Courtyard Houses: From Bronze Compasses to Global Reach

Chapter 442 From the Greater Khingan Mountains to the Urban Jungle

The two weeks I spent in the Greater Khingan Mountains felt like a stolen moment of pristine time.

Every day, accompanied by the wind and snow of the mountains and forests, and playing with the colorful mountain tiger that Xiao Qi "requisitioned", Chenchen and Xixi's little faces were red from the cold, but their eyes became clearer and brighter, and they seemed to be covered with the scent of pine needles and ice and snow.

As the plane soared into the sky, and the view outside the window changed to the azure ocean and the endless sea of ​​clouds, the two children would occasionally huddle together, quietly reminiscing about the thrill of riding on the back of a tiger at breakneck speed.

New York, Upper East Side.

The city lights were just coming on when the plane landed.

The car drove into the Upper East Side.

Charles had been waiting with a smile for some time.

"Young Master, Young Master Chenchen, Miss Xixi, you must be tired from your journey. Your room is ready."

Charles's smile became more genuine as his gaze swept over the two children.

Lin Yan intended to take them to experience another kind of "jungle" in this world capital.

They went up to the Empire State Building.

Standing on the 102nd-floor observation deck, the cold wind was biting, and below me was Manhattan, a miniature model of a steel forest, with the Hudson River and the East River like two shimmering ribbons.

Xi Xi gripped the railing tightly, her little mouth agape in an "O" shape, speechless with awe at the magnificent height of this human creation.

Chenchen pays more attention to the crisscrossing street layout, which resembles a circuit board, trying to understand the operating logic of the city.

"Dad, there are more houses here than trees in the mountains, and they're taller," he concluded.

They spent the entire day at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

From ancient Egyptian temples to European knights' armor, from Van Gogh's starry night to Monet's water lilies, the vast crystallization of human civilization is laid out before our eyes in the most intuitive way.

Xi Xi listened intently to the automatically playing harpsichord in the music hall, and imitated the poses of the figures in the European paintings.

Chenchen was fascinated by the weapons and armor exhibit and the early mechanical devices in the history of science and technology. He spent a long time looking at a restored glass case of an old astronomical instrument.

That night, Lin Yan led them into a Broadway theater.

As the velvet curtains were drawn back, the stage was illuminated by a dazzling interplay of light and shadow, and the air was filled with soaring vocals, as a story about dreams and friendship flowed through the music.

Xi Xi was completely captivated, her eyes glued to the screen, laughing and sometimes gripping her father's hand nervously as the story unfolded.

Chenchen was initially puzzled by the song and dance, but was quickly drawn into the scene by the ingenious stage direction and the actors' captivating performance.

After the show, Xixi hummed the melody from the play and excitedly mimicked the famous dance moves.

They also visited the Intrepid Sea & Air Museum.

Standing on the massive aircraft carrier deck, looking at those once-powerful fighter jets, Chenchen's "aircraft carrier model dream" seemed to have found a real anchor.

He carefully read each paragraph of the instructions, comparing the different carrier-based aircraft models.

This time, Lin Yan didn't explain much, but just let him see for himself and feel the essence of the peak martial power of the industrial age.

The New Year was fast approaching. On New Year's Eve, Lin Yan took the children to a quiet manor on Long Island for Tang Liuqian's family banquet.

The Tang family is now a prominent and influential family in the Chinese community of New York.

The manor's furnishings blend Chinese and Western styles, possessing both Eastern elegance and Western comfort.

The dinner was both warm and grand.

The adults chatted about art, collecting, and their experiences in the East and West, and the children quickly became acquainted with them as well.

Xi Xi quickly shared her Broadway experiences and the few new dance moves she had learned with the youngest daughter of the Tang family.

Chenchen became very interested in a high-end astronomical telescope model in the Tang family's young master's room, and the two huddled together to discuss the gears and lenses in hushed tones.

After dinner, the adults moved to the living room, where the fireplace crackled. Snowflakes drifted gently down outside the window, while the room remained warm and cozy.

Tang Liuqian and Lin Yan sipped tea, their conversation gradually shifting from antiques and calligraphy to a broader discussion of cultural exchange between East and West and future prospects.

As midnight approached, the two families came together into the courtyard.

Fireworks are banned in New York, but the estate is spacious, with the city lights in the distance reflecting against the deep starry sky.

The children, wrapped in thick blankets, looked up at the clear, cold night sky.

"Three, two, one... Happy New Year!"

As the countdown ended, everyone exchanged New Year's greetings, and Mr. and Mrs. Tang Liuqian prepared exquisite red envelopes and Chinese knots as New Year's gifts for Chenchen and Xixi.

Back at their Upper East Side villa, the two children were still excited.

This New Year, I spent it in a foreign land with a family that also has a deep Chinese heritage, experiencing a unique kind of "New Year's flavor".

Before bed, Xixi, clutching her new Chinese knot, suddenly asked, "Daddy, is Uncle Tang's house as nice as our courtyard house?"

Lin Yan helped her tuck the blanket in:

"A different kind of beauty. The courtyard house is like an ancient poem, a modern painting that blends Eastern and Western styles. But the people who live there are those who value their roots and heritage."

Chenchen whispered from the other bed, "I like that telescope. You can see the stars, even farther than you can see the ground from the Empire State Building."

"Then remember this feeling."

Lin Yan said gently.

"The world is vast, with mountains and forests, skyscrapers, the past in museums, the present on stage, and conversations about the future in other people's living rooms. They are all real, and they are all worth seeing and experiencing."

The children were fast asleep. Lin Yan stood by the window, gazing at the New York sky that never sleeps.

From the rugged backs of primeval forests to the neon lights of the world's highest peaks, this winter break traversed not only geographical distances but also the spectrum of civilizations.

This extreme contrast and rich experience are quietly broadening the dimensions of the two children's lives.