A hundred flavors of life

Chapter 1422 Zhuang Chaoying's Change! (Please Subscribe!)

Zhuang Chaoying went to the toilet and hadn't returned for over half an hour. Huang Ling called out to the inner room:

"Pengfei, are you asleep yet?!"

Actually, none of the three children were asleep. After what had just happened, they were still wide awake. Hua Twelve immediately responded:
"No, Auntie, is something the matter?"

Huang Ling didn't stand on ceremony with Hua Shier: "Go to the alley entrance and see if your uncle has returned yet!"

Zhuang Tunan stood up and said, "Mom, I'll go!"

Hua Shier stopped him: "I'll go. My uncle was upset today, and there are some things you, as his son, shouldn't say. But I'm his nephew, so I can give him some advice!"

Huang Ling smiled. Actually, she just wanted Hua Shier to persuade Zhuang Chaoying. She didn't even need to say it. Her nephew was so thoughtful.

Hua Shier put on his coat, pushed open the door, and went out. When he reached the alley entrance, he saw Zhuang Chaoying sitting blankly on a wooden stump at the alley entrance under the dim streetlights.

"Uncle, we're home!"

Hua Shier walked closer and then greeted him.

Zhuang Chaoying was clearly lost in her own thoughts, and only when Hua Shier called her did she realize that her nephew had come looking for her.

"Oh, it's Pengfei. You should go back first; your uncle needs to think about something!"

Hua Shier sat down beside him with a smile:
"Uncle, if there's something you don't understand, tell me. Sometimes, an outsider can see things more clearly!"

Seeing that he hadn't gone back, Zhuang Chaoying didn't urge him. After a moment's thought, she said:
"Pengfei, don't you think it's proper for children to be filial to their parents?"

“Of course!” Hua Shier affirmed, then smiled and waited for Zhuang Chaoying to continue.

Zhuang Chaoying looked annoyed:
"Am I wrong to be filial? Why can't you understand me?"

“Because I take care of your maternal grandfather’s family and help your second uncle, your eldest aunt doesn’t understand me. Listening to what you said today, it seems your mother feels the same way. Why can’t they understand me and support me?”

“Your maternal grandparents raised me with great difficulty and sent me to school, which is why I am where I am today. What’s wrong with me repaying my parents?”

“Your mom said your maternal grandparents saved money for your second uncle, and I believe her, but that’s their money, and they can give it to whomever they want!”

"Your maternal grandparents owe me nothing, nor do they owe your mother anything. On the contrary, it is your mother and I who owe your maternal grandparents. The debt of gratitude for giving birth to and raising us is greater than the heavens!"

Hua Shier nodded repeatedly, his face showing deep agreement.

“Uncle is right. Let’s bury Tu Nan and Xiao Ting in the suburbs tonight. Aunt will understand then.”

Zhuang Chaoying was speechless, her eyes wide. "Do you want to listen to what you're saying? I'm discussing filial piety with you, why are you burying my child?"
He asked incredulously, "Pengfei, what... what did you say?"

"I suggested we bury Tu Nan and Xiao Ting tonight, just like Guo Ju did, it's a legendary tale!"

Guo Ju is a character in the "Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars". He is said to have lived in the Han Dynasty. His family was originally well-off, but after his father died, he did not want a penny of the family property. Instead, he gave it all to his two younger brothers and then took his mother into his home to support her.

Because they received no inheritance, they had little income, and their lives grew increasingly impoverished. Their mother's standard of living became precarious. To make matters worse, Guo Ju's wife gave birth to a son, further exacerbating the family's already dire situation!

Guo Ju was worried because he felt that raising this child would inevitably affect his ability to support his mother. He discussed it with his wife and said that sons could be born again, but mothers could not be brought back to life after they died. They suggested that they bury the son to save some food to support their mother.

Incredibly, Guo Ju's wife also agreed.

The couple didn't even try to ask their two younger brothers, who had received a share of the inheritance, for help before happily deciding to dig a hole and bury their child.

They unearthed a jar of gold two feet underground, with an inscription that read, "Heaven bestows this upon the filial son Guo Ju; officials may not take it, nor may the people seize it." The couple became rich and decided that their son should wait until the gold was spent before burying it.

This story was praised by many people in ancient times, and even regarded as a guiding principle, and was highly revered.

But Hua Shier thought it was nonsense. Just to let his mother have a good meal, he was going to kill his innocent young son? Was this filial piety? This was just making excuses for murder, and it was putting his mother in a position of injustice!
Someone like Guo Ju, he actually found gold? He was lucky he didn't find any bombs, maybe he just looked like Zhao Si!
Hua Shier thought this was probably all fake, and even if it were true, it wasn't worth praising; in fact, it should be utterly despised. Bah, go to hell.

