Return to 88: Starting from Marrying My Sister-in-law

The living quarters of the Singapore Century Security Base resemble a tightly guarded yet self-sufficient miniature town.

The morning sun shines through the tall coconut grove, casting dappled light and shadow on the neatly trimmed lawn. The crisp chirping of birds replaces the gunshots and sirens of rainy nights in Hsinchu that I remember. The air is filled with the fragrance of tropical plants and the aroma of food.

Inside the suite, Chen Wen's wife, Li Weiwei, gently pulled back the heavy bulletproof curtains, letting the sunlight flood the living room.

She looked out the window and saw several security personnel in base uniforms, looking relaxed, playing football with some children on the lawn. Among them was her daughter, Xiaoxi, who had just started elementary school and was a tomboy.

The child's laughter was crisp and loud, and his face showed a long-lost, untroubled joy.

This scene finally allowed Li Weiwei, whose nerves had been on edge for more than half a month, to slowly relax.

The school inside the base solved Xiaoxi's academic problems, and the medical team provided her with a thorough examination. Her husband, Chen Wen, was treated as an honored guest, and even she, as an "engineer's family member," received meticulous care.

In the study, Chen Wen faced a thick stack of technical documents and drawings, his fingers unconsciously tracing the edges of the pages.

The lingering fear in his eyes had mostly faded, replaced by a strange sense of excitement and a drive to succeed in his future.

He still remembered President Lu's words, "My promise to you remains valid. Please produce our own top-notch chips as quickly as possible" and "The blood shed cannot be in vain."

So that he will always remember it.

It was even etched into his heart like a brand.

He was no longer the routine engineer at UMC; he was a pioneer burdened with the cost of his life and heavy expectations.

The future is in his own hands.

Taking a deep breath, Chen Wen picked up his pen and began to focus intently on marking the drawings.

"Dong dong." There was a knock on the door.

Lin Chundong pushed open the door and came in, carrying two steaming cups of coffee.

Seeing Chen Wen's back as he worked at his desk, a gratified smile appeared on his face.

"Old Chen, take a break."

Lin Chundong placed the coffee on the corner of the desk and said excitedly, "I'd like to discuss a few key parameters with you again at the equipment debugging meeting this afternoon. The calibration accuracy of that ASML lithography machine still depends on your 'golden eyes' to keep it in check. President Lu and I have high expectations for you, so you can't let us down."

Chen Wen looked up, adjusted his glasses, and his eyes gleamed with the focused intensity typical of a technologist: "No problem, Chief Engineer Lin. I've reviewed the documents, and there are a few points I'd like to discuss with you. Also, regarding the optimization plan for that etching process window..."

"That's exactly what I was thinking of telling you."

The conversation quickly turned to their professional fields, and the gloom of the past was temporarily dispelled by the technical problems that needed to be solved at the moment.

Lin Chundong pulled up a chair and sat down.

The two immediately immersed themselves in a sea of ​​blueprints and data.

I forgot about time.

. . .

Busyness is like a never-ending engine, driving the establishment of Singapore Century Microelectronics.

The construction of the wafer fab's cleanroom proceeded day and night, with core equipment arriving, being installed, and debugged one after another. Lin Chundong led the technical team, with Chen Wen and others at its core, working at high speed and under intense pressure, like gears on a precision instrument.

Occasionally, he would even transform into a "frequent flyer," participating in technical meetings, equipment procurement negotiations, and accompanying Lu Yang, the group's CEO, to dialogues with the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB)... Every step was filled with hard work and busyness.

At noon that day, the sun was blazing.

Lu Yang had just finished a business lunch hosted by senior executives of EDB.

Amidst the clinking of glasses and the exchange of toasts, the interests of all parties were subtly intertwined through smiles and toasts.

Even though Lu Yang had a good capacity for alcohol.

After several rounds, coupled with the continuous work during this period, I also felt a slight, imperceptible fatigue.

The black bulletproof sedan smoothly drove into the garden villa nestled among the green trees.

Xiao Jiu got out of the car first, cautiously scanned her surroundings, and only opened the car door after confirming that it was safe.

Gong Ping'an, who had not yet returned to China, followed closely beside Lu Yang, his eyes sharp as an eagle's.

Lu Yang waved his hand, indicating that they should stay in the front yard: "I'm going back inside to rest, you guys rest for a while too."

He walked alone through the courtyard, his pace slightly slower than usual.

The garden was tranquil and vibrant in the afternoon, with various tropical flowers vying for attention and the air filled with intoxicating fragrance.

His gaze was instantly drawn to the figure beside the flowerbed.

Xu Siqi leaned back in the soft rattan lounge chair. She was nearing her due date, and her high, protruding belly outlined the curve of life beneath her thin maternity dress.

