latelenovela Chapter 172 Zhang Amei's New Year's Greeting - With No Good Intentions
Chapter 172 Zhang Amei's New Year's Greeting - With No Good Intentions
On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, Zhuang Chaoying slowly woke up, opened her eyes, sat up, turned her head to look at Ah Ling who was still sleeping, her eyes full of tenderness.
He carefully pulled the blanket up and tucked the corners in.
I put on my shoes quietly, and glanced at my watch; it was already past eight o'clock.
He slowly got up, tiptoed to the kitchen, and gently closed the kitchen door.
Unexpectedly, Lin Wufeng was already busy preparing breakfast in the kitchen, and the oil in the pan was making a slight sizzling sound.
Zhuang Chaoying greeted him with a smile. "Happy New Year, Engineer Lin!"
Lin Wufeng straightened up and turned around. "Happy New Year, Teacher Zhuang. Let's have a couple of drinks later, and I'll cook a couple of snacks to go with them."
"Okay, I'll be there in a bit." As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly squeezed his legs together and hurried towards the toilet with a slightly flustered expression.
After leaving the "waste" all night, I suddenly realized that I hadn't brought any paper!
Zhuang Chaoying squatted helplessly on the toilet stall: "Engineer Lin, Engineer Lin! Could you please get me a few sheets of toilet paper?"
Lin Wufeng was holding a plate of freshly fried peanuts when he heard Teacher Zhuang's call. He quickly replied, "Teacher Zhuang, wait a moment, I'm coming!"
He quickly placed the peanuts on the table, then hurriedly grabbed two sheets of toilet paper from the cabinet and rushed to the toilet.
"Teacher Zhuang, open the door!"
The toilet door opened a crack, and a hand quickly reached out. Zhuang Chaoying grabbed the toilet paper and hurriedly closed the door: "Thank you, Engineer Lin!"
After finishing her business, Zhuang Chaoying washed her hands and started making breakfast.
He cooked a pot of porridge and boiled a few eggs.
At this moment, Huang Ling also got up, still sleepy, her hair a mess, like a bird's nest. "Chao Ying, you're up so early?"
As Zhuang Chaoying ladled out the porridge, she said, "I can't sleep, Ah Ling, add some pickled vegetables. The porridge is ready."
Huang Ling took chopsticks and a plate, picked up some kimchi, and placed it on the table.
Huang Ling patted Xiao Ting's bottom. "Xiao Ting, Pengfei, get up!"
After the family had breakfast, Song Ying and Lin Wufeng brought Dongzhe over to offer New Year's greetings.
Song Ying's voice rang out from outside the door. "Sister Ling, Teacher Zhuang, we've come to wish you a Happy New Year!"
"Uncle Zhuang, Aunt Huang, Happy New Year!"
Huang Ling quickly went over and opened the door, smiling, "Happy New Year, Song Ying, Engineer Lin, let's not stand on ceremony, come on in."
Suddenly, Yiming's voice rang out from outside: "Aunt Huang, it's on the phone!"
"Please sit down, I'll go answer the phone!"
Inside the room, the table was already covered with apples, oranges, peanuts, melon seeds, and several bottles of soda.
Lin Wufeng followed behind, carrying a plate of peanuts and a plate of cured meat, and placed them steadily on the table.
The TV was playing the gala program from last night on repeat, and the lively singing and dancing echoed in the room.
After Huang Ling finished her phone call, she turned around and bumped into Zhang Amei and Lao Wu's family coming over.
Zhang Amei came over with a warm smile and took her arm. "Sister Ling, Happy New Year! Lao Wu and I were just about to take the kids to pay our respects."
The children greeted her politely, "Happy New Year, Aunt Huang."
Happy Chinese New Year!
Huang Ling responded with a smile, subtly withdrawing her arm. "Come inside quickly, Song Ying and the others are at my house too."
Zhang Amei strode into the house and immediately noticed everyone gathered around the color television. Her eyes instantly revealed undisguised envy. "Song Ying, Engineer Lin, Teacher Zhuang, we've come to wish you a Happy New Year!"
Hearing the voice, Lin Dongzhe quickly stood up. "Uncle Zhuang, I'll go home and get a chair."
"I'll help you!"
Pengfei also got up, and the two of them rushed back to get a few stools.
Everyone took their seats and continued watching television.
Huang Ling, holding an orange in her hand, casually asked, "Sister, where's Xiaomin?"
Zhang Amei turned her gaze to Huang Ling and replied, "Xiao Min went to her maternal grandparents' house before the New Year."
At this moment, Lin Wufeng chimed in: "It feels like it's been a long time since I've seen Shanshan and Xiaojun."
Zhang Amei recalled seeing a man come looking for Lin Gong a few days ago. He looked like a cadre, and she overheard a few of their conversations.
Considering that Engineer Lin always left early and returned late every Sunday, I became certain that Engineer Lin, like other skilled workers, was earning extra money. Then I looked at Teacher Zhuang; he could even earn royalties by writing books.
Look at Lin Gong's house, they bought a refrigerator and even took back the washing machine that Teacher Zhuang had discarded. And look at Song Ying, she's dressed so fashionably, with a pearl necklace around her neck.
Looking at her husband, Lao Wu, who seemed so pathetic, Zhang Amei's anger flared up instantly.
"Mr. Lin, Shanshan goes to Xuanmiao Temple on Sunday to help Yiming set up a stall and earn some pocket money. Unlike you, Mr. Lin, you're so capable! You're busy on Sundays! You're out there making big money!"
She spoke sarcastically while affectionately linking her arm with Huang Ling's, but her eyes were full of jealousy and resentment.
Upon hearing Zhang Amei's words, everyone's smiling faces instantly turned cold.
The originally relaxed and pleasant atmosphere instantly froze.
Huang Ling rolled her eyes at her disdainfully, subconsciously leaning closer to Song Ying, then got up, grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds, and subtly pulled her arm away.
As Huang Ling ate sunflower seeds, she was thinking to herself, "Why does this Zhang Amei like to lean on me so much?"
It couldn't be intentional; was she trying to make herself look good to Song Ying and to spite her?
The atmosphere suddenly became awkward and cold, and no one spoke.
Seeing that no one responded, Zhang Amei turned to Song Ying, still unwilling to give up: "Song Ying, I went out for a walk a few days ago and saw Yiming shopping with a girl. Is she dating someone else?"
Song Ying knew in her heart that although she hadn't told anyone about Wu Feng's part-time job, and Sister Ling and the others certainly wouldn't either, the truth would eventually come out. Everyone had seen what Factory Director An had done when he came over last time, and Wu Feng always came back very late on Sundays. It wasn't hard for anyone with eyes to guess that he was earning extra money outside.
"Yiming isn't young anymore, it's time for him to make friends. By the way, sister, didn't you say there are a lot of people from the countryside at vocational schools? You'd better keep an eye on Xiaomin!"
Song Ying responded calmly, her seemingly casual words cleverly steer the conversation toward Zhang Amei's daughter.
Zhang Amei's forced smile crumbled instantly, but she couldn't show it, so she could only force a weak smile. "The children are grown up, it's not good for us adults to discipline them, so we just stop, right, Sister Ling!"
Huang Ling laughed a few times: "Tu Nan is in college now, and his studies are very demanding. Besides, if Tu Nan wants to find someone, he'll find someone from the same school. Chao Ying and I won't interfere; he can handle it himself!"
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