Film and Television: The Villain's Life Begins with Joy of Life

Chapter 102 Chocolate

With two crisp "clangs," the enamel cup spun on the cement floor, spinning several times under Zhuang Chaoying's shocked and angry gaze before finally coming to a wobbly stop.

The room fell silent for a moment.

All that could be heard was Granny Zhuang groaning and patting her trouser legs.

Zhuang Xiaoting was so frightened that she stood there stunned.

She knew Zhou Cheng was standing up for her, but she still couldn't help feeling afraid.

Grandma Zhuang had already frantically patted the hot water off her body, but large dark water stains still remained on her dark gray trousers and black cloth Beijing shoes.

Granny Zhuang straightened up, her old face flushed red, and raised her hand to push her way into the aisle, yelling as she did so, "You little beast, you even dare to hit an old woman! You've really gone too far!"

Zhuang Chaoying finally came to his senses. He hurriedly stopped Granny Zhuang, pressed down her raised hand, and gripped her sleeve tightly. While trying to comfort her, he turned and shouted angrily at Zhou Cheng, "Jingcheng, what are you doing!"

Zhou Cheng pulled his sister aside, shifted his weight, and put his legs off the bed, slipping them into a pair of small plastic sandals: "My hand slipped."

Grandma Zhuang, her arm being pulled by her son, struggled a couple of times, her voice growing increasingly shrill: "Slipped? Do you think I'm blind? You deliberately threw it at me! Eldest son, look at you, a teacher! This is the good son you raised!"

Zhuang Chaoying's face turned pale and then red.

He looked at his mother's furious expression, and then at his second son who was protecting his youngest daughter behind him, and for a moment he didn't know what to do.

Zhou Cheng's reaction was a bit excessive, but wasn't Granny Zhuang's words just as excessive?

He has never been good at handling conflicts, especially when one side is his own mother and the other is his son who is protecting his sister.

"Mom, don't be angry. Jingcheng still has a fever and his mind isn't clear—" he tried to smooth things over.

"What do you mean he's not thinking straight! I think he's perfectly clear-headed!" Granny Zhuang spat as she spoke, and Zhuang Chaoying couldn't help but turn her head to avoid the spray.

Zhou Cheng had already gotten out of bed and was standing steadily on the ground. Without even glancing at the fierce-looking but cowardly Granny Zhuang, he said to Zhuang Chaoying, "Dad, I'm perfectly sober. Granny was just out of her mind; I was just trying to clear her head."

"You little brat!" Granny Zhuang struggled violently again, and Zhuang Chaoying almost couldn't hold her back.

Caught in the middle, Zhuang Chaoying, seeing Zhou Cheng not only failing to restrain himself but also daring to talk back to his elders, finally snapped, her barely suppressed anger erupting: "Zhuang Jingcheng! What are you saying! Is this how you talk to your grandmother? Is this how your mother taught you to speak?"

Zhou Cheng curled his lip in disdain: "At least I speak like a human being, unlike some people. Besides, Dad, don't you always say 'the father is to blame if the son is not taught'? Even if I'm wrong, what does it have to do with Mom?"

That one sentence hurt both of them.

Zhuang Chaoying could no longer contain himself. He roared, "It's the father's fault if the son is not taught! Fine! It's my fault, I haven't disciplined my son properly! Then I'll teach you a lesson today!"

As he spoke, he stopped stopping Granny Zhuang and instead joined her in angrily approaching Zhou Cheng.

Zhou Cheng remained completely calm.

His physical condition and strength are still at a low point, but his mental attributes are at their maximum.

In particular, before his transmigration, he allocated four attribute points to his spirit, bringing his spirit power to 20 points, which had already undergone a qualitative change and even begun to possess a certain strangeness.

Zhuang Chaoying and Grandma Zhuang's movements appeared slow and clumsy to him.

He wasn't about to sit idly by and wait to die. He gently sidestepped Zhuang Chaoying's outstretched hand, then ducked down and nimbly slipped past Zhuang Chaoying's side.

Grandma Zhuang's movements became even more clumsy, her bulky body crowding the narrow passageway to the brim.

Zhou Cheng was too lazy to touch her. He pounced on the other side of the big bed, rolled over and bypassed her blockade, and landed steadily on the ground.

"Dad! Dad! Don't hit my second brother!"

The little girl, who was already terrified, somehow found the courage to grab Zhuang Chaoying's clothes while crying out.

Zhuang Chaoying, already furious that a grown man couldn't even catch a child, felt even more humiliated.

When Zhuang Xiaoting pulled and cried out, he instinctively grabbed her hand to slap her.

But just as the slap was about to land, he gritted his teeth and held back.

