Under Zhou Chen's comfort, Zhuang Hualin's condition recovered a lot. He was no longer as distracted as before, and he seemed to be energetic.
Zhou Chen suddenly turned around and shouted behind him: "Pengfei."
A figure ran over quickly, it was Xiang Pengfei.
"Mom, Brother Tuxi."
Zhuang Hualin was very surprised when he saw his son: "Why are you here?"
Xiang Pengfei hesitated and said: "You haven't gone back. I was worried about you, so I came out to look for you."
"Then how did you find this?"
"Actually, I have been following you when you came out of my uncle's house. I saw that you were distracted and didn't dare to disturb you. Then I saw Brother Tuxi chasing after you, so I didn't come over."
After saying that, Xiang Pengfei asked Zhou Chen curiously: "Brother Tuxi, how did you discover me?"
"You didn't hide. I saw you when I caught up with you. I just ignored you."
Zhou Chen rubbed Xiang Pengfei's head and asked, "I didn't even talk to you much yesterday. You don't blame me, right?"
Xiang Pengfei shook his head like a rattle: "No, no, Brother Tuxi, I know you are not like that. You have your own reasons. You and Brother Tunan will take the college entrance examination next year. I really shouldn't bother you.
, don’t worry, we will return to your province soon.”
"What are you talking about? My aunt and I have already agreed that we will wait for one more year, just one year. Next year, when we are admitted to college, you will come to Suzhou and live here."
"ah?"
Xiang Pengfei looked shocked. After what happened yesterday, he wanted to go home quickly and had no hope at all. Now when he heard what Zhou Chen said, he couldn't help but look at his mother.
Zhuang Hualin nodded with a smile on his face: "Brother Tuxi said it, why don't you thank him quickly?"
Xiang Pengfei immediately said a bunch of words of gratitude with a smile on his face.
"Okay, okay, you can't stop talking when you open your mouth, right? Okay."
Zhou Chen interrupted a series of thanks to Xiang Pengfei and said: "Aunt, Pengfei, you haven't eaten yet. Just in time, I just told Xiaoting that I will take her to the restaurant downstairs at Songhe Tower, and you will come too.
Go."
Zhuang Hualin immediately said: "Go, go, Tuxi, my aunt will treat you to a meal today. Songhe Tower is really old. I don't know what it has become now."
Zhou Chen said with a smile: "That's not possible, aunt. You must let me be the host today. Please give aunt a taste of hometown. Let's go back. Let's go back and call Xiao Ting first."
When Zhuang Xiaoting and Zhuang Tunan saw Zhou Chen coming back with Zhuang Hualin and Xiang Pengfei, they both looked shocked.
"Second brother, aunt, you guys?"
Zhuang Xiaoting looked at Zhou Chen with puzzled eyes. She found that her aunt's condition was much better than when she first arrived, and Xiang Pengfei was also here, which must be related to her second brother.
Zhou Chen didn't explain, he just said with a smile: "Xiao Ting, pack up and prepare to leave for Songhe Tower. Auntie and Pengfei will go with us."
Zhuang Xiaoting was confused, but she never disobeyed her second brother.
"Oh, oh, okay."
I walked into the room, tidied up, and then came out, ready to go.
Zhuang Tunan, on the other hand, had a sullen face and was about to go back to the house, but Zhuang Xiaoting hurriedly stopped him.
"Brother, what are you doing back at home? We are going to eat."
Zhuang Tunan said in a dull voice: "You can take Auntie and Pengfei to eat, I won't go."
When Zhuang Hualin heard this, he immediately went over and grabbed Zhuang Tunan: "Tunan, why don't you go? Auntie invites you to dinner, let's go together."
"Aunt, please leave him alone, he..."
"Second brother~"
Zhuang Xiaoting shook Zhou Chen's left hand with a coquettish expression on her face, preventing Zhou Chen from speaking.
Zhou Chen glared at her, but still complied with her wishes and did not quarrel with Zhuang Tunan again.
Zhuang Tunan actually wanted to go, but Zhou Chen was here and he couldn't save his face. However, after being persuaded by Zhuang Hualin for a few words, he reluctantly agreed.
"Lin Dongzhe, stop eavesdropping. If you don't come out of Songhe Tower, I won't take you with me." Zhou Chen suddenly shouted.
"No, Brother Tutsi."
Lin Dongzhe rushed out of the house quickly, smiling playfully.
"I'm going, I'm definitely going, Brother Tuxi, you have to take me with you, and I'll help you ride the horse in front of you."
Zhou Chen raised his hand and gave it to him.
"Stop being poor, quickly lock the door and leave."
"Okay."
Lin Dongzhe quickly locked the door, and then the group set off towards Songhe Tower in a mighty manner.
They said it was a big meal, but they couldn't bear to order it. Everyone just ordered a piece of noodles, and Zhou Chen ordered some stir-fried vegetables, so it could barely be considered a big meal.
The food was sumptuous, and everyone enjoyed it, especially Lin Dongzhe and Xiang Pengfei. When they met, they seemed to have endless things to say. They were the two who talked the most during the dinner, and they couldn't stop chattering at all.
Seeing this harmonious scene, Zhuang Hualin felt very happy and satisfied in her heart. Even though she wanted to keep Xiang Pengfei this year, she also understood that the matter was now the best outcome and could not go any further.
Greedy and demanding.
When everyone was about to finish eating, she quietly stood up and wanted to check out, but after asking, she realized that the bill had already been paid. After asking the clerk, she found out that Zhou Chen had already paid the bill after ordering.
