Reborn in 1982, the prodigal son returns

On the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, just as dawn was breaking.

As the white of winter is peeled away, the outline of the mountains becomes more rugged, and the green of the pine trees shines through from under the snow.

A gray rabbit peeked out from the bushes. It crouched by a rock, its ears perked up. Its nostrils twitched. It hopped forward two steps, stopped, pressed its front paws into the snow, and hopped two more steps.

With a "buzzing" sound.

The sound of the crossbow string being released was not loud on the open hillside. But the arrow flew out from behind the pine tree, and in less than the blink of an eye, it struck the rabbit squarely in the neck.

The gray rabbit kicked its legs twice, pawed at the air with its front paws, and then lay still, its body tilted to one side on the snow. Blood seeped from the side of the arrow shaft, spreading a small red patch on the white snow.

Lin Nuo emerged from behind the pine tree. He slung the crossbow over his shoulder, crouched down, grasped the shaft, and gently pulled out the arrow. The arrowhead was stained with blood; he wiped it with a handful of dry grass and tucked it back into the cloth bag on the crossbow. The rabbit was still twitching slightly, its hind legs twitching once, then it remained still.

He picked it up and weighed it in his hand. It weighed about three pounds and was very fat, with a round belly that was all fat to the touch. He put it into the basket on his back, with a layer of licorice at the bottom.

Today is the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, and it's Wanqing's first day of classes. I'll stew rabbit for her tonight.

He thought to himself, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

For the past ten days or so, he has been going into the mountains before dawn every day to familiarize himself with the terrain and practice his crossbow skills. At first, he was lucky to hit two or three out of ten arrows, but now he can hit seven or eight out of ten arrows on a target the size of a fist within thirty paces. The arrows have iron tips and are polished to a shine.

We have to check it many times every day.

Besides that, he also went to Song Village to see Zhang Batou once. The old man didn't say much, but asked him to identify five medicinal herbs: Saposhnikovia divaricata, Platycodon grandiflorus, Atractylodes lancea, Angelica dahurica, and Viola yedoensis. He identified the first four correctly, but mistook Viola yedoensis for Viola yedoensis. Zhang Batou said, "Not bad."

She barely passed his test.

He then pointed out several places in the mountains where medicinal herbs could be found.

We can go and gather them after spring arrives. Medicinal herbs are much more expensive than these wild animals. A pound of astragalus can sell for several yuan, while pheasant only costs five yuan.

He also went to the lake to check on the turtles a few times recently and tried to dig for them, but didn't find anything. He'll wait until spring, when the ice melts and the water warms up, then the turtles will come out.

This winter, let's eat some good food and nourish our bodies. Wanqing is too thin; we need to improve her health.

When Lin Nuo came down from the mountain and reached the village entrance, he saw a figure running out of the village in the distance.

Qi Dawu was panting heavily, his face red from the cold. The future son-in-law of the Zhou family was currently busy with his marriage, so Lin Nuo didn't bother him.

"Brother Nuozi! Brother Nuozi!"

He straightened up, took a deep breath, as if trying to squeeze out all the joy of his life from his throat:

"The date is set! The 26th of the first lunar month! I... I'm getting married!"

Qi Dawu's voice was quite loud.

Lin Nuo smiled and patted Qi Dawu on the shoulder. Qi Dawu was trembling with joy.

"Great news! Let's go home and talk about it."

Qi Dawu followed behind, his steps light as if he were walking on cotton, muttering to himself:

"My dad said he'll treat the whole village to a feast, slaughter a pig weighing about 200 jin (100 catties), with a handful of fat, and stew a huge pot of meat—enough to keep everyone full. He'll also set off firecrackers, buying two strings of 1000-shot firecrackers to hang from the courtyard gate all the way to the alleyway..."

Lin Nuo listened without interrupting him. Qi Dawu's voice echoed along the village road.

