Chapter 283 (First and Second Updates) 1997 - As Wish Fulfilled...

Despite feeling wronged, Fu Ci actually went to the backyard to check on his father's vegetable garden the next day.

Seeing this, Fu Cheng'an walked over with a proud look and introduced his vegetable garden to his son.

"Those greens will be ready to harvest in a few days. I plan to use the patch against the wall to grow winter melons; it's easier to build a trellis there. I also plan to plant some eggplants over there so we can make braised eggplant later. That corner gets less sunlight; your grandma says it's perfect for growing chives..."

Fu Cheng'an talked on and on about his plans, his eyes shining.

Although Fu Ci didn't know anything about growing vegetables, hearing about so many varieties made him feel that his father's plan already met his wife's desire for biodiversity, without needing any prompting.

Although I don't quite understand why my father suddenly developed a liking for growing vegetables, it's a good thing to have hobbies in old age. Who knows, he might even become a semi-agricultural expert by accident.

This is no joke; the elders in their family are all known for achieving great things later in life.

My grandmother became a well-known calligrapher many years after retiring, and my mother also picked up a pen to write stories after retiring, becoming a well-known writer.

Fu Cheng'an just smiled and let it go when his son teased him.

If agricultural experts were so easy to find, there wouldn't be only one Yuan Longping in the whole country so far.

The father and son's brief conversation in the morning ended when Fu had to leave for work.

Before leaving, Fu Ci paid special attention to the new housekeeper who was working in the kitchen.

This aunt, whom my wife is very satisfied with, is indeed very efficient at her work.

-

June has arrived.

The most discussed topic this month is Hong Kong's return to China.

One of the biggest events for the country this year was probably Hong Kong's return to China.

Television news and newspapers reported on Hong Kong's return to China almost every few days.

That day, the television station was again reporting on news related to Hong Kong's return to China.

Madam Fu also joined the TV host in counting down the days, asking Fu Ci for the umpteenth time, "After Hong Kong's return to China, it shouldn't take as long to get a travel permit as before, right?"

It's hard to say for sure whether he'll resign, but logically it should be like this, since he's returned to the team.

He comforted his grandmother, "Grandma, don't worry, I will definitely get your travel permit done as soon as possible."

Of course, Madam Fu knew that she was just anxious.

When I spoke to Brother Shen on the phone last time, I could tell he wasn't feeling well; he coughed every few words.

They are all old and cannot afford to get sick.

Tang Mingli interjected, "Mine also needs to be taken care of as soon as possible."

Fu Ci smiled and said, "I won't forget you."

Without his wife accompanying him, this trip to Hong Kong was not perfect.

-

On July 1, 1997, Hong Kong returned to China.

On this day, many places in Shenzhen also held celebrations.

Many residents took to the streets, waving red flags, to bid farewell to the PLA Hong Kong Garrison as it departs for Hong Kong.

Banners with warm wishes were hung at major import and export ports.

In some places, galas were also held to celebrate Hong Kong's return to China.

The residential compound where Tang Mingli lives also had a banner that read "Welcome Hong Kong's Return to the Motherland" hung at the main gate, and red lanterns were hung inside the compound to add to the festive atmosphere.

Being in such an atmosphere, the feeling of "national jubilation" over Hong Kong's return to China is even deeper.

Tang Mingli and her family walked on the sidewalk in their residential community, feeling a profound sense of unease.

In her past life, July 1st was probably more of an exam date for her, a special day from old news.

Only through her own life experiences did she truly understand that this day, recorded in black and white, had flesh and blood and a soul.

Looking at the rows of red lanterns, Madam Fu asked the others, "Do you think people in Hong Kong celebrate like this too?"

This is a difficult question to answer, but they think it probably is.

Many older generations in Hong Kong have a love for their motherland and a strong sense of belonging to their roots that far surpasses that of many young people on the mainland.

Madam Fu asked another question, this time directly to Tang Mingli.

Didn't you say last time that it would take about a month to get the travel permit?

Tang Mingli nodded, but still repeated her husband's original words quite accurately: "Fu Ci said that if there are no other unexpected events, it should be completed in about a month."

