Reborn in 1982, the prodigal son returns

Lin Nuo pushed open the door. The creaking sound of the door hinges turning was particularly clear in the twilight, and the heat from inside rushed out, covering his face with the smell of alcohol and cigarettes.

Lin Jian's words came to an abrupt halt. His mouth remained open, as if someone had pressed the pause button.

He probably didn't expect that his second brother, whom he always talked about, would push open the door and come in.

Liu Jianguo sat opposite Lin Jian, looking embarrassed.

"Um... I'll go heat up the food."

He stood up, popped the peanut into his mouth, picked up the plate on the table, and slipped out.

Only the two brothers remained in the house.

The furnace was burning brightly, the iron chimney was glowing red, and wisps of smoke, carrying a faint smell of coal smoke, seeped out from the joints of the chimney.

"Second Brother," Lin Jianxian said.

His voice was strained, as if something was stuck in his throat.

Lin Nuo didn't sit down. He stood in the doorway, the door behind him not fully closed, a cold wind seeping in through the crack, causing the hem of his cotton-padded coat to sway slightly. He glanced at Lin Jian and spoke directly:

"You know that someone in Xiahe Village lost everything raising rabbits, right?"

Lin Jian paused for a moment, holding the wine cup.

Lin Nuo saw this and made up his mind. It seemed that he knew about it. His anger rose up. It was all because of this kid that his family was almost destroyed in his previous life.

"That's because they don't know how to raise them."

Lin Jian's voice was a little lower than before.

"So you know how to raise one then?"

"I found a technician."

Lin Jian seemed to realize what was happening. He slammed his wine cup on the table with a bit too much force, as if trying to gain the upper hand.

"They're from the county, from the agricultural technology station. They have connections. Not like Ma Shengli, but real technicians, from a proper agricultural technology station, with a college diploma."

"What's your name?"

Lin Jian's lips moved slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but then he realized he didn't reply.

"You wouldn't recognize him even if I told you, Second Brother, why are you asking such detailed questions?"

His voice softened.

Lin Nuo looked at him.

The gaze is not heavy.

A few seconds of silence.

"Third brother, did you know Ma Shengli has been arrested?"

Lin Jian's fingers visibly trembled.

"Know."

He put down the wine cup and wiped his mouth. The back of his hand brushed against his lips.

"What does this have to do with me?"

"So, your keeping rabbits at home, is that any of his business?"

"no."

Lin Jian answered quickly.

That speed itself is the answer.

Lin Nuo didn't press the matter further. He could tell that Lin Jian was putting on a brave face.

Okay. I won't ask anymore. But he'll find out what he needs to know sooner or later.

Linora sat down in the chair.

"Okay, then I'll ask you something else."

Lin Jian turned his gaze from the calendar to Lin Nuo's face, narrowing his eyes as if he didn't know what his second brother was about to say.

Do you know Zhou Laoshuan?

Lin Jian's expression changed. Unlike before, upon hearing this name, he froze, his fingers gripping the empty wine cup until his knuckles turned white.

He exhaled, as if suppressing something.

Perhaps they didn't expect their second brother to find out so much.

"I don't know him," he said.

But Lin Jian's voice was no longer right.

"You really don't know me?"

"If I don't know you, I just don't know you."

Lin Jian suddenly stood up, the chair leg scraping against the ground with a screeching sound. His voice rose, as if he were trying to embolden himself:

"Second Brother, what exactly are you trying to do? Interrogate a prisoner?"

His voice was very loud. Lin Jian would never have spoken to him much in the past, and would have mostly looked down on him.

He acted like he knew nothing, and now he's angry.

Lin Nuo slowly stood up as well.

"It's nothing. I just want to ask you one question: are you keeping rabbits at home to help someone else fill their hole?"

Lin Jian's lips trembled twice.

"no."

He squeezed out those two words through gritted teeth, then, without saying anything more, walked toward the door.

"Third brother."

Lin Jian stopped but didn't turn around.

"No matter what happens,"

Lin Nuo's voice came from behind:

"Home is home. Tell me the truth, your parents are getting old and still have to make a living on this land."

Lin Jian's shoulders suddenly twitched.

He stepped out.

The courtyard gate slammed shut with a bang.

Footsteps echoed from outside the courtyard gate, crunching on the snow until they faded into the distance.

Liu Jianguo poked his head out of the kitchen, still holding the plate of peanuts in his hand.

"Brother Nuozi...this..."

He stood at the kitchen doorway, holding a plate, unsure whether to come out or go back inside.

"fine."

Lin Nuo patted him on the shoulder, and Liu Jianguo visibly relaxed when his hand landed on it.

"Jianguo, help me find someone."

"Who?"

"His surname is Xiao. He's been active in the county, supposedly at the agricultural technology station. Could you ask him if there's such a person?"

Liu Jianguo paused for a moment, then nodded:

"Why."

He placed the peanuts on the table, pulled a crumpled notebook and half a pencil from his pocket, and asked, "Which 'xiao'?"

"The radical is grass (艹) at the top and the radical is solemn (肃) at the bottom."

