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The New Year's bells rang cheerfully, filling the streets with a vibrant red and joyous atmosphere that was impossible to ignore. Teacher Zhuang was accompanied by his family: Zhuang Tunan, the straightforward Huang Ling, and Zhuang Xiao Ting, along with Peng Fei. The group was all smiles and laughter as they hurried to Grandma Zhuang's house, eager to celebrate the New Year together in a lively manner.
Grandma Zhuang had already instructed Aunt to prepare a sumptuous New Year's Eve dinner. Before dawn, Aunt had dived into the kitchen, chopping vegetables and stir-frying dishes, the clattering of pots and pans echoing as she busily moved about. In no time at all, the table was filled with an array of delicious dishes—fish, meat, vegetables—everything looked mouthwatering. Why was she working so hard? It was because the children from Huang Ling's family were particularly impressive; they excelled in their studies and were doing well in their jobs. Aunt had a little scheme in mind, hoping to use this opportunity to curry favor and strengthen ties with them.
Everyone gathered around the dining table, and after a few toasts, conversation flowed freely. As they chatted, the topic turned to the children's romantic prospects. Grandma Zhuang spoke first, her eyes on Zhuang Xiao Ting, expressing her concern: "Xiao Ting, you're not getting any younger. Have you found someone? It's time to think about your future." The others chimed in enthusiastically, saying things like, "If you haven't found anyone yet, I know a child from a leader's family who would be perfect for you. Let me introduce you!" Hearing this made Huang Ling uncomfortable; she thought it was just an attempt to climb social ladders for personal gain. Her face flushed with anger, but she couldn't say anything in front of her elders.
Zhuang Xiao Ting's face turned red as well, but instead of being shy or bashful, she boldly replied: "Grandma Zhuang, don't worry! I do have someone—it's our neighbor Lin Dongzhe; everyone knows him!" Huang Ling and Teacher Zhuang were momentarily stunned before exchanging glances, both thinking that Xiao Ting must be joking because they had never noticed anything special between them.
To everyone's surprise, Peng Fei, who had been quietly eating until now, put down his chopsticks and sat up straight with a serious expression. "Grandma Zhuang," he said earnestly, "this is true; they really are together." His words dropped like a bombshell at the dinner table. Everyone stared wide-eyed in disbelief at Xiao Ting and Peng Fei, eager to confirm whether this was indeed true.
Once home, Huang Ling pulled Zhuang Xiao Ting onto the sofa while Teacher Zhuang followed with a stern expression that made it seem like he was about to interrogate a criminal. Huang Ling spoke first, her brows furrowed and her gaze fixed intently on Xiao Ting. "Xiao Ting," she said anxiously, "what you said at Grandma Zhuang's house can't be a joke! You need to explain everything clearly!"
Feeling the pressure of the situation made Xiao Ting slightly nervous but she didn't hide anything. Clearing her throat, she began slowly: "Actually, I've known Lin Dongzhe since we were kids. Back then, I didn't think much of it; he was just a playmate. But as we grew up and spent more time together... there was one time when I faced some difficulties and felt like crying. Lin Dongzhe somehow found out and rushed over to help me without complaining at all despite being exhausted. After that incident, I realized how dependable and warm-hearted he is. Gradually, my feelings for him changed."
Teacher Zhuang listened with an increasingly dark expression, occasionally clearing his throat as anger bubbled within him. He thought to himself: these two kids are involved in something so serious yet kept it completely hidden from us elders! Once Xiao Ting finished speaking, Teacher Zhuang's face hardened as he raised his voice: "Xiao Ting! You're not a child anymore; dating is serious business! How could you keep this from us? Even if he's just our neighbor's child and you're familiar with him—there are proper steps to take when it comes to relationships! You two have been sneaking around; that's unacceptable!"
Xiao Ting lowered her head and mumbled softly: "We didn't mean to hide it; we just thought our feelings weren't stable yet and didn't want to create unnecessary excitement if things changed later. We planned to find the right moment to tell everyone... but who knew it would come out at Grandma Zhuang's house?" Seeing her pitiful expression softened Huang Ling's tone as she patted Xiao Ting's shoulder gently: "Alright now; it's good that you've shared it. Just promise me you won't do this again in the future."
Feeling flustered and anxious, Xiao Ting quickly texted Lin Dongzhe. As soon as the call connected, she spoke with a quivering voice about what had happened at Grandma Zhuang's house and how Teacher Zhuang and Huang Ling had questioned her like she was being interrogated.
On the other end of the line, Lin Dongzhe’s previously cheerful demeanor shifted to seriousness as concern filled his eyes. He listened quietly until Xiao Ting finished speaking before gently reassuring her: "Xiao Ting, don’t worry or stress too much. Now that everything is out in the open, we’ll handle it steadily together. I'm busy right now but I’ll make sure to finish my tasks quickly so that I can talk to Aunt Huang and Teacher Zhuang as soon as possible."
As he spoke, he stood up and began pacing around his room while contemplating what to say next: "When the time comes, I'll sincerely talk to your elders about our relationship—how we met, how we got closer—and what our plans are for the future. I want them to know that I'm genuinely interested in being with you so they can feel at ease."
After saying all this, his voice became even softer yet more resolute as if he were whispering sweetly into Xiao Ting’s ear: "Xiao Ting, don’t think about anything else; just relax. We have plenty of time ahead of us. No matter what challenges we face moving forward—I’ll always be by your side protecting you. This little issue is just a small bump in the road; I’ll definitely handle it well. Just stay at home calmly waiting for me while I sort this out." Listening to him calmed Xiao Ting’s racing heart; her tears gradually dried up as trust filled her heart—she could only hope that he would clarify everything with their elders soon.
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