But sometimes, the more you try to avoid accidents, the more likely they are to happen.

It's unclear whether it was due to a surge in the number of people applying for Hong Kong travel permits after returning from Hong Kong, but Fu Ci and his family waited for almost three months before all three of their permits were finally issued.

Old Madam Fu eventually lost her temper and stopped asking about it altogether, going from asking every few days at first.

She was also afraid that if she kept asking, her grandson would be under a lot of pressure.

Ultimately, she trusted her grandson's ability to handle things, and he knew how eager she was to go to Hong Kong, so he was sure he wouldn't delay things.

Since the application materials have been submitted, it hasn't been processed yet; the delay is due to the immigration department.

What else can the government do when it comes to handling affairs?

We can only wait patiently and follow the arrangements.

After relaxing, Madam Fu's attention returned to the vegetable garden in the backyard.

This vegetable garden is now lush and green.

After the winter melons on the plot of land against the wall were eaten, some kind of melon was replanted there.

The papaya tree planted in the corner of the wall is already as tall as a person, but it still hasn't borne fruit.

This machine is not working properly.

Fu Jianguo also felt something was wrong. He looked at other people's papaya trees, which started bearing fruit when they were half a wall tall, but his was almost as tall as him, yet he hadn't seen a single fruit.

Just then, his mother asked about it, and he frowned and expressed his confusion.

Madam Fu guessed, "Could it be a male papaya tree?"

"It can't be that much of a coincidence."

If it really is a male papaya tree, Fu Cheng'an will truly be laughing.

When Tang Mingli returned from dropping her child off at school, she saw her father-in-law and grandmother chatting in the vegetable garden again, so she went over to join them.

"Dad, Grandma, what are you talking about?"

Madam Fu pointed to the papaya tree and said, "Your father and I suspect that this papaya tree is male."

"Papaya trees can actually have males?" Tang Mingli was greatly shocked, as if she had heard a new piece of knowledge that overturned her understanding.

Madam Fu smiled and said, "Of course there are, but they are not common."

Fu Chengan chuckled and explained, "The main problem is that this papaya tree is already so tall, yet we haven't seen a single fruit yet."

The papaya tree didn't bear fruit... Tang Mingli suddenly remembered something and asked her father-in-law with a serious expression, "Dad, do you believe me?"

These words came so suddenly that Fu Cheng'an was almost startled.

"How could I not believe you, my child?"

"I've heard of a method to prevent papayas from bearing fruit. Since you trust me, why don't you let me try it?"

Fu Chengan laughed and said, "So that's what it is. Then give it a try, go ahead and try."

Tang Mingli said "okay," but then turned and went to the kitchen.

Neither Fu Cheng'an nor Madam Fu could understand it.

Not long after, Tang Mingli came out of the kitchen with a pair of chopsticks in her hand.

This situation left both Madam Fu and Fu Cheng'an even more confused.

Tang Mingli walked up to the papaya tree and, with all her might, stuck the two chopsticks into the trunk.

This action left Madam Fu and Fu Cheng'an dumbfounded.

Tang Mingli was quite satisfied and explained to her grandmother and father-in-law, "It is said that species have the instinct to preserve their seeds. Inserting sticks into the branches will make the papaya trees think that their survival is threatened, so they will flower and bear fruit to preserve their seeds."

This is a folk saying, and Tang Mingli remembered it after hearing it.

Today I can finally put it into practice.

She said to her father-in-law, "Let's observe for a while and see if it has any effect."

If it doesn't work... the papaya tree shouldn't have been killed by two chopsticks, right?

Fu Cheng'an looked at the chopsticks that were firmly stuck in the tree trunk.

What else could he say given the current situation?

Let's see how it goes; two chopsticks shouldn't kill the papaya tree.

Madam Fu was the most optimistic. After regaining her composure, she comforted the two of them: "It's just a papaya tree. If it really gets lost, just consider it as gaining experience. Next time, we'll plant a female one and it will flower and bear fruit."

...

Two weeks later, Fu Chengan was pleasantly surprised to find that the papaya tree had blossomed.

He instinctively wanted to call out to his mother, but before he could open his mouth, he remembered that his mother had gone to Hong Kong with Fu Ci and the others yesterday.

