Shen Huanzhi and Shen Hui spent an entire day preparing a great number of practical and easy-to-carry medicines for him. Nanny You stayed up all night to finish sewing a cotton-padded coat. They, with tears in their eyes, saw him off to the Korean battlefield, where he was prepared to shed blood or even lay down his life for the defense of the newly founded People's Republic of China. By the end of November, the news of the great victory in the first campaign had arrived. At the end of December, it was reported that the United Nations forces had been pushed south of the 38th parallel. By January 1951, the Chinese People's Volunteer Army had already taken control of Seoul. Amid these successive victories, the people across the entire country welcomed the Chinese New Year of 1951 with pride and hope. After seven months of fierce fighting, both Chinese and American forces had suffered heavy losses. The Americans came to realize that this war would not be the swift and easy victory they had anticipated. In June, they were forced to begin seeking negotiations. For the newly founded Chinese government, the country was still in ruins and undergoing massive rebuilding. With limited resources, it was impossible to sustain a prolonged war of uncertain duration. As a result, a large-scale fundraising movement swept across the country. Shen Huanzhi and Shen Hui were active participants. Shen Huanzhi donated all the precious medicinal herbs he had carefully preserved for years while Shen Hui donated all of her jewelry. Of course, she hesitated at the last moment, quietly tucking away her wedding ring, unable to part with it. Nanny You contributed all of her savings to the government. When the news about that the Americans were willing to negotiate, the whole country burst into celebration though the war had shown no real signs of ending.
But around this time, it was a seemingly small incident happened, yet it shook Shen Hui to her core. One day, Xue'er, 2-year-old, had followed Liu'er, who was on summer vacation, to buy some ice cream. Because of the hot weather, many children had gathered around the shop. When they saw Xue'er's snow-white complexion and her unusual blue eyes, some of them began to mock her, calling her a "Little American brat". A few even threw small stones at her. Terrified, Xue'er burst into tears. It was lucky that Liu'er was by her side. She protected Xue'er while shouting back at those children. In the chaos, they never managed to buy the ice cream and Liu'er 's palm was cut by a stone. She quickly picked up Xue'er and rushed home. That evening, when Shen Huanzhi and Shen Hui came home from work and learned what had happened, Shen Hui couldn't hold back her emotions. Seeing Liu'er's hand already treated with antiseptic, she hugged Xue'er tightly and began to sob for a long time. Shen Huanzhi let out a deep sigh and said:
"From now on it is better for Xue'er to stay at home. Nanny You, please keep a closer eye on her."
Wiping her tears, Nanny You nodded repeatedly and replied:
"Sir, don't worry anymore. It will never happen again."
Liu'er also offered comfort, saying gently:
"Grandpa, I will accompany my younger sister at home after school."
Shen Huanzhi gave a bitter smile and gently patted her on the head:
"Good girl! My good girl!"
At night Shen Hui helped her father get ready for bed. Noticed her tearful eyes, Shen Huanzhi sighed again and said:
"You don't need to be so upset. This kind of thing is bound to happen under the situation nowadays. Those kids don't understand. From now on it was better to keep Xue'er stay at home as much as possible."
She replied:
"Dad, I see. I have heard the gossip from the neighbors too. Now there is the war between China and USA. The people are angry at the Americans. I understand this but Xue'er is just a 2-year-old child. How can she stand such things? I just feel sorry to her."
"So just let her stay home and go out less. Maybe things will get better when she grows up. I don't think the war between two countries will last forever."
"I agree. I really hope this ends soon. Now she is still very young so staying home for now isn't a problem. But when she gets older, she will have to go to school. So how can she avoid going out? I'm just afraid of how much bullying she might face in the future."
As she said this, she couldn't hold back her tears any longer.
Shen Huanzhi let out a helpless sigh and said:
"Let's deal with it when it will happen. Maybe things will be different by then."
