Chapter 32
"You are so awesome." Zhong Miao gritted his teeth in discomfort, his hands itching to punch someone.
"Haha, I didn't think I was that great before. I only discovered it after I got married."
His wife finally showed some expression, which was much better than the listless look she had been showing these past few days.
"Hehe, I won't bother with you, a piece of shit."
-
The day after tomorrow is New Year's Eve. Zhong Ming is riding his bicycle home with several packages tied to the handlebars and the back seat. They are things he brought for his daughter and in-laws.
Zhong Ming's hands, which were covered with thick gloves, were covered with calluses and wounds, and it still hurt a little when he held the handlebars.
He wore a woolen hat on his head and a scarf wrapped tightly around his face, leaving only his two eyes exposed. Under the scarf was half of his face covered in bruises and purples.
He originally wanted to go home early to spend the New Year with his daughter, but he was delayed by something and even got into a fight with someone in the store where he worked.
When he first came to the city, he had no job and no place to live. He passed by a larger store, half of which sold men's and women's clothing, and the other half sold groceries, including bed sheets, quilt covers, laundry detergent, daily necessities, and everything else. He saw a job recruitment notice on the door and went to apply.
The boss was a widow in her thirties named Zhou Yunshan. When she learned that he had no place to live, she arranged for him to stay in the store and look after the goods.
There is a small stall in front of the store, selling discounted out-of-season clothes and daily necessities that are about to expire and are sold at a low price.
At the beginning, he was responsible for selling things on the stall in front of the store. In very cold weather, he had to stay outside and when it was too cold, he would go into the house to warm up for a while.
Zhou Yunshan is also a single mother raising a child. Her daughter Li Tongtong just turned ten and is in the third grade of elementary school. One time, she couldn't do her homework, so Zhong Ming helped her with it. Zhou Yunshan then discovered that he was a well-educated person, and her impression of him changed a little, and she had more trust in him.
The two gradually became familiar with each other. Zhou Yunshan learned that he was also a single parent raising a daughter. He felt that her situation was similar to Zhong Ming's, so he took better care of him.
Later, Zhou Yunshan simply contracted the stall outside to Zhong Ming. She couldn't take care of it alone anyway. Zhong Ming was capable and smart, and was especially good at selling goods. She only hoped that Zhong Ming could help her sell more goods in the store, and the commission would be quite good.
It was from then on that Zhong Ming began to earn more money and had some foundation.
There are always a lot of troubles around a widow, and Zhong Ming has seen this during this period of time.
Zhou Yunshan’s ex-father-in-law was an alcoholic. Whenever he ran out of money for alcohol, he would come to Zhou Yunshan’s house to ask for money. If Zhou Yunshan didn’t give him money, he would throw a tantrum and lie down at the door of the store, cursing.
He cursed Zhou Yunshan for killing his son and giving birth to a useless girl who didn't carry on his family line. That wasn't too much. He also cursed her for stealing a man and killing his son. There were even more unpleasant words everywhere, like buckets of dirty water were thrown at him like water for free.
This old guy didn't care whether the child was there or not. Not only did he swear, but he was also naughty and kept poking and prodding. He would hit the mother and daughter at any time, and every time he scared Li Tongtong, the ten-year-old girl, to tears.
Zhou Yunshan had no choice but to give them money to get rid of them. People are very enthusiastic these days, and the surrounding shops and regular customers are familiar with them, mother and daughter, so they can't help but point fingers when they hear these things.
But after a long time, everyone knows what happened and will feel sorry for the mother and daughter, but what's the use?
In the two months that he has been working in the store, this old scoundrel has come four times. It was this time before the New Year that the two of them had a fight.
The old man had long been dissatisfied with Zhou Yunshan for hiring a worker like him, and he started complaining about Zhou Yunshan keeping a strange man, and keeping a man as old as Zhong Ming, who could be her father.
He suppressed his temper for the sake of his boss, but while Zhou Yunshan was taking the money, the old rogue smashed the store. Zhong Ming couldn't stand it anymore, so he went up and beat the old rogue, and the two started fighting.
