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

Chapter 108 Moving

"Of course I know that from the plot!" Zhou Cheng muttered to himself.

Of course, he couldn't say that.

He simply said, "Dad, you've never gone on a business trip at this time of year before. The college entrance exams have just ended, and this is the only major event left for the whole country. It's obvious what you, a high school teacher, are doing on this trip, isn't it?"

Zhou Cheng's words might not hold true ten years from now. Teachers have many pretexts for business trips, such as various training programs, seminars, and exchanges.

But right now, things aren't actually that complicated.

Zhuang Chaoying knew that her youngest son was precocious, but she was still surprised when he pointed it out to her in a concise way.

After all, this kind of logical thinking is still very rare nowadays.

At least, his eldest son, who was the most obedient and on whom he placed the most hope, did not have this kind of reaction or ability.

His thoughts were a bit complicated, but he still nodded and specifically instructed, "Okay, it's good that you guessed it, it puts my mind at ease."

Remember, this is something you should keep to yourself; don't go telling anyone else.

Zhou Cheng nodded and replied solemnly, "Don't worry, I'll keep my mouth shut."

Zhuang Chaoying nodded again and said no more. He was at ease knowing that Huang Ling was looking after the children at home.

He was in a hurry and didn't dare to delay. He weighed the carrying pole on his shoulder again, turned around and strode away.

Huang Ling came over, ruffled Zhou Cheng's hair, said "Awesome," and followed closely behind Zhuang Chaoying, escorting her all the way out of the dormitory area.

In the following days, Zhuang Chao went on a business trip, which became the talk of the town among his colleagues and neighbors, who speculated about his whereabouts. After all, business trips were a rare occurrence in the dormitory area.

However, the discussion only lasted a few days before everyone's attention was drawn to another, more exciting event.

The housing management department officially distributed the keys, and the employees who were allocated houses could move in.

Huang Ling naturally received the key.

The moment they received the keys, Huang Ling and her three children couldn't wait to move into their new home.

The factory is also very humane, giving priority to employees who are allocated housing when it comes to shift adjustments.

Huang Ling soon had her day off. That day, she borrowed a tricycle early in the morning and started packing her things with her three children, preparing to move to her new home.

Although they currently live in a dormitory with only one room, the various things they've accumulated over the years are quite a hassle to organize.

Putting aside other things, things like double beds, bunk beds, and chests of drawers, if they can be disassembled, must be broken down into individual parts first, otherwise a single pedal tricycle simply cannot transport them.

Besides the things inside the house, the tin stove, pots and pans, and even coal briquettes and firewood in the kitchen all had to be moved away one by one.

After several months of recovery, Zhou Cheng's various attributes have long since stabilized at an adult level.

In terms of strength alone, he was already much stronger than Huang Ling.

It's hard for outsiders to imagine that such a small body could contain the full strength of an adult man.

And these are just the basic attributes. If you add the special energy refined by his talent, his explosive power at this moment is already beyond human comprehension.

He deliberately avoided the gaze of others, lifted the heavy iron stove weighing dozens of kilograms in one go, and jogged all the way to place it steadily into the truck bed.

Huang Ling was the only one who didn't see it; otherwise, she would have been terrified on the spot.

Even so, when she returned after finishing her work, she was still stunned to see the heavy stove that had been giving her a headache all day lying silently on the car.

Zhuang Tunan, a fifth-grade student, is already considered a strong laborer despite being only a teenager.

He disassembled the bed boards and rearranged the cabinets in the room, which took a lot of effort.

Xiaoting is young and not very strong, so she does what she can, such as tidying up clothes and arranging small items.

The family of four was so busy they barely had time to breathe, and their neighbors all came over to lend a hand. Soon, a huge pile of disassembled furniture filled the tricycle, stacking it high.

Suzhou is a great place in every way, but it has one serious problem: it gets a lot of rain.

Not only are there more spring and summer, but there are also more autumn and winter than in other regions.