From that day on Shen Hui noticed that every evening after coming home, her father would hold Xue'er in his arms and recite classical Chinese poems to her. After about a week, they discovered that Xue'er had an extraordinary memory. After hearing a poem once or twice, she could recite it on her own and wouldn't forget it even a week later. This discovery sparked even greater interest in Shen Huanzhi. He began to teach her the texts like "The Standard for Being a Good Student and Child(Dizigui)", "The Three Character Classic" and "The Hundred Family Surnames" as her early education. ("The Dizigui", "Three Character Classic" and "Hundred Family Surname" are classic texts of traditional Chinese elementary education.) Even Liu'er would sometimes join in, taking out her schoolbooks to teach Xue'er simple characters and the basic math. Seeing all this, Shen Hui finally began to feel a sense of relief from the fear and the sorrow that had gripped her. She realized that her father was once again applying the same method he had used on her during the Anti-Japanese War: Keeping her safely indoors, away from danger and focused on memorizing poetry and medical prescriptions. That method had protected her through those terrifying years. Maybe now, it would help Xue'er get through her own difficult times too.
No matter what, the life had to go on as usual. The war between China and the United States in Korea continued to be fought on the battlefield even as negotiations were underway. No one knew when it would be over. But there was one thing confirmed, which the enthusiasm of the Chinese people had never faded away. The people in the entire country stood united in supporting the government's campaign to "Resist US and Aid Korea". Even Shen Hui was also swept up in this wave of patriotic fervor. She enthusiastically took part in all sorts of activities to support the government so that she almost forgot that she had a husband who was an American and a daughter who was a biracial girl. Only when she looked into Xue'er blue eyes would the painful reality come rushing back. Then, she would close her eyes and hold her sensible little daughter tightly in her arms.
Since You Tao left for the front, Nanny You had received only two or three letters from him. Most were meant to reassure them of his safety. In his letters, he described the courage of the Chinese Volunteer Army in battling the enemy and the deep bond of mutual aid between the Chinese and Korean people. He told them not to worry about him and everything was fine.
After the Chinese New Year of 1953, Shen Hui noticed that Xue'er had begun flipping through Liu'er's comic book. The two sisters often sat quietly together, one doing her homework and the other reading calmly. When Xue'er encountered unfamiliar characters, she would ask either Liu'er or Shen Hui. She had developed a clear love for books. In fact, over the past two years, Liu'er began to study hard and her academic grades had risen quickly since Xue'er began learning characters. When Shen Hui asked her the reason. Liu'er answered with a grin:
"Of course I have to study hard. If I don't, how can I teach my little sister? I don't want to fall behind her."
Shen Huanzhi did something which no one had expected. He applied for a separate household registration (hukou) for Nanny You, officially removing her from the Shen family's hukou booklet. (The hukou (household registration) booklet is an essential legal document in China.) Nanny You strongly resisted this idea but the process was still carried out. Not only that, he began to give Nanny You a fixed amount of money each month. He had never mentioned it the salary but Shen Hui understood exactly what it meant. And she also began to consider Liu'er's household registration. After discussing it with Nanny You, she arranged for Liu'er household registration to be transferred under Nanny You's name, officially recognizing her as Nanny You's granddaughter. Shen Huanzhi explained to Nanny You that it was a precaution. No one could be certain whether the identities of Shen Hui and Xue'er might bring them trouble one day. Being a father and a grandfather, he had his responsibility to protect them no matter what would happen in the future. This gesture left Shen Hui heartbroken. All she could do was hold onto the hope that the life would get better someday.
When Xue'er was no longer allowed to go outside, the two-year-old child often grew restless at home, especially when she could hear the laughter and shouting of other children playing in the streets. Though she already understood, in her own way, that she might be bullied if going out, she still longed to play freely with them. Seeing the timid yet yearning look in her eyes, Shen Huanzhi felt a deep ache in his heart. But he also knew he had to stay firm. To distract her, he not only began teaching her classical Chinese poetry but also introduced her to the basics of traditional Chinese medicine. He took her into his small herbal garden and taught her to recognize various medicinal plants. He even spent money to buy herbs that weren't in his garden so she could learn to identify them. The skills he had long since put aside, brewing herbal decoctions and preparing herbal remedies, were picked up again. As he worked, he let Xue'er assist him just like a child playing house. Before going work each day, he would leave her simple tasks to complete, preparing the herbs, and when he returned in the evening, the two of them would sit together and begin preparing medicines. Sometimes Liu'er also joined them but it was obvious that she didn't have the same natural talent or patience to do this as Xue'er. She still accompanied her younger sister and picked up a few basics along the way. In this way, when Xue'er was three years old, she had already begun acquiring foundational knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine, but the price was the sacrifice of a child's carefree time that should have been spent playing outdoors. Seeing this, Shen Huanzhi eventually decided to resign from his job, officially citing health reasons. But the real reason was that he had discovered Xue'er's exceptional aptitude, her quick comprehension and remarkable patience. He made up his mind to devote himself fully to her education, determined to pass down everything he knew to his beloved granddaughter.