Liu Jianguo wrote the character "Xiao" in his notebook. The strokes were a bit messy, but they were still legible.

"Jianguo, you should ask around at the town's supply and marketing cooperative about raising rabbits. Don't worry about me if you don't believe me."

Lin Nuo went out the door and headed home.

He walked and thought.

Lin Jian's reaction was wrong.

He was nervous when he heard Ma Shengli's name, but he quickly regained his composure.

But why did he react so strongly when Zhou Laoshuan was mentioned?

The fake fertilizer was handled by Ma Shengli. Ma Shengli was arrested, and those who were supposed to pay compensation have paid, and those who were supposed to be arrested have been arrested. If Lin Jian had only been involved a little, he would at most have been called in for questioning, and wouldn't have been so frightened.

What is he afraid of?

Lin Nuo slowed his pace, his footsteps crunching on the snow.

Unless, Zhou Laoshuan wasn't looking for Ma Shengli, but for Lin Jian.

The thought popped into my head and I couldn't stop it.

Liu Jun said that Zhou Laoshuan has a daughter who has poor eyesight.

The elderly couple had never had any children of their own, but they raised their daughter as their precious darling. Their crops were completely destroyed, and they wouldn't let it go, not because of the money, but because they wanted to extort a son-in-law from her.

I want a son-in-law/son-in-law.

Lin Nuo's heart sank.

If that's the case, then everything makes sense.

Lin Jian is good-looking, so Zhou Laoshuan will definitely make him pay a large sum of money or marry into the family.

In his past life, he vaguely heard that there was an old man in Xiahe Village who had no descendants and forced a fertilizer factory worker to marry into his family. Later, the man had to pay a large sum of money to settle the matter.

He didn't think much of it at the time, but now, thinking about it, a chill runs down his spine.

This person was actually Lin Jian.

Where can Lin Jian get a large sum of money now? He has worked at the fertilizer plant for three years, but his salary is not high, and after spending money on food and drink, he can't save much money.

Even if he used all his savings, it wouldn't be enough to cover the losses on the crops. So he thought of his family. They had a small sum of money, enough to buy dozens of breeding rabbits.

With a bit of encouragement from others, it was almost a done deal. They thought they could get breeding rabbits to perform and then sell them to pay off their debts.

That makes sense.

He's so stubborn; he'd never admit it, no matter what.

Lin Nuo sighed, and that breath condensed into a cloud of white mist in the cold air.

He quickened his pace towards home. His strides were longer than before, making a crunching sound as he walked on the snow.

By the time I got home, it was already getting dark.

Lin Nuo didn't rush inside; instead, he turned and went to the door of the west room.

The door to the west room was closed, and the curtain was hanging down.

He knocked twice.

"Late Qing".

The door opened a crack. Su Wanqing stood behind the door, her hair loose and draped over her shoulders, wearing an old white sweater.

Lin Nuo's eyes lit up. "My wife is so beautiful. I must have been an idiot in my past life to overlook such a wonderful woman." He pulled the red scarf from his pocket. It was wrapped in white paper, which he had been holding so close that it felt warm and cozy.

The paper package was square, with neatly folded edges; Liu Jun had put a lot of care into it. He handed her the scarf, then reached through the crack in the door and presented the package to her.

Su Wanqing glanced down at the package but didn't take it. Her gaze lingered on the paper package for a moment before returning to his face.

"You don't need to spend so much money."

The voice was still clear and cold, but it was different from before.

"It's the Lunar New Year, and we don't buy it every day."

Lin Nuo stuffed the scarf into her hands, their fingers touched briefly, and this time there wasn't much of a reaction:

"The New Year should always bring a fresh start."

Lin Nuo finished speaking and turned to go to the kitchen, not giving her a chance to refuse. Her steps were quick, crunching on the snow, and she crossed the eaves in two steps and turned into the kitchen.

Su Wanqing stood at the doorway, watching his figure disappear into the kitchen, clutching the paper package in her hand. The package was still warm, carrying the warmth of his chest.

She closed the door.

The sound of the latch being bolted, the dull thud of wood hitting wood.

She walked to the table, placed the paper package on it, and slowly unwrapped it, as if she were opening something very precious. The white paper unfolded, revealing a scarf.

Red scarf.

She unfolded it, and its vermilion color shone softly under the kerosene lamp, warm and cozy. It was pure wool, densely woven, soft to the touch, and didn't prick her face; it was fluffy.

She slowly wrapped herself around it.

She wore the scarf around her neck, with the ends hanging down in front of her chest; it looked striking against the red background. She walked to the mirror.

The person in the mirror has a beautiful face and light-colored lips.

She reached out and gently touched the edge of the scarf. Her fingers paused on the scarf for a moment.

It's been a long time since anyone bought her anything.

She looked in the mirror, a slight smile playing on her lips.

She heard Lin Nuo's footsteps receding outside the door. She instinctively turned her head and glanced towards the window. The dim light filtered through the paper windowpane, making it impossible to see anything. But she still looked for two seconds before turning back.

