My Blind Date Looks Very Fierce

Chapter 12

Grandma's house was built in the early 1980s. By today's standards, it's a typical old and run-down apartment, though it does have a good school district, which makes it somewhat valuable.

But what's the use of its value? Jiang Tao had just started working, and Grandma didn't have much savings. The two of them couldn't afford to move, so this non-liquid school district property was just an ordinary old house.

Jiang Tao had lived here since she could remember. She loved her always-vibrant Grandma and cherished the warm, precious memories, never feeling any disdain.

Now that an outsider, a well-off blind date, had come to their home, Jiang Tao felt awkward sitting on the sofa. Her gaze inevitably wandered to the wall behind the TV, which had a crack running from the ceiling down to the middle. Renovating was too much trouble, so Grandma cleverly hung a large wedding photo of Jiang Tao's aunt and uncle, but a small portion of the frame's top and bottom was still visible.

To the south of the living room was the kitchen. The sliding door was closed, and it was as old as the house itself. The glass was decorated with some floral patterns, though most of it had peeled off. According to Grandma, most of the peeling was due to the antics of Jiang Tao and her cousin. When Jiang Tao was three or four years old, she would peel the patterns off. When Jiang Tao outgrew this habit, her cousin immediately took over.

The living room floor was mostly intact, with only some minor damage if you looked closely.

The coffee table and sofa were both made of red solid wood, with some paint chipping off. Jiang Tao's aunt had wanted to replace them with leather sofas, but Grandma preferred these old wooden pieces.

The TV cabinet was covered with small photo frames, featuring pictures of the grandmother and granddaughter together, as well as many individual photos of Jiang Tao.

Jiang Tao belatedly noticed one photo of herself in front of Tiananmen Square. She was a seven-year-old student with a ponytail and a red scarf, smiling brightly, though it would have been better without the missing front tooth.

The awkwardness reached its peak when she saw this photo. Jiang Tao wished she could cover the long crack in the wall with her own body to shield Grandma.

Cao An was sitting in the middle of the sofa, leaning to one side, chatting with Grandma.

At this moment, Jiang Tao was just a listener.

"The young man looks quite handsome. Why have you never had a girlfriend?" Grandma asked.

"That's because you're brave; others are afraid of me," Cao An replied.

"There's nothing to be afraid of. We all have different looks—some are pretty, some aren't, and some have a fierce appearance. Young people are just more easily frightened. At my age, I've seen a lot."

"As long as you don't mind, I was worried on the way here that I might scare you," Cao An said.

"Well, you and Xiao Tao think alike," Grandma said.

At this, Cao An glanced over at Jiang Tao.

Jiang Tao said, "...I'll get you a glass of water."

She stiffly got up from the sofa, cast a disapproving glance at Grandma, then went to the cabinet to get a disposable cup and filled it with water from the dispenser.

She handed the half-filled cup to Cao An, avoiding eye contact.

"Thank you," Cao An said.

Jiang Tao resumed her role as a listener.

Grandma smiled as she looked at Cao An, "If only you could give me ten more centimeters in height."

Cao An chuckled, "It must be genetic. You're not short either; you're about the same height as my grandmother."