National Tide 1980.

In the real society of this era, not many people can see the helplessness and embarrassment of women when faced with pressure to get married.

In this era, girls who are of marriageable age but have no ideal partner not only have to deal with the prejudice and conspiracy of the outside world, but also have to endure the misunderstanding and pressure from their families.

For an adult woman, not getting married seems to be cast under some kind of curse, making them appear particularly different.

Whether it is Yin Yue or Lan Lan, they are actually victims of this social environment.

Even though Lan Lan made the decision to start a family, it was because she was under pressure that was difficult to explain to outsiders and she did not want to break the expectations of her parents and relatives, so there were certain passive factors.

But then again, sometimes, even this kind of pressure is actually a kind of happiness.

Because only those who are about to lose something will truly realize how precious the things they took for granted in the past are.

At this moment, Qu Xiao, who is also one of Ning Weimin's confidantes, is experiencing the pain of "people want to support their parents but their parents are no longer there".

On this New Year's Eve, in this building, almost every household is brightly lit, with delicious fish and meat, and a festive atmosphere.

Only Qu Xiao's home was cold and dark, and no one was even watching TV.

The loudest noise in her home was her father snoring as he caught up on his sleep in the next room.

Apart from this, the only other noises that could be heard were the occasional explosion of fireworks outside the window and the faint noise coming from the neighbors' house upstairs.

If for no other reason, it was because cancer had not only tortured Qu Xiao's mother beyond repair, but had also exhausted Qu Xiao and her father.

In particular, Qu Xiao and her father had already learned from the attending physician that Qu Xiao's mother was terminally ill and could die at any time.

Their hearts were filled with even more sorrow and sadness, and it was impossible for them to have any mood to celebrate the New Year.

In fact, this Spring Festival, Qu Xiao's family even had a makeshift New Year's Eve dinner.

Qu Xiao's father simply prepared two bowls of noodles for himself and his daughter, and cut some cooked food, just to fill them up.

Qu Xiao's mother had even less need for food.

Her disease was caused by her stomach. Apart from the intravenous drip and glucose injections, the only thing she could eat was some liquid food.
So at this moment, Qu Xiao was feeding lotus root powder to his mother one spoonful at a time.

This kind of lotus root powder was Qu Xiao’s favorite when she was a child. When she was little, her mother would feed her it.

But she didn't expect that life is a cycle. Now it is her turn to feed her mother. This role change is really sad.

Besides, Qu Xiao had never felt her mother so weak before.

In the past, her mother was a well-known beauty, but now her face was pale, she was skin and bones, and a lot of her beautiful hair had fallen out.

One can only vaguely feel the nobility and beauty she once possessed from her eyes.

The phrase "working hard through the night" couldn't be more appropriate.

I watched my mother's life slowly drain away like a burning oil lamp, but I was powerless to do anything.

This made Qu Xiao feel even more depressed, and he began to regret and blame himself deeply.

Yes, over the years, I have given my mother so little.

As the only child in the family, she was really unqualified.

The last time she went home for the Spring Festival, her mother had stomach discomfort. How come she was like a dead person and didn't think of taking her mother to the hospital?

You clearly know that your mother has stomach problems, so why are you so superstitious about the level of Japanese doctors and think that your mother has been completely cured?
There is nothing 100% certain in this world!
Stupid, I am so stupid.

Qu Xiao even recalled the earlier days.

If she had been more well-behaved since she was young and paid more attention to her mother's diet.

If we could stop busy mothers from always eating rice soaked in hot water to save time and trouble, and not let them eat leftovers.

Then would my mother’s stomach problems not have worsened to the extent they are today?
Even after the operation, if she didn't go to France to continue being a model, she would just stay in the country to accompany her mother and not let her mother worry about her anymore.

So will my mother’s stomach problem really be cured?

Or at least it won't deteriorate rapidly?
And so on and so forth… These thoughts cut her heart like sharp knives.

