横挑竖拣héng tiāo shù jiǎn

carefully pick; pick and choose
❍ 这一来这位姜大小姐的身份就高起来了。姜三膘子缺子的伤心也被驱跑了，他～要选一名养老的佳婿；……(曲波《林海雪原》24) The competition put a high price on the prospective bride. Fatty Jiang forgot his unhappiness over not having a son. He carefully picked through the list of suitors.