People in the alley: A woman dressed as a man shouldn't be foolishly filial, Zhuang Chaoying

Chapter 132 Invites Song Ying's Family to Tu Nan's College Entrance Banquet

Huang's mother stopped what she was doing and nodded: "It's only right to help your sister and the others. Your sister is a strong-willed child who got into nursing school on her own merit. Children should strive for a better future. You are her uncle, so it's only right that you come and stay." Huang's mother leaned closer to Zhuang Chaoying and lowered her voice: "Anyway, there's enough room at home. We're all family, so there's no need to be so formal."

His parents-in-law were such kind and understanding old people, completely different from the personalities and ways of doing things of Zhuang's father and mother.

We all eat the same grains, so why are there such big differences between people?

Zhuang Chaoying nodded: "Ah Ling is kind-hearted and very understanding of me."

"A husband and wife should be considerate of each other. Chaoying, Mom is very satisfied with you. I'm relieved that A-Ling has found such a family-oriented and caring husband like you."

Zhuang Chaoying felt a little embarrassed by her mother-in-law's words: "Mom, I'm not as good as you say. I just did what I was supposed to do."

Huang's mother laughed and joked, "Chaoying, don't be embarrassed. Look at your dad. He didn't even bother to pick up the soy sauce when it was spilled before. I still have to go to work, and when I come home I have to cook and do housework. It's only since I retired that I've started to help out."

In that era, there were quite a few men like Huang's father. They handed over their wages and didn't go out and mess around. At that time, they were considered representatives of good men.

Most women of this era worked hard without complaint, silently managing everything at home, and just getting by like that.

After shelling the edamame, Zhuang Chaoying clapped her hands and stood up: "Mom, I'm going inside to help the kids with their homework."

Huang's mother held up the shelled edamame: "Okay, go ahead. I plan to stir-fry some edamame with pickled mustard greens for lunch, stir-fry some eggs, and make a vegetable soup. Just something simple to eat."

Zhuang Chaoying returned to her room, took the ninth-grade textbook from the bookshelf, opened the workbook, and found the problem: "Xiaoting, Dongzhe, let's continue with the topic of inscribed quadrilaterals. This is a problem about finding the angle. Given that quadrilateral ABCD is inscribed at point o, AB equals CD, A is the midpoint of arc BD, and ∠BCD = 54°, find ∠ADB? Everyone think carefully and use the properties and theorems of circles that we have learned before to solve the problem."

Xiaoting and Lin Dongzhe immediately picked up scrap paper and pens and began to work on the problem seriously.

...

As night quietly falls, the streets and alleys of Suzhou are bathed in soft light.

After dinner, Zhuang Chaoying and Huang Ling took Huang's parents back to their new courtyard and then strolled leisurely down the street on their way home.

The streetlights cast a dim, soft glow, elongating their shadows as they walked side by side.

"Ah Ling, Hua Lin called today and said that Peng Fei and your brother-in-law will arrive in Suzhou at four o'clock tomorrow afternoon. Hua Lin didn't come because she said that if she came, her salary would be deducted, and she doesn't have that much money at home. It's more cost-effective for her to bring us more local specialties than for her to come. Ah Ling, I still want to thank you for your understanding. Peng Fei is living here, and you'll have to take care of him. From now on, I'll do whatever you ask me to do, and I definitely won't say a word without asking!"

Huang Ling turned her head slightly, looked around, and after confirming that no one was paying attention, she reached out and hooked her arm around Chao Ying's, saying softly, "What I say goes."

Zhuang Chaoying nodded without hesitation: "Whatever you say."

Huang Ling's lips curled up into a sly smile: "If that's not available, Chao Ying, I won't ask for it. If you want it, you can go get it yourself. I'm not going to embarrass myself in the streets. Otherwise, we won't do it."

Upon hearing this, Zhuang Chaoying stopped abruptly, a look of surprise on her face, and remained stunned for a few seconds.

Then, he smiled and looked at Ah Ling's retreating figure as she walked ahead. So this is the kind of Ah Ling you are.

However, he also understood that when it came to his own happiness, what did face matter?

At worst, they can just go to a few more places. These days, the family planning officials in the neighborhoods are more than happy for them to go there to get it; sometimes they even force them to get it.