She could not help reproaching herself for her carelessness, for her lack of concern for her mother.

Because of this, her nose felt sore and her heart felt like something was biting her, biting her again and again, causing her great pain.

However, when Qu Xiao's mother drank the lotus root powder her daughter fed her, she was just grateful in her heart.

It is said that "there is no filial son by the bedside of a long-term patient". She is grateful to her beloved daughter for rushing back from abroad for her and has been taking care of her day and night, carefully and considerately until today.

Whether at home or outside, his kindness, meticulousness and patience are unmatched by any other children's.

When she was in the hospital, both the doctors and the patients in the same room expressed their envy that she had such a good daughter.

So she not only felt distressed and grateful for her daughter's hard work, but also cherished the few remaining times they had together.

She herself didn't believe what the doctor said, that as long as she remained relaxed and optimistic, she would still be able to survive.

Knowing that her end was near, there were some things she had to say today.

So after she had reluctantly finished eating more than half a bowl of lotus root powder, she did not let her daughter wash the dishes, but grabbed Qu Xiao's hand and kept her.

"Don't leave yet. I may only be here for a day or two. While I'm still in good spirits today, I have something to tell you..."

Qu Xiao was horrified.

"Mom, what are you talking about? Don't let your imagination run wild. The doctor told you to rest and take a rest. Just relax...

"Relax? You are reassuring me. We all know that I will only be gone for a day or two. Mom knows when it is time to go, and she will go quickly and not be a burden to others."

Qu Xiao's mother looked cheerful, and she talked about life and death as if she were chatting casually. However, this also made Qu Xiao more frightened, and she began to realize something.

"mom!"

At this moment, Qu Xiao could no longer hold back the tears that she had just held back, and they just fell down.

"Xiaoxiao, don't cry. Birth, aging, sickness and death are all normal. I am already satisfied that I can survive this year. Especially in this life, I have a good daughter like you who is well-behaved and promising. I have to thank God for such a blessing."

Qu Xiao grabbed her mother's hand tightly, and she lowered her head and cried uncontrollably.

And her mother was still clear-headed as she gave her explanation.

"If there is something I can't let go of, I can't let you go now. You are too soft-hearted. From now on, you have to learn to be strong. Without your mother by your side, you have to be able to handle whatever happens. Don't be sentimental all the time. From now on, you have to live positively and optimistically, and you have to believe that there is no hurdle in life that you can't overcome."

She was especially concerned about her daughter's lifelong affairs and could never get over it.

"There is one more thing, don't blame me for being nosy, it's your lifelong event. Manager Ning is a really good guy, but it's a pity that you two are not destined to be together. Now he's married, and you're still single, how can I feel at ease? Although you always say that you've let it go, I know you haven't. You've just given up, and that's why I'm even more anxious. You have to promise me that you'll really try your best to let it go in the future. Don't refuse to get in touch with other guys. I believe that my daughter, who is so outstanding, will definitely find your own happiness..."

As she spoke, Qu Xiao's mother took out a small bag from under her pillow.

Then he told Qu Xiao that these were a pair of gold bracelets left by Qu Xiao’s grandmother.

Originally, I wanted to wait until my daughter got married to put it on her personally, but now it seems that I may not be able to wait that long, so I have to give it to her personally in advance.

Listening to his mother's calm explanation, Qu Xiao completely lost control of his emotions. He lay on his mother's body, sobbing, tears streaming down his face.

Qu Xiao's mother's eyes were a little wet at this time, but she still smiled and gently stroked her daughter's hair.

"If you want to cry, just cry as much as you can. Pour out all the tears that are drowning in your heart. I know you have been holding them back since you came back. You always cry secretly in places where no one is around because you are afraid that I will feel bad. Now that I let you cry, I won't feel bad. But you must remember to smile at others in any situation in the future, because people who love to smile will always have good luck, just like your name..."

