Ah Xiu:
How are you these days? I don't know where you are, but no matter when, where, or what you are doing, I just hope you take care of yourself so that we can meet again in the future.
I have been looking for you for many years but there is no news. I was very depressed at first, but recently, after experiencing many things, natural disasters, man-made disasters, birth, old age, sickness and death, I gradually began to look at things in a positive light. The war was so fierce and the situation became so bad. Every day, cities were collapsing and people were dying in cities. But I was still alive. I thought that this was God's pity on you and me, and he kept me alive. From now on, I will only live to meet you again.
By the way, I left England. I haven't written to you these days because I was busy with my life.
The war finally reached London. It was bombed for several months before the New Year, and many people were killed or injured. Taozhi and I discussed and managed to go to the United States. It's strange to say, who do you think I met in the United States? I met my second aunt. My mother had passed away, and my second aunt lived alone, so I moved in with her. There is an old story that you don't know. Our first child was actually the handiwork of my second aunt. At first, I really hated her and feared her, but now that I see the country is destroyed and my family is ruined, she and I have become strangers, but we have become close, and she sees me the same way. When I was a child, I read "Meeting an old friend in a foreign land". There is a joke in it that says that the great joy in life can turn into great sorrow, just add "creditor" after "Meeting an old friend in a foreign land". I only realized today that this saying is totally unreasonable. After wandering for half a lifetime, old friends are gone. When people meet old friends in a foreign land, let alone creditors, even if they are enemies, they will feel happy.
Xue'er has graduated a long time ago and now works in a bank. Second Aunt likes him very much. She would complain if he didn't come back after get off work. Second Aunt often told me that Xue'er looks like his father. Isn't he? Ah Xiu, you haven't seen what Xue'er looks like when he grows up. If you saw him, you would be so happy. He looks exactly like you.
Let me report to you the current situation of our family. There are five people in our family now. In addition to me, Second Aunt, Xueer, Taozhi, there is also a girl who was adopted on the ship coming to the United States. Her mother suddenly died of illness on the ship. I felt sorry for her and adopted her as my daughter, Axiu. Now we have both a son and a daughter.
Our current address is 1524 Woodley Road, Washington, D.C., not far from the Chinese Embassy and Washington Cathedral . I have planted two wintersweets at the door of my house. When you come, if you see the branches full of plum blossoms, you have arrived home.
Lan Jun
October 9, 1941