As a bookworm, I see the world as well as acquaint the people through books. Therefore most people involved in my personal life are linked, in one way or another, to the books I have read. Regretfully, those people are rather limited. My dear father-in-law belongs to the highly selective group. In my memory, the  most impressive fact is his presenting me books as birthday gifts.

On the 26th birthday of mine, he bestowed me Encyclopadia Sinica: Mechanics. On the head page, he wrote, “The applications make the talents increase everyday. The extensions cause the thoughtsunexhausted. Hope to win your wayunceasingly to achieve the summit. (才以用而日生，思以引而不竭。愿不断奋进，以凌绝顶。)”  The beautiful handwriting is shown in figure 1. In addition the practical usefulness  of the book, his expectation always encourages me to struggle in my life and in my career.

Figure 1

On the next birthday, he provided me with Encyclopadia Sinica: Mathematics. This time, he wrote a quotation of a celebrity on the head page. It says, “From the heart, I love wonderful books, spirited horses, and attractive landscapes. In the garden, I plant blue pines, green bamboos, as well as whitewintersweets and white orchises. (心有三爱，奇书骏马佳山水；园栽四物，青松翠竹白梅兰。)” The scripts are  shown in figure 2.

Figure 2

My father-in-law passed away a year ago. The two volumes of Encyclopadia Sinica still lie in my  bookcase. His calligraphy on them, among other my recollections, establishes a coupling between him and me, beyond the consanguinity and beyond the matrimony, forever.