Such stories, when included in the "Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars," are like the story of "Lying on Ice to Catch Carp"—they are meant to brainwash others.

It's like during the Qing Dynasty, a group of men pointed to bound, fractured, and deformed feet and told all the women, "Look, this is the standard, this is beauty!"

Damn it, if you're so beautiful, why don't you cover yourself up?!
Hua Shier used Guo Ju to compare with Zhuang Chaoying just to disgust this blindly filial uncle.

He even went so far as to offer Zhuang Chaoying a seemingly expert summary of his experience:

"Your aunt doesn't understand you. Isn't it because you give your salary to your grandparents and your own little family is struggling to make ends meet? You don't even have enough money to feed the kids well and supplement their nutrition!"

"So as long as we bury Tu Nan and Zhuang Xiaoting, there won't be any problem supporting the family. Uncle, you can give all your salary to Grandpa and Grandma. Isn't that great!"

Zhuang Chaoying was a scholar, so he naturally knew the story of "burying the son to support the mother," but when he heard Hua Shier's sarcastic words, his face darkened.

Hua Twelve continued to laugh:
"Uncle, look how much you resemble Guo Ju!"

"Guo Ju doesn't want any property; in order to ensure his mother's quality of life, he even wants to bury his son!"

“Your grandparents clearly have retirement pensions, and they probably won’t leave you their assets or house, but you still keep contributing money to them, even if it means your own family has to live a very frugal life, all to support your parents and help your siblings. You are so great!”

“Now, all you and Guo Ju are missing is burying the children, so I said let’s bury Tu Nan and Xiao Ting together, then you’ll be even with Guo Ju, and Auntie won’t have to worry about not having enough money!”

"When you two get your salaries, keep only enough for food, and give the rest to Grandma to help your second uncle!"

"My second uncle's life is getting better and better. Although things are a bit tight here, it's still great!"

Zhuang Chaoying understood what Hua Shier was trying to say, and her expression turned awkward:
"There's no need to be so extreme, but being filial to your parents is never wrong, is it?"

Hua Twelve smiled and said:
“I never said a word that Uncle was wrong from the beginning. I’m on your side, and I think you did the right thing. Look at you and Aunt now, you’re living a very frugal life, but isn’t it all for the sake of filial piety?”

"My maternal grandparents went around telling everyone how good their eldest son was, how filial he was to his parents, and how helpful he was to his brothers."

“I think your aunt should learn from you and take out twenty-five yuan from her salary to support her parents. After all, this is a new society, and men and women are equal. The woman's parents are parents too, right? If you tighten your belts and bury Tu Nan and Xiao Ting, you'll get through this.”

Zhuang Chaoying suddenly sighed:
"Pengfei, after all you've said, are you trying to say I'm blindly filial?"

Hua Twelve laughed heartily:
"You said it yourself, so I'll just go along with what you said!"

“I think that now that my maternal grandparents have salaries and live with my second uncle and aunt, there are six of them in the family, and four of them have expenses. They live much better than you and my eldest aunt. They don’t need your help at all. You are just being blindly filial!”

Zhuang Chaoying was silent for a moment, then stood up and said, "Let's go back!"

At that moment, Zhuang Chaoying seemed to have figured something out, and her originally gloomy eyes gradually became firm.

Back home, no one in the family was asleep yet. Huang Ling said indifferently to Zhuang Chaoying:

"Go to sleep as soon as you get back!"

Zhuang Chaoying suddenly said to his wife:

“There were some things I didn’t understand before, but I’ve figured them out now. Starting this month, I won’t give my salary to my parents anymore!”

Huang Ling's eyes lit up, and her indifferent tone became slightly excited: "Are you serious?"

"Yes!" Zhuang Chaoying nodded emphatically.

Inside the room, Hua Shier was already lying on the bed. Zhuang Tunan asked in a low voice, "Brother Pengfei, what did you say to my dad? How did he come to his senses?"

Hua Shier chuckled and whispered, "I said I'd have him bury you!"

Zhuang Tunan looked confused.

As soon as Huang Ling turned off the light, Zhuang Tunan's soft snoring could be heard.

At this moment, Hua Shier also left behind a clone, while his real body had already arrived outside Textile Lane 3 through the mirror space.

Do you really think that's the end of the matter?

