Chapter 394 Extra Chapter: Several Years Later
After that, they paid even closer attention to news from home.
It wasn't just Mao Mao and her group; some local Chinese residents also received news from their hometown, and at the same time, they saw many more familiar yet unfamiliar faces.
Even faster than the news from China came an unexpected old friend.
One weekend.
Since there were no classes at school, Mao Mao went into the kitchen early in the morning, rolled up her sleeves, and started kneading dough.
All the mothers went out shopping, and the brothers weren't home either; only Grandma Lou was there.
The old lady watched as she kneaded the dough with great effort, then turned out a large piece of meat and began chopping it up with a series of loud claps.
Mao Mao usually loves sports and even participates in the school's sports club. With strong arms, she wields a knife and bangs it so hard that it makes Old Madam Lou's head buzz.
Just as the old lady was hesitating whether to move aside, she heard what sounded like a doorbell ringing.
"Mao Mao," said Old Madam Lou, "it seems there are people outside."
"who?"
Mao Mao poked her head out of the kitchen, washed her hands, and went to open the door. Taking advantage of this opportunity, the chef, who had been watching in fear, quickly took the knife from her hand.
The doorbell rang persistently, ding-dong.
Mao Mao hurried out, opened the door, and was taken aback when she saw who it was. Then, her eyes widened in surprise: "Uncle?!"
Nie Zhengyun stood outside the door, still dressed in his familiar black robe, with a faint smile on his face. When he saw the door open, he took off his top hat, revealing his slightly graying temples.
"Mao Mao, it's been a long time."
"Uncle, it's been a long time!"
Mao Mao gave her good friend a big hug and invited him in.
Meeting familiar friends in a foreign land is undoubtedly a wonderful surprise, no less than a gift under the Christmas tree.
"Uncle, what brings you here? Are you here on a business trip too? How did you get here? How long will you be staying? Are you staying for dinner tonight?"
Mao Mao had a lot to say and a whole host of questions to ask.
As she sat on the sofa, watching her invite the guests in and then skip and hop to the kitchen to bring back a plate of tea and snacks, the old lady of the house was overjoyed.
Mao Mao's steps were light and quick, as if she were dancing. She said with a bright and cheerful expression, "Uncle, you've come at the perfect time! I was just about to make wontons!"
"Oh?" Nie Zhengyun held up his teacup, a deep smile on his face. "Wonton?"
"Mmm! Vegetable and meat wontons!"
When you come to this foreign land, if there's anything you're not used to, it's the taste.
Especially Madam Lou, who couldn't stand Western restaurants and didn't like Western food when she was in Haicheng, found it even more unbearable here and often needed someone to accompany her to find restaurants run by Chinese people.
Today, Mao Mao also had a craving and decided to recreate the snacks she used to eat in Haicheng, starting with making wonton wrappers.
Nie Zhengyun's face lit up with surprise: "So, I'm lucky enough to get to eat your homemade food today?"
Mao Mao raised her chin and said excitedly, "Uncle, you wait, although this is my first time doing it, I think I can definitely do it."
"First time doing this? I'm so lucky to have come at such a perfect time."
Fully emboldened, Mao Mao strode confidently into the kitchen. A short while later, she emerged carrying the prepared wonton wrappers and the mixed shepherd's purse and pork filling.
The dough was cut into roughly equal squares, and the filling was wrapped inside. Nie Zhengyun watched with great interest and helped her with the task.
I only had time to answer her earlier questions when I was making wontons.
“I just arrived here a few days ago and have settled in. I plan to live here permanently,” Nie Zhengyun said. “I have asked a real estate agent here to help me find a suitable house. If all goes well, I can be your neighbor.”
"Neighbors?" Mao Mao asked in surprise, "Uncle, are you moving here?"
"That's right."
"That's great!"
Mao Mao smiled sweetly, her dimples bulging: "Uncle, then I can see you every day from now on, instead of having to wait so long to receive your letters like before."
Nie Zhengyun said gently, "I also miss you very much, Mao Mao."
Mao Mao: "Uncle, you have to eat a lot of wontons later!"
Nie Zhengyun: "It's my honor."
Old Madam Lou: "…………"
In the evening, when everyone else returned home, they were all taken aback.
"Mr. Nie?!"
Nie Zhengyun sat calmly on the living room sofa and raised the teacup in his hand to greet them.
