Chapter 60: The Li family returns to China to search for relatives.
Chapter Sixty: The Li Family Returns to China to Search for Relatives
Li Yue's first choice was the Central Academy of Fine Arts, but her major was a bit beyond everyone's expectations. Even Ling Jianwei initially thought she would choose oil painting or sculpture.
Ling Jianwei was somewhat surprised to learn that she wanted to study art history.
Li Yue said, "I have a lot of practical experience, but my foundation in art theory is weak. After entering the university, even if we study theory, we still have to take corresponding painting exercises. So I want to build a solid foundation and may stay at the university to teach in the future, while also focusing on research in ceramics."
After hearing this, Ling Jianwei pinched her cheek and said, "I didn't expect my wife to have such a clear plan for herself."
Li Yue said, "It was after listening to Teacher Xie Cun's advice that we decided on this."
Ling Jianwei looked at her intently, and pursed his lips.
"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
"Of course not, it's just that when I first met you, you were a thin and frail little girl, and now you've become quite remarkable."
"What do you mean, 'in the blink of an eye,' nine years have already passed."
Looking back over the past nine years, it seems like a lot has happened, yet it also seems like nothing has happened at all. The only tangible change is that their child is old enough to run errands, and even more fortunately, their feelings and state of mind have remained unchanged.
Therefore, Li Yue felt that graduating from university in her thirties was not old, and that she could still retain her original spirit and do what she wanted to do.
The admission notice was received after the Chinese New Year, but Li Yue already knew she had been admitted long before that, as Teacher Xie had revealed it to her when she visited him for the New Year.
Teacher Xie also said, "I participated in the review of the papers and immediately recognized your painting. Your personal style is very obvious, and your level and skills are also excellent. The teachers who reviewed it initially gave it a high score, and we added five points on top of that."
Li Yue's eyes widened: "Huh? You added it? Isn't that bad?"
“What’s wrong with it? Even without the extra points, your initial score was the highest. Good works can withstand scrutiny. Your painting was studied by several teachers together, and it was other teachers who were unaware of the situation who suggested adding points. It’s not that I’m being biased. These five points are an affirmation of you.”
Li Yue was relieved: "Oh."
That would be alright.
Teacher Xie continued to encourage him, saying, "I will continue to teach at the school starting next year. Study hard after you start school and don't let us down."
“Okay, definitely.” Li Yue readily agreed.
The art academy has few majors, and since it was the first year of reopening enrollment, everything was rushed. When Li Yue enrolled, there were only about a hundred students in the entire grade and even the entire academy. There were no senior students; they were freshmen and also the leaders.
The teacher joked, "The best of the best, the concentrated essence, you should cherish it."
Because there were few students and only a few familiar faces, and everyone had a wealth of experience, they often organized activities together, such as climbing the Great Wall, having barbecues, and playing bridge, which made for a lively and fun time.
The group of about a hundred people also set up a student council, and Li Yue was pulled into the student council to do publicity work, and from time to time organized social events with students from other schools. Although the group of people had a wide age range, no one felt uncomfortable about it.
Li Yue's university life was rich and colorful, unlike her university life before she transmigrated. She would often forget her age and that she had a husband and children waiting for her at home.
To make her studies easier, Li Yue would stay in the school dormitory three nights a week. Sometimes when she returned home, she would hold her child and ask, "Did you miss Mommy?"
Xiao Lingshuo hugged her, but maintained a cool and aloof demeanor: "I don't want to."
Looking at this kid, Li Yue felt that he would become a cold-faced domineering CEO sooner or later.
However, when they slept, the man held her and said, "The child doesn't want to, but I do."
Li Yue teased him, "How much do you want to?"
He pressed himself close to her, nuzzled her, and whispered, "Don't ask me, ask him."
Li Yue: "..."
-
Time flies. In the six months following the reform and opening up at the end of 1978, Li Yue could clearly feel some changes on the streets.
For example, there are more and more foreigners on the streets.
Furthermore, more and more overseas Chinese are returning to China.
On one occasion, Ling Jianwei asked, "Is it possible that your family will return to China to look for you?"
Li Yue said, "If my parents were still alive and I had money, I probably would."
However, nothing happened in 1979, and everyone lived in peace.
After 1980, many people around me started to plan how to make money, and many overseas Chinese also returned to invest.
This included elders of the Li family.
It was April, when spring was in full bloom. Li Yue was painting in her studio when a familiar figure suddenly appeared at the door—it was Ling Jianwei.
Li Yue looked over and smiled at him.
This wasn't the first time he'd come to the college to see her; sometimes he even brought his children along.
She thought he would come in, but the next moment, several unfamiliar faces appeared next to him, some young and some old.
Li Yue instantly understood who they were.
Three people from the Li family came: Li Yue's father, mother, and eldest brother.
At the family reunion, Li Yue, like someone with social anxiety, didn't know what to say for a moment and awkwardly greeted them one by one: "Hello."
Li's mother held her tightly, crying as she said, "Back then, there was no other way. You had a high fever, and if we had taken you away, you most likely wouldn't have survived."
Li Yue smiled and said, "It's okay, I know."
She accompanied them to visit a very small school, and later went to a restaurant where she met Li's grandfather, second uncle, and others.
Ling Jianwei's parents, Xiao Lingshuo, and his cousins were also there.
More than ten years after her marriage, the Ling and Li families finally met in person. For Li Yue herself, there was no particular feeling, but some of her thoughts had changed.