Are you at the hotel now, or have you already met with Uncle Shen?

-

Fu Ci and his entourage, who were in Hong Kong, arrived in Hong Kong yesterday afternoon and checked directly into the Grand Hyatt Hotel.

The main reason for choosing this hotel is that it offers a direct view of Victoria Harbour.

Fu Ci wanted to show his grandmother the Victoria Harbour night view, which is known as one of the three great night views.

Upon arriving in Hong Kong, Madam Fu was already awestruck by its prosperity.

Its prosperity is not just about towering buildings, bustling traffic, and throngs of people.

Its prosperity is overwhelming. It's so exaggerated that it feels like the sun shining on this land is different.

And it was already like this twenty years ago.

What was Shenzhen like twenty years ago?

What was Guangcheng like twenty years ago?

No wonder my granddaughter-in-law said that you have to see Hong Kong for yourself to truly appreciate its prosperity.

Having already been awestruck during the day, Mrs. Fu was once again deeply awestruck by the night view of Victoria Harbour before her.

Through the large floor-to-ceiling windows, she stared ahead, remaining silent for a long time.

So much time passed that Fu Ci and Tang Mingli began to worry.

The couple exchanged glances, and it was Tang Mingli who finally spoke up, asking, "Grandma, why aren't you saying anything?"

Madam Fu sighed, "I don't know what to say."

"Is it too shocking?"

“More than that.” Madam Fu sighed again. “I can’t believe that the British have managed to make Hong Kong so prosperous.”

After marveling at it, she asked Fu Ci and Tang Mingli, "Do you think that in fifty years, our inland cities will be this prosperous?"

"Definitely!"

Tang Mingli answered very affirmatively.

In less than fifty years, our Shanghai will be a prosperous metropolis, a world-class super city.

Knowing that there are similar cities on the mainland made Madam Fu feel a little better.

That was entirely the result of the hard work of the Chinese themselves.

It was past nine o'clock. Due to her biological clock and the long journey she had taken that day, Mrs. Fu was tired and had no interest in appreciating the beautiful night view outside the window.

Although she was upset, she reminded herself to go to bed early.

I've arranged to have morning tea with Brother Shen and his friends tomorrow.

Of course, Xie Ping was also among them.

This might be the last time the three of them meet together in their lives.

Thinking of all this, Madam Fu was not saddened, but rather felt a sense of fulfillment without any regrets.

Xie Ping and Grandpa Fu were not strictly speaking friends, but Xie Ping was the person Grandpa Fu admired the most.

They respected each other and fought together against the enemy, but later, due to their different positions, they regarded each other as the most terrifying enemy on the battlefield.

But if you were to ask who the person Mr. Fu respected most in his life was, Xie Ping would undoubtedly be one of them.

-

On the second day after arriving in Hong Kong, Madam Fu woke up at the crack of dawn.

But she knew it was still too early; her grandson and granddaughter-in-law were probably still asleep.

So after getting up, even though she had already tidied herself up, she didn't go to the next room to call for someone. Instead, she sat on the edge of the bed and quietly enjoyed the morning view of Victoria Harbour.

What a beautiful harbor.

The interplay of azure blue and bustling city lights creates a scene that rivals the dazzling lights of the night.

After watching for a long time, around 8 o'clock, Tang Mingli came to find her.

Although it was obvious that Grandma had woken up very early, she was full of energy and must have slept very well last night.

At 9:30, the three of them left the hotel.

Instead of choosing a well-established and reputable teahouse with a long history, they opted for a newly opened tea restaurant in Victoria Harbour.

The new restaurant has a beautiful ambiance, making it a convenient place for old friends to chat.

Fu Ci and the others arrived first and chose a great spot by the bed with a 180-degree view of Victoria Harbour.

Not long after, Grandpa Shen arrived, accompanied by Sun Jian and an elderly man he didn't recognize.

Fu Ci and Tang Mingli both guessed that the person must be Xie Ping, the one their grandmother had mentioned.

However, after not seeing him for a year, Mr. Shen had aged a lot.

Last year he was walking briskly, but this year he needs his grandson's help to walk.