All he did was practice a set of Ip Man boxing moves on Zhuang Ganmei's face, and they still dared to come and cause trouble. They've given them too much face!
Hua Shier then pondered how to deal with them.

It needs to be somewhat original. Of course, given its kinship with the original body, the severity of the punishment must be just right, achieving the goal of stopping short of punishment, a minor deterrent, but leaving a deep impression.

An hour later, four or five people scaled the wall into the courtyard of the Zhuang family's old house, then kicked open the door to Zhuang Ganmei's room, shone a flashlight on the bed, and shouted:
"The joint defense team is grabbing a ladle!"

Meanwhile, Hua Shier, who had returned to Textile Lane 3, lit a cigarette with a match, and without turning it off, casually burned Zhuang Ganmei's marriage certificate and Zhuang's household registration book.

Okay, so he threw over 500 complaint letters into the joint defense team's duty room, aiming for a heavy blow, and then he secretly took Zhuang Ganmei's marriage certificate and the Zhuang family's household registration book, leaving them speechless and unable to explain themselves.

Even if the neighbors can testify that the two are indeed a couple, where are the invoices and credit cards? Without legal documents, they should at least spend the night at the joint defense team and be released the next day after the situation is verified.

But after this commotion, even if the misunderstanding was cleared up, Zhuang Ganmei became famous!
Two months passed in the blink of an eye, and on the day Zhuang Chaoying was to pay her expenses, she received a phone call from her mother in the afternoon:

"Chaoying, why didn't you come back last month? Your dad and I missed you. There's nothing we can't get over as a family. Mom will cook two of your favorite dishes tonight. Come over and see your dad. Okay, I'm going to cook for you now!"

Zhuang Chaoying listened to the busy tone on the phone and gave a bitter smile. He hadn't gone home last month, and his mother was calling him this month at the last minute. How could he not know why?

After getting off work in the evening, Zhuang Chaoying rode her bicycle to her parents' house. As soon as she entered, she saw that her whole family was there, including her younger brother, sister-in-law, and two nephews, who were already eating.

"Mom and Dad, Ganmei, and your sister-in-law."

Grandma Zhuang greeted her with a smile, "Chaoying's here! Quickly sit down and have a drink with your brother. Mom made all your favorite dishes!"

Zhuang Chaoying glanced at the dishes on the table; they were all dishes that her younger brother, Ganmei, loved to eat.

It was like this when he was still living at home. Every time his parents cooked his younger brother's favorite dishes, he would not say anything. Over time, he came to regard them as his favorite dishes.

Zhuang Chaoying sat down, ate a few bites perfunctorily, and drank a cup with her father and Ganmei.

At this point, Grandma Zhuang felt it was about time, and then said with a smile, "Chaoying, let bygones be bygones about what happened last time. Your father and Ganmei didn't blame you. From now on, you should discipline Pengfei properly and make sure he doesn't act disrespectfully towards his elders, lest he go astray!"

Zhuang Chaoying wanted to say that Pengfei was a good kid, but after thinking about it, she didn't argue and nodded: "I understand!"

Grandma Zhuang continued:
“You didn’t come last month, so I haven’t given Mom the twenty-five yuan yet. Adding this month’s, it’s exactly fifty yuan. Look how thin both my nephews have become.”

Zhuang Chaoying thought of what she had said to Hua Shier that night, steeled her heart, and put down her chopsticks:

"Dad, Mom, I have something to tell you. Tu Nan and Xiao Ting are both growing, and I want to give them some extra nutrition. Also, Tu Nan will be taking the college entrance exam in two years, and I'm planning to save some money for him. Let's not pay that twenty-five yuan anymore."

When these words were spoken, Grandpa Zhuang, Grandma Zhuang, and the couple Gan Mei were all taken aback.

Grandpa Zhuang slammed the chopsticks onto the table, and they shattered on the floor with a loud crash.
"You've grown wings, huh?"

Grandma Zhuang's face darkened: "Chaoying, don't forget what happened back then."

Zhuang Chaoying said:
"Mom, please let me finish. I remember all the good things you and Dad have done for me. It's not that I'm being unfilial. When I came home from school for holidays, you took me from house to house to borrow money and food. That's how Hualin, Ganmei, and I were able to have food and tuition for next month. I remember all of that!"

Grandma Zhuang nodded repeatedly: "Then why did you say those things?"

Zhuang Chaoying smiled:
"Mom, I already paid back all that money and food after I started working and earning money!"

"Moreover, before I got married, I gave all my salary from the past two years to my family. When I got married, I didn't even have money to buy furniture. The furniture and sewing machine were all part of Huang Ling's dowry from her family."

