Chapter 418 I am not a member of the Zhuang family
It was Zhuang's father's birthday, and Zhuang Hualin and Xiangdong could no longer delay going to Zhuang's house. Fortunately, it was Thursday and Pengfei had to go to school.
The two of them worked the early shift that day, and brought some things over after getting off work at four o'clock.
What Zhuang Hualin prepared: three bars of soap, a bottle of Bee Flower shampoo, and a bottle of Bee Flower conditioner.
Xiangdong didn't dare to say anything and just followed him obediently carrying his things.
On the way, Zhuang Hualin said to him:
"If you bring pork belly, they'll complain that it's not pork leg meat. If you bring canned oranges, they'll complain that it's not canned lychees. If you give us ten yuan, they'll complain that it's not a hundred yuan. So no matter what we bring, we'll get the same cold shoulder and criticism. Just treat it as a joke and don't take it personally."
Xiangdong laughed foolishly and replied, "I understand. As long as you respect me, it doesn't matter whether others respect me or not."
"Except for those two, no one we know looks down on you. Doctor Liu even said I married a good husband!"
Xiangdong did whatever work he was given at the parts factory. The only thing he asked the factory about was the shift scheduling. He wanted his shift to match Zhuang Hualin's, so he wouldn't work the night shift when Zhuang Hualin was working it, just to pick her up after get off work.
He would go there early and sit on the curb across the street to wait so as not to disturb the clinic's work.
Dr. Liu asked him to sit inside the room, but he refused, saying that the room was already crowded and he wanted to leave as much space as possible for the patients.
Later, Dr. Liu moved a chair for him outside the clinic, and he agreed. He was not idle while sitting there, and he took care of things such as taking out the trash, moving goods, and repairing things.
He always smiled when answering questions, and Dr. Liu and his wife liked him very much.
Xiangdong heard Zhuang Hualin say this and hurriedly shook his head:
"I'm new here, and sometimes I don't quite understand what people say here. I can only laugh. Don't hit someone who smiles at you! If I do something wrong, tell me and I'll change. I'll try not to embarrass you and Pengfei."
"It's shameful. Don't say that again."
"Oh, okay."
Xiangdong followed Zhuang Hualin out of the alley. There were vendors selling vegetables everywhere, and the prices were much cheaper than in state-owned stores. She bought a few eggs and some side dishes and went into Zhuang's shop.
At this moment, Zhuang Chaoying had not yet finished get off work. Zhuang's mother came to open the door. Sure enough, she glanced at the things in their hands with a look of disdain.
Zhuang Hualin didn't get angry and said, "You two are old, and eating too much sugar is not good for you. Those cakes and canned food are expensive and full of sugar, so they're not good for you. Look at what I brought, it's very practical. Each of the three of you will get a new bar of soap, and there's also shampoo that will last you for a while."
"Hmm." Zhuang's mother snorted, "Birch forest..."
"I don't have any money." Zhuang Hualin didn't give her a chance to speak.
"No, you and Xiangdong are also working now, so help Ganmei find a job!" Zhuang's mother changed her words from asking for money to looking for a job.
It’s all for the third brother anyway.
"We are here to work, not to be bosses. I am still looking for people, but what can I use to find you two? You two also work and know a lot of people. Why don't you find a job for us?" Zhuang Hualin said it lightly, but every word hit the nail on the head.
Zhuang's mother saw that she couldn't control Zhuang Hualin, so she could only start playing the emotional card.
"No matter what, Gan Mei is still your brother. How many more years can we live..."
Zhuang Hualin smiled:
"Mom, this only works for my eldest brother, not me. How come I am always the most beautiful sister? How could he not care about me when I went to Guizhou for so many years? How come he is always your son? Why doesn't he obey you and just wait for my eldest brother? How come I am always your biological daughter? Why don't I even have the right to sleep in your bed?
Everything is mutual. If you are so ruthless, you should expect that we will be ruthless too. I am not afraid of people stabbing me in the back and saying I am unfilial. If I am unfilial, then so be it. The third child is younger than me, so it is not my turn to be filial to him.
"We are all family..." said Zhuang's mother with a frown.
"No, no, no, I am the water that has been poured out. I am a member of the Xiang family. I am no longer a member of your family." Zhuang Hualin waved his hands quickly.
"We have never had this idea..." Zhuang's mother pretended to be caring and glanced at Xiangdong.
Zhuang Hualin's eyes widened and he said:
"You don't have it, but Xiangdong does! I brought these things here, but Xiangdong beat me up! He said I was a spendthrift! I'm a Xiang family member now, and I can only be loyal to the Xiang family. I can't come to my mother's house too often. If I come too often, he'll think I'm subsidizing my mother's family, which is definitely not okay. So, I won't come here unless there's something important, to avoid getting beaten."
Zhuang's mother looked at Zhuang Hualin in surprise, then at Xiangdong, who smiled at her.
The two people spoke in Suzhou dialect, and Xiangdong didn't understand much at all.
He rubbed the uneven edge of the table with his rough hands and slapped the protruding wedge back with a slap.
When their eyes met, Zhuang's mother quickly looked away.
It seems that Zhuang Hualin can no longer be relied upon.
Zhuang Hualin took the vegetables to cook. Afraid that Xiangdong would feel wronged sitting outside, he called him in to help.
Zhuang's mother went to the door to see. Zhuang Hualin said while busying himself:
"Don't worry! I won't steal your goodies. I just feel sorry for my big brother. I'll cook for him and leave. We won't eat."
When Zhuang Chaoying came back, Zhuang Hualin had just finished cooking and put the dishes on the table.
Seeing Zhuang Chaoying coming back, she took off her apron and said, "Brother, I'll leave now that you're back."
"Let's go if we don't want to eat anymore."
"No more."
After Zhuang Hualin finished speaking, he gestured to head east.
Xiangdong had no objection, so he said to everyone, "Dad, Mom, Big Brother, we're leaving."
Zhuang Hualin almost took a step forward, then pulled back and said to his mother, "Mom, my eldest brother is here, so I'll just say this once. You can listen if you want, or not. Anyway, I'm an outsider, so it doesn't matter to me."
"What?" Zhuang Chaoying didn't know what the two people in front were talking about.
"Mom, you'd better save some money for yourself. Zhuang Ganmei is not a good person. He is lazy and doesn't like to work. He won't change even after being released from prison. If you don't save some money, it won't be long before he squanders it all. Then you two won't have time to cry.
Also, you guys are tormenting my brother so much now that his filial piety has worn out. If he doesn't care about you anymore, then you'll just have to sleep under the bridge and starve!
Anyway, it’s not my turn to take care of it. I’m no longer a member of the Zhuang family. Maybe I shouldn’t have been one since I was born.”
She walked to the door, and Xiangdong put on her scarf and gloves. After Zhuang Hualin walked out, he looked back to make sure nothing was left behind, then said "goodbye" to the three people in the room and closed the door.
Zhuang Chaoying suddenly felt a little envious of Zhuang Hualin. She envied her for being able to truly break away from this family, envied her for being able to ignore the world's eyes, and envied her for having a lover who would support her no matter whether she was right or wrong.
He originally thought that Xiangdong was the biggest obstacle to Zhuang Hualin's return to Suzhou, but he didn't expect that he was wrong. Xiangdong accompanied her to Suzhou without hesitation.
I left my hometown, my family, and my stable job.
He has never been a hindrance to Zhuang Hualin, but a support.
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