A hundred flavors of life

Chapter 1437 A Complete Break! (Please Subscribe!)

During winter break, Zhuang Tunan returned home for the Chinese New Year. Having not seen her son for a long time, Huang Ling held his hand and looked him up and down, her eyes filled with heartache.
"You've lost weight and gotten tanned! Yunyao must be having a tough time."

"It's alright, it's just that I get tanned from being out surveying every day."

Hua Shier laughed from behind, "Tu Nan, you don't know how worried your aunt is since she heard you went to Yunyao. She even dreams of you looking dark and thin, with nothing to eat!"

Everyone laughed.

Zhuang Tunan smiled and addressed Hua Twelve:
"Pengfei, Mom said in her letter that you got first place in your grade again? That's amazing!"

Hua Shier took his luggage and laughed, "Hey, this is nothing new, what's the big deal? Come inside and rest, I'll cook for you tonight!"

These words made Zhuang Tunan's eyes light up. He had been studying away from home for a long time and had been longing for Hua Shier's cooking skills.

Huang Ling laughed and said, "That would be great! I'll go next door and call your Aunt Song and her family over so we can have some fun!"

Soon after, the Lin family of three arrived, and the small house was instantly packed full, yet filled with a long-lost, warm and lively atmosphere.

Hua Shier was frying and cooking in the kitchen, Zhuang Xiaoting was setting the table, and Lin Dongzhe was chattering around Zhuang Tunan, asking about all the new things happening at university.

When the dishes were served, even the well-traveled Lin Wufeng exclaimed in admiration:
"Pengfei's cooking skills are amazing! The color, aroma, and taste are all perfect. Every time I eat it, I am amazed!"

Song Ying picked up a piece of sweet and sour fish with her chopsticks and sighed contentedly:
"I'll say it again: even if Pengfei doesn't go to university, he'll be fine as a chef!" This made everyone laugh.

During the meal, people naturally inquired about Zhuang Tunan's university life and the reason why he did not return home for the summer vacation.

When Zhuang Tunan spoke of Yunyao Ancient City, his eyes lit up:

“That wasn’t ordinary surveying; it was a race against time.”

He put down his chopsticks and gestured:

"In order to develop the economy, the local government plans to demolish most of the ancient city walls and old buildings to build a new city. Our department teachers led us to spend several months surveying and recording all the buildings in the core area before the bulldozers started. We also developed a protective development plan, which is currently being communicated with the local government. If it works out, there is hope that the ancient buildings there can be preserved."

Lin Wufeng listened attentively and nodded:
"This is great news! Ancient buildings are a part of cultural heritage. They are easy to destroy, but difficult to find again!"

Zhuang Chaoying also looked pleased, feeling that what her son was doing was very meaningful.

When the atmosphere was just right, Zhuang Chaoying looked at her three younger relatives and said:

“Tu Nan, you’ve finally come back. Tomorrow, you, Peng Fei, and Xiao Ting, the three of you will come back to the old house with me to see your father and grandmother. They’ve been talking about you for a long time.”

Zhuang Tunan's smile immediately faded, and he did not respond right away.

Zhuang Xiaoting subconsciously lowered her head, her chopsticks unconsciously poking at the rice in her bowl.

Hua Shier took a sip of soup as if it were none of his business.

The table fell silent for a moment.

Lin Wufeng and Song Ying exchanged a glance, feeling somewhat awkward.

Seeing her children's reaction, Zhuang Chaoying felt embarrassed and her voice became somber:

“You’re all grown up now, some are in college, some are in top high schools, how come you don’t even understand the principle of respecting your elders? Is it so difficult for you to go and see for yourselves?”

Seeing the atmosphere was about to become tense, Song Ying quickly tried to smooth things over: "Chaoying, the children just got back, let's eat first, let's eat first."

Hua Shier gently kicked Zhuang Tunan under the table, then looked up with an impeccably obedient smile on his face:

"Uncle is right. Okay, we'll go tomorrow."

Zhuang Tunan received the signal and quickly echoed, "Yes, let's go tomorrow."

Huang Ling also disliked her in-laws, but felt she couldn't be at a disadvantage in terms of principles, so she said sternly to her children:
"Tu Nan, Xiao Ting, remember to show proper respect to your elders and don't meddle in our adult affairs."

Zhuang Tunan hummed in agreement.

Zhuang Xiaoting, however, continued to hold the bowl, nodding almost imperceptibly, without ever raising her eyes.

Zhuang Chaoying frowned as she looked at her daughter's appearance.
"Xiaoting, your mother is talking to you, did you hear her?"