Although he was also slightly injured, the old man was beaten badly by him and was scared away. But once he left, the mother and daughter would inevitably be visited by the scoundrel again.
Li Tongtong was unlucky to have such a grandfather. Every time the old scoundrel saw the child, he would reach out and poke her, cursing her as a useless girl who had caused the extinction of her family and that she couldn't even grow a hair. He didn't even dare to think about the even more unpleasant words, such as Zhong Ming.
He also has a daughter, and he would not let his daughter be treated like this, even by his own father. But Li Tongtong has no father, and although her mother is capable, she cannot beat an old man.
In front of them was a shop that had been smashed to pieces. It was New Year's Day, and the mother and daughter were at risk of the old rogue coming to their door at any time. Zhong Ming really couldn't bear it, so he helped them find a temporary house to move to, and cleaned up the shop before leaving.
The cold wind was blowing, and Zhong Ming's heart warmed up when he thought that he would be able to see his daughter soon.
The misfortune of his boss and his daughter often reminds him of his failed marriage and poor daughter.
When he just divorced, Zhong Miao was only four years old and the child could hardly speak. He felt sorry for his daughter, but he could not suffer for her, nor could he erase the shadow in her heart.
A single man raising a daughter alone will inevitably be talked about by others. Some friends will tell you how to raise a girl from their own perspective, and some people will blatantly laugh at him for being divorced and at Zhong Miao for not having a mother.
At that time, his business was picking up slightly and he was busier than before. He could only bring Zhong Miao to work every day. He could always remember Zhong Miao drawing in his office.
At a social gathering of a group of dirty-mouthed gentlemen drinking and smoking, there is always a clean little girl in the smoke-filled atmosphere, who seems out of place.
He still has business to discuss, so he can't refuse all invitations like this.
Those who have some shame would restrain themselves for the sake of the little girl, but there are always some shameless ones who become more arrogant the more they see the child. Later, when he became powerful, these people stopped cooperating.
Zhong Miao has seen the fickleness of human nature since childhood, and this will always be a thorn in Zhong Ming's heart.
Fortunately, Zhong Ming taught by example, and Zhong Miao followed him and became sensible at an early age. However, her childhood, a carefree childhood with the love of her parents, was destined to be missing.
Zhong Miao rarely made trouble when he was a child, but once he did, he was hard to comfort, which made his old father worry a lot.
Would he be annoyed? No, he would only feel more distressed about his daughter. His daughter was the best gift God had given him. She was not the continuation of his life, but his life.
He finally managed to pull his daughter out of the shadows, but then he received the news of his ex-wife's death. During that time, his daughter had just started elementary school and the environment around her was changing.
Zhong Miao seemed not to care at that time, but he knew that his daughter was unhappy.
He gave his daughter everything he could and never thought of remarrying. Having his daughter was enough for him.
Under his company and care, Zhong Miao finally grew up, becoming sensible, insightful, cute, pretty, and a lot more lively. But he still couldn't let go of this child. She was the apple of his eye, his pampered little princess, the apple of his eye, and his life.
After the shipwreck and the book, he realized that he could not regard his own life as his daughter's life. With Zhong Miao's intelligence, she would have her own life.
As a father, he couldn't let his daughter stay with him forever.
Zhong Miao opened the door and saw her father who looked exhausted. All her worries and longings over the past few days turned into a hug, and she hugged her father tightly.
Zhong Ming didn't want to say anything like "relax first because you feel cold", so he just patted his daughter's back and comforted her.
Pei Ze saw the scene of the father and daughter reuniting again, and thought, it's a good thing that she is back. If she hadn't come back, Zhong Miao might not even be able to eat. He tried his best to coax his wife to eat in the past two days, but it didn't work. He couldn't coax her no matter what he did.
"Dear baby, dear baby, Daddy came back late and made you worried."
"It's not too late, just come back."
Zhong Ming pushed the bicycle into the yard and said, "Son-in-law, the things in front are the New Year's goods I bought for our family, and the things in the back are for Miaomiao. Please take them inside and have a look first."
