National Tide 1980

"Dad, Mom, my sister is back."

She was still eight feet away from her home, holding a big bag with great effort. Mi Xiaohui, who was walking at the front, shouted in front of her home like a magpie announcing the good news.

"Ouch, it's coming."

Aunt Mi heard the sound and quickly opened the door.

Looking behind the little daughter, it turns out that she is not bad.

I saw my eldest daughter Mi Xiaoran and my foreign son-in-law Zhao Hanyu, who had been away from home for several years, walking through the narrow passage and entering the hospital.

Mi Xiaoran wore a light yellow rice coat, and Zhao Hanyu wore a long down jacket.

The two of them looked decent and fashionable, wearing styles that were not available in the capital.

Aunt Mi's face turned red with excitement and she quickly greeted her.

"Hi, my daughter, you're finally back. This morning, your father and I have been uneasy. We can't wait and can't wait. I'm so anxious."

Immediately afterwards, as soon as Mi Xiaohui took her bag and entered the door, Master Mi also appeared at the door.

"Hey, my eldest daughter is really back."

When he saw Mi Xiaoran, he shouted happily.

"Look at you, you are so worried. You are not coming back now. Just come back. What's the matter? It's cold outside. Come inside quickly."

"Mom, Dad, how are you all? I miss you so much."

Mi Xiaoran stepped forward and gave each of his parents a hug, and kissed them affectionately on the face.

Now she is used to saying hello in the American way.

But fortunately, after not seeing each other for so many years, relatives actually need such intimate gestures to express their longing for each other.

Although it is a bit illogical, it is not offensive.

As parents, Aunt Mi and Master Mi both had red eyes and completely ignored the existence of other people.

"Okay. Are you tired from the journey? Are you homesick?"

"Yes I do."

"Oh, Xiaoran, look at you, you look like you've grown taller."

"Where is it? Dad, you are talking nonsense."

It wasn't until Zhao Hanyu, who was following Mi Xiaoran, also called the two elders "Dad" and "Mom" that they realized that they had been careless and ignored the American son-in-law.

So the old couple hurriedly arranged their luggage for their son-in-law and daughter, and then fetched hot water for them to wash their faces.

Zhao Hanyu looked at the basin of steaming water a little confused.

"Why do you have to wash your face? Is this a custom in the capital?"

Aunt Mi quickly explained, "It's very windy and sandy in the capital. If you don't wipe your face when you come back from a trip, your face will be gray. So when you come in, you wash your face first, and guests from far away are also asked to wash their faces."

Zhao Hanyu followed the local customs and took off his coat to wash it.

Unexpectedly, Mi Xiaoran stopped him, "We came back by car and it was not so dusty. This is an outdated habit. It's okay if you don't wash it off, but I won't wash it off. Otherwise, all the makeup on my face will be gone." By the way, a bungalow in Beijing is no better than an apartment in New York, you might catch a cold if you wash it."

Zhao Hanyu then changed his mind again, "Then I won't wash it."

As a result, neither the young couple accepted the kindness of the old couple.

Instead, Mi Xiaohui brought a towel, made arrangements for Luo Guangliang to wash his face, and then took the initiative to bring out a basin of soapy water.

This made Aunt Mi feel a little unhappy.

Why it's awkward, I can't tell.

Anyway, the old lady felt that her eldest daughter had been out of the country for half her life and had become irrational when she came back.

But as the saying goes, it’s not like spending money.

Soon it was time to distribute the exotic gifts, and Aunt Mi's unhappiness disappeared.

"Hey, Guang Liang, please help me get those two boxes."

"Mom and Dad, I bought you American ginseng, a specialty of the United States. This rice cooker is very convenient for cooking, just plug it in. If you use this at home, mom will save trouble."

"And this microwave oven, you can just put leftovers in it for five minutes. Not only can it sterilize, but it can also roast sweet potatoes and pop popcorn."

"By the way, this sweater and scarf are also my mother's. The whiskey and Marlboro are my father's."

"Hey, Xiaohui, come here. I have brought you the most things. These clothes, jeans, these chocolates, chewing gum, potato chips, this bag, this electronic watch, and these tapes are all bought for you. Yes. There are also these sunglasses and this stuffed dog, specially chosen for you. Are you happy now?"

