CHAPTER 35: CHAPTER 35: BLIND DATE

The matchmaking agency was quite big, with men and women of all ages in the lobby, mostly middle-aged. Some were there to find partners for their children, while others were looking for companions for themselves.

Shannon Quinn followed behind Erin Bishop awkwardly, feeling uneasy. Did Vincent Rhodes’ people tell him her whereabouts again?

Erin seemed to know the staff well here and went directly to Mae.

Mae was wearing a dark red cheongsam with a vintage style, looking like a woman of considerable charm. She came over, glanced at Shannon Quinn, and said, "Rona, is this your cousin?"

"Yes."

"She looks quite nice. It should be easy to find someone for her. You both sit here and take a look. I’ve already screened these for you; they’re decent. You can take your time, and if you see someone you like, put them aside and contact them one by one."

"Sure, Mae, you can go ahead and do your work. No need to be so formal with me."

Shannon swallowed hard, looked around nervously, and felt that the silence of her phone was the calm before the storm.

If Vincent Rhodes knew she was looking for a partner at a matchmaking agency, she wondered what he’d say about her.

"Shannon, why are you so nervous? Take a look. I think they’re quite handsome."

Shannon pressed her lips together, her hands tightly clasped. "Rona, let’s go back. I’m really not used to this..."

"Since we’re here, just take a look. I’m too old for these young guys; they’re not my type. Look at this one; I think he’s quite handsome, and he’s a pilot."

Shannon glanced casually and felt guilty; her heart was filled with anxiety.

Erin picked three for her: two were twenty-four, and one was twenty-six. Their professions were a pilot, an architect, and an active-duty soldier.

"Mae contacted them for us. The pilot has a schedule during the day and is only free at night. The architect is on a business trip and will be back in a few days. The soldier is on vacation and is available these days."

Shannon tightly gripped her phone, feeling that at any moment, Vincent would text her to scold her.

Erin assumed Shannon was just shy and said, "Why not just meet for lunch? The soldier seems nice, and at least he won’t have time to fool around usually. If you get along, you can give it a try."

"Shannon, relax. I’m not forcing you to get married right away. It’s just to give you some experience and make friends. At least a quarter of my clients were once my blind dates. It’s okay to be friends if there’s no spark."

Shannon looked troubled, wanting to confess her marriage several times but found it embarrassing to speak of it, as if it were a joke.

Vincent still hadn’t texted her, and Shannon started paying attention to whether anyone was following her. She hadn’t noticed anyone suspicious along the way.

When they arrived at the restaurant, the other person had already arrived.

He seemed to take the occasion seriously, wearing a suit, though his constant adjusting of his sleeves indicated he wasn’t used to wearing formal clothes.

He was quite tall, not very handsome but pleasing to the eye, and seemed rather shy.

"... Uh, hello, I’m Leo York."

Seeing the extended hand, Shannon politely reached out to shake it. "Shannon Quinn."

Leo appeared somewhat embarrassed, scratching his head as he sat down. "That’s a lovely name."

Shannon gave a dry laugh, glanced at Erin beside her, pressed her lips together, unsure of what to say.

Accompanying Erin on her matchmakings before, she hadn’t felt that it was such a nerve-wracking ordeal. She found it more uncomfortable than her first job interview.

"Young man, is this your first time at a matchmaking session too?" Erin asked with a smile.

Leo nodded shyly, saying, "I usually hang out with the guys, so I’m not very eloquent. Please don’t mind, Miss Quinn."

"That’s great! Way better than those smooth-talking men," Erin said, nudging Shannon under the table as a cue. But Shannon was just holding her cup tightly, unable to utter a word like she had been rendered mute.

Erin interjected, "Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Shannon’s sister. My sister is also quite introverted, and it’s her first time on a blind date too."

The conversation was primarily basic exchanges, with Erin trying to find topics for both to discuss.

All Shannon felt from this matchmaking was one word: awkward.

Throughout the conversation, she thought Leo seemed like a decent guy, someone who could lead a stable life. If she were single, she might try to give it a chance, like Erin said, to feel the taste of romance.

Because she’d never been in a relationship and even had some communication difficulties with the opposite sex.

If it were a work client, she might handle it freely, but something with romantic intentions like this was beyond her.

Soon, guilt crept over her: firstly, for feeling she was betraying Vincent, and secondly, for deceiving Leo.

Returning home, Shannon felt her conscience troubling her. Seeing Leo’s message, she didn’t want to delay him and made up an excuse that she was still emotionally attached to someone, advising him to look for someone else.

She thought Leo might get mad or block her immediately. To her surprise, Leo said it was okay to be friends.

Leo briefly shared with her his past, mentioning he had a girlfriend before, but they broke up due to infrequent meetings and long distance after he started working. She’s now married with kids.

While chatting, the room’s light suddenly went out. Shannon immediately sat up and soon heard movement outside the door. Before long, the familiar sound of a wheelchair approached, with the silhouette entering the room and stopping by the bed.

Her phone dinged, indicating a new message on WeChat. Shannon swallowed nervously. By the phone’s dim light, she saw the man in front of her, his face still obscured by the mask.

"Did you find a suitable one?" The phone screen dimmed again, and the hoarse voice broke the silence between them in the darkness.

Shannon opened her mouth but didn’t know how to explain, having thought she could hide it. It seemed she underestimated Vincent and overestimated herself.

"Nothing to explain? I paid to marry you, not to have you cheat on me."

"It’s not... My friend didn’t know I was married and dragged me there. I—"

"Is it embarrassing to be married to me?" Vincent interrupted her, "Or do you think telling people you’re married would ruin your chances with those admirers?"