Linda Moon had always been fond of winter in New York, and her favorite spot was Central Park. On weekends, she would wander alone by the lake, especially in the evenings. Most of her day would be spent there, sometimes renting a small boat and drifting in the middle of the lake, gazing at the sky, and dozing off when tired. Other times, she would visit the local shops for a bite to eat or a glass of wine, savoring the moment. As evening fell, she would walk quietly along the lake, especially during the summer when the occasional rain would fall, and she would let the raindrops cool her from the days heat without an umbrella.
Now in the depths of winter, the lake was mostly frozen, and Linda enjoyed walking quietly around it, resting on a roadside bench whenever she grew tired.
Linda had never considered herself a quiet person. However, over time, she had grown increasingly apprehensive about social interactions. It was only in solitude that she felt the world was real and her heart belonged to her.
Occasionally, Linda would mockingly think that she was pretending to be profound.
Today, as she walked alone by the lake, she was delighted by the scenery. A snowfall a few days prior had left a blanket of snow on the lake, and there were still traces of snow on the willow branches. As she walked, observing the distant and nearby views, she felt quite pleased. From afar, the lake was a vast expanse of white, with the occasional person ice-skating on its surface.
Linda looked up at the crisscrossing branches, each with a unique and harmonious texture. The pristine whiteness of the snow-covered landscape鈥攚as that the reason Linda chose this place? She herself wasnt sure. Linda wished for another snowfall, to walk in a sea of snow, letting the flakes fall and occasionally catching a few in her palm鈥攚hat a wonderful feeling it would be.
This was the romance Linda dreamed of, and she often wrote such scenes in her novels. She remembered someone saying that the shape of snowflakes in the south was different from those in the north, which left her with a sense of regret.
As the New Year approached, Linda was planning to go home to receive her red envelope again; however, she suddenly realized a serious problem that was very troublesome. Because, not long ago when she went home, her mother said to her, "Youll be twenty-six soon! Are you not planning to get married? Your mother is waiting for you to settle down and start a family, so I can rest in peace. What are you really thinking? Are you deliberately trying to make me..."
Thinking of this, Linda felt a headache coming on. Finally! Her mother issued an ultimatum: If you come home alone for the New Year, you dont have to come back!
Linda tried to seek help from her brothers and sisters, but no one dared to defy their mothers command. Linda knew what her mother was thinking: she had already anticipated that Linda would definitely go home for the New Year. So, her mother finally had the opportunity.
Linda planned to find someone temporarily to save the emergency, but her friends families all knew each other. Qing Ouyang teased Linda one day, saying, "Auntie, I heard that Grandma has given you an ultimatum: if you dont find a boyfriend, youre not allowed to come home for the New Year!" Linda casually replied, "Can you really not let me go home?" Qing Ouyang looked at her eccentric aunt and sighed, "It seems that the emperor is not in a hurry, but the eunuch is anxious. But dont say I didnt warn you, my mom, your elder sister, and uncle, everyone in the family is now taking your marriage as the top priority."
Qing Ouyang continued, "I heard my mom asking my dad if there were any suitable people among his friends for you, and it seems like they might arrange a blind date for you!" After saying this, Qing Ouyang picked up an apple from the table and walked up to Linda, saying, "Auntie, you have to be careful!" Qing Ouyang took a bite of the apple and lay down on the sofa again.
Linda knew that everyones patience seemed to have reached its limit. Looking out the window, Linda said, "It seems I have no choice but to get married!" As Linda finished speaking, her painting was also just completed. Linda looked at Qing Ouyang lying on the sofa and deliberately asked, "You didnt sneak here this time, did you?" Qing Ouyang quickly shook her head to explain, "No! This time Im on a mission. Oh, no! I mean, Im here to see how youre doing on behalf of everyone."
Linda looked out the window, smiled secretly, and turned around, saying, "If you want to stay here, thats fine, but..." Linda deliberately drew out her voice, waiting for Qing Ouyangs answer. Qing Ouyang knew her aunts demands and said, "Alright! Alright! Ill take care of your three meals, okay?" Linda was happy and said, "Thats just one of them." Qing Ouyang could only consider herself unlucky and said, "What else? Lets have it all at once." Linda said with a smile, "Actually, theres nothing much, its just that I have the duty to convey your moms message." Qing Ouyang was already overwhelmed and quickly said, "I know! I know! Just spare me, please. Ill finish my homework, and then, well, Ill do it after that. You wont bother me with anything else, right, Auntie?" Linda nodded helplessly.
Qing Ouyang pounced and hugged Linda, saying, "I knew it, Auntie is the best!"
After dinner, Qing Ouyang pestered Linda, asking, "Auntie, what do you think is the most prestigious magazine in China right now?" Linda looked at Qing Ouyangs mischievous look and said, "How can I answer that question?" Qing Ouyang was disappointed and said, "Oh, how can you not answer that? You must know. Auntie, you must know many people in the magazine industry, right?" Linda said, "If you have any requests, just say it." Qing Ouyang was happy and said, "Auntie is the best to me!" She moved closer and hugged Linda, saying, "I just want to go to the magazine office and see how they work, maybe even meet some celebrities!" Linda patted Qing Ouyangs head and said, "Which one do you want to go to?" Qing Ouyang said, "The one Auntie used to work at is fine!" Linda shook her head and laughed, "Its better to be down-to-earth." Linda got up and threw the invitation she received today to Qing Ouyang, saying, "You can go to this place and see." Qing Ouyang looked at it and said, "Isnt this an invitation for you? Will they pay attention to me?" Linda said, "Its up to you! I have to work, make me a late-night snack."
