CHAPTER 387: CHAPTER 387 A DAUGHTER

Yun Haichao pushed the door open.

Yun Muxue was tidying up a table where guests had finished eating, while Hu San seemed to be looking at his phone behind the counter.

Hearing the noise, they both looked up.

Hu San was the first to look away, and Yun Muxue greeted warmly, "What would you like to eat, sir?"

Neither of them recognized Yun Haichao, considering that more than thirty years had passed. They vaguely felt he looked familiar, just as if he were a customer who had visited before. Their restaurant saw so many customers coming and going, there were too many familiar faces to remember.

Yun Haichao found an empty table and sat down, then said, "I won’t be eating; may I sit here and rest for a while?"

The couple both paused in surprise. Hu San gave Yun Haichao a curious look once more but didn’t speak, turning his gaze towards Yun Muxue. Clearly, Yun Muxue made the decisions about the household matters.

Yun Muxue responded with a smile, "Of course, you can sit as long as you like."

"Thank you."

Yun Haichao thanked them but didn’t know how to start the conversation.

As he was still struggling with what to say, Hu San came over with a pot of tea, holding a disposable cup.

"Here’s some water for you, sir," said Hu San.

"Thank you," Yun Haichao thanked him again.

Hu San set down the teapot and took a seat conveniently.

"By your accent, you’re also from the Northeast, right?"

"Yes."

"Oh, then you’re a fellow countryman? Which part of the Northeast are you from?"

"Yingkou."

"Ah, what a coincidence, we’re also from Yingkou," Hu San said happily.

"I feel like I’ve seen you before; maybe we’ve met in the past. Unfortunately, I haven’t returned for many years, I don’t know how it has developed now..." Hu San seemed to open up, becoming quite talkative.

"If you’re really thinking of it, why don’t you go back and have a look?" Yun Haichao said quietly.

Hu San was choked up and couldn’t speak for a while, only saying after a moment: "It’s too far."

Yun Haichao just smiled and did not continue on the topic.

Hu San actively changed the subject: "Are you traveling to Qionghai? Or planning to spend the winter here?"

"Neither, I came to see my daughter."

Hu San was stunned to hear this and was about to say something when Yun Muxue came over with two plates of cold dishes.

A plate of boiled peanuts, a plate of cold kelp strips; these were free snacks provided for the drinking customers, considered appetizers for liquor.

"Shall we have a drink with the gentleman?" Yun Muxue looked at Hu San.

"Sure, it’s not like we’ve got business now anyway," Hu San said happily.

"No need, no need, I don’t want to interfere with your business..." Yun Haichao quickly said.

"Don’t worry about it, we’ve got no business now anyway. Besides, we’re fellow countrymen, and your coming to our restaurant is fate. Please sit, I’ll go and cook a couple of dishes for you."

Having said that, Yun Muxue hurriedly went into the kitchen, preventing Yun Haichao from saying what he had intended to say.

"Just let her be busy; let’s the two of us have a drink."

Without waiting for a reply, Hu San took a glass and poured for Yun Haichao.

"Just a little, I can’t handle much alcohol," Yun Haichao said with a laughing demeanor.

"How can we, the Northeastern people, admit to not being able to drink? Fill it up."

Hu San filled up the glass in front of him.

"How old are you this year, sir?" Hu Hansan began to chat again.

"I’m eighty-two this year."

"You’re over eighty and yet your health seems pretty good. And you were able to come all the way from Yingkou to find... to find your daughter. Did you find her?"

As Hu San said this, he suddenly seemed to realize something and stared intently at Yun Haichao.

This time, Yun Haichao looked calm and said with a smile, "Found her, she’s living quite well."

"That’s... that’s good, isn’t it?" Hu San said with an awkward laugh.

Then he picked up his glass, stood up, and offered a toast with both hands, "I... I toast to you."

"Alright." Yun Haichao also lifted his cup.

Although he couldn’t really drink alcohol, he could still go through the motions.

"Coming from Yingkou to Qionghai, life must have been tough, right?" Yun Haichao initiated the conversation.

He had been in Coconut City for a few days and had learned some details about his daughter, but there was still a lot he didn’t know since his time here had been short.

"Mm, actually, it’s been okay..." Hu San responded subconsciously.

But when he noticed the look in Yun Haichao’s eyes, he quickly corrected himself: "It was hard when we first arrived because we had no money or place to stay. We’ve lived under bridges, scavenged through trash, and picked up food from the beach..."

Speaking of the past made Hu San’s heart ache.

"At that time, I regretted bringing my wife out with me, making her suffer alongside me."

Hu San was filled with remorse, his eyes moist as he lifted his drink to hide it.

"Later, an owner of a restaurant took us in. I worked in the kitchen, Muxue served food – the owner was from the Northeast too, a good person. Not only did he provide us with food and shelter, but he also taught me how to cook..."

"We should really thank him."

"Mm, he is now my mentor. Every New Year’s, the two of us go to pay him a visit," Hu San said.

"That’s right, one must not forget their origins," Yun Haichao stated.

"Uncle, a toast to you..." Hu San lifted his cup again as he stood up.

At this moment, Yun Muxue came over with two dishes, one meat and one vegetarian.

"Drink slowly, I haven’t even served all the dishes yet," she said as she placed the two large plates on the table.

"Take your time drinking."

Having said that, she was about to turn around and leave, but was pulled back by Hu San.

"Sit down and join us for a drink, the store isn’t busy right now anyway," Hu San suggested.

Yun Muxue was momentarily stunned, then cheerfully took a seat. Hu San quickly poured her a drink.

"Here, old man, a toast to you," Yun Muxue held her cup and cheerfully said.

Yun Haichao smiled and lifted his cup.

Yun Muxue enthusiastically added: "Let’s clink glasses. Although there are many Northern people in Qionghai, it’s rare to meet someone from Yingkou who also comes to our shop – it’s all fate..."

In fact, even after many years in Qionghai, Yun Muxue still retained that generous and hearty spirit characteristic of Northern people.

She stood up and was about to clink glasses with Yun Haichao.

Yun Haichao also laughed heartily as he extended his glass.

But at that moment, Yun Muxue abruptly froze, her hand trembling and spilling the liquor all over the table as she carefully observed Yun Haichao.

Yun Haichao, however, withdrew his hand, sipped from the glass and then said, "Let’s drink."

"Dr-drink..."

Yun Muxue, with tears blurring her vision, raised her glass and gulped down the liquor.

She reacted so because she had recognized Yun Haichao.

Yun Haichao had a scar at the base of his right thumb, extending to the back of his hand.

She was all too familiar with this scar, and the memory of it was deeply etched in her mind. She had accidentally cut him with a sickle when she was very young.

At that time, her father had laughed it off, saying it was nothing, but her mother had punished her severely.

"Don’t drink too much, have some food."

Yun Haichao picked up some food with his chopsticks and placed it in front of Yun Muxue.

Yun Muxue hurriedly shoveled it into her mouth as if afraid of being too slow.

"When you have time, go back and visit. Your mother’s getting on in years, and who knows how much longer she has... she misses you terribly..."

"Your stubborn temperament, who does it resemble? You haven’t been home for years..."

"All those words I said back then were spoken in anger, why did you take them seriously?"

"Seeing that you’re living well now, I’m reassured. It’s just a pity I couldn’t meet your two boys. You could bring them back to see your mother..."

"Your older brother had an accident a few years ago and passed away, but his kid is promising. He’s now researching robots, quite an impressive feat..."

...

Yun Muxue was already sobbing uncontrollably, and Hu San, with tears in his eyes, gently patted her back to comfort her.