Reborn in 1982, the prodigal son returns

The room was quiet for a while.

Liu Guixiang came out of the kitchen, glanced cautiously at the doorway, and asked in a low voice:

"The third brother is gone? He's not eating? I even heated up some steamed buns."

"Ignore him."

Lin Weidong waved his hand, then looked at Lin Nuo:

"Nuozi, those questions you just asked—how many rabbits, what the costs, what the profits—were you really thinking about them, or were they just casually mentioned?"

Lin Nuo put down his teacup.

"I have thought about it."

He knew how dangerous this thing was in his past life; it almost ruined his entire family. It's not that raising rabbits is bad, but the vaccine wasn't developed until 84, so of course it's not feasible now.

"So, do you think raising rabbits is a viable business?"

That's a very direct question.

His family is watching him.

Although Lin Weiguo was still sulking, he listened attentively.

Lin Jiang also looked up and glanced at his younger brother.

Lin Nuo carefully considered his words.

He couldn't directly say "it can't be done." If he did, his father would think he was deliberately going against the third son, which would only provoke a rebellious attitude. In that case, even without Lin Jian's instigation, his father might have secretly decided to raise the child himself.

He had to make his point in a way that was both reasonable and not offensive.

"Uncle, I didn't mean raising rabbits can't make money."

He spoke slowly:

"I mean, now is not the time. The third brother said that breeding rabbits will be more expensive in the spring, which may be true, but on the other hand, since everyone knows that prices will rise in the spring, wouldn't it be more cost-effective to buy now? If you really want to raise them, you should buy breeding rabbits now, instead of waiting until the spring."

Lin Weidong nodded.

"But the problem is..."

Lin Nuo continued:

"We don't know the market price right now. How much should a breeding rabbit cost? What breed is good? Which place has reliable breeding rabbits? We don't know any of these things."

"The third brother said Ma Shengli raises rabbits well. Okay, let's go take a look. Where does Ma Shengli keep his rabbits? Are they kept in enclosures or free-range? What kind of feed do they eat? How were the rabbit hutches built? These things are useless just by listening to him; we have to see them for ourselves."

Lin Weiguo interjected:

"You want to go see it?"

"I'll go tomorrow."

Lin Weiguo was stunned for a moment, clearly not expecting his second son to be so decisive. His second son usually didn't even want to find a job, so why was he so eager this time?

"The snow is so heavy."

"We have to go even if it's snowing heavily."

Lin Nuo said:

"Dad, we can't delay this. Third Brother is right, this opportunity might not come again. But on the other hand, if this is a trap, the sooner we see it clearly, the less risk we'll face."

Lin Weidong glanced at Lin Nuo, his gaze revealing something. Something seemed off about his nephew today.

"Nuozi's words make sense."

他 说:

"Weiguo, send Nuozi to the county to take a look. Once he has a clear understanding, we'll talk about it again when he returns."

Lin Weiguo remained silent for a while, picked up his wine glass, but didn't drink it, and then put it down again.

"OK,"

他 说:

"Go and take a look. While you're at it, see how the third brother is doing in the county. That kid's all alone out there, and he doesn't even know how to take care of himself. I heard his dorm is freezing in the winter."

"I know."

Lin Nuo said.

Of course he would go see Lin Jian.

But it's not about caring whether he's doing well or not.

He needed to figure out one thing: was Lin Jian so eager to encourage his family to raise rabbits because his coworker Ma Shengli had actually made money, or was it for some other reason?

He hadn't thought about this question in his past life.

He needs to think this through carefully.

The third son was spoiled by his father since he was a child. If he deliberately harmed the whole family, what was his purpose?

By the time the dinner party ended, the snow had lessened.

Large snowflakes turned into fine snow particles, which were blown by the wind and hit my face with a rustling sound. The snow on the ground was already above my ankles, and it crunched under my feet. The soles of my cloth shoes were thin, and the cold air rose up from the soles of my feet.

Liu Guixiang filled a bowl with the remaining stewed chicken, wrapped it in a clean cloth, then wrapped it in an old newspaper, and handed it to Lin Nuo.

"Take this back for Wanqing. That girl is so thin, she needs to eat something better. Her face is as white as paper, it's unbelievable."

"Thank you, Auntie."

Lin Nuo took the bowl, then grabbed a steamed bun and tucked it into his coat. The bun was still warm, and it felt cozy against his chest.

Lin Weidong escorted them to the courtyard gate, stood on the threshold, and put his hands in his sleeves.

"Nuozi, go to the county tomorrow and take the early bus. The one at 6:30, don't miss it."

"Understood, Uncle."

"Once we get to the county, we'll go to the fertilizer plant first and ask around. Once we understand the situation, we'll come back."

"it is good."

