Chapter 62

Hearing the familiar shout, Mother Chen quickly turned around, her eyes instantly reddening with tears.

"…Mom," Chen Tiandu put down his luggage and rubbed his slightly sore nose. This was his mother whom he hadn't seen for nearly two years, perhaps the woman who loved him the most in the world. Despite her good care, the signs of aging were hard to hide; his mother had grown old. Seeing this face, Chen Tiandu, who hadn't shed a tear since adulthood, couldn't help but feel his eyes moisten, and he quickly blinked several times.

"Mom, I'm back!"

"Good to be back, good to be back!" Mother Chen's eyes were red, and she wiped her face with her fish-oil-covered hands, not even noticing that her face was smudged as she busily straightened his clothes.

"Are you cold in such light clothing? Why don't you wear more? What if you catch a cold! Look at you, you've lost so much weight."

Tears began to fall from Mother Chen's eyes after just a few words, making Chen Tiandu's heart ache. "Mom, why are you crying? Where's Dad? How are Grandpa and Grandma?"

"They're all fine, all fine."

Mother Chen wiped away her tears and enthusiastically took her son's suitcase. "I strongly opposed your going to America last year, but I didn't expect you to make something of yourself. Later, I heard from Kong Yiji that you became a director in America and earned tens of millions of dollars. Your grandfather was so happy he couldn't stop smiling. A few days ago, a foreign girl came to visit; she was very pretty, and your grandmother was very satisfied. She almost wanted to bring her home instead of staying at a hotel..."

She held Chen Tiandu's hand and spoke without even catching her breath.

Listening to the familiar nagging, Chen Tiandu felt warm inside. "No matter how good it is abroad, it's not as good as home. Only this land is the most suitable place for Chinese people to live."

"Mom, the suitcase is heavy, let me carry it."

"Mom can carry it."

Mother Chen smiled broadly, then suddenly seemed to realize something and quickly helped him pick up the luggage from the ground. "Quick, quick, get inside, it's cold outside!" She also called out to the house, "Oppa, come out and see, Tiandu is back, our son is back."

She had called him "Oppa" for decades, and while the neighbors still found it strange, both parents were already used to it.

Chen Tiandu looked up and saw a tall figure standing at the door, straight as a tree, with a face that had gradually aged, playing the role of a strict father in his growth. Noticing his gaze, the middle-aged man standing at their doorstep pursed his lips. "You're back, wild enough outside, and you still know to come back!"

"Oppa, what are you saying? Our son just got off the plane. You've been talking about him every day, and now he's finally back, and you're acting like this. Smile, Oppa, you still look handsome when you smile!" Mother Chen pushed him into the house. Father stood on the porch, and Chen Tiandu clearly saw that his face turned slightly red when teased by his mother. Like most fathers, Father Chen was not good at expressing himself but was always the pillar of the family.

"The big director is back!"

"The big star is back!"

"Tiandu is back, I'm Aunt Zhang."

Hearing the voices, many neighbors came out of their homes.

"Hello, Aunt Zhang, Uncle Li." Chen Tiandu greeted them warmly, remembering something and opening a few large suitcases. "I haven't seen Uncle Li for almost two years, and he's still so healthy. Come, come, Aunt Zhang, Uncle Li, this is ginseng I brought from America, a gift for everyone. There are also some small souvenirs from America, as a keepsake."

"Heh, you've learned a lot from your trip, and your mouth is getting sweeter." The neighbors all came out, and in no time, a circle formed around him. Chen Tiandu had really brought a lot of things and was giving them away.

Father and Mother Chen were not stingy people. Seeing their son greet everyone, they realized he had matured a lot after being away for a while. The two old people smiled broadly, and even Father Chen, who was praised by several people for his son, grinned widely.

"Really impressive, Tiandu has made a fortune. I heard from Xiao Kong that he directed a movie in America, and the box office was several hundred million dollars." "Isn't that right, several hundred million dollars, my goodness, how much is that?" "Is it true, he only graduated last year, right?" "Of course it's true, it was even reported in the newspaper." Everyone was discussing, and soon the whole neighborhood knew that the big star was back, and they were reluctant to leave.

The news of Chen Tiandu's return didn't just spread within the neighborhood. Although there were only a few reporters at the airport, it was the internet age, and soon everyone who needed to know did.

A photo of Spielberg and Chen Tiandu walking out of the Yanjing Airport, chatting and laughing, was featured on the front pages of major entertainment sections. Even the media in Hong Kong and Taiwan knew about it and began extensive coverage.

Mainly because Spielberg's name was too big, and this was his first visit to China, as the producer of Chen Tiandu's new movie.

Chen Tiandu's grandparents and his uncle's family were also called over. As soon as Grandmother returned, she started talking about Kate. Chen Tiandu had come straight home and hadn't seen Kate yet. Since everyone wanted to see his girlfriend, he decided to go out and formally bring Kate over as a guest.

Kate had visited before, and most of the family spoke English, so communication wasn't a problem.

Grandfather Chen called him over to test his calligraphy.

Kate watched curiously from the side, enjoying the feeling of a big family gathering. Chen Tiandu, trying to show off, said he would demonstrate his skills, and she watched with great interest.

Chen Tiandu set up, dipped his brush in ink, and wrote, "When the wind rises, the waves will break, and I will hoist my sail to cross the sea!"

"Whoosh~"

He messed up the ending, and a blob of ink dropped on the paper, making him flinch. Grandfather Chen's face turned dark. "What is this? After a few days in America, you can't even write properly. You should practice more when you have time."

Chen Tiandu looked distressed. "I don't have time to practice this. After finishing my role in China, I have to leave again soon."

"Leave again?" Mother Chen's ears perked up, and she immediately felt heartache.

Chen Tiandu quickly took the opportunity to explain for a while.

"Then you won't be home for the New Year," Father Chen said.

"Consider it as celebrating early. By the way, Dad, did you receive the money I sent home?"

"Yes, your mother has saved it for you. I want to ask you, did you really make that much from this movie? Why did you send so much back?"

Chen Tiandu said, "Not that much, I spent a lot too. After the investment, there's not much left. But being a millionaire is no problem. Dad, you should quit your job at the land bureau, and don't save the money. Let Mom take it out, and after the New Year, take Grandpa and Grandma on a world tour."

"That's a good idea. I haven't been back to France for a long time, and it's a good time to go back and see." Grandmother Suli Fei, with her white hair and wrinkles, still looked kind and gentle like a spring breeze. She looked at Grandfather. Grandfather Chen sighed, as if remembering the years when he met the beautiful French doctor. "There are not many years left, so we should go and see."

With Grandfather's word, Father Chen had no choice but to comply.

The time at home was not entirely peaceful. Before dinner, several cars stopped outside the door. A group of people with an official air, led by the neighborhood committee chairman, came straight to Chen Tiandu's house.

They even brought a camera, and the brand was CCTV.