The day Ding Yun turned twenty-five, she took a deep breath and knocked on her mother's door. Huang Haijuan opened it, saw Ding Yun, and then peered around her, left and right, discovering no one else. Her face immediately fell, and she grumbled, "Why are you back alone again? Couldn't you have rented a man from outside just to make me happy? Do you even know what your zodiac sign is, what year you were born, or how old you are this year?"
"What, you don't even want me to come inside?"
This wasn't the first time something like this had happened. Ding Yun's skin had long since thickened, so she rolled her eyes, replied helplessly, and pushed her way into the house. Then, she tossed the things she'd brought to the side, wanting to hurry to her bedroom.
But how could Huang Haijuan let her go? She quickly grabbed Ding Yun and pulled her into the living room. "Don't think about avoiding this. Sit down, sit down. Don't get upset every time this is brought up. Can you hide forever? This isn't like other matters. If you're unhappy or unwilling about other things, we wouldn't lecture you. But this is really important!"
"You can't give up on finding a partner and getting married just because you met a scumbag. Do you know how much trouble you cause your father and me by not getting married? I don't even dare to go downstairs and socialize with people anymore. When I chat with others, they always bring up their children, and then they bring up you, asking why you're still not married, why you don't have a partner. What can I say? I can only say you're too picky. And in private, they spread rumors that I'm asking for too much dowry, so you haven't gotten married. I swear to heaven, I don't ask for any dowry! I wish I could pay someone to marry you off! Can you be a bit more accomplished and stop making me worry? When your younger brother wants to find a girlfriend, and he knows his older sister is still unmarried in her thirties. What will people think? Does your brother still want to get married?"
"So, because of this, I have to find someone I may not have known before, someone I might not like in the future, and live the rest of my life for you? Have you considered my feelings at all?"
Faced with Huang Haijuan's pressure, Ding Yun was naturally very displeased. She had already begun to ponder whether she should even come back for Lunar New Year in the future.
Huang Haijuan continued her complaints, "Oh, don't give me that. You're this old, what 'true love' are you still looking for? And if you're really capable of finding it, then hurry up and find someone, hurry up and get married. You're thirty, how long do you want to wait? Still hoping to find someone in their teens?"
"Let me tell you the truth, I don't want to find 'true love,' nor do I want to find a partner to get married. I'm quite content with things as they are now. If you're really too embarrassed, then just tell people I'm already divorced, that I even gave the child to the other party. I don't believe they'll come looking for me with my divorce certificate to verify your story! How about it? Do you want me to embellish it further, make it more convincing, without any loopholes?" Ding Yun said impatiently soon after. Her tone was filled with considerable dissatisfaction.
"You think I wouldn't dare? Let me tell you, being divorced sounds better than being unmarried forever. Oh, heavens, you're making me so angry... Why do you have no ambition? After that Zhao Pu, or whatever his name was, dumped you, you should have found someone better. Why are you so uninspired? Anyone would think you're still pining for him, that's why you're not looking for a partner or getting married. Old man, come and talk to her. I can't get through to her. Oh my, this is going to be the death of me! How could I have given birth to such a stubborn donkey..."
With Huang Haijuan's call, the situation undoubtedly escalated into a two-on-one interrogation, a united front of parents. Finally, Ding Yun, too weary to argue further, specifically stated that she would bring someone back next year. Only then was the matter grudgingly resolved.
After a New Year that was followed by further minor dramas, Ding Yun left in a hurry on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year. Although the holiday extended to the seventh day, Ding Yun genuinely couldn't bear to stay home any longer. She regretted not having applied for overtime.
As soon as Ding Yun left, Huang Haijuan and her husband consulted and specifically shifted their target, indirectly hinting to their son that he didn't need to study all the time at school. They suggested he could try to find someone he liked to chat with occasionally, even dating was permissible. They were truly afraid their son would follow in their daughter's footsteps and remain unmarried into his thirties or forties.
...
Upon returning home, before Ding Yun could even consider if she should genuinely try to find a partner, her online store, which had been dormant for years, suddenly received an order. It was the first order in years. Although Ding Yun wasn't sure what the customer's intentions were, she treated them as a guest and promptly contacted them. She inquired about the recipient of the blessings, asking for their real name and a photo.
The other party hesitated slightly, then after asking for more details, sent their name and photo to Ding Yun. According to the customer, she and her husband had been married for five years but had no children. They had both undergone medical checks, and the doctors found no issues, suggesting it might just be a matter of fate. Her husband didn't want her to take any medicine that could harm her health, so she decided to try spiritual means. Ding Yun didn't probe further, merely stating that she would send blessings to them daily for the next few days, but they would need to cooperate, as she could only offer blessings, not create something from nothing.
Ding Yun then used her three daily blessing opportunities for the day on them. After all, they were her first customer, so she had to treat them well, hoping they would achieve their wish. This would help her build a good reputation and start off on the right foot. If her online store venture succeeded, with just one order a day, she wouldn't have to work her regular job anymore. Of course, since her store's sales hadn't picked up yet, Ding Yun continued her regular work. She also kept a close eye on her online store, not only to see if any new orders came in but also to gauge customer feedback.
While Ding Yun anxiously waited, the buyer, Zhou Chunli, was even more composed. She had already engaged in numerous similar practices during this period, obtaining various talismans for bearing children and statues of Guanyin who grants children. The "Myriad Sons and Thousand Grandchildren Bring Blessings" she bought from Ding Yun was merely the icing on the cake. This calm demeanor lasted until about half a month later, when two pink lines appeared on the pregnancy test. She immediately rushed to tell her husband, and they went for another detailed check-up at the hospital to confirm. Then, they embraced each other and erupted in joyous laughter.