The toddler Xiao Chen didn't reach out directly. Instead, he looked at his great-grandparents, grandfather, and father. Seeing the elders nod in agreement, he took the red envelope from Song Lan, gave her another kiss, and said in his childish voice, "Thank you, Auntie!" His gaze then fell on Qin Yanzheng: "Thank you, Uncle Qin!"
Qin Yanzheng patted the child's head and smiled, saying, "You're welcome. Uncle wishes you a healthy and happy life!"
"Thank you, Uncle Qin, Chenchen has received it!"
The baby Xiao Chen was overjoyed; he liked this uncle who looked just as good as his father.
After putting down the things they brought to the Xiao family, Song Lan and Qin Yanzheng were led by Xiao Yu to the thatched hut where Elder Shen and the others lived. Upon entering, they immediately paid their respects to Elder Shen and the others for the New Year, and then Xiao Yu introduced Qin Yanzheng to them.
New Year's greetings were also sent.
Qin Yanzheng and Old Shen got along quite well. While Qin Yanzheng, Xiao Yu and the other elders were chatting, Song Lan heated up the main dishes she had brought in the pot and steamed the white flour buns she had brought until they were soft. She didn't stay any longer.
After leaving the thatched hut where Elder Shen and the others lived, Song Lan and Qin Yanzheng returned to the Xiao family's place and chatted for about ten minutes. They got up to say goodbye and were seen off by Xiao Yu before returning to the village by the same route.
"I'll reheat these dishes and steam the steamed buns until they're soft. That'll be our lunch today, you see..."
Grandma Luo asked Grandpa Xiao, Xiao's father, and Xiao Yu.
"These are all hearty dishes. Let's save the braised pork ribs for dinner, reheat the braised pork and braised pork with preserved mustard greens, heat up a few steamed buns, and cook a pot of sweet potato porridge."
Grandpa Xiao offered his opinion.
"Mom, let's do it Dad said. You rest, I'll go cook some porridge, heat up some vegetables and steamed buns."
As soon as Xiao's father finished speaking, Xiao Yuyin said, "Let me do it, Dad, you and Grandpa and Grandma can rest." Their stove was inside the house, so there was no need for drafts. They burned firewood they had gathered from the mountain, and the porridge would be cooked quickly.
One stove, first cook porridge, then heat up dishes and steamed buns.
Grandma Luo: "It's good that Grandma is here. Take good care of Chenchen."
Before Xiao Yu could respond, Old Master Xiao said, "You should sit down and let Xiao Yu go and do his work."
"Is this because you think I'm too slow?"
Mrs. Luo rolled her eyes at Mr. Xiao.
“I don’t want you to overwork yourself. You know yourself that your health isn’t very good in winter…”
Before Grandpa Xiao could finish speaking, Grandma Luo interrupted him: "Stop right there. Ever since I took that nourishing pill Lanlan gave me, I haven't had a single health problem since last winter."
"Then you should take good care of yourself."
Old Master Xiao replied.
"I am content to have lived to this age."
What difference would it make if I lived a few more years?
Living in the countryside is not like living in Beijing, where daily life is comfortable and pleasant. Grandma Luo felt that if she continued to live in the countryside for the next ten or eight years, wouldn't she be suffering?
It wasn't that she couldn't endure hardship, but that she didn't want to be a burden to her family.
Even though she took nourishing pills and her body didn't suffer any setbacks this winter, it's a fact that she can't do heavy work.
When the ice melts and the village resumes work, is she supposed to stay at home and eat for free while her husband and children and grandchildren go out early and return late?
"What nonsense are you talking about!"
Old Master Xiao's face darkened: "Didn't that girl Lanlan say that we'll be able to leave here in two or three years at most?"
“Mom, I believe Lanlan wouldn’t just talk nonsense or try to comfort us. Besides, you should remember that Lanlan’s father-in-law was picked up from the forest farm by his former work unit before winter even started. This shows that things will definitely take a turn for the better in our family!”
Mr. Xiao spoke with certainty, he truly believed what Song Lan said, and hoped that his family could take care of their health and wait for the day they could return to Beijing.
“Grandma, when I saw Song Lan and her husband off before, Song Lan mentioned to me that she said the country needs talent for development and that universities will resume normal enrollment soon. I think this is a message, a message that our country is about to change!”
This is information that is turning for the better!
Xiao Yu was certain that Song Lan had returned to Beijing for the Spring Festival, a fact undoubtedly obtained from relevant channels.
He was told that he should persevere and would soon be able to return to his original job.
Thinking that the original owner of this body had taught at a university, and recalling his own past career in government, Xiao Yu felt he needed to think carefully about how to proceed when he returned to Beijing.
Grandma Luo, Grandpa Xiao, and Xiao's father were all stunned for a moment. After regaining their senses, Grandma Luo said, "The country needs talent. Universities are resuming enrollment. Xiao Yu... will most likely be brought back to Beijing. He used to be a university teacher..."
"Um."
Grandpa Xiao nodded.
Xiao's father nodded as well.
The baby Xiao Chen sat on a small stool, resting his chin on his hand, listening quietly to the elders talking. He looked very well-behaved and adorable.
At the same time, inside the house of Elder Shen and the others.
"We old folks are afraid we'll never be able to pay back the debt we owe Lanlan in this lifetime!"
Old Li put a piece of braised pork into his mouth, then took a bite of a hot, soft white steamed bun, chewed it, swallowed it, and casually said something to the other old friends.
"If I can't repay it in this life, I'll just have to continue repaying it in the next life if I'm lucky enough to meet someone else in the next life."
"That's right. Since we owe her a favor, we'll repay Lanlan properly when we have the chance."
The other two elderly men spoke one after the other.
At this moment, Old Shen said, "Lanlan probably never thought of asking us old guys to repay anything. In my opinion, it would be better if we taught her everything we had learned in our lives, and if she could leave here and return to the city in the future, we could take care of her more."
"Lanlan is a doctor now, and she'll be pursuing a career in medicine in the future. Looks like you should be happy!"
Old Li glanced at Old Shen and gave a soft "humph".
"Haven't you noticed? Lanlan's talent in medicine is extraordinary. She grasps almost everything I teach her immediately. Moreover, Lanlan isn't just good at one specialty; she's a generalist in medicine. I've been thinking more than once lately that it might not be long before I have nothing left to teach this little girl!"
After a pause, Professor Shen continued, "If conditions permit, I would like to teach Lanlan clinical surgical skills now. After all, anatomy is not something you can learn in detail about the structure of human organs just by talking about it. It requires on-site teaching with a cadaver, followed by hands-on practice by the student, and then combined with specific clinical internships, in order to grow into a qualified doctor."
Dr. Li: "Lanlan is already a qualified doctor."
I was referring to Western medicine.
Mr. Shen explained, but he quickly added, "Lanlan is very skillful. I believe that as long as she has the opportunity to observe how to operate the knife, she will be able to master the techniques involved in a short time."
“I remember Lanlan once said that she would practice dissection at home using rabbits.”
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