2024 January - Beijing
During our trip to Beijing, my mom, dad, and I had the opportunity to stay at the home of my dad's childhood friend, Yuan Yuan. Yuan Yuan's mother was best friends with my dad's mom, fostering a close bond between the families. As a result, Yuan Yuan grew up alongside my dad and his siblings, considering herself as a fifth sibling in our family. Although it was my first meeting with her, I had previously stayed with her daughter, Hua, during a visit to London. Meeting Yuan Yuan was a delightful experience, especially as she treated us to numerous delicious meals, including an abundance of lamb hot pot, which we thoroughly enjoyed.
在我们去北京的旅途中，我和爸爸妈妈有幸住在我爸爸的童年好友袁袁的家里。袁袁的妈妈是我爸爸妈妈的好朋友，促成了两家人之间的亲密关系。因此，袁袁和我爸爸以及他的兄弟姐妹一起长大，把自己视为家庭的第五个孩子。虽然这是我第一次见到她，但我之前曾在访问伦敦时与她的女儿华住过。与袁袁见面是一次愉快的经历，尤其是她招待我们吃了许多美味的饭菜，包括我们非常喜欢的羊肉火锅。
On my mom's side, we reunited with her aunt during our time in Beijing. It had been twenty years since I last visited Beijing, and consequently, twenty years since I had seen her. During our stay, my mom also had the chance to reconnect with her cousins, one of whom she had helped raise due to a significant age difference of twelve years between them. We shared a memorable evening over a lavish dinner, during which my mom fondly reminisced about her childhood, and it was heartwarming to witness the bonds of family seamlessly reignite, as if no time had passed at all.
在我妈妈的一边，我们在北京见到了她的姑姑。我上次去北京是在中学时期，因此也是我最后一次见到她，已经过去了20年。在我们逗留期间，我妈妈也有机会与她的堂兄弟姐妹见面，其中一个是因为年龄差异大，她在这方面给予了帮助。我们和他们一起度过了一个难忘的晚上，一起享用了一顿奢华的晚餐。在那次晚餐上，我妈妈深情地回忆了她的童年，看到他们像以往一样重新联系，感受到了家庭的纽带如此自然地重新点燃，仿佛时间从未流逝过。