Zhou Cheng turned his head and took in this scene.

The heart that had been slightly raised returned to its original place.

It must be said that, apart from his incurable blind filial piety, Zhuang Chaoying's love for his children surpasses that of most parents in this era and even in the decades to come.

At least he won't indulge his temper and beat or scold the children at will.

Zhou Cheng reached the door in a few quick steps, and Granny Zhuang turned around, wanting to chase after him.

Zhou Cheng dashed to the door in a few strides. Grandma Zhuang turned to chase after him, but he slammed the door shut, grabbed it from the outside, and shouted through the door, "Dad, do something about your mom! If you don't stop Grandma, I'll call for help! Selling your granddaughter for seven or eight yuan a month? Grandma has no shame, Dad, don't you have any shame either?"

Zhou Cheng spoke quickly and urgently, yet every word was clear, like beans pouring from a bamboo tube.

Grandma Zhuang, who had been fiercely gripping the doorknob, suddenly froze.

A few steps behind her, Zhuang Chaoying, who was struggling to break free from her daughter's small hand, suddenly changed her expression.

He's a teacher, and his reputation is what he values ​​most.

If word gets out that the old woman is willing to sell her granddaughter for a few dollars, how can her son hold his head high in front of the neighbors?

We no longer live in an era where people have to sell their children just to have something to eat.

If he doesn't explain himself clearly, people might only talk badly about Granny Zhuang on the surface, but behind his back, who knows what they'll say about him.

Thinking of this, Zhuang Chaoying became anxious. He bent down and picked Zhuang Xiaoting up in his arms.

"Xiaoting, don't cry, Dad won't hit your second brother!"

After saying that, he took a few more steps, reached out to grab Granny Zhuang, and whispered, "Mom, calm down, don't make a scene and become a laughingstock!"

Grandma Zhuang was so angry that she was panting heavily, her chest heaving violently. But she also knew that what she had said earlier was indeed excessive and unreasonable.

If this matter really escalates, Zhou Cheng will be seen as a good brother who protects his sister, while she herself will inevitably be branded as a drug addict.

The few minutes that the family members were arguing, especially the loud noise of Zhou Cheng smashing the cup, had already alerted many people outside.

The factory's staff dormitories are already incredibly crowded. If there's any noise from the neighbors, everyone can hear it. Besides, it's Sunday, and many people are staying home to rest.

As soon as Zhou Cheng shouted those words, some people came out with palm-leaf fans, ready to watch the excitement.

Through the glass in the door, Granny Zhuang caught a glimpse of heads peeking out from each house. She snorted in annoyance and let go of the door.

"Jingcheng, what's wrong with your grandma? Why did I hear you yelling 'shameless'?"

Someone outside chuckled and asked, a typical case of someone who loves to watch the drama unfold.

Zhou Cheng ignored him and listened intently to the sounds coming from inside the door.

He hadn't grown tall enough yet; he was still a bit short of reaching the glass door.

"Alright, alright! Grandma was just joking. Making such a commotion will only make us laugh. Stop pulling on the door from the outside, Grandma's leaving!"

Grandma Zhuang tried to soften her voice.

She had already received the money and was indeed ready to leave, as she really didn't want to stay any longer and be the butt of people's jokes.

She now only hopes that her neighbors didn't hear everything they said, otherwise who knows what they'll say about her behind her back later.

Although she doesn't come here often, the feeling of being talked about behind her back is never pleasant.

"Jingcheng, come inside! Grandma was just saying it casually, did you really take it seriously? Dad didn't mean to hit you, he was just trying to scare you."

Zhuang Chaoying's voice also rang out.

At this moment, Zhou Cheng loosened the doorknob from the outside and reopened the door.

He knew that Zhuang Chaoying valued her reputation and wouldn't go back on her word.

He walked back into the house with an indifferent expression. Zhuang Chaoying's face was extremely ugly, but she was really afraid that he would open his mouth and shout something again, so she could only forcefully suppress her anger and endure it without losing her temper.

Seeing Zhou Cheng's nonchalant attitude, Granny Zhuang was so angry that her mouth twisted slightly, but she didn't dare to say anything more, because the people outside had heard the commotion and were almost crowding around the door to watch the excitement.

People outside were pointing and whispering, and Granny Zhuang couldn't stand it for another minute.

She tugged at her clothes, pressed the inside pocket where she kept the money, as if to make sure it was still there, and then said sternly, "Boss, I'm going back. That's all for this month. Don't make Mom run around again next month. She has a heart condition and wants to live a few more years."

Zhuang Chaoying hesitantly put Zhuang Xiaoting down.