Thinking of this, Zhuang Chaoying quickly walked over and took Ah Ling's arm again.

"Oh, Teacher Zhuang, Huang Ling, are you out for a walk after dinner?"

It turned out to be my neighbor, Sister Liu. She had just come back from outside and was carrying a vegetable basket.

Huang Ling was startled and immediately pushed Chao Ying's hand away, took a step to the right, and a look of embarrassment flashed across her face before she smiled and replied, "Sister Liu, why are you only coming back now?"

Sister Liu replied with a smile, "I went to look after my eldest son's child. You two have such a good relationship."

Huang Ling quickly waved her hand, her eyes darting around, and explained, "No, there was a hair on my neck that was really itchy, and Chao Ying helped me find it."

Sister Liu laughed even harder and waved her hand, "We've all been through this, it's nothing. Alright, I need to hurry back and cook for my husband."

Watching Sister Liu's departing figure, Zhuang Chaoying leaned closer again: "Ah Ling, Dad was talking to me today, asking why we don't buy a TV. Do you think it's because Mom and Dad are getting bored staying with us? Why don't we buy a TV and put it in the new yard? We can bring it over after Mom and Dad leave?"

Huang Ling frowned slightly: "Chao Ying, didn't we agree to wait until the children are all admitted to university before buying a TV? You know I'm worried that TV will affect the children's studies."

Zhuang Chaoying gently squeezed A-Ling's arm: "I'm just worried that Mom and Dad will get bored. You see, Xiaoting's grades have always been very good, and we're not completely preventing her from relaxing. Watching TV occasionally shouldn't have any impact."

Huang Ling listened to Chao Ying's words, lowered her head and pondered for a while, thinking to herself: That's right, Xiao Ting has always been very self-disciplined and her grades are stable. Watching TV occasionally might broaden her horizons.

So she looked up at Chao Ying, somewhat hesitantly, and asked, "Then should we buy it?"

Zhuang Chaoying's eyes lit up: "Buy it! I'll go to the black market tonight."

In fact, Zhuang Chaoying had his own plans. He intended to go to the black market to see if there were any bargains he could find. If not, he would buy them from the system store when he returned, making it convenient to deliver them directly to Huang's parents.

"I delivered it directly to my parents after I bought it."

Huang Ling looked at Chao Ying and shook her head slightly: "We don't have that much money at home right now. It's all in the bank. I'll go to the bank to withdraw the money tomorrow, and then you can go."

Zhuang Chaoying then realized what was happening, slapping her forehead. How could she buy a TV if she didn't have money?

,,,,,,,

Zhuang Chaoying and Huang Ling walked into their own courtyard.

In the courtyard, Song Ying was sitting on a small stool, holding a popsicle that was emitting a slight chill.

"Sister Ling, have you taken Uncle and Aunt back?"

Huang Ling looked towards the house, which was dark, and guessed that the children were most likely at Song Ying's house.

Even if she didn't buy a TV, Tu Nan and Xiao Ting would still go to Song Ying's house to watch TV. Thinking of what Chao Ying had told her, she might as well buy one for her own home.

He pulled over a stool and sat down next to Song Ying: "Chao Ying told me today that Pengfei and his father have boarded the train and will arrive in Suzhou tomorrow."

Song Ying licked the popsicle with the tip of her tongue: "Did your sister-in-law come?"

Huang Ling shook her head slightly: "She said she wanted to save on transportation costs and bring more local specialties for me and Chaoying, saying it would be more cost-effective than her coming in person. Actually, I know that it's not easy for the two of them in your province, so every little bit helps."

Song Ying took a small bite of her popsicle. "That's true, your province is very far away, the train tickets must be very expensive."

At this moment, Zhuang Chaoying came out of the house, holding a popsicle in her hand.

He walked over to Huang Ling, slowly peeled off the popsicle wrapper, and handed it to her.

Huang Ling took the popsicle and first took a few light slurps.

Huang Ling suddenly remembered this and quickly said to Song Ying, "Grandpa and Grandma are having a dinner party this Sunday, which is the day after tomorrow, to celebrate Tu Nan getting into university. Chao Ying and I would like to formally invite you to attend!"