Chapter Two: A Youth No One Wanted

6. Delivering a Love Letter

The early-morning train traveled along the tracks toward Hsinchu. Outside the windows, the mountains and fields quickly slipped backward. Morning sunlight streamed through the glass, leaving bright bands of light between the rows of seats. The students sat in groups of two or three. Some chatted quietly, while others lowered their heads to study. The passengers simply gazed out the windows in silence.

Tsai Shih-Nan sat in his seat with his Three Principles of the People textbook spread open before him, struggling to memorize the lesson.

Lin Kuang-Ming suddenly leaned over. Without saying a word, he secretly took a letter from his pocket, slipped it into Shih-Nans hand, and then gave a meaningful glance toward Chen Mei-Lan, who was sitting not far away.

Shih-Nan looked down at the letter and immediately understood. He frowned and lowered his voice.

“You give it to her yourself! This is really weird.”

Lin Kuang-Ming gave him a pleading look and reached out to tug at Shih-Nans arm.

“Come on, buddy. Im asking you to help me out.”

Shih-Nan looked at him, then at the letter in his hand, feeling somewhat helpless.

Lin Kuang-Ming normally seemed quite bold, but whenever he faced a girl he liked, he immediately became timid and hesitant. And now Shih-Nan was stuck between the two of them. No matter how he looked at it, he had a feeling this was not going to end well.

“All right! Ill give it to her when we get off the train.”

Lin Kuang-Ming immediately smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

The train soon arrived at Hsinchu Station. As the doors opened, students and passengers streamed onto the platform. Tsai Shih-Nan held the letter in his hand and searched the crowd for Chen Mei-Lan.

Soon, he spotted Mei-Lan walking ahead with Zhang Yu-Ling. He quickened his pace and caught up with them.

“Excuse me, classmate. Could you wait a moment?”

Chen Mei-Lan and Zhang Yu-Ling stopped at the same time and turned around.

Tsai Shih-Nan walked up to them and took the letter from his pocket.

“My classmate asked me to give this letter to you.”

Chen Mei-Lan looked at the letter, her brows lifting slightly.

“Your classmate?”

“Uh, Lin Kuang—”

As he spoke, Tsai Shih-Nan instinctively pointed behind him. Not far away, Lin Kuang-Ming had already slipped behind a pillar. Only half of his face was visible as he secretly watched what was happening.

Shih-Nan immediately felt even more awkward. He scratched his forehead and explained on behalf of his friend.

“Hes too embarrassed to give it to you himself.”

Chen Mei-Lan accepted the letter and glanced down at it. Her expression barely changed.

“Ill take the letter. Tell your classmate to study hard and not waste his time on this kind of thing.”

Shih-Nan was momentarily stunned.

“Oh…”

He had only been running an errand for his friend, but hearing those words somehow made him feel embarrassed as well.

Chen Mei-Lan looked at him, her tone still calm.

“My father doesnt allow me to date at this age.”

Shih-Nans face immediately turned red. He nodded.

“I understand.”

Chen Mei-Lan said nothing more. She turned and walked away with Zhang Yu-Ling.

Tsai Shih-Nan stood where he was, his hand still held out in the position it had been in when he handed over the letter. After a few seconds, he slowly lowered it.

“Oh, man. That was so embarrassing…”

He sighed inwardly. It was clearly Lin Kuang-Mings love letter, so how had he ended up being embarrassed along with him?

He stood there blankly on the platform, watching the two girls walk farther and farther away. His mouth remained slightly open, but for a long while, he could not say a word.

Meanwhile, Lin Kuang-Ming was still hiding behind the pillar. He pressed his palms together, his expression so devout that it was almost comical.

“Oh, Cupid, god of love…”

He closed his eyes as if he had placed all his hopes in that invisible god of love.

Tsai Shih-Nan, standing on the platform, could only shake his head helplessly.

He suddenly felt that youth was a truly strange thing. Someone could be so nervous about a love letter that he had to hide behind a pillar, while someone else could merely deliver the letter and somehow end up embarrassed along with him.

As for whose heart love would eventually claim, none of them knew at the time.

7. The Day the Admission List Was Posted

On the day the university entrance examination results were announced, Neiwan Old Street was livelier than usual. A long string of firecrackers hung outside the Tsai familys lei-cha shop, their red paper casings fluttering in the morning breeze.

Tsai Tien-Sheng lit the fuse. The firecrackers immediately exploded in a deafening series of blasts, filling the front of the shop with smoke. Hearing the noise, the neighbors came over one after another to offer their congratulations.

