A hundred flavors of life

Chapter 1432 Happy New Year! (Please subscribe!)

P.S.: Wishing all my brothers a Happy New Year, good health, wealth from all directions, and all your wishes come true.

On the day Zhuang Tunan received his college admission notice, Huang Ling returned from grocery shopping, and all the neighbors on the street congratulated her. Some even asked her how she had raised her children so well.

When Huang Ling returned to the courtyard, her mouth was still wide open, she couldn't close it.

Seeing this, Song Ying said with a smile, "Sister Ling, that's enough, you've been laughing all day!"

Huang Ling quickly rubbed her face: "Are you still laughing? I don't feel anything!"

Zhuang Chaoying said from the side, "You've frozen from laughing!"

Everyone laughed.

Several children came out of the house, and Hua Shier went over and took the vegetables from Huang Ling's hands:

"Auntie, you should rest today. I'll cook tonight!"

Huang Ling was about to say no, when Song Ying said:

"I think it's a good idea. Pengfei's cooking is even better than that of restaurant chefs. It'll satisfy my craving!"

Huang Ling had no choice but to say, "You've worked hard, Pengfei!"

Hua Shier laughed and said, "Auntie, that's not very nice of you. You're the one who always cooks, but you're a college student's mother now, do you think I'd let you cook?"

Everyone burst into laughter again, and Zhuang Tunan joined in, saying, "Brother Pengfei, I'll be your assistant!"

Lin Dongzhe and Zhuang Xiaoting also want to help.

The adults from both families chatted in the yard, letting the children do what they wanted on their own.

Teacher Zhuang asked:

"With such a joyous occasion today, should we invite the other neighbors over for dinner later?"

There were only a few families I knew well: the Li family at the alley entrance, the Wu family across the street, and the Wang family next door.

Before Huang Ling could speak, Song Ying quickly lowered her voice and said:
"Please don't! Teacher Zhuang, you're doing this on purpose, aren't you? You know what's going on with the Wu family. These days, everyone avoids them. If we really invite them over, the smell will be unbearable, and we might as well not eat!"

Zhuang Chaoying had just said it subconsciously, and then she slapped her forehead:
"I had almost forgotten about that!"

Song Ying gestured towards the next room and said, "And forget about the Wang family too. After what Wang Fang did last time, why are we still going to keep in touch?"

Huang Ling nodded repeatedly: "Song Ying is right, then let's not invite anyone. Inviting anyone or not will offend people. Let's just have our two families have a lively time!"

Zhuang Chaoying and Lin Wufeng both nodded; these days, the women in their families are making the decisions.

Just then, someone called out from the courtyard gate, "Aunt Ling, is Brother Pengfei here?"

Huang Ling glanced at him and smiled, "Oh, it's Shanshan. Pengfei is in the kitchen. Come in!"

"I won't go in, I just want to say a few words to Brother Pengfei!"

Wu Shanshan shook her head repeatedly. She had been smelling like stench at home for the past few days, and going in would only annoy others.

Hua Shier was preparing vegetables in the kitchen when he heard Wu Shanshan's voice. He told the younger ones to wash the vegetables first, wiped his hands, and then came out.

When Wu Shanshan saw Hua Shier, she waved, then pointed towards the alley entrance before politely saying goodbye to the adults.

Before Hua Shier could even greet his uncle and aunt, Huang Ling smiled and said:

"Go quickly, don't keep people waiting!"

Hua Shier laughed and said, "I'll be back in a bit. You guys wait for me to come back and cook!"

As soon as he stepped out of the courtyard, Song Ying asked with a gossipy look, "I think Pengfei and Shanshan are dating, right?"

Before Huang Ling could speak, Zhuang Chaoying asked in confusion:

"Dating? No way! They're in the same class, it's normal for them to be close!"

Song Ying asked with a smile, "In the summer, Pengfei rides his bike to and from school with Shanshan, and in the winter, they take the bus together. I think they're probably dating. What's that word again, something like 'green'?"

She looked at her husband, and Lin Wufeng chuckled as he helped her complete the sentence: "Childhood sweethearts!"

Song Ying immediately clapped her hands: "Yes, yes, childhood sweethearts, innocent and carefree, isn't that how it's always described in plays!"

Zhuang Chaoying immediately took it seriously:
"No, I need to have a serious talk with him when he gets back. I'll also call Hualin later and tell her to take this seriously. High school is a very important time. Pengfei should be studying right now. How can he be dating at this age? It's not something he should be doing at his age!"