"Well, Dad, come into the house and warm up." Pei Ze took the things with swift hands and feet.
After Zhong Ming entered the house and took off his coat and scarf, Zhong Miao discovered the injuries on his father's face and hands. She opened her mouth but ultimately did not ask. She found some ointment to apply to her father. She held back and did not cry this time.
Zhang Weilan took advantage of An An's nap to come over to the new house. Seeing her in-laws' sad faces, she tactfully pretended not to see it and the family chatted about family matters.
By the time Pei Ze finished moving everything, the medicine had been applied.
"Dad, we have everything we need at home. Why did you buy so many things? We came all the way here. It's good to be home."
Pei Ze's words were not polite, he was sincere. His wife's dependence on her father made it impossible for him not to value his father-in-law. He loved the man and loved his family too. It was unrealistic to say that he was his biological father, but he also regarded Zhong Ming as his own elder.
"Yes, my dear, we have everything at home. You are all alone. It's okay for you to squeeze in with us when you come back. Your house is cold and lonely, so why not come and live here?"
"Haha, okay, let's squeeze in. These things look like a lot, but they're actually nothing."
Zhong Ming wanted to buy more things for Zhong Miao's in-laws. Firstly, he was afraid that Zhong Miao would be embarrassed, and secondly, her in-laws were too good to her, so he had to reciprocate and could not be lenient with them on the New Year's goods.
Pei Ze put a basket of apples outside because it was hot in the room and the apples would go bad easily.
He went back to the house and continued to unpack, taking out packages of pork, beef, sausages, dried goods, snacks and exquisite pastries. It was obvious that his father-in-law had put a lot of thought into it.
In the other bag was a cotton-padded jacket and a pair of cotton-padded shoes bought for Zhong Miao. The cotton-padded jacket was white, a new style at the time, and the shoes were even more fashionable, with a little heel. The outside was made of fine leather, and the inside was made of animal fur. They looked expensive.
"Baby, give it a try, okay?"
"Yeah." Zhong Miao tried on the shoes and coat, and found nothing out of place.
The white cotton coat made her look even more beautiful. With leather shoes and her naturally curly hair, she was as fashionable as the most fashionable girl in the city.
Pei Ze took note of the things his father-in-law bought for his wife. He didn't care about food and clothing in his daily life, and had no idea about clothing styles and fabrics. His taste was not as good as his father-in-law's.
He really doesn't know how to buy clothes and things for women. He needs to learn from him in the future.
Zhong Miao took out the woolen coat she bought for her father from the closet. "Hmph, I've noticed you can't afford to buy yourself any more clothes. I bought this for you a few days ago. Try it on yourself."
"Okay, Dad, try it."
Pei Ze saw Zhong Miao busying around and finally looking a bit like a living person. It had to be said that Zhong Miao's soul had returned with Zhong Ming.
After working for a while, they went to the main house and let Zhong Ming sleep and rest in his new house.
Zhang Weilan took out some snacks and placed them on the kang table, inviting Zhong Miao to come over and eat some. Pei Ze made a pot of hot tea and sat with Zhong Miao, with An An lying beside them, who was taking a nap.
Once An An falls asleep, it is not easy to wake him up, so they don't need to be too restrained and speak in a low voice.
"Miaomiao, eat some snacks first. Mom will go prepare something delicious for you."
How could Zhang Weilan not know that her daughter-in-law had been thinking about her father recently and couldn't even eat? Even if she didn't say it, others could see it. Her daughter-in-law was already thin and couldn't be hungry all the time.
"Yeah." Zhong Miao no longer thanked her mother-in-law. At the beginning, they were not familiar with each other. If she was so polite after they got to know each other, her mother-in-law would feel uncomfortable.
"Wife, wait until Dad wakes up and I'll go check if he's hurt."
"Okay, take a good look at him. I wanted to ask him, but he just didn't open his mouth."
"Well, don't worry."
Only after her father came back did Zhong Miao cheer up. She ate snacks quietly. The Chinese New Year was good because the family could be reunited, but the plot during the Chinese New Year was not very good. She didn't know when she could completely get rid of this crappy plot.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
