Everyone present fell silent.
Shi Hai opened his eyes wide, and for a second his heart was in panic.
Whoosh, why did I say this? What should I do
He rolled his eyes quickly and decided to go with the flow. It would be even better if he could take the opportunity to get rid of Lu Mixue. He could then apologize to Tang Zuo later.
He looked at Tang Zuo with pleading eyes.
Tang Zuo took a deep breath and refrained from speaking.
Ms. Ding pressed her forehead as if she had a headache. Just as she was about to break this slightly awkward moment, she suddenly burst into sad tears.
It was Lu Michelle who covered her face and started crying.
Everyone was speechless.
Her mother, Ms. Ma, first said, "Michelle, don't be childish."
Michelle ignored everything and continued to sob, covering her face with her hands to prevent others from seeing her expression.
"Okay, okay, baby..." Ms. Ding and Ms. Ma sat down beside her, one on each side.
"What's so good about her? She's older and shorter than me, and look how poorly she's dressed!"
"Wow! Lu Mixue!" Shi Hai just had time to call out her name when the other two adults spoke.
Ms. Ding: "Michelle, that's rude of you to say that."
Ms. Ma: “Take back what you said and apologize to them.”
"I don't! I don't like her, I'm telling the truth."
Ms. Ma: "Your emotions are speaking for you now. We can't do this."
"Stop pretending, you're too fake!" Shi Hai said unhappily.
"Shi Hai!" Ms. Ding shook her head at him.
The two adults tried to persuade Lu Mixue for a long time, but she still kept crying.
Shi Hai held back his anger and said nothing more. He scratched his hair in annoyance and turned his head, "Huh? Where's Tang Zuo?"
Only then did they realize that Tang Zuo had left without them knowing when.
Shi Hai chased her out and looked out the gate, but she was nowhere to be seen. He could only open WeChat, and sure enough, Tang Zuo left a message, "I'm going back to school first."
He could only come back and tell the two adults, "She's gone."
"Look at you!" Ms. Ma sighed, "You are so ignorant!"
"I'm not going to eat either!" Shi Hai went upstairs angrily.
Ms. Ma looked at Ms. Ding with a little embarrassment.
"It's okay, it's okay, he will go eat later." Ms. Ding said with a smile.
At this time, Lu Mixue lowered her face. Her face was clean and her eyes were clear. There was no trace of crying at all.
Under the adults' reproachful gazes, she stuck out her tongue nonchalantly.
"It's okay, kid." Ms. Ding once again comforted her old friend.
She left the living room to the mother and daughter and went to the back yard to answer a phone call.
"Yes, yes, Manager Li, I ordered it. Um, the time remains the same. Haha, thank you for your help." After Ms. Ding confirmed the order, she thought for a moment and called Shi Ci.
On the fourth tone, Shi Ci picked up the phone, "What's up? I'm on my way."
Ms. Ding told her about the visit of Lu Mixue and her daughter and asked if she could come and have dinner together.
"I'll be home in about half an hour, I'll take a look then." Shi Ci said.
Ms. Ding said "oh" and said nothing more, nor did she hang up the phone. She just listened to the cicadas and felt the breeze.
Three seconds later.
Shi Ci asked, "Is Shi Hai still taking tutoring classes? Or is he slacking off?"
Ms. Ding said calmly, "Oh, they are just having a quarrel."
"What's wrong with him?"
Ms. Ding's tone seemed to be mixed with a hint of helplessness. "Who knows? As a man, every man has those days."
"..." Shi Ci was silent for a second, "Are you quarreling with Lu Michelle again? Ms. Ding, Shi Hai's tutoring needs to be done quickly, as school will start in a few days."
Ms. Ding sighed and said, "If he doesn't concentrate, can we still force him?"
He was still beating around the bush with her? She just refused to continue with what Shi Ci was saying.
Ms. Ding's expression was nothing like her tone, she was unusually relaxed. She just looked at the ivy and the melons she planted.
Anyway, she's not the one who's anxious.
"Where is Xiao Tang?" Shi Ci finally asked the name as she wished.
Ms. Ding smiled with a smile that showed that it was as she expected.
After hanging up the phone, Ms. Ding looked up at the sky in silence.
She thought she was overthinking it.
It seems that she is the one who sees things most clearly here.
It’s really Yin Gong!
