C has very low entry level, providing that you have some knowledge about memory management. When, as a Java developer, I had to quickly deliver some exchange connector using given .h and .so, I chose C, because C++ had too high entry level. If C is a sharp knife, C++ is a rotating pell post full of sharp knives. You can cut yourself even if you think you're safe.

But I find string management in C awful and would like to borrow it from C++. Only the string management

That's the neat thing about C++. You don't have to use any of it that you don't want to.