Help others? It's better to help yourself - Chapter 28

Xu Jing’an believed in doing things early rather than late.

That evening, after finishing dinner, Xu Jing’an used the search function in the space to begin her search across the entire city.

First Round—

1. Open Selection:
– Single Men: About 2.43 million
– Ages 18–30: Nearly 1.6 million
– Good-looking, Healthy, 170 cm or taller: Around 1 million
– Employed: Nearly 200,000
– Few Family Burdens: 20,000
– Can Afford a House After Marriage: Over 10,000
– No Children: 8,000
– No Preferred Girls: 2,000
– No Poor Character: 1,000
– No Complicated Family Issues: 500
– No Indecisive Personality: 300
– Has a Family Favorite Pet: 100

Second Round—

The preliminary selection went well. Xu Jing’an would now carefully screen these 100 candidates one by one to find the true gem!

She just wanted a peaceful life, not constant commotion or poverty alleviation. She had endured enough hardships during her years with the old Xu family!

Each day, she reviewed three candidates. She started by looking at photos and then reviewing the collected information. If they seemed suitable, she would then check their family background. If everything looked good, she would note their names for the next round.

After a month, the number of candidates was reduced to 50.

Third Round—

For the semi-finals, she eliminated candidates with exceptional backgrounds or appearances—too good to be true.

She also removed those in professions like professors and teachers—she was allergic to animals.

Candidates who were from H City but lived too far away in the county were also removed—long-distance would prevent meaningful interaction.

When Xu Jing’an finalized the fourth round of candidates, only 10 remained.

Fourth Round—

The elimination round was now in June.

For these 10 candidates, Xu Jing’an reviewed their information daily, checking for any overlooked details or potential issues.

A month later, Xu Jing’an discovered the following:

– 1 candidate with unusual preferences—eliminated. She didn’t want a man with such unique inclinations.
– 1 candidate with cold personality—eliminated. She wanted a cozy, personal warmth.
– 1 candidate who was too honest—eliminated. Such honesty would mean enduring other people’s resentment.

After another half month, she found:

– 1 candidate involved in a complex prince scenario—eliminated. The plot was too complicated, and her brain capacity wasn’t enough for it.
– 1 candidate who controlled the black market—eliminated. His ambitions were too grand for her small “temple,” and she had no intention of mixing with the black market.
– 1 candidate wanting only a stunningly beautiful wife—eliminated. She was an ordinary person, not matching his requirements.

Four candidates remained!

Mid-July, Fifth Round—Finals

1. Candidate 1: Zhou Chang’an, 30 years old—A platoon leader in a nearby military camp.
2. Candidate 2: Sun Chuanjun, 22 years old—A worker at the steel plant.
3. Candidate 3: Shen He, 26 years old—A police officer at the city police bureau.
4. Candidate 4: Cao Zhiyuan, 28 years old—A surgeon at the city’s First Hospital.

First Observation: Candidate 2—Sun Chuanjun. He happened to be from the same unit as her. She decided to check out Candidate 2 first, as proximity often gave an advantage.

—

“Here are the documents. Please make a copy and deliver it to the Quality Inspection Department,” Director Huang said, placing the documents in the archives before leaving. Last year, the Tianjin experimental factory produced nearly 700 copiers. The steel plant secured one, which was now in the archives.

“Su Fen, you go ahead. I’ll deliver this,” Xu Jing’an said, picking up the documents after making copies.

Wu Su Fen had recently had success with blind dates and was now in the passionate phase of a relationship, busy knitting sweaters for her partner.

Xu Jing’an knocked and entered the Quality Inspection Department. “Hello, Director Huang sent me with these documents,” she said to the people in the office.

“Give them to me,” said a middle-aged man.

“Please sign here,” Xu Jing’an said, handing over the form and pen.

“Do we need to sign now?” the middle-aged man asked in surprise, with everyone around looking at her.

“Yes,” Xu Jing’an nodded and explained, “We handle a lot of documents in the archives daily. To avoid losing or mixing them up, we created this form so that everything is clear at a glance.”

This form was Xu Jing’an’s own idea. She had specifically requested and reported it to Director Huang. After hearing her out, Director Huang agreed, as it ensured that any issues would not fall on his shoulders. Xu Jing’an even kept a copy in her personal space as a precaution.

“You are very meticulous and responsible,” said the person speaking—Sun Chuanjun, her target.

Xu Jing’an smiled at him, “Thank you. If we’re talking about responsibility, your Quality Inspection Department is the top in our steel plant.”

The people in the room smiled happily upon hearing this, and the atmosphere became noticeably warmer than before.

Over the next period, Xu Jing’an encountered Sun Chuanjun several times while delivering documents or meeting him in the cafeteria or on the road. Each time they met, Sun Chuanjun greeted her politely and warmly. She also noticed several pretty young women occasionally seeking him out.

Candidate 2 is eliminated! He isn’t interested in her, and she isn’t very compatible either.

Second Observation Object—Zhou Chang’an: After reviewing several photos, it must be said that he looks quite good and is highly capable at work. His personal conduct is commendable as well. However, he is from W! The men there are extremely patriarchal.

In her previous life, some online friends married into W, and the environment was challenging. They have a strong preference for men over women.

In W, women take on all household chores willingly, while men consider it their right not to do any. Women must avoid certain things during their menstrual period, and their underwear must not be hung out in the sun. W follows a so-called engagement system where couples are engaged but do not register their marriage. They live together as husband and wife, and only register when they have a son.

This is the 21st century!

How many soldiers can serve for a lifetime? There will be several rounds of military downsizing in the coming years. As one ages, if they don’t advance in rank, they have to retire and return to their hometown. The specifics of his family situation are too distant for space searches.

Candidate 1 is eliminated! She cannot understand their dialect and cannot adapt to that environment. With her “cannon fodder” constitution, it’s better not to venture into uncertain situations.

Third Observation Object—Cao Zhiyuan: During the factory holiday, Xu Jing’an specifically took a trip to the First Hospital.

She first registered and then had a medical examination.

After years of wear and tear, her health has deteriorated significantly. Her hands and feet are cold all year round, and she needs proper recuperation. She should take advantage of the good doctors available now.

After some examination, it turned out she had no major issues, just overall weakness and needed to take traditional Chinese medicine for adjustment. Xu Jing’an decisively had the doctor prescribe half a month’s worth of medication. She needed to take good care of herself.

After two months, Xu Jing’an felt much better. During her visits to the hospital, she also thoroughly checked Dr. Cao and even investigated his mother’s situation near his home.

Dr. Cao was a filial son, relying on his widowed mother and putting her needs first. To marry Dr. Cao, she would have to pass his mother’s approval. The bond between them was unbreakable! Dr. Cao’s ex-wife had tried to get involved, but was disliked by his mother, and Dr. Cao quickly fulfilled his mother’s wishes, getting a divorce in just three days.

Xu Jing’an thought she would like to have such a son, but she did not want to marry such a son.

This was indeed a double standard!

Candidate 4 is eliminated! She did not want to spend the rest of her life as a dutiful daughter-in-law, inspiring China.

Fourth Observation Object—Shen He: Shen He, a police officer, graduated from police academy, and is single.

After a thorough review, there were no intolerable issues.

Thus, the final choice is candidate 3—Shen He.