After I Blocked the Matchmaker Customer Service, He Came for Door-to-door Service - Chapter 3
Chapter 3
When Uncle Chen came in, Xie Chi pressed his hand over the copper bell.
The third chime never rang.
I looked at him.
Xie Chi said quietly, “Once the third chime sounds, he’ll notice.”
“Notice what?”
“That someone’s checking the thread.”
Uncle Chen set the fruit down on the coffee table, his gaze sweeping quickly over Xie Chi and me.
“Mianmian has a boyfriend now?”
My mom immediately said, “No, he’s a friend.”
Uncle Chen smiled gently.
“A friend is good too. Mianmian has been independent since she was little. She should have someone by her side to look after her.”
There was nothing wrong with that on the surface.
But goosebumps rose all over me.
Ever since I was a child, every time Uncle Chen came over, he said more or less the same things.
Your mother has it hard.
You need to be sensible.
Girls shouldn’t be too headstrong.
Once you have a man to take care of you, your auntie will finally be at ease.
I used to think it was just annoying.
Only now did I realize that every word he’d ever said had been pushing me in one direction.
Xie Chi stood by the window, a thin Red String pinched between his fingers.
The thread extended from my shoulder, crossed the living room, and wound itself around Uncle Chen’s wrist.
The thread was old.
It hadn’t been attached recently.
After Uncle Chen sat down, he suddenly looked at Xie Chi.
“What kind of work do you do, young man?”
Xie Chi said, “Repairs.”
“What do you repair?”
“Relationships that shouldn’t exist.”
Uncle Chen’s smile faded a little.
My mom frowned.
“Mianmian, what’s with the way your friend talks?”
I said, “Sounds pretty accurate to me.”
Uncle Chen picked up his teacup.
“Young people are like that. A bit of a temper is normal.”
Just as the cup touched his lips, the thread in Xie Chi’s hand suddenly twitched.
Uncle Chen’s hand shook.
Hot tea spilled onto his pants.
For one instant, his expression darkened.
Then he quickly returned to his gentle demeanor.
“It’s fine, it’s fine.”
Xie Chi looked at me.
I understood what he meant.
There was something wrong with this man.
What I didn’t understand was why.
Uncle Chen wasn’t one of my blind dates, nor was he my relative.
What could he possibly take from me?
My mom went to get a towel.
Only the three of us were left in the living room.
Uncle Chen suddenly lowered his voice.
“Mianmian, your mother’s health hasn’t been good these past few years. Don’t keep making her worry.”
I said, “How do you know her health hasn’t been good?”
“We’re old colleagues. We chat often.”
“Chatting enough for you to arrange blind dates for me?”
Uncle Chen sighed.
“I just know how hard it’s been for your mother.”
Xie Chi suddenly spoke. “What you’ve been watching is her lifespan.”
Uncle Chen’s head snapped up.
This time, the gentleness on his face cracked completely.
My mom came back with the towel, not noticing the strange atmosphere.
Uncle Chen took the towel and stood.
“I have something else to do. I’ll be going now.”
I wanted to stop him.
But Xie Chi gently pressed down on my wrist.
His fingertips were very cold.
I saw the Red String around Uncle Chen’s wrist retreat into his sleeve like a startled little snake.
After the door closed, the copper bell finally rang for the third time.
Ding.
My mom jumped in fright.
“What was that?”
Xie Chi said, “Fault confirmed.”
My mom didn’t understand.
But I felt a chill creep up from the soles of my feet.
“What did he mean by watching her lifespan?”
Xie Chi looked at the door.
“When your mother was young, she originally had a long marriage fate thread.”
“Later, someone severed it and attached it to you.”
My mom’s face went pale.
“What nonsense are you spouting?”
Xie Chi ignored her.
He looked at me.
“Jiang Mian, you weren’t born with a Supply-type Marriage Bond.”
“Starting when you were six, someone used you to repay your mother’s romantic debt.”
My head buzzed.
Six years old.
That was the year my dad left.
