“Charlie, do you know why, throughout the long span of five thousand years, countless ancestors have sacrificed their lives for the country during times of crisis?”


    The young Charlie shook his head, curious and confused. “Why, Dad?”


    His father offered a gentle smile and exined, “It’s because people may lose their earthly and emotional souls, but they must never lose their heavenly soul! Among the three souls and seven souls, the heavenly soul holds the utmost significance. It embodies a person’s highest belief. The belief in one’s homnd, mothend, and nation is the pinnacle of this conviction. This is why I chose to return to China, just as the Jewish people, despite enduring immense hardships, strive to return to Palestine and build Israel. Like me, they seek their heavenly soul. The only distinction is that while I left my homnd voluntarily, they were forcibly separated from theirs.”


    Young Charlie struggled to grasp the depth of family and national sentiment, so he couldn’t understand why his father’s eyes glistened with tears as he spoke. However, witnessing Arman’s joyful, almost reborn expression helped him connect with the profound sincerity his father had once shown.


    Charlie reflected on his own situation. He had never left his homnd in pursuit of opportunity overseas, nor had he lost sight of his original intentions. Yet, he realized that his own three souls and seven souls felt iplete. Since the day his parents passed away, his earthly soul, which symbolized his connection to them, had also vanished.<h3 style="background-color:DodgerBlue">


    Just as Charlie was lost in thought, a familiar voice broke through his reverie. “Mr. Wade, what’s on your mind?”


    Startled, Charlie turned to find Mia standing nearby, having approached quietly.


    He felt a mix of surprise and apprehension, realizing he had been so absorbed in his thoughts that he hadn’t noticed her presence. Regaining hisposure, he smiled slightly and replied, “I was reminiscing about the past.”


    “Miss Mia,” he continued, “have you just arrived?”<fn87ae> For original chapters go to f?i?n?d?n?o?v?e?l?</fn87ae>


    “Yes, I just got here,” Mia replied with a gentle smile. She moved closer to Charlie, gazing at the vibrant scene below, and then asked, “Were you thinking about your mom and dad?”


    “Well…” Charlie nodded, a hint of mncholy in his voice. “Even after twenty years, I still miss them…”


    This shared sentiment resonated deeply with Mia. She understood Charlie’s feelings almost intuitively, prompting her to sigh softly. Gathering her courage, she reached out and took his hand, squeezing it gently as a way to offerfort and connection.


    Not wanting Charlie to dwell too much on sadness, Mia shifted the conversation. “Mr. Wade, you seem to be in much better condition than yesterday.”


    “Yes,” Charlie affirmed earnestly. “He has found his heavenly soul.”


    As he spoke, he noticed Arman assisting an elderly woman out of the car and quickly added, “Not just his heavenly soul, but also his earthly soul.”


    Mia’s eyes widened in surprise. “Mr. Wade knows about the three souls and seven souls too?”


    Charlie was taken aback. “You know about that as well?”


    “Of course,” Mia replied with a serious smile. “Don’t forget, I studied Chinese for many years. Ultimately, my focus was on philosophy and history.”


    Charlie nodded thoughtfully. “It’s true that reading is essential; the essence of five thousand years of civilization is encapsted in books.”


    Mia smiled back. “Although Mr. Wade hasn’tpleted university, I’m sure many people would love to study under you. We all appreciate the less popr Taoist concepts like the three souls and seven souls.”


    Charlie chuckled self-deprecatingly, “I haven’t read many books. I’ve been struggling at the bottom for two decades, leaving little time or energy for extensive reading. These concepts were what my father shared with me during my childhood.”


    Mia responded earnestly, “It’s never toote to start reading. If Mr. Wade can find the time, he could create a personal reading n—perhaps starting with one book a month, then two books a month, and eventually one book a week.”


    After a pause, she added, “If you’d like, I can help you devise a study n.”


    Charlie couldn’t resist asking, “Will there be progress checks and homework?”


    Mia blushed shyly and replied, “I can do that if Mr. Wade needs it.”