“After we got married, I still handed over my salary to you. Back then, I ate and drank Huang Ling’s food and drinks. At the time, I didn’t think much of it, but now I think I was just a freeloader.”

“Now that Tu Nan and Xiao Ting have grown up, I, as their father, also need to fulfill my responsibilities as a father. I can’t always let Huang Ling take the lead.”

At this point, Zhuang Chaoying gave a self-deprecating laugh:
"You said Zhendong and Zhenbei need nutritional supplements, but don't Tunan and Xiaoting need them too? They are your own grandchildren!"

"Mom, I came here today to tell you and Dad that I will no longer be contributing money to the family!"

He stood up as he spoke, not even glancing at the family's ashen faces, nodded to himself, and turned to leave the farmhouse.

On this day, Zhuang Chaoying walked into her house with her back straight and a big smile on her face, handing over her full salary for the month to Huang Ling:

"Honey, this is my salary for this month. Please keep it for me!"

Huang Ling took the number and counted them. The more she counted, the more her smile broadened. She looked up at her husband with a questioning look in her eyes.

Zhuang Chaoying smiled and nodded, giving his wife an affirmative answer.

The three children witnessed this scene. Zhuang Tunan had a complicated expression; he didn't want his parents to have a falling out with his grandparents.

Zhuang Xiaoting was somewhat happy because she could clearly feel the preference for boys over girls at her grandparents' house. When she was little, she had to eat with her mother in the kitchen when she was eating at her grandparents' house and couldn't sit at the table. So she was very happy to see her father standing up for himself.

Hua Shier, however, was not optimistic that Zhuang Chaoying could correct her mistakes immediately.

The Zhuang family's brainwashing of Zhuang Chaoying over the decades is not something that can be easily changed. It will take a long time for him to come to terms with the reality of being exploited and ripped off by his family of origin.

Time flies. In 82, Zhuang Tunan was about to enter his second year of high school, which was the last year of the two-year high school program.

In other words, after the summer vacation, he will be in the countdown to the college entrance examination.

At this moment, the Zhuang family reappeared in front of Hua Twelve.

On this holiday day, Grandpa Zhuang and Grandma Zhuang walked one after the other, their hands behind their backs, to Zhuang Chaoying and Huang Ling's house.

Zhuang Chaoying and Huang Ling hurriedly entertained them, making tea and cutting watermelon, afraid that they might not be able to provide adequate hospitality.

Zhuang Tunan and Zhuang Xiaoting both greeted the people.

Only Hua Shier was looking out the window, seemingly lost in thought, and didn't see anyone.

Grandpa Zhuang looked at Hua Twelve and snorted coldly: "Still so unruly!"

Zhuang Chaoying quickly said, "Pengfei, call for help!"

Hua Shier then reluctantly said, "Grandpa, Grandma, it's been two years, and you're still so healthy!"

Grandpa Zhuang and Grandma Zhuang both looked a little dark-faced because they felt that Hua Shier's tone didn't sound like he was saying something nice!
Grandma Zhuang suppressed her displeasure and forced a smile:
"Pengfei has grown taller again. I'll have Zhendong and Zhenbei come visit you later. You brothers should get to know each other better."

Hua Shier nodded and said:

"You've grown taller, so the inner room is a bit cramped for me and Tu Nan. If some cat or dog wanted to move in, I'm afraid it wouldn't be enough?"

"Besides, I have a bad temper. If I get angry, I'll even beat up my own second uncle. Try not to come to Zhendong or Zhenbei. My main principle is to be the only one who reigns supreme in the world. Zhendong won't work for me!"

"Pengfei!"

Zhuang Chaoying's expression was a little unpleasant: "You, Tu Nan, and Xiao Ting go find Lin Dongzhe to play for a while!"

Hua Shier shrugged and was pulled to the next room by Zhuang Tunan and Zhuang Xiaoting.

Huang Ling had been watching the play and thought her nephew was really impressive; she could barely suppress her smile. But judging from her mother-in-law's tone, she also became wary.
"Mom and Dad, is there something you need this time?"

Grandma Zhuang gave a somewhat forced smile and said to Huang Ling:
“After Zhendong and Zhenbei entered junior high school, their studies have fallen behind. I was thinking of having them stay here during the summer vacation so that their uncle could tutor them!”

Zhuang Chaoying nodded in agreement: "I agree!"

Huang Ling directly denied it:

"No! There's not enough room at home!"

"Tu Nan and Peng Fei are both big kids now, and with Xiao Ting included, the house is already quite cramped with only this much space!"

