Chapter 70

A Spring Festival to Remember

"Dog brother, Dog brother!" When he returned home, Charlie Lee's first task was to find Wang Dagou.

The two were alone in the United States, far from their families, who were reunited back home for the Spring Festival.

"Here I am!" Wang Dagou exclaimed cheerfully, dressed in a red-edged, black Tang suit paired with new white trousers, white socks, and black cloth shoes. His jubilant attire matched the wide grin on his face.

Beside him stood two young children, a boy and a girl, one black and one white. Both were dressed similarly to Wang Dagou, their expressions betraying discomfort as they fidgeted awkwardly.

"Whose kids are these?" Charlie asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Didn't you ask Ben to deliver them? They're boarders," Wang Dagou replied in surprise.

"Oh, right, I almost forgot." Scratching his head, Charlie crouched to their level and offered a warm smile. "Hi there! Can you introduce yourselves?"

"Who are you?" The little black boy's voice was filled with suspicion, his wary eyes scrutinizing Charlie.

"My name is Charlie Lee," he explained patiently. "By law, I'm your temporary guardian while you stay here."

The children said nothing, their expressions a mix of curiosity and defiance. They made no move to come closer.

"Well," Charlie said after a brief silence, "today is the Chinese Spring Festival. Think of it as similar to Thanksgiving. Would you like to celebrate with us?"

"I don't want to," the little boy said bluntly.

"I do," the girl said softly, nodding.

The two exchanged hostile looks, silently accusing each other of betrayal.

"How can you break our agreement?" the boy's eyes seemed to say.

"Who cares about agreements? I speak for myself," the girl's expression retorted.

"Traitor."

"Idiot."

Charlie sighed. He'd anticipated trouble when he made the offer, and his expectations were proving correct. Children abandoned to orphanages often carried emotional scars. Fear, insecurity, and past trauma had made their hearts fragile and defensive. A wrong move could shatter them further, and Charlie was determined not to deepen their wounds.

"As your guardian and the owner of this house, there are a few ground rules you need to follow," Charlie said firmly, clapping his hands to get their attention.

"First, I want you to get along, even if it's just for the short time you're here.

"Second, during your stay, think of me as your older brother. If you need anything, I'll do my best to help.

"Third, no fighting, no swearing, no skipping classes, and no causing trouble. Understood?"

The children reluctantly nodded.

"Now, tell me your names."

The girl spoke first, her voice hesitant. "Norma Chou." Her wide eyes sparkled with a mix of hope and fear.

"Eric," the boy mumbled, his tone brimming with resistance.

"Good," Charlie said with an encouraging smile. "Eric, Norma, my name is Charlie Lee. You can call me Charlie or just Lee."

Norma's nervousness melted slightly as she extended her hand timidly. When her fingers brushed against Charlie's palm, she flinched, as if expecting rejection or worse.

Charlie remained still, his hand open, his smile unwavering. Gradually, Norma placed her trembling hand in his. He closed his fingers gently around hers. "Welcome, Norma."

Tears welled up in her eyes and fell in streams, reflecting the deep pain she carried. Charlie didn't know her full story, but her reaction told him it was a harrowing one.

Eric hesitated for a moment before reluctantly extending his hand. "Welcome, Eric," Charlie said, shaking it firmly.

"You've got a way with kids," Wang Dagou said, giving Charlie a thumbs-up.

"Naturally," Charlie replied with a smirk, ruffling both children's hair affectionately.

The festive preparations were in full swing when Charlie, leading the children, returned to the kitchen.

"Is the dumpling filling ready?" Charlie asked.

"It's all set, prepared by Lao Huang's wife," Wang Dagou replied, pointing to a porcelain basin on the table.

"Perfect! Let's get started!" Charlie exclaimed, rolling up his sleeves.

Eric and Norma stood nearby, watching with a mix of curiosity and apprehension.

"Eric, you can play games or listen to the radio if you don't want to help," Charlie said, holding up an old-fashioned radio.

"I…I want to help," Norma said eagerly, though her wide eyes betrayed her nervousness.

"And you?" Charlie turned to Eric.

"That's women's work," Eric said dismissively.

"There are no women here, only girls and men," Charlie corrected with a smirk.

With a reluctant shrug, Eric joined them at the table.

"All right, let's make some dumplings!" Charlie said, handing them pieces of dough and demonstrating the process.

Norma and Eric fumbled with the dough, their dumplings coming out misshapen and barely sealed. Charlie patiently corrected them, showing them simpler techniques to form the crescent-shaped dumplings.

Norma giggled as she finally managed to make a passable dumpling, while Eric worked with the focus of a scientist conducting an experiment.

When the dumplings were ready, Charlie instructed the children to clean up while he changed into a new Tang suit.

The bright red silk felt smooth against his skin, and for the first time since coming to America, he felt a comforting sense of belonging.

Downstairs, the aroma of boiling dumplings filled the air.

"Tao Zi, adjust the dipping sauce," Wang Dagou called, gesturing to a collection of bottles on the table.

Charlie prepared small bowls of vinegar, soy sauce, and chili oil. Norma, curious, asked if she could try the sauce.

"Of course! Here, let me help you," Charlie said, mixing a mild version for her.

But instead of tasting it with chopsticks, Norma misunderstood and drank the entire bowl in one gulp.

"Cough! Cough!" She gasped, her face turning red from the unexpected spiciness.

Charlie quickly handed her a glass of water. "Take it easy!"

Eric, witnessing this, subtly scooted further away, determined to avoid the "mystery potion."

As they sat down to eat, Wang Dagou reminisced about the hardships of his childhood in rural China—of wearing patched clothes, sharing meals, and cherishing the rare moments of joy during the Spring Festival.

Though his story was filled with struggle, his smile reflected genuine happiness.

Charlie listened in silence, marveling at Dagou's resilience. Life had been unimaginably harsh, yet Dagou still found solace in those memories.

By the end of the evening, the house was filled with laughter and the comforting warmth of shared tradition. For the first time, Norma and Eric seemed at ease, their initial hostility replaced with tentative smiles.

As they cleaned up together, Charlie felt a profound sense of accomplishment. He might not be able to solve all their problems, but for tonight, he had given them a glimpse of family and belonging.