He first escorted Grandma Zhuang to the door, then forced a smile to appease a few curious neighbors who were peeking in, repeatedly saying, "Don't hit the child, don't hit the child," before turning back into the house and closing the door behind him.

By this time, Zhou Cheng had already lain back down on the bed, and Zhuang Xiaoting had picked up the enamel mug from the floor. The mug, which was still relatively new, had a shallow dent at the bottom edge after Zhou Cheng smashed it, and a small piece of the white porcelain on the surface was chipped off, revealing the gray-black metallic base underneath.

Looking at Zhou Cheng, who was lounging on the bed with his legs crossed, as if nothing had happened, Zhuang Chaoying was completely speechless.

He genuinely didn't know whether his second son was just recklessly bold or truly fearless.

Although he was still very angry, he really didn't intend to lay a hand on the child since he had said he wouldn't hit him.

However, there are some things that still need to be said.

He took a deep breath, calmed himself, and tried to keep his tone even: "Jingcheng, it's good that you care about your sister. But she's still your grandmother. No matter what, you can't just smash things! You went too far this time!"

Zhou Cheng was too lazy to pay attention to him, let alone argue with him.

He lived for over a hundred years, and probably few people in the world understand better than him how difficult it is to change people's mindsets.

Arguing with "Empress Xiaozhuang" about right and wrong on the topic of "filial piety" would be asking for trouble, and he didn't want to waste his time on it.

After all, if he really got angry, he couldn't actually break Empress Xiaozhuang's leg; in the end, he would be the one who felt wronged.

He rolled over and covered his ears.

Zhuang Chaoying, who had originally intended to give some earnest advice, choked on her words and her fingers involuntarily clenched again.

"This child is beyond redemption!"

He uttered those words in anger. Normally, if Zhou Cheng had readily admitted his mistake and said a few kind words, he would have been prepared to go along with it, asking how he was feeling after taking the medicine, and let the matter rest. But Zhou Cheng's unyielding attitude infuriated him.

Before returning, he was worried about Zhou Cheng's condition, thinking that if the medicine didn't work, he would take him to the clinic for an injection and use the best medicine, even if it cost a few extra dollars.

But when he returned, Zhou Cheng's mental state was clearly better than his.

If he didn't have to go to class today, he would have suspected that his second son was faking illness to skip school.

Those busybodies outside hadn't all left yet, and they were probably still eavesdropping. He was angry but couldn't vent it, so he paced around the room irritably for a couple of minutes before finally storming out.

"Brother, you're so good to me!"

As soon as "Empress Xiaozhuang" left, Zhuang Xiaoting immediately went to the bedside, her voice soft, her eyes still wet with tears.

Zhou Cheng rolled over, raised his hand and ruffled her hair, casually saying, "You're my sister, who else should I be nice to if not you?"

Zhuang Xiaoting's large, moist eyes blinked, filled with emotion.

Her second brother used to treat her well, but he never dared to stand up to her grandma and dad. She didn't know if it was just her imagination, but starting this morning, she felt that her second brother seemed a little different.

Just as the little girl was staring at him intently, Zhou Cheng suddenly sat up abruptly, clutching his stomach.

"Xiaoting, hurry! Second brother is starving! Quickly check if there's anything left in the house to fill his stomach."

He hadn't felt it when things were commotion, but now that it was quiet, he felt as if every cell in his body was screaming for food.

My stomach and intestines were spasming in waves, and my empty stomach felt like it was about to digest me.

If it weren't for his strong mental power, he would probably have been completely dominated by the hunger instinct of this body.

Zhuang Xiaoting was startled by his sudden action of clutching his stomach, and quickly ran to the kitchen outside to bring out a bowl of the leftover rice from the pot.

In those days, the rationing meant that rice was a mixture of new and old rice, and sometimes even some brown rice, making it both unappetizing in appearance and taste.

But Zhou Cheng didn't care about any of that. He shoveled the food away with his chopsticks and finished it all in a few bites.

But this small amount was far from enough. With something in his stomach, he had some strength left, so he took the bowl to the kitchen and ate several bowls of the remaining rice in the pot, leaving them completely clean.

Zhuang Xiaoting followed behind Zhou Cheng, initially a little worried, but when she looked at the empty pot bottom, she suddenly felt aggrieved.

It's worth noting that Zhuang Chaoying doesn't cook much at home.

Their mother, Huang Ling, works three shifts at the textile factory. Today she is on the early shift and will not get off work until 4 p.m.

The little bit of rice left in the pot was what Huang Ling had prepared before going to work, and it was left for the four of them as lunch.

Now Zhou Cheng scooped the pot clean in no time. Not to mention Zhuang Chaoying, when their older brother Zhuang Tunan came back at noon, there wasn't even a bite to eat.