Grandma Zhuang quickly said, "It's alright, Xiaoting can stay at my place. She can share a room with me and her grandfather, and I'll take care of her for you. The four boys can share the big room, and you and Chaoying can share the inner room. Isn't that fine?"

Huang Ling smiled faintly: "No good. You and Dad have been spitting and drinking water all night. If Xiaoting moves in, she can help with housework during the day and serve tea and water at night."

Zhuang Chaoying couldn't stand it anymore: "Huang Ling, what nonsense are you talking about!"

Huang Ling glanced at her husband:
“When Mom broke her leg, she wanted Xiaoting to move in with her. Xiaoting was only eight years old and in first grade then. That’s what Mom told me. She said Xiaoting was young and a light sleeper, so it would be easier to get up at night to take care of her.”

"I just want to ask, Ganmei and her husband, and their two sons, Zhendong and Zhenbei, all live with their mother, so why don't they take care of her? Why do they insist on having our eight-year-old Xiaoting take care of her?"

Grandma Zhuang quickly replied, "I was just saying that. Xiaoting is our only granddaughter in the Zhuang family, how could I not love her?"

Just then, someone outside the house shouted:

"Sex preference for sons is wrong; we need gender equality in the new era!"

The next moment, Hua Shier floated past the window, turned around and winked at Huang Ling.

Huang Ling chuckled, knowing that her nephew was mocking his mother for favoring boys over girls. If it weren't for the inappropriateness of their relationship, she would have really cheered for her nephew. Hmm, extra chicken leg for dinner, that's a happy decision.

Grandma Zhuang said sheepishly, "I definitely won't trouble Xiaoting, I can promise you that!"

Huang Ling shook her head and said, "It still doesn't work!"

Zhuang Chaoying was somewhat indignant: "Huang Ling, I'm the eldest in the family. What's wrong with me taking care of my nephew? What you're doing is going too far!"

Huang Ling spoke calmly:

"Have you thought about Tu Nan? He's starting his second year of high school. This year is the last year of the two-year high school program. He'll be in the final sprint for the college entrance exam right from the start of the semester. If he gets disturbed while preparing for the exam, who will take responsibility?"

"If the four kids live together, where will Tu Nan find a learning environment?"

Grandpa Zhuang said in a deep voice, "What about Pengfei? Isn't he living here quite well too?"

Huang Ling laughed: "I'm not saying this to flatter Pengfei, but among young men of the same age, if you ask Zhuang Chaoying, has he ever seen anyone better than Pengfei?"

Zhuang Chaoying nodded in agreement: "Pengfei's excellence truly exceeds my expectations."

Huang Ling continued, "This room was allocated to me by the factory. If you insist on letting Zhendong and Zhenbei move in, then I will divorce Chaoying, and Chaoying can rent a place elsewhere, whatever you want!"

"you"

Zhuang Chaoying's face turned dark with anger.

Grandpa Zhuang said to Grandma Zhuang, "Look, look, this is your daughter-in-law!"

Just then, Hua Shier's voice came from outside the window again: "Lin Dongzhe, hold on tight!"

Everyone looked outside and saw Lin Dongzhe, who would be entering junior high school in the second half of the year, holding a brick in his hand. Hua Shier chopped the brick in half with a vertical palm strike.

Lin Dongzhe, Zhuang Tunan, and Zhuang Xiaoting all cheered.

The adults in the room stared wide-eyed, none of them knowing when Hua Shier had learned this move.

Hua Shier said to Huang Ling through the window:
"Aunt, please let Zhendong and Zhenbei move in. I need to practice the Golden Spear Throat-Piercing Technique recently, and I'm short a couple of people to pierce the throat while I'm practicing. I think Zhendong and Zhenbei are perfect for it. I can guarantee I won't kill them."

Grandpa and Grandma Zhuang were truly frightened. This kid had even hit his own second uncle, let alone his two cousins. If he really hurt their two precious grandsons, they would regret it too late. So they immediately got up and left with grim faces.

Zhuang Chaoying called out from behind, "Mom and Dad, let's eat before we go!"

But as soon as Grandpa Zhuang and Grandma Zhuang left, Zhuang Chaoying actually showed a relieved expression, and then gave Huang Ling and Hua Shier a thumbs up: "Wife, nephew, you two are really amazing!"

Hua Shier then realized that the couple were playing good cop and bad cop, and thought to himself that his uncle was still salvageable!

Thanks to 08a, Little Tiger of the Demon Realm, and MICL for their generous donations, and to all the brothers who voted with monthly tickets and recommendation tickets. Thank you so much!