On July 27, 1953, the Chinese and North Korean forces (the Chinese People's Volunteer Army and the Korean People's Army) and the United Nations Command, led by the United States, signed the Korean Armistice Agreement at Panmunjom. This meant the war in Korea was finally coming to end. This news brought immense joy to the Shen family overjoyed, no, to the whole nation. The war was finally over, which meant You Tao would be coming home soon. They waited eagerly for him every day. Every time there was a knock at the door, Nanny You and Shen Huanzhi would light up with excitement, shouting: " Tao comes back!". Nanny You would rush to the door, her heart full of hope. But after waiting for over half a year, there was still no sign of You Tao. The excitement they once felt turned into growing anxiety and dread. Nanny You spent her time with wiping away tears every day. No one knew whether You Tao was alive or dead. Following New Year's day in 1954, the whole family made quietly preparations for the Chinese New year, their hearts heavy with sorrow and a lingering sense of despair. In Nanny You's heart, she believed her son was already gone. No one felt any joy as the new year approached.
Then one day, there was a knock at the door again. Liu'er went to answer it, and after a while, her startled cry carried over to everyone in the room, which made them shock and wondered what had happened. They rushed out of the room. They saw a person holding Liu'er and spinning around joyfully. Without hesitation, Nanny You ran over in excitement. She didn't say a word, simply throwing her arms around him and began to cry. Her son finally came back, safe and sound. Shen Hui helped her father going outside while pulling Xue'er along. Shen Huanzhi, tears streaming down his face, went forward and said:
"Tao, my boy, you come back. Finally! That's wonderful...wonderful. It's cold outside. Come in! Tao, come inside!"
You Tao stepped forward and called:
"Master, I've come back safe."
Everyone, full of joy, helped one another into the house. After the initial flurry of greetings and excitement had calmed down, they finally sat down, eager to hear what had happened. You Tao glanced at Shen Hui, who was still as young and beautiful as ever, out of the corner of his eye, and gave a faint smile before he said:
"I know all of you must have been guessing and worrying for a long time. But now here I am, sitting in front of you, safe and sound so don't worry about me anymore. The reason that I didn't write to you was because I was hurt during the Battle of Kumsong. It was a serious head wound. The doctor told me I had fell into a coma for a long time. The medical conditions in Korea weren't great so I wasn't able to get proper treatment until I was transferred back to a hospital in China. After surgery and a long period of recovery, I finally got better. Actually I did write to you but the letter was returned to me. I had written the wrong address. The doctor explained to me that I was suffering from some memory confusion at the time. I had to stay in the hospital for a while longer but I knew you all would be worried so as soon as I started feeling better, I came straight home. Of course, I asked the doctor to check me thoroughly. Thankfully, there shouldn't be any major issues. "
Hearing this, Nanny You walked forward in a hurry and looked closely at his head with concern. She noticed that there was a noticeable long scar across his scalp. Overwhelmed with emotions, she choked back tears and said:
"It is enough that you have come back...just great."
But her voice trembled as she spoke, heavy with emotion. Shen Huanzhi, standing nearby, couldn't help but ask:
"Did the doctor say whether there might be any aftereffects?"
You Tao smiled and replied:
"Well, there are a few. I maybe get the chronic headaches and dizziness sometimes and my memory isn't what it used to be. "
Then he turned his gaze toward Shen Hui again, who was holding Xue'er in her arms. But ever since he stepped through the door, she didn't have said a single word. Xue'er, now four years old, stared at him with her bright green eyes, full of curiosity at this travel-worn uncle. You Tao took a step forward and said warmly:
"I have never expected Xue'er grown up so fast. Come here, let uncle hold you."
Xue'er looked up at her mother. Seeing Shen Hui give a small nod, she let You Tao take her into his arms. He said:
"Wow, you become so heavy that I won't be able to hold you anymore after a bit more time."