Chapter 549: Hug is to embrace the same roots

The plane took off from Baiyun Airport at around 2:00 PM. Although this wasn't my first time traveling abroad, I felt a strange sense of loss when I couldn't see Guangzhou.

There were people speaking all sorts of languages ​​on board. I entered a mixed language environment, with English-speaking Chinese and perhaps even people from Upstate.

I said to Chun in the Shangzhou dialect: "Speak more quietly and try to use the dialect."

He nodded and said softly, "Teacher Wan, you should have a good sleep. I'll watch over the luggage."

I shook my head. "No need to check the luggage. No one's getting off the plane anyway."

Fortunately, no one around me is Chinese.

Chunlai blushed and scratched his head.

I rubbed the sleeping spots on my feet, closed my eyes, and fell asleep quickly.

When Chunlai woke me up again, the plane had been flying for more than two hours.

Chun said, "There are still more than 20 minutes left."

I rubbed my face and said in Shangzhou dialect:

"There were two people picking us up at the airport. One was Xiao Liming, who I've introduced to you. The other was Zheng Huixin, the daughter of shareholder Chairman Zheng.

What you need to pay attention to is that foreign countries have their own customs. Whether it is Zheng Huixin or the translator Tang Man who worked with me later, they are both Chinese, but they are influenced by foreign customs.

If they want to hug you, act like you don't care. Just smile. They might even hug you because it's their first time meeting you. Be graceful and accept it.

Chunlai also answered me in Shangzhou dialect: "I know. When she hugged me, I couldn't really hug her. It would be impolite to do so."

I laughed and said, "You really did your homework."

He asked, "I don't know much English, what should I do?"

“I only know the simple ones, but the people I just mentioned all speak Chinese.

If you meet someone who speaks English, just keep smiling and pretend to listen carefully.

Chun said: "My imitation ability is not bad. After all, I passed the CET-4 in college. I will work hard to learn spoken English well."

The flight attendant announced that the plane had probably entered the airspace over Cebu and asked passengers to check their seat belts again.

After a while, the plane descended, and the buildings on the ground became clearer and clearer.

Chunlai looked out the window and whispered, "This city is worse than Upstate."

I laughed and said, "It's at the level of a fourth-tier city in China. We call them infrastructure maniacs. People like old buildings."

The slums are even worse. Be careful not to talk about people's shortcomings in front of them."

Chunlai said, "I know. On the first day we met, I called you uncle, calling you old, because I admired you. I wanted to call you brother, but I was afraid you wouldn't like it."

I laughed and said, "Don't call me brother either. Just call me Teacher Wan from now on."

The plane landed smoothly.

We took the shuttle bus and arrived at the airport in a short while.

I finally saw Xiao Liming and waved to him.

When we met, we shook hands warmly. Then he asked, "Where's Miss Zheng?"

"There were a lot of cars and she was afraid of being stuck in traffic, so she had to move the car at any time. So she waited for us in the car."

Xiao Liming took my suitcase and walked out of the hall while chatting with me.

"Mister Wan—" Zheng Huixin got out of the car, ran towards me, and gave me a bear hug. Then she said, "Onedayapartseemsthreeautumns."

I introduced Chunlai to her, and she said, "Come, hug your brother."

Chunlai was indeed very graceful and gave Huixin a symbolic hug.

After getting in the car, Hui Xin said, "Don't worry, I'm a good driver."

Xiao Liming reminded her: "We are all Chinese."

Hui Xin said as she started, "I just want to cultivate their sense of language."

Xiao Liming asked me: "Teacher Wan, do you understand everything?"

I laughed and said, "The first one is a lie. It feels like a long time since we last met. The second one is the truth. I'm a good driver. You don't have to worry."

Xiao Liming laughed heartily: "Teacher Wan's English level has been improved by Tang Man."

Hui Xin said, "The first sentence is the truth. Ask Mr. Xiao if I often ask him when Teacher Wan will come over."

Xiao Liming said: "I can testify that she asked several times."

Hui Xin said, "My dad told me so many stories about you, saying you could turn liquor into water and make Cruz stand up."

I smiled and said, "I want to toast your father with a real glass of wine. He broadened my horizons."

Everyone was chatting and laughing all the way as the car drove into Sanhe Hospital.

Xiao Liming said: "Stay here first."

Huixin greeted us, waved, and drove away.

Xiao Liming led us around a corner and found a two-story bungalow behind a dense banana grove.

He told me that all the people living here were doctors and technicians sent by President Deng, and they even hired a Chinese chef.

The one-story bungalow next to it is the kitchen and dining room.

After going up to the second floor, Xiao Liming said, "I'm sorry, the room hasn't been arranged yet. You and Chunlai will stay in this double room together for now. I'll arrange a separate room for you later."

I looked around and it was indeed a bit shabby. However, Xiao Liming had already bought all the daily necessities.

Xiao Liming said: "Master, I have to inconvenience you for the time being. There is no private bathroom in this room, only a public bathroom."

I nodded and said, "Liming, I'm not here to enjoy myself. You don't have to find another room for me. Chunlai lives with me, and I'll have someone to chat with in the evening."

Xiao Liming said, "If you want Chunlai to accompany you, I can do it. It just requires you to move to a two-bedroom, one-living room apartment with a bathroom."

Chunlai packed up his and my things and started making tea. Unexpectedly, he'd brought tea leaves with him. He made three cups of tea in disposable cups and brought two to us.

Xiao Liming formally introduced the situation. Cruz would not arrive at the hospital until tomorrow. There would be a welcome banquet tomorrow, and President Zheng would also be there. The room would be adjusted in place by then.

I thought about it and said, "I want to get to know the doctors who came earlier. Of course, I also met them when I was training with Mr. Deng.

But that's just a courtesy. Why don't we gather somewhere tonight, get to know each other first, and then exchange ideas?"

Xiao Liming thought for a moment and said, "Then let's go to the hospital conference room. However, two people are on the night shift for acupuncture and moxibustion, so they can't attend."

I nodded.

Xiao Liming called. Oh my goodness, it's been a long time since we last met. He looked at me with a new look. It was his first time here and he was afraid that he didn't speak the language well. Now he was chattering away arranging work. He spoke so fast that I couldn't even hear him clearly.

I laughed and said, "Brother Liming, you learned English from Huixin, you probably didn't learn it in the park."

He raised his hand, pretending to hit me.

I laughed out loud.

After a while, Siping ran in. When he saw me, he was stunned for a moment and didn't say anything. Then he hugged me.

I said, "This environment really changes people. You've been here for only a few days, and you've already mastered the Western etiquette."

Siping said, "This is not a Western etiquette. On this isolated island where English is spoken everywhere, when I see you, teacher, I can't help but want to hug you."

Then I realized Siping was telling the truth. When fellow countrymen meet, there's no feeling in China, but there's a real feeling abroad.

To hug is to hug a culture and atmosphere that is far away from the motherland.

It is to embrace the same language, the same thinking, the same longing, and to embrace the big tree of the motherland.

An idea suddenly occurred to me.

Wait, when the meeting starts, I will definitely stand at the door and hug everyone.