Apologies and Thanks

Just as Su Ziyang put the notebook away, someone who gave Su Ziyang a headache came to his house— Aunt Tong.

Aunt Tong was followed by her husband, Qiangzi, Qiangzi was carrying large and small bags of things.

"Aunt Tong, Uncle Qiang, Happy New Year..." Su Ziyang greeted them politely.

"Happy New Year, Ziyang!" Aunt Tong greeted Su Ziyang with a smile.

"Ziyang!" Su Ziyang's Uncle Qiangzi nodded happily and greeted him when he saw Su Ziyang.

Su Ziyang observed that the two were in a completely different state than before the New Year; it seemed that at least they were no longer arguing about the divorce.

"Come inside!" Su Ziyang ushered the two inside and then ran to the kitchen to find his mother.

"Mom, Aunt Tong is here!" Su Ziyang said, looking at his mother who was picking vegetables.

"Huh?" Su Ziyang's mother was very surprised. "What's she doing here? How's her mental state? She can't have gone crazy again, can she!"

Clearly, Tongtong's actions before the Lunar New Year left a deep shadow on her longtime best friend.

"I think everything's fine. Uncle Qiangzi is here too, carrying a lot of things. I don't know what's going on, so please stop picking the vegetables and go check on him!" Su Ziyang took the chives from his mother's hands and put them into the washing basin.

"Oh? You took something. I'll go check!"

Su Ziyang's mother quickly washed her hands and returned to the living room with Su Ziyang.

"Tongtong's here!" Although things didn't go well before the New Year, we still exchanged greetings upon meeting.

Looking at the large bags and packages Qiangzi had placed in the living room, Su Ziyang's mother said, "You're here, why did you bring so much stuff?"

"Oh, it's over now, this is only right. I came to see you and Ziyang." Tongtong smiled, sitting on the sofa, her hands fidgeting nervously, looking rather uneasy.

"Have some tea, have some tea." Su Ziyang's mother brewed the tea and poured two bowls for Tongtong and Qiangzi.

"Mmm!" Tongtong picked up the teacup, brought it to her lips, but didn't drink from it and put it back.

"Hey, just say what's on your mind! If you won't say it, I will!" Qiangzi, looking at his wife's hesitant expression.

"Ziyang, your aunt was sick before the New Year and said some hurtful things. My husband and I came to apologize! Also, your Aunt Tong is all better after taking your medicine, thank you so much. Those things are for you, not for your parents! Please accept them!"

The men spoke frankly and got straight to the point in just a few words.

"Ah! That's good!"

After the two left, there was no further news. Su Ziyang thought that given Tongtong's mental state, she might not even be taking her medication regularly, so he had almost forgotten about it. However, after hearing Qiangzi's words, he was still a little unsure.

"Oops!"

After Qiangzi finished speaking, Aunt Tong grabbed Su Ziyang's mother's arm. "The medicine Ziyang prescribed for me, I took three doses every day. After a week, I felt like I suddenly woke up from a strange dream. The feeling was both clear and strange. I quickly told Qiangzi about my feeling, but Qiangzi didn't quite believe it either. He tested me several times. You know what this whole thing is like!"

After hearing Aunt Tong's words, Su Ziyang's mother looked at her best friend in shock.

"Really!?"

"Really, I feel like this past year has been a strange, hazy dream! After taking medicine for a week, it was that sudden feeling! Like waking up from a dream, like a sudden awakening!" Tongtong said again with great certainty.

Qiangzi was clearly overjoyed that his wife was better. "Don't even mention it! That guy insisted on recording me last time. After taking his medicine that day, he found that recording again. He listened to it once and was so embarrassed he couldn't face anyone!"

"Stop talking, stop talking! You're so annoying!" Tongtong reached out to pinch Qiangzi's waist.

"Oh dear, you're not getting a divorce after all!" Su Ziyang's mother teased, seeing that the two had truly returned to normal their relationship.