“Congratulations!” Neighbor A said, clasping his hands together with a broad smile. “Your son got into the universitys law department. Hell be a judge or a lawyer someday. You and your wife wont have to worry about making ends meet for the rest of your lives!”

Neighbor B joined in.

“Thats right! Your son is the only one in our village studying law. Hell be a high-ranking official and make big money someday. You and your wife can just sit back and enjoy the good life.”

Faced with everyones praise, Tsai Tien-Sheng merely smiled with his usual simple, honest expression. He brushed the scraps of firecracker paper from his clothes and spoke in a calm, down-to-earth tone.

“Our children are grown now. They have their own futures to make. My wife and I have enough to eat and wear, so we dont dare expect anything from him.”

The words sounded simple, but they expressed the greatest respect he could give his son. As long as his child had a path of his own, there was nothing more a father like him could demand.

Auntie A-Hao stood among the crowd, but she did not let the conversation remain focused on academic achievement and future status. She moved closer to Tsai Tien-Sheng with a smile, her voice suddenly filled with enthusiasm.

“Tien-Sheng, your son is so talented. Why not start looking for a good wife for him? Then you and your wife can have grandchildren sooner.”

Tsai Tien-Sheng was momentarily stunned before shaking his head.

“Our A-Nan is only about to go to Taipei for college. Isnt it a little too soon?”

“How could it be too soon?” Auntie A-Hao laughed even more enthusiastically. “With your sons qualifications, some wealthy young lady will bring her dowry and come looking for him herself. If youre worried about finding someone suitable, leave it to me. Ill find a match for him anytime.”

Several neighbors nearby could not help laughing when they heard this. Tsai Tien-Sheng shook his head, completely at a loss for how to deal with her.

Just then, Tsai Ai-Yu quietly approached her mother, Chiu Man-Mei, and whispered something in her ear.

As Chiu Man-Mei listened, her eyes brightened slightly. She then looked thoughtfully toward the house.

“I think we should ask A-Nan first,” she said with a smile. “Maybe he already has a girl he likes.”

Auntie A-Hao immediately joined in.

“If thats the case, Ill be the matchmaker myself.”

Chiu Man-Mei laughed at her teasing and quickly turned to greet everyone.

“Our A-Nan is fortunate to have so much love from all our neighbors. Ive prepared rice-noodle soup with glutinous rice balls for everyone. Please, help yourselves!”

“Sounds good!”

The neighbors gathered around the table. Bowl after bowl of steaming rice-noodle soup with glutinous rice balls was brought out. Everyone ate and chatted, and the festive atmosphere outside the shop lingered for a long time.

Yet the central figure of all this excitement, Tsai Shih-Nan, was nowhere among the crowd.

Inside his bedroom, he sat alone at his desk. The laughter and conversations of the neighbors occasionally drifted in from outside, along with the lingering smell of gunpowder from the firecrackers.

Shih-Nan quietly unfolded the newspaper. He ran his finger down the university admission list, searching line by line.

National Taiwan University. National Chengchi University. National Taiwan Normal University.

His eyes quickly scanned one name after another, but he could not find the one he truly wanted to see.

Chen Mei-Lan.

He read through the list again.

Still nothing.

Shih-Nan frowned. His finger stopped on the newspaper, and a sudden uneasiness stirred in his heart.

“Thats strange…”

He murmured to himself.

“Could Mei-Lan not have taken the entrance examination?”

Outside, his family and neighbors were still enthusiastically discussing his future.

Inside, however, he cared only about the name that had failed to appear in the newspaper.

That day, he had been admitted to the university law department that everyone envied.

But to Tsai Shih-Nan, the person who truly occupied his thoughts was the girl whose name he could not find on the admission list.

8. The Proposal That Met with a Rebuff

In the afternoon, Neiwan was bathed in sunlight. The rays passed through the eaves along both sides of the old street, casting dappled shadows across the ground.

The Chen familys home was much quieter than the shops along the street. One of the living-room windows was half open, allowing the mountain breeze to blow inside and stir the calendar hanging in the corner.

Auntie A-Hao walked through the door carrying a bag of local gifts, a warm smile on her face. Before she had even settled into her seat, Chen Chien-Li and his wife had personally brought tea to welcome her.

Chen Chien-Li looked at the gift box in her hand and asked with a smile, “Auntie A-Hao, what brings you here?”

Auntie A-Hao placed the gifts on the table and deliberately kept her purpose a secret for a moment.

“Chien-Li, I wouldnt come here without a reason. Tien-Sheng from down the street asked me to come over and said hed like our families to become related by marriage.”

Chen Chien-Li was still smiling, but his expression changed slightly when he heard this.