Lin Dongzhe, who had been engrossed in his food, suddenly looked up in the deadly silence, still chewing on a shrimp, and uttered a sentence that was both indistinct and clear:
"Uncle Zhuang, I know why Xiaoting doesn't want to go!"

Lin Dongzhe chuckled when he saw everyone looking at him, and continued:

“Before Pengfei came to our courtyard, there was a time when Tunan wasn’t home and I saw Xiaoting hiding alone at the alley entrance crying.”

"I asked her why she was crying, and she said that her grandparents said that if she didn't do well in school, they would make Uncle Zhuang and Aunt Huang divorce!"

"Clang." Zhuang Xiaoting's chopsticks fell onto the table.

Huang Ling's face darkened, and she gripped the edge of the table tightly with her fingers.

Zhuang Chaoying's face was filled with disbelief. She looked at her daughter's pale face, then at her wife's ashen face, and finally stared at Lin Dongzhe:

"Dongzhe, you can't just say things like that!"

"I'm not making this up!" Lin Dongzhe exclaimed anxiously, "If you don't believe me, ask Xiaoting! Also, I've been in the same class with Xiaoting for so long, and I've noticed that she gets really scared every time she hears that she's going to her grandparents' house or that they're coming!"

"Lin Dongzhe! You better shut up!"

Seeing that the atmosphere was not right, Song Ying quickly glared at her son and told him to shut up.

Lin Wufeng immediately added, "Dongzhe was just talking nonsense, Teacher Zhuang, please don't take it to heart. We'll head back now!"

Huang Ling quickly stopped them, insisting that the Lin family finish their meal before leaving, but the atmosphere of the meal had already become awkward.

After the neighbors left, only the family remained in the house, and the air was so heavy it felt like you could wring water out of it.

Zhuang Chaoying's chest heaved as he turned to his daughter, his voice trembling: "Xiaoting, tell Daddy, is what Lin Dongzhe said true?"

Large tears rolled down Zhuang Xiaoting's face, hitting the table. Her lips trembled, but she couldn't make a sound.

Hua Shier reached out and ruffled her hair:

"Xiaoting, don't be afraid. With Brother Pengfei here, even if the King of Heaven himself came, he wouldn't be able to bully you. Tell me the truth."

Perhaps it was these words that gave her courage. Zhuang Xiaoting raised her tearful eyes, looked at her father, nodded very slightly, and choked out:

"My grandma told me that when I was in third grade. She said if I was stupid and didn't do well in school, she would make you leave your mother."

Huang Ling hugged her daughter tightly, her own eyes reddening, her jaw clenched, and her body trembling slightly.

That wasn't sadness, but rather years of pent-up anger and disillusionment.

Zhuang Chaoying instinctively retorted, "How could your grandma say that!"

Hua Twelve clicked his tongue, his tone undisguisedly sarcastic:

"Uncle, stop lying to yourself. Grandpa and Grandma have always favored boys over girls. Don't you know how they treated my mother?"

“Last winter, my mother came to visit me and stayed at their place for one night. In the freezing cold, they didn’t even give her a bed and made her sleep on the floor!”

"If they treat their own daughter like this, what good intentions could they possibly have for Xiaoting, who is a generation removed and a granddaughter?"

Huang Ling was initially furious, but seeing that her husband's face had turned pale and his fingers were trembling unconsciously, she took a deep breath and ultimately gave him a way out:
"Alright, Pengfei, just keep this old story in mind, and don't bring it up again!"

Upon hearing his wife's magnanimous words, Zhuang Chaoying's face flushed red and then turned pale, as if he had been stunned by a series of slaps.

He opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing. He got up, walked to the bedside, lay down facing the wall, and turned his back to everyone.

Watching her husband's desolate figure recede into the distance, Huang Ling's heart softened again. She sighed and said to the children:
"How about this, during the New Year, the three of you should go and pay your respects to your father and grandmother, and have a reunion dinner. That's all the proper etiquette. We won't go into anything else."

Zhuang Chaoying, who was facing the wall, shifted her shoulders almost imperceptibly.

Hua Shier, Zhuang Tunan, and Zhuang Xiaoting exchanged a glance and whispered in response, "Understood!"

However, before New Year's Eve even arrived, this barely maintained peace was completely shattered just two days later.

Grandpa Zhuang and Grandma Zhuang, along with Zhuang Ganmei and her family of four, arrived in a grand procession.

Zhuang Chaoying hurriedly welcomed her parents, younger brother and sister into the house and asked Zhuang Tunan to make tea and pour water.

The room was instantly packed full, and the air seemed to become a bit murky.

When the Zhuang family elders and Zhuang Ganmei and his wife saw Hua Shier, their faces immediately darkened, and they made no attempt to hide their disgust.

