Fang Tangtang retorted disappointedly, “Excuse me, are you stupid? If you don’t have a boyfriend, can’t you create one?”
Create one… A hint of a faint, cold smile touched Jiang Xiaobai’s lips. “How do I create one? Am I a boyfriend manufacturing machine? Should I deal in wholesale too?”
“Jiang Xiaobai, are you sure you are an author? Why can’t the cogs of your brain turn at such a critical moment? Just tell your mother you have a boyfriend, so you don’t want to go on the blind date. Then, when the time comes, all you need to do is find somebody to act as your pretend boyfriend. As to forcing you into marriage, that’s a matter for the future.
The process of dating takes time, right? Besides, understanding each other and getting along also needs time, right? Even if you really are forced into marriage, and you have no other choice, then you can just claim that you broke up due to incompatible personalities. Anyway, let’s deal with what comes our way, one at a time. For now, each hurdle we overcome is a victory in itself.”
Fang Tangtang advised her through the phone like a military officer. She had been so afraid of her mother that she was unable to come up with any good solution. After listening to Fang Tangtang’s words, she thought, Why do I feel as if this idea might just work?
“The problem is, who can I ask to act as my pretend boyfriend? As you know, I don’t know many men. Besides, the guys I’ve known in the past are mostly married and have families. You don’t expect me to ask a married man to act as my pretend boyfriend, do you? Should I… rent one?” She nodded as she thought about this. “That might actually work. I’ll rent a boyfriend. I just need to pay him for every time I need him to appear; isn’t that okay?”
Fang Tangtang interrupted her. “You’re too naïve! Many people have been deceived by those rental boyfriends. What if you get scammed so badly you’re left with nothing?”
Jiang Xiaobai asked, “Are they that bad?”
“The world is full of evil people! There is no knowing what is in a man’s heart! Who knows?”
She replied, “Fang Tangtang, what do you want from me? You gave me this idea yourself! Why don’t you find one for me then?”
“Jiang Xiaobai, don’t you have a ready-made guy by your side?”
Ready-made guy? She blinked; a figure gradually appeared in her mind. Then, she chewed on her lip. “Don’t tell me you’re talking about my editor? No way, no way; he is a bald, middle-aged guy. I can’t accept that!”
Hearing those words, Fang Tangtang nearly fell to her knees. “I’m amazed by you; there’s a handsome guy in front of your face, but you thought of a bald, middle-aged guy. I’m amazed!” At last, she continued, “I’m talking about the guy we met at the bar the other night!”
The guy we met at the bar? Jiang Xiaobai recalled that night; soon, she remembered who the man was. That man named Xiao Su? The guy who went and got himself drunk after being heartbroken? Mulling over it, she chuckled suddenly. “Him? I think you should just forget about it. He may look good, but his heart is taken. Didn’t you see him the other night? He went there to drink away his broken heart! Won’t I look like a fool if I go looking for a man like that?”
“Can you get your priorities straight? So what if he has a broken heart? You’re not dating him; you’re just asking him to pretend to be your boyfriend for a while. Didn’t you help him out that night? It’s just the right time to ask him to return the favor. With his looks, if you bring him along to meet your mother, I think she will believe you.”
She felt that those words by Fang Tangtang made sense. Xiao Su was excellent in terms of height, looks, and conversation skills. If she brought him to meet her mother and introduced him as her boyfriend, she wouldn’t have to worry about being plagued by incessant threats to go on blind dates in the future. Although the idea was rooted in her heart, she felt slightly worried. “Why can’t I shake off the feeling that it’s rather unkind of me to ask a heartbroken person to pretend to be my boyfriend?”
“Oh! The great author Jiang has found her conscience! If you feel that you are being unkind, then you can take the high road and go on the blind date your mother has arranged for you.”
“What is a conscience? Can I eat it? Hahaha…” Jiang Xiaobai changed her tune instantaneously. After ruminating over it, she decided to send a message to Xiao Su then and there, mentioning that she had something she needed his help with. She also mentioned the time she helped him out so that he was unable to refuse.
Xiao Su was busy when he received her message. Seeing that she had invited him to a café, he frowned. He was just about to reply saying that he was not free when he saw her next message. ‘I helped you out once, so you must come! You don’t want to owe me another favor, do you?’
Reading that message, he suddenly had a headache. It’s true… I don’t like to owe people favors; especially if they are women. Therefore, he could only agree to it. The moment he agreed, she immediately threw open her door and skipped out.
Mrs. Jiang had assumed that after staying in her room for such a long time, her daughter must be nearly done dressing up. However, she looked just the same as she had—nothing had changed. Mrs. Jiang immediately became angry after one glance and pointed at her. “Bai, you—”
Taking a large stride forward, she grabbed her mother’s finger and stopped her with a smile. “Mom, please don’t get mad yet. I have something important I need to tell you.”
“What? If it’s about refusing the blind date, I won’t agree to it! Today, you have to go on the blind date! I’ve already gotten to know the other party; he seems quite good in all aspects. Besides, his looks and personality are among the best!”
“Mom, I’m not talking about that. I just wanted to ask you; if your daughter has gotten herself a boyfriend, would you still force me to go on the blind date?”
Mrs. Jiang sneered disdainfully, “Of course I won’t. If you have a boyfriend, will I need to be so worried? But, you don’t have one! You’re single; where will you find a boyfriend?”
Jiang Xiaobai replied solemnly, “That’s not true; I do have a boyfriend.”
However, her mother did not believe her and did not take her words to heart. Thus, she patted her chest and promised, “Mom, everything I said is the truth. I really do have a boyfriend. It’s just that I’ve never told you about him before.”
“Let me tell you, Jiang Xiaobai. Don’t think that I’m like your father who is easily fooled by your words. If you have a boyfriend, then bring him home to show me. I’ve not even seen a strand of his hair, yet you dare claim you have a boyfriend?”
“If you want me to bring him home, then I will. I’ll bring him home tonight! However, if I bring him home, you can’t force me to go on blind dates anymore.”
“Tsk tsk. Look at you! You don’t have a boyfriend, do you? If you did, you wouldn’t say such things.”
“Anyway, I’ve said my piece. I’ll bring my boyfriend home today, so please reject the blind date on my behalf.”
“Hmph, we’ll talk after I’ve seen the person and confirmed it for myself.”
Jiang Xiaobai took in a deep breath. “Just you wait and see!” Then, she let go of her mother’s hand and prepared to leave the house. Mrs. Jiang stared after her suspiciously. “You can’t be thinking of taking this chance to run away, can you?”
“Mom, you know where I live; is there a point to running away? Just wait.”
