bookrandom Chapter 349 Returning to Suzhou to Register Pengfei's Residence
Chapter 349 Returning to Suzhou to Register Pengfei's Residence
Chapter 349 Returning to Suzhou to Register Pengfei's Residence
After seeing off their future daughter-in-law, Zhuang Chaoying and Huang Ling cleaned up the dishes.
The water from the tap was flowing smoothly as Zhuang Chaoying washed the dishes with a loofah.
Xiao Ting went to Lin Dongzhe's house to see the Hong Kong videotapes that Lin Gong bought. With Song Ying and Lin at home, he wasn't worried. What could those two kids do under their noses?
Zhuang Chaoying was rinsing the dishes when she turned her head and asked Huang Ling, who was wiping the dishes, with a smile.
"Ah Ling, how does it feel to be a mother-in-law?"
Huang Ling took a clean cloth and wiped the bowls and plates he had washed. "I can't quite explain it, but I really like Wan Shu. She's pretty and polite."
Zhuang Chaoying was washing the dishes. Everyone needs time to adapt to a new identity, especially since A-Ling's personality is relatively mild. Anyway, if Tu Nan gets married, they won't live together anymore, and no one will bother anyone else. As parents, it's best not to interfere in the lives of young people and just live your own lives.
Zhuang Chaoying sighed with emotion, her hands slowing down. "It's hard to believe Tu Nan is getting married, and in a few years it will be Xiao Ting. Time really flies."
Huang Ling bent down to put the bowls and chopsticks in the cupboard, then straightened up. "Yes, I'm already over forty in the blink of an eye. I even have some gray hairs when I combed my hair this morning." She subconsciously glanced at the blurry figure in the window.
Zhuang Chaoying wiped her hands and put her hand on Ah Ling's shoulder. "Ah Ling, do you need me to help you pull it off?"
Huang Ling shook her head. "No, Song Ying said that if you pluck one hair, ten will grow back. Do you want me to grow a full head of white hair so you can go find a young girl?"
Zhuang Chaoying looked serious and raised her hand to swear.
"Ah Ling, I wouldn't dare to think of anything else but you. I swear to the lamp, if the lamp goes out, I will go out."
Huang Ling took a step forward, tugged at the light cord by the wall, and smiled mischievously. "Turn it off, Chao Ying."
The kitchen lights immediately went out. Zhuang Chaoying was taken aback at first, then realized what was happening and joked with a smile, "Okay, Ah Ling, tell me, are you looking for someone younger?"
At that moment, Mr. and Mrs. Huang were sitting on the sofa watching TV. Hearing the noise from the kitchen, Mr. Huang turned his head and looked in that direction. "Chaoying, is the kitchen light broken?"
"Dad, no, Ah Ling and I were just joking around," Zhuang Chaoying responded loudly, pushing Ah Ling out of the kitchen.
Just then, a knocking sound rang out on the door.
"Uncle, Aunt."
Zhuang Chaoying and Huang Ling exchanged a glance. "Pengfei?"
He walked quickly to the gate, opened the courtyard gate, and saw Pengfei followed by Xiangdong and Hualin, carrying large and small bags, and Pengfei was also carrying a large basket on his back.
"Big brother, sister-in-law," Xiang Dong greeted Hua Lin with a smile.
Zhuang Chaoying quickly took the basket from Pengfei's back. "Why didn't you call beforehand? I could have picked you up at the station. Why did you bring so much stuff?"
Huang Ling took the luggage bag from her sister-in-law. "Xiang Dong, Hua Lin, come inside quickly. You must be exhausted from the train journey. You probably haven't eaten yet. I'll make you something right away."
Pengfei had long considered his aunt as family. He was actually a little hungry now, having eaten some dry rations on the train, and nodded with a smile. "Aunt, any noodles will do, I'm not picky."
Xiang Dong and Hua Lin came back this time because they wanted to register Peng Fei's household registration in Suzhou.
Hua Lin thought about how he had gone to the countryside in Guizhou and gotten married there, and that there was no possibility of him returning to Suzhou. So he hoped to give his son a better future and let him settle down in Suzhou.
Her husband, Xiang Dong, was just an ordinary railway maintenance worker, busy between the tracks every day, exposed to the wind and sun, with little ability and a low income.
Hua Lin recalled how her older brother and sister-in-law had earnestly advised her, and she had listened to them and hadn't immediately transferred Pengfei's household registration back to Suzhou.
In fact, ever since Pengfei first spent his summer vacation in Suzhou, Hualin's heart has been racing, and he has been thinking day and night about sending Pengfei to study in Suzhou to give his child a better educational environment.