"Sigh, it's all my fault. I went down a dead end. I really argued with Qiangzi, even though Qiangzi's really good to me! Sigh. I'm sorry for causing you all trouble. I even said some nasty things to Ziyang! Ziyang, I'm a woman, please don't hold it against me!" Tongtong began to apologize to Su Ziyang.

"Oh, it's alright! Thank you for trusting me, please take my medicine!" Su Ziyang said with a smile.

"Look how polite you are!" Qiangzi was the happiest about this. "This kid has always been humble, he hasn't changed at all over the years. Ziyang, I really have to thank you this time. After I finish this work, I'll treat you and your dad to a good drink!"

"Then I'll Uncle Qiang!"

Qiangzi is a very honest person, and he's known for his kind and simple nature among his friends. When he comes to my house, he usually talks about serious matters, and he rarely talks to Su Ziyang like this, which shows that he's very happy.

"Yes, Ziyang, have a good drink with your Uncle Qiang then!" Tongtong added with a smile.

The three were chatting happily when Su Ziyang's father returned pushing his bicycle, followed by a tall, dark-skinned man.

"Second Uncle! Happy New Year!" Su Ziyang greeted the big, dark-skinned man with his hands clasped in a fist and palm salute.

"Hey, happy new year, guys!" Erhei clasped his hands in greeting while carrying his things.

"Erhei's here!" Su Ziyang's mother stood up to greet him as he Erhei.

"Oh my, a relative!" Erhei was very talkative and chatty, and he would chatter on and on whenever he saw someone he didn't recognize in the house.

"My classmate, my friend!" Su Ziyang's mother introduced.

"Friends, haha! Happy New Year! Happy New Year!" Erhei his hands in a fist salute to Tongtong and Qiangzi.

"Happy New Year!" Tongtong and Qiangzi also clasped their hands in greeting to Erhei.

"You're here!" Su Ziyang's father, unaware of the situation, greeted Tongtong and Qiangzi in a lukewarm manner.

"Tongtong took Ziyang's medicine and she's all better!" Su Ziyang's mother stood up and explained to her husband, "Qiangzi brought a whole bunch of things because he insisted on thanking us!"

"Hey--come on over, it's convenient for your own child to learn this, why bring anything!" Su Ziyang's father understood what his wife meant immediately after hearing her explanation.

"What a coincidence! I'm here to see Ziyang too!" Erhei put down what he was holding: two boxes of Beijing duck.

"I'm really popular today!" Su Ziyang laughed.

"That's for sure! Man, let me tell you, after taking that medicine, I had insomnia before, and wow, after taking the medicine, I was amazing! I couldn't wake up, I just kept sleeping! I made up for all the sleep I couldn't sleep before!" Erhei sat casually in the chair, his left thumb constantly massaging the Taixi Acupoint, while his right hand held a teacup and he spoke with spittle flying.

"Guess what? Ever since I've recovered my energy, our bureau chief has started to give me a more important role! I really have to thank Ziyang! I brought you two roast ducks from the meeting in Beijing the other day!"

"That's good, that's good!" Su Ziyang muttered to himself.

Qiangzi, sitting to one side, slapped his thigh. "You thanked Ziyang too, and I'll thank him too. What a coincidence! Enough said, let's go out for lunch together! It's on me!"

"Sure, what's wrong with you? What's wrong with me? I've had this illness for over a year and it hasn't gotten better. Ziyang cured me with just a few doses of medicine, so I have to treat you!" Erhei put his teacup on the table, stiffening his neck as if being sick was a wonderful thing.

"My illness is worse than yours!" Qiangzi put down his teacup and started arguing with Erhei.

"Hahaha! Alright, you two, stop talking nonsense. Come on, let's go out for dinner!" Su Ziyang's father urged the two of them to leave.

"I have to pay!"

"My treat!"

The group, joking around, set off for the hotel in a large group...