The day was packed with challenges. While addressing unresolved issues from yesterday, we discovered flaws. Analyzing differences in data requests from the previous version required extensive testing, which consumed most of my time.

In the afternoon, Hamer called me in tears, saying she missed me. Likely overtired from skipping her nap, she later fell asleep in a shop near my office. By evening, she felt unwell, skipped dinner, and developed a slight fever.

On our way home, the moon appeared unusually large—even grander than last night’s full moon.

Today, we discovered that our previous fix for the identify issue was only partial and might not address the root cause. After discussions and testing various solutions, a late-day conversation with a colleague led me to identify and resolve the underlying problem, potentially improving related performance issues.

In the evening, Hamer called about purchasing a backpack she found on Taobao and reminded me of our planned shopping trip.

The second workday remained busy, with meetings, debugging, and issue reporting. Two new colleagues joined the Movie project, and I resolved the “identify” bug, preparing a minimal reproducible case for submission.

In the evening, I played badminton, expecting to struggle but feeling surprisingly at ease. Later, we had dinner at Hamer’s friend Liuliu’s house, where her parents served a delicious meal with hometown specialties. The lively conversation and good food made for a delightful evening.

Returning to Beijing marked the start of a new year.

The train ride felt short for Hamer, who hadn’t slept enough. My night was restless, waking up from station noises or checking on her.

The workday was packed—clearing emails, handling invoices, picking up my passport, and debugging an identify issue.

Hamer spent the day playing with her friend. In the evening, Hamer’s friend’s parents joined us for dinner, and we had a great time chatting over the meal.

The Last Day at Home: A Warm Farewell

This morning, the sun was shining brightly, and the weather felt perfect. I brought my uncle outside to walk and soak up the warmth.

After lunch, I took my mom and Hamer into town to buy groceries for dumplings and snacks for our train ride. In the afternoon, the sun gradually disappeared, and the air grew colder and colder.

In the evening, the whole family gathered to prepare dumplings, with the kids enthusiastically joining in.

I woke up late today after staying up watching Family Matters, making the day feel much shorter. In the morning, my dad kept calling for me repeatedly, which frustrated me.

In the afternoon, I napped while Hamer went to town with her aunt, returning happily with new toys. Later, I struggled while changing my uncle’s bandages and discussed adjustments with my dad.

The day ended warmly with a family dinner, bringing back a comforting sense of togetherness.

A Day of Exploration and Family Time

I took Hamer to explore the Xinjiang River, where she turned our walk through harvested fields into an obstacle course. At lunch, she enjoyed leftovers more than expected.

In the afternoon, we went shopping with her Grandma, played the claw machine, and stocked up on snacks and toys.

In the evening, Hamer helped make dumplings and experimented with adding firewood to the stove in my Grandma’s house.

Lunar New Year - Day 8: The Last Days of Celebration

My uncle’s wound still isn’t healing well, but he was more active and engaged with the family.

At noon, my sister and nephews came over, filling the house with laughter and games.

In the evening, we visited my eldest sister’s house and had meaningful conversations, strengthening our family bonds. Walking home through the dark village, Hamer reflected on the day, calling it “both happy and sad.”

Lunar New Year - Day 7, I decided to extend my stay instead of returning to Beijing as planned, so I could take care of my uncle and spend more time with family.

Hamer learned to ride a bigger bike, her joy radiating as she mastered it. I took the kids to the movies while also dropping Yaoyao off at school. The roads were congested, but I managed well.

I’ve been feeling incredibly sleepy at night, barely staying awake while writing my journal.

Lunar New Year - Day 6, we attended my cousin’s engagement ceremony, traveling as a family on a large bus, which felt like a fun group trip. At the groom’s house, we enjoyed a spread of local snacks before touring the area.

In the evening, we had dinner at my cousin’s place, where his daughter impressively prepared two full tables of delicious food. After dinner, I had a heartfelt conversation with my sister-in-law, realizing how valuable it is just to listen and connect.

Last night, Hamer had multiple vomiting episodes, showing signs of gastroenteritis. She remained calm, but it was a restless night for both of us. I consulted DeepSeek and ChatGPT, both confirming similar symptoms.

In the morning, I accompanied my brother to take our uncle to the hospital for his constipation issue, but the enema didn’t work as expected.

Despite the exhaustion, we continued our family visits, having lunch at my aunt’s and dinner at my second sister’s place. Driving all day was tiring, but the warmth of family gatherings made it all worthwhile.

Lunar New Year – Day 4, we visited my aunt’s house for lunch and my eldest sister’s for dinner. My driving has become much smoother after these days of practice.

My uncle was more active today, doing light exercises in the morning and walking with my brother’s help in the evening. We’re gradually helping him regain independence.

However, I’m feeling under the weather—my throat is sore, and painful mouth sores are making eating and speaking uncomfortable.

Lunar New Year - Day 3, I drove Xiaoyan to the high-speed rail station for her trip, handling the drive smoothly but feeling slightly tense. Later, I picked up family members from my aunt’s house and refueled the car for the first time.