She tilted her head slightly, her long eyelashes gleaming in the sunlight, trembling gently as she read.

An open book rested on her lap. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the branches of the tall phoenix trees in the courtyard, forming clear beams of light. A few rays gently fell on her hair and the pages of the book, creating a dreamlike and tranquil atmosphere.

She was bathed in a halo of light, breathtakingly beautiful, like a meticulously painted oil painting, instantly washing away Lu Yang's fatigue and the tension of the business world.

Lu Yang walked over quietly and squatted down beside her, his warm breath, carrying a faint scent of red wine, brushing against her forehead.

"looking at what?"

Press your face close to it.

Gently place on

His voice was deep and gentle, with a hint of laziness and a barely perceptible hoarseness.

Xu Siqi was slightly startled, then raised her eyes.

Sunlight fell into her clear eyes, reflecting Lu Yang's gentle, smiling face.

She closed the book.

A serene smile curved her lips.

She placed a hand on Lu Yang's face, her voice soft and sweet: "You're back. I was reading a book, and it said that when the Tyndall effect occurs, light takes on shape..."

She paused.

Her hands continued moving, stroking Lu Yang's cheek and his slightly prickly stubble chin, saying, "Love is the same."

Lu Yang felt as if the softest feather had brushed against his heart.

He reached out and placed his hand on her small hand that was stroking his cheek, while his other hand gently brushed away the strands of hair that had been ruffled by the wind from her cheek. His eyes were focused and ardent: "Where is love?"

Xu Siqi's smile deepened.

She intertwined her fingers with his, then raised her other small hand to grasp his large hand that brushed away the wind-blown strands of hair from her cheek. She guided his palm down to her swollen belly, feeling the strong movements of the little life that was about to arrive inside her. She then gently pressed his hand to her heart, gazing at him with tender eyes, her voice as soft as a sigh: "Can you feel it? I love it in my heart."

The sunlight in the courtyard was still gentle, and the branches of the phoenix tree swayed gently in the breeze, casting dappled light and shadow on the wicker lounge chair.

Lu Yang half-squatted beside Xu Siqi, and the touch of her palm against his cheek was like a warm current, instantly melting away the fatigue left over from the luncheon.

The impulsive words almost spilled out: "After the baby is born, why don't you come back to China with me?"

His Adam's apple bobbed, and his eyes welled up with emotion. The girl before him, carrying his child, loved him wholeheartedly, yet never asked for more.

Singapore's prosperity and the strict security of the base seemed to become mere background noise, leaving only the light in her clear eyes, making him unable to bear letting her drift alone overseas any longer.

But Xu Siqi gently raised her fingers and softly sealed his lips with hers.

"Do not say."

Her voice was as soft as a sigh, a serene smile playing on her lips, as she said with unwavering conviction, "I made my choice to be where I am today, you don't need to feel awkward about it."

Her fingertips were slightly cool as she stroked the stubble on his chin.

With a sweet smile, she said, "I am already very content to be able to see you every day like this, and for the child in my belly to be born and seen by its father."

She paused, her gaze lowered, her long eyelashes casting shadows in the Tyndall effect light. "You know what? Having these things is far beyond my expectations. Please don't give me too many extra expectations, or I might ask for even more."

When she mentioned "Sister Mingyue", her voice trembled slightly, as if she had been pricked by a needle. "I have already wronged her too much by now, and I don't want to continue to wrong her."

Lu Yang's heart felt as if it were being clenched by an invisible hand, a mixture of bitterness and tenderness.

He suddenly reached out and pulled her into a tight embrace.

Xu Siqi's swollen belly pressed against his chest, her movements strong, as if protesting the sudden embrace.

She gave a soft hum, but did not struggle. She simply buried her face in the crook of his shoulder, the fragrance of tropical flowers in her hair mingling with the scent of red wine on his body.

Lu Yang tightened his arms, arched his body, avoided her protruding belly, and almost wanted to knead her into his bones and blood.

The words, "I'll bring you back to China after you give birth," remained stuck in his throat, unspoken.

The courtyard was quiet, with only birdsong and the faint clamor of the base in the distance; time seemed to stand still.

Xu Siqi whispered in his arms, "This is good... really."

Lu Yang closed his eyes, resting his chin on the top of her head, feeling this fragile yet stubborn happiness.

The sun was scorching, but it couldn't dispel the gloom in his heart: what he owed her was more than just a promise.
A week later, at St. Mary's National Hospital in Singapore.

The smell of disinfectant replaced the fragrance of the garden, and hurried footsteps echoed in the corridor.

When Xu Siqi was wheeled into the delivery room, her face was pale and her hair was soaked with sweat, but her eyes were unusually calm.