Initially, she envisioned that if her parents returned to China and found her, and if they were wealthy, she would ask them for money to build a private kiln or apply for some permits to set up a ceramics laboratory for research.
Now she knew they were truly wealthy. The Li family was doing very well in North America, with family businesses and investments in hotels. Several of the family's children were also successful, some working in finance and others as lawyers. This time, they even planned to return to China to invest in building a factory...
But suddenly she didn't want to ask them for money anymore.
That's a strange idea.
Mr. Li said, “Actually, we went back to China last year, but we were doing research in the south. We returned to Beijing for two days, but because the time was too short, we only found out that you were still alive. We didn’t come to see you until this year, when your mother also returned to China.”
Li Yue asked them, "So are you sure you want to invest in building a factory in the south?"
Uncle Li said, "Yes, that place is close to the port city and has been established as a special zone. All the conditions there are quite in line with our plans."
"..."
After returning home from the dinner party, Ling Jianwei asked her, "Don't you want to see your parents?"
"No," she smiled and said frankly, "It's just that I really don't have any feelings for them."
Perhaps it was because she lacked emotional connection that she was too embarrassed to ask them for money. Although, to be honest, she really needed some money to do certain things…
Ling Jianwei touched her face and looked at her gently: "I understand, I understand. Feelings need time to develop. After all, you two haven't had any contact over the years, so it's impossible for you to suddenly become close."
Looking at this composed and rational man, Li Yue pursed her lips and nodded.
Although the Li family's investments are in the south, Grandpa Li still wanted to return to his roots. When they left, they donated their ancestral courtyard house, which is now an office space for a work unit and does not belong to a private individual.
So Grandpa Li decided to find a private house, buy it, and live there in the future.
Li Yue still has to go to school and doesn't have much time to spend with them. They only occasionally go out for a meal together or walk with them through the streets and alleys of Beijing, listening to their memories of what the city looks like.
However, Ling Jianwei did a good job in receiving them and even promised to help them find a courtyard house. A few days later, they took a plane to the south, intending to fly back to North America from the port city.
After seeing them off at the airport, Li Yue asked Ling Jianwei as they walked, "Do you think I'm cold-hearted?"
She could have easily acted like she missed them and needed them, and then naturally asked them for money... but after thinking it over, she gave up on that version of herself.
“How could that be?” Ling Jianwei said, “I’ll give you some time to calm down. They will discover how outstanding and wonderful you are.”
...
That autumn, Grandpa Li and his father returned to Beijing again. Ling Jianwei helped them find a courtyard house, which Grandpa Li was very satisfied with after seeing it and readily paid for it. The house needed to be renovated, and a bathroom needed to be dug, so they weren't in a hurry to come back and live there, saying they would come back next year to renovate at their leisure.
While having dinner at the restaurant, Li's father said to Li Yue, "Your mother didn't come this time, but she asked me to talk to you and see if you want to study in the United States."
"Studying in the United States?" Li Yue was stunned.
She hadn't expected them to have such thoughts at all, and subconsciously exchanged a glance with Ling Jianwei.
Clearly, Ling Jianwei was also very surprised; her pupils even seemed to tremble slightly.
Mr. Li said, "We didn't expect you to have such high artistic talent. The art programs in the United States are very strong. If you can study there, it will also help your future development."
They certainly meant well, but Li Yue had her own ideas.
She replied directly, "Dad, I don't plan to study abroad. I can't learn much about the work I want to do or the research I want to do abroad."
Mr. Li was a little embarrassed, then smiled and said, "Of course, it also depends on your personal wishes. I was just asking."
She then added, "Your mother has been very worried about you these past few years. Her health isn't good either, and each time she comes back, it takes a toll on her energy. You saw her condition last time. So we thought that if you go to study abroad, at least you can spend more time with your mother at an art school in New York."
Li Yue looked at him and replied, "I can go see her during the summer vacation."
Seeing that she had her own ideas, Mr. Li could only nod: "Yes, it's convenient to go during the holidays now."
Back home, after washing up, Li Yue sat on the bed. Ling Jianwei also came over after taking a shower, drying her hair with a towel, and said, "Actually, studying abroad is not a bad idea."
Li Yue smiled and asked him, "Aren't you afraid that once I go abroad, I'll be tempted by capitalism and abandon you two, never to come back?"
Ling Jianwei's face darkened: "In that case, I'll personally bring you back."
"But it's inconvenient for you to go abroad because of your status."
The man gritted his teeth: "I'm retiring."
Li Yue hugged his waist and abdomen, buried her face in his still well-defined abs, and said, "Don't retire."
"Why?" he asked, puzzled. "Now that we've opened up to the world, some people have gone into business and made a lot of money. In just one year, they've made a lot of money."
The increasingly mature man paused, stroking her hair: "Sometimes I think, if I retired and went to earn money to give you and our child a better life, would things be better?"
Li Yue raised her head, looked straight at him, and shook her head: "No."
After staring into each other's eyes, the man fell silent and did not reply for a moment.
Li Yue continued, "You can retire, but only if it's for your own sake, not for me and the children."
She knew very well that although this man always said he had no ambitions, he was actually quite capable in military affairs and enjoyed research in that area.
Ling Jianwei took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "Okay, I won't back down for now."
Li Yue whispered, "Ling Jianwei, I don't need much money. I'm easy to take care of."
He smiled and said, "I know."
She said that, but in her heart she was still thinking, maybe she should ask her parents for money to set up a laboratory...
She really wants a ceramics lab.
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