0p0 Chapter 283 Prick Me with a Needle
Chapter 283 Prick Me with a Needle
As her stomach pain intensified, Zhuang Xiaoting grew increasingly regretful.
"Lie down, I'll give you a massage, just a little rubbing will do the trick."
Zhuang Xiaoting obediently lay down on Huang Ling's bed, and Lin Dongzhe began to unbutton Zhuang Xiaoting's clothes.
Seeing Lin Dongzhe's actions, Zhuang Xiaoting was terrified. "Lin Dongzhe! What are you doing?"
"Trust me!" Lin Dongzhe looked directly into Zhuang Xiaoting's eyes.
Zhuang Xiaoting slowly released her grip, and Lin Dongzhe continued, unbuttoning Zhuang Xiaoting's outer garment until she was only wearing a small bra. Zhuang Xiaoting's face was already flushed with embarrassment. She was about to enter her final year of junior high school, and although she didn't fully understand these things, she knew that she shouldn't be seen by others.
"Stop! Stop! Stop!" Zhuang Xiaoting shouted, halting Lin Dongzhe's next move. "Lin Dongzhe, are you pricking me with a needle?"
Lin Dongzhe spread his hands out to Zhuang Xiaoting, "There's no needle. This is just a massage to ease your pain. Rubbing your stomach will make it go away. The feeling of being pricked by a needle is probably just your imagination."
"You really didn't take a needle? Was my feeling of being pricked by a needle just an illusion?" Zhuang Xiaoting asked, somewhat puzzled.
Lin Dongzhe continued, "See, don't you feel like you're being pricked by a needle again?"
"It really is true!"
Zhuang Xiaoting was completely fooled, but her stomach pain gradually subsided.
"Alright! Xiaoting, you must never eat leftovers again. Even if they don't smell sour, they've already gone bad. We learned about this in biology class." Lin Dongzhe warned Zhuang Xiaoting again.
As the saying goes, "Actions teach, and you'll learn in no time," Zhuang Xiaoting said as she buttoned up her clothes. "Don't worry, I definitely won't eat leftovers again! They nearly killed me!"
Lin Dongzhe took some money from the box and said to Zhuang Xiaoting, "I'll go buy you some medicine later. Go drink some hot water first."
Zhuang Xiaoting buttoned up the last button. "Okay!"
After Lin Dongzhe left, Zhuang Xiaoting unbuttoned her clothes again and looked at herself in the mirror. "You really only rubbed your stomach! Humph!"
I finally received my acceptance letter.
Song Ying ostentatiously posted a banner at the entrance of the alley, "Congratulations to Zhuang Tunan on being admitted to the Department of Architecture at Tongji University."
Below the banner was a blackboard bulletin board with a simple picture of a giant ship sailing on the sea, with only one line of large characters: "May our dreams never be in vain."
When Huang Ling got home, she saw the banner and felt both relieved and helpless.
Zhuang Tunan was admitted to university, and Zhuang Chaoying's parents also heard the news. They insisted on having a banquet at a restaurant to celebrate, saying that they would pay for it on behalf of their eldest grandson.
When they came to call Xiang Pengfei, Lin Dongzhe was also in the room. The old lady warmly invited Lin Dongzhe, and Zhuang Chaoying also asked Lin Dongzhe to come along, so Lin Dongzhe went along.
The restaurant was a restaurant, and it was really just about eating. Besides noodles, they only served wontons, which was very simple.
The old woman glanced at the menu and thought it was too expensive, so she wanted to share a bowl of wontons with Zhuang Zhenbei, but Zhuang Zhenbei firmly refused. The old woman felt very embarrassed by Zhuang Zhenbei, and it was only after Huang Ling ordered a bowl of wontons for her that the matter was resolved.
In late August, Zhuang Tunan set off for Shanghai.
Both families came out together to see him off.
Zhuang Tunan turned to Zhuang Xiaoting and instructed her, "From now on, when I'm not home, you need to take good care of Mom and Dad!"
Zhuang Xiaoting nodded, "Don't worry, brother, I will."
Zhuang Chaoying felt a pang of sadness, but she forced herself to say to Zhuang Tunan, "Hurry up, or you'll miss the train!"
