"What do you mean, 'see it tomorrow morning'? You've finally come back, don't get up early tomorrow. Sleep in until you naturally wake up, then we'll talk. Just relax and enjoy yourself," Aunt Ma said when she heard the two of them talking.
"I'll listen to you, Auntie. We'll wait until she wakes up, then Uncle Ma, you can check her again." Old Ma glared at her, knowing she was just a fence-sitter, always going with the flow, spineless.
Aunt Ma saw the look in Old Ma's eyes, glared back, and Old Ma immediately became obedient.
After An Moxue finished eating, Old Ma asked, "How long can you stay after you come back?"
“Uncle Ma, I’m back this time to go back to Kyoto to study at university. I’m on vacation now, for a few months, at least until the end of the first semester. Unless there’s an emergency, I won’t be going abroad. I can stay in the village for a few days before going back to Kyoto.”
"Really?" Aunt Ma looked surprised and delighted. When she came back after picking up the bowl, she heard An Moxue say this, and Uncle Ma's lips also curled up.
"You can go to university without taking the college entrance exam?" Aunt Ma asked in surprise.
“I earned this university spot by sacrificing my achievements!” An Moxue explained.
"Which university? What do you study?" Old Ma asked.
"Kyoto University, Department of Cultural Relics and History"
“That works too, it’s just playing with the treasures left by our ancestors!” Aunt Ma asked.
"Yes, almost! Auntie, Uncle Ma, would you like to come back to Kyoto with me for a while? I'll take you to see my parents. We can also see our country's capital, watch the flag-raising ceremony, visit the memorial hall for great figures, pay respects at the monument to heroes and martyrs, and see what Kyoto is like."
"Old man?" Aunt Ma was tempted. Not for anything else, but for the sake of her young mistress, visiting the graves of her young mistress and son-in-law would be a good thing, and she would have no regrets in this life.
Old Ma tentatively asked, "Won't it be a lot of trouble?"
"How could that be? I'll drive back. Let's leave early and enjoy the scenery and eat delicious food along the way. If you guys come with me and take me to school, I'll be the happiest kid ever."
The last sentence, "Send her to school," deeply touched the old couple. Old Ma glanced at Aunt Ma and asked, "Old woman, why don't we go back with Mo Xue, send her to school, and then visit the army unit where Miss and her husband used to live?"
"Okay, let's go. After we've stayed long enough, we'll take the train back. But, Mo Xue, won't that be too much trouble?"
"No, I'd be so happy if you came back with me! I could eat Aunt Ma's cooking for a while longer! I'd be so happy if I could keep eating it!" An Moxue said coquettishly, linking arms with Aunt Ma.
"Is it really not troublesome?" Aunt Ma still had some concerns.
"No trouble at all. Besides, Wu Sicheng will be coming back with us, so you don't need to worry about me getting tired driving by myself."
"How could that be? It's just the three of us, plus your Uncle Ma! He's a great driver!" Aunt Ma said happily.
Old Ma asked earnestly, "Speaking of Comrade Wu, Mo Xue! He's been waiting for you all these years. What are your plans?"
"That's all for now, maybe we'll get married someday!"
"It's good that you have a plan. Don't worry about his family background being too high or that you're trying to climb the social ladder. The things your grandfather left you are a huge fortune. Besides, both the An family and the Nalan family are renowned and have made outstanding achievements. We have nothing to be ashamed of!" Old Ma gave her a boost of confidence.
"Uncle Ma, I've never thought that way. The reason I'm not getting married right now is because my situation isn't suitable. I won't compromise myself. With the legacy built by my ancestors, I can live well anywhere. Besides, I've accumulated a huge fortune over the years. In terms of both achievements and wealth, I can say I'm second to none. I'm not afraid; I have plenty of confidence!"
"That's good. We're relieved to hear you say that. When you're ready to get married, your aunt and I hope that you'll marry someone you can entrust your life to, not someone you're settling for or for any other reason."
"Of course."
"Uncle Ma, I also have some news to tell you and Auntie that will make you very happy, but let me tell you beforehand, don't get too excited!" An Moxue kept it a secret, hoping to give them a little buffer. After all, the old couple were not young anymore, and she was afraid that something might go wrong.
“You know, we’ve all been through a lot, what haven’t we seen?” Old Ma said, already having a guess in his mind.
"The fourth family of the Little River Kingdom was wiped out before I returned. Even the hidden family members were found and exterminated by my people."
The elderly couple looked at An Moxue, then at each other, and held An Moxue's hands, their eyes glistening with tears.
"Really?"
"The entire clan was wiped out?"
“Not a single one was left. I even had someone take pictures. Do you want to see them? I brought them back.”
"Look, look, we want to see!" They released An Moxue's hand. "Give it to us now!"
An Moxue got up, picked up a backpack from the end of the kang (a heated brick bed), took out a folder from it, and brought the kerosene lamp closer.
She handed the folder to Old Ma, and Aunt Ma said, "Light another candle to make it brighter so I can see it more clearly."
"Yes, it's in the cabinet. Mo Xue, get one." The elderly couple flipped through the documents.
An Moxue took a candle, lit it, and sat down next to them, holding the candle in her hand.
The room was quiet except for the sound of turning over papers and the sobbing of two people.
After a long while, Old Ma handed the file to An Moxue, proudly saying, "You're even more amazing than your ancestors, accomplishing what they couldn't. I didn't even dare tell you who our enemies were back then, but you found out. That shows how truly remarkable you are!"
"If I were to say that my next target is the Kuroda family, would you think I'm overestimating myself?"
"You found this out too?" Old Ma asked, tears streaming down his face.
"Furthermore, they've already killed some members of the Kuroda family in Hong Kong and severely damaged their businesses there. This was also discovered during the investigation of the Fourth Family. Uncle Ma, back then, the Nalan family was surrounded by wolves; it must have been very difficult for them!"
"Yes! It was difficult. Otherwise, we wouldn't have changed your mother's surname and sent her to the An family. Unfortunately, the An family was also being targeted by wolves and tigers. At that time, there were no better or more trustworthy families to entrust with her. Your aunt and I couldn't protect her safety, so we had no choice but to send her away with heavy hearts. The An family did not disappoint the Nalan family's trust, but unfortunately, both of them died young! Alas—it's all fate and destiny, there's no escaping it. You must live to be a hundred!"
"Uncle Ma, Auntie, I will, and you will too! You must see all the sights my parents haven't seen so they can tell them about them in the future, okay?"
"good."
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