"Objects are lifeless; they only have value when someone uses them."
Cheng Qingshan pressed the two fountain pens into Linlin and Jiang Chengzhou's hands. "Grandpa is giving you these two pens. I hope you will study hard and become pillars of the country in the future."
Jiang Chengzhou and Linlin were a bit at a loss and looked back at Lin Zhilan.
Tu Jing sighed softly in his heart and spoke up first, "Let the two children accept them. It is a token of the Chief's appreciation."
Although the pens were precious, Lin Zhilan sensed there was another meaning behind the gesture.
Asking too much would feel presumptuous.
After thinking for a moment, she helped the two children accept the gifts.
Only then did Cheng Qingshan smile.
He walked them all the way to the gate of the compound before turning back.
When Lin Zhilan and her group returned home, her second brother and second sister-in-law's family had also come over.
Xu Yueyun was directing Su Bingcheng and Su Jue to pack their luggage, making the house a bit chaotic for the moment.
Seeing them return carrying several bottles of liquor, Su Bingcheng's eyes lit up.
"Oh my, that is some good liquor!"
Xu Yueyun scolded playfully, "Shoo, shoo, you drunkard. You can't even move your legs when you see alcohol. Zhilan, ignore him."
"Dad, you can't drink this liquor yet. I'm planning to use it to make medicinal wine."
"Making it for Chief Cheng?"
Lin Zhilan smiled and shook her head. "His liver isn't good, so he can't drink. I just confiscated them all. Once I've finished making the medicinal wine, you can have a taste, Dad."
"That sounds wonderful, I'll be waiting then." Su Bingcheng was grinning from ear to ear.
"And Second Brother," Lin Zhilan looked at him, "I plan to make a bottle of medicinal wine for you too. You can take it to your workplace and have a small sip every night before bed."
"Hmm..." Lin Zhilan thought for a moment and added, "Just about 10 to 20 milliliters."
"A small sip" was too vague, but if calculated in milliliters, Su Jue would definitely understand.
A smile appeared in Su Jue's eyes. "Alright, but this medicinal wine will take a long time to steep, right? I'm afraid I won't be able to wait for it."
Lin Zhilan was about to return to the island, and his workplace was a classified unit.
Once the medicinal wine was ready, she wouldn't be able to mail it to him.
Lin Zhilan smiled, "It's fine. We happen to have the medicinal herbs at home, and now we have the liquor, so I'll put it together later. You can take it home, seal it well, and keep it in a cool, dark place. Shake it once a day for the first week, and after fifteen days, it will be ready to drink."
Deng Jing hurriedly stood up. "Then we'll have to trouble you, sister-in-law. We'll pay for the liquor and the herbs ourselves."
Su Jue had grown heartbreakingly thin over the past two years.
Deng Jing was also anxious. If something went wrong with Su Jue's health, she really wouldn't know what to do.
Lin Zhilan smiled. "There's no need for money. The liquor and herbs were given by friends. If you really want to thank me, Second Sister-in-law, just send me some local specialties from the capital later. It's not convenient for us to go out from the island."
Hearing this, Deng Jing called out to Su Jue, "Bring over the things I prepared for our sister-in-law."
Su Jue looked around and pulled out a large cloth bag from a corner.
Deng Jing placed the items inside on the coffee table.
"This is Harbin red sausage. My relatives brought it back during the New Year. If you and the kids like it, I'll have them send more later.
And this is beef jerky from the Northwest. It's a bit tough to chew, but the taste is decent. It's good for the kids to grind their teeth on."
The red sausage was indeed brought back by Deng Jing's relatives.
The beef jerky, however, was something Deng Jing had shamelessly traded a colleague for.
The famous specialties of the capital were just things like pastries and roast duck, which weren't even as delicious as what Lin Zhilan made herself.
Deng Jing wanted to give something presentable, and this was all she could find.