Dai Mei-Tsu, sitting beside him, also looked up.

“Become related by marriage?”

She glanced at her husband, then turned to Auntie A-Hao.

“Our Lan is only eighteen this year. She just graduated from high school.”

There was no reproach in her voice, but her words clearly revealed how unexpected the proposal was to the couple.

Only then did Chen Chien-Li react. He leaned back slightly in his chair.

“You mean Tien-Sheng, the one who runs the tea shop?”

After thinking for a moment, he asked, “His son, A-Nan, is about the same age as our daughter, isnt he?”

“Thats right.” Auntie A-Hao smiled and nodded. “That earnest young man, A-Nan. He just got into Fu Jen University, in the law department.”

Her voice became more complimentary when she spoke of Tsai Shih-Nan, clearly confident about the prospects of the match.

Chen Chien-Li nodded.

“Ive heard the news from people in the village.”

He lifted his teacup and took a sip. In his mind appeared the familiar sight of Tsai Shih-Nan riding his bicycle back and forth to the train station.

“A-Nan is an honest young man, and he studies hard. All things considered, hes an excellent young man.”

But as he continued, his expression gradually became more serious.

“However, our Lan has just received a scholarship and plans to study in France.”

Auntie A-Hao was stunned.

“Study in France?”

She clearly had not expected that answer. Even the fan in her hand stopped moving.

“Wouldnt that cost a lot of money? Is there really any need to educate a daughter to that extent?”

Chen Chien-Li did not answer immediately. He set down his teacup and looked past the living room toward the old street outside.

For this father, whether his daughter married early had never been the most important thing. What mattered more to him was whether she could find her own path.

After a moment, he said calmly, “She wants to study, and if shes capable of pursuing it, Ill do my best to let her go. In the future, that will count as her dowry.”

Dai Mei-Tsu listened to her husbands words and gently nodded. She understood the weight behind them. In those days, not every father was willing to spend money on his daughters education, much less support her in traveling all the way to France to study.

But the couple had already discussed it. They did not want to use marriage to decide their daughters life for her.

Dai Mei-Tsu turned to Auntie A-Hao and said, “Our Lan has no intention of getting married this early.”

The smile on Auntie A-Haos face slowly faded.

She had originally thought that since Tien-Sheng from the Tsai family had asked her to come and propose the match, and the young man was a newly admitted university student with good character, there was at least some chance that the marriage could work out.

She had not expected that the Chen family had already planned an entirely different path for their daughter.

She lowered her eyes toward the gifts on the table and could not help sighing.

“If thats the case, then this marriage proposal wont work out. What a pity…”

The living room fell silent for a brief moment.

Chen Chien-Li and his wife said nothing. They knew that although this proposal had barely begun, the answer was already perfectly clear.

Meanwhile, at the Tsai family home on the other side of town, Tsai Shih-Nan still had no idea that the first feeling he had gathered the courage to approach was about to have someone speak for him—only to be stopped at the door by another girls carefully planned vision for her own life.

9. Forced to Go on a Blind Date

As evening fell, Neiwan Old Street gradually grew quiet. The crowds that had filled the street during the day had dispersed, leaving only a few shops glowing with dim yellow lights.

Outside the Tsai familys lei-cha shop, Tsai Tien-Sheng and Chiu Man-Mei sat beside a table. Auntie A-Hao had just returned from the Chen familys home. The warmth and enthusiasm she had shown when she left were gone, replaced by a trace of helplessness.

She recounted everything that had happened, then spread her hands.

“That’s the whole story.”

After listening, Chiu Man-Mei remained silent for a moment before letting out a soft sigh.

“If thats the case, well just have to arrange another match.”

She said it decisively, as if one marriage proposal had failed and they could simply arrange another.

Just then, Tsai Shih-Nan happened to walk out of the house. He had only wanted to step outside for some fresh air, but the moment he crossed the threshold, he heard his mothers last sentence.

He stopped in his tracks, and the expression on his face immediately fell. He did not need to ask any further. He already knew the outcome.

“Mom, I told you theyd turn us down. You just wouldnt believe me.”

His voice carried a trace of complaint, but also a disappointment he could not bring himself to express.

Chiu Man-Mei, however, was not bothered in the least. Instead, she waved her hand.

“So what if they turned us down? Your mother can just have Auntie A-Hao find someone else. There are plenty of good girls in the world. Our family has good conditions. Are you worried we wont find a good match?”

Shih-Nan frowned.

“I dont want to go on blind dates. We dont even know each other. Its weird.”

“Whats so weird about it?” Chiu Man-Mei looked at her son with complete confidence. “Once youve met someone, dont you know them?”

