From Hoarding to Time-Travel: My Supplies Saved Him

Chapter 410: Chapter 411: Making Inquiries

Jin Qianqian could tell with a single glance that this had been carefully prepared; the pastries arranged on the plate were all purchased from her own shop.

These little pastries were not to be underestimated—they were sold in limited quantities each day, and one had to arrive early to get any.

She unhesitatingly picked up a piece, took a small bite, and then said, "Miss Xu, you’re much thinner than before. You must take good care of your health for a long and happy future."

Xu Nuo replied at once, "Yes, thank you for your concern, Madam."

Matchmaker Lao knew it was rather improper for a young woman to be negotiating her own marriage, but they had no other choice. All she could do was jump in and mediate the conversation.

"Sigh, times have been difficult for her lately. But things are looking up now! Once she’s engaged to Young Master Le Huan of your esteemed family, her days will be nothing but pleasant and smooth sailing."

This was the first time Jin Qianqian had seen a matchmaker up close, and it was a far cry from what she had imagined. The woman was simply an eloquent elder.

"Our Le Huan mentioned that you are like an elder to Miss Xu, always caring and looking out for her. Regarding this marriage, what requests do you have?"

Even though Jin Qianqian wasn’t born and raised in this era, she knew it was highly improper to discuss the wedding directly with the bride-to-be.

Seeing Matchmaker Lao there was the perfect solution to Miss Xu’s awkward predicament, so she turned and began talking with the matchmaker instead.

Having been a matchmaker her whole life, she was naturally well-versed in the etiquette. That, combined with the silver tongue her profession demanded, meant it wasn’t long before the two were deep in a pleasant conversation.

Sitting to the side, Xu Nuo quietly breathed a sigh of relief. From their past encounters, she knew Mrs. Gu was a decisive and efficient woman.

She just hadn’t expected Mrs. Gu to apply the same approach to marriage negotiations. She smilingly agreed to every condition they proposed and even proactively addressed details they had overlooked.

After they had talked for a while, the two parties exchanged marriage proposals. Only then did Jin Qianqian have her maids place the gifts they had brought on the table.

As this was only the initial visit for the proposal, Jin Qianqian hadn’t brought anything extravagant—just some common gifts for a first meeting, which Xu Nuo accepted without feeling burdened.

After seeing them off, Matchmaker Lao finally let out a long sigh of relief. It was her first time dealing with an official’s wife; forcing herself to keep the conversation going for so long had stretched her to her limit.

She reached out and grabbed Xu Nuo’s arm. "Quick, help me to that stool over there so I can recover. My legs have gone soft."

Xu Nuo and Sanhua quickly helped the woman to a seat and poured her a cup of warm water. She rested for a long while before she finally regained her composure.

"Mrs. Gu might have been all smiles, but I don’t know why, I was just so intimidated. I was terrified deep down. Good thing she didn’t stay long, or I’m sure I would have embarrassed myself."

Xu Nuo quickly rubbed her back and squeezed her arm reassuringly. "You’ve worked so hard for my sake."

"You silly girl, why are you saying such things?

"Look at it another way. Thanks to you, this old woman got to sit and discuss a marriage with such a high-ranking official’s wife for the first time. This is something I can brag about for years!"

Even among matchmakers, there’s a pecking order. Official families and wealthy households usually use official matchmakers. She had assumed they would hire someone else, but they had her officiate. ’This must be their way of showing respect for Xu Nuo,’ she thought.

Xu Nuo was also very pleased with their first meeting. The other party was agreeable and had given her a brief overview of the entire extended family.

Among the Gu family brothers, even though Le Huan’s branch of the family wasn’t doing particularly well, he had several capable brothers. With them around, his future prospects couldn’t be too bad.

"You’ve really lucked out," Matchmaker Lao sighed. "Even though you’re taking a husband to carry on your family name, your line is thin.

"A family like that, with a proper clan and plenty of male heirs, has a future full of promise.

"Besides, she just made a point of mentioning their clan rules. On the surface, it sounded like she was stating terms, but really, it was a subtle warning.

"So when you marry in, you need to be smart. Don’t even think about having your future children take your family name and carry on your line. If you do, you’ll get Young Master Gu thrown out of the clan."

Matchmaker Lao was afraid that Xu Nuo’s current agreement was just a stalling tactic. If she tried to have her children take her family name later on, she would have truly and irrevocably offended them!

Xu Nuo nodded. Even if she had entertained such ideas before, they were now completely gone.

Although it sounded like her mother-in-law might be difficult to deal with, she believed that with the Le Family’s prior promises and her own financial standing, she would be able to manage.

Matchmaker Lao, having regained her strength, stood up. "Now we just wait for the compatibility reading of the birth characters. I trust Mrs. Gu’s visit today will make the neighbors behave themselves. But you still need to keep a close watch on your house. We can’t afford any slip-ups at this critical stage.

"This isn’t set in stone yet, so don’t go spreading it around. We have to play it safe."

Xu Nuo knew Matchmaker Lao’s warnings were for her own good. "Don’t worry, ma’am, I understand.

"Are you sure you’re not feeling unwell anywhere? I can have someone take you to an apothecary."

Matchmaker Lao waved a dismissive hand. "I was just wound up too tight. It’s just the sudden release of tension; I’m not used to it.

"I’m perfectly fine now. I won’t keep you any longer. I have to go check on another potential match, so I’ll be on my way."

Xu Nuo didn’t press her to stay. She selected a box of pastries and a bunch of grapes—a rare sight in the market—from the gifts Jin Qianqian had just delivered. "Please, take these to try. I’m afraid I’ll have to rely on your hard work again in the future."

Matchmaker Lao accepted them without hesitation. "Then I’ll indulge myself today and have a taste of what only the wealthy get to eat."

The moment Matchmaker Lao stepped out the main gate, goods in hand, the people lingering nearby popped out.

"Matchmaker Lao, what’s that you’re carrying?" These people were asking even though they knew the answer. They had all seen the maids carrying things inside and then leave empty-handed, so they knew these were gifts from the visitors.

Matchmaker Lao replied, "Just a little treat Miss Xu gave this old woman. Are all of you this free today? So many people just milling about?"

"Heh, we’re just curious! The brokerage is supposed to be in a mourning period, so why is there a distinguished guest visiting? Or has Xu Nuo landed another big business deal?"

They were all old neighbors; everyone knew Xu Nuo didn’t have any powerful relatives. So they leaned toward the theory that a client had come to talk business.

After all, before Old Ya Po passed away, she had some very valuable listings.

Matchmaker Lao retorted, "What kind of business would she be discussing now? Stop trying to ruin Miss Xu’s reputation.

"That was just an elder of hers who came to visit. Now, put away your curiosity. Those are not people we can afford to provoke."

Granny Wu, the one who had spoken up earlier, hurried over. "She was entertaining a guest, so what was a matchmaker doing here? What’s more, you were the one standing guard at her door first thing this morning."