Zhuang Zhendong and Zhuang Zhenbei huddled behind their parents. When they caught a glimpse of Hua Shier's ambiguous smile, they quickly looked away as if they had been burned, clearly still remembering the lesson they had been taught last time.

Huang Ling, fearing that Hua Shier's temper was too fiery and easily ignited, quickly said:
"Mom and Dad, please sit down. I'll go cook. Pengfei, come and help your aunt." Hua Shier readily agreed and turned to go into the kitchen, happy to be out of sight of the problem.

At the dinner table, after a few cups of rice wine, Grandpa Zhuang smiled and began to inquire about Zhuang Tunan's studies.

Grandma Zhuang also held her eldest grandson's hand and said, "You'll graduate in a little over a year, right? Come back to Suzhou after you graduate, and have your dad ask someone to help you find a stable job."

Zhuang Tunan only gave a vague response and didn't continue the conversation.

Hua Shier picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks and slowly said:
"People strive for better opportunities. If Tu Nan hadn't gotten into a good university, it would have been understandable for him to ask someone in Suzhou to help him find a job. But he's already been admitted to Tongji University, so why would he still go back to Suzhou to ask someone for help? Wouldn't that have been a waste of his university education?"

He turned to Zhuang Tunan, his voice not loud, but clear enough for everyone at the table to hear:

"Brother Tu Nan, focus on developing your career in Shanghai and live your life well. Staying far away will also prevent some poor relatives from always eyeing what others have."

Upon hearing this, the Zhuang family's expressions all changed.

Zhuang Ganmei slammed down her chopsticks: "Xiang Pengfei, what do you mean?!"

Hua Shier spread his hands innocently:

"Second Uncle, don't get agitated. I was talking about myself. Why are you so anxious? People who don't know might think you're taking this personally."

Zhuang Ganmei was so choked that her face turned red. Grandpa and Grandma Zhuang were also furious, but they couldn't lash out. If they did, they would be admitting that they had taken the offense personally!

Zhuang Chaoying's head was throbbing with pain, and she repeatedly scolded, "Pengfei! Say less!"

Huang Ling lowered her eyes, focusing on picking out the fish bones, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly.

Grandma Zhuang suppressed her anger, put on a serious expression, and said to Zhuang Chaoying:

"Boss, you're a teacher, you know how to teach kids. Look at Tu Nan and Xiao Ting, how successful they are! And Peng Fei, I heard he wasn't a good student in Guizhou, but he's been number one every year since he came to you! It's all thanks to your excellent teaching!"

Zhuang Chaoying quickly waved her hand: "Mom, Pengfei is smart on his own."

"You're just too modest!" Grandma Zhuang interrupted him. "If it weren't for your excellent teaching, would he have changed so much? You have to acknowledge the credit!"

Hua Shier suddenly interjected, "That's because I hadn't transmigrated here yet."

No one knew what he was talking about, so they all thought he was talking nonsense and ignored him.

Grandma Zhuang finally revealed the main purpose of her trip:
"Hey boss, after the New Year, Zhendong and Zhenbei will be taking the high school entrance exam. With their grades, I'm afraid they won't be able to get into the top high school."

"I've discussed it with your dad, and we've decided that they can stay with you this winter break!"

"You should tutor them properly, and help them get into the top high school like Xiaoting and Pengfei!"

Before Zhuang Chaoying could speak, Huang Ling smiled, but the smile lacked warmth:
"Mom, is it possible to get into that top high school just by taking the exam? Besides, didn't we already talk about this before? Look at the room now, there's really no place for us to stay!"

"Tu Nan and Peng Fei, two grown men, are already living in cramped conditions. If Zhen Dong and Zhen Bei come, where are we supposed to fit them in?"

Grandma Zhuang was prepared: "Boys are boys, what's wrong with squeezing in a bit? Studying is the most important thing, you need to prioritize."

"Learning is mainly up to oneself."

Hua Shier put down his bowl and glanced at Zhen Dong and Zhen Bei, who were shrinking back.
“Tu Nan and Xiao Ting study on their own after school and review every day. As for Zhen Dong and Zhen Bei, they just watch TV when they get home. Since they don’t want to study, why force them?”

“I think it would be good for them to go and look into beauty salons, hairdressing, cooking, auto repair, etc., to learn a skill.

"What are you saying!" Zhuang Ganmei's wife said displeasedly, "Why don't you go to the hairdresser yourself!"

Hua Shier blinked, looking completely at ease: "I'm first in my grade, I can go to university, why would I go to hairdressing? Your son won't get into high school, if he doesn't learn a skill he won't have anything to eat!"

