Reborn in 1982, the prodigal son returns

When the donkey cart arrived at the village, Lin Nuo got off:

"Brother, please take the donkey cart back."

Lin Jiang nodded; his house was closer to the village chief's. Lin Nuo added:

"Brother, don't tell anyone we split the money."

Lin Jiang:

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone except your sister-in-law."

After speaking, Lin Nuo got up and walked into the courtyard. The aroma of porridge wafted from the kitchen, where Zhao Xiuying was squatting in front of the stove adding firewood. Hearing footsteps, she looked up, her gaze first falling on Lin Nuo's face, then on the oil paper package in his hand.

"What did you buy?"

Roast chicken.

Zhao Xiuying's eyes widened, she stood up, wiped her hands on her apron, walked over, and peeled back the oil paper to take a look. The oil had seeped through the paper, leaving oil stains on its surface.

"How much?"

"Eight pieces."

Zhao Xiuying slapped his arm and said, "Eight yuan for a chicken? You've got money to burn!"

Lin Nuo didn't dodge, and said with a smile:

"Mother, Wanqing loves to eat this."

Zhao Xiuying's hand froze in mid-air for a moment before slowly lowering it. She looked at Lin Nuo, her gaze sweeping over his face. This boy, who used to worry about his own meals, is now willing to buy roast chicken for his wife.

Zhao Xiuying was too embarrassed to say anything more. She turned around and went back to the kitchen.

"You're the only one who dotes on your wife."

The voice came from the kitchen, tinged with laughter.

Lin Nuo followed him in, placed the oil paper on the cutting board, and asked:

"Where's Dad?"

"We're going to your uncle's house. We'll go to town in a bit, then to Xiahe Village. Da Wu is always running off to the Zhou family's place; your dad said he'd go see if there's anything else that needs to be arranged."

Zhao Xiuying paused, then turned to look at him:

"You can eat by yourselves tonight. There's porridge and steamed buns in the east room; just heat them up."

"Why."

"Don't just focus on eating yourself, wait for Wanqing."

"Okay, Mother."

After I woke up from my nap, my mother had also gone out.

Seeing that it was getting late, I figured Wanqing would be back soon.

Lin Nuo went into the kitchen, unwrapped the oil paper, and the aroma of roast chicken filled the air. He tore the roast chicken in half with his hands, placed one half on a plate, covered it with a bowl, and left it for his parents. He tore the other half into small pieces and arranged them on another plate.

Lin Nuo had just come out of the kitchen when there was a light knock on the courtyard gate.

He went over and unlatched the door. Lin Jiang stood in the doorway, holding an empty basket—the very same one he'd used to hold the herbs that morning, which he'd taken back with him. The basket had been washed; the bamboo strips were damp.

"Big brother? Come in and have a seat."

Lin Jiang didn't move; he stood outside the threshold and handed the basket over.

Here's your basket back. It's clean now.

Lin Nuo took it.

"Your sister-in-law said,"

Lin Jiang paused, then rubbed his hand on his trouser leg:

"When you have time, bring Wanqing over for dinner. She...she'll make dumplings for you."

Lin Nuo paused for a moment, but didn't react much.

"Why,"

Lin Nuo said:

"I'll definitely go another day."

Lin Jiang nodded, turned to leave, then stopped. He took a small package from his pocket, wrapped in old newspaper:

"Your sister-in-law steamed these. Give them to Wanqing to try."

After saying that, he turned and left, as if afraid that Lin Nuo would refuse.

Lin Nuo stood at the courtyard gate and opened the paper package. Inside were four white steamed buns, each topped with a red date, embedded in the dough like a red bead. The buns were still warm.

We can't even afford to eat too many white flour steamed buns during the New Year. My sister-in-law really went all out with this.

Lin Nuo rewrapped the paper package, held it in her hands, and turned back to the east room.

He placed the steamed buns on the table, next to the plate of roast chicken. The whiteness of the buns and the glossy sheen of the roast chicken looked beautiful together.

He sat down at the table, looked at the few steamed buns, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

This family is getting better little by little.

Su Wanqing came out of school with a red scarf around her neck. The crimson color darkened slightly in the setting sun, but it was still eye-catching. In her hand, she carried a patchwork bag containing calligraphy practice books and a few short pencils.

The sun was already setting in the west, and sunlight filtered through the treetops, scattering golden fragments on the ground, as if someone had ground gold into powder and sprinkled it on the snow.

Several women stood under the old locust tree at the village entrance, carrying baskets and talking. Seeing Su Wanqing approach, they offered their congratulations.

"Oh dear, Wanqing is back."

"That's right! Nuozi hunted a wild boar today, weighing over 300 jin! He sold it in town for over 100 yuan!"

"Really? The second son of the Lin family is that capable now?"

"Of course, she learned it from the old foreman of Song Village. Look at the red scarf around Wanqing's neck, Nuozi bought it for her. That good-for-nothing used to know how to pamper his wife now."

"Teacher Su is so lucky."

