Chapter 67 – The Self-Pitying Stepsister in a Historical-Era Novel (Part 15)

A year passed quietly, almost without notice. During that time, Yang Mother never dared to show her face again, and Wu Yu's life remained peaceful and uneventful.

Recently, the textile factory, together with a few nearby government work units, organized a large matchmaking party. The event was open to all unmarried men and women aged seventeen and up. The higher-ups hoped this would help solve the personal lives of the young people across the units.

Wu Yu hadn't originally planned on attending. But since the two other girls in her office were going, she decided to tag along and check it out—just for the experience.

It was entirely voluntary anyway, and she had never participated in such a large-scale blind date before. It seemed like a good opportunity to observe and learn.

Because it was a joint effort by several units, the venue was grand. Over 500 young men and women showed up.

When Wu Yu and her colleagues arrived at the scene, they were surprised by how many people had come. Wu Yu, being naturally introverted, had no intention of mingling with strangers.

So, after saying goodbye to her two coworkers, she quietly found a seat in a corner, silently observing the surroundings.

This habit of assessing her environment was a side effect from her first life. In any unfamiliar place, she instinctively scouted out exits and mapped out potential escape routes in her mind.

Just sitting there quietly, Wu Yu still attracted plenty of male attention. But the icy expression on her face made her seem untouchable—like a rose with thorns. No one dared approach.

Among the crowd was Nie Sheng. Truth be told, he hadn't wanted to come either.

But the old leader at his factory had personally dragged him out of his lab and insisted he participate. He couldn't very well reject that goodwill.

Before arriving, Nie Sheng had assumed the event would be filled with superficial women. He'd rather be alone with his data than deal with noisy girls.

But then came the instant slap to his expectations—he saw Wu Yu sitting quietly in the corner. It wasn't just her beauty that caught his attention, but the calm and ethereal aura she gave off, like someone untouched by the mundane world.

Wu Yu, of course, sensed the stares—especially the inappropriate, greedy ones. But one gaze stood out. It was persistent but purely appreciative, with no malice or lust.

Curious, Wu Yu lifted her eyes and met Nie Sheng's gaze for a split second before looking away.

That one glance was enough to make Nie Sheng's ears turn beet red. He had no idea he could be so hopeless—just a single look and he was completely flustered.

In contrast, Wu Yu didn't think much of it. She only remembered that the man had decent features.

She was never the type to fall in love at first sight—her feelings were always slow to develop.

While she was quietly watching Wu Tingting and the others flirt and chat, a shadow suddenly blocked her view.

She looked up and couldn't help twitching at the sight—what was this man wearing?

Imagine a flashy peacock of a man standing before you, dressed like a walking kaleidoscope. That was what she saw.

He had even rolled up his sleeves to show off his watch and, with an exaggerated wink, said smugly,

"Miss, what do you think of my qualifications?"

Wu Yu was struck dumb by this walking fashion disaster. She bluntly replied,

"Sorry, you don't meet my standards."

The peacock, Young Master Zhou, was stunned. He couldn't understand it—he was a well-educated, foreign-returned heir from a wealthy family. Usually girls were falling over themselves for him. Why was this girl not impressed?

What he didn't realize was that in those foreign lands, it wasn't him they adored—it was his status.

He sulked away, muttering that Wu Yu must be blind not to recognize his charm, wealth, and good looks.

In truth, Zhou Da Shao was a narcissist who could never admit failure. He'd rather convince himself others had poor taste than question his own value.

But to his credit, he still considered himself a gentleman. So, though hurt, he didn't cling or make a fuss.

Watching this whole scene unfold from nearby, Nie Sheng had been sweating bullets the moment that guy approached. But now, seeing Zhou retreat in defeat, he finally let out a breath of relief.

Nie Sheng knew Zhou's reputation well—wealthy, well-connected, and rarely rejected by women. Wu Yu's calm and direct rejection made Nie Sheng feel a secret thrill of satisfaction.

"Just as I thought," he thought, "she's not materialistic. She sees things clearly."

After that dramatic failure, the other men at the event hesitated to approach. If even Young Master Zhou was turned down, what chance did they have?

Taking advantage of the lull, Nie Sheng gathered his courage. He couldn't risk letting another man steal the opportunity.

Wu Yu noticed him approaching and recognized him from earlier. She glanced at his nervous hands and instantly understood—he was anxious.

Indeed, Nie Sheng was extremely nervous. Talking to Wu Yu felt more daunting than waiting for the results of an important experiment.

He kept reminding himself not to mess up.

Finally, he stammered,

"C-Comrade, may I talk to you? Just for a moment... a few words..."

That simple sentence took him forever to say. Wu Yu found it amusing, though she kept a straight face to hide her laughter.

She figured he must be a relationship novice—a pure and awkward young man.

Wu Yu didn't dislike this type of person. She nodded and agreed to chat.

From there, Nie Sheng did most of the talking. He rattled off his family background, job benefits, and so on. Wu Yu mostly responded with polite "Mm"s and "I see"s.

This was Wu Yu's first time participating in a matchmaking event of this kind—she had no idea what she was supposed to say.

Nie Sheng's tendency to spill everything at once left her a bit speechless.

As for Wu Yu, she only shared basic information about herself. She said nothing about her family.

Nie Sheng didn't press. He respected her and didn't believe that just because he was open, she had to be as well.

Wu Yu's first impression of Nie Sheng?—A sincere, innocent suitor.

She didn't dislike him.

As for what would happen next… that would depend on his performance.