"Xiao Wan, don't worry," she said, picking up a piece of dough that Su Wan had rolled out badly and pinching the edges with her fingers. "The key to making dumplings is to make them 'thin-skinned and round-bellied,' so they won't break when cooked."
Lin Yao leaned on the kitchen counter, watching his grandmother and Su Wan make dumplings. Suddenly, he pointed at the dumplings Su Wan had made and burst out laughing.
"This one looks like a gold ingot, and that one looks like a little mouse!"
Su Wan blushed at his words and handed him the dough in her hand: "Then why don't you give it a try?"
Lin Hu also came over, and he imitated Lin Li's style to make lace, which was slow but quite skillful.
"Third Uncle, have you ever eaten dumplings in America?"
Lin Laosan was helping Uncle Fu put the vinegar bottle on the table when he heard this. He turned around and smiled, "I want to eat it, but it just doesn't taste quite right in Chinatown."
Su Wan suddenly stopped what she was doing: "I know why," she said, picking up a dumpling and pinching a pretty pleat, "it doesn't taste like home cooking."
These words startled Lin Li, who slowed down her movements and looked out the window.
She also wants to go back to Beijing!
As the dumplings were put into the pot, white steam rose into the kitchen.
Lin Yao stood by the pot, watching the plump white dumplings float to the surface, and he was so anxious that he stomped his feet.
Su Wan served him the first bowl, but he placed it in front of Lin Li first, saying, "Grandma, eat first."
Lin Li accepted it with a smile, her eyes filled with warmth.
The conversation at the dinner table always revolved around Beijing.
When Su Wan mentioned the roasted chestnuts at the entrance of Zhuan Ta Hutong, Lin Li chimed in with a talk about the winter-stored Chinese cabbages at the Xicheng vegetable market.
Five days passed in the blink of an eye.
Lin Hu and Lin Yao finally finished their exams and started their summer vacation.
As they loaded the last piece of luggage into the car, the white magnolias in the villa fell to the ground.
Uncle Fu stood at the door waving, watching the car drive out of sight, then turned around and brought in the quilts that were drying in the yard.
My wife said she'd be staying in Beijing for a while, so we need to tidy up the house properly.
On the way to the airport, Lin Yao leaned out the car window to look at the street scene, then suddenly asked as if he remembered something, "Grandma, did you call Weiwei's grandma?"
"They hit him!"
Every year during winter and summer vacations, the two kids would return to Beijing to visit their friend Weiwei.
...
...
After the plane landed, just as the group was about to appear in the exit hall, they saw someone holding a sign at the exit that read:
"Welcome home, Su Wan!"
Upon seeing this, Su Wan's eyes lit up, and she waved towards the gate, calling out, "Dad! Mom!"
A couple stepped out from the crowd in response; the man was wearing a dark blue Zhongshan suit and thin-rimmed glasses.
The woman was wearing a light gray cardigan, her hair was neatly tied into a bun, and her eyebrows and eyes bore a seven-tenths resemblance to Su Wan.
Behind the two was a young woman in her early twenties with braided pigtails, who was standing on tiptoe to look in their direction.
"Xiao Wan!"
Su's mother quickly stepped forward, first taking her daughter's hand, but her gaze fell on Lin Laosan.
He then turned to Lin Li behind him, a look of surprise suddenly appearing in his eyes, "This is... Teacher Lin Li?"
Lin Li had just taken off her sunglasses when she heard this and paused, carefully examining the woman in front of her.
"You are...Professor Lin?"
She suddenly remembered something, "Are you Professor Lin Manqing from the History Department of Peking University?"
Su's father laughed and pushed up his glasses.
“I didn’t expect Dr. Lin to still remember us. Manqing and I both read your research on cardiovascular disease prevention published in a medical journal a few years ago, and it was very insightful.”
Lin Yao, who was listening nearby, was completely confused. He tugged at Lin Hu's sleeve and whispered, "Brother, what are they saying?"
Lin Hu shook his head, but then he saw his third uncle secretly squeeze Su Wan's palm, and the two smiled at each other.
"So you two knew each other all along."
Lin Laosan introduced with a smile, "Mom, these are Su Wan's parents, Professor Su Zhiyuan and Professor Lin Manqing, both of whom teach at Peking University."
He then turned to Su's parents, "Uncle and Aunt, this is my mother, Lin Li, who has been doing medical research."
Su Zhiyuan grasped Lin Li's hand, his grip neither too light nor too heavy.
"It's truly admirable that Dr. Lin has persisted in conducting medical research in Hong Kong all these years. One of our department's teachers has a doctor as his spouse, and he often mentions your achievements in the field of cardiovascular medicine, saying that several of your preventive theories are still very instructive today."
Lin Li felt a little embarrassed by the compliment: "Professor Su, you flatter me. I'm just doing my part in the medical field."
On the way to the parking lot, Su's father suddenly patted Lin Laosan on the shoulder.
"I heard that your research on smart grids and power system optimization at Stanford is very insightful."
Lin Laosan was taken aback for a moment, then realized: "You're also interested in this field?"
“Manqing’s nephew works in the energy sector and often mentions you.”
Su's father smiled gently, "Those of us who do humanities research also need to understand some of the new technologies in the country's infrastructure construction."
Lin Li listened from the side and suddenly felt that the scene was very strange.
Who would have thought that one day, his son would make achievements in the field of power system research, and that his girlfriend's parents would be his colleagues at Peking University.
Su's mother quietly pulled Lin Li's hand and moved two steps to the side.
"Dr. Lin, to be honest, Xiao Wan mentioned Lao San to us, and we are all quite satisfied. Xiao Wan is only in her twenties and is still like a child, while Lao San is steady and can take care of her."
She glanced at the two young people walking side by side and said, "It's not easy for young people these days to support each other and work hard in their respective fields."
Lin Li watched her son's back as he listened intently to Su Wan's words, a tenderness she hadn't shown in a long time playing on his lips.
“I’m glad the children are willing,” she said softly. “I only have one son. He’s been stubborn since he was little and has devoted himself to power system research. I’m so grateful that Xiao Wan is so understanding.”
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