Before anyone could react, Mao Mao excitedly announced the good news: "Uncle Nie is going to be our neighbor! He plans to move here and settle down, so he can come and play with us often!"
Everyone: "..."
Lou Hongjian swallowed hard, then looked around and realized he needed to search nearby.
But they couldn't find Lou Dashuai.
That's for sure; his father is still a powerful figure in China.
But we just couldn't find it, and that's when things really got really bad!
Ever since Mao Mao was a tiny baby, this Mr. Nie has wanted to be Mao Mao's godfather. If her father hadn't refused, he almost succeeded. Clearly, he hasn't given up yet.
Be their neighbor?
Isn't that a case of being in a good position and getting the moon first?
Back in China, the Green Gang members all called Mao Mao "Young Miss." Now that the emperor is far away and her father isn't here, will outsiders start mistaking Mr. Nie for Mao Mao's father?
Just thinking about this possibility sent chills down Lou Hongjian's spine.
"Mr. Nie, why did you decide to move here to settle down?" He gave a dry laugh: "With your powerful Green Gang, aren't you going to do anything about it?"
Nie Zhengyun said calmly, "The country will soon be peacefully liberated. At that time, the Green Gang will be superfluous. It's better to find a place to stay as soon as possible. Those who are willing to follow me, I will bring them here with me. Those who are not willing to follow, they will have their own places to go."
"Hehe, Mr. Nie, you must be having some trouble adjusting to coming all this way. Why don't you go to Southeast Asia?"
"Whether one goes far or not depends on who is by one's side. Although Southeast Asia is close, there is no one close to me there, and I am not used to staying there."
But it's different here.
There is a "mao" here.
Lou Hongjian: "..."
Why does he feel like he'll have more and more neighbors in the future?
Lou Hongjian turned to look at the others, and saw the same thoughts in their eyes.
Mao Mao went into the kitchen and put all the wontons she had made that afternoon into the pot.
A moment later, she brought out a large tray of wontons: "Mother, brother, come and try my wontons."
"I spent the whole afternoon making it, and my uncle and grandma helped me too. It tasted really good, just like the ones from Haicheng."
Nie Zhengyun said at the right moment, "That's right, I've already tried it, and it does taste exactly the same as what I had in Haicheng. I haven't tasted this flavor in a long time, and I really miss it. Third Young Master, please try it."
As Lou Hongjian picked up his bowl, he thought to himself: Why does he sound like the guest?
wrong.
How come Nie Zhengyun has become the host after only being here for a short time?
My two older brothers aren't here, and even Dad isn't here. If this goes on for too long, who knows…
no!
Lou Hongjian swallowed the wonton in his mouth in a hurry, absentmindedly not even tasting what it was like, and like a tornado, he hurriedly swept upstairs.
He needs to write a letter to his father right away!
"Third Brother?"
Mao Mao watched in confusion as his figure disappeared at the top of the stairs.
Why is my brother in such a panic?
But she quickly put this confusion aside and accepted the praise from others.
"Yes, that's the taste."
"Oh dear, I never expected that the things I used to eat all the time are now so hard to find even a bite of."
"It immediately reminded me of the Moon Fairy Restaurant. I wonder if that restaurant is still there. We used to frequent it when we were in Haicheng."
Mao Mao said, "The chef taught me a lot of dishes, and I will cook them for you often in the future."
The second concubine said with a smile, "When things are peaceful again, we'll take one of your holidays and go back together to visit the Marshal and the First Madam. Then, we can eat whatever we want, whatever we miss, and have our fill!"
"And the second young master's child should have been born by now. I wonder if it's a boy or a girl."
"And those little devils, by the next time I see them, they'll have grown a lot taller. I wonder if I'll still recognize them."
"Oh, I'll go write a letter to the First Madam in a bit. It's been so long since we last met, I really miss her."
Old Madam Lou looked helplessly at the women in front of her, and after saying only a few words, she began to feel sentimental again.
"What's the rush?"
The old lady said, "As long as he is safe and sound, we will see him sooner or later."
"Yes." Mao Mao smiled sweetly, "Everyone is safe and sound, and we'll see each other again soon."
As the dawn of peace arrives, they are about to usher in a brand new tomorrow.
Tomorrow will be another new and hopeful day.
-over-
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