…………

Under the same night sky, Ning Weimin, the culprit who caused the three girls to suffer emotional regrets, was enjoying the happiness of family.

This time when he returned to Beijing to celebrate the New Year, he came back with his family of five, even bringing his parents-in-law.

If for no other reason, the two old people were reluctant to part with their younger children.

Their minds were completely focused on this child.

If Ning Weimin and his wife really left with their child alone, their hearts would be torn.

When it’s windy, I wonder if the wind is stronger in Beijing?
When it snows, are you worried about whether your children are dressed warmly enough?
So in the end, I just arranged things in Japan and came back with my family.

On Yunyuan's side, Kang Shude and Jiang Nianyun were naturally welcoming.

Anyway, Yunyuan has now become a foreign-related hotel, so accommodating guests is not a problem at all. According to Chinese tradition, the more people there are during the Spring Festival, the more lively it will be.

And the key is the children.

As long as the child is back, everything else is fine.

In fact, the little Ning Ze did not disappoint. She was fair and delicate, plump and beautiful. At only half a year old, she was already a beautiful girl based on her appearance.

Unlike most other children, he is not one of those "ugly ducklings" whose gender cannot be identified at first glance.

She has become a star in Yunyuan, sitting up, grabbing toys, eating noodles, and blowing bubbles.
Although her skills were not very great, her every move excited her relatives in Beijing who met her for the first time, and made people savor it for a long time.

Kang Shude said that the child looks more like Ning Weimin, but Jiang Niyun said that the child looks like the mother. The expression and temperament are exactly like Qingzi, and she will definitely be a beautiful girl when she grows up.

The two old people also held a ceremony for the child on New Year's Eve.

Actually, the "Zhuazhou" is a game, just like the Japanese custom of giving children a big pancake. No one will take it seriously, even if it is just a big dumpling.

But on the other hand, there were so many colorful things placed in front of the little thing, dozens of them.

Why didn't she grab the enchantingly green jade bracelet, the golden jewelry, the colorful candies, or the round and lovely fruits, but instead grabbed the brush from the black study items?

With just this one grab, both Japanese and Chinese elders were delighted.

"Good granddaughter, you have a promising future!"

"Sawako, Shikuichi!"

"Of course, we Yaya are just trying to make ourselves proud!"

In addition to cheers and compliments, Kang Shude and Jiang Nianyun also did a lot of work and made sufficient preparations to receive this little one, especially in terms of building relationships.

Even Keiko Matsumoto did not expect that the two old people would love a child who had no blood relationship with them at all so much.

Before going to bed, Jiang Nianyun always rubs the child's back, legs, arms, hands, forehead, and nose...

When eating, Kang Shude would let the spoonful of porridge fly like a giant airplane, and he would swallow it only after it flew over. Otherwise, he would not open his mouth...

It even made Shen Cun feel a little jealous.

Because last Christmas, his two children in the United States also came to Beijing, but they did not receive such treatment.

In private, he couldn't help but find Jiang Nianyun to complain and vent his complaints.

However, he didn't expect that the old lady would not tolerate him and immediately left him speechless.

"How dare you say that to your two children? If you weren't around, who among them would remember that they are Chinese? Look at them now. Apart from calling me 'grandma', they have forgotten even the simplest Chinese. They are not good here, but they are thinking about going back to New York after just two days. How can they be loved?"

"I won't ask for anything higher. Next time they come, ask them to write their Chinese names correctly for me. That will be enough for me. Also, teach them how to use chopsticks when eating. Don't use your hands as soon as you sit at the table. It's shabby."

"Look at Wei Min's child again. She has bright black eyes and is cheerful all day long. Who doesn't love porridge, noodles and dumplings? She looks like a beauty in her flowery jacket. This is my granddaughter. This is our Beijing child. She is so lovable just by looking at her..."

Well, there is nothing we can do. The old lady's love for her children is based on cultural factors. It is not reasonable at all. (End of this chapter)