A hundred flavors of life

Chapter 1407 Suzhou, 1979: Once You're Here, You Have No Intention of Leaving! (Please Subscribe!)

In July 1979, on a green-skinned train traveling from southeastern Guizhou to Suzhou, the aisle of the hard-seat carriage was also full of people, some of whom simply spread out a newspaper and sat on the floor.

The luggage rack was crammed full of woven bags, rattan boxes, canvas bags, and even a few live chickens in bamboo cages, which occasionally clucked.

The carriage was filled with the smells of sweat, cigarettes, and the smell of the dry rations I brought.

An eleven-year-old boy sat by the window with a worn canvas bag at his feet.

He is Xiang Pengfei—or rather, at this moment, the body inhabited by the transmigrator Hua Shier.

Just moments ago, he was still in the 'Journey to the West World' as Erlang Shen, the True Lord of Manifestation. At that time, he announced his seclusion, intending to return to the real world. Even if the fusion was not completely completed and he could not return to reality, it would be fine to return to the 'Fleet of Time World'. In that world, he had not yet fulfilled the wishes of his four girlfriends who wanted children.

The system then told him that the mission was complete and he could not return to that world. He could start a new mission to leave the 'Journey to the West World'.

Hua Shier thought for a moment and realized that since they would have to wait forty-nine years here, they might as well go and see the New World.

Then everything went black, and he came into this world. He woke up on a train, replacing the eleven-year-old boy.

From the memories received, we know that the boy's father was named Xiang Dong, a railway maintenance worker, and his mother, Zhuang Hualin, was a sent-down youth from Suzhou who worked at a local hospital in Guizhou.

Because he has already settled down and found employment locally, Zhuang Hualin is unable to return to the city, but his son, Xiang Pengfei, meets the criteria for children of educated youth to return to the city.

Three days ago, his mother saw him off on the train: "Pengfei, when you get to Suzhou, listen to your elders."

Before leaving, her eyes reddened as she gave her these instructions:

"Your uncle is a teacher, ask him to help you with your homework. Remember to be sensible and don't be disliked. Mom brought you some money, sewed into the waistband of your shorts. Give this money to whoever you're staying with when you leave, understand?"

At this moment, the train is crossing the Jiangxi Plain, and the setting sun outside the window is turning the rice paddies golden.

Hua Shier snapped out of his thoughts and didn't choose to draw the mission reward from the previous world immediately. He planned to wait until things settled down before drawing it, since a sense of ritual was still necessary.

He took out an aluminum lunchbox from his cloth bag, which contained four boiled eggs and a few pancakes. He ate them slowly; they were all-natural and surprisingly tasted quite good.

My gaze swept across the carriage, and on the opposite seat, a woman with a child was soothing a crying baby.

Diagonally opposite, a few young people were playing cards.

After Hua Shier finished eating, he was about to continue daydreaming when the middle-aged man next to him glanced at him a few times:
"Little friend, going out alone? Where are you going?"

"Yes, I'm going to Suzhou alone."

Normally, one should be wary of such questions at any time, but Hua Shier was fearless and told the truth.

"how old are you?"

"eleven."

"Traveling by train alone during the National Day holiday?" the man asked in surprise. "Are your parents reassured?"

"I'm wondering the same thing. But since my family is poor, if I get kidnapped, I'll just consider it a chance to live a better life!"

After Hua Shier finished speaking, the uncle burst into laughter.

After chatting for a while, Hua Shier took out a comic book from his bag and started reading.

The older man was amazed. From their conversation, he felt that the child didn't seem eleven years old; he was chatting like someone his own age. It was truly strange.

As night fell, the carriage was lit with dim yellow lights. Hua Shier closed his eyes to rest, recalling the tasks issued by the system in his mind.

Task Description:

"The torrent of the times rolls forward, and in a small alley, a few families, the most ordinary joys and sorrows unfold."

"Some people carry heavy burdens and silently swallow all their grievances; some are trapped by the times and cannot break free from the shackles of fate; and some are confined by narrow-mindedness and hurt their loved ones with the deepest indifference."