"I'm doing this for your own good. How can you, a grown adult, not be able to distinguish right from wrong!"

"enough!"

Grandpa Zhuang slammed his hand on the table, making the bowls and plates clang loudly.

He stopped beating around the bush, his cloudy old eyes fixed directly on Huang Ling, exuding the authority and pressure of a head of the family:
"Huang Ling, you are my Zhuang family's daughter-in-law. Zhen Dong and Zhen Bei, they are surnamed Zhuang! They are the roots of the Zhuang family!"

“Pengfei’s surname is Xiang! You can tolerate an outsider, but you can’t tolerate your own nephew?”

"Where has your heart gone?!"

Hua Shier, who had been all smiles, suddenly lost his smile.

He slowly stood up, his height casting a shadow over a corner of the table.

"Grandpa, weren't you the ones who pushed me to my eldest uncle's house back then?"

His voice was calm, yet it sent a chill down everyone's spine: "Now you think I'm an 'outsider' in the way, and you want me to make room for these two 'big shots'?"

He looked around, giving Zhuang Chaoying a particular glance, and said clearly:

"Alright, I've said my piece, and everyone understands. I'm an outsider, so don't blame me for being ruthless!"

As he spoke, he reached out with both hands, grabbing Zhuang Zhendong and Zhuang Zhenbei by the back of their necks, one in each hand.

Like grabbing two chicks, they kicked open the door and threw them out, where they landed heavily on the blue brick ground of the yard, rolling around in a heap.

"what!"

Zhuang Ganmei's wife screamed and lunged at Hua Shier, her sharp nails aimed straight for his face.

Hua Shier twisted her arm and, amidst her cry of pain, kicked her in the lower back. The woman staggered out the door and collapsed next to her son with a thud.

"I'll fight you to the death!" Seeing his wife and son being beaten, Zhuang Ganmei's eyes turned red, and he grabbed a wine bottle from the table to smash it.

Zhuang Tunan reacted quickly, grabbing him tightly from behind: "Second Uncle! Calm down!"

Hua Shier walked over and followed suit, throwing Zhuang Ganmei out as well. The latter had no power to resist.

The whole process only takes a dozen seconds.

The room was deathly silent, save for Grandma Zhuang's gasps and the wailing and groans of the family outside.

Zhuang Chaoying's face turned deathly pale, and she trembled all over as she pointed at Hua Shier: "What...what are you trying to do!"

Hua Shier patted non-existent dust off his hands, turned to face Zhuang Chaoying, his gaze clear:
"Uncle, if you also feel like I'm an outsider today, then I'll pack my things right now and I'll never stay at your house again."

“Pengfei is one of our family members, no different from Tunan! No one is allowed to drive him away!”

Huang Ling suddenly stood in front of Hua Shier, like a mother hen protecting her chicks, and made a resolute declaration to Zhuang Chaoying, and to everyone else.

"Mom and Dad, if you think that Chaoying, as the eldest son, must tutor his nephew, fine! I have no objection. After all, he's the eldest brother!"

"Then let Chaoying go back to the old house with you! He can stay for a year and provide proper guidance! We, the mother and children, don't need him to worry about us!"

Zhuang Chaoying looked at his wife's resolute face, at his brother's family's disheveled state outside the door, at his parents' expressions of shock and anger, and then at Hua Shier's expressionless face and his children's tearful eyes and tightly pursed lips. He opened his mouth, but in the end, as if all his strength had been drained, he slumped into the chair, unable to utter a single word.

Grandpa Zhuang's fingers trembled as he pointed at Huang Ling, then at Zhuang Chaoying:

"Good job! You guys did a great job!"

He grabbed Grandma Zhuang, who was still wiping away tears, and shouted towards the door, "Get up! Let's go, we're not staying here!"

The meal ended unhappily.

On New Year's Eve, Zhuang Chaoying bought some snacks and fruits by herself and took Zhuang Tunan back to the old house for a tasteless New Year's Eve dinner.

Hua Shier and Zhuang Xiaoting ultimately did not step through that door.

Winter goes and spring comes; time carries everything forward.

The scorching heat of July has arrived, and the National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao) is here as scheduled.

Outside the examination hall, Wu Shanshan nervously clutched her admission ticket, glancing at Hua Shier, who stood calmly beside her.

"Pengfei, have you decided where you want to apply?"

Hua Shier looked at the cicadas chirping in the distant sycamore trees and smiled: "Let's go with Tongji University, what about you?"

Wu Shanshan didn't answer, but smiled. Was there even a need to ask? Of course she felt the same way.

　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!

　　(End of this chapter)