The evening was filled with simple moments—Hamer and Coco playing before doing homework, and my brother making extra egg fried rice when the kids couldn’t get enough. For the first time, I observed the kids managing their bedtime routine independently.

Today started with unexpected news of a fire in the mountains. I helped guide the fire truck and joined villagers in putting out the flames. Later, my brother changed my uncle’s dressing, and I was shocked by the severity of his injury.

In the evening, we gathered at my maternal family’s home. We enjoyed a lively dinner followed by an energetic card game, filling the house with laughter.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, we visited family and friends in the village, starting from Grandma’s house and ending at my cousin’s. The day was filled with warmth and laughter.

The sun was intense in the afternoon, and the courtyard was lively with chatter and laughter. In the evening, I was surprised to find Hamer doing her homework, determined to catch up on her schoolwork.

As I write this, I feel very tired, ready to rest and recover for tomorrow’s festivities.

Lunar New Year’s Eve was filled with traditions and joy. I started the day early, exploring DeepSeeK and enjoying a serene frost-covered morning.

The kids helped put up Spring Festival couplets, taking pride in the tradition. After lunch, I drove Xiaoyan and the kids to town and later played chess with Doudou.

The evening was lively, with a big family feast, fireworks, and games. At midnight, we celebrated with more fireworks, welcoming the new year together.

Happy Lunar New Year!

On this sunny 28th day of the lunar month, we gathered at home for New Year’s preparations.

In the morning, I practiced driving a manual car, gradually gaining confidence despite some initial stalling. After lunch, I drove my sisters to town and back, improving but still finding intersections tricky.

In the evening, we celebrated with fireworks, with each person contributing to the fun. The laughter of children and the warmth of family made the night truly festive as we approached the Chinese New Year.

After the rain stopped, the house felt calm and refreshing.

I took my uncle for his IV treatment and picked up a package at a chaotic delivery station. In the afternoon, I played cards for a while before Yaoyao, Sisi, Hanghang came over because they were worried about their Mom. Later, I picked up bicycles in town and played chess with the kids.

We ended the evening with firecrackers and laughter before I turned in early.

Rain made the day chilly and inconvenient, but it was filled with family moments.

After taking my uncle to the hospital for a quick IV session, I returned home for Mom’s noodles, which Hamer and Coco adored, each finishing two bowls. In the afternoon, I spent time with Yoyo and practiced driving before heading out to pick up Xiaoyan.

Heavy rain and traffic made the return challenging, but arriving home to a lively and welcoming family made it all worthwhile.

This morning, I went to the hospital to take over for my dad, who’s been caring for my uncle during his IV treatment. Dad wasn’t feeling well and was found to have high blood pressure, so he decided to get an IV drip himself. The hospital’s basic conditions and elderly rural patients left me feeling reflective.

In the afternoon, I played with Yoyo, who resisted napping but eventually joined me to read on the bed. While reading, I fell asleep first, only to find she had also dozed off.

Today, I traveled from Beijing to Yueyang to pick up Hamer, and together we continued to Yingtan. The journey home was smooth yet eventful, with Hamer impressing me by carrying her own luggage the entire way and saying heartfelt goodbyes to her playmates before she left Yueyang.

At home, we were warmly welcomed by my family, and Dad jokingly expressed surprise that Xiaoyan wasn’t with us. In the evening, Hamer happily reconnected with her cousin Coco, and the two played together until late at night.

Today was a lucky day filled with good news. I received recognition for my 230 Tips project, and my visa interview was unexpectedly approved. Back in Beijing, I found out my promotion to Senior SDE was confirmed, bringing immense joy. My colleagues’ efforts to secure my presentation slot at the developer conference also moved me greatly.

In the evening, Xiaoyan and I enjoyed a delightful vegetarian dinner. Tomorrow, I’ll travel to Hunan to bring Hamer to my hometown. Despite a busy day, I feel energized and grateful.

Our company’s year-end party on Monday and Tuesday was packed with performances, games, and activities, but the dinner felt rather dull.

The next day, we visited Longqing Gorge to see the ice lanterns, where the frozen gorge turned out to be the highlight of the day. Later, two colleagues and I traveled to Shenyang for a visa appointment.

Today was calm and uneventful. I started the morning late, tidied up the living room. Xiaoyan got up and practiced piano, where she showed noticeable improvement.

Xiaoyan spent the afternoon watching Normal People, while I napped and bought fruit and dumplings.

In the evening, I practiced driving S-curves and felt much more confident compared to before.

Today started early as I tidied up the house and moved out the sofa. I received disappointing news that the conference schedule was refused, but my lead actively followed up.

My colleague’s gifted piano was delivered, and Xiaoyan even played a few simple tunes.

In the afternoon, Xiaoyan got a flu shot while I organized the house before joining her at our classmate’s place. We enjoyed the movie Her Story and a delicious homemade feast.