On the way back, Zhuang Hualin took out the money and wanted to give it to Zhou Chen.
"Tusi, my aunt asked you to pay. How can I ask you to pay? Come on, take the money."
Although this meal was almost equivalent to her monthly food expenses in your province, she still took it out without hesitation.
Zhou Chen held Zhuang Hualin's hand and said, "Auntie, I told you before I came here that I was going to treat Xiao Ting to a big dinner today. I'm just asking you to come along, so I can't take this money."
, you put it away."
"How can that be done? With my aunt here, how can I ask you to treat me, be obedient, and keep the money?"
Zhou Chen winked at Zhuang Xiaoting and Lin Dongzhe. Zhuang Xiaoting took Zhuang Hualin's hand and said, "Aunt, listen to the second brother. This is the first time we see you, so let the second brother invite you."
Lin Dongzhe was more straightforward: "Yes, Auntie, Brother Tuxi is rich. He has published so many articles and earned a lot of royalties. You don't have to be polite to him."
Zhuang Hualin looked surprised: "Tuxi, you published an article and earned royalties?"
"Yes, Brother Tuxi is amazing. The fairy tales he writes are very beautiful, and his compositions are also very good. He even won an award."
Check out the correct version one by one!
Lin Dongzhe praised Zhou Chen fiercely. In fact, this was also his true thought. Because he himself was poor at writing essays, he felt that Zhou Chen was really good at writing fairy tales and winning awards for his essays, which made him envious.
Zhuang Hualin was repeatedly surprised. She knew that Zhou Chen had very good grades and was the best among the three children in her eldest brother's family. But she only knew this and didn't know much more. So after hearing what Lin Dongzhe said,
It made her view Zhou Chen differently.
From yesterday, to today, to now, her view of Zhou Chen has changed many times.
Although he is only a teenager, he is extremely mature. Yesterday he protected his mother very strongly when facing his elders, and today he comforted her again.
It's not like my parents, eldest brother, and third brother's family said they were disobedient, unfilial, and disrespectful. Maybe I was just like that towards them.
Although Zhuang Hualin wanted to give the money to Zhou Chen, Zhou Chen was determined not to, and Zhuang Xiaoting and Lin Dongzhe made jokes. In the end, the money was not given out.
After playing at Zhou Chen's house for a while, Zhuang Hualin was about to leave with Xiang Pengfei reluctantly.
Before leaving, Zhuang Tunan held the notes he had just packed up.
"Auntie, I have saved these notes over the years, thinking that Pengfei would use them one day."
When Xiang Pengfei saw these notes, his face showed bitterness. Like Lin Dongzhe, he was out of touch and had fun, but he was far behind Lin Dongzhe in terms of study. If Zhuang Tunan gave him something to eat, drink and play, he would definitely receive it with great joy.
Down.
But studying notes was really too difficult for him.
However, Zhuang Hualin accepted it very happily: "Tunan, you are serious, Pengfei, why don't you thank brother quickly?"
Xiang Pengfei took the notes from his mother's hand with a grimace and thanked Zhuang Tunan: "Thank you, Brother Tunan."
Then he hugged the notes and left with Zhuang Hualin.
When I came, I felt anxious and my steps were heavy. When I came back, I felt relieved and my steps were light.
After Huang Ling came back from her morning shift, she heard Zhuang Xiaoting tell her what happened today, learned that Zhuang Hualin had been here, and also knew about Zhou Chen's treat.
Zhou Chen also told what he did.
"Mom, I promised my aunt without your consent. I'm sorry."
Huang Ling was not angry, but said kindly: "Mom doesn't blame you. In fact, it is not easy for your aunt to be born in such a family. She has lived a very hard life. She was not the one I targeted yesterday. Pengfei
He is also a good boy."
"I know that mom mainly wants to study for us, so I only said one year later."
"Then you are not worried that you and Tunan will not do well in the exam in a year?"
Zhou Chen looked confident: "Mom, your worry is unnecessary. Don't worry about my college entrance examination. I will take the entrance examination to whichever university you want me to take. I guarantee that I will pass. Even if I have to worry, you will still worry about you."
My eldest son."
"You."
Huang Ling smiled and then asked, "Where's Tunan? Why isn't he at home?"
Zhuang Xiaoting replied: "Eldest brother went to school to persuade dad to come home, but he hasn't come back yet. Mom, will dad come back?"
Speaking of Zhuang Chaoying, Huang Ling's smile immediately faded.
"No one will let him come back. Maybe he will come back when he figures it out. If he can't figure it out, just let him go."
She had long since looked away. Zhuang Chaoying was an unreliable man who was worse than her own child. It was better to count on him than on herself.
Zhuang Xiaoting became even more worried after hearing this. She cautiously asked, "Mom, you and dad will not get divorced, right?"
Huang Ling's expression was startled. She saw her daughter's nervous expression and gently stroked her daughter's cheek. She had really considered divorce, more than once.
"If you don't get a divorce, your parents won't get divorced."
After saying that, she thought to herself again: Not now, at least not before her son's college entrance examination. As for later, let's talk about it later.
Zhuang Chaoying is no longer important in her eyes, far less important than her children, divorce or not, and far less important than her two sons' college entrance examinations.
After hearing her mother say that she would not get divorced, Zhuang Xiaoting suddenly turned from worry to joy.
She was still feeling anxious just now, thinking about what she would do if her parents really wanted to divorce. What was certain was that she would have to divorce her mother and second brother.
Now that she was sure of her mother's feelings, she felt relaxed and the gloom was gone.