On the weekend, the rare warm winter sun shone through the windows, illuminating Liu Li's small house. The air was filled with the aroma of stewed meat and steamed buns—the rich scents only found during the Lunar New Year. Liu Li's mother, wearing a faded apron, bustled about in the cramped kitchen and outhouses, her face beaming with a mixture of undisguised joy and slight nervousness. Her father, Liu Weiguo, dressed in his old Zhongshan suit—the kind he only wore on special occasions, its collar slightly faded—sat at the table, repeatedly wiping the old radio, trying to get the news broadcast clearer.
Liu Li helped her mother peel garlic, a little anticipation creeping into her heart. Fu Jingchen was coming over for dinner today. Although it wasn't as formal as meeting Fu Jingchen's parents, it held just as much weight in her heart.
A knock sounded, neither too loud nor too soft, with polite restraint. Liu Li quickly went to open the door. Fu Jingchen stood outside, carrying two neatly wrapped bags of pastries in kraft paper and a bottle of Xifeng liquor. He was wearing the same gray cotton coat as last time, his scarf removed and held in his hand, his hair neatly combed, and his eyes behind his glasses held an obvious seriousness.
"You're here, come in quickly." Liu Li stepped aside to let him into the house.
"Uncle, Aunt, hello." After entering the house, Fu Jingchen immediately bowed slightly to Liu Li's parents and placed the things he was carrying on the cabinet by the door. "It's a small token of my appreciation."
"Oh, Xiao Fu is here! Come in, come in! You've come all this way, don't bring anything, it's too formal!" Liu Li's mother wiped her hands on her apron, poked her head out of the kitchen, and greeted him with a big smile, her tone full of the warmth and straightforwardness unique to working people.
Liu Weiguo also stood up, a simple smile on his face, and pointed to the chair next to him: "Engineer Fu, please sit down."
The room was small and simply furnished, but clean and tidy. Fu Jingchen sat down at Liu Weiguo's gesture, his posture upright, yet without any airs of an intellectual. Liu Li poured him a cup of hot tea.
"Lily told me that you, Engineer Fu, are a college student who studied in Beijing?" Liu Weiguo asked, starting the conversation casually, with the concern of an elder for a younger person.
“Yes, Uncle, I studied mechanical manufacturing at Beihang University,” Fu Jingchen replied, taking the teacup with both hands.
“Good school, good major!” Liu Weiguo nodded, his eyes filled with a natural respect for knowledge. “Then… how are your parents at home?”
"Everything is fine, thank you for your concern, Uncle. My father works at a research institute, and my mother works at a school," Fu Jingchen replied briefly, without elaborating.
“Oh, you’re all cultured people, good, good.” Liu Weiguo said, his gaze falling on Fu Jingchen’s long, slender hands with neatly trimmed nails, unlike the calluses on the hands of the older workers, yet they didn’t look delicate. He changed the subject, returning to his most familiar area, “Lily has caused you a lot of trouble at the factory, hasn’t she? She’s stubborn, once she’s made up her mind, nothing can change it, she just buries herself in her work.”
These words sound like a complaint, but they are actually a father's pride and concern.
Fu Jingchen adjusted his glasses, his tone becoming serious: "Uncle, please don't say that. Liu Li... she's exceptionally talented. In the workshop, she has a solid foundation and is willing to delve into things; in the technical department, she has a flexible mind and can solve practical problems. When we work together, we learn from and inspire each other. Many of her ideas, derived from practical experience, have greatly inspired me." His words were not exaggerated; he listed concrete facts, and his tone was sincere.
Liu Weiguo's smile deepened as he listened. He picked up the cigarette case on the table and offered one to Fu Jingchen. Fu Jingchen waved his hand and declined, saying, "Uncle, I don't smoke."
Liu Weiguo didn't light a cigarette for himself, but put it back, clearly satisfied with Fu Jingchen's answer. He then asked some casual questions about the factory's production and technology, and Fu Jingchen answered them all, neither showing off nor being perfunctory. When it came to specific technical issues, he could even explain some intricacies, which made the old worker Liu Weiguo nod frequently.
In the kitchen, Liu Li's mother was cooking when she whispered to Liu Li, who had come to help, "I think Xiao Fu is a good person, reliable, without the pretentious airs of those intellectuals, and he speaks honestly." Looking at the exquisitely packaged bottle of Xifeng liquor that Fu Jingchen had brought, she added, "He's also quite polite."
The meal wasn't lavish, but it included meat, eggs, and vegetables, along with plenty of steamed white flour buns. Throughout the meal, Liu Li's mother kept putting food on Fu Jingchen's plate and asking after his well-being. Fu Jingchen felt a little embarrassed, but politely thanked her each time and ate heartily without being picky.
After the meal, Fu Jingchen even took the initiative to help clear the dishes. Although his movements were a little clumsy, his attitude was sincere. He only stopped after Liu Li's mother repeatedly stopped him.
After sitting for a while, Fu Jingchen got up to say goodbye, and Liu Li saw him out.
As they walked downstairs to the courtyard gate, Fu Jingchen stopped and said to Liu Li, "Uncle and Auntie are very welcoming." His tone was gentle and relaxed.
“Yes, they are just honest people.” Liu Li smiled.
Back home, Mother was washing dishes in the kitchen, humming a tuneless little tune. Father Liu Weiguo was sitting at the table, fiddling with the radio again. Seeing Liu Li come in, he put down the screwdriver, picked up his enamel mug, took a sip of tea, and looked at his daughter, his tone unusually gentle and affirming:
“Lily, Dad has figured it out. Xiao Fu is a decent person, honest and trustworthy.” He paused, as if searching for the most accurate word.
He didn't mention his family background or education, only using the simplest words to describe him: "upright" and "reliable." For a father who was usually taciturn, this was already a very high level of recognition and the deepest care.
Seeing the relief in her father's eyes, Liu Li felt a surge of warmth in her heart and nodded heavily: "Yes, I know."
Home will always be her warmest harbor, and the approval of her family is her strongest support on her journey forward. This simple family dinner, like the warm sun in winter, has added a warm and solid foundation to her relationship with Fu Jingchen.
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