"Yet even in the ordinary there is an undying glimmer of light, the true affection of neighbors watching over each other, the resilience to survive in adversity, and the hope to grow upwards even in hardship. These are the most precious underlying qualities of an era."

Task one:

"To reverse the fate of at least three people trapped by the times or their families, to let them see the light, grasp hope, and live a wonderful life of their own."

Task two:
"To protect the five most precious 'human warmth' so that it will not fade or break due to time, interests or misunderstandings."

(Note: 'Human warmth' includes, but is not limited to, selfless neighborly assistance, deep friendship, family bonds in adversity, and pure first love.)
Based on the task description, and considering that the person he is replacing is named Xiang Pengfei and the mother is named Zhuang Hualin, Hua Shier can almost certainly conclude that this is the world of the TV series 'Alleyway People'.

The TV series 'The People of the Alley' is said to be about the everyday lives of families in an alley, but it actually mainly tells the story of two households.

One of the households was that of his maternal uncle, Zhuang Chaoying. His maternal uncle was a high school teacher, but he was old-fashioned and blindly filial. His maternal aunt, Huang Ling, was a cotton mill worker who was resilient and reasonable. His cousin, Zhuang Tunan, was in the second year of junior high school at Suzhou No. 1 Middle School, a key middle school in Suzhou. His cousin, Zhuang Xiaoting, was in the third grade at the cotton mill's affiliated primary school. However, according to the original plot, she would skip a grade and be in the same grade as Hua Shier.

The current timeframe should be the summer of 1979, when Xiang Pengfei came to Suzhou for the first time. As expected, his second uncle, Zhuang Ganmei, who lived with his maternal grandparents, would not take him in. His final destination should be the home of his eldest uncle, Zhuang Chaoying.

Another important family in the series is the neighbor's family of the eldest uncle, Zhuang Chaoying. The two families live in a small courtyard.

The male head of the household, Lin Wufeng, is an engineer at a transformer factory. The female head of the household, Song Ying, is a cotton mill worker, just like her aunt, Huang Ling. Their son, Lin Dongzhe, and Zhuang Xiaoting are classmates and will skip grades together. When they grow up, they become childhood sweethearts and eventually get married.

Besides these two important families, the alley also housed the Wu family across the street and the Wang family next door.
Hua Shier had a plan in mind: he wasn't going to leave this time!
These days, it takes more than 50 hours to travel by train from Guizhou to Suzhou. Most people would be exhausted by now, but Hua Shier was still full of energy.

Around 1 p.m. that afternoon, the train finally slowly pulled into Suzhou Station.

The platform was packed with people waiting to pick up passengers.

Hua Shier got off the bus with a cloth bag on his back and followed the flow of people out of the station. The July sun was already quite strong. In the square in front of the station, several pedicab drivers wearing straw hats were soliciting business, and vendors selling tea eggs and sesame cakes were calling out their wares under the shade of the trees.

His gaze swept across the crowd waiting to greet people at the station, and he soon spotted a man in his thirties standing not far away, pushing a bicycle. A cardboard sign hung on the handlebars, on which was written in calligraphy: "Welcome Xiang Pengfei."

The man was wearing a gray polyester short-sleeved shirt, his hair was neatly combed, but sweat was beading on his forehead. This must be Zhuang Ganmei, Xiang Pengfei's uncle.

Hua Shier stepped forward: "Uncle."

Zhuang Ganmei paused for a moment, then looked down at the photo in her hand. It was a family photo that her second sister, Zhuang Hualin, had sent back last year. Xiang Pengfei in the photo was dark-skinned and thin, completely different from the handsome and composed boy in front of her.

"Are you Pengfei?" Zhuang Ganmei asked hesitantly.

"it's me."

Hua Shier gave a polite smile. "My mom said you would come to pick me up."

"Oh, yes."

Zhuang Ganmei then realized what was happening, folded the cardboard and stuffed it into her pocket, took Hua Shier's cloth bag, and quickly tied it to the bicycle handlebars:
"Are you tired from the journey? Come on, get in the car and let's go home first."

