Wedding Partners

Fu Qingquan is a thirty-one-year-old woman living in Jingbei City, China, who fits none of the local stereotypes of wealth or success. She resides in a cramped sixty-square-meter apartment with her parents, works a modest job at a foreign financial company with a low salary, and faces the constant threat of layoffs. Her primary source of stress is not her career or finances, but the relentless pressure from her second aunt to marry. Having been single for six years, Fu Qingquan has endured a long series of disastrous blind dates arranged by her family, featuring men who are either overweight, negative, or obsessed with their ex-partners. She maintains a side career as a restaurant blogger, a job that offers her creative freedom and a small additional income, though she remains humble about her influence.

The story begins with Fu Qingquan attending another blind date set up by her second aunt. The man, Mr. Shen, is significantly overweight and displays arrogant, misogynistic attitudes, claiming that a woman's only value lies in her ability to bear children. When he insults her self-worth, Fu Qingquan loses her temper and throws a teacup at him. Humiliated and enraged, she flees the restaurant and seeks solace in a newly opened coffee shop called 'Desert.' The shop, decorated with lush tropical plants, becomes a sanctuary for her. There, she meets the owner, Yuan Mo, a tall, stern-looking man with a fierce demeanor who contrasts sharply with the friendly staff she met the day before. Initially intimidated, Fu Qingquan is disarmed when Yuan Mo notices her disappointment over the delayed flower baskets and kindly informs her that roses will be available soon.

The following day, Fu Qingquan returns to the cafe, where she receives a barrage of angry messages from her second aunt and a warning from a colleague about impending layoffs. Overwhelmed by the convergence of familial pressure and professional insecurity, she breaks down in tears. In a moment of impulsive desperation, she looks at Yuan Mo and abruptly proposes marriage. Shocked but composed, Yuan Mo reveals that he is thirty-five, owns the cafe, and has also been pressured by his family to marry. He proposes a pragmatic arrangement: a two-month trial period to get to know each other before considering a marriage certificate. He offers to provide medical and background checks to prove his sincerity, including verifying his single status at a police station where his uncle works.

Fu Qingquan agrees to the arrangement, partly to escape her aunt's harassment and partly because she sees no better option. They proceed with the checks, during which Yuan Mo demonstrates care by helping her when she suffers from low blood sugar. They share a meal, and Yuan Mo reveals he is particular about hygiene, using serving chopsticks despite being healthy. As they spend more time together, visiting the hospital for tests and having meals, a genuine connection begins to form. Yuan Mo drives her to work daily, helping her counter workplace gossip about her single status, while Fu Qingquan helps Yuan Mo navigate the complexities of introducing him to her parents.

The relationship faces a test when Fu Qingquan's second aunt unexpectedly visits her home, demanding to know about the boyfriend Fu Qingquan claimed to have. To deflect her aunt's interference, Fu Qingquan lies about her brother's wife being pregnant, using a social media post to trick her aunt into leaving. Just as the aunt departs, Yuan Mo arrives to meet her parents. The meeting is tense but successful, with Yuan Mo displaying respect and courtesy. Throughout these interactions, Fu Qingquan's perspective on Yuan Mo shifts from seeing him as a convenient shield to recognizing his kindness and reliability. Meanwhile, Yuan Mo's feelings deepen, though he remains cautious about moving too fast. The narrative follows their gradual transition from a contractual arrangement to a budding romance, set against the backdrop of urban life, family expectations, and the challenges of finding stability in an uncertain world.