While everyone was tidying up inside, the sun was shining brightly outside. But as soon as the furniture was loaded onto the truck, the sky suddenly darkened.

Having lived here for many years, Huang Ling is all too familiar with the whims of nature.

Without hesitation, she took a large plastic sheet and covered the furniture on the tricycle with it, then tied a rope around it.

After the three children and one adult put on their raincoats, Huang Ling rode off on her tricycle with Xiao Ting on the back, while Zhou Cheng and Zhuang Tu Nan pushed the tricycle from behind. They had only gone halfway when the rain started to fall.

Fortunately, the momentum wasn't too strong; it just drifted down in a fine, dense pattern, making a rustling sound as it hit the plastic sheet.

Huang Ling was hunched over as she pedaled the tricycle. She wondered if it was just her imagination, but the tricycle seemed unusually easy to pedal today than she had expected.

Before she could think it through, the car had already turned into the alley.

As she pedaled, she pressed the door numbers on the keys, comparing them one by one.

The alley was deep, and the further Huang Ling went, the more depressed she became.

Zhou Cheng, who was pushing the cart from behind, felt that the cart was getting heavier and had to put more effort into it.

When they first entered the alley, Huang Ling was enthusiastically pointing out the courtyards on both sides, chatting and laughing with Xiao Ting and the two brothers.

But by this point, she had completely fallen silent.

Although Zhou Cheng couldn't see Huang Ling's expression from behind, he knew very well that she must be in a very bad mood.

Back then, tap water hadn't been installed in any homes. Although the house they were allocated had a small yard, it didn't have a private toilet, so they still had to use the public toilet at the entrance of the alley.

However, public water taps and public toilets are conveniently located at the entrance of the alley, making daily life more inconvenient the further the house is from the alley entrance.

Huang Ling's biggest worry along the way was being assigned to the house at the very end of the alley.

However, what she feared most came to pass. Huang Ling pedaled her tricycle all the way to the end of the alley, and the house number on the door finally matched the house number on the key.

Disappointment was inevitable, but at least she was allocated a house, and two proper rooms at that. Huang Ling quickly composed herself.

She parked the tricycle at the gate of the courtyard, just as the rain stopped. She untied the rope and unloaded the lighter, easier-to-carry items from the vehicle.

Huang Ling picked up a suitcase and led Xiao Ting ahead. Zhou Cheng and Zhuang Tunan followed behind, each carrying some miscellaneous items.

As soon as I entered the courtyard, I heard arguing.

A stylishly dressed woman, wearing a brown-red wool coat, was standing at her front door, arguing fiercely with her neighbor across the courtyard wall.

"Wang Yong, you filthy bastard, you son of a bitch."

"Oh dear, it's just a small hole."

"You dug a hole in the wall, and now your sewage is draining into our yard!"

"There's a drainpipe in the yard; it'll drain out in a little while."

"So you know there's a water pipe? Don't you have one in your house? You dug a hole here...! You wait, I'm going to report you to the housing authority later."

"Sue the real estate department? Section Chief Lu hates it when you cause trouble! Do you think the factory likes you enough to allocate this courtyard to your family, where you have to walk dozens of meters extra just to take a dump!"

"Oh my! You guys don't have to run to the toilet? Well, you're all such pickled goods, you poop everywhere, right? You all poop inside the house, don't you?"

Zhou Cheng followed behind Huang Ling, his eyes constantly fixed on the direction of the argument.

After listening to just a few words, he understood that it was their future neighbor, Song Ying, arguing with the Wang Yong family, who were related to them next door.

The reason is the drainage problem in the courtyard.

The houses in the alley were drained through two ditches outside their courtyards, each covered with a perforated cement slab.

Each household has a metal drain pipe next to its gate, through which accumulated water in the yard can be drained into the ditch.

The drainage pipes have a limited diameter. Suzhou is rainy, and while light to moderate rain is manageable, heavy rain or torrential rain can make it difficult to drain water in time with just one pipe.

Wang Yong's family dug a hole in the courtyard wall, and their land was on higher ground.