Lin Nuo returned home to find Zhao Xiuying absent and the kitchen door locked. He had gone to Xiahe Village to help the Zhou family with their wedding preparations, leaving early in the morning; steam was still rising from the kitchen when he left. Lin Weiguo had gone with him.

Seeing this, Qi Dawu said he would go to Xiahe Village to bring them back.

Lin Nuo carried the rabbit to the kitchen, skinned it, and cleaned it. Rabbit skin is a good thing; once tanned, it can be used to make gloves and insoles, which can be kept for winter.

He carefully peeled off the rabbit skin, laid it out on the cutting board, and scraped off the fat and leftover meat with a knife. The rabbit skin gleamed with a grayish-brown sheen under the light; the fur was thick and soft, and it felt warm to the touch when you inserted your fingers into it.

This leather will definitely fetch a good price.

The rabbit meat was cut into chunks, the bones were chopped open, and the marrow was white and glistening.

A few pine logs were stuffed into the stove, making the fire burn brightly. The iron pot was heated up, and a spoonful of lard was poured in. The oil melted in the pot, emitting wisps of smoke. He threw in scallions, ginger, and garlic, and with a "sizzle," the aroma exploded.

Then add the rabbit meat and stir-fry. The meat chunks roll around in the pot, frying until golden brown and sizzling. Add water to cover the meat, cover the pot, bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat.

After simmering for almost an hour, the broth in the iron pot bubbled and steamed, the aroma of meat wafting from the edge of the lid, mingling with the smoky scent of pine wood, filling the kitchen with a rich, almost palpable fragrance. He added the potatoes.

I sprinkled in a small handful of salt, coarse salt grains, which I rubbed in my hands before sprinkling it in. It landed evenly on the soup noodles, sank, and dissolved.

He poked the rabbit leg with his chopsticks; the chopsticks sank in, the meat was mushy, and the bone was almost separating from the meat.

The gate to the courtyard rang.

Lin Nuo peeked out from the kitchen and saw Su Wanqing walk in. She was wearing that navy blue cotton-padded jacket, with a red scarf around her neck; the crimson color was particularly eye-catching in the winter sun.

She was carrying a cloth bag, which Zhao Xiuying had pieced together from scraps of cloth, patchy with gray and blue. Inside were the calligraphy practice book and a few pencils.

Her face was a little red from the wind, but her eyes shone with light.

Lin Nuo put the pot lid on, stood at the kitchen door, and said with a smile:

"Teacher Su, let's get ready for lunch."

Su Wanqing was stunned for a moment. She stood in the middle of the yard, the blackboard tucked under her arm and the cloth bag in her hand, watching Lin Nuo wearing an apron.

Her lips twitched, and she said with some surprise:

"...Did you do this?"

"Hmm. I caught a rabbit and stewed it. You should try some."

Lin Nuo turned and went into the kitchen, with Su Wanqing following behind. She placed the cloth bag on the stove and washed her hands.

Lin Nuo served two bowls of rabbit soup, placing one in front of her and carrying the other herself.

Golden oil floats on the soup noodles, swirling in small circles. Potatoes are cut into chunks and sink to the bottom of the bowl. The meat is stewed until tender; when you pick it up with chopsticks, the meat separates from the bone, and the meat strands fall into the soup, splashing up a small drop of oil.

Su Wanqing took a sip of the soup, pursed her lips, and licked them with the tip of her tongue. The soup was very flavorful, a blend of the freshness of rabbit meat and the softness of potatoes, along with the spiciness of ginger slices, the fragrance of scallions, and just the right amount of salt.

She didn't say anything, but took another sip. This time she drank more, and a small portion of the soup in the bowl went down.

"Is it tasty?"

Lin Nuo asked.

"……Um."

She lowered her head and took another sip, the rim of the bowl against her lips, the soup flowing into her mouth silently.

In his previous life, he went to the South. After Wanqing left, he did all sorts of jobs and honed his cooking skills. He never expected to have the chance to cook for Su Wanqing again.