Zhou Cheng was well aware of this, but he couldn't care less about that right now.

Before attributes reach their peak, most of the body's nutrients will be used to improve attributes.

In the real world, he could eat like crazy for a month without any problem, but here, eating is a real problem.

After finishing off the entire half-pot of rice, Zhou Cheng let out a satisfied burp.

Looking at his sister's aggrieved expression, yet her stubborn refusal to speak, he couldn't help but want to laugh.

Until this moment, he finally understood a little about what Fan Xian had felt back then.

"Come on, don't be upset, your second brother has something good for you!"

As he spoke, Zhou Cheng reached into his pocket, but actually used his consciousness to open a chocolate gift box in his spatial storage.

This chocolate gift box was the one he won in a lottery when he first returned to reality.

After removing the outermost packaging, he took out two lychee-sized chocolates and handed them to Zhuang Xiaoting.

The little girl curiously took it and examined the dark, unidentified object.

"This is chocolate. Your second brother went through a lot of trouble to get it. Eat it quickly, and remember not to tell anyone else."

Zhou Cheng lowered his voice and gave a word of advice.

Zhuang Xiaoting opened her eyes wide and nodded in disbelief.

She had never eaten chocolate, but she had heard of the name "chocolate".

Some children of school officials have boasted about this thing in front of their classmates.

For people of that era, even children from middle- or lower-level cadre families, chocolate was considered an extremely rare luxury.

The little girl wanted to ask about his origins, but Zhou Cheng stopped her with a look.

Urged on by Zhou Cheng, the little girl only glanced at the chocolate twice before gently biting into it, trusting her second brother.

With just a small sip, the little girl's expression lit up instantly, as if something had illuminated it.

That rich, silky smoothness and intense milky aroma opened a door to a new world for her taste buds.

An indescribable feeling of happiness welled up inside me.

The little girl's nose stung for a moment, and she almost cried again.

She never expected that the chocolate her second brother gave her would be so delicious.

This is so much tastier than any maltose or syrup! It's even sweeter and more fragrant than White Rabbit milk candy!

The frustration of not having lunch just moments before vanished instantly in the face of the sweetness of this bite of chocolate.

She even felt it was totally worth it.

Having tasted the wonderful flavor of chocolate, she suddenly became hesitant and reluctant to take a second bite, clutching the remaining half of the chocolate.

In the end, Zhou Cheng couldn't bear to watch anymore and said he would make her more in the future if she wanted some, so she ate the chocolate in small bites.

After finishing eating, he kept licking his lips over and over again.

As for the last one, although she was extremely reluctant, she still wanted to leave it for her eldest brother, Zhuang Tunan.

The three siblings have always had a very good relationship.

Xiaoting wanted to leave it to Zhuang Tunan, and Zhou Cheng didn't object.

The chocolate has a mild smell, so he can keep taking it out.

It was only because the living environment in that era was so crowded, and walls have ears, that he really wanted to bring out more food.

Just like that box of "Pinhao Rice" in the system space that has a history of over a hundred years, although he has never looked down on it, if it were taken out in this era, it would be an exaggeration to say that its aroma could travel for miles, but the neighbors would definitely be able to follow the smell and come over to ask a few questions.

In those days, there were standards for rations—how much to eat and what to eat.

If you eat even one extra bite, or if you eat something you shouldn't and someone finds out, you could easily be embroiled in serious trouble.

Since he was new to the area, Zhou Cheng decided to keep a low profile.

It's not just for my own good, but also for the good of others.

Zhuang Tunan returned some time before noon.

He went to his classmate's house early in the morning to do homework together, and then played around for a while after finishing.

He left early and had no idea that Zhou Cheng had a fever.

After finishing his homework, he played around at his classmate's house for a while. Seeing that it was almost noon, he hurriedly ran back before his classmate's family started serving lunch.

"Jingcheng. Xiaoting."

Zhuang Tunan called out as soon as he entered. Zhuang Xiaoting happily went to greet him, presenting the chocolate, which had softened slightly from being held so tightly, as if it were a treasure.

Zhuang Tunan looked at Zhou Cheng lying on the lower bunk, feeling a little puzzled. Before he could even see what it was, his younger sister stuffed the chocolate into his mouth without saying a word.

The exquisite taste made Zhuang Tunan's eyes light up.

For a moment, he had a bellyful of questions, but he was reluctant to speak, afraid that the intoxicating sweetness would escape from his mouth.

Just as Zhuang Tunan was still immersed in the sweetness he had never experienced before, the little girl began to vividly recount everything that had happened not long ago.