Su Wanqing walked over, and the aunties greeted her with smiles. She nodded, her lips slightly upturned, a small but undeniable smile.

Hello, aunties.

"Wanqing, your son Nuozi is so successful. You're going to have a good life from now on."

Su Wanqing didn't reply, just smiled and continued walking forward.

She never expected that Lin Nuo would have such a great harvest, managing to hunt a 300-pound wild boar.

Home.

Lin Nuo poured the porridge into the pot and simmered it over low heat. The porridge was leftover from the morning; he added water, stirred it, and let it cook slowly. The rice grains tumbled and bubbled in the pot.

The steamed buns were cut into thick slices, arranged on a plate, and placed on the side of the pot to bake. The fire in the stove was not big, and the bun slices were slowly baked until they were golden brown and crispy, crumbling at the slightest touch.

He wiped the table again and again—first with a damp cloth, then with a dry cloth, until the texture of the tabletop was clearly visible. He arranged the chopsticks and bowls, and served the porridge to cool; it was too hot for her to drink.

After doing all that, he sat down, placed his hands on his knees, and waited.

The aroma of porridge and roast chicken mingled together in the kitchen, filling the room.

Su Wanqing pushed open the courtyard gate and found the main house dark and the kitchen empty. Only a yellowish light shone from the east room window; Lin Nuo had lit the kerosene lamp sometime earlier.

She pushed open the door and saw Lin Nuo sitting at the table. On the table were porridge, steamed buns, and a plate of shredded roast chicken. The shredded meat was neatly arranged, with the chicken leg on top, glistening with oil.

She froze for a moment.

Where are Mom and Dad?

"He went to Xiahe Village to pick up that good son-in-law from Xiahe Village."

Lin Nuo smiled, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips.

Su Wanqing smiled slightly, knowing he was referring to Qi Dawu. She took off her cloth bag, hung it behind the door, washed her hands, and sat down at the table. Her gaze lingered on the plate of roast chicken.

"Why did you buy roast chicken? And steamed buns too?"

"These steamed buns are a treat for Teacher Su; my older brother brought them over."

Lin Nuo picked up her chopsticks, directly took a chicken leg, and put it in her bowl. The chicken leg skin was coated with a layer of oil, glistening under the light, and the chopsticks touched it.

Su Wanqing looked at the chicken leg in the bowl, then at Lin Nuo:

"Why didn't you wait for Mom and Dad?"

"My parents said they won't eat it."

Lin Nuo said:

"We'll leave them half."

As he spoke, he lifted the bowl off the plate, revealing the other half of the roast chicken. That half was also torn into pieces, with uniformly sized chunks of meat, clearly prepared with care.

Su Wanqing nodded, said nothing more, picked up a chicken leg, and ate it in small bites. The skin was stewed until it was soft and melted in her mouth, the meat shreds fell off the bone and melted in her mouth, the saltiness was just right, and there was a pine-smoked aroma.

Lin Nuo watched her eat, then picked up a piece herself, chewed it a couple of times, and looked at her again.

"Is it tasty?"

"……Um."

She kept her head down, the tips of her ears slightly red. The porridge in the bowl was steaming, and her face was indistinct behind the steam.

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

He then pulled a crumpled wad of money from his pocket, walked back to the east room, placed the money on the table, and pushed it in front of Su Wanqing.

"Today's distribution includes wild boar, saposhnikovia, and rabbit skins. After deducting Uncle Zhang's and Big Brother's, and then deducting Hua's, there's still thirty-seven yuan and fifty cents left."

Su Wanqing looked at the stack of money but didn't touch it. Her hands rested on her knees, her fingers slightly curled.

"You keep saving them for me."

Lin Nuo said:

"Once we've saved enough, we'll build a small courtyard. We'll clean up the west room and use it as your study, and build a bookshelf, just big enough to hold your few books."

This was something he had planned long ago.

Su Wanqing looked up at him. The light from the kerosene lamp shone brightly in her eyes. She didn't speak, but reached out, picked up the money, folded it neatly, and stuffed it under her pillow.

The two of them then remained silent.

The kang (heated brick bed) was warm, just enough to make the quilt cozy. It's likely that Zhao Xiuying added firewood before she left.

Su Wanqing lay on the left, and Lin Nuo lay on the right.

Perhaps it was because the food was so good today, but Lin Nuo's inner thoughts inexplicably rose up and became somewhat difficult to suppress. He turned to face her. He reached out and placed his hand on her waist.

Su Wanqing didn't move. Her body tensed slightly, then slowly relaxed.

Lin Nuo's hand lingered on her waist for a moment, not moving in a hurry. He could feel the warmth of her body. Then his hand slowly moved up a little, his fingers gently rubbing against her through the cotton fabric.

Su Wanqing still didn't move, but her breathing quickened slightly.

Lin Nuo's hand moved again, this time bolder, and his fingers gently massaged her waist. His breathing was heavy, and his hot breath sprayed onto the back of her head.

Su Wanqing's ears turned red. The redness started from her earlobes and gradually spread upwards. She gripped the corner of the blanket tightly for a while, her knuckles turning white. Then she slowly relaxed her grip.