Not to mention, the young couple really brought back a lot of things.

Two big boxes, opened full of all kinds of gifts.

It can be seen that Mi Xiaoran still misses his family very much.

But at this time, Luo Guangliang felt like an outsider.

It's a little strange to see the whole family huddle together so happily and happily.

So I quickly found a break to say goodbye.

"What about that, Master Mi, Aunt Mi, Xiaoran, I have delivered it to you safely, then I will go back."

Of course Master Mi can't let him go, he has to stay as a guest.

"Don't worry, sit down and drink some tea. We'll have lunch at home later. Me, Hanyu, and you will have some drinks together. You can also try some foreign wine."

"No, no, you will have a lot to say when your whole family is reunited. I won't interrupt."

Aunt Mi also felt unbearable, so she said that she had watched Luo Guangliang grow up and she should ask him to do something.

But where can anyone call someone for free?

"Where are you? It's all up to you to travel such a long distance today. How can you not eat? Besides. Guang Liang, you and Xiaoran also grew up together. What's the difference between you and your biological brothers and sisters? Why do you want to be with us? My aunt is a heretic."

"No way, that's all. I can still be polite to you."

Luo Guangliang smiled kindly and said, "I really have something to do over there. To be honest, there are still some things in our house that have not been put away. I have to finish cleaning them up before you can do them."

"And after I finish it here, I still have to run a car and take these things to Uncle Kang to Weijia Hutong. If I drink, it will be inconvenient to drive. Shouldn't Wei Min come back too? Well. It happened in the past two days. So I have to help Uncle Kang clean up over there."

"Don't worry, it's not easy for either Xiaoran or Weimin to come back. It's even more difficult for our hospital to have such a complete set of people. We have to join in the fun no matter what. Uncle Kang has already wanted to do this. This Chinese New Year is a great time It's been several days. Are you still worried that I won't have a chance to drink your wine?"

As a result, Master Mi and Aunt Mi no longer kept anyone around, and both said, "Go slowly."

In the end, no one expected it to be Mi Xiaohui.

Just when Luo Guangliang was about to turn around and go out, the girl stopped him and actually stuffed one of Master Mi's two Marlboros into Luo Guangliang's arms.

"Brother Liangzi, take it and smoke it."

As a result, Master Mi and Aunt Mi certainly had nothing to say, and they both echoed, "Take it, take it."

Just like that, Luo Guangliang left with a cigarette.

But now that he was gone, Mi Xiaoran looked at Luo Guangliang and his sister with displeasure.

I don't know if it was because Luo Guangliang mentioned Ning Weimin that made Mi Xiaoran angry.

Or maybe it was because along the way, the sister and son didn't chat well, and the frequency was a bit different.

Especially her sister's mouth in the car almost made Mi Xiaoran unable to get off the stage. At this time, Mi Xiaoran couldn't wait to find a place to get angry, thinking that he could use this incident to talk about his sister.

"I said, you girl, your hands are too big. Why do you just give away things from home so casually? I bought them for my dad."

Mi Xiaohui was stunned for a moment after being scolded and then argued with reason.

"Hey, you are the one who should pick you up, right? Can't we thank them?"

"I didn't say I shouldn't thank you, but it's better to just take two packs. Do you deserve a whole pack? I only brought back two packs in total. Do you know how much this pack of cigarettes costs? Eighteen dollars."

Mi Xiaohui couldn't help but roll her eyes at her sister when she actually asked for money.

"No, sister, why are you so petty when you go out? This is about money."

However, her look also made Mi Xiaoran, who felt justified, even more angry.

"Why isn't this a matter of money? You think your sister's money comes from the strong wind, while I earn it from taking care of other people's children. My income is only five dollars an hour. Don't be a householder and don't know how expensive firewood and rice are. "

"Look at what you said. If it were the other way around, do you know how much gas it would cost to run back and forth from the Capital Airport? If you want to make such a trip in a taxi in the capital, you can even earn two Marlboros. You I thought I couldn’t afford it. I’m not short of money, so why bother with the thankless effort? Besides, you’re back, and there’s not enough room at home. In order to make your stay comfortable, Uncle Kang and Brother Liangzi took the initiative to free up the room for our family. Yeah. Have you included the rent? You are so stingy."