Lin Weidong nodded, then glanced at Lin Weiguo:

"Weiguo, don't overthink it. Making money can't be rushed."

Lin Weiguo grunted in response but didn't say anything.

You can't blame Lin Weiguo. He has an eldest son and a daughter, and they're barely making ends meet. They're about to start school, so he needs to earn more money.

While he's still young, let's help him as much as possible.

Actually, Lin Nuo was partly to blame. The second son was idle and lazy. If the eldest son didn't help him, his life would be much better. But if he kept helping him, the eldest son's wife would eventually start arguing with him.

On the way home, the snow crunched under my feet. The wind stopped, and the air was dry and cold, cutting like a knife when I breathed it in. My exhaled breath condensed in front of me before being blown away by the wind.

Lin Weiguo walked ahead, his back hunched against the snow. He wore the black cotton-padded jacket he had worn for five or six years, with a patch of blue cloth sewn on the back, the stitches rough, sewn by Zhao Xiuying.

Lin Nuo followed behind, carrying stewed chicken and steamed buns in his arms.

The two walked one after the other for about a hundred steps without saying a word.

Lin Nuo didn't know how to start the conversation.

Lin Weiguo, too, was used to using his fists and feet most of the time, so he wasn't really used to reasoning with people.

When they reached the old locust tree, Lin Weiguo suddenly stopped.

He didn't turn around, but stood under the tree, the bare branches above him covered with snow, like a white umbrella.

"Second son."

"Um."

"Do you think the rabbit that the third brother mentioned is unreliable?"

Lin Nuo walked up to him and stopped.

The snowflakes stung my face a little.

He thought about it and didn't answer directly.

"Dad, I'm not saying it's unreliable. I mean, we need to inquire further. The third son has been in the county for two years, he's ambitious and wants to make a lot of money, that's true. But our family's resources are limited, we can't afford to take any risks."

He paused, then continued:

"What if we lose the money? Mom's health won't be able to take it. My brother's two kids are about to start school. Last year, my sister-in-law was telling me that her niece wanted a new schoolbag, but my brother wouldn't buy it. Just think, what will happen to my brother's kids if the money we invested goes down the drain?"

Lin Weiguo remained silent.

He stood under the tree, his shoulders hunched, his hands tucked into his sleeves, looking at the snow-covered ground in the distance.

After a long while, he finally sighed.

"When did you start thinking about these things?"

The voice wasn't loud, as if it were being spoken to oneself.

Lin Nuo said:

"I've figured it out."

Lin Weiguo turned and glanced at him.

In the dim, yellowish light of the snow, his father's face looked much older. The wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, the furrows on his forehead, the graying temples—he had never noticed these things before, or rather, even if he had, he hadn't taken them seriously.

I must have been such a jerk in my past life.

"OK,"

Lin Weiguo said:

"Go and take a look. Come back and tell me what you think."

He turned around and continued walking forward, but stopped after a few steps.

"Take that stewed chicken to Wanqing. It's made by your aunt; it's delicious."

"Um."

Lin Weiguo didn't say anything more, quickened his pace and entered the courtyard, heading straight for the main house. Zhao Xiuying called out from inside, "You're back?", followed by the sound of water being poured.

Of the three brothers, only he still lives with his parents. The eldest brother has moved out, and the youngest brother has his own yard and lives in the county town.

Lin Nuo stood in the courtyard and went to the kitchen first.

There was still embers in the kitchen, and the iron pot on the stove was covered with a wooden lid, feeling warm to the touch. He poured the chicken soup into a small earthenware pot, placed it on the stove to keep it warm with the embers, and then placed the steamed buns next to the pot to simmer.

Then he took the bowl and walked to the door of the west room.

The lights were still on inside.

A yellowish light shone through the crack in the door, a thin line falling onto the snow in front of the threshold, like a golden crack.

He knocked carefully on the door.

"Wanqing, I'm back."

Let's keep quiet inside for a while.

Then came the sound of footsteps, very light, like bare feet on a brick floor. The door opened a crack, and Su Wanqing stood behind it.

Her hair was down, draped over her shoulders, as black as ink, making her face appear even smaller. She wore an old white sweater, the neckline loose, revealing a small section of her collarbone.

She wasn't wearing socks, but a pair of cotton slippers, the velvet on the surface of the shoes worn bare.

She glanced at the bowl in his hand, then at his shoulders and hair, which were wet with snow.

A few seconds of silence.

It was as if she was processing the information that he had actually brought the item back.

"...Come in."

The voice was still clear and cold, but there was something more to it than during the day.

Lin Nuo paused for a moment, then grinned.

He bent down, stepped over the threshold, and entered the west room.

