Training the Heavens

Chapter 167: No, then.
Zhuang Chaoying has had a very hard time recently. He has to travel to such a far place as Zhejiang, and when most schools have already been on vacation, how easy is it to go to the local education department to ask for the college entrance examination papers and answers?

He also spent a lot of effort and went to several units before he collected enough test papers for all his homework. However, when he went to buy a boat ticket, he found that it was close to the Chinese New Year and many people wanted to go home, so it was really difficult to buy a ticket.

Finally, he managed to get a ticket for the cabin and got on the train. He spent the whole day in the small and cramped cabin and returned home late at night. He was originally full of joy thinking that when he got home, he would see a full family sitting around the dinner table, celebrating the New Year lively. Unexpectedly, he was scolded by his own father as soon as he entered the door.

"Come back? You still want to come back? You can't even take care of your wife, and you have the nerve to come back for the New Year? I've raised you for nothing all these years!"

"Dad, what's going on? Where's Huang Ling? Where's Tunan? Where's Ganmei and her whole family?" Zhuang Chaoying was stunned when he saw the empty room with only his father and mother there.

"It's all because of your failure to discipline him. It's ok that you're away on a business trip, but your wife and children didn't even come home to pay New Year's greetings during Chinese New Year. Is this fair? Is this law?" Lao Deng had been so angry for days that he had no place to vent. Now that Zhuang Chaoying was back, he finally found an opportunity.

The old woman also added fuel to the fire, "Your wife is living a good life now. She went back to her parents' home for the New Year and is enjoying delicious food and drinks in Changzhou. Who would have thought that we two old guys were starving? Oh, why am I so miserable to have such a useless son?"

"Even if she goes back to her parents' home, she should come back for the New Year, right? No, I have to call her back!" Zhuang Chaoying prepared to go out in a hurry.

"Come back, don't you see what time it is? You went to Changzhou and came back. Do you want to starve us two old guys to death?" Lao Deng was so angry that he couldn't help but say the word death on New Year's Day.

"Pooh, pooh, pooh, don't say such unlucky words." The old woman became anxious when she heard it. When Lao Deng was around, she could still control the two children. If he left, she wouldn't be able to control these guys. How could she live a good life then?
"How can she not come back? And you, a grown man, have to go to her parents' home to pick her up? If this gets out, will we, the Zhuang family, still have any shame? Just ignore her and let her go. Even though there are only three of us at home now, we have to have a good New Year!" Lao Deng changed his mind and felt that this might not be a bad thing. If he took the opportunity to occupy the house and drive Huang Ling and her three daughters out of the house, life at home would be much easier.

Zhuang Chaoying lost his wife and children, but he could hand over all of his monthly salary of 70 yuan, and he also got such a big house. When the time comes, he can let Zhendong and Zhenbei live there, and his current residence will be much more spacious.

He had no attachment to Huang Ling and Zhuang Xiaoting. The only person he was reluctant to part with was probably his eldest grandson Zhuang Tunan. But he had more than one grandson, Zhuang Tunan, there were also Zhendong and Zhenbei. When they grew up, they could still provide for him in his old age.

"What are you still standing there for? Hurry up and cook." The old woman thought the same thing as Lao Deng and urged him repeatedly.

"Oh, I'll go right away!" Zhuang Chaoying had been on the boat all night. When he got home, he didn't even have a sip of water before he was rushed to the kitchen to busy himself. But he just went in and came out again. "Mom and Dad, why is there so little food at home for the New Year?"

"How dare you ask! Your wife took all the things back to her parents' home, and this is all we have left!" Lao Deng slammed the table again in anger, but he still didn't say that this was just a guess, and his beautiful wife really took the things away.

"I'll go back and check." Zhuang Chaoying took the bicycle key and went out without saying a word. He pedaled all the way back to the courtyard. When he entered the house, he saw that only the lantern under the eaves was lit. It was pitch black inside and it didn't look like there was anyone there.

After entering the room and turning on the light, he went straight to where the vegetables and grains were usually stored. He saw only the rice, flour, and oil, but there was no trace of the celery, meat, or hairtail distributed by the factory and school. Could it be that Huang Ling had really taken them home? Lin Wufeng, who was eating New Year's Eve dinner, heard the noise next door and immediately came over to check on the situation. As soon as he saw Zhuang Chaoying, he invited him, "Brother Zhuang? Are you back from your business trip? Come and have something to eat!"

"No, no, the New Year's Eve dinner at my dad's place is ready. I'll come back to get something and then go over to eat." Zhuang Chaoying didn't want others to know his miserable side, so he could only lie to save face.

"Oh, is that so? Then come in and have some water." It's not known whether Lin Wufeng believed it or not, but he didn't expose him on the surface.

"You guys eat yours, don't worry about me." Zhuang Chaoying didn't find anything and became more and more annoyed.

Song Ying knew what he was looking for right away. "Brother Zhuang, are you looking for the hairtail fish and meat that the school distributed? Sister Ling left them with me when she came back and told me to freeze them in my refrigerator to prevent them from spoiling."

Zhuang Chaoying went to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator to see that the things were indeed there. Huang Ling only brought some New Year's goods given to her by the factory when she went to Changzhou, and the things given to Zhuang Chaoying by the school were not touched at all.

He took his things and left. Lin Wufeng looked at the lanterns and spring couplets at the door of the Zhuang family, shook his head and went back to the house. He had personally helped to paste and hang these up, but Zhuang Chaoying didn't even ask a question.

With these things, the three of them were able to barely get through the New Year. Zhuang Chaoying also stayed here at noon on the first, second and third day of the New Year, cooking for the old couple every day and letting them insult and vent their anger.

He was not ready to go home until the afternoon of the third day of the Lunar New Year, because according to the current regulations, the holiday is only for a few days during the Chinese New Year, and he has to go back to work on the fourth day. Huang Ling has to come back tonight at the latest, and he has to talk to Huang Ling about what happened in the past few days.

Changzhou, Huang Ling and the other two had indeed packed up and were ready to return to Suzhou. Zhuang Xiaoting held her grandmother's hand and refused to let go, "Grandma, I like it here with you. I don't want to go back to Suzhou."

From childhood to adulthood, she has never had such a comfortable year as she has now. When she thinks about being bullied by Zhendong and Zhenbei again when she goes back, she wishes she could stay in Changzhou.

Grandma and Grandpa were reluctant to let her go, so they looked at their daughter and asked, "Can't you let the children stay with me for a few more days? We can send them back when school starts soon?"

"Mom and Dad, it's the New Year after all. We have to ask them to wish Chaoying and Grandpa and Grandma a happy new year." Huang Ling was also helpless, but in life, there are always some things that you don't want to do but have to do.

"Huang Ling, come here, I want to talk to you." Grandpa called Huang Ling aside and said in a low voice, "When we get back, if it doesn't work, you can..."

(End of this chapter)