But Hua Lin knew in his heart that he had never been favored by his parents since he was a child, and if he sent Pengfei directly to the Zhuang family, they might not be willing to take him in.
She knows her parents too well. Their preference for sons over daughters is deeply ingrained. They didn't care about her when she went to the countryside and got married in Guizhou Province. How could they easily accept Pengfei?
So at the time, she thought of transferring Pengfei's household registration to Suzhou first.
She naively thought that if she had a household registration, her parents might take Pengfei in out of blood ties.
Many things happened afterward. Every time Pengfei returned from Suzhou, he would tell them about his older brother's family and his parents.
Listening to the child's story, Hualin's heart, which had long been cold, hardened even more.
She also vowed from the bottom of her heart that she would never become like her mother, never.
She suddenly realized that she had overestimated her parents' affection for her.
Even if his household registration is transferred back, his parents and his younger brother Ganmei will never take Pengfei in.
In the entire Zhuang family, the only family that was truly kind, loyal, and willing to help them was the eldest sister-in-law's family.
Fortunately, the older brother assured him that they would take care of Pengfei and agreed that Pengfei could stay with Tu Nan after he finished the college entrance examination.
Hua Lin listened to his older brother and kept delaying the forced transfer of his household registration. Because the score requirements in Guizhou Province were low, Peng Fei lived up to expectations and was successfully admitted to Jiaotong University.
Xiang Dong felt a little embarrassed to trouble his sister-in-law. "Pengfei, you silly boy, sister-in-law, it's no trouble at all, we'll eat on the train."
Huang Ling carried her luggage bag into the house. "Hua Lin Xiangdong, don't be so polite with your older brother and sister-in-law."
Hua Lin pursed her lips, her eyes reddening. She raised her head and blinked desperately, trying not to let the tears fall. Yes, she still had family, and only her older brother and sister-in-law's family treated her like family.
They went inside and greeted Mr. and Mrs. Huang. They sat on the sofa and chatted. Xiang Dong had met his sister-in-law's parents before and wasn't shy at all. He got along quite well with Mr. Huang.
Xiaoting was watching the videotape when she heard her father's voice. "Xiaoting, your aunt and uncle are here. They've gone home."
"Uncle Lin, Aunt Song, I'm going home now."
After saying that, she hurried home and saw her aunt in the kitchen. "Auntie!"
Hua Lin saw Xiao Ting and quickly washed her hands, wiped them on a rag, and reached out to hug Xiao Ting, who was related to her by blood. She was very fortunate that Xiao Ting was different from her, with her older brother and sister-in-law protecting and caring for her. She also felt that her older brother did the right thing. What kind of man is he if he can't even protect his own wife and children? He can just throw away that bloodsucking Zhuang family.
“Ting, the last time I saw you, you only reached my chest. In the blink of an eye, you’ve grown into a beautiful young lady.”
Before long, three bowls of steaming noodles were cooked. Huang Ling also added some homemade pickled vegetables. There were some leftover vegetables in the refrigerator, but after thinking about it, she decided not to serve them. Instead, she fried an egg for each person and put it on top of the noodles.
After the meal, Hualin opened his bag and took out a ham, its skin blackened and reddish-brown from smoking.
"Sister-in-law, this is cured meat from Xiangdong's family. Pengfei is the first college student in the Xiang family. The family is overjoyed and slaughtered a pig. They wanted to bring this ham over to my brother and sister-in-law."
She took out the items one by one. "There are also some mushrooms, wild vegetables, tea leaves, and chili oil that my mother-in-law picked in the mountains..."
Huang Ling was touched to see the table soon filled with Guizhou specialties. She knew that Hua Lin and his wife were frugal, and these must have been saved up for a long time. "Hua Lin, your sister-in-law is glad to know you have such good intentions. Please don't bring so much next time, okay?"
Xiang Dong smiled and picked up the ham. "Sister-in-law, you and my brother have helped take care of Pengfei for so many years. This kid is very naughty, and you must have worried a lot about him. This is really nothing. Hua Lin and I don't think it's enough."
He then looked at Zhuang Chaoying. "Brother, the ham needs to be hung up, otherwise it will spoil easily and it would be a waste."
Zhuang Chaoying tilted her head slightly and pointed towards the kitchen. "Then hang it up in the kitchen. There's a hook there for ventilation."
He took the ham and walked to the kitchen with Xiang Dong.
Zhuang Chaoying moved a chair over, stood on it, and hung the ham on the hook.
. . . . . . .