After he finished speaking, he got on the bike, pedaled it once to get it moving, and turned around to signal to Hua Shier that he could get on.

Hua Shier took a step and jumped onto the back seat of the bicycle.

The streets of Suzhou were bustling with cars and people in the morning, with bicycles making up the majority of the traffic, their bells ringing incessantly.

Occasionally, a bus would rattle by, its carriage packed with people.

The buildings on both sides of the road are mostly old houses with white walls and black tiles. Occasionally, you can see construction sites under construction, with slogans on the scaffolding that read "Strive to achieve the Four Modernizations".

Zhuang Ganmei pushed the cart, casually asking about the road conditions.

Hua Shier's answer was concise and appropriate.

When they reached an intersection and were waiting for the traffic light to change, Zhuang Ganmei rode across the red light without even looking at it.

Of course, Zhuang Ganmei wasn't the only one doing this; as far as the eye could see, apart from cars, there were no people waiting at red lights.

The old house on Guanqian Street had its black lacquered wooden door ajar. Zhuang Ganmei told Hua Shier to get off the car, and he jumped off his bicycle and pushed the door open to go inside.

The courtyard was clean, paved with blue bricks, and the roses were in full bloom. Grandma Zhuang was picking vegetables under the eaves, while Grandpa Zhuang was listening to the radio in the main room.

"Mom and Dad, Pengfei is back."

Grandma Zhuang looked up and squinted at her grandson.

She was stunned when she saw him; the child was really handsome, completely different from the photo.

"This is Pengfei? He's grown up so much."

Grandma Zhuang put down her work, stood up, and took a few steps closer:

"You must have had a long journey."

"It's not hard work, Grandma."

Grandpa Zhuang also came out of the main room, his eyes filled with complex emotions: "Come in and sit down."

The atmosphere was awkward and there was no real intimacy. Grandma Zhuang poured Hua Twelve a glass of water and then continued picking vegetables, glancing at her grandson every now and then.

Hua Shier didn't stand on ceremony and came in as invited. He sat down on a chair and started drinking water.

Zhuang Ganmei glanced at Hua Shier, then said to the old man and woman:

"Dad, Mom, my sister wants Pengfei to stay until school starts, but it's still two months away. Where will he stay when he comes?"

"Living at home?"

Grandpa Zhuang interrupted him, his brows furrowing, his voice harsh:
"You two live in the east room, Zhendong and Zhenbei squeeze into a small room, and the west room is piled with miscellaneous items. How can anyone live there?"

Grandma Zhuang opened her mouth as if to say something, but after glancing at her husband, she swallowed her words back.

Zhuang Ganmei immediately replied:
“Dad is right! There really is no room left in the house. In Zhendong and Zhenbei’s room, the two small beds are almost touching, and there’s no room for another person to sleep.”

He spoke with absolute certainty, leaving no room for negotiation.

Hua Shier listened quietly, as if it weren't her own story, and just watched them perform.

His uncle's reaction was exactly what he expected; it wasn't an excuse about "family difficulties," but a clear refusal of "absolutely disagreement."

Haha, the west wing is occupied with clutter rather than let the nephew live there. And these old folks, supposedly grandparents, he just got off the train and walked in, and they didn't even ask him if he'd eaten. It seems their relationship is really limited.

My uncle Zhuang Ganmei has:

"Dad, Mom, I think we should let Pengfei stay at his older brother's house. He's a high school teacher with a high salary. Although his house isn't big, he's the eldest son and should be responsible for more of the expenses."

"Besides, Pengfei is staying with his older brother, and his older brother can tutor him, which is good for Pengfei."

That sounds very high-sounding.

Grandpa Zhuang pondered for a moment, then nodded:
“That makes sense. Chaoying is a teacher, and his conditions are better than ours. Pengfei can stay with him and study properly.”