This time Mi Xiaoran ignored him and was stunned.

However, she is a good-looking person, and she gets even angrier when she is embarrassed.

"You girl have a grudge against me, don't you? Thanks to me thinking about you all these years, I keep sending you things while abroad. It seems that I have spoiled you, you are just like a little white-eyed wolf."

"Oh my god, are you always right just for this? Then what do you think of me? Forget it, I don't dare to ask for your things..."

"Hey, you little thing. Why do you speak for an outsider like this? Do you still regard me as your sister? I can't control you anymore, can I? Let me tell you, don't treat everyone as a good person. You are so stupid. . Besides, I didn’t ask him to vacate the house. It was his own fault. Don’t forget, he has gone in..."

"Sister! I'm really angry when you say that again! We have to be grateful for the kindness we get from others. Why are you so condescending? Didn't you just go to the United States for a few years? Why did your accent change when you came back, and it makes no sense? said……"

In this way, the two sisters, who had not seen each other for several years and were worried about each other, actually said "ru" at home.

Mi Xiaohui really felt aggrieved on behalf of Luo Guangliang.

I went out early in the morning and didn't even have a good sleep in order to pick up Mi Xiaoran. I was so tired.

She felt that her sister had become selfish and stingy when she returned to China. She was like a dog biting Lu Dongbin and did not recognize a good heart.

Mi Xiaoran felt that her sister didn't know how to stay close to each other, and she was jealous of her sister as an outsider.

If we don't treat her properly, she'll be fine!

In short, the two sisters talked louder and louder as they talked, and they turned red and started arguing not long after they met.

Fortunately, their voices became louder and louder, and soon attracted the attention of their parents and Zhao Hanyu who were talking.

With their combined efforts and intervention, the two sisters stopped quarreling and each stopped in time to stop the fight.

But in this way, even if they stayed in the same room again, the two sisters had nothing to say, and they were vaguely talking about their status.

Not even after sitting for a moment, Mi Xiaohui left the room on her own and ran to Luo Guangliang's room.

Luo Guangliang was really not lying, and was busy packing things into cardboard boxes.

"Hey, why are you here? You're not accompanying your sister."

"I don't want to accompany you. I think she's annoyed. She came back from two years in the United States, and now everything can be related to the United States. She is a spiritual American. She has such a big head that she doesn't even know her last name. Even my brother-in-law, who is a real American, , not as arrogant as her. She is also very embarrassed."

Mi Xiaohui's angry look amused Luo Guangliang.

"Okay, don't talk about your sister like that. Maybe the United States is advanced, and your sister probably has good intentions and wants you to gain experience. I can hear it. She is thinking about letting you study abroad in the future. Your sister, Everything is planned for you. You must not lose your temper or offend your sister, then you will regret it."

"Study abroad? Oh, I don't care about it."

"What's wrong with going abroad? Your sister has gone, and Wei Min has gone too. They are the ones who can do great things. Why don't you go if you have the conditions?"

"But Brother Weimin is not like her, so showy. Every time he comes back, he is still so close. Just tell her, if I really want to study abroad, I won't go to the United States. When I go to Japan, I want to find Brother Weimin. "

"Haha, that's okay. You are also his sister. As long as you speak, I don't think Weimin will care about you. Even if he doesn't care, then I will care too. Hey, Xiaohui, let me tell you this, as long as you Go to school hard and get good grades. No matter where you go to study in the future, the expenses will be covered by me. Your Brother Ryoko's business is going well now. I guarantee that I will be able to support you by then. No matter in Japan or the United States, you won't have to go out to wash the dishes. Just concentrate on your studies..."

"real?"

"Really. Brother Liangzi, there are times when you don't mean what you say."

"Okay, then I have to flatter you. Come on, Brother Liangzi, I'll light a cigarette for you."

"Hey, my good sister, you are very discerning..."

"Brother Liangzi, let me help you do it too. Hurry up."

"No, you'd better go home quickly. We've been chatting for a while, so don't delay your reunion dinner..."

"What? I'm not going. I'm full just looking at my sister's face. I'll go with you later, and I'll help Uncle Kang clean up the house. I heard it's big over there, but I haven't seen it before. Yeah. You can treat me to something for lunch, or just make a bowl of instant noodles..."