Tang Zhao took advantage of the chaos to walk out. She walked quietly and absent-mindedly, but her steps did not slow down, and she soon arrived at the bus stop.
At half past three, the summer heat was pressing against her bare calves, scorching her skin.
This lavender skirt is indeed very cheap. She bought it on Taobao for only 69 yuan.
To her, it wasn't poor at all.
In fact, she didn't mind Lu Mixue's attitude at all. Tang Zuo knew that she meant no harm and it was just a girl's little emotion. Besides, she wasn't even in her third year of high school yet.
After waiting for a while, the car still didn't come.
Tang Zuo suddenly felt a little restless and wanted to take a walk.
She had no destination, so she walked slowly along the green belt beside the gray road.
There were not many pedestrians coming and going at this time of year. Tang Zuo lowered his head and carried a large bag.
She has three bags, a small brown shoulder bag, a black backpack, and the gray bag in her hand without any decoration. It is made of synthetic leather, and it is quite cheap synthetic leather. After holding it for a long time, it has been bumped and bruised, and the corners have been torn in several places.
Looks a little bit shabby...
Tang Zuo realized that he felt a little depressed and shook his head.
What's wrong with her
She has experienced the most impolite, embarrassing and helpless situations, so why would she suddenly care about a stranger's opinion
In the last two years of high school, she was really unkempt. She rushed to the hospital after school and rushed to school again the next morning. The only clothes she had were school uniforms and sportswear. It was not very convenient to change clothes in the hospital. Sometimes she couldn't even take a shower, or she was too tired to take a shower and fell asleep sitting on a chair in the corridor of the ward.
The days when I couldn't care about other people's eyes.
The days when I forget about my appearance.
The days when I would just grab any clothes and wear them as long as they didn’t smell too bad.
Everyone is here.
Tang Zhao bit her lips lightly and looked down at her shoes. She had unknowingly walked to an unfamiliar street.
It's a small shop, seemingly a barbecue restaurant.
It's the kitchen of the store.
It looked like the shop hadn't opened yet. A middle-aged woman who looked like a mother was washing vegetables. There were several baskets beside her with food such as enoki mushrooms, winter mushrooms, tofu, peppers, and chives.
She hummed as she washed, "One cup to the morning sun, one cup to the moonlight, awakening my yearning..."
Tang Zuo stopped and sat down on a big rock nearby. As he listened, he smiled a little.
The phone vibrated.
Tang Zhuo took it out and looked at it. He paused before answering the phone, "Uncle."
"Xiao Zuo," my uncle's voice sounded a little older than before, but his tone was not heavy, but very friendly, "Happy birthday."
Tang Zuo was stunned.
"Let's get off work early today and go have a nice meal. Our little Zuo is turning 21."
Tang Zhao finally found his voice, "...Oh."
"I guess you just forgot again..." Uncle sighed.
Tang Zuo's eyes were fixed on the ground without much focus, and he hunched his body.
The uncle didn't hear her answer. After a few seconds of silence, he said, "I received the money you sent to me. Thank you for your hard work, child. That's enough. I won't take the rest."
Tang Zhuo asked: "Uncle, what about my second brother's loan?"
My uncle said, "I still have some use for my old face. I have already borrowed money from the uncles in the village. With the money you gave me, I will pay off the most urgent debt first, and I will pay the rest back regularly every month."
"Your eldest brother and second brother are both working, and your second brother also regrets it. I'll just wait and see how he performs. Xiao Zuo, you are the only one out there, you can't be without money! Listen to your uncle."
"Uncle, I'm sorry for mistreating Xiao Zuo..."
Tang Zhao felt that every time he sighed, it was like a stone pressing on her heart, "... I'm fine."
"Your aunt is here too. She doesn't have the courage to talk to you. Your uncle wants to say sorry to you on her behalf." Tang Zuo knew that her uncle had been so busy with money matters these days that he had no time to care about the situation and emotions of his family.
She suddenly didn't know what to say. Her uncle's voice was far away from the microphone, as if he was talking to her aunt, "You have to show your appreciation for what you have done. Say one word."
After a slightly piercing electric sound, my aunt's voice finally rang out, "... Xiao Zuo, thank you for your hard work... Find time to come back for dinner."
Tang Zhuo paused for a moment before saying, "Okay..."