Grandma Zhuang came over and took Hua Shier's hand:
“Pengfei, it’s not that your family won’t let you stay, it’s just that the conditions aren’t good. Your eldest uncle’s family is well-off, so you can stay there and enjoy a life of luxury!”

Hua Shier was amused: "I understand perfectly well!"

He wasn't angry at all; on the contrary, he was happy. Having read the original story, how could he not know what kind of person this was? The cleaner the mess was now, the happier he was. When the person needed his help in the future, he would have something to say about it.

Grandma Zhuang felt that these words didn't sound like nice, but looking at the child's expression, which was incredibly sincere, she couldn't tell whether he was being sarcastic or not.

"I'll go call my older brother."

Zhuang Ganmei got up and went out, probably to find a place to make a phone call.

Only then did Grandma Zhuang ask Hua Twelve, "Have you eaten yet?"

Hua Twelve said calmly, "Not yet!"

Grandpa Zhuang said, "It's already afternoon, there's not much time left, let's wait for your eldest uncle to come and eat together!"

Zhuang Ganmei left and never came back. By evening, not only her uncle, but also her aunt and her two cousins, Zhuang Zhendong and Zhuang Zhenbei, were nowhere to be seen. It was estimated that the whole family had gone into hiding.

In the evening, my eldest uncle, Zhuang Chaoying, arrived. He was the honest version of Guo Dong, a completely different kind of person from the one in the Summer Palace who was clinging to Qin Huairu. He was clearly a kind, good-natured, and naive guy.

Sha Zhu: Who the hell is Guo Dong? I promise I won't kill you!

Zhuang Chaoying was stunned when she saw Hua Shier: "This is Pengfei? He's grown so tall?"

"Uncle."

Hua Shier has memories of Xiang Pengfei, and his name sounds familiar to everyone.

"Oh, good child." Zhuang Chaoying smiled gently, "You must have had a long journey."

"It's not hard work!"

Grandma Zhuang had prepared two dishes, tofu and shredded potatoes. She came in carrying the two plates and called out, "Let's eat!"

During the meal, Grandpa Zhuang got to the point:
"Chaoying, Hualin wants Pengfei to stay in Suzhou until school starts, but you know the family's situation."

He repeated that same explanation.

Zhuang Chaoying frowned as she listened.

“You are the eldest son and also a teacher.”

Grandpa Zhuang continued, "If Pengfei stays with you, you can tutor him. Why don't you let Pengfei stay at your house for the summer vacation and see if he can adapt?"

The words were tactful, but the meaning was clear: you take the person with you, and you take responsibility.

Zhuang Chaoying remained silent for a long time. He knew about his family's difficulties, but would his wife agree?

"Dad, Mom, it's not that I'm unwilling," he carefully chose his words, "but the house isn't very big."

"There's always room if you squeeze in."

Grandma Zhuang chimed in, "Pengfei is still young, he can share a bed with Tu Nan. As for food, Hua Lin said she'll send the food coupons over."

Having said that, Zhuang Chaoying had no choice but to agree.

He was the eldest son and was taught from a young age to be filial and to take responsibility.

When the parents asked for help, the younger brother shirked his responsibilities. If he doesn't take on this burden, who will?
"That's fine."

Zhuang Chaoying finally nodded: "Pengfei can stay at my place this summer!"

Grandpa and Grandma Zhuang breathed a sigh of relief.

"Pengfei, quickly thank your uncle."

Hua Shier stood up and bowed slightly: "Thank you, Uncle."

"You're welcome, we're family."

Zhuang Chaoying patted his shoulder with a forced smile.

After finishing their meal, Hua Shier loaded her luggage onto the back of her bicycle, said goodbye to her grandparents, and the two left the old house.

As darkness fell, lights came on in the alley.

Zhuang Chaoying pushed the cart, with Hua Shier following beside her.

After walking for a while, Zhuang Chaoying finally spoke:
"Pengfei, when you get to your uncle's house, you must listen to your aunt. Your aunt is a very good person, but... she has a lot of things to do at home, and she gets tired sometimes. You must be sensible."

“I know, Uncle.”

