My Baba and Zhao Baba never met each other. Baba was executed the day before Xiamen was liberated by the army's 91st and 93rd division in which Zhao Baba served as Chief of Staff. When Mama went to claim Baba's body, she was assisted by the PLA men, and was hosted by Zhao Baba and Zhao Mama. That was how I addressed them since day 1. I was in the army barracks stationed at Tiger Head Hill. I played with Dawei, Zhao Baba's daughter of my age (aged 8). When I was sent to the boarding school in Fuzhou catering to offsprings of martyrs and service men, Zhao Baba and Zhao Mama came to visit me on separate occasions. Bodyguard Cui also visited me when he himself came for a training. When Zhao Baba visited me, he took me out to one of Fuzhou's hot spring bathing facilities. When Zhao Mama visited me and saw me with worn shoes, she measured my feet with her hand wanting to buy me a new pair. When PLA man Cui visited me, he had a photo taken with me.

That was 60 years ago. Then as the army moved around, we lost contact. Last year, we learned that Zhao Baba had passed away, but was survived by Zhao Mama and children. To her children, Zhao Mama had often mentioned my mom and me, and were wondering if she could revisit Xiamen and Tiger Head Hill. So, her wishes are being fulfilled, and I again met Zhao Mama, and her three daughters.

There is genuine friendship and love in the world--torn, divided, and battled as it has been. There is perfound grief in the loss of our fathers, but we've survived, and are still standing.

a short video clip (6 minutes) of Zhao Mama's visit and old photos of her family

爸爸与赵爸爸从未见过面。爸爸在厦门被绞杀的次日，赵爸爸的91师与93师解放了它。赵爸爸时任师参谋长兼警备区参谋长。当妈妈来厦门收尸时，解放军和赵爸爸接待了妈妈。我们住在军营里。我与同岁（8岁）的大伟姐爬到虎头山玩。在我被送到福州读小学（福建省烈军属子弟学校）时，赵爸爸和赵妈妈曾分别到子弟学校来看我。他的警卫员崔凤泉到福州学习时也来看过我。赵爸爸带我去温泉澡堂洗澡。赵妈妈看到我穿的鞋子破旧，就用手掌丈量我的脚掌，要给我买鞋。崔叔叔带我去相馆拍了一张照片。

那是60年前的事了。后来，随着部队移防，我们与赵爸爸一家失去联系。去年，我们得知赵爸爸已经逝世，但赵妈妈和儿女们都好。赵妈妈常念叨着“小燕南”和“林阿姨”，还希望重游虎头山。于是，95岁的妈妈与90岁的赵妈妈及女儿们重逢了。

人间毕竟有真情。

比起60年前，小字辈都当爷爷奶奶了。我们的妈妈们不再耳聪目灵，走路也不复勇猛。但我们都没有倒下。我们都托福平安。

有关赵妈妈来访和她的家人旧照片的视频（6分钟）

Click image to enlarge.  击打图片即可放大

(will switch to part 10 of China Trip in 20 minutes; 二十分钟后自动转到 燕南故国行第十集)