Huang Ling said irritably:
"What are you fighting for? Don't let Hualin fight. I think these two kids are fine. Besides, are they affecting their studies? Pengfei is first in the grade at No. 1 Middle School, and Shanshan is second. How are they affecting their studies? I think they are encouraging each other!"

"This"

Zhuang Chaoying thought about it and realized it made sense; her nephew's grades had never been a concern. "But this age isn't suitable either!"

Huang Ling glared at him:
“What’s inappropriate about it? Pengfei is about to start high school and will be going to college in a couple of years. It would be great if this could solve his dating problem sooner. I think Shanshan is a good girl and she’s a good match for Pengfei!”

Lin Wufeng then smiled and advised:

"Teacher Zhuang, you've gotten used to being the dean of students; your stance determines your thinking!"

"Think about it from another perspective. Back when we were students, who didn't have a period of youthful infatuation?"

"As long as it doesn't affect their studies or cause them to make mistakes, it's fine. I think both kids are sensible. Just mention it to Pengfei and tell him to be careful!"

Zhuang Chaoying and the others all said so, and although they didn't completely agree, they nodded in agreement.

Song Ying sensed something was wrong: "Lin Wufeng, you've got guts! Come tell me about your student days, who you had a crush on, and who you had your eye on!"

She then reached out and pinched her husband's ear, to which he quickly explained, "I was just saying, how could I dare?"

Zhuang Chaoying and Huang Ling were both amused by the couple.

Hua Shier and Wu Shanshan exited the alley. The latter sat under a sycamore tree, waiting for him to sit down and speak. He quickly said:
"Shanshan, just say what you want to say. We're a man and a woman alone together, we need to keep our distance so people don't misunderstand!"

Wu Shanshan knew perfectly well that this guy disliked her smell and had been keeping a one-meter distance from her lately, even deliberately looking for a breezy spot.

Enraged, she picked up a twig and threw it at them.

"Xiang Pengfei, are you deliberately trying to provoke me? Come sit down right now, or I'll get angry!"

Hua Shier held his breath and sat down, chuckling awkwardly, "Hurry up and tell me what it is, I still need to go back and cook!"

"It's not all because of you!"

Wu Shanshan said bitterly, "The smell in my house is too strong now, I really can't stand it. I want to go to 'Canliyuan' for a few days. I'll tell my dad I'll stay at a classmate's house. What do you think?"

"Shh, keep your voice down!"

Hua Shier looked around before whispering, "Don't make things up about blowing up toilets without any evidence!"

He added, "Go ahead and go. I gave you the key to the garden. Oh, and I also installed a bathtub over there so you can take a hot bath. Go and have a good shower, otherwise I won't dare to come near you!"

Wu Shanshan pouted coldly: "Finally telling the truth, huh? You're just disgusted with me now!"

Hua Shier stopped pretending: "I'm not disgusted by you, I'm disgusted by the smell of shit!"

Wu Shanshan reached out to punch him, but he dodged it with a laugh, then begged for mercy:

"Alright, alright, wait for me at the Magpie Bridge after I finish dinner tonight, and I'll ride my bike to take you there!"

Wu Shanshan then turned her anger into joy.

That evening, Hua Shier prepared a delicious and colorful meal, and the two families toasted and celebrated with Zhuang Tunan.

As soon as the party ended and the children were cleaning up the tables, Hua Shier saw Wu Shanshan leave her house. As she passed by the gate of this courtyard, she glanced at him and then went out into the alley.

Hua Shier wasn't in a hurry. After picking up the table with Tu Nan, Xiao Ting, and Lin Dongzhe, they said goodbye and rode their bikes out. Lin Dongzhe said dejectedly, "Pengfei is such a spoilsport! I was hoping we could go out and have some fun!"

Zhuang Xiaoting smiled but didn't say anything. She had seen Wu Shanshan walk out and knew that Brother Pengfei must have gone to find Sister Shanshan.

Hua Shier met Wu Shanshan, who had been waiting for him, by the Magpie Bridge. Upon seeing him, she didn't even wait for him to stop; she ran over, jumped into the back seat, and patted him on the shoulder.

"Let's go, let's go!"

Hua Shier smiled and shook his head, then rode his bicycle to the Residual Grain Garden.

When Wu Shanshan returned to the Remnant Grain Garden, she found that it was different from the last time she came.

