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Zhuang Hualin hurriedly pulled Peng Fei's hand as they stepped back into the familiar land of Suzhou. Before they could even steady themselves, they rushed into Huang Ling's home. Upon entering, Zhuang Hualin wore a forced smile, but the urgency and sincerity in his expression were unmistakable. "Sister-in-law," he said, "I've been looking forward to this moment all the way here. I just wanted to talk to you." He gently nudged Peng Fei forward. "This child has been doing well in Suzhou. He’s made a group of friends at school and has shown progress in his studies; even the teachers praise him for being clever. Back home, the teaching conditions and environment can't compare to those in Suzhou. I'm hoping you can keep Peng Fei here a little longer so he can continue to grow."
At that moment, Huang Ling was deeply focused on her son Zhuang Tunan, who was preparing for university entrance exams. As soon as she heard Zhuang Hualin's request, her brows furrowed into a deep frown. "Zhuang Hualin," she replied without hesitation, "it's not that I'm being unreasonable. You know that Zhuang Tunan is at a crucial stage right now; the college entrance exam is a life-changing event, and any mistake could be disastrous. I need to devote all my attention to him—taking care of his meals and studying—so I can't afford to be distracted by other matters. Therefore, I really can't keep Peng Fei here." As she spoke, her hands unconsciously intertwined in front of her, trying to steady her rising emotions, her eyes revealing a mix of helplessness and unwavering determination.
Upon hearing this, Zhuang Grandma slammed her cane on the ground and raised her voice. "Huang Ling, how can you be so selfish! Peng Fei is also part of our family; he has gotten used to life in Suzhou. How can you just send him away like that? Our Wu family has always valued relationships; you can't break that tradition." Zhuang A Die's face flushed red as she chimed in, "Exactly! Zhuang Tunan is a child too; why can't we accommodate both? Why must it be so heartless?" Zhuang Hualin nodded repeatedly from the side, looking at Huang Ling with pleading eyes. "Please reconsider; I'm really worried about what will happen if the child goes back."
Huang Ling felt cornered by their accusations, feeling both angry and anxious as tears welled up in her eyes. She turned to Zhuang Tunan, standing silently beside her, hoping for his support. Her voice trembled slightly as she said, "Zhuang Tunan, tell them—can I afford to be distracted right now?" Zhuang Tunan stood there with a furrowed brow, feeling torn inside like he was caught in a web of conflicting emotions. On one hand, he understood his mother's good intentions; on the other hand, he felt pressured by the elders' expectations. He stammered, "Mom, I know you're doing this for me, but what Grandma says also makes some sense." Hearing this made Huang Ling's heart ache sharply; feelings of disappointment and frustration surged within her—how could he not understand his mother's sacrifices?
Zhuang Teacher stood nearby, observing the tense atmosphere with an expression of discomfort. He cleared his throat and attempted to mediate: "Everyone should calm down; we all have our difficulties. Let's discuss this calmly." But the argument had escalated too far to be easily extinguished; everyone continued to stand their ground.
In the end, Huang Ling gritted her teeth and held firm to her position despite the pressure from everyone else; she refused to budge. The confrontation concluded with her victory, but the atmosphere in the room had already dropped to freezing point. The bonds of family seemed frayed by this quarrel, revealing cracks that had not been there before.
Afterward, feeling guilty about the conflict, Zhuang Tunan decided to cheer up his elders by taking Zhuang Xiao Ting along with him to visit Zhuang A Die and Zhuang Grandma with a carefully prepared box of snacks. Along the way, Zhuang Xiao Ting felt anxious and nervously tugged at her clothes while softly murmuring, "Brother, do you think A Die and Grandma will forgive us?" Zhuang Tunan patted her shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry; we're here sincerely to apologize and brought their favorite snacks. Just say some kind words."
When they arrived there and before they could say anything, Zhuang A Die's stern face dropped a bombshell: "If your parents get divorced, who will you choose?" Zhuang Xiao Ting's eyes widened in shock and anger; her face flushed red as she shouted back defiantly, "My parents won't get divorced! How can you say such things!" Her voice trembled with emotion as she expressed her youthful stubbornness and indignation. However, Zhuang A Die was enraged by this retort and raised her hand to slap Zhuang Xiao Ting across the face. The sharp sound echoed in the room as Zhuang Xiao Ting stood frozen in disbelief; her cheek burned with pain as tears streamed down her face filled with hurt and disbelief. She cried out, "A Die! How could you hit me?"
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