Lin Nuo looked at her, a smile playing on his lips. He placed a piece of rabbit meat in her bowl; it was from the leg, the tenderest part, with small bones and plenty of meat. She didn't refuse, and picked it up and ate it.

"Teacher Su, how was your first class today?"

Lin Nuo asked. He held the bowl, not drinking, waiting for her to speak.

Su Wanqing put down her chopsticks and thought for a moment. She used to speak very concisely, never using two words when one was enough, but this time she spoke quite a bit:

"Eleven children came today."

Her voice was very soft:

"Anzi and Pingzi sat in the first row. Anzi learned to read quickly; he could learn it after being taught only once and could even teach others. Pingzi couldn't sit still; he would look out the window one minute and play with his fingers the next. I pressed his hand on the paper, and he wrote three characters before going back to playing."

When she said this, there was no blame in her tone, but rather a hint of helplessness and a touch of amusement.

"Old Li's grandson, Li Tiedan, wrote the character '人' (person) as '入' (enter). I had to teach him several times before he corrected it. He was even embarrassed."

As she spoke, the corners of her mouth curved wider.

"And the Sun family's daughter, Sun Xiaomei, I gave her my pen."

Lin Nuo listened without interrupting. He looked at Su Wanqing's face; her eyes shone brightly under the kerosene lamp, the lamplight reflecting in her dark pupils, a small yellow light dancing in her irises. When she spoke of the children, she was a completely different person.

I taught them how to write the character for "person" (人).

Su Wanqing continued, gesturing with her fingers on the table:

"I told them that the Chinese character for 'person' (人) is composed of two strokes, one left and one right, which support each other to stand up. Just like a family, they need to help each other to make a good life."

This statement seems to have another meaning.

After she finished speaking, she picked up the bowl and took another sip of soup. The soup was no longer hot; it was lukewarm, just right for drinking.

Lin Nuo looked at her, feeling a warm feeling filling his heart.

"Teacher Su teaches so well."

He said.

Su Wanqing didn't reply. She lowered her head, picked up the bowl, and drank the last mouthful of soup. Her ears turned slightly red.

After finishing the meal, Lin Nuo cleared away the dishes. She stacked the bowls together and the chopsticks together, then took them to the kitchen, put them in a basin, and soaked them in a ladle of water.

Lin Nuo came out of the kitchen and stood next to her, watching her write.

Su Wanqing's handwriting is really beautiful.

"Teacher Su."

"Um."

"When spring comes, I'll go into the mountains more often, hunt more wild animals, and dig up more medicinal herbs. With the money I make, I'll buy paper and pens for the school so the children won't have to share a single pencil."

His voice wasn't loud.

Su Wanqing's finger paused on the paper for a moment, then she nodded.

Su Wanqing has recently come to trust him quite a bit.

Lin Nuo reached out and touched the red scarf around her neck.

He smiled and withdrew his hand.

It was already completely dark outside the window.

Su Wanqing folded the paper she had written on, tucked it into the calligraphy book, closed the book, and placed it beside her pillow.

Lin Nuo stood at the door, watching her back.

She turned around and saw him looking at her; her gaze lingered on his face for a moment.

"What are you looking at?" she asked. Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried a softness she didn't usually have.

"It's up to you," Lin Nuo said.

Su Wanqing didn't reply and turned away, but the tips of her ears were still red, shining brightly, like two small rubies in the light of the kerosene lamp.

Lin Nuo walked over and blew out the kerosene lamp. The flame on the wick shrank to a ball of blue light, flickered twice, and then went out.

The two people were lying on the kang (a heated brick bed).

Su Wanqing didn't speak. Her fingers moved in his palm, not by pulling them back, but gently, slowly, as if unintentionally, holding his hand.

Lin Nuo closed his eyes.

He turned over, facing Su Wanqing.