She gripped Lu Yang's hand tightly, her fingertips icy cold.

"don’t worry."

He spoke in a low, hoarse voice, trying to hide his nervousness.

The delivery room door closed, and Lu Yang leaned against the cold wall, while Gong Ping'an and Xiao Jiu stood guard in the distance, their expressions wary.

Time ticked by, and Lu Yang's thoughts drifted back to the establishment of Century Microelectronics: Lin Chundong's email was still on his phone, urging him to attend the lithography machine calibration meeting.

But at this moment, all he could do was wait.

Finally, a baby's cry broke the silence, loud and full of life.

The nurse came out of the room with a big smile: "Congratulations, it's a healthy baby girl."

Lu Yang rushed in and saw Xu Siqi lying weakly on the delivery bed, holding a small swaddled baby in her arms.

The baby's face was rosy, and its eyebrows and eyes resembled its mother's just like hers; it was sleeping peacefully.

Xu Siqi looked up, her eyes glistening with tears: "Look, she looks just like you..."

Lu Yang bent down and gently kissed her forehead, then touched his daughter's cheek.

A warm feeling welled up in my heart.

At the same time, I made a decision in my heart...

The distinctive smell of disinfectant from Singapore's St. Mary's Hospital hadn't yet dissipated when Lu Yang stood before the spacious floor-to-ceiling window of the VIP ward, his gaze fixed on the lush tropical gardens outside, the cigarette between his fingers unlit.

Smoking is prohibited here, and the swaddled baby in his arms is even more precious.

The little girl had just finished breastfeeding and was sleeping soundly with her eyes closed, her little mouth smacking unconsciously.

Xu Siqi leaned against the hospital bed, her face still a little pale from postpartum recovery, but she was in good spirits. Her eyes followed Lu Yang and the child in his arms tenderly, overflowing with the tranquility and satisfaction of becoming a new mother.

The room was filled with a warm feeling, a warmth that came with new life mixed with weariness.

Lu Yang carefully adjusted his position to make his daughter more comfortable.

He looked down at that pure and innocent face, and the excitement he had felt in the garden, stirred by the Tyndall effect, had now settled into a more solid, yet heavier, responsibility.

"Siqi." Lu Yang's deep voice broke the silence in the room.

He carried the child to the bedside and sat down, looking into her watery eyes, and said, "There's something I think it's time to do."

Xu Siqi looked at his slightly solemn expression and her heart tightened slightly, as if she had a premonition of something: "What's wrong?"

Lu Yang shifted his gaze from his daughter's face and looked honestly at the new mother in front of him: "About us, and the child."

He paused, organizing his thoughts, "Whether your parents understand or accept it or not, I think... your uncles and aunts back home should know. They have the right to know that their daughter has become a mother and that their granddaughter has come into this world."

Xu Siqi's eyes instantly reddened.

She had imagined this scenario countless times, and fantasized about her parents' possible reactions—anger? Disappointment? Or... a complex emotion that was hard to describe?

She turned her face away, looking out the window, her fingers unconsciously twisting the corner of the blanket, her voice trembling slightly: "You... told them?"

Lu Yang shook his head.

"Not yet, but I'll get it done today if you agree."

Lu Yang's tone was firm.

Now that they have a child, and she can't stay abroad for long, she thinks about how they've already had a child.

He said firmly, “This is my responsibility, and you shouldn’t have to bear it alone. Telling them the truth is my sincerity and a confirmation of the child’s identity. As for whether they are willing and when they are willing to come to see you, that is their choice, but we must give them the right to know. And don’t worry, I will talk to them and let them have any complaints. They can come at me. From beginning to end, it was a mistake that I, as a man, made that any man would make.”

Xu Siqi remained silent for a long time, tears silently streaming down her face.

She understood Lu Yang's intention; it showed his responsibility and his concern for her and her daughter more than any grand promise.

This also means that the invisible barrier between her and her parents will be completely torn apart, leaving room and possibility for reconciliation.

Taking a deep breath and trying to calm her turbulent emotions, she finally nodded gently: "Okay...you decide."

Lu Yang freed one hand and held her slightly cool hand tightly.

He could sense the turmoil in her heart and whispered a promise: "Don't worry, I'll take care of everything."

Over the next few days, Lu Yang kept his word.

A long letter, carefully worded and filled with apology and sincerity, was delivered to Xu Siqi's parents in China through the most reliable channels.

Meanwhile, the construction and commissioning of the Singapore Century Microelectronics wafer fab, thanks to the almost obsessive efforts of Lin Chundong and Chen Wen's team, reached its first major milestone: the inaugural tape-out ceremony. (End of Chapter)