Time slipped from March to May of 1991, and then into July!
"Hurry up, have you checked your things?" Yu Yin repeated the same question on this ordinary morning.
"Mom, I've checked everything, and I have all the documents with me."
Kuai Kuai and Man Man are taking the college entrance exam today, and Lu Shurui and Yu Yin are going to see them off together.
"Don't worry, I've checked everything."
Lu Shurui reassured Yu Yin once again. He was truly calm and rarely got anxious.
Watching her two children walk into the examination room, Yu Yin felt a sense of relief, as if she had completed a task, though she didn't know why.
Despite being middle-aged, Lu Shurui and Yu Yin are in good shape. First, they are healthy and haven't experienced middle-age weight gain; second, they are successful in their careers, owning a house, a car, and savings.
"Let's go home. Uncle Hu should be preparing lunch. Let's lend a hand when we get home." Lu Shurui took Yu Yin's hand and slowly walked back, attracting the attention of many people. They didn't expect their aunt and uncle to be so romantic.
"Dad, you're here!" Lu Shurui was quite surprised to see his father picking vegetables in the yard.
“There’s nothing much to do at home, and knowing that Kuai Kuai and Man Man have their college entrance exams today, I came over for a visit. Your Uncle Hu went to buy meat; he said the meat at home isn’t fresh.” Mr. Lu had already decided to keep Uncle Hu and the others company. There was a slightly larger holiday home that could accommodate three people comfortably, while still providing relatively private space.
Lu Shurui was also at ease, as the three of them would keep each other company and look out for each other.
In the examination hall, the children are busy; at home, the parents are also busy. Every year there are exams, and it's the same every year.
After the last exam, I'll quickly and slowly go home, wash up, and go to sleep. I've been so stressed and tired these past two days.
An'an didn't come back during summer vacation; she was in intensive training. Pingping didn't come back either; she was assisting the professor.
Pingping chose computer science, a very new major, which will likely require her to study abroad in the future.
Kuai Kuai was quickly pulled along to the factory to seek help from the retired security guards for training. Manman was a very thoughtful child; she had decided to study medicine, and to do so, she needed a strong physique, which would benefit both herself and others.
In September, unsurprisingly, I gradually entered the best medical school in Shanghai, embarking on an eight-year integrated bachelor's, master's, and doctoral program. The school is a bit far from home, so I gradually started living on campus and only went home during holidays.
Kuai Kuai quickly got into the economics department of Lu Shurui's school. He didn't want to live on campus, but the school required him to live there for the first semester. Kuai Kuai complained for several days. He really didn't like living in the dormitory; it was crowded and the air wasn't good. Yu Yin helped him adapt to the environment.
The children started school, and Uncle Hu and Aunt Hu moved into the farm, along with Father Lu.
The three of them got along quite well. Mr. Lu was a man of few words, and he had his own principles in his speech and actions, unlike Mrs. Lu, who was always complaining.
Brother Lu and Sister Lu are very grateful to Yu Yin. With their elderly father in a good place, they are much less worried. Sister Lu, in particular, is the one who visits their father most often. She cooks, cleans the house, and does the laundry, going back almost once a week.
Sister Lu has rarely appeared in public. She decided to cut off contact with her brothers and sisters. She was only seen once, at her mother's funeral.
Yu Yin didn't care about these things; she had much more to do.
Over the years, Yu Yin has consistently provided financial assistance to the orphanage in Yunnan Province, and several children have been admitted to universities. Instead of taking relief for granted, they have learned to help themselves, seeking various part-time jobs in their spare time to earn money on their own.
Most of the children who didn't get into university learned a skill or went to work in a factory after entering society, and were able to support themselves without any problems.
Yu Yin did her best to find the children who had asked her to help them find their parents, but the results were not satisfactory.
Two addresses were incorrect, and the person could not be found. The others were found, but they all had new lives and new children. How much sincerity could they possibly have for the children they had abandoned?
They recounted their hardships, showing absolutely no intention of taking the child from the orphanage.
Yu Yin relayed everything truthfully. As for how to choose, that's up to the children. They need to make their own decisions about their lives, even if they are just minors and life doesn't give them many choices.
That year, Yu Yin standardized the label on all her factories and shops, calling them Green Sprouts Co., Ltd.
In addition to the original core staff, they recruited many college students, and their office building was also built. It was not in the ham sausage factory, but in the district where Yu Yin's family lived. They bought the land themselves, asked Uncle Jiang's team to design the blueprints, and built a more than ten-story office building. In addition to using it themselves, they also rented it to other companies.
Green Sprouts' organic vegetables have also made a name for themselves, and many wealthy and leisurely so-called upper-class people have recognized their value. They have also started to make a profit and are no longer losing money.
During the winter vacation of 1992, Yu Yin asked all the children to come back for the New Year so that the family could get together.
An'an is about to join the army, and it will be even more difficult for her to go home again. Pingping's application for studying abroad is almost complete. He didn't apply for government-funded study abroad; Yu Yin said that the family's financial situation allows it, and self-funded study abroad is fine, it's more free.
The four children have been learning English with Lu Shuqi since elementary school and have continued to do so without interruption. They all have a very good level of English.
Two weeks before the Lunar New Year, An'an returned, looking travel-worn. He had short, neat hair, dark skin, and a muscular physique... He was an excellent soldier, a future officer, though it was uncertain whether he could become a commander.
Pingping arrived a day later, and I don't know if it was because of the change in environment, but Pingping has grown taller. Now she's over 1.85 meters tall, 1.88 meters tall, making her the tallest among her siblings.
"Big brother, when you go abroad, bring back a lot of money. When you come back, bring back a few computers, one for each member of the family." Quickly assign tasks to his older brother.
"You're quite resourceful. How are you going to bring it? It'll be overweight. Besides, what do you use the computer for? Playing games?"
The bloodline suppression from An'an made Kuai Kuai calm down.
"Mom, are we spending Chinese New Year on the farm this year?"
Pingping casually changed the subject, asking about his plans for the Chinese New Year this year.
"Yes, your uncle's family, your second aunt's family, and your grandpa Hu and his family will all be there. It'll be lively with more people, and there will also be your grandpa Hu and his family." Yu Yin felt that she was getting old and was starting to enjoy being around people.
Since the children started school, the old house suddenly felt empty, and the space seemed larger. After Uncle Hu and Aunt Hu left, Yu Yin hired a housekeeper, a woman in her forties, who was quite efficient.
With professional management and people like Zhong Liang overseeing her career, Yu Yin didn't have much to worry about. To keep herself from overthinking, Yu Yin enrolled in a dance class, which provided both exercise and a way to pass the time.
Yu Yin is satisfied with her current life; it's something she pursued in her past life but never dared to dream of.
Yu Yin's mindset became calm and peaceful. The bad things in her memory gradually faded away and were rarely thought of anymore.
After Lu Shurui gets off work, he goes home on time. The two of them eat together and go for a run together. Their relationship is calm but not bland.
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