Once it rains, the accumulated water has two outlets. In addition to draining into the ditch from the outlet, it can also drain into their yard from the hole.

It has to be said that Wang Yong's family is really no good. They dare to bully people openly just because they have some connections.

However, Wang Yong was right about one thing: the housing management department did not like Song Ying, and even if they went to complain, it would most likely come to nothing.

Song Ying managed to get a house by making a scene, but it was only the worst one.

Actually, their house was originally part of Song Ying's house, a traditional three-room layout with a central hall and side rooms on both sides.

The cotton mill built a wall in the middle of the original hall, dividing it into two small bedrooms. The three bedrooms were transformed into four symmetrical bedrooms, which were then allocated to two families.

Song Ying's family was assigned the worst house; similarly, since they originally belonged to the same family, their assigned house was naturally the worst as well.

Although Huang Ling was senior enough and met all the requirements when the rooms were allocated, she was known as an honest person and wouldn't cause trouble. So, naturally, the worst room was assigned to her.

Listening to the argument, Huang Ling could roughly understand what had happened.

However, she was the kind of person who would rather endure anything than speak up, so she pretended not to hear, lowered her head slightly, and led the child into the house on her own.

Zhou Cheng and his three companions were carrying quite a few things, which Song Ying naturally couldn't possibly miss.

After cursing angrily, Song Ying ignored the neighbors and looked over. Her previously unpleasant expression quickly turned into a smile as she warmly greeted them.

An ordinary person might think that Song Ying changes her expression quickly, or that she is a scheming woman who is good at disguising herself. But through the plot, Zhou Cheng knows that Song Ying is truly straightforward and wears her heart on her sleeve.

Seeing Huang Ling happy meant she was truly happy.

Clearly, Song Ying had already found out who her neighbor was and who Huang Ling was.

She was very satisfied with the reviews of her new neighbor.

She likes to associate with honest people.

"Sister Ling, right? I'm Song Ying."

As she spoke, she turned and called into the house, "Wu Feng, this is our new neighbor in the courtyard, Sister Ling."

Two people, one older and one younger, came out of the house. The older one was Song Ying's husband, Lin Wufeng, and the younger one was their son, Lin Dongzhe.

Unlike Song Ying, who was dressed smartly, Lin Wufeng was dressed plainly in work clothes. The little boy, Lin Dongzhe, was even more disheveled, covered in dirt.

Seeing this, Huang Ling frowned slightly, and her opinion of Song Ying worsened even further.

"Dongzhe, quickly call her Auntie."

Hello, Auntie.

"Hello there."

"Hello there."

The group greeted each other. Huang Ling was clearly a little uncomfortable with Song Ying's enthusiasm, and her smile seemed somewhat forced.

Song Ying looked at the three children beside Huang Ling.

It must be said that the three siblings are good-looking, and their clothes are neat and tidy, making them quite likable.

Song Ying secretly admired Huang Ling, marveling at how well she knew how to have children, having both a son and a daughter, which was truly enviable.

Song Ying asked again why Teacher Zhuang hadn't come, and Huang Ling simply replied, "He's on a business trip."

Song Ying didn't ask any more questions. She then pointed to the bricks that had been chiseled at the base of the wall and told Huang Ling about Wang Yong's despicable behavior. As she spoke, she tried to persuade Huang Ling to go with her to the housing management department to file a complaint.

Huang Ling looked troubled. She agreed with Song Ying's approach, but as a newcomer, she didn't want to get into a fight with her neighbor so soon.

Just then, Wang Yong from next door suddenly poked his head over the wall and shouted down at him, "Team Leader Huang, you and Teacher Zhuang are honest people. The factory has assigned you to live with this troublemaker, so you'd better watch out! Watch out!"

At the end, he deliberately lowered his tone, as if he were advising or warning.

Behind Huang Ling, Zhou Cheng frowned as he listened.

After Wang Yong finished speaking, his wife jumped out again, shouting "Team Leader Huang" repeatedly, and kept belittling Song Ying through the wall.