When Madam Fu saw them, she was so excited that she could hardly speak.

Although everyone had aged considerably and they hadn't seen each other for decades, she recognized Xie Ping at a glance.

Similarly, Xie Ping recognized her at a glance and called out her name.

"Liu Aiying!"

Madam Fu smiled and said, "Brother Xie Ping, your eyesight is still as good as ever."

Xie Ping chuckled and said, "Can someone with bad eyesight become a sniper?"

Madam Fu smiled and told them to sit down quickly.

After we sat down, there was naturally a brief introduction.

Xie Ping looked at Fu Ci and said very sincerely, "I never expected Zhenhua's grandson to be so handsome and talented. He truly surpasses his master."

Fu Ci could only accept these compliments with a smile.

Madam Fu then asked him, "You didn't come to Hong Kong alone, did you?"

Although he looks healthy, it's hard to feel at ease knowing he's at his age and has to travel by plane and car.

Xie Ping shook his head: "My granddaughter accompanied me, but she had other things to do and went to take care of them."

Only then did Madam Fu nod in relief.

At this point, the waiter brought over the menu for them to order.

The group wasn't particularly interested in the food; they just wanted to order quickly so they could continue chatting. So, they ordered a lot of snacks in just a few minutes.

After ordering the food, Xie Ping continued what he had been saying to the old lady, saying, "Decades have passed, and apart from your white hair, you don't seem to have changed much."

In reality, how could things not have changed much? Even someone in their nineties has very thin skin.

Madam Fu teased the other party, laughing, "You've changed a lot."

Xie Ping was quite frank: "Decades have passed, how could things not have changed?"

"How have you been over there these past few decades?"

"Okay, it's good, but..."

Xie Ping nodded and said okay, but his eyes welled up with tears.

Even Tang Mingli seemed to understand what the unfinished words meant.

I guess I just miss my hometown.

Returning to their hometown is the wish of many veterans.

Fortunately, the policy changed later, and many veterans were able to return to their hometowns to visit relatives, but it was probably not possible for someone of Grandpa Xie's caliber, which is why his eyes welled up with tears as he spoke.

Three elderly people, who had not seen each other for half a century, sat in this restaurant from day to night.

Decades have passed, and they have so much to talk about.

Finally, Xie Ping remarked with emotion, "I never imagined that I would lose to Zhenhua on the battlefield, but win against him in terms of survival."

Actually, he was regretting that Fu Zhenhua was still alive, so they could meet again before they died.

There are just too many regrets in life.

For example, he can no longer see Zhenhua, and he cannot return to his hometown.

But he believes that one day it will definitely happen.

He has already left a will for his descendants, instructing them to bring his ashes back on that day.

-

After dinner, the two elderly people checked into the Grand Hyatt Hotel, which was arranged by Fu Ci.

The three elderly people spent a total of seven days together in Hong Kong.

Seven days later, Madam Fu and her entourage had to leave.

This time, neither she, nor Old Master Shen, nor Old Master Xie dared to say "see you next time."

They both knew in their hearts that they were already this old, and who knew what tomorrow would bring, whether they would ever see each other again was entirely beyond their control.

They could only agree to keep in touch by phone.

Grandpa Shen joked with Madam Fu and Grandpa Xie: "If you have anything to say to each other, you can let me pass on the message. I'm willing to be your messenger."

-

After returning from Hong Kong and resting for a few days, Madam Fu cautiously asked her granddaughter-in-law if she could take her back to Guangcheng.

Seeing her grandmother being so careful, Tang Mingli suddenly felt a lump in her throat and almost burst into tears.

She understood perfectly well what her grandmother wanted to do; she definitely wanted to tell her grandfather about his meeting with Mr. Xie in Hong Kong.

Just say it directly, why be so cautious?

Tang Mingli was in great pain.

As people get older, they become less mobile and are afraid of troubling their children, so they easily become overly cautious.

She held her grandmother's hand and said, "Grandma, I'll go back with you this weekend."

When Fu Yu came home from school that evening, she heard that her mother was going to take her great-grandmother back to Guangcheng for the weekend, and she said that she also wanted to go back.

