Wu Zhou wasn't anything special. He had spent his working life as a tradesman in the local market. The money wasn't much, but it was enough to keep him and his family going. His life was good. He had a job, enough food in his belly and a loving wife. However, the dream was shattered when the Hun invaded. Bear in mind that this was the Huns first attack on China, and many of the soldiers were inexperienced. The invasion was lead by none other than Shan Yu. Shan Yu, at this time, was a young man of just 22. But his face gave an impression of years of madness, pain and anger. The battle between the Chinese army and the Huns lasted just 5 days, ending with the Huns retreating; bruised, battered and defeated. Most of the survivors returned home to their families and continued with their lives before the battle. But Wu Zhou had suffered a broken leg, which caused him to have to stop his work. Without his income, his wife and their 2 month old son would suffer. His wife did all she could, by working at the market place every other day. But with their son so young in years, it was difficult. They struggled on for 14 years until their son got a part time job as a tradesman. Wu Zhous leg had got no better still, which meant all chores were the job for his son and his wife. However, something that the 18 year old Wu Yifan really hated was his parents constant attempts to set him up with someone. 

"Fa Xui Li?"

"no"

""Zhang Su Lyn?" 

"no"

"ah... what about Wong Mei?"

"Argh! no!" Yifan sighed. This was the third time that day that his mother had asked him whether he would like to meet the local girls.

"Why not? Mei is a lovely girl! Remember when you two were 3-"

"Mother we've been through this!" Yifan cut in. "I. Am. Not. Getting. Married!"

"Well of course you are!" His mother insisted. "Your father and I were just 17 when we got married!"

"Yes, but that was years ago! Times change!"

"Times may change but love does not!" 

Yifan rolled his eyes and got up to leave. 

"Oh, and don't forget your appointment with the matchmaker at 7 tomorrow!"

Yifan groaned in reply and walked out of the house. 

Matchmaker? What was that woman thinking? Can't she just get it into her head that he doesn't want to get married?

His mother and father were massive traditionalists. They disliked anything modern, which meant everything Yifan loved. 

He only ever found happiness when he went to visit his Grandmother (on his fathers side) who was the complete opposite of her daughter. Her husband had died many years before, but she definitely had not. She spent almost every waking moment up and about. She was nick-named by the neighbours as 'Crazy-Grandmother'. She didn't seem to mind. In fact, it seemed to give her even more energy.

"Grandma?" Yifan called into her open front door (she never closed it, in fear of 'shutting out the good'). 

There was a distant reply of something that sounded like 'yes' coming from inside the house. Yifan frowned, and walked in.

"Grandma?" He called again once inside. 

The reply was there again, this time with a string of distant words that he couldn't here.

"Grandma are you here?"

"Yes you silly idiot! Once is enough!" The reply, this time, was loud and clear and was followed by the woman coming out of one of the rooms carrying a box.

"Sorry, Grandma." 

"Ah, don't fret pet!" She stepped over to him and pinched his cheek. "Have you lost weight?" She frowned slightly "You got a girl?"
"Grandma!" Yifan yelled, pushing her slightly.

"Hey, be nice to your Grandmother!" She laughed and pushed him back. "So does that mean you do?"

"No!" He exclaimed.

She said no more, but he knew she would ask again. The one other thing she and his mother shared apart from blood was their desperate want for him to get married. 

"So how've you been?" She asked as she and him walked into her kitchen.

"Good... apart from Mother's trying to set me up with the local girls... again!" He sighed. 

"Oh... did she mention Wong Mei? I heard she's available! and cute!" His grandmother winked at him while handing him a glass of water. 

"Argh! I'm not marrying Wong Mei grandma!" Yifan yelled taking a gulp of water.

"Why not? It's not like she's unattractive... and it's not like you're unattractive! You should use your assets to your own advantage more!" She winked again, making Yifan cringe and almost spit out his water. 

"Grandma!" He exclaimed.

"What? It's true! All the girls want you, Yifan, it's just you're so damn picky!" 

"I am not-"

"I mean, just 2 weeks ago we set you up with Chi Li and you refused and the poor girl went home and cried for days!"

"That's her problem not mine" Yifan muttered under his breath. 

"Yifan!" His grandmother exclaimed. "You see, this is your problem! Argh you're so infuriating!"

She tutted and walked out of the room, leaving Yifan alone. 

"What's she talking about infuriating!?" He said out loud to himself. "I mean, she's not the one getting badgered every day because you don't want to get married! Argh!" He drank the rest of the water and walked out, cursing all the way.

When seeing his grandma fails to cheer him up, Yifan found himself going to the temple of his Ancestors. The Wu family had a long line of ancestors, going back further than anyone can count. The temple was a peaceful place for meditation and solitude. Which is why he was surprised to see someone was already in there. They were sitting on the stone floor with a hood over their head.

"Hey this is a privat-"

"Not about to tell me off were you?" The intruder turned around and Yifan realised it was his father.

"Oh, no of course not!" Yifan sat down next to his father. 

They didn't speak for a while, just enjoying the tranquillity and company. 

"Have you thought any more about getting married? You are 18 and time is ticking fast!" 

"Father, you know very well i don't want to get married!" 

"Yes, yes i know that! But trust me son, you'll change your mind when you meet the right one!"

"I highly doubt that!" Yifan sighed, why didn't people just stop talking about that?

A/N~ So i just want to say THANK YOU SO SO MUCH FOR SUBSCRIBING ANG LIKING AND ALL... i admit the image up there ^ hasnt got much to do with the plot of this chapter... and the Chinese was taken straight from Google Translate so it's probably wrong... XD