"Where can this go?"

"Why not? As soon as my sister comes back, my father and mother will definitely be around her. Who cares about me? And if I want to go back, I will have to quarrel with her."

"Then... okay? Uncle Kang should be fine over there. There is food, so you won't be hungry. But before you leave, you have to speak to your parents. They will agree..."

"okay."

If Mi Xiaohui really thought it through, now that Mi Xiaoran comes back, her parents really don't notice her.

In fact, while she was helping Luo Guangliang, in the next room, Mi Xiaoran was instilling the concept of American wealth into her parents with an expert attitude.

Her parents were also listening intently and even forgot about cooking for a while.

"Oh, when we go back to China, the biggest headache is giving gifts. The good ones are too expensive, and the cheap ones are hard to come by. Fortunately, there is FLEAMARKET in the United States..."

"What?" Aunt Mi and Master Mi were both stunned.

"It's the flea market. As long as you pick patiently, you'll be able to buy high-quality and cheap things. Hey, Mom, look, that's where I bought my sweater."

"It's very pretty." Aunt Mi touched it and praised it sincerely.

Indeed, the style, color, and feel are all good.

"Mom, how much do you think it is?"

"If you want to buy this in the capital, it must cost over a hundred yuan. After all, it is an American product."

"Exactly, I only spent two dollars. It's only a dozen yuan in RMB."

"Really, it's so cheap!" Mi Xiaoran's answer shocked Aunt Mi.

Even Master Mi, who had no interest in clothes at all, looked shocked when he heard the price.

But that's not the end yet, Mi Xiaoran continued to ask.

"Hey, Mom, how about you look at these pants of mine again?"

"Pure wool?" Aunt Mi'er's hands determined based on experience.

"It's still Italian. Look, MADE IN ITALY, touch it, touch it well."

"Then...this shouldn't be more than a thousand?" Master Mi spoke up.

"Yes, this would cost two hundred dollars in a big shopping mall in the United States. My coat was more expensive, costing five hundred dollars. But these pants, I only spent one dollar."

Now Master Mi and Aunt Mi were collectively moved.

"One dollar, isn't that the same as picking it up for free?"

"Hey, could this be bought from that flea market?"

"NONONO!" Mi Xiaoran explained in a foreign accent, "There is a kind of store in the United States called a dollar store. Foreigners are different from us. If the clothes they wear feel inappropriate or there is something wrong with them, they don't want them. Either donate it to charity or bring it to a store like this. It’s almost like throwing it away.”

After finishing speaking, she turned around in front of Aunt Mi, showing off her flaws.

"Hey, Mom, let me show you, there's a hole in my back. Look at me, I'm taking the clothes off. Isn't it just like new? There's nothing wrong with it."

But even so, Aunt Mi was still unbelievable.

"I don't need this pair of pants anymore. It's really too luxurious."

"Yes, you are right. This is the characteristic of America. Oh, people's material life is really rich. As long as you have the ability to enter the middle class, you can buy a very large house in a good area. . It’s so big that people here can’t even imagine it. And you can change into beautiful clothes every day and throw them away as soon as you don’t like them. For an American who earns tens of thousands of dollars a year, clothes worth one or two hundred yuan What does it matter?"

However, even Zhao Hanyu couldn't stand hearing these words. He was afraid that Mi Xiaoran would beautify the United States too much, so he wanted to add a few words objectively.

"You can't say that. In fact, there are poor people in the United States and some living on the streets."

Unexpectedly, Mi Xiaoran was talking so enthusiastically that he didn't give him the chance and interrupted him.

"But most of the poor people in the United States are people of color, and of course that includes us Chinese. Hanyu's current job is already considered to be quite high-end and outstanding among Chinese Americans. Parents, let me tell you, the United States All public places use English. Only the FLEAMARKET I went to said 'Welcome' in Chinese."

"This is really disgraceful. But what does it mean? Let me tell you, what I feel most deeply in the United States is the words 'people are poor and have short ambitions'. In a society of money, if you want to be good Life. With status and respect, the only thing you can do is make money, and make money desperately. Make money constantly, make lots and lots of money. This is AMERICAN." (End of Chapter)