Qing Ouyang still had questions she wanted to ask, but Linda had already gone into the room.
Linda sat in her chair, turning for a long time, but still couldnt calm down. "What should I do?" Linda muttered to herself. Linda thought for a long time but still couldnt think of a solution. Linda wanted to find something to do, hoping to distract herself, which might make it easier to think of a solution. Linda folded paper airplanes for half an hour but still couldnt think of a solution. Since she couldnt think of a solution, Linda decided to play for a while. After playing darts and watching an action movie, Linda was bored and had to throw the paper airplanes she had just made.
Qing Ouyang cooked the late-night snack and knocked on the door, shouting, "Auntie! Its time to eat!" Qing Ouyang really couldnt understand what her aunt was thinking. Linda opened the door and said, "Coming!
Coming!" Qing Ouyang said, "Auntie, honestly, have you never had a crush on anyone?" Linda didnt expect this little madman to suddenly ask such a trivial question. Linda felt a bit embarrassed and laughed, saying, "Why are you, a child, starting to meddle in adults affairs?" Qing Ouyang said, "Auntie, just tell me!" Linda knew that if she didnt give her an answer, she would be bothered to death. Linda said, "Well! Your aunt really hasnt liked anyone." Qing Ouyang still didnt get the result she wanted because she thought it seemed unlikely. Qing Ouyang was still unwilling to give up and asked, "Is it really like that?" Linda knew what this little ghost was thinking, so she said, "Of course! If there were, how could you guys not know?" Qing Ouyang still didnt believe it and said, "I dont believe it. You never tell the family about your school life. Who knows if you have or not. And even if you do, you wouldnt say it!"
Linda laughed and said, "Hey, you little madman, why are you suddenly concerned about this? You should think about how to convince the magazine boss." Qing Ouyang pulled and tugged at Linda, insisting, "Auntie, my good aunt! Just tell me. Hmm? Just tell me, please!" Qing Ouyang knew that her aunt couldnt stand this kind of soft and hard approach. Linda was very fond of her nieces and nephews, especially Qing Ouyang and Ouyang Ming.
Linda got up and said, "Go wash up. I have to go out. Be careful at home and dont sleep too late." Linda spoke quickly because she couldnt stand this kind of nagging attack.
Gary Liu was chatting online with a stranger when Linda called him out, and he complained a bit. As soon as they met, Gary complained, "I was just having a great conversation with someone online, whats the urgent matter that you had to call me out?" Linda knew they would complain. Before Gary finished, Yifei Wang said, "Ah! Our * is so handsome! I got up at six oclock today, but when I got there, there were already many people waiting! Fortunately, I managed to get it..." Linda planned to listen to all their complaints before talking about her own problem, otherwise, she would have to say it again. Although they were asking what was wrong, they werent really listening to what others were saying. Yifei Wang couldnt stand it and said, "Hey! Lets talk about the important matter first, I have something to do later!"
When Linda saw that everyone was finally willing to listen to her, she said, "Actually, I want you guys to help me think of a solution!" Linda had no choice but to honestly tell everyone about her current miserable situation.
Yifei Wang was the first to say, "We can hire someone and pay them." Gary immediately objected, "No, are we going to let her hire someone to get married and have children? This trick wont work! It will be exposed one day." Yifei Wang said, "Then what do you suggest?" Gary said, "Why dont you just take over!" When Gary was pointing at Gary Liu, Gary Liu disagreed and strongly objected, "Im not doing this! I still want to go to their house in the future." Gary asked, "Then what do you suggest?" Gary Liu said, "The simplest and most effective way!" Everyones hope was concentrated on Gary Liu, thinking he would have a great idea. However, when he said "blind date," everyone slapped his head in unison.
After thinking about it for a long time, everyone said in unison, "Its the only way!" Then everyone started to look at the night view disappointed and bored.
Seeing them give up so quickly, Linda couldnt help but ask, "Can you think of any other solutions? Please! Otherwise, I really will be homeless!"
Gary Liu said, "Why dont you just not go home and spend the New Year with us?" Before Gary Liu finished, Linda had already slapped Gary Lius head. Linda said angrily, "I called you out to think of a solution, not to undermine morale." Gary Liu helplessly said, "Bro, Im just saying. I know you go home every year!"
Yifei Wang coughed a few times and asked formally, "So, Linda, please tell us your criteria for a spouse." Before Linda could reach out to block, her head was inevitably hit.
Gary also asked formally, "Linda, what kind of person do you like?" Linda replied helplessly, "Comrade, Ive said it before, Im not interested in men."
Gary Liu suddenly asked, "So? Do you like girls?" Unexpectedly, Gary Lius head was slapped several times.
After a discussion that lasted nearly two hours, there was still no result. Linda sat there dejectedly and said, "Lets stop for today. Ill go back and think of a solution myself." Linda got up and left. Behind her, Gary Liu complained, "Hey, this guy, called us out and now hes the first to leave. Really!" Gary said, "We cant come up with any results anyway, I think shes annoyed. By the way, I have something to do, Ill leave first!" Before Gary Liu could say anything, Gary had already gotten up and left. Yifei Wang said, "It seems everyone has something to do, lets go too." Gary Liu was a bit reluctant and muttered to himself, "Really! Its hard for everyone to come out once, really! These guys!" So Yifei Wang and Gary Liu could only get up and leave reluctantly.