Tang Mingli was a little embarrassed. She pulled her daughter aside and said, "Honey, if you go back too, then Mommy will have to come back on Sunday. Grandma can only go back to see Grandpa once in a long while. What if she wants to stay longer?"

Fu Yu immediately understood and quickly said, "Then I'll go back next time. Mom, you stay with Grandma for a few more days."

Tang Mingli was very pleased with her daughter's well-behaved and sensible nature.

Who says spoiling your child too much will make them arrogant?

Fu Yu from their family grew up in a privileged environment, showered with love and affection, yet she was never spoiled.

These are just excuses for adults not loving you enough.

-

Tang Mingli and Madam Fu stayed in Guangcheng for a total of four days this time.

I returned to Shenzhen on Wednesday, and life went back to normal.

Madam Fu started keeping a close eye on the vegetable garden again, and was pleasantly surprised to find that the papaya tree was actually bearing several papayas.

Fu Cheng'an said to her, "Mom, you're only just realizing this now?"

Madam Fu felt embarrassed; she had only just realized it.

After returning from Hong Kong, she lost all interest in doing anything.

Looking at the tree full of papayas, Fu Yu felt a little worried and asked her mother, "Mom, now that these papayas are ripe, are we going to eat them all ourselves?"

Tang Mingli was puzzled as to why her daughter would ask such a question, and laughed, "It's something we grow to eat ourselves. If we don't eat it, who else would we give it to?"

Fu Yu was even more worried.

There are so many papayas.

To find out exactly how many papayas there were, Fu Yu went to the papaya tree and started counting them carefully.

After counting 1, 2, 3... she felt even more desperate.

It actually produced eighteen papayas.

Doesn't it take many days to eat?

Fu Yu returned to the house with a worried look on her face, took her mother's hand and said, "Mom, I just counted, there are eighteen papayas in total."

Tang Mingli nodded and told her daughter with a smile, "This is only temporary. It will grow upwards and continue to bear fruit."

Eighteen is only temporary... Fu Yu was so shocked that she couldn't close her mouth.

If the papaya tree keeps growing, won't it keep bearing fruit and they'll have to keep eating it?

Fu Yu was overwhelmed by the blow and pleaded with her mother, "Mom, can I not eat papaya?"

Tang Mingli then realized that something was wrong with her daughter. She put down her book and smiled, "Mom knows that Xiaoyu doesn't like papaya. So if we have papaya at home, Xiaoyu won't eat it if she doesn't want to."

Hearing this, Fu Yu was relieved and jumped for joy.

"Mom is so good, she never forces me to eat things I don't like."

"Mom, do you know? My classmates' parents don't allow them to not eat things they don't like, saying that children shouldn't be too picky about food."

Tang Mingli certainly knew this.

Most elders in the world cannot accept children being picky eaters, always feeling that children who are picky eaters will have unbalanced nutrition.

However, she personally believes that being a picky eater is not the same as being selective about food.

Being a picky eater doesn't necessarily lead to nutritional imbalance; it's long-term picky eating that does.

The root cause of picky eating is that the food doesn't suit the children's tastes, so just change it to something else.

If your child doesn't like Chinese cabbage, then try feeding them the heart of a bok choy, lettuce, or water spinach.

If your child doesn't like egg yolks, then mix them in and make steamed eggs or tiger-skin eggs.

If your child doesn't like apples, boil them into apple water.

Adults grow up and have the right to make their own choices, so don't they subconsciously choose what they like? Why is it that this right to choose is often not respected when it comes to children?

When her daughter doesn't like certain foods, she always tries to address the root cause. She either tries changing how she eats them or finds alternative foods that she likes.

Delicious food is wonderful, but the premise of food being delicious is, of course, that the person eating it likes it.

Forcing yourself to eat food you don't like turns eating into torture.

She couldn't bring herself to force her daughter to eat things she didn't like, claiming it was for the child's good.

As for what other parents do, she has no control over that.

So all she could tell her daughter was, "That's how their mother raised them; every parent raises their children differently."

Fu Yu seemed to understand, but was very happy to tell her mother, "Mom, I like your parenting style."

These words were undoubtedly the highest praise for Tang Mingli.