Shih-Nan was left speechless by his mother and could only scratch his head. He had grown up in this small place and feared nothing more than the gossip of the villagers. If everyone found out that he had barely gotten into college before rushing to find a girlfriend, he had no idea what they would say about him.

The thought made him raise his voice.

“Mom, youre going to make everyone in the village laugh at me and call me a dirty old lecher.”

The moment he finished speaking, Chiu Man-Meis eyes widened.

“What kind of thing are you saying?”

She slapped the fan against her thigh. She was clearly both annoyed and amused by her sons argument.

“Back then, your father had only seen me once, outside a movie theater, and then he asked a matchmaker to come and propose marriage. By your logic, wouldnt that make your father a big old lecher?”

Tsai Tien-Sheng, who had been sitting quietly beside them, immediately darkened at the mention of this.

“Why are you bringing that up? Dont drag me into this…”

Chiu Man-Mei glanced at her husband, showing no intention of backing down.

“Everything I said is true! I didnt exaggerate anything.”

Tsai Tien-Sheng opened his mouth, but in the end he could only turn his face away helplessly.

Watching his parents bicker, Shih-Nans pent-up frustration was unexpectedly replaced by the urge to laugh. But just as a smile appeared at the corners of his mouth, he thought of Mei-Lan again.

If his mother had not suddenly tried to arrange a marriage for him, perhaps he could have taken his time, slowly waiting to find out whether she actually liked him.

But now, everything seemed to be moving forward under the pressure of his family.

Seeing that the matter had been settled, Auntie A-Hao stood up from her chair and casually picked up the bag at her feet.

“Man-Mei, Ill do as you say and arrange a blind date as soon as possible.”

The moment Shih-Nan heard this, his expression changed.

“Auntie A-Hao…”

Before he could stop her, Auntie A-Hao had already smiled, said goodbye to the couple, and walked out of the lei-cha shop.

In the evening shadows, her figure soon disappeared around the corner of the old street.

Shih-Nan stood at the doorway, watching her leave with a gloomy expression. Irritation surged through him.

How had things turned into this?

He had simply fallen for a girl, yet suddenly it seemed as though the whole family had turned it into a major matter that needed to be dealt with.

Tsai Ai-Yu had been standing nearby watching her brother the whole time. Seeing how miserable he looked, she finally walked over and gently patted him on the shoulder.

“Big brother, youre so pitiful…”

Shih-Nan turned and glared at her.

Ai-Yu could not help laughing.

Looking at his sisters smiling face, he shook his head helplessly. In this family, the one person who truly sympathized with him was, of all people, the younger sister who usually loved teasing him the most.

10. An Awkward Blind-Date Dinner

Inside a restaurant on Neiwan Old Street, the afternoon sunlight slanted through the windows, and the glassware on the table reflected shifting patches of light.

This was a formal blind-date dinner.

Tsai Shih-Nan sat beside his parents, wearing a shirt and tie for the first time. The tie felt tight around his neck, making him uncomfortable from the moment he entered the restaurant. Several times he reached up as if to loosen it, but because his parents were sitting beside him, he could only endure it.

Chiu Man-Mei noticed her sons restless discomfort and reached over to straighten his tie.

“A-Nan, sit properly. Youre here for a blind date, not to study.”

Shih-Nan gave an embarrassed smile, but inwardly he was groaning. He would rather sit at home and study law all day than sit at this table waiting for a girl he had never met to decide whether he was suitable to be her husband.

Before long, Auntie A-Hao entered the restaurant with the Wu family. Wu Fu-Kuei and his wife took their seats with their daughter, Wu Hsiao-Jung.

Hsiao-Jung was dressed simply and wore neatly trimmed short hair. Her fair face showed little expression. From the moment the two families met, she appeared extremely quiet, even somewhat uninterested.

Shih-Nan secretly glanced at her. Their eyes met briefly, but Hsiao-Jung quickly looked away.

Shih-Nan felt even more uncomfortable. Apparently, she did not have much interest in this blind date either.

The servers gradually brought the dishes to the table. The clinking of bowls and plates temporarily filled the awkward silence between the two families.

Once everyone was seated, Auntie A-Hao cleared her throat and smiled as she introduced the two sides.

“Today, weve brought the two young people together so both families can meet. The young man, Tsai Shih-Nan, has just been admitted to Fu Jen Universitys law department. Hes an honest and ambitious young man who may become a judge or lawyer someday. The young woman, Wu Hsiao-Jung, graduated from a teachers college and is an elementary school teacher in our village. Theyre a well-matched pair, both in ability and background. If they are interested in each other, they can start seeing each other for a while.”