With Lin Nuo's movements.

"Lin Nuo".

Her voice was very soft.

Lin Nuo paused for a moment.

"I have class tomorrow."

Lin Nuo's hand froze, not moving. His breath tickled her neck. Lin Nuo boldly leaned closer to her ear, his voice husky:

"...Then let's wait until tomorrow."

Su Wanqing didn't speak. Her ears were bright red, and her breathing was a little rapid.

A moment of silence.

"……Um."

The "hmm" was so soft it sounded like it was being squeezed out of her throat, but Lin Nuo heard it. He was too close to her.

It felt like I could hear her heartbeat.

Lin Nuo took two deep breaths, suppressing his racing heart and the thoughts swirling in his mind. Then he turned to the side and hugged her from behind. His arms encircled her waist, and his chin rested on her shoulder. He didn't move again.

Su Wanqing slowly relaxed and leaned into his arms. Her back was pressed against his chest, and she could feel his warmth seeping through the cotton fabric.

Outside the window, the moon peeked out from behind the clouds, its cool light bathing the snow-covered ground and brightening the courtyard. The snow reflected the light, making the paper windows appear white.

A dog barked in the distance, then stopped after two barks, and the village fell silent again. Snow fell softly from the pine branches, like someone sighing gently.

Lin Nuo closed his eyes.

Tomorrow is the 20th day of the first lunar month, a Friday. There are six days left until Qi Dawu's wedding.

Thinking of the other person's Friday just now, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, and he hugged the person in his arms a little tighter.

Su Wanqing's breathing gradually became lighter.

Lin Nuo wasn't asleep. He listened to her breathing, one breath at a time, like the sound of wind blowing through pine needles in winter.

The fire in the stove had gone out, and the surface of the kang (a heated brick bed) was slowly releasing heat, gradually lowering the temperature, but the bed was warm. The combined body heat of the two people kept the cold out.

The moon outside the window moved a little further west, and the moonlight shone through the gaps in the window paper, a thin line falling on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), like a silvery-white thread.

Lin Nuo held Su Wanqing's hand in his own. Only when he held her hand did Lin Nuo feel at ease.

Su Wanqing stirred in her sleep, her fingers unconsciously gripping his hand.

Lin Nuo's lips curled up, and he couldn't suppress it for a long time.

after awhile.

The sound of the courtyard gate creaking came from outside the window, followed by the sound of footsteps crunching on the snow.

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

"Finally home. The road was difficult to travel this late at night."

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

Qi Dawu's voice was filled with joy:

"Auntie, please be careful, the threshold is slippery."

The three of them entered the kitchen. The kitchen door was ajar, making the sounds even clearer. Zhao Xiuying exclaimed, "Huh? Why is there still porridge in this pot? And the steamed buns are still warm. Did the second son make this?"

Qi Dawu leaned over and took a look:

"Auntie, Brother Nuozi is so thoughtful."

Zhao Xiuying smiled:

"He's the one who dotes on his wife."

The kitchen light was on, its yellowish glow seeping through the paper windows and casting a hazy light across the yard. The sounds of pots and pans clattered for a while.

Lin Nuo carefully put on her clothes and went out to take a look.

Zhao Xiuying and the other two were busy in the kitchen.

Lin Weiguo followed behind her, carrying a bowl of porridge.

Qi Dawu stood at the very back, wearing a faded blue cotton-padded jacket with a neatly trimmed collar. When he saw Lin Nuo, he grinned, revealing two rows of slightly crooked teeth.

When Zhao Xiuying saw Lin Nuo come out, she said:

"We went to the Zhou family today and almost finished discussing things. Old Zhou said he'll find a cook and posters. On our side, we'll borrow a horse-drawn carriage from the village chief and find a child to carry it. We also need to get some 'mother-sending meat' (a type of meat dish)."

She spoke fluently, point by point.

Lin Weiguo added from the side:

"The meat from the mother's side must be fresh, from the ribs, with the bone, and wrapped in red paper. That's the rule."

Zhao Xiuying nodded:

"On the 25th, I'm going to town to buy some meat. Old Zhou said it doesn't need to be a big batch, just a token amount will do."

Qi Dawu stood at the doorway, his hands hanging at his sides, chuckling to himself, unable to suppress the smile on his lips.

Zhao Xiuying turned to look at him, stared for two seconds, and couldn't help but laugh. She stood up, walked to Qi Dawu, and gently patted his arm, as if she were patting her own child.

"Da Wu, don't go so often, people will laugh at you. Wait until you get married, then you can see me every day."

Qi Dawu's face flushed instantly, from the base of his neck all the way to the tips of his ears. He lowered his head, rubbed his hands on his trouser legs a couple of times, and let out a muffled "Hey."

Lin Weiguo placed the bowl of porridge on the table, glanced at Qi Dawu, his lips twitched slightly, but he didn't say anything. However, it was clear that Lin Weiguo was in a good mood.

Seeing that there was nothing he needed to do, Lin Nuo went back to sleep.