EBE Chapter 254 Shanshan's New Life!
Chapter 254 Shanshan's New Life!
Zhuang Chaoying asked, "Is there anything else?"
Old Wu answered hastily.
"No more, no more."
Zhuang Chaoying followed Lao Wu into the courtyard.
Old Wu called out to Shanshan, "Shanshan, quickly thank Teacher Zhuang and your Aunt Huang so that Brother Tu Nan can take you to Shanghai."
Huang Ling waved her hand. "Old Wu, I'm only doing this for Shan Shan's sake. If we really let a young girl go to report alone, you as her father wouldn't feel at ease, but we wouldn't."
Song Ying, linking arms with Huang Ling, chimed in, "That's right, Lao Wu." She even lowered her voice as she spoke, "You're really going too far."
Old Wu smiled awkwardly and explained, "I had no choice; the job I'm working on is urgent, and they're been pressing me for it."
Zhuang Tunan also came out of the room; he had heard everything they were saying inside. "Shanshan, I have to go back to school in a week. Will the timing work out?"
Shan Shan's cheeks flushed slightly as she looked at Tu Nan with a shy expression. "It matches."
"Okay, let's go together next week!"
After Lao Wu and Shan Shan left the yard, Song Ying and Huang Ling went back inside to watch TV.
Song Ying sighed. "Sister Ling, helping others is helping yourself. That old Wu is really something, letting a girl go to register all by herself like that!"
Huang Ling gently patted Song Ying's hand.
"Old Wu still has some conscience; he even knew to have Tu Nan accompany her. I only did it because I felt sorry for Shan Shan. After all, she's a child we've watched grow up. That child has had a hard life; her mother passed away early, and Old Wu is the kind of person he is. Otherwise, I wouldn't have cared for her. Although Old Wu said he would only take her to the train station, I still had to tell Tu Nan to take Shan Shan to school. It's not a big deal; if anything goes wrong, it would be a case of good intentions gone wrong."
After hearing this, Song Ying nodded.
“Sister Ling, you’re so thoughtful. Helping others is also helping yourself. That’s what an old monk told me when I went to Hanshan Temple to offer incense last time. Old Wu is really a boring guy. If Wu Feng and I had a daughter like him who is so well-behaved and sensible, we would be laughing in our sleep. But he’s the opposite. He asked Tu Nan for help, and he didn’t even offer a word of thanks. Even a sincere thank you would be too little.”
Zhuang Chaoying was writing a novel when she heard their conversation. She put down her pen, turned around, and teased them.
"Xiao Song, why don't you and Lin Gongnu try to have another baby girl? Maybe you can really have a sweet little girl. Didn't you pray to Guanyin for a child when you went to the temple before?"
Huang Ling couldn't help but laugh. She reached for the plate of peanuts on the table, picked up a peanut, and threw it at Zhuang Chaoying.
"Chaoying, go write your novel! Don't meddle in our women's affairs."
Song Ying also laughed out loud. "I wanted to have a baby girl before, but Wu Feng wouldn't let me. He always said that raising children is not easy. Now the family planning policy is being strictly enforced, and everywhere is promoting 'one child is better,' so I guess I'm actively responding to the call."
Now, all sorts of slogans are painted on the walls of the streets and alleys.
To get rich, build roads first; have fewer children and plant more trees.
Fewer births, better births, later births
"In the prime of life, without children to care for, with plenty of time to learn."
"Early dating, early marriage, early children, early hardship."
"Many children burden parents, leading to a lifetime of hardship."
"Parents of only children are fortunate; government subsidies ensure their retirement."
Looking back on those words now, weren't they a bit... inappropriate?
A blank shot?
,,,,,,,
A few days later, on the platform of Shanghai Railway Station.
Tu Nan, carrying her luggage, boarded the train back to Shanghai with Shan Shan and Zhang Wanshu.
Various kinds of luggage were piled up in the aisle and on the luggage racks.
The three found seats; Zhang Wanshu sat in the middle, while Shanshan sat by the window.
This wasn't Shanshan's first time taking the train. She had previously helped deliver goods with Yiming.
Shanshan, who had been looking forward to traveling alone with Tu Nan, felt her heart skip a beat when she saw Zhang Wanshu at the train station entrance; all her fantasies shattered instantly.
The woman in front of me, Zhang Wanshu, had two long black braids and a confident, sunny smile on her face.
With just one glance, Shan Shan clearly realized the gap between herself and her.
When he faced Zhang Wanshu, it was like being in a mud pit and a pond; he was the lotus root in the mud pit, while she was the butterfly that had fallen onto the pond.
When Tu Nan introduced them to each other, Shan Shan's mind went blank, and she just responded mechanically, only remembering that the girl's name was Zhang Wanshu.
She understood why Tu Nan hadn't chosen her.
Compared to the radiant and dazzling Zhang Wanshu, I felt so ordinary and insignificant.
Throughout the journey, Shan Shan remained somewhat silent. While watching Tu Nan and Zhang Wan Shu occasionally converse, she could only gaze silently out the window.
The train slowly arrived in Shanghai. The three of them got off the train, and Tu Nan and Zhang Wanshu escorted Shan Shan all the way to the entrance of Fudan University.
People were coming and going at the school gate. Tu Nan looked at Shan Shan and asked again, "Shan Shan, are you sure we don't need to go in and help?"
Shanshan forced a smile, pretending to be strong despite feeling somewhat disappointed.
"Thank you, Brother Tu Nan and Sister Zhang, I can manage. You're both busy, I can manage on my own."
After saying that, she picked up her two bags and strode towards the school.
With each step she took, she told herself that this time, she would completely say goodbye to her past self and bravely live out a brand new life.
As for Zhuang Tunan... never mind, I don't want to think about it anymore.
As Shanshan stepped into the campus, she took a deep breath and found the air there to be refreshingly sweet.
A ray of sunlight streamed between two tall camphor trees, landing squarely on her face.
The light was a bit dazzling, yet it felt incredibly comfortable.
,,,,,,,,,
Zhang Wanshu and Tu Nan sat on the bus back to school. Turning her head to look at Tu Nan's profile, Zhang Wanshu had a feeling that Wu Shanshan looked at Tu Nan differently than she did at a normal neighbor's sister. "Tu Nan, I have a feeling that Wu Shanshan is acting strangely towards you."
Hearing Wan Shu's question, Tu Nan turned his head. "Wan Shu, it's my fault for not telling you beforehand. This little sister might have a special relationship with me, but don't worry, I've never responded. My attitude is very clear: I just treat her like the girl next door. Are you angry?"
Zhang Wanshu turned away. "Why would I be angry?"
Tu Nan subtly grasped her hand from under his backpack and leaned his head slightly closer. "You're the only one in my heart!"
After saying that, he quickly looked around. No one was looking their way. This was the first time he had said something so cheesy in public.
So nervous!