Auntie A-Hao spoke with such enthusiasm that it seemed to her as though the two young people sitting before her were already a couple about to get married.

Shih-Nan, however, kept his head lowered, gently rubbing his fingers against his chopsticks. Hearing the words “a well-matched pair” only made him feel more embarrassed.

Chiu Man-Mei quickly spoke up on behalf of her son.

“Mr. and Mrs. Wu, our son is a little quiet and doesnt talk much. All he knows is how to study. But hes very filial and obedient, and hes never caused his parents any trouble.”

Wu Fu-Kuei smiled and nodded.

“I can tell your son is a very earnest young man. He may look a little old-fashioned, but when I choose a son-in-law, I look at whats inside. I dont care only about appearance.”

Auntie A-Hao immediately chimed in with a smile.

“Exactly. Fu-Kuei is absolutely right. When choosing a son-in-law, whats inside is what matters most!”

When Shih-Nan heard the words “may look a little old-fashioned,” the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

He looked down at the shirt and tie he was wearing and suddenly felt that this outfit had not made him look any younger after all.

On the other side of the Wu family sat Li Tien-Mei, who did not follow the matchmakers lead in discussing marriage. She looked at Shih-Nan and spoke calmly.

“Your A-Nan hasnt served in the military yet. If the two of them get along, let them become friends first. After A-Nan returns from military service, we can discuss the marriage again.”

Hearing this, Auntie A-Hao immediately spoke up for the Tsai family.

“Tian-Mei, its not easy to find a young man like A-Nan in our village. Even if your Hsiao-Jung married him first, I believe A-Nan would cherish her dearly and never let her suffer.”

Wu Fu-Kuei, however, did not rush to give his opinion.

“Let the young people decide for themselves. If they get along, they can make their own decision.”

Shih-Nan raised his head and glanced at Wu Fu-Kuei.

The statement sounded fair, yet it left him even less sure of what to say.

He turned to look at Wu Hsiao-Jung.

Just then, he saw Hsiao-Jung secretly give her mother a signal with her eyes. The gesture was so quick that he might not have noticed it if he had not been paying close attention to her expression.

Li Tien-Mei understood her daughters meaning. She looked at her daughter, then turned toward the Tsai couple.

“I dont think theres any need to make a decision about this marriage right away. Once A-Nan returns from military service and has a financial foundation, then both sides can discuss it further. That would be more practical.”

Her words were polite, but her meaning was already perfectly clear.

Chiu Man-Mei did not answer immediately. She exchanged a glance with Tsai Tien-Sheng, and from each others eyes, they both understood what the other was thinking.

The Wu family had not exactly rejected the proposal, but neither had they truly accepted it. In particular, Wu Hsiao-Jung herself seemed not to be ready to discuss marriage at all.

Seeing the atmosphere beginning to stiffen, Auntie A-Hao quickly smiled and tried to smooth things over.

“Tian-Mei, since you feel that way, lets just let the two young people become friends first and give them some time to develop feelings for each other. How does that sound?”

No one objected.

But Tsai Tien-Sheng, who had said almost nothing from beginning to end, looked increasingly displeased. Sitting upright in his chair, he held his chopsticks in his hand but did not move them.

He had originally brought his son to the blind date full of hope. Instead, the other family had repeatedly emphasized waiting until after military service and until Shih-Nan had established a financial foundation. It made him feel as though the Tsai family was being looked down upon.

Chiu Man-Mei noticed her husbands displeasure. While no one was looking under the table, she gently nudged his foot with hers.

Tsai Tien-Sheng turned to look at her.

She gave him a slight shake of her head, signaling that he should not lose his temper in a setting like this.

Tsai Tien-Sheng pursed his lips. In the end, he said nothing.

Seeing that no one was talking about marriage anymore, Auntie A-Hao quickly picked up her chopsticks and urged everyone to eat.

“Come on, have some food! This restaurant is very generous with its portions, and everything is delicious.”

Only then did everyone pick up their bowls and chopsticks.

Hot dishes continued to arrive at the table one after another, but the atmosphere never truly became lively.

Tsai Shih-Nan put a bite of food into his mouth and slowly chewed. He did not dare look at Wu Hsiao-Jung again.

This blind date had originally been a path toward marriage arranged by his mother. Now, however, it had taught him for the first time that even when both families believed a match was suitable, the two people actually sitting together might not be thinking about the same thing at all.

He lowered his head and continued eating, feeling that all the delicious dishes on the table had lost their flavor.

Yet in his heart, another girls image surfaced involuntarily.

That striking red hair was more vivid in his memory than the sunlight outside the restaurant window.