Huang Ling cried her heart out, and Song Ying and Zhuang Xiaoting were also moved, silently shedding tears. After they finished crying, Song Ying teased Huang Ling, "Sister Ling, people who didn't know better would think you married Tu Nan off!"
Huang Ling was crying so hard she couldn't speak, and could only gently pound Song Ying's shoulder twice.
Zhuang Chaoying also comforted Huang Ling, saying, "Tu Nan has grown up and should be independent. We should encourage him more."
Song Ying pursed her lips, thinking that he was just too clueless to know what a "straight man" was, otherwise she would have already given him a black hat (a derogatory term for someone who is completely clueless about men).
Zhuang Tunan went to university, and the inner room became empty. Huang Ling let Xiang Pengfei move in. She felt embarrassed to continue bothering the Lin family.
Zhuang Xiaoting was also following Lin Dongzhe's example, submitting articles to some youth magazines. Under the guidance of her teacher, she also submitted an article to the Composition Communication. There was no response from the magazine, but the Composition Communication accepted it.
As a student essay publication, it did generate some royalties, and Zhuang Xiaoting used that money to buy Huang Ling a silk scarf, a gold and silver silk scarf.
Huang Ling was overjoyed.
Song Ying wasn't envious; Lin Dongzhe had been earning royalties for several years, sometimes even more than Lin Wufeng's salary. However, Song Ying was also very happy for Huang Ling.
Xiang Pengfei finally gained confidence in his studies and made great progress under Lin Dongzhe's tutoring. By the eve of New Year's Day, he had ranked among the top five in the class and truly joined the ranks of "other people's children".
Zhuang Xiaoting received some more royalties. When Huang Ling asked Zhuang Xiaoting what reward she wanted, Zhuang Xiaoting said she wanted to go to Shanghai to see her brother, and Huang Ling readily agreed.
Xiang Pengfei told Lin Dongzhe about this. He also wanted to go to Shanghai, but he was too embarrassed to mention it, since it would cost money. If Lin Dongzhe was willing to go with him secretly, that would be even better. He was very familiar with Lao Qian, a bus driver at the station, and could board the bus by scanning his face.
Lin Dongzhe immediately betrayed Xiang Pengfei. The guy was young and didn't know the consequences of this, but Lin Dongzhe was an old fox and couldn't let Xiang Pengfei run wild.
Xiang Pengfei was given a severe scolding by Zhuang Chaoying, but Huang Ling played the good cop and allowed him to go to Shanghai with her.
These days it's really not that safe. Many adults go out to make their way in the world, and then that's it—they disappear without a trace.
Lin Dongzhe also received permission to go to Shanghai with Huang Ling.
The New Year's Day holiday was only one day, but it happened to fall on the weekend, so it became three days.
Huang Ling and her group of four arrived at the bus station early, ready to take a bus to Shanghai.
"Uncle Qian! Uncle Qian!"
Xiang Pengfei saw a familiar face and shook his arm vigorously.
Old Qian was one of the educated youth from Guizhou who first sent Xiang Pengfei to Suzhou. After arriving in Suzhou, he used his connections to get a job as a driver at the bus station.
Upon seeing Xiang Pengfei, he warmly led the four of them to the car.
There was a ticket seller on the bus. He glanced hesitantly at Qian Jin, also known as Lao Qian. There were too many people; it wouldn't be right not to buy a ticket.
Before Qian Jin could speak, Huang Ling proactively took out her money. Huang Ling wasn't familiar with this old Qian, so there was no need for her to take advantage of him.
Old Qian breathed a sigh of relief, feigned reluctance, and finally got the ticket seller to accept the money.
Shanghai, I'm going to Shanghai again.
The bus slowly pulled out of the station, and Lin Dongzhe, watching the scenery receding outside the window, was lost in deep memories.
Shanghai is truly a magical place. No matter which lifetime I'm in, it seems I can't escape its influence. The only connection I have the weakest is with "A Little Reunion," but even then, I spent three years in Shanghai observing the clinical response of the drug.
As the scenery became increasingly familiar, Lin Dongzhe gathered his thoughts, and the bus drove into the parking lot and slowly came to a stop.
Lin Dongzhe is back in Shanghai!