Chapter 888: Back in China, there was no rice, so they ate bread dipped in vegetable sauce.
But when the first bite of braised pork entered his mouth, and that familiar flavor melted on his tongue, Old Zhao, the most serious man in the city, actually had a few red eyes.
"Damn it..." he muttered under his breath, then picked up another large piece of meat. "Now this is what eating is all about."
Old Sun buried his head in his food, his cheeks bulging, and mumbled, "Dr. Lu, with your skills, you could definitely open a restaurant."
"What a coincidence, Natsume has a restaurant. You can try it when you get back. I'll give you a discount."
Lu Qingyang smiled and picked up a piece of shredded potato with his chopsticks; it was sour, spicy, and refreshing.
Actually, the taste is far worse than what I make at home. The soy sauce isn't the same, the pot isn't the same, and the cooking is also a bit off.
But in a foreign land, after eating food that didn't suit my taste for several days, this simple home-cooked meal became the best comfort.
The last bit of vegetable juice was wiped clean by the bread.
Old Sun touched his slightly swollen belly, leaned back in his chair, and let out a long sigh: "I'm alive again."
...
When the plane landed smoothly at the Capital Airport, I went through customs, collected my luggage, and everything went smoothly.
Old Zhao and Old Sun said goodbye to him outside the arrival hall, as they had to return to their units to give a detailed report.
Lu Qingyang, carrying a suitcase and a bulging travel bag, hailed a taxi outside the airport.
As the car entered the city, familiar street scenes came into view.
The flow of bicycles, the gray-blue Zhongshan suits, the walls painted with slogans along the roadside, the crowds queuing in front of the grocery store... all of this seemed like a different world from the city he had just left, yet it made him feel incredibly at ease.
I arrived home in the afternoon.
He unlocked the door with his key, and as soon as he pushed it open a crack, he heard Xiaoyuer's clear voice from inside: "It's Daddy!"
"You're back." Lu Qingyang put down his luggage and looked carefully at his wife and child.
It's only been less than two weeks, but it feels like a long time has passed.
"Dad, what's Europe like?" Little Stone asked eagerly.
"Dad, you promised to bring me a present!" Little Fish tugged at his clothes.
Lu Qingyang smiled, and the fatigue from the journey seemed to vanish instantly.
He opened his travel bag and started taking things out.
The dress for my little fish is a light blue one with white lace trim. I saw it in a children's clothing store in Switzerland. The material is very nice, and the style is simple yet exquisite.
There is also a set of 24-color premium watercolor paints in a tin box, with German letters printed on each paint.
"Wow!" Little Fish carefully opened the paint box and held her breath as she looked at the neatly arranged, brightly colored little squares.
The gift for Little Stone was a camera, which came with two rolls of film and a leather case.
Little Stone took it, his hands trembling, turning it over and over to look at it, seemingly wanting to press the shutter but not daring to.
"Take your time learning, start by taking pictures of things around the house." Lu Qingyang patted his son's head.
Finally, he took out an exquisitely crafted cardboard box and handed it to Shen Mo. Shen Mo wiped her hands on her apron, opened the box, and inside was an elegantly designed perfume and a light beige cashmere scarf.
"Perfume...isn't it too expensive?" Shen Mo picked up the perfume bottle, the glass reflecting a soft light in the afternoon sunlight.
Lu Qingyang looked at her and said, "Try it and see if you like it."
Shen Mo hesitated for a moment, then lightly sprayed a little on the inside of her wrist and smelled it.
It's a very fresh floral scent with a subtle hint of fruitiness; it's not strong, but it's long-lasting.
Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she whispered, "It smells nice."
The two children couldn't wait.
The little fish wants to try on a dress, and the little stone wants to study how to use a camera.
The house became very lively for a while.
The next day happened to be the weekend, and Lu Qingyang and Shen Mo decided to take the gifts and the child to the military compound to visit their parents.
As soon as the door opened, Ding Panyun came out to greet them. She first hugged Xiaoyuer tightly, then pulled Xiaoshitou up and down to look him over: "Oh my, my grandson has grown taller again!"
Fang Zhongwen stood in the living room, his back to the camera, looking serious, but the smile in his eyes was unmistakable: "You're back? Did it go smoothly?"
"Successfully, Dad." Lu Qingyang placed the things he brought on the table. Besides the nutritional supplements for his parents, there was also a small paper package.
"What is this?" Lu's mother curiously opened the paper package. Inside were several pale yellow, densely textured things that smelled of a rich milky aroma.
“Swiss cheese, a local specialty, I brought it back for you to try,” Lu Qingyang explained.
At lunchtime, the cheese was cut into small pieces and served.
Lu's mother took a sip first, and her brows immediately furrowed. She barely managed not to spit it out and quickly drank some tea to wash it down: "What is this taste... It's both salty and gamey."
Mr. Lu was quite accommodating. He chewed carefully for a few moments, but ultimately shook his head and put the remaining half of the tofu back on the plate: "I don't like it. Our fermented tofu and pickles are much more to my liking."
Little Fish, being very curious, also pinched off a small piece and put it in her mouth. Her little face immediately scrunched up: "How strange..."
Only Xiao Shitou, probably to show off his worldly experience, swallowed the whole thing, then drank most of a glass of water, and said defiantly, "It's...it's alright."
This reaction made everyone laugh.
While laughing, Lu's mother put the cheese away: "Keep it, it might come in handy sometime."
Actually, everyone knows that this cheese will most likely expire if left in the refrigerator.
After dinner, Lu's father called Lu Qingyang to the study.
After closing the door, Fang Zhongwen finally showed a concerned expression: "Did you encounter any trouble on your trip?"
"No, everything went smoothly." Lu Qingyang knew that his father was asking about more than just the official itinerary.
Although he has retired, he is still very clear about some things.
"That's good." Mr. Lu nodded, not asking any further questions, and instead talked about the latest happenings in the compound, "By the way, we're having a joint military-civilian celebration next month, you can come back and take a look when you have time."
In the living room, Shen Mo was helping Lu's mother tidy up the kitchen, and the two chatted quietly about everyday things.
Little Fish has changed into a new dress and is twirling around in front of her grandma.
Little Stone, holding his new camera, carefully composed a shot of the old-fashioned clock, the certificates on the wall, and the flowerpots on the windowsill. Although he hadn't loaded the film yet, he already looked quite professional.
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