He squeezed her hand a little tighter.

I was just about to go to sleep when the gate to the courtyard rang.

With a creak, the sound of the door hinges turning was particularly clear in the night. Then came the sound of footsteps, several pairs of shoes crunching on the snow, some lightly, some heavily.

Zhao Xiuying's voice came from the courtyard; it wasn't loud, but it was very clear in the night:

"Finally home. The kang (heated brick bed) at Old Zhou's house was so hot it burned my back."

Lin Weiguo's voice was muffled and hard to hear; it sounded like he was saying "hmm."

Then came Qi Dawu's voice, filled with joy: "Auntie, please be careful, the threshold is slippery."

The three people entered the kitchen. The kitchen door was open, making the sounds even clearer.

Zhao Xiuying suddenly exclaimed "Huh?" and paused in her tracks. Then came the sound of a pot lid being lifted, the iron pot lid striking the stove with a crisp sound.

"Why is there still meat in this pot?"

Zhao Xiuying raised her voice a little:

"Who did it?"

Qi Dawu leaned over for a look and said:

"Auntie, this must have been made by Brother Nuozi. He hunted a rabbit this afternoon and stewed it."

Zhao Xiuying was stunned for a moment, her voice filled with surprise: "Second brother has this skill too?"

She picked up a piece of rabbit meat with her chopsticks, chewed it a couple of times, then picked up another piece and mumbled, "Hmm, just the right amount of salt, and the meat is tender. When did this child learn to cook?"

Lin Weiguo didn't say anything, but the sound of chopsticks hitting the bowl rang out, and he sat down as well.

Qi Dawu chuckled twice: "Brother Nuozi is amazing. He not only knows how to hunt rabbits, but he also knows how to stew them."

Zhao Xiuying ate a few more pieces, put down her chopsticks, and said with a smile in her voice:

"I didn't expect my second son to be such a good cook. Perfect, now I can finally relax and let him do the cooking."

The sounds of three people eating came from the kitchen: chopsticks clinking against bowls, soup being sipped. Qi Dawu said, "It smells so good!" and Zhao Xiuying put another piece on his plate.

In the east room, Lin Nuo and Su Wanqing lay on the kang (a heated brick bed), and could hear the conversation in the kitchen clearly.

Lin Nuo's ears felt a little hot. He felt Su Wanqing's hand move in his palm, and then...

With a "pfft".

Su Wanqing smiled.

Lin Nuo turned to look at her.

Moonlight filtered through the paper window, casting a hazy glow, but he could still see her face. Her eyes were curved into crescents, her lips were upturned, and she had a shallow dimple on her cheek that was not usually visible, only appearing when she smiled.

He had seen that dimple in his past life. It was when they had just gotten married; she would occasionally smile, and her dimples would flash. Later, she didn't smile much anymore, and her dimples seemed to disappear along with her.

In this lifetime, he saw it again.

"What are you laughing at, Teacher Su?" Lin Nuo asked softly.

Su Wanqing didn't answer. She buried her face in the pillow, her shoulders still trembling slightly.

Lin Nuo smiled too. He tightened his grip on her hand a little, and with his other hand, he gently brushed the stray hairs from her face.

The voices in the kitchen continued; Zhao Xiuying was saying, "Let the second son stew fish tomorrow."

Lin Weiguo said, "You're just good at ordering people around," and Qi Dawu chuckled.

In the east room, neither of them spoke again.

The moon outside the window brightened a bit more, its light spilling onto the snow and illuminating the courtyard.

Su Wanqing's breathing became lighter and slower; she had fallen asleep.

Lin Nuo closed his eyes, the smile still lingering on his lips.

The kitchen light went out. Zhao Xiuying said, "Go to bed early," and the footsteps faded as everyone went back to their rooms.

The courtyard quieted down.

Only occasionally does the wind blow, and the snow on the pine branches falls softly, like someone sighing gently.