PDLP Chapter 1067: The Hurdle in My Heart
Chapter 1067: The Hurdle in My Heart
In April 2013, Huang Xiaochuan went to Los Angeles, partly to attend the triennial World Economists Conference, and partly to visit Maowa, on the behalf of his second brother, Huang Erhe.
Since Maowa went to study in the United States, he has never returned to China. He didn't even go back for the Spring Festival this year. He only calls his father, Huang Erhe, a few times a month to let him know he is safe. This makes Huang Erhe very distressed.
But he knew what caused it, and he had no solution.
So when he learned that his younger brother was going to Los Angeles for a meeting, he personally went to ask his brother to go and see Maowa.
The Los Angeles sun was shining brightly in April. Maowa sat alone on the grass on campus, with several thick textbooks beside him. He was watching a group of students playing frisbee in the distance.
I've been in the United States for almost two years, or more accurately, one year and nine months.
Time flies; it feels like my time in Shanghai was a lifetime ago.
His student apartment was right next to the school. Although it wasn't very big, it still cost $1000 a month. However, he didn't have to worry about that money. Because he did well on the TOEFL and had a good GPA in high school, he received a scholarship from UC. Although the amount of money wasn't much, it was enough for him to pay the apartment rent and cover some of his living expenses. Although he wasn't short of money, he still wanted to rely on himself as much as possible.
"Huang Zedi!"
Someone called his name, and Maowa looked toward the source of the voice. It was Park Sung-ho, a South Korean exchange student in the same major, who was also one of his few friends at UC.
"There's a party tonight, it's for your Chinese student association, wanna go?" Park Sung-ho was holding two iced coffees and casually handed one to him.
Maowa took the coffee and shook his head: "No, I have a lab report to write tonight."
"I knew you'd say that." Park Sung-ho sat down next to Mao Wa. "You're so boring. I've known you for almost two years, and all you do is go to class, the library, or the gym. You'll rust like that."
Maowa smiled but didn't say anything.
He knew in his heart that he did have some inferiority complex, which was caused by his mother who was serving time in prison. Judging from the days, she should be released from prison soon, right?
Seeing that he didn't speak, Park Sung-ho continued to make small talk with him. He knew his friend well; he was a warm-hearted person. When he was bullied by older students, it was his friend who stood up for him and helped him. That's why their friendship has lasted until now.
Will your family attend your graduation ceremony?
Maowa was stunned for a moment. Graduation ceremony? That won't be until two years later, will it?
However, he believes his family will definitely come, but he hasn't decided yet whether to invite them to the graduation ceremony.
After graduating with his bachelor's degree, he will apply to medical school. If he is accepted, he will need to complete four more years of medical school, followed by residency and specialist training.
It's been more than a decade since this was said.
But he still answered his friend's question: "I don't know!"
"Okay, you win!" Park Sung-ho patted him on the shoulder, got up and left.
Maowa started tidying up his things on the grass, and then slowly walked back to his apartment. He could have ridden a bicycle, but he felt it was better to walk, so he could have enough time to think.
The apartment wasn't big, but he kept it very clean. There were several books he brought from China on the bookshelf, including a copy of "The Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic," which was a gift from his stepmother, Cheng Jing.
He looked at the ingredients in the refrigerator and decided to cook a nice meal to treat himself tonight. He had only been here a short time, but he had already learned to cook because he was not used to the local food.
To be fair, his cooking skills are not bad; Park Sung-ho often comes to his place for a free meal.
I had just finished cooking two dishes and a soup when the apartment doorbell rang.
Thinking it was Park Sung-ho, he opened the door and said, "Are you a cat? The food's just finished cooking and you're here." After opening the door, he walked towards the kitchen.
"Um?"
Maowa immediately sensed something was wrong; the voice wasn't Park Sung-ho's. He turned around and looked closely, exclaiming in surprise, "Third Uncle?"
Huang Xiaochuan looked at his nephew, who was wearing a simple gray t-shirt and jeans. He seemed to be a little taller than he was two years ago, but also a little thinner.
"Third Uncle, how did you find this place?" Maowa quickly offered him a seat.
"Your dad gave it to me." Huang Xiaochuan looked around the room and thought it was a bit shabby. "Didn't your dad give you any money?"
Maowa guessed what his third uncle was thinking and quickly said, "I gave it to him. The main reason is that this place is close to the school, which makes it convenient for me to go to school. Besides, I live alone, so there's no need for me to live in a big place; it would be a waste."
Huang Xiaochuan looked at the two dishes on the table, one was braised pork, and the other was scrambled eggs with tomatoes: "Not bad, you can even cook for yourself now."
Seeing this, Maowa invited, "Third Uncle, have you eaten? If not, we can have some together."
"Sure! I'll have a taste of your cooking." Huang Xiaochuan readily agreed.
"Please sit for a moment. I have some soup in the pot, it will be ready soon."
Huang Xiaochuan nodded, looking curiously at the small open kitchen, watching his nephew busily working in an orderly manner.
This child has really grown up.
Soon, Maowa brought the soup to the table and served two bowls of rice.
"Third Uncle, please have a taste!" Maowa handed him a pair of chopsticks.
Huang Xiaochuan picked up a piece of braised pork, put it in his mouth, and thought, "Not bad, the meat is stewed until very tender, and the taste is pretty much the same as the old Shanghai style, with its rich, dark sauce."
He nodded: "Not bad. Who did you learn it from?"
Mao Wa also picked up a piece of meat: "I often saw my aunt cooking at home, so I remembered it. After coming here, I tried it a few times and gradually mastered the trick."
The uncle and nephew ate their meal in silence. Huang Xiaochuan planned to talk to his nephew after the meal, while Maowa knew that his uncle's sudden visit must be to ask him why he wasn't home.
Sure enough, after the two of them put down their bowls and chopsticks, Huang Xiaochuan asked, "Maowa, why don't you go back?"
Instead of answering directly, Mao Wa said, "Third Uncle, I'm already planning to apply to medical school. Although UC's medical school is already very good, I also want to try Stanford and Johns Hopkins."
"In short, I'm short on time, so I don't want to waste time traveling back and forth."
Huang Xiaochuan picked up his cup and took a sip of water. His emotions were complicated. The child still couldn't get over that hurdle. It seemed that only time could heal it.
He considered it for a moment and said, "Your mother will be released at the end of this year."
Maowa stiffened for a moment, then replied, "I know."
Huang Xiaochuan asked him, "Aren't you planning to go back and see her?"
"There's no need. I know my dad won't abandon her; at least he can guarantee she'll have enough to eat and wear." Clearly, Maowa knew what his father would do.