant.
“His physique is a little too frail as well,” Yue Xiao added.
Considering Xiao Tian’s height of 193 centimeters, this child was only 178 centimeters. He really was too weak in comparison to his son. Wouldn’t he be unable to handle much before giving out?
Ji Xuan glanced at Yue Xiao but said nothing.
During the initial screening, he had already noticed Xu Rui. However, what had caught his attention wasn’t that Xu Rui was particularly outstanding, but rather that his circumstances were especially miserable.
To be honest, whether in terms of appearance or age, Xu Rui and Yue Lingtian were indeed not the most compatible pair.
The reason Ji Xuan hadn’t eliminated Xu Rui in the first round was simply that he had felt sympathy for him. As a parent himself, he could understand Li Wenzhe’s actions.
But children had their own destinies. The final decision rested with Xiao Tian.
Ou Xue’er, however, liked Xu Rui more and more the longer she looked at him. She noticed that the young man’s mannerisms bore some resemblance to the traditional Chinese customs and etiquette they had studied and passed down through the generations.
As she gave Xu Rui a favorable rating in his file, she said, “Whether he’s too young or suitable isn’t for us to decide. That depends on Xiao Tian. Anyway, I quite like this child. He appeals to me. All right, you should each choose the candidate you like best as well. Ah Xiao, you two should get ready to head over. Xiao Tian won’t be able to transfer back to Earth for the next few years. Ask these young men what they think about that.”
Hearing this, Yue Taishan immediately stood up and took Ou Xue’er’s hand. He said to Yue Xiao and Ji Xuan, “You two go ahead. Your mother and I will rest for a while.”
“Yes, Father, Mother. Please get some proper rest.”
At the same time, inside the surveillance room of the villa, Yue Lingtian had also noticed Xu Rui.
However, what caught his attention wasn’t Xu Rui walking over to the platform to issue commands and arrange for things to be taken care of. Rather, he had noticed how exceptionally sharp Xu Rui’s senses were.
He was certain that Xu Rui had already discovered the surveillance cameras. He could tell from the way the young man maintained a calm expression while repeatedly glancing curiously toward several concealed locations.
Yue Lingtian’s usually cold, emotionless eyes flickered with something, but quickly returned to their usual calm.
This little fellow was rather interesting. It was just that… wasn’t his build a little too small?
Sitting beside Yue Lingtian, Ji Weixin pointed at Xu Rui and exclaimed, “What is that brat doing? Has he already started acting like the future mistress of the Yue family?”
He wasn’t the only one who had that thought. When the vast majority of the people inside the villa saw Xu Rui’s actions, they had the same reaction.
“Little Tian, what do you think?” Ji Weixin turned to look at his cousin, whose expression remained wooden. “Could that brat Xu Rui be trying to attract everyone’s attention by doing this? Oh, oh! So that’s what’s going on! Who came up with this idea?”
When he saw the robots and servants entering the living room to clean up and replenish the food and drinks, and watched as the room quickly returned to its original neat and orderly state, Ji Weixin immediately understood.
The other clever and perceptive people present soon figured it out as well. They couldn’t help feeling extremely regretful.
Yue Lingtian glanced at the noisy Ji Weixin but said nothing.
His grandmother, Ou Xue’er, had once told him that anyone who did something like this must be attentive and kindhearted. Such a person could take in the entire situation and notice problems, yet set aside the crowd’s mentality instead of blindly following what everyone else did. They would act according to what they believed was right.
Someone with such inner qualities was worth paying more attention to.
Women were incredibly precious. Marrying a woman into the family was an honor for the entire household! Ou Xue’er herself was the pride of the Yue family.
Although Ou Xue’er was delicate and physically weak, she was also wise. Everyone was willing to listen to what she had to say.
At that moment, the electronic device on Yue Lingtian’s hand emitted a blue light. He lowered his head to look and saw that his grandparents, father, and mufu had sent him their evaluations.
As expected, his grandmother had chosen Xu Rui.
Yue Lingtian paused briefly before opening Xu Rui’s profile again.
His grandfather had been a little greedy, selecting six candidates. His father had chosen three, while his mufu had also selected three. One of those three was, unexpectedly, Xu Rui as well.
After comparing the candidates with their profiles, Yue Lingtian could tell that his grandfather and father had made their choices more rationally, while his grandmother and mufu had been more emotional.
The Yue family’s second butler, Yue Xin, who had been keeping a low profile from the very beginning, finally made his appearance. This time, he wasn’t going to remain a mere background character. He even took on the role of host.
He delivered his formalities eloquently and humorously, praising everyone generously and making them laugh before finally getting to the main point.
“Young masters, our Yue family attaches great importance to this matchmaking event. In a little while, Master Yue and his wife will come over to meet everyone so that you can get to know each other. General Yue will also be arriving shortly.”
The moment Yue Xin finished speaking, the crowd became restless.
They knew that a matchmaking event would inevitably involve meeting the other party’s family and the person himself. But this was Yue Xiao and his husband, as well as Yue Lingtian!
Meeting Yue Xiao and his husband wasn’t such a big deal. They could still encounter them at certain banquets throughout the year. But General Yue Lingtian? They practically never had the opportunity to meet him!
The thought of being able to interact with this legendary iron-blooded general at such close range made them both excited and nervous.
Xu Rui continued standing quietly by the window. Compared with everyone’s excitement and nervousness, he seemed almost excessively calm.
But only Xu Rui knew that his palms were already sweating and his heart was pounding.
He wasn’t nervous about finally getting to meet Yue Lingtian. Rather, he was worried about his future fate.
Although marrying into the Yue family was the best option, the thought of being a man who would forever have to lie beneath another man made him shudder.
Even more terrifying was the fact that after being on the receiving end, he might actually become pregnant…
Could he remain single instead?
After all, he had never been particularly ambitious or had many desires. Although in his previous life he had once longed to have a girlfriend, get married, and have children like a normal person, it had only ever been a passing thought. He had quickly put it out of his mind.
But what about Li Wenzhe?
If he chose to remain single, Xu Hesheng certainly wouldn’t let him off the hook. And if he tried to escape, where could he go?
In this world, he was an outsider with no one to rely on. He would undoubtedly end up dragging his mufu down with him as well…
Xu Rui’s fingers suddenly curled inward, his fingertips pressing tightly against his palm. Then, slowly, he relaxed them.
He had better prepare himself for meeting Yue Lingtian’s parents in a little while.
Right now, he didn’t even have the strength to protect himself, let alone his mufu.
Although marriage was terrifying, rather than becoming a pawn manipulated by Xu Hesheng in the future, he might as well marry Yue Lingtian.
At least they would only spend about ten days together each year. He could endure that…