Chapter 635: An Excuse for Rejection

Although Beatrice kept her head lowered shyly, she was sizing up the Thorne family out of the corner of her eye. She was quite pleased with Goldie Thorne’s appearance—she had a thing for refined men. What satisfied her the most was the television on the family’s cabinet. Very few families in the city had a TV, yet the Thornes could afford one. This proved Goldie Thorne could really earn big money. Beatrice was more than satisfied.

She glanced at the foolishly grinning Goldie Thorne and pursed her lips into a smile, feeling smug. ’I knew it. No man can resist my beauty. They’re all the same.’ If she weren’t getting on in years with her parents nagging her relentlessly, she wouldn’t even want to get married yet.

’Still, Goldie Thorne is a decent catch. He might not have a formal job or city residency, but he can make money and cover my expenses. I suppose I can be satisfied with that.’

She whispered something in the matchmaker’s ear, and the matchmaker smiled knowingly. ’Looks like this match is a done deal.’

Raina had originally planned a sumptuous lunch, but she was so displeased with Beatrice that she decided to cut a few of the main dishes. Of course, she still had to keep up appearances, and in that regard, Raina was an expert.

She cut out the plumpest middle section of the fish, then pieced the rest together so it still looked like a whole fish—just a bit smaller. The braised pork portion was cut in half, and the ingredients for the tofu dish were also reduced by half. The quantities for the other assorted dishes were also smaller, and large serving platters were swapped for small plates. She barely managed to put a full meal on the table, and it looked decent enough. But now the kitchen cabinet was stocked with plenty of extra food, enough for another whole meal that evening.

Beatrice, however, was very unhappy with the spread. The pork was mostly fat with little lean meat, the fish looked like it was missing its body, and the scrambled eggs with tomato were a poor imitation. Flour had been added to the eggs, so they didn’t taste like eggs at all.

(In the past, to save money on eggs, people would sometimes add a bit of flour and water to the egg batter when making scrambled eggs with tomato. This could make one egg look like the equivalent of three, though the flavor would naturally suffer.)

The matchmaker, on the other hand, was eating with great satisfaction. Even if Raina had cut corners, the meal was still far more lavish than what an ordinary family could afford. At least there was fish, meat, and eggs. The rice was fragrant and white, and the dishes weren’t lacking in oil. She ate until she was stuffed.

Partway through the meal, Raina called Byron Thorne outside. She told him about Tang Xiaonan’s dream, and Byron’s face darkened as well. "Call it off," he said.

’Son of a bitch. What a waste of good food.’

"How are we supposed to turn her down? We can’t very well say it’s because our Xiaonan dreamed that little vixen was cheating on someone, can we?"

"Of course we can’t say that. Here’s what you’ll do..."

Byron whispered a few words in Raina’s ear. Raina’s eyes lit up. ’What a great idea! And it won’t embarrass the matchmaker.’

After the meal, Raina swapped the high-quality, pre-rain green tea for some old, stale tea. She brewed two cups and served them politely, but didn’t say a single word about the potential match. The matchmaker surreptitiously pulled Raina outside to ask what was going on.

"Beatrice has taken a liking to your Goldie, and from what I can see, Goldie likes her quite a bit too. Since they’re both interested, why not let them start seeing each other for a while?"

Raina just smiled. "Let’s not rush things. How about this: let the young lady sweep the courtyard for me. My first and second daughters-in-law both did it when they first came. It’s a tradition in the Thorne family."

The matchmaker couldn’t figure out what trick Raina had up her sleeve, but since it was a Thorne family tradition, she went to relay the message. ’Besides, what’s the big deal about sweeping a courtyard? The Thornes are wealthy and influential now; it’s only natural for them to put on a few airs.’

When Beatrice heard she was expected to sweep the courtyard, she was immediately displeased. "Who makes a guest do chores on their very first visit? If they’re not interested, then fine! It’s not like I can’t find another man."

"Sure, you can find another man, but where are you going to find one like Goldie Thorne? Look at this big television, and the bicycle, the Plum Blossom watch, the radio, the sewing machine... they’ve got all the big-ticket items! You couldn’t find a man this good even if you searched with a lantern. It’s just sweeping a courtyard. You just have to give it a few sweeps and you’ll be done. His two sisters-in-law had to do the same thing."

The matchmaker pleaded, trying her best to talk sense into her.