Chapter 393 Extra Chapter: Several Years Later
Life went on in an orderly fashion.
Separated by the ocean, they are thousands of miles away from their hometown, but they are still closely following news from home.
Whether it's mentioned in the news or received in letters from China, whenever there's news, the whole family gathers in the living room to listen to it being read aloud.
The latest news was brought by Shen Zhuoying.
When he appeared outside the door, Lou Yansui was also somewhat surprised: "What are you doing here?"
Shen Zhuoying took out two letters from her pocket: "Don't misunderstand, I'm just here to deliver letters."
Because of the relationship between Mao Mao and Shen Zhaolin, the two families have never lost contact.
Shen Zhuoying now works at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She happened to be here on a business trip, so she took advantage of her free time to visit relatives and friends and brought letters from China with her.
Lou Yansui knowingly stepped aside to let him in, and called upstairs, "Mao Mao, there's a letter for you."
Soon, the sound of footsteps came from upstairs, and someone came running down the stairs with light steps.
"Brother Shen?!"
Mao Mao looked at him with surprise: "What are you doing here? How is Uncle Shen doing lately? Did he write to me?"
“I’m here on a business trip, and my third uncle is doing very well.” Shen Zhuoying handed her one letter, while presenting another to Lou Yansui.
Lou Yansui was even more surprised: "Mine?"
“It’s yours.” Shen Zhuoying waved the letter in her hand at him, gesturing for him to take it quickly.
The envelope bore the names of both the sender and recipient. Upon seeing the name 'He Mingshu,' Lou Yansui suddenly realized who it was. After going abroad, he gradually lost contact with his friends back home, and they rarely interacted. Everyone had pursued their own paths, striving for their own ideals.
He didn't know how He Mingshu was doing, and he never expected to receive a letter from He Mingshu through Shen Zhuoying.
The brother and sister invited him to sit down, and together they opened the letter and eagerly began to read it.
Shen Zhuoying sipped her tea, watching the obvious joy on the faces of the brother and sister. Clearly, they had both read the good news in the letter.
Although we don't know what was written in the letter, he did bring good news.
The war in China was showing signs of ending, the liberation cause was on the verge of victory, and perhaps soon we would see the peace that everyone longed for.
Their country has been ravaged by war for too long, and the people need peace to recuperate and rebuild. The country also urgently needs to develop and catch up with the great powers.
Shen Zhuoying drank half a cup of tea, and Lou Yansui and Mao Mao also finished reading the letter in their hands.
Mao Mao put down the letter and said happily, "That's great! Uncle Shen told me that Sister Zhuo Xian is also pregnant. I really missed a lot of good news after I went abroad."
Shen Zhuoying echoed her with a beaming smile, "That's right, I'm going to be an uncle again."
"Oh, right." As he spoke, he took out his wallet from his pocket and pulled out a photo inside. It was a picture of him with his wife and children.
A few years ago, Shen Zhuoying also got married, and the year before last, she gave birth to twins. Mao Mao hadn't seen them yet. She took the photo with both hands and curiously looked at the two fair and tender little bundles of joy through the blurry black and white picture.
"So cute!" Mao Mao showed it to her brother: "Brother, look, when the children of our eldest and second brothers were born, they were almost the same size, tiny like cotton balls. At first, I didn't dare to hold them."
Lou Yansui's lips curved into a smile: "Mao Mao, you were even cuter than them when you were little. Back then, it took me a lot of strength to hold you... well, it took a lot of strength to hold you."
Maomao: "..."
Because Mao Mao was a solid little dumpling from a young age, heavy and chubby, heavier than other children of the same size. She loved to eat and run, ate a lot, and moved a lot, and even now, she is healthier than most people, rarely getting sick throughout the year.
Shen Zhuoying also spotted a familiar set of books on the nearby bookshelf.
He pulled out a book and, sure enough, saw a little boy walking a big yellow tabby cat on the cover.
Maomao's story was serialized in the newspaper for a long time, until Lou Yansui went abroad, at which point the story came to an end. It was an open ending; Maomao and his yellow tabby cat still depended on each other for survival, waking up bathed in the morning sunlight, knowing that tomorrow would be another new and hopeful day.
The stories of Maomao have been published in books, and from the first volume to the current series, they have always been very popular.
"You brought this too?" Shen Zhuoying flipped through the fairy tale book in her hand: "I often read Maomao's stories to my children, and even now, from my adult perspective, I still find them very interesting."
Mao Mao: "Yes, my brother's stories are so good, I often reread them."
As a teenager, Shen Zhuoying would sometimes feel awkward because of her temper, but now she can respond calmly: "He is indeed remarkable. He is not only good at writing stories, but also at doing research. He is good at both literature and science. My third uncle has collected a lot of reports about him and often praises him to us."
Mao Mao pursed her lips, revealing the same dimples on her cheeks as when she was a child, her face radiating pride.
“And then there’s He Mingshu.” Shen Zhuoying said helplessly to Lou Yansui, “He’s practically your biggest fan. Ever since I met him, he’s never allowed me to say a bad word about you. Once, when I said a few extra words, he almost broke off all ties with me.”
Lou Yansui picked up her teacup and took a sip: "Perhaps it's because your way of speaking is indeed unpleasant."
Shen Zhuoying: "..."
Shen Chuoying silently drank the remaining half cup of tea in one gulp.
He took some time to deliver the letter and didn't stay at the Lou family's house for long. Seeing that it was getting late, he got up to say goodbye and leave.
Mao Mao saw the person out the door, and when she returned, she saw Lou Yansui leaning against the sofa, head down, deep in thought.
The letter from He Mingshu lay open on his lap, having already been read over and over again several times.
"Brother, what are you thinking about?"
Lou Yansui stroked the pages, countless thoughts churning in his mind. Amidst the chaotic thoughts, only one idea became increasingly clear.
After a long while, he said, "Mao Mao, it's time for me to go home."
Mao Mao was not surprised by his choice.
In the letter sent by Teacher Shen, Mao Mao also learned about the current situation in China.
When she saw it, she knew what choice her brother would make.
Having been away from home for more than a decade, Lou Yansui has become a world-leading scientist. He has achieved great success in this country, has his own laboratory, holds a large number of cutting-edge patents, and enjoys a prestigious reputation and a superior status. Even those arrogant foreigners respect him greatly.
There are many people like him who come to other countries with nothing, eagerly learning the knowledge of these great powers and establishing themselves in foreign lands. But when their countries need them, they will not hesitate to give up everything, return home with the knowledge in their minds, and dedicate themselves to the construction of their motherland.
No matter how long they leave, how far they go, or how many mountains and rivers separate them, they will always follow their deep roots back to the place where they were born and raised. With their own shoulders, they will support that weak and vulnerable nation.
Mao Mao happily told him, "Brother, Dad and the others miss you very much. You can see them when you go back!"
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