To be honest, after Xiaoxue followed Smith to the United States, she did not have a good life.

The main reason is the language barrier and the different cultural customs.

After Smith returned to the United States, because he also enjoyed a certain reputation in the medical field, everyone treated the little girl he brought back from China differently.

But in fact, the American sense of indifference has always revolved around Xiaoxue. After three months, she got used to the American diet and made great progress in her language.

Xiaoxue has been living at Smith's house since arriving in the United States. Smith's wife has been dead for more than a decade, and his house in the United States has always been tended by the family's servants.

The Smith servant was in her 50s and a black woman.

When Xiaoxue first arrived at Smith's house, she was shocked by this black man. Because she had never seen anyone with such dark skin since she was a child. When they were children, Liu Erhei, who made a living by selling charcoal in their village, was not so black.

The black man's name is Emma, and she is very kind and talkative. Seeing that Smith brought back a white little girl from China, she was immediately very happy, she thought that this was Smith's illegitimate daughter, and after inquiring, she learned that it was his student.

Xiaoxue's usual daily life is taken care of by Emma. Xiaoxue's English is also studied with Emma most of the time, so her accent is southern.

Although Emma is in her 50s, she is very studious and will learn a few words of Chinese with Xiaoxue when she has nothing to do.

After a few months of running-in life, the two became good friends, and their usual conversations were very interesting, either English mixed with Chinese or Chinese mixed with English. Emma, Smith, and Xiaoxue are also happy in their lives.

Xiaoxue lives a life of two o'clock and one line every day, school and home.

After nearly a year passed like this, she had made great progress in her studies. This has a lot to do with the fact that she used to be a field nurse, and other people in the lab class vomited a lot, but she could not change her face, the basic sutures were very accurate, her progress was very fast, and she became Smith's most effective assistant in a year, and she would also be involved in some difficult surgeries.

Xiaoxue's stable life was broken at the end of 1940.

In December 1940, Wang Zhimin came to the United States because of business dealings.

When he went to the United States to run errands, he remembered Xiaoxue, and he usually sent a telegram every one or two months.

Wang Zhimin still remembers that the first time the two met was in the Qinghe base of the Eighth Route Army, when Wang Zhimin was wearing a red suit. The feet in leather shoes were all blistered with blood, and Xiaoxue helped him pick them out and bandage them.

At that time, he was still a huā huā gōng zǐ, and he also teased Xiaoxue, who didn't give him a good look.

As soon as Wang Zhimin recalled that period of the past, a smile inadvertently flowed from the corners of his mouth. Since Zhou Tao returned to the army as a soldier, he took over from Zhou Tao to manage the Zhou family's bank and some other businesses in Shanghai.

In Shanghai, he also lived in the Zhou Mansion, which can be regarded as getting along with Zhou Min Xiaoxue day and night. He always had an indescribable feeling about Xiaoxue, no matter what kind of changes Xiaoxue had in the future, he always felt that this girl was still as pure and clean as he saw at first sight, and her eyes were always full of hope.

Wang Zhimin, who is in the United States, can't wait to see Xiaoxue.

After contacting Smith again, the two agreed to meet at Smith's home.

On the way home, Smith said to Xiaoxue, "There will be a surprise tonight. ”

"Surprise, what surprise? Is it a domestic victory?"

"For you, I think it's a surprise more than winning. Smith said mysteriously.

Xiaoxue was very curious along the way, what was the surprise that Mr. Smith was talking about?

When she returned home, she was keenly aware of the differences. When she opened the door, she saw a pair of men's leather shoes, and Emma was not waiting for them to come back at the door as usual.

Xiaoxue guessed that the house must be a guest.

"Mr. Smith, and my little darling, are you back? I have made a table of sumptuous delicacies, which we can enjoy with our guests tonight. ”

In the United States in December, it was very cold, Xiaoxue shook off the snowflakes on her body, hung up her clothes, and asked in proficient English, "Emma, is it a guest at home?"

"Yes, a very handsome gentleman, he is a Chinese. ”

"Chinese, are you Mr. Smith's friend?"

Emma shrugged her shoulders, indicating that she didn't know.

Walking into the restaurant, Xiaoxue felt that the man's back was a little familiar, and she couldn't remember where she had seen it for a while.

Wang Zhimin heard the footsteps, turned his head, showed a big smile and asked, "Xiaoxue, are you surprised?" ”

"Brother Zhimin, it's you!"

In a distant foreign country, Xiaoxue was very excited to see Wang Zhimin. Perhaps influenced by the local culture, she actually flew up and gave Wang Zhimin a big hug.

Wang Zhimin was stunned for a moment at first, and then hugged her tightly and circled.

"Did you miss me?"

"I think about it, and Sister Zhou Min, Brother Zhou Tao, Uncle Zhou, Aunt Zhou, I think about it all so much. ”

"I'm coming to the United States on business, and I'll be back after a while, so I'll be with you during this time. You're half-indigenous now, but you want to take me to the United States. ”

"No problem, wrap it up on me. ”

Xiaoxue accompanied Wang Zhimin to play crazy for half a month, in the process of playing, the distance between the two was shortened a lot, and with the company of her hometown, Xiaoxue felt less lonely. When Wang Zhimin received a letter from Macau and learned that Zhou Min was going to get engaged, he knew that he had to leave for Macau.

She expressed great regret that Zhou Min was engaged and Xiaoxue could not participate, and she also expressed great reluctance for Wang Zhimin to leave her.

However, the sky is not as good as people, and just when Wang Zhimin was about to leave the United States for Macau, he fell ill.

It started with mild diarrhea, followed by vomiting and diarrhea. The whole person has lost his human form, and he can't even walk.

After Smith's diagnosis, he thought it was acute enteritis, and it was supposed to be an intestinal infection. Because of his physical condition, Wang Zhimin had no way to go to Macau, and during his illness, Xiaoxue had always taken care of her.

"Brother Zhimin, this is the porridge I cooked, Chinese flavor, I'll feed you. ”

Looking at Xiaoxue, who was a little emaciated because of hard work for days, Wang Zhimin said with some distress: "Just buy some outside, you still have to go to class during the day, so you don't have to cook porridge for me in person." ”

"It's okay, Brother Zhimin, it doesn't take much effort to boil some porridge, open your mouth and I'll feed you. ”

Wang Zhimin felt that this porridge was very sweet, as if it was fragrant to his heart, and after drinking a bowl, he felt a little unfinished.

"Is Xiaoxue still there?"

"You can't drink it anymore, your stomach is very weak now, and it's not good to eat too much. ”

"And what if I'm hungry?"

"Drink more water, don't old people often say that water is full of water, hehe. ”

"Light snow. ”

"Hmm, what's the matter, Brother Zhimin?" asked Xiaoxue as she cleaned up the dishes and chopsticks.

"Can you not call me Brother Zhimin?"

"What's that called? Do you call you cousin like Sister Zhou?"

"No, just call me by name, call me Zhimin. ”

"Zhimin?"

"Yes, I like it when you call me that. ”

Hearing him say this, Xiaoxue suddenly blushed a little.