Huang Ling was caught in the middle and felt very uncomfortable. She didn't want to get involved in this mess at all. She just wanted to finish the move and put her things in the house safely.

At this moment, Song Ying was furious. She tilted her head slightly and unleashed a torrent of abuse at Wang Yong and his wife.

Huang Ling also took the opportunity to use the key to open the door.

Zhou Cheng glanced at Wang Yong on the wall without saying anything, and followed Huang Ling into the house first.

At first glance.

It must be said that the new house is much more spacious than the old staff dormitory.

Although it can't compare to the house I used to live in, at least I've moved out of that pigeonhole and can finally breathe a little more freely.

Outside, Song Ying and Wang Yong were still exchanging insults, and the battle was escalating.

Soon, Lin Wufeng stopped Song Ying and whispered something in her ear, which made Song Ying's voice quiet down.

"Wang Yong, you coward! You only dare to bully someone who's honest because Teacher Zhuang isn't home. You bastard! Coward!"

Song Ying spoke in a very low voice, so Huang Ling probably didn't hear her, but Zhou Cheng heard her clearly.

This is a common phenomenon in this era.

When there's no man in the house, other people will have fewer reservations.

Otherwise, how could they say that men are the pillars of the family?

Huang Ling only brought the child, and Zhuang Chaoying did not show up. Without any deterrence, Wang Yong's family naturally acted with impunity.

After putting her things inside, Huang Ling walked around the room a few times before stepping out of the door again.

She put on that habitual, forced smile that honest people have, and without saying much to Song Ying, she went straight out of the courtyard.

Seeing this, Lin Wufeng told Lin Dongzhe to go back inside and stay there. After persuading Song Ying, he took the initiative to come out and help move things.

Huang Ling thanked her repeatedly.

Before long, the items on the tricycle were carried into the house, one trip after another.

Seeing that the thick clouds in the sky had thinned a bit, revealing a hazy white light, Huang Ling gritted her teeth and decided to go all out and move all the remaining belongings over today.

Xiaoting was too young to help with any heavy work, so Huang Ling asked the little girl to stay here and look after the house, and also instructed Zhou Cheng to stay and take care of his younger sister.

Zhou Cheng did not refuse, but suggested that he and Zhuang Tunan could take turns going back to help and take turns staying here to watch over Xiaoting.

Huang Ling thought about it and felt that this method was quite comprehensive.

Zhuang Tunan, as the eldest brother, didn't mind doing more physical labor, but he was very happy that his younger brother was so considerate of him.

Zhuang Tunan climbed into the back of the tricycle, and Huang Ling pedaled the tricycle, taking her eldest son with her, towards the outside of the alley.

Zhou Cheng stayed in the courtyard with his younger sister.

The rain had completely stopped. He took off his raincoat and then took off Xiaoting's raincoat as well, hanging it behind the door.

Raincoats are so uncomfortable to wear, and in Zhou Cheng's memory, it seems that even after decades, things haven't improved much.

The door to the next room creaked open, and Lin Dongzhe ran out, introducing himself in a very familiar manner.

Zhou Cheng gave his name and also mentioned Zhuang Tunan, who was not present.

The little girl tugged at her second brother's sleeve, looked timidly at Lin Dongzhe, who looked like a dirty little monkey, and then whispered her name.

Lin Dongzhe was incredibly excited when he learned that there would be three more friends in the yard. Although the two boys were older than him, he was still jumping for joy.

"Cheng-ge, what games do you like to play? Can I play with you? Do you older students still play pinball? I'm really good at pinball! I heard there's a pinball king in the upper grades who's unbeatable throughout the school, so much so that nobody in the upper grades plays pinball anymore!"

Lin Dongzhe was so excited that his eyebrows danced, and he rattled off a long string of words. Zhou Cheng's lips twitched slightly, and a rare hint of unease flashed across his face.

"Forget about the marbles, it just rained and the ground is all wet."

He made up an excuse on the spot.