She didn't take off the scarf; she just wore it and stood in front of the mirror for a while.

……

In the kitchen, Zhao Xiuying asked while chopping meat.

The meat on the cutting board was pork belly, with alternating layers of fat and lean meat. She chopped it with her knife, making a thud on the board. The minced meat was finely chopped and stuck to the knife, which she scraped off and continued chopping.

"Did you see the third brother?"

"I saw him."

"How is he?"

The movement paused for a moment, hovering in mid-air, then continued chopping, the sound muffled and lighter than before.

"I drank quite a lot."

Zhao Xiuying paused for two seconds, then brought the knife down, striking the cutting board with a louder sound than before.

"...Have him come home for dinner tonight."

Lin Nuo didn't answer. He squatted down and added a piece of firewood to the stove. The flames suddenly leaped up, licking the bottom of the pot and making a whooshing sound.

Lin Jian wouldn't talk about Zhou Laoshuan's matter. But he needed to find out. If it was really as he thought, and Zhou Laoshuan wanted Lin Jian to marry into his family, then this wasn't something money could solve. Marrying into someone's family, being a live-in son-in-law, was more shameful than being in debt in the village.

Especially workers like Lin Jian from fertilizer plants.

Lin Jian didn't say anything because he was afraid the villagers would laugh at him and that his life would be over.

But the more he does this, the more difficult things become.

After the New Year, I'll go to Xiahe Village. I'll find Zhou Laoshuan and ask him in person how much he wants and whether we can negotiate.

Don't upset your parents.

Just then, the courtyard gate rang.

Zhao Xiuying peeked out from the kitchen.

She stretched her neck out, squinting at the gate. Her face was obscured in the twilight; only a figure in a military overcoat could be seen standing at the gate.

"The third brother is back."

She said it with a slightly lighthearted tone.

Lin Nuo felt a little jealous. It's true what they say, things are always better when they're far away. But considering his past behavior, it's already a miracle that his mother didn't kick him out.

But why did this kid suddenly come back? Lin Nuo thought to himself, it must be because Zhou Laoshuan was pressuring him.

Lin Weiguo came out of the main room and stood on the threshold without saying a word.

Lin Jian stood in the courtyard, his military overcoat covered in snow.

"father."

He lowered his head and called out, his voice hard and harsh, like a stone hitting the ground.

"Come inside," Lin Weiguo said.

He glanced at Lin Jian, his lips moved as if he wanted to ask something, but in the end he just lifted the curtain and stepped aside to let him in.

Lin Jian didn't move. He stood in the middle of the courtyard, his feet on the snow, his hands hanging at his sides, his fingers slightly curled. He glanced in the direction of the kitchen and saw Lin Nuo come out of the kitchen and stand under the eaves.

The two brothers stood half a yard apart, neither of them speaking.

As he passed Lin Nuo, he paused, his fists clenched.

……

Meanwhile, in Xiahe Village.

Old Zhou squatted on the threshold of the kitchen, smoking his pipe.

The fire in the stove had gone out, leaving only a few embers, their red glow casting flickering light on his face. His face was deeply lined with wrinkles, his eyes were sunken, his cheekbones were high, and his chin was covered in white stubble.

The person didn't go inside. It was too stuffy inside.

His wife was already asleep in the inner room. The kang (a heated brick bed) was warm, and her snoring could be heard through the wall, sometimes long, sometimes short, like a bellows.

"father."

A voice came from the inner room, soft and tinged with timidity.

Old Zhou took the pipe out of his mouth and tapped it on the sole of his shoe. The ashes fell to the ground and were scattered by the wind.

"What's wrong?"

"You...you really want to go find that guy surnamed Lin?"

The daughter's voice came from the inner room, muffled and indistinct through the curtain.

Her eyesight was poor, and she couldn't see very well at night, so she rarely went out after dark. Instead, she would sit on the kang (a heated brick bed), leaning against the wall, listening to the radio. The radio was old, the batteries were almost dead, and the sound was crackling, like rain.

Zhou Laoshuan did not respond.

He tucked his pipe into his belt, stood up, and his knee snapped. He stood on the threshold, looking at the snow in the yard.

The snow had stopped, and the moon peeked out from behind the clouds, its cool light shining on the snow-covered ground, making the courtyard brighter than the house.

"I'll go on the 30th."

His voice wasn't loud, but it was harsh, like a stone hitting the ground.

"Liujiagou, Linjia. I've found out where that guy lives."

He turned around and glanced towards the inner room. The curtain blocked his view, so he couldn't see anything. But he knew his daughter was sitting on the kang (a heated brick bed).

"father……"

"Go to sleep."

Zhou Laoshuan interrupted her, his voice a little softer than before.

"Don't worry about this."

The inner room was quiet for a while.

Then came a very soft sigh, as if it were squeezed out of the throat, or as if it were blown away by the wind.

Old Zhou turned around and faced the courtyard.

The moon disappeared behind the clouds again, and the courtyard darkened. He stood on the threshold, motionless, like a withered tree stump.

After a long while, he turned around and went inside.

The curtain fell behind him and swayed.