After hanging up the phone, Tang Zuo held the phone for a while before putting it in her bag.
She did forget that today was her birthday.
When she was very young, she looked forward to her birthday. Her parents would give her surprises every year. Their salary was not high and they had to pay for the house, but they would try their best to meet all her requirements, such as favorite books, favorite clothes, favorite toys, as long as she wanted them, her parents would buy them for her.
The most memorable time was when she was 12 years old. Her teeth were not straight and she had bite problems, but no one cared about it. Only her father was determined to take her to have her teeth fixed. He worked part-time for several months, and on her birthday, he specially adjusted several days of classes. With the money he had saved for a long time, he and her mother took her to Zhencheng to have the first Western meal in Tang Zuo's life, and then took her to the dentistry.
It was only after Tang Zuo became an adult that he realized that it was a considerable expense for their family.
She had many, many memorable birthdays.
On her 18th birthday, she was left with only her mother. She was already lying in bed, and asked the family of the patient in the next bed to buy her a small cake. The people in the same ward and her family celebrated her birthday together, a small coming-of-age ceremony.
From then on, she never celebrated her birthday again.
She hid her memory intentionally or unintentionally.
But today, at this moment, she lavishly recalled all her past birthdays. The images in her memory were all glowing with a warm golden light. Her parents were still young and healthy, with bright smiles, and she was still that cheerful, smiling, and slightly willful child.
When Shi Ci got home, Ms. Ding, Ms. Ma, and Lu Mixue had just gone out, and behind them was Shi Hai, who was looking shy and unhappy.
"Auntie Ma." Shi Cixian called out with a smile.
His eyes lingered among Ms. Ding, Shi Hai and Lu Mixue.
When Lu Mixue saw Shi Ci, she behaved very well and said, "Sister Shi."
Shi Ci nodded.
After a few pleasantries, Ms. Ding said, "It's just right that you're here. Let's go out for dinner together?"
"Why eat at just four o'clock..." Shi Hai muttered.
"It takes time to drive there," said Ms. Ding.
"We can also go shopping." Lu Mixue tried to hook Shi Hai's shoulders again, but he shrugged her off.
"You guys go ahead. I can't." Shi Ci walked into the living room carrying his bag.
"Sister, aren't you coming?" Shi Hai shouted.
Shi Ci glanced at him. She had a smile on her face and her expression and behavior were very polite. No one tried to persuade her anymore.
"Your sister is still so cool." Lu Mixue said to Shi Hai with a smile.
Shi Hai rolled his eyes at her and didn't want to respond at all.
"Then let's go," Ms. Ding took a look inside and took them away with a smile.
Shi Ci simply walked into the living room, put down her bag, and started dialing Tang Zuo's number.
The other party is busy.
She shouldn't worry, right
Tang Zuo is an independent and strong child.
From Ms. Ding's simple statement, "the children were just making a fuss," we can't really get any information.
She went to the kitchen and got a glass of water.
Putting down the glass, Shi Ci didn't hesitate any longer, picked up his phone and went out.
The author has something to say: To be continued tomorrow night.
Thank you to the little angels who cast their votes for me or irrigated me with nutrient solution~
Thanks to the little angel who cast [deep-water torpedo]: dzzzz 1;
Thanks to the little angels who cast [bazooka]: Wang, g, Lin Xiaozong, Jixia Academy, Linghan, kenq, Yiyong, Sanliujiu, and Xiaobuyu1;
Thanks to the little angels who threw [hand grenades]: Mu Xiao, 丶随随, a swollen cat, tutengyinxiang, 35695028, 17159258, Gu Jijij, kenq, Yunshenjiuzhichu, and Zhizunbao1;
Thanks to the little angels who cast [mines]: 35695028 3; a small dried fish, jing, Mu Xiao, pink salmon, lime soda 2; student Shen Runfu, fox's window, dark fragrance, a relatively green dog, black mouth dog, carbon dioxide a lot of sugar, cool season, Julie Yue, Scorpio tail ring, passers-by just pass by, cynthia, kenq, a small bucket, can't name, 50-1, Mu Linda, oha, Mo Qing, la la la ~, white porridge, veggieg, East Factory little eunuch 1;
Thanks to the little angel who irrigated [nutrient solution]:
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Thank you very much for your support, I will continue to work hard!