But just then, the little girl who had been tugging at his sleeve suddenly spoke up, her tone filled with undisguised pride: "The Marble King is my second brother! My second brother is amazing! He won so much money playing marbles and bought me so much candy!"

Lin Dongzhe was stunned for a moment, then looked at Zhou Cheng in disbelief.

Although they all attended the same primary school, there was very little interaction between students of different grades.

Lin Dongzhe only knew that there was a "Ball King" in the upper grades, but he didn't know his name.

"Brother Cheng, is it really you?" Lin Dongzhe was a little skeptical.

Zhou Cheng smiled. His sister had already spoken up for him. Although he felt embarrassed, he didn't deny it.

He nodded.

Upon hearing Zhou Cheng's admission, Lin Dongzhe exclaimed "Wow!" and became even more excited.

He never expected that his new neighbor and friend would be a legendary figure at school.

However, he was still a little skeptical, worried that the siblings were just bragging.

"Brother Cheng, let's play a game of pinball at your place! I'll pay!"

Lin Dongzhe's gaze was intense; he knew that Zhou Cheng's house was mostly empty.

Zhou Cheng naturally saw through the little brat's thoughts. He simply said, "Those who have played marbles with me before usually won't play again. If you want to play together, ask Xiaoting. But if you want to watch me play, I can show you."

Lin Dongzhe was naturally more interested in seeing Zhou Cheng's techniques than playing with the little girl.

He dashed back to his house in a flash, and a few seconds later, he rushed out with a handful of marbles.

Zhou Cheng took five glass marbles and led Lin Dongzhe and his sister into his house.

Now that the room is spacious, there's no fear of the marbles flying away and getting lost.

Just as Lin Dongzhe thought Zhou Cheng was going to lay the marbles out one by one on the ground, he heard a voice say, "Watch closely."

Then he saw Zhou Cheng holding the marbles in one hand and casually tossing one into the air.

The glass marble traced a beautiful parabola in mid-air, flashing with light.

Before Lin Dongzhe could figure out what Zhou Cheng was doing, the next second, Zhou Cheng flicked his thumb, and another marble was sent flying.

That shot was both cunning and swift, carrying a sharp whistling sound.

With a crisp "snap," the two marbles collided precisely in mid-air, bouncing off into the air. One landed on the ground, while the other flew up and crashed into the wall.

But that's not all.

When the marble hit the wall and bounced back quickly, Zhou Cheng was already waiting there. He flicked his finger again—"Snap!"

*Smack! Smack!*

Three more crisp, clear sounds rang out in the air.

Five marbles landed on the ground one after another, bouncing and rolling on the cement surface before finally coming to a stop.

Lin Dongzhe's eyes widened at that moment, and his mouth was agape in the shape of an "O".

Zhuang Xiaoting stood to the side, her face flushed with excitement, her eyes filled with admiration.

Lin Dongzhe swallowed hard, finally truly understanding the significance of the title "King of Marbles".

"Brother Cheng, I want to become your apprentice!"

Lin Dongzhe bent his knees, about to kneel down and kowtow to Zhou Cheng to become his disciple.

Zhou Cheng reacted quickly, grabbing his arm and pulling him up with force.

Just then, the sound of a door opening came from next door.

It must be Lin Wufeng who has arrived.

Sure enough, Lin Wufeng appeared at his door the next second, holding a calendar in his hand.

Lin Dongzhe was being pulled by the arm by Zhou Cheng in a strange position. He turned his head and dryly called out "Dad".

Zhou Cheng also released his grip and respectfully called out "Uncle Lin".

Lin Wufeng looked at the inexplicable scene before him, smiled, and didn't ask any further questions.

Zhou Cheng helped Lin Dongzhe stand up straight, but the boy still looked unwilling, and his stubborn pout left Zhou Cheng speechless.

Fortunately, he managed to pull the person back.

If Lin Dongzhe were to kneel down in front of Lin Wufeng and be caught red-handed by the man's father, he might think that Lin Dongzhe was bullying his son.