2003: Starting with Foreign Trade

Chapter 3 The Wanderer Returns Home
"Hey, hey, Dad; don't hit me, I was wrong, I was wrong."

When Tan Jincheng pushed open the door, he was not greeted by his mother's concerned gaze, but by his father's seven wolves.

I was beaten when I came home in my past life, but that happened at night; I just didn't expect that it was still afternoon and my father was already home.

This is another variable. No wonder the door was ajar; there was definitely something fishy going on!

“You finally know to come back. You ran off with that kid from the Zhang family during your vacation and didn’t contact your family for months. We thought you’d died out there.”

"I didn't want to either. When I left, I didn't know that mobile phones wouldn't work outside the province, and it's difficult to contact people at sea."

"Bullshit! Who let you get on the ship? Don't you know school starts in September?"

"I was wrong, I was really wrong, I'll never do it again; Dad, please stop hitting me, the belt is going to break."

At this moment, Zhang Suzhi, who came out of the kitchen, said to her husband, "Okay, stop. Just teach him a lesson, don't really hurt him."

"A doting mother spoils her son!" Tan Lihua cursed angrily, but then stopped what she was doing and sat back down on the sofa, still looking furious.

Tan Jincheng glanced cautiously at his father and slowly moved closer to his mother; parents these days were different from those of later generations, they were truly ruthless, and his legs ached from the few lashes of the belt.

Seeing that his father was no longer angry, Tan Jincheng turned to his mother and asked with feigned confusion, "Mom, why is your belly so big? Are you having a younger brother or sister?"

Tan Jincheng, being a reborn individual, already knew this outcome, but he couldn't reveal it.

Not only did she know that her mother was pregnant, but she also knew that a few months later, she would have a little sister.

In my previous life, after I left, I used a public phone to let my family know I was safe. But after boarding the ship, I lost contact with them. My parents were so worried that they called the police.

Tan Lihua and Zhang Suzhi, both employees of a state-owned enterprise, had only one child, Tan Jincheng, during that special era.

When a middle-aged person's only child suddenly disappears, wouldn't they be worried?

But by then Tan Jincheng was already out in the open sea, and it wouldn't be easy to get in touch with him. Besides, the efficiency of doing things these days, especially in small cities, is unimaginable.

After going through a lot of connections, the couple finally learned a few months later that their good-for-nothing son had gone to work at sea!
This infuriated the couple, and the more they thought about it, the angrier they became. So, after discussing it, the couple decided to take advantage of the relaxed policy and the fact that they weren't too old to have another child.

Tan Jincheng has a relative who had another child in her early forties; perhaps inspired by this, her parents came up with the idea of ​​having a second child.

Tan Jincheng's mother, Zhang Suzhi, is 40 years old this year. As an older pregnant woman, she had a hard time during her pregnancy and stopped going to work after three months, staying at home to recuperate.

In truth, Tan Jincheng's impulsive decision to board the ship this time really changed the fate of his family.

“You ran onto the ship without a word. Your mother and I didn’t know when you would come back, so we decided to pretend we didn’t have a son like you and have another child.”

Seeing that Zhang Suzhi did not speak, Tan Lihua continued in a low voice.

To be honest, it's a little embarrassing to admit. My son is almost 20 years old, and he hasn't been home for over a year. We've given him a younger brother or sister.

As parents, they felt somewhat awkward in this situation. "That's great! Have you checked? Is it a younger brother or a younger sister?" Tan Jincheng, whose youthful face concealed the soul of a middle-aged man, could naturally sense the parents' embarrassment.

"Not yet, but my due date is less than two months away," Zhang Suzhi said somewhat shyly.

“I think it’s definitely a girl, then our family will have a perfect family.” Then Tan Jincheng added, “Mom, you need to rest well these days and be careful. If there’s any heavy work around the house, let me do it.”

"It wasn't a wasted year or so; at least you've learned to care about people. Okay, let's not talk about this anymore. Go tidy up and get ready for dinner."

"Okay, I'm going to take a shower. It's been so long since I've had Mom's cooking." Seeing his parents' embarrassed expressions, Tan Jincheng didn't want to continue the topic.

If we keep talking, Seven Wolves might come after us again.

Oh, by the way, Seven Wolves is considered a high-end brand these days, so Father probably wouldn't be willing to buy it.

Seeing their son walk away, the couple exchanged a glance and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Tan Lihua stood up and said to Zhang Suzhi, "Go sit down for a while, I'll go get the dishes."

When Tan Jincheng came out of the bathroom, four dishes and a soup were already laid out on the table: meatball and vegetable soup, braised pork with sweet potato and rice balls, braised crucian carp, braised chicken with chestnuts, and stir-fried edamame with shredded pork.

Full of Yicheng characteristics, it is said that the highest treatment Yicheng people can give to guests is braised pork with sweet potato starch balls. I never thought that I would be able to eat this for my first meal back home.

Braised pork with sweet potato and rice balls, and braised chicken with chestnuts are both difficult dishes to make and require a lot of time; especially braised pork with sweet potato and rice balls, the heat needs to be controlled very well.

If cooked for too short a time, it won't be fully cooked and won't be edible; if cooked for too long, it will burn on the bottom.

As a native of Yicheng, even without any experience working in the kitchen of a cruise ship, Tan Jincheng could tell at a glance that the braised pork with sweet potato dumplings was cooked to perfection.

My mother was heavily pregnant, so making this dish was very difficult for her. My father must have helped a lot, which is probably why he was at home at this time.

My parents' love for me has always been there.

These seemingly simple four dishes are a testament to the parents' love and care as they welcome their children home.

Tan Jincheng stared at the table of dishes and remained silent for a while. Just as Zhang Suzhi realized something was wrong and was about to speak, Tan Jincheng spoke first.

Putting away the playful smile he had when he first arrived home, Tan Jincheng said solemnly to his parents, "Dad, Mom, I'm sorry; I made you worry."

This apology is not only for my willful actions in this life, but also for my guilt towards my parents and family in my previous life when I was too busy with business.

Tan Jincheng's sudden apology left Tan Lihua and his wife at a loss for words.

Before them stood a robust, dark-skinned son, completely different from the one who had left home over a year ago. What surprised the couple most was that their son seemed different from before, appearing to have matured considerably all of a sudden.

Often, parents are the ones who understand their children best. Tan Jincheng can hide his true self in front of outsiders, but with his parents, there's no need for many words; they can sense his difference simply by feeling.

After a moment of silence, Tan Lihua said, "Alright, it's good that you're back. Let's eat first; tell me about your future plans later."

(End of this chapter)