Hua Shier calmly said, "I won't cause any trouble."

Zhuang Chaoying glanced at him, wanting to say something, but ultimately sighed.

This nephew is so sensible. So sensible it breaks my heart.

My aunt's apartment was in the cotton mill dormitory, in Textile Lane 3.

Although it was getting late, children were still playing in the open space in the alley.

Zhuang Chaoying's house is located in a small courtyard directly opposite the alley. However, the alley entrance faces east, and the courtyard gate faces south. They have to go around a bend to get into the courtyard after walking straight from the alley entrance.

The gate to the courtyard was ajar, and the sound of stir-frying could be heard coming from a house on the right.

"Huang Ling, look who's here."

Hua Shier found it amusing; Zhuang Chaoying's words carried a hint of unease.

Aunt Huang Ling peeked out from inside the door and first saw her husband, her face beaming with smiles. But when she suddenly saw the boy behind him, her smile froze, and she seemed confused.

Whose child is this?

"This is Pengfei, Hualin's son!"

After Zhuang Chaoying's introduction, Chaohua Twelve said, "Pengfei, call her Auntie."

After Hua Shier greeted her, he looked at Huang Ling. She looked very much like Manager Tong, but she looked older, with a pale face, obvious dark circles under her eyes, rough hands, and large knuckles. However, her eyes were clear and her smile was warm, although that warm smile seemed somewhat forced at the moment.

"Oh, good boy."

Huang Ling hurriedly came out to greet them, took Hua Shier's cloth bag from Zhuang Chaoying's hands, and said:

"Are you tired from the journey? Come in, dinner will be served soon!"

Following Huang Ling into the house, which was about 20 square meters, it was divided into two sections. The outer room contained a square table, chairs, a cupboard, and a double bed.

The inner room is the bedroom, with a small bed where Zhuang Tunan sleeps. Above the partition is another partition, which Hua Shier, who has watched the TV series, knows is where his cousin Zhuang Xiaoting lives.

The room was simple but clean. There were certificates of merit on the walls and green plants on the windowsill.

"Where are Tu Nan and Xiao Ting?" Zhuang Chaoying asked.

"She went to the Lin family next door to watch TV," Huang Ling said, her gaze then falling on Hua Shier.

"I'll cook another dish."

Hua Shier quickly replied, "I've already eaten, no need to trouble yourself."

"No trouble at all, it's just a matter of adding another pair of chopsticks. The child will be hungry soon, you should eat some more!"

Huang Ling had already turned and gone into the kitchen.

Zhuang Chaoying asked Hua Shier to sit down and poured him a glass of water. The atmosphere at home was somewhat awkward.

Huang Ling was cooking in the kitchen, and the sound of the spatula was much louder than usual.

Hua Shier sat quietly, his eyes slightly lowered, exuding an air of detachment from worldly affairs.

He knew Huang Ling wasn't targeting him. In those days, food was rationed, and everyone had a ration book. He didn't have a Suzhou household registration, so he didn't have a ration book. If he stayed here, every bite of food he ate would be deducted from his uncle's ration.

Zhuang Chaoying's monthly salary is 62 yuan, which sounds like a lot, but he is blindly filial and gives his parents 25 yuan a month, which is the "retirement money" set by his maternal grandfather. The remaining 37 yuan, plus his aunt's salary, is not enough to support a family of four.

Now there's another mouth to feed, and nobody would be happy about that.

Moreover, this extra mouth was pushed onto them by Grandpa and Grandma Zhuang. They couldn't bear to let their younger son's family bear the burden, so they passed the responsibility to their older son.

How could Huang Ling not harbor resentment?
Soon, Huang Ling brought out stir-fried greens, three bowls of porridge, and a dish of pickled vegetables.

"Just eat this for now. I'll buy some meat tomorrow."

“No need,” Hua Shier said immediately. “Auntie, I can eat anything.”

Huang Ling glanced at him, nodded—he was a sensible child—and then called out:
"Tu Nan, Xiao Ting, dinner's ready!"

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