Zhou Xiaohong watched as Lin Xiaoxiao descended the stairs with an unfamiliar man. Noticing Lin Xiaoxiao's very pregnant belly, she reluctantly stood up and softly greeted her as "sister-in-law."

Lin Xiaoxiao responded with a slight nod and a faint smile. She had never particularly liked Zhou Xiaohong, whom she saw as impulsive and naive—the one flawed branch in an otherwise remarkable family.

Zhou Xiaohong pressed her lips together and sat back down quietly. While Zhou Zhennan and Li Yunlan were away in Beijing, she had briefly left home before eventually returning. Although Zhou Bingwen was angry, he couldn't bring himself to turn her away.

Moreover, Hu Yaozong had admitted that his relationship with Zhou Xiaohong had begun under coercive circumstances. An official investigation confirmed this, and the case against her was eventually dropped.

Her school also decided not to pursue further disciplinary action. Zhou Xiaohong could have returned to teaching, but too ashamed to face her students, she instead transferred to the school library as an administrator.

She hadn't known that Zhou Huai'an and the others were returning today. Coming home from work and seeing everyone in the living room took her by surprise—along with a faint sting of exclusion. No one had told her they were back. Once again, she felt like an outsider.

Zhou Zhennan was still upset with his daughter, but he held his tongue. Li Yunlan, on the other hand, felt a pang of guilt. Had she not given Zhou Xiaohong enough attention? Was that why her daughter had turned out this way?

Still, it had been a long time since they'd last seen each other. There was no point in dwelling on past mistakes. Li Yunlan smiled and asked, "Isn't it winter break? Why did you go to work today? Come wash up—lunch is ready. Your brother and sister-in-law are back, and her cousin is here too. Be sure to say hello."

Zhou Xiaohong nodded. "The library doesn't close for break."

The conversation ended there. Li Yunlan excused herself to check on the meal preparations in the kitchen, making sure nothing on the menu would disagree with Lin Xiaoxiao, especially in her advanced stage of pregnancy.

Left alone, Zhou Xiaohong sat on the sofa watching Zhou Huai'an, Zhou Zhennan, and Zhou Bingwen chat easily among themselves. She felt completely out of place.

When Lin Xiaoxiao and Lin Wenbin came downstairs, Zhou Xiaohong wasn't sure how to approach her. Not that it mattered—Lin Xiaoxiao had no interest in rebuilding bridges. After everything that had happened, who knew if Zhou Xiaohong had truly changed?

After giving a polite but distant nod, Lin Xiaoxiao cheerfully went to sit beside Zhou Huai'an. "I was just talking with my cousin. I still can't believe we're actually related. It reminded me—my father did have an older brother who left home as a child. Everyone said he was conscripted during the war and died on the battlefield. Who would have thought..."

She sighed, genuinely moved by the story.

Zhou Huai'an glanced at Lin Wenbin across the room, then looked gently at Lin Xiaoxiao. "It's fate. Now you have another family member. That's a good thing."

Lin Xiaoxiao beamed. "Yes! I thought I wouldn't know anyone in Beijing besides all of you. Now it turns out I have a brother too." Her eyes curved into happy crescents.

During the meal, Li Yunlan warmly urged Lin Wenbin to eat more, frequently serving him portions herself. "Please feel free to join us for meals whenever you like. You're Xiaoxiao's only relative here—look how happy she is! I've never seen her so delighted."

Lin Wenbin looked genuinely touched. "I'm very moved as well. My parents passed away early, and I grew up relying on the kindness of the overseas Chinese community. It's been a long time since I've experienced the warmth of a family meal."

Li Yunlan's heart went out to him. "Then you must come often! Just tell me what you'd like to eat. I wasn't sure—after so many years abroad, can you still enjoy homemade Chinese food?"

"Absolutely," Lin Wenbin assured her. "I've always loved Chinese cuisine."

It was then that Zhou Xiaohong, who had been quiet until now, spoke up. "You grew up overseas, but your Mandarin is excellent. Do all overseas Chinese speak Chinese there?"

Lin Xiaoxiao quietly nibbled on a piece of chicken. Why did Zhou Xiaohong have to ask so many questions? Was she trying to sound clever?

Lin Wenbin's expression turned serious. "Chinese is our mother tongue. How could any of us forget it? Since I was very young, my parents taught me to study hard so that one day, if the opportunity arose, I could return and contribute to our homeland. That's why I'm back."

Li Yunlan was visibly moved. "You all must have struggled so much abroad. Many of our country's top scientists studied overseas. They brought back knowledge at great personal risk."

Lin Wenbin nodded gravely. "Yes. To stop renowned scholars from returning, foreign governments have even resorted to assassination plots."

Lin Xiaoxiao had to reassess her brother—his performance was flawless. He had rendered even Zhou Xiaohong speechless.

After the meal, Lin Wenbin had to leave. Lin Xiaoxiao was too exhausted to move much. She saw him to the door half-heartedly before hurrying back to rest. Even lying down, she could still feel the swaying motion of the train.

Zhou Huai'an came in and began massaging her swollen legs. She should have been able to rest as soon as they arrived, but because of Lin Wenbin's visit, she had ended up sitting for several more hours.

A little embarrassed, Lin Xiaoxiao tried to pull her legs back. "I haven't bathed in days—I must smell. Let me rest a bit first, then I'll shower. After that, you can change the sheets." She was so tired she hadn't even changed out of her travel clothes.

Zhou Huai'an didn't seem to mind. "It's fine. Let me massage them now, or you'll feel worse when you wake up."

With her eyes closed, Lin Xiaoxiao still felt like she was rocking on the train. She could even hear the phantom sound of the locomotive. "Traveling is miserable," she sighed. "I never want to get on a train again."

Then she remembered—if she didn't take the train, how would she visit Zhou Huai'an in the future? The thought made her groan inwardly.

Hearing her complain, Zhou Huai'an casually suggested, "The New Year is in two days. Should we invite your cousin to celebrate with us?"

Lin Xiaoxiao didn't object, though she wondered if Zhou Huai'an was truly sincere. After a brief pause, she replied, "We'll see. I'm not sure what he'd think. Besides, wouldn't it be awkward for him to join a family celebration?"

Zhou Huai'an didn't press. "He's alone, and he's your relative. It might be nice to include him. When I'm not in Beijing, it would be good for you to have your brother nearby."

Then he paused and added, "But remember—don't discuss my work or your father's work with anyone."