Lin Zhilan had actually never tasted Harbin red sausage before. She hurriedly smiled and thanked her, "Thank you, Second Sister-in-law. When I get back to the island, I'll send you some of our island's specialties."
Deng Jing said helplessly, "You are just too generous. It makes me feel embarrassed."
"I'm not generous to just anyone," Lin Zhilan pouted slightly, joking, "If it were Eldest Brother and Eldest Sister-in-law, I wouldn't even bear to part with a single needle and thread."
Deng Jing gently nudged her and whispered, "Don't talk nonsense. Careful that Mom and Dad might hear you."
No matter how bad the eldest brother was, he was still their parents' son.
Deng Jing was afraid that if Xu Yueyun and Su Bingcheng heard her words, they might have a problem with their daughter-in-law.
Xu Yueyun picked up the hot tea from the coffee table and took a sip. "What are you two talking about? I didn't catch that."
Lin Zhilan and Deng Jing looked at each other and burst out laughing.
After Lin Zhilan and her family left, Su Jue's vacation would also be coming to an end.
The house was so lively now, but soon it would just be Deng Jing alone in the capital with her two children again.
At this thought, the smile on Deng Jing's face faded considerably.
"What's wrong, Second Sister-in-law?"
Deng Jing snapped back to reality and smiled. "It's nothing, I just can't bear to see you go."
"Then you should bring the kids to the island for a visit during the summer vacation! We'll definitely welcome you," Lin Zhilan said comfortingly.
The nature of Su Lang and Lin Zhilan's work meant they couldn't come back every year for the New Year.
But Deng Jing was an elementary school teacher and had winter and summer vacations.
Deng Jing's parents were both in the capital, so she definitely couldn't come during the winter vacation, but the summer vacation would be perfect.
Besides, Linlin really liked her two older cousins.
Lin Zhilan also adored the two little girls. If they came to play during the summer, the whole family would welcome them.
"That's too much trouble." Deng Jing shook her head slightly.
While Su Yao was sticking close to her younger cousin Linlin, Su Pei had been standing near her mother and young aunt the whole time.
Hearing her mother refuse her aunt's invitation, the light that had just sparked in her eyes suddenly dimmed.
Lin Zhilan winked playfully at Su Pei, then took Deng Jing's hand and said, "Read ten thousand books and travel ten thousand miles. While the kids are still young, it's better to take them out to travel more. Although the island isn't as bustling as the capital, it's still a way to see the world.
Otherwise, once they start intensive studying and working, when will they have time to go out and play?"
Life is only so long, spent going through the motions of studying and working step by step.
The only times people truly have free time are during childhood and after retirement.
Moreover, Lin Zhilan encouraged children to go out and explore.
Her return to the capital this time was firstly to visit her parents-in-law, and secondly to bring Linlin and Chengzhou to see and explore the capital.
Lin Zhilan believed that what one reads in books and what one sees with their own eyes offer completely different experiences.
She remembered that night when Su Pei and Su Yao asked Linlin what the ocean looked like, and Linlin's answer had been adorable.
But if it were up to her to answer, Lin Zhilan knew that no matter how well she described it, it would never be as real as taking them to see it in person.
Lin Zhilan waved at Su Pei.
Su Pei slowly walked over.
"Do you want to come play with your young aunt during the summer vacation?" Lin Zhilan asked, putting an arm around her.
Su Pei looked at Deng Jing's expression and shook her head.
"Don't look at your mom first," Lin Zhilan gently turned the girl's face back, looking at her with a smile. "Tell your aunt, do you want to go see the ocean?"
Su Pei pursed her lips. Her eyes lit up for a second, but she quickly lowered her gaze again.
"...I do." Her voice was so quiet that one had to listen closely to hear it.
Lin Zhilan's heart softened. She held the little girl's hands, turned to Deng Jing, and made a pleading gesture with a touch of playful coaxing, "Please, please, let's go see the ocean this summer."