It was indeed cold inside. The charcoal in the brazier was almost out, leaving only a few dark red embers that occasionally crackled and sparked. A draft seeped through the cracks in the window, causing the curtains to sway slightly.

He placed the bowl on the table and looked around.

The west room was smaller than the east room. Against the wall was a wooden bed with a neatly folded, army-green quilt that had faded from washing. A book sat on the headboard, its cover facing down, so the title was illegible.

On the windowsill sat a small mirror, a wooden comb, and an enamel mug with a toothbrush stuck inside, its bristles all brushed away.

She always made do, probably because she didn't want to spend her family's money and always settled for less.

"You eat first."

Lin Nuo squatted down and stirred the brazier:

"I'll add some charcoal."

There were a few pieces of charcoal left in the winnowing basket next to the brazier; they were broken, probably leftovers from the last time. He picked out a few larger pieces and placed them on the charcoal core, poked them with fire tongs, stuffed them in with some scrap paper, and then blew on them a few times.

Sparks flew up and almost burned my eyebrows.

I'm still not very skilled at it.

Su Wanqing stood beside him, watching him squat on the ground fiddling with the brazier. His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he held back.

Once he finished, the charcoal fire was reignited, and its orange-red light shone on the walls, making the room a little warmer.

Lin Nuo stood up, dusted off her knees, and pushed the bowl in front of her.

"Chicken leg, your aunt saved it especially for you."

Su Wanqing looked at the chicken leg in the bowl.

The chicken drumsticks were stewed until they were so tender that the meat almost fell off the bone, and the skin was coated with a layer of golden oil, emitting a slight steam.

She remained silent for a few seconds.

"Have you got a meal yet?"

"have eaten,"

Lin Nuo said in a very natural tone:

"I've eaten so much, one more bite won't hurt. Try the chicken stew my aunt made."

He wasn't telling the truth.

He barely ate anything at the dinner table. He was too busy arguing with Lin Jian to touch his chopsticks much, except for picking up a couple of peanuts and chewing them. Later, Lin Jian's comment, "Even your own wife dislikes you," made him lose his appetite.

But he didn't want Su Wanqing to worry now.

Although he knew that Su Wanqing probably wasn't worried. She was probably just asking casually, out of politeness.

Su Wanqing didn't say anything more, sat down on the edge of the bed, and picked up her chopsticks.

She ate very slowly.

She took small bites, using the tip of her chopsticks to pick up tiny bits of meat, putting them in her mouth and chewing them slowly. She tore the chicken leg meat into thin strips, eating them one by one, as if savoring something precious.

Lin Nuo sat on the stool next to him and watched.

The crackling charcoal fire cast a rosy glow on half of her face. Her long eyelashes cast a small shadow on her cheekbone as they fell. She had a straight nose, thin lips, and a prominent jawline due to her slender build.

She is really beautiful.

He thought the same thing when he first saw her in his past life. At that time, she had just come to the countryside, wearing a faded blue cotton dress, with two braids, standing under the big locust tree at the entrance of the village. The wind blew the hem of her dress, making her look like a person cut out from a painting.

At that time, he thought, how could he let a girl like this suffer?

As a result, the greatest suffering of her life was caused by him.

"I'm going to the county tomorrow."

Lin Nuo began to speak:

"I might be back tomorrow night."

Su Wanqing paused for a moment.

"What are you going to the county for?"

"I want to ask you something."

He didn't elaborate.

He didn't want her to worry. In her past life, she had worried too much—about the family's debts, his job, his health—to the point that she had made herself sick.

He didn't want her to worry about him anymore in this lifetime.

Su Wanqing didn't press the matter. She simply hummed in agreement and went back to eating her chicken leg.

She carefully removed all the meat from the bones before placing them on the edge of the bowl. Then she picked up the bowl and took a sip of the soup.

A layer of oil floated on the soup noodles. She blew on it and sipped it slowly. After finishing, her lips were glistening with oil and had a bit more color than before.

"Leave the dishes; I'll wash them tomorrow," Lin Nuo said.

Su Wanqing glanced at him.

That glance was different from the daytime look.

During the day, her eyes were cold, like the waters of a river in the depths of winter, containing everything yet revealing nothing. But now, it seemed as if a crack had melted in that layer of ice, and a tiny bit of something was seeping through it.

It wasn't about being moved, nor was it about forgiving; it was more like being confused.

She didn't understand why this person had suddenly changed.

Lin Nuo stood up, walked to the door, and pulled back the curtain.

A cold wind blew in again, and the flames in the brazier flickered.

Go to bed early.

他 说:

"I'll patch the window cracks when I get back tomorrow. It's too late today, so you can stuff them with newspaper for now."

Su Wanqing did not respond.

Lin Nuo stepped out of the door and glanced back at her.

This is a good life.