The room not only had sofas that were even prettier than those on TV, but also some appliances I'd never seen before, such as a TV that covered an entire wall, a refrigerator that was as big as a cabinet, and a gas stove and range hood in the kitchen that were supposed to burn gas.

Hua Shier even took her to the bathroom, which was equipped with a solar water heater from later generations, a shower, and a large double bathtub.

Wu Shanshan asked curiously, "Brother Pengfei, where did you get all these things?"

"These were all brought from Hong Kong Island by my friend, so just keep them to yourself. Don't tell anyone else, and don't bring anyone else here, okay?"

Although Hua Shier felt that Wu Shanshan wasn't that stupid, it was still better to explain things clearly.

Wu Shanshan nodded repeatedly: "Don't worry, I definitely won't tell anyone. By the way, can you teach me how to use this water heater? I need to take a shower first to get rid of the smell!"

She now smells terrible on herself, and when she sees a place where she can take a shower anytime, she immediately becomes impatient.

Hua Shier taught her how to use it, and then brought her a change of clothes, saying that she had specially asked a friend to buy them in Hong Kong Island as a gift for Wu Shanshan.

After doing all this, he left, and as he closed the door, he grinned wickedly:
"Make sure the door is locked tight, or it'll be troublesome if bad guys get in!"

Seeing this guy's smile, Wu Shanshan blushed: "I think you're the worst one!"

Wu Shanshan locked the door before taking a shower. During the process, her face was flushed and her heart was pounding, fearing that Hua Shier would turn into the Big Bad Wolf, break down the door, and eat her, the Little Red Riding Hood.

Hua Twelve isn't that bored. At your age, do you even know what breaking the law means? Do you know what it means to fatten someone up before killing them? You'll have to wait two years.
After Wu Shanshan finished showering, changed into new clothes, and came out with a rosy complexion, Hua Shier finally put down the book in his hand:

"Alright, you can stay here tonight. I'm going back now. Don't worry about safety; no one can get in here!"

As darkness falls, the garden, though beautiful during the day, becomes a bit eerie if one were to stay here alone at night, surrounded by trees. And when the wind blows, the swaying branches and flowers can be quite frightening.

So it was fine if he hadn't mentioned safety, as Wu Shanshan hadn't thought of that possibility. But now that Hua Shier brought it up, Wu Shanshan is a little scared:

"Brother Pengfei, why don't you stay and keep me company? I... I'm a little scared!"

Hua Shier didn't want to stay. Wu Shanshan had already grown into the beautiful young woman she was now. If he stayed here, he could only look at her but not touch her. Wouldn't that be infuriating?

He thought for a moment and said, "Wait for me a moment!"

Hua Shier told Wu Shanshan to wait. He ran out and soon returned with an adorable dog.

"This dog is called Xiaotian. It understands human nature very well, is very loyal, and is also very powerful. With it protecting you, you won't be afraid even if bad guys come in!"

Hua Shier said to Xiaotian, "Come on, give her a good whack!"

As Xiaotian bared its teeth and growled, revealing a ferocious appearance, Wu Shanshan immediately felt a chilling aura rush towards her, which startled her and made her take several steps back.

Hua Shier said with a smile, "Don't be afraid, Xiaotian is very intelligent!"

After he finished speaking, he said to Xiaotian, "Xiaotian, from now on this is your mistress. Go and shake her hand!"

Xiaotian, panting and wobbling, ran up to Wu Shanshan, who looked nervous, stretched out his front paws, and started sticking out his tongue to act cute.

Wu Shanshan cautiously reached out and shook hands with Xiaotian. Only then did she become bolder and took the initiative to pat Xiaotian's head. The latter showed an expression of enjoyment, appearing very affectionate and without any resistance.

After Wu Shanshan and Xiaotian started playing together, Hua Shier solemnly instructed Xiaotian:

"I'm giving you a task. From now on, you'll guard this garden and aren't allowed to leave. You must protect the mistress. If anyone dares to appear in this garden besides her, bite them, understand?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiaotian nodded at him, then growled at him warily and began to bare its teeth, looking as if it was about to attack at any moment.

Hua Shier was stunned for a moment, then slapped him:
"You're not going to bite me, are you? You big idiot dog!"

Seeing that Xiaotian was so intelligent, Wu Shanshan immediately hugged him like a treasure and said with a smile:
"You're not allowed to hit it! You didn't explain yourself clearly."

The little dog, Xiaotian, looked at its master with a wronged expression, as if to say, "Look at everyone else, they all understand. Didn't you tell me to do this?"

Hua Shier felt that this dog must have been kicked in the head by the Monkey King during the 'Journey to the West' campaign against Flower Fruit Mountain, which made it stupid.

He greeted Wu Shanshan and then rode his bike back to the alley. Wu Shanshan settled down in the Canliyuan area. And with Xiaotian, her sensible dog, by her side, she wasn't scared at all.

The comfortable environment here exceeded her expectations, making Wu Shanshan not want to go back to live here. But she also knew that this was unrealistic. She had not yet gone to university and was not yet of age to be independent. Although her family no longer cared about her, she would still be criticized if she did not appear at home for a long time.

So after living there for a few days, once the smell had mostly dissipated, I moved back home on my own initiative.

On the day Wu Shanshan returned to the alley, Huang Ling was having a heart-to-heart talk with Hua Shier:

“Pengfei, tomorrow is the weekend. Your grandma knows that Tu Nan got into Tongji University and says she’s going to host a family dinner at the noodle shop at the corner. You’ll have to go too, but can you promise your aunt to control your temper and not be like a firecracker that explodes at the slightest provocation?”

Hua Shier looked completely innocent: "Auntie, what are you saying? I'm not the kind of person who causes trouble. It's always someone else who starts it!"

Huang Ling smiled and said, "Auntie knows, but this time it's because of Tu Nan. If you make a scene with them, it won't look good for our family either. Can we just do it this once?"

What else could Hua Shier say? "Fine, as long as they don't bully me too much, I won't bother with them!"

Huang Ling smiled and nodded, then saw Shan Shan walking to the courtyard gate, and she stood up and said:
"Shanshan's here, probably looking for you. Go quickly, I'll go invite your Aunt Song."

The next day, at the noodle shop at the street corner, Grandpa Zhuang and Grandma Zhuang finally decided to be generous and set up two tables to invite relatives and friends to a meal to celebrate their eldest grandson Tu Nan's admission to university.

The adult men sat at one table, while the younger generation sat at another table with the women.

Grandma Zhuang glanced at Hua Twelve, then pretended not to see him. Second Aunt was also there; when she saw him arrive, she let out a cold snort.

Hua Twelve smiled and said to the two boys, Zhendong and Zhenbei, at the table:

"My two cousins, I've been practicing Sanda (Chinese kickboxing) lately. Let's have a sparring match sometime!"

Zhen Dong and Zhen Bei were trembling with fear, neither daring to look him in the eye, clearly traumatized by his beating.

My second aunt asked anxiously, "What do you want to do?"

Hua Shier retorted, "Then why did you snort at me like that!"

Grandma Zhuang said angrily, "Alright, can't a family just have a proper meal together? Everyone, please be quiet!"

At the adults' table, Grandpa Zhuang was furious with Hua Twelve and said to Zhuang Chaoying, "Look at him, he lives in your house, can't you teach him how to respect his elders!"

Zhuang Chaoying looked embarrassed and nodded repeatedly.

Huang Ling glanced helplessly at Hua Shier, as if to say, "Did I waste my breath?" The latter could only nod and stop bothering Zhen Dong and Zhen Bei.

The Zhuang family elders said they were hosting a dinner party, but there were no dishes at all; they only ordered staple foods, such as a bowl of noodles or a bowl of wontons for each person!
And so, Grandma Zhuang said, "Xiaoting is too young to eat that much, let's share a bowl!"

Just as Huang Ling was about to speak, Hua Twelve spoke up:

"I'm still growing, one bowl isn't enough for me. Zhendong and Zhenbei, you're both too young to eat that much, so you two can just have one bowl. I'll have the rest!"

He was using their own weapon against them. Huang Ling and Song Ying were secretly laughing, while Grandma Zhuang and her second aunt felt as if they had eaten shit.

In the end, Grandma Zhuang had no choice but to ask everyone for a bowl and stopped bullying Zhuang Xiaoting.

After returning home from dinner, Huang Ling smiled and said to Zhuang Chaoying:
"Oh, it's so great! Ever since I had Song Ying as my neighbor and my nephew, I haven't been bullied by anyone!"

Zhuang Chaoying shook his head with a wry smile. He naturally knew who his wife was referring to when she said "other people." He wanted to